Latest Transfer Update at 20-09-11

[<<ELVIS>>]

Wenger: No plans to be sacked
WENGER WILL NOT BE SACKED - GAZIDIS

Arsene Wenger has received resounding backing from Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis despite his team's poor start to the season.
Wenger has endured a testing time over the last few months, losing captain Cesc Fabregas and star player Samir Nasri before the club went on to make their worst start to a season in 58 years.
The Gunners have recorded just one league win so far - against newly-promoted Swansea - and sit 17th in the Barclays Premier League table after five games.
The London club endured the humiliation of an 8-2 hammering at Manchester United, and looked a shadow of their former selves on Saturday when they lost 4-3 to strugglers Blackburn.
Wenger has looked increasingly strained in recent days following criticism of his side from the media and sections of the Arsenal support.
But chief executive Gazidis denies Wenger, who has won three Premier League titles, is losing his touch and is adamant that he and American owner Stan Kroenke are fully behind their manager.
"Arsene is not a broken man. He did not suddenly become a bad manager or somebody who became out of touch with the game. It is complete nonsense," Gazidis said.
"(Sacking him) is a route we are not going to go down. Stan Kroenke is very supportive of Arsenal's self-sustaining model and of Arsene Wenger.
"To see him (Wenger) portrayed as some kind of idiot is profoundly damaging, not to Arsenal or Arsene, but for the game."
Wenger became the only manager to win a Premier League title with an unbeaten team in 2004, but has not won a competition in the last six-and-a-half years.
Arsenal came agonisingly close to winning some silverware last term when they reached the Carling Cup final only to lose to Birmingham, who then went on to be relegated to the npower Championship.
Gazidis says Wenger understands why the club's supporters are unhappy but insists that the club's consistent top-four finishes mean the last few years have not been a failure.
"When we look at Arsenal over the last six years that we haven't won a trophy, many people will say that is a total failure," said Gazidis, who was speaking at the Nolan Partners Sport Industry Breakfast Club in London this morning.
"I understand that, I accept it and I embrace it because in a sense it shows where we are as a club which is right at the top of the game.
"But at the same time, I cannot accept it's a total failure because actually we have been incredibly consistent over a long period of time - along with Manchester United and Real Madrid, the most consistent of clubs in Europe.
"Arsene is frustrated, he shares the same frustrations that we all do.
"If you look at the last six years when we haven't quite got over the line for a trophy, that is something we need to correct because the potential is there."
Much of the Arsenal fans' ire at Wenger's management style is his perceived refusal to pay out big transfer fees.
Wenger's policy of signing young players has worked at times, but Arsenal fans are growing increasingly frustrated at the club's inability to land big name signings like Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City have done this summer.
Wenger has repeatedly stated that he has money to spend, but Gazidis does not want to see the Gunners boss waste it on an extravagant spree.
"Our strategy continues to focus on young players. We know we can't go out and compete with the spending that's out there and frankly, if we did, it would just push the spending to another level so it wouldn't be a successful strategy," he said.
Gazidis also launched a staunch defence of Kroenke, who has still not attended a game this season.
Kroenke, who owns American football, ice hockey and basketball teams, rarely speaks to the media - a move which has led to him being labelled 'Silent Stan' - but Gazidis insists the tag is unfair.
"The truth is that Stan is not silent. He has been very involved throughout and for a number of years with the club," Gazidis said.
"Stan has said that he will talk to the fans the next time he is in the UK and he will."

[<<ELVIS>>]

Lampard: Has earned praise from Villas-Boas
FRANK LAMPARD IS STILL KEY - AVB

Andre Villas-Boas has insisted that Frank Lampard remains an important member of the Chelsea team despite taking the midfielder off at half-time against Manchester United.
Lampard has been a virtual ever-present in the Blues side when fit over the past few years but Villas-Boas has made it clear he will drop any player that is underperforming.
And the manager decided it was in Chelsea's best interests for Lampard to be replaced after the opening 45 minutes at Old Trafford on Sunday, when United were leading 3-0.
Nicolas Anelka came on and his introduction paid immediate dividends as Fernando Torres was played in for a goal that reduced Chelsea's arrears, although they could not complete the comeback.
Villas-Boas maintains that not much should be read into Lampard's withdrawal, stressing that the England international will continue to play a vital part all season.
"Those are the decisions that we had to make, bearing in mind the result at half-time," Villas-Boas explained on Sky Sports News.
"It was an attacking substitution that we thought would be right, not because Lamps was playing bad because he wasn't. He was having quite an impact in the game.
"It was just something we had to do to adapt the team to a more attacking style, not that he doesn't give attacking style because he does and he has proven it throughout his career.
"Nothing dramatic. Frank is a fantastic player and will be one of our key players for the rest of the season."
Villas-Boas refused to get drawn into a debate on Fernando Torres' state of mind following his horror miss against United.
The Spaniard squandered a glorious opportunity in the closing stages with the goal gaping after going round David de Gea.
Prior to that embarrassing moment he had performed better but, having been in poor form for such a long time, there has been plenty of discussion about how the miss will affect Torres' confidence.
"It is not a question about an individual player. We are very happy with how the team has responded and we have managed two days' training," Villas-Boas said ahead of Wednesday's Carling Cup tie at home to Fulham.
"Everybody has come back strong and with the correct frame of mind to change from one competition to another."
Villas-Boas plans to make changes for the midweek clash with the Cottagers but is still determined to go as far as he can in the Carling Cup.
"Opportunities will be given to our youngest players," he said. "We have to put ourselves of course in a situation where we can try to win the game and try to continue in the competition."

[<<ELVIS>>]

Ross Barkley: Linked with a move
ROUND: MOVE TALK WON'T FAZE BARKLEY

Everton assistant manager Steve Round is confident Ross Barkley will not be affected by speculation linking the youngster with a big-money move away from the club.
Barkley, 17, put in an eye-catching performance on his senior debut in the Toffees' first game of the season against QPR and has continued to impress in the handful of appearances he has made since then.
Reports have suggested that Chelsea are ready to pay £20million for the England Under-21 international when the transfer window opens in January, but Round does not think such talk will distract Barkley.
Asked if he was worried the midfielder might be unsettled by rumours of interest from Stamford Bridge, Round said: "No, not at all. Ross is very level-headed. It's just speculation, he knows that."
Barkley started Everton's opening three fixtures this term, including a Carling Cup second-round victory over Sheffield United, and could be set to return to the first XI for Wednesday night's third-round clash with West Brom at Goodison Park - along with a vastly more experienced colleague in club captain Phil Neville.
The 34-year-old was an unused substitute for the Toffees' 3-1 Barclays Premier League home win against Wigan on Saturday, the second successive match he has sat through on the bench.
There is no doubt in Round's mind that the challenge of battling his way back into the side is one Neville is embracing.
"Phil is a consummate professional - not only a terrific player, but an outstanding person," Round said.
"I can't speak highly enough of him and he is arguably the best professional I have ever worked with.
"If he is not in the team, he rolls his sleeves up and says 'how can I get in the team?'
"He goes out there and works and his attitude is first-rate.
"When he is on the bench he is cheering on the team, in the dressing room he is terrific - he is captain of the club and you can see it every day.
"There are never any problems and he will fight to try to get back in the team, that is his nature."
A player whose chances of being involved are certainly unclear is Louis Saha.
The 33-year-old Frenchman - who has been working his way back to match fitness - came on in the tie against Sheffield United last month but has not featured since and on Saturday voiced his disappointment on Twitter after being left out of the squad to face Wigan.
It is understood Saha was at Goodison Park ahead of the game but left the ground soon after discovering he was not a part of the 18.
Round revealed Everton boss David Moyes had discussed the matter with the striker.
"I think the manager has quietly spoken to him, and we get on with it," Round said.
"All those sorts of things are dealt with internally.
"We are keeping a very close eye on Louis' training and if he trains well and performs well, then I'm sure he will be in for selection in the future."