Latest Transfer Update at 11-11-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 11-11-11

Robin van Persie: No rush to discuss new deal
ARSENAL CALM OVER VAN PERSIE

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood insists the club are not worried by the fact captain Robin van Persie is in no rush to discuss a new contract.
The Dutch international has been in brilliant form so far this season with 11 goals in 11 Premier League starts.
His current deal is due to expire in 18 months' time and the 28-year-old admits he is not thinking about discussions over an extension.
But Hill-Wood insists Gunners have no concerns over their skipper's stance and will look at the matter at the end of the season.
"He doesn't want to talk about it at the moment and we are not troubling him," Hill-Wood told the Daily Star.
"I think we will approach him near the end of the season.
"But we obviously hope that he will sign a new contract - I don't see why he should not. I can't believe he is unhappy with us."

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Seydou Keita: Linked with Liverpool
KEITA FLATTERED BY LIVERPOOL LINK

Barcelona midfielder Seydou Keita admits he is flattered by reported interest from Liverpool in him.
The 31-year-old has over three years left on his current deal at the Nou Camp having been handed a contract extension earlier this year.
But reports have claimed Liverpool, along with big-spending Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, are keen to land the Mali international.
Keita told skysports.com: "Liverpool is a great club, it is fantastic to hear that they are interested in me, but you know how I feel about Barcelona.
"However we are in football and nothing is an absolute, so let's wait until the end of the season.
"I want to play more games than last season, playing regularly in a winning team is very good for the player, but the Premier League is very attractive and exicting for any player.
"My contract runs untill 2014, at the end of the season we will see."

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Michael Appleton: New Portsmouth boss
POMPEY PICK APPLETON

Michael Appleton became the latest in a long line of Sir Alex Ferguson's former Manchester United players to move into management after taking over at Portsmouth.
The 35-year-old has left his role as assistant to Roy Hodgson at West Brom to sign a three-and-a-half-year contract at Fratton Park.
Appleton played for United as a young midfielder and also had spells with Lincoln, Grimsby, Preston and the Baggies before his career was cut short by a knee injury in 2003 and he moved into coaching.
He is the 21st man to have played under Ferguson at Old Trafford and gone on to become a manager, following the likes of Steve Bruce, Roy Keane, Mark Hughes and Bryan Robson.
And Appleton has set his sights joining his old boss in the Barclays Premier League with Pompey.
He told the club's official website: "I'm delighted and excited to be taking the job and hopefully I can share that enthusiasm and excitement out around the club.
"It's going to be a progressive challenge. You get judged on results and the first team is the most important thing, but we want to build the infrastructure of the club, developing the academy and hopefully along the line getting our own training ground. Things like recruitment will be key.
"Hopefully, with a sensible approach, we can take the club forward.
"It was very difficult to leave West Brom because I had spent nearly a third of my life there and had made a lot of good friends and worked with good people.
"But it was time for me to take on a different challenge, and this is one I'm really excited about.
"Portsmouth have fantastic traditions and the supporters are renowned throughout the football world for being very loud and getting behind the team. We want to give them something to shout about.
"A few years ago Portsmouth were a successful Premier League club. I would like to think I can help the people at the football club achieve that again."
Appleton replaces Steve Cotterill, who left to join Nottingham Forest last month, and takes over with Pompey 16th in the npower Championship.
He is the club's fifth manager in little more than three years, but Albion boss Hodgson has backed his former number two to be a success on the south coast.
He said: "I, and the rest of the coaching staff, would like to wish Michael all the very best in his new job and thank him very much for the work he has put in during my brief time at the club.
"I realise what an excellent club servant he has been over the years and he fully deserves this opportunity to manage a team of his own.
"We will miss him and, in an ideal world, we would have liked him to still be here with us.
"However, I was fully behind the club's decision not to stand in his way when this excellent opportunity presented itself and our loss is going to be Portsmouth's gain."

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Stephen Ward: New Wolves deal done
NEW WOLVES DEAL FOR STEPHEN WARD

Stephen Ward has committed his future to Wolves until the summer of 2015.
The versatile Republic of Ireland international has been rewarded for his consistency with a new three-and-a-half-year deal.
Ward, who has played in defence, midfield and attack since arriving from Bohemians in January 2007, was previously contracted until 2013.
"We're all delighted that Wardy has extended his contract," boss Mick McCarthy told the club website. "He has earned a new deal by the manner of his performances.
"Since arriving from Bohemians, he has just got better and better and is a top professional who never stops working."
Ward said: "I'm happy to have signed the new contract and am looking forward to helping Wolves move up the Premier League table."

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Berbatov: Loves playing for Ferguson
BERBATOV PRAISE FOR FERGUSON

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov has spoken of his admiration for manager Sir Alex Ferguson despite being on the fringes of selection.
The Bulgarian, signed from Tottenham in a £30million deal three years ago, has made just one start in the Premier League this season.
The 30-year-old is now in the final year of his contract - although United have a unilateral option to extend by further year - and has recently been linked with Paris St Germain and Galatasaray, but the situation has not affected his relationship with Ferguson.
Berbatov told MUTV: "The way he treats players is unbelievable.
"Even when not playing or you're injured, he's still speaking with you and encouraging.
"He makes you feel special and lets you know your place in the team."
Berbatov feels it is up to him to impress in training and win his place back in the side. He finds playing for Ferguson inspirational.
He said: "Some players need to be pushed and others need to be talked to separately.
"For me, he just needs to come to me and tell me what to expect from the game and the training ground, then it is up to me to show I can play every game.
"I cannot speak for other players, but it is always good when the manager comes to ask how you're feeling and makes you feel calm before you play the game.
"For me, he knows how to motivate you and how to speak with you, about football or some issues you have outside of football.
"Just in the way he speaks with you in the team-talk - before important games he can make you feel like it's the last game you'll play in your life, so you go out there and want to give everything you have.
"It's great - you just need to be there to see it."
He added: "Even when we're on the training ground or go to lunch, for example, it's like he is one of the team - joking around and telling stories, asking quiz questions.
"He really likes the quiz questions and it's good because he relates with the players and he's really good like that."
Ferguson celebrated 25 years in charge at Old Trafford last weekend and Berbatov has been impressed by the way the Scot has continually renewed his side.
Berbatov said: "Every time a players retires or goes to another club, he always a back-up plan on how to replace the player and build the team again."

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Rangers: Take Indian pair on trial
INDIAN DUO SET FOR RANGERS TRIAL

Rangers are set to take Indian strikers Sunil Chhetri and Jeje Lalpekhlua on trial in the hope that they can impress enough to win contracts with the Scottish champions.
The pair are set to arrive in Glasgow this month and will train with the first-team squad at the club's Murray Park training complex.
Chhetri, 27, is an India international who currently plays for I-League side Mohun Bagan.
Lalpekhlua, 20, also capped for the national team, is regarded as one of his country's most promising young talents.
Rangers chief operating officer Ali Russell said: "Sunil and Jeje will be assessed at Murray Park next week and will have every chance to impress the management team.
"Both players have excelled in the I-League and now have the chance to train with Rangers.
"The club is attracting interest globally and there is now a huge appetite across the Atlantic following the recent signings of USA captain Carlos Bocanegra and rising star Alejandro Bedoya."
Agent Yogesh Joshee, from Matchworld India, said: "Sunil and Jeje are looking forward to coming to Scotland for trial later this month.
"Both players are well aware Rangers is a far higher standard than they are used to and they will need to raise their game to impress but they will give their all during their trial period at Murray Park.
"Sunil has been the top player in India for the last five years while Jeje has recently burst onto the scene and both players know a lot about British football as they worked with the national team's English coach Bob Houghton."
The arrival of Chhetri and Lalpekhlua comes as Rangers seek to develop their links with India and extend the club's "global reach in the South Asian market".
Head of business development, Raymond Farrelly, will travel to India later this month to meet representatives from Indian League clubs.
Rangers hope the trip will help establish scouting links with the possibility of talented Asian players continuing their football development at Murray Park in the future.
Russell added: "A Rangers delegation will visit India later this month to meet with key officials from the Indian Premier League.
"The club already has links to India thanks to the Rangers Charity Foundation's partnership with UNICEF and there are undoubted opportunities for Rangers in the Indian market."

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Halstead: Stockport switch
HALSTEAD OFF TO COUNTY

Blackpool have sent goalkeeper Mark Halstead on a three-month loan to Stockport.
The 21-year-old has made three appearances for the Seasiders in his career and has spent time on loan at Burscough, Hyde, Barrow and Kettering.
Halstead will go straight into the Stockport squad for their trip to Ebbsfleet.

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Javier Hernandez: Hasn't always enjoyed his football
HERNANDEZ ALMOST QUIT LAST YEAR

Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez has revealed he almost quit football before joining the Barclays Premier League club.
The Mexico international last month signed a new five-year contract at Old Trafford after making a huge impression in his first season at the club.
Hernandez scored 20 goals in all competitions last term after joining United from Chivas of Guadalajara in the summer of 2010.
Yet the 23-year-old has not always enjoyed his football and told Inside United: "It was about three years ago and I had a lot of questions about whether or not this was the path God wanted me to follow.
"I wasn't playing much football, I was being kept in the reserves. I was disappointed younger players were coming through and getting ahead of me, and it really got me down, even away from football.
"I talked a lot with my parents, my grandparents, my sister and my girlfriend about my situation, and they helped me realise that this is what I was meant to do.
"I know now that I'm a very lucky guy and I'm glad I made the decision to keep playing. That experience taught me a lot."
Hernandez missed the start of the current campaign after suffering a concussion during a pre-season training session in the United States.
The player spent time in hospital after the incident but was never concerned the condition was serious.
Hernandez said: "I just headed the ball on the wrong part of my head.
"It was a very strong cross, the ball moved in the air, and it hit me on the back of my head.
"I think all injuries - in football or in life - are scary and it's never nice to have bad headaches or be throwing up.
"But I knew I would be okay. This had happened twice before in Mexico, when I'd clashed heads with another player.
"So I knew what was happening to me, I knew the symptoms and knew I'd feel okay again."

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Steve Kean: Under pressure at Ewood Park
ROVERS DENY NEW STEVE KEAN DEAL

Blackburn have denied reports that manager Steve Kean has signed a new and improved contract with the Premier League strugglers.
Rovers are currently in the top-flight relegation zone after a miserable start to the season which has seen them claim just six points from 11 games.
Kean, whose appointment as successor to Sam Allardyce in December last year was not met with universal approval, has been under severe scrutiny this season.
Ewood Park owners Venky's turned to the 44-year-old after they showed Allardyce the door and have always backed the Scot through some testing times this term.
Protests from sections of the club's supporters have become commonplace at home matches this season, with Rovers having lost five of their six in front of their own fans.
Kean insists he is paying no attention to the dissenting voices and has always thanked the supporters who have stuck behind his players during their recent rocky patch.
Reports emerged earlier this week that Venky's had handed their boss a new and improved contract despite their perilous position and the off-field unrest.
But a Venky's spokesman told the Lancashire Telegraph: "There is no new contract signed yet."

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Zenden: A free agent after his release by Sunderland
CELTIC TAKE A PASS ON ZENDEN

Boudewijn Zenden will not be joining Celtic, the Parkhead club have confirmed.
The attacking midfielder, who has played for Barcelona, Liverpool and Chelsea and others, is now a free agent and spent a few days training with the squad and played in a bounce game against St Johnstone.
However, manager Neil Lennon has ended his interest in the 35-year-old and a statement on the club's official website said: "Celtic has confirmed that Boudewijn Zenden will not be joining the club on a permanent basis after he spent several days training with the squad.
"The Hoops were delighted the Dutchman decided to train with the club for a short period but both parties have agreed not to take the move further following discussions.
"Everyone at Celtic would like to wish the player their sincere best wishes in his future career."