Latest Transfer Update at 18-12-11

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Latest Transfer Update at 18-12-11

Raul: May extend contract beyond the summer


RAUL TO DECIDE ON FUTURE IN JANUARY

Schalke striker Raul says he will make up his mind about his future during the winter break after firing Schalke to a 5-0 win over Werder Bremen.
The Spaniard netted his third hat-trick since arriving at the Royal Blues 18 months ago as they moved up to third in the Bundesliga table, leaving the prospect of Champions League football next season open.
That may well be enough to convince Raul to extend his contract, which expires in June, and he says he is just enjoying his football right now and will do all he can for the club, even if he is no longer part of it from next summer.
"I just want to carry on playing over the next five months the way I am playing now," he told Sky television.
"We will just have to see what happens after. My decision will be made in January.
"The important thing is that the team is in great form at the moment and with the club in such a privileged position of being in the league, the Europa League and the DFB-Pokal, in the end it doesn't matter if I continue or not."
Even if Raul were to leave in the summer, he will have made a major impact in his two years with the club.
His goals in the Champions League last season enabled him to become the tournament's all-time top goalscorer while he celebrated DFB-Pokal success in Berlin last May.
This season, he has netted his first ever goal in the Europa League and has found the back of the net a total of 10 times, helping Schalke into third position at the midway stage of the season, just three points behind league leaders Bayern Munich.
And he showed how much it means to him to be part of the Schalke team by pounding the badge on his shirt after completing his hat-trick on Saturday.
"That was to thank the fans because I have been accepted so well and I feel so happy here," he explained.

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Eduardo Vargas: Heading to Napoli


EDUARDO VARGAS IS NAPOLI-BOUND

Chile striker Eduardo Vargas has announced he will join Napoli when the transfer window reopens.
The 22-year-old Universidad de Chile star, who had been heavily linked with Chelsea, will reportedly move to Italy for a fee of £11.5million next month and will link up with fellow South American forwards Edinson Cavani and Ezequiel Lavezzi.
"Yes I will be joining Napoli, a large team in Italy," Vargas told Radio Cooperativa.
"I'm sure I'll do very well there. I know Cavani and Lavezzi.
"I am very happy that everything was tied up quickly, and for me to play in Italy is a dream come true."
Universidad shareholder Carlos Heller also confirmed the news to the Chilean press.
"It was very late last night when an agreement was made, but we are proud to reach it with the former club of Diego Maradona in Italy," he said.
"Eduardo joins a team with a great trophy cabinet. For him and the national team, it is outstanding."
Vargas this year became one of the hottest properties in South American football, where he helped Universidad win their first ever Copa Sudamericana, netting three times in the two-leg final to top the competition scoring charts on 11 goals.

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Chris Herd: Set to stay at Aston Villa


NEW VILLA DEAL FOR HERD

Aston Villa utility player Chris Herd has agreed a new three-and-a-half year contract with the club.
The Australia Under-20 international is set to put pen to paper on a deal which will keep him at Villa until the summer of 2015.
Herd had 18 months remaining of his current deal but has earned his new contract after impressing manager Alex McLeish since breaking into the first team.
He made his debut against Manchester United last season, and this season has operated at right-back and latterly in central midfield.
McLeish said: "Chris is in the team because he has deserved a chance. He has been a good anchor man in the team. He keeps the game simple.
"He's shown that you can force your way in, and I want other players who are willing to kick the door down and make me pick them.
"That was the message I gave to all of them at the start of the season, and that is what Chris has done.
"He's a whole-hearted boy. He has fantastic application. He trains like a beast every day and is a good role model to any player in terms of his attitude.
"He is improving all the time, and that's partly because he's getting first team football."
Herd, 22, who joined Villa as a schoolboy seven years ago, is also eligible to play for Scotland - his parents were both born north of the border - but has opted to play for his native country.
He was chosen for Australia's recent World Cup qualifiers with Oman and Thailand but had to pull out of the squad through injury.
Herd said: "I was born and raised in Australia and I love the country and I just want to represent them.
"Tim Cahill is the player who inspires me most. He came from Millwall and now is playing for Everton and Australia.
"He is the great model I look up to. After his move to Everton, he's been a star in Australia."
Herd's parents, William and Karen, are flying over from Australia, to watch him in tomorrow's home Barclays Premier League clash with Liverpool.
Herd's father played professional football for Partick, Falkirk and East Fife.
Herd added: "It will be the first time they've seen me in a match live. They moved over to Australia when they were 28."

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Steve Kean: Under pressure


STEVE KEAN REMAINS DEFIANT

Under-fire Blackburn boss Steve Kean remained defiantly upbeat after his side were beaten 2-1 by West Brom at Ewood Park on Saturday.
The heat was turned up once again on the Scot as Peter Odemwingie's curling 89th-minute winner condemned 19th-placed Rovers to their 10th Barclays Premier League defeat of the season.
Even though it had been announced in the build-up to the game that, for the first time in several months at a home fixture, there would be no organised protest against the manager by Rovers fans, they still made their unhappiness known, with rumblings of discontent in the stands erupting into chants of 'Kean Out' by the end of the match.
The 44-year-old knows his tenure - which began a year ago - might not last much longer if the team's fortunes do not change soon, but Kean insists he is still feeling positive looking forward.
"I always feel as if we are about to go on an unbeaten run, and that the fans who are grumbling are going to be overtaken by the noise of the positive fans," Kean said.
"I never feel as if you can't change people's minds, although I know it will only happen with results."
He added: "I don't need to switch off and I don't feel as if I need to run away from anything.
"It is my job, and it is other people's jobs to ask questions.
"I have no problem with that - I'll always come in, face up and give an honest answer."
Blackburn had been looking to build upon the 4-2 triumph over Swansea in their previous home game - only their second league win of the campaign - against the Baggies, but put in a disappointing display and never really looked like claiming another much-needed victory.
Albion deservedly took the lead in the 52nd minute when Rovers failed to properly deal with a corner and James Morrison smashed a superb volley past Paul Robinson.
Scott Dann scrambled in an equaliser with 18 minutes to go, but the hosts were left empty-handed by Odemwingie's late intervention, the striker cutting in from the right before shooting well into the far corner of the goal.
Next up for Blackburn is a home match against rock-bottom Bolton on Tuesday, and with trips to Liverpool and Manchester United to come after that, Kean is in no doubt as to the importance of the Wanderers clash.
"If it was not big enough already, it is absolutely massive now," Kean said.
"We have to make sure we show courage, and I mean courage to get on the ball and carve out some better chances on Tuesday than we did (against West Brom)."
Kean's opposite number Roy Hodgson - whose team moved up to 13th - thought the Baggies were worthy victors.
"We left it late, but I thought that throughout the 90 minutes, we had lots of opportunities and situations where we found ourselves in good positions around the Blackburn area," Hodgson said.
"We managed to miss a lot of those opportunities and it took two very, very good goals to win us the game.
"But I think overall, we can be more than satisfied with our day's work."

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Mancini: No talks over new deal


MANCINI: THERE ARE NO TALKS

Roberto Mancini remains in the dark over whether he will be offered a new contract at Manchester City.
The Italian celebrates two years in charge at the Etihad Stadium this weekend and as long as City match Manchester United's result at QPR they will stay top of the Premier League.
The 47-year-old only has 18 months remaining on his current deal but the Italian is not worried about the situation.
He told the Daily Star Sunday: "There are no talks. And I don't know if we will start talks in January. But I have another year from the summer.
"There are no problems and I'm not worried about it."

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Wayne Bridge: Looks set for Man City exit


MAN CITY LOOK TO SELL DUO

Roberto Mancini will listen to offers for defenders Wayne Bridge and Nedum Onuoha - but will not allow them to leave Manchester City on loan.
Bridge has made one appearance for City this season in the Carling Cup, whilst Onuoha has made two in the same competition.
Even with regular left-backs Aleksandar Kolarov (injured) and Gael Clichy (suspended) out of Sunday's clash with Arsenal, Bridge is not getting a look in.
Mancini told The Mail on Sunday: "We have a problem at left-back.
"My choices are Stefan Savic, Pablo Zabaleta, Joleon Lescott or Karim Rekik, a young player. It is important to get it correct."
With City keen to lower their wage bill, they are looking to offload Bridge and Onuoha permanently rather than on a short-term deal.
Mancini added in the Sunday Mirror: "If we take a player from another club, we pay a lot of money, yet other clubs want to take players from us on loan. It is not correct.
"Onuoha and Bridge are good players and I hope we can find a good solution for them in January.
"I hope for them that they can find good clubs who will pay for their value and they can continue to play football."

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Jean Tigana: Takes new job


TIGANA APPOINTED SHENHUA COACH

Former France international Jean Tigana has been appointed coach of Shanghai Shenhua, the Chinese Super League club have confirmed on their website.
Tigana has had a varied coaching career, starting off at French side Lyon in 1993.
After two years there, he moved on to Monaco where he led them to the French championship and Super Cup before moving to Fulham.
Tigana guided the west London side to promotion to the top flight but left Craven Cottage under a cloud in 2003.
A two-year spell from 2005-2007 at Besiktas followed before he returned to France and Bordeaux in 2010 to replace Laurent Blanc.
However, Tigana resigned following a home defeat in May 2011 by Sochaux, citing verbal abuse aimed at his teenage daughter.
Fellow Frenchman Nicolas Anelka will play under Tigana and is due to arrive in China next month after leaving Premier League side Chelsea.

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Babbel: Will not have his contract extended


BABBEL FUTURE IN DOUBT

Markus Babbel's future as coach of Hertha Berlin has been put into doubt as an argument between him and the club's general manager Michael Preetz escalated.
Babbel confirmed that he will not be extending his contract beyond the end of the season, ending weeks of speculation surrounding his long-term future.
Preetz claimed that he had only been informed by Babbel of his decision last Tuesday, but Babbel insists he always acted responsibly and handed in his notice at the start of November.
"I don't think I could have made it any clearer than saying that I would not be continuing," said Babbel to the sid news agency this morning.
"I am disappointed with him (Preetz). I never said any rubbish, I don't need to.
"I don't like being made out to be a liar."
Babbel led Berlin's training session on Sunday, but behind the scenes, the club appear to be working on a solution to relieve him of his duties immediately.
The chances of him sitting on the bench for Wednesday's DFB-Pokal tie with Kaiserslautern appear slim, especially since the club's chairman Werner Gegenbauer is siding with Preetz in the argument.
"I have no reason to doubt the trustworthiness of our (general) manager," he said at a press conference today.
"Babbel's claims are false. Only last Tuesday did Babbel inform us, via his agent Andre Gross, that he will not be extending his contract, and we have a witness for this phone call."

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Kyle Walker: Not looking to leave Spurs


KYLE WALKER HAPPY AT SPURS

Kyle Walker says he does not want to leave Tottenham - despite reportedly attracting interest from other clubs.
The defender's performances are understood to have caught the attention of Real Madrid, AC Milan and Juventus.
Walker signed a contract extension in the summer committing his future to Spurs until 2016 - and that is a contract he intends to honour.
He told the Sunday Mirror: "Why would I even consider leaving? It's not even open to debate. I owe a debt of gratitude to the club and the manager, Harry Redknapp, and I couldn't be happier or more grateful.
"Besides I am not going to get carried away and I have a good group of people, including my agent, family and friends, who ensure I keep my feet firmly on the ground.
"I will never allow myself to get carried away. I am still learning the game and I'm a dedicated student on and off the pitch.
"I think you only get out of life what you put in, which is why I stay behind after training and watch every DVD of my games and look to improve every aspect of my game.
"I am extremely fortunate to have players like Michael Dawson and Ledley King at Tottenham, who inspire me to do better.
"I also think it's an enormous advantage for me to play in a team that has a very offensive mentality, as I like to get forward when I can.
"But, first and foremost, it's my defensive responsibilities that are most important. At this level, there is no room for complacency.
"You are up against world-class strikers and they will clinically punish the slightest mistake you make.
"The only advantage I have is that I started out life as a striker, so sometimes that gives me a slight advantage because it enables me to second guess what they might do."

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Roman Pavlyuchenko celebrates Tottenham's winner.


REDKNAPP WANTS ROMAN TO STAY

Harry Redknapp insists he does not want Roman Pavlyuchenko to leave Tottenham in January after watching the Russian fire his team to victory over Sunderland at White Hart Lane.
Tottenham failed to test Sunderland goalkeeper Keiren Westwood in a dull first half, but they sprung to life just after the hour when substitute Pavlyuchenko latched on to Rafael van der Vaart's reverse pass and fired home a powerful low drive.
It was an exquisite finish from the 30-year-old, but he would not have even been on the pitch had it not been for the suspected hamstring tear which caused Aaron Lennon to be brought off in the first half.
Indeed, the striker may not have been in the Spurs matchday squad had Jermain Defoe not been ruled out prior to kick-off with a hamstring problem.
Pavlyuchenko has voiced his desire to leave White Hart Lane on a number of occasions this season after the arrival of Emmanuel Adebayor and the form of Rafael van der Vaart saw him drop down the pecking order at the north London club.
Redknapp admits he may struggle to keep Pavlyuchenko happy, but insists he will try to hang on to the Russian if he can.
"He's a fantastic player. He's got real talent. He's got great ability, I think. He's got a good left foot, a good right foot and is a great finisher," Redknapp said.
"He's top drawer but he's just been unlucky. He didn't start the season great. He hasn't really shown the form that he's capable of so he's slipped down the pecking order a bit.
"It's difficult. Some people are going to be upset they're not in the team.
"Today I lost a wide man but I thought I'd change it and if you want someone to score he's always likely to. I want to keep all four (strikers). You need them all."