Latest Transfer Update at 12-01-2012

[<<ELVIS>>]

Gary Cahill: Chelsea move still not done

COYLE CONSIDERS CAHILL CALL

Bolton manager Owen Coyle has confirmed Gary Cahill will be in contention to face Manchester United if the defender's move to Chelsea has not been completed by the weekend.
The Trotters have agreed a fee with Chelsea for their England defender and it was anticipated the transfer would have gone through early this week.
However, personal terms have proved far more difficult to sort out than most observers anticipated and as the clock ticks down to the weekend fixtures, Cahill remains a Bolton player amid rumours Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is getting increasingly frustrated.
"Dialogue continues between Gary's agent and Chelsea," said Coyle.
"We accept it has probably been long-drawn. It is over two weeks ago that we agreed a fee.
"But sometimes that is the nature of football business. It can take that period of time.
"Gary is a Bolton player and until I hear something different in terms of negotiations being concluded between both parties, he will be in line to play against Manchester United."
Coyle did not confirm USA international Tim Ream was coming in for a medical. However, having had the New York Red Bulls star on trial, he is a fan.
"You could reel off 30 or 40 names that we have been linked with. That is the nature of the transfer window," said Coyle.
"Tim Ream is a player we had in. He has been at West Brom. They were very keen on him as well and Arsenal tried to sign him in the summer.
"He is an outstanding young player. A US international, 24, and no doubt destined for a very bright future.
"Whether anything transpires with Bolton time will tell."
Coyle also said goalkeeper Jussi Jaaskelainen had an outside chance of being fit for the Old Trafford trip, although he will not be taking any chances with the long-serving Finn.
"Jussi is responding to treatment with his thigh knock, although Saturday may just come too soon."

[<<ELVIS>>]

Gardner: Back in form

O'NEILL KEEN TO KEEP HOLD OF GARDNER

Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is determined to keep midfielder Craig Gardner on Wearside despite suitors looking to cash in on his homesickness.
The 25-year-old has taken time to settle into life at the Stadium of Light following his £5million summer switch from Birmingham.
However, his performances in the last four games, several of which have seen him deputise at right-back, have seen him return to the kind of form in which then manager Steve Bruce invested so heavily.
Successor O'Neill has seen him emerge from the shadows to establish himself in the side, and his performances have not gone unnoticed by the club's fans.
"I want Craig to stay at this football club." O'Neill told the Sunderland Echo.
"I don't think he is unhappy, but I do think he has felt a little homesick.
"But the crowd have given him a great reception in the last two games, and that was great for him. It will have given him a big boost.
"And, like most players, if you are playing games, then it helps enormously.
"Perhaps it didn't happen for him here straight away and maybe homesickness had something to do with it, but he is starting to play well now."
O'Neill's stance may prove disappointing for the likes of Wolves and West Brom, who have both been linked with Gardner in recent weeks amid speculation that he could be seeking a return to the midlands.

[<<ELVIS>>]

Steven Gerrard: New Reds deal

STEVEN GERRARD SIGNS NEW REDS DEAL

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard's new contract extension means he will almost certainly end his career at Anfield but the midfielder hopes to enjoy more success before that happens.
The England midfielder, who will be 32 in May, insists he is still "living the dream" at his boyhood club and is convinced the Reds are on the path to restoring former glories.
Gerrard, who has lifted the Champions League and FA Cup with Liverpool, has seen the club endure a difficult period recently as six years without a trophy also coincided with the dysfunctional ownership of Tom Hicks and George Gillett.
Those Americans have since been replaced by others in the form of Fenway Sports Group who have provided the financial backing for manager Kenny Dalglish to start turning things around in the last 12 months.
Liverpool edged closer to ending that barren run without silverware by beating Manchester City 1-0 in Wednesday night's Carling Cup semi-final first leg at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night - courtesy of Gerrard's penalty.
And while he accepts it will not all be plain sailing for the remainder of his contract he hopes there will be more ups than downs.
"This is the club I love and is the club I have supported since I was a young boy," he said.
"I am living the dream as the captain of one of the biggest clubs in the world.
"I love coming to work every day and the experiences I have had since I was eight years of age and first signed for the club, I wouldn't change them for the world.
"To extend that and to hopefully have some more good times in a red shirt is what I want.
"There will be more highs and lows, there's no doubt about it as that's part and parcel of being a football player at a top club.
"The important thing is that you react well to the lows and experience more of the highs.
"I'm confident moving forward that the club is going in the right direction.
"We've got a fantastic team, we've got the right owners in place and the right team behind our team, so I'm really confident we'll have more good experiences in the future."
A new contract caps a positive 24 hours for Gerrard in what has been a happy start to 2012.
He has scored in two of his three appearances in the new year and is well on his way to putting 2011 - when the end of one season and the start of another were disrupted by a groin operation before an ankle infection then sidelined him for two months - behind him.
"It's a very proud day for myself and my family," the midfielder told liverpoolfc.tv.
"It comes on the back of a fantastic team performance last night when we got the result we were looking for.
"The contract extension coming the day after has been the icing on the cake so it has been a perfect 24 hours."
While Gerrard expects to have several years remaining playing at the top level plans have already been put in place for him to continue being an influence off the pitch in an ambassadorial role when he eventually retires.
"It's really flattering for me that the club have offered me the chance to stay when I eventually hang my boots up," he said.
"Hopefully that will be in many years to come because I want to play for as long as I can.
"I'll know myself when it's time to hang my boots up and then hopefully I can stay involved with the club and set the right example for youngsters coming through."
Dalglish paid tribute to Gerrard's loyalty.
"In this day and age there's not many people who go through their football career and represent just one club, especially people with quality like Steven," he said.
"If you're happy where you're playing, you're enjoying what you're doing and you enjoy the football club I don't see any reason to move, and it's fantastic for us that he hasn't."
Director of football Damien Comolli hailed Gerrard as a person not just a player.
"The way he puts the team first and the club first over his interests is absolutely tremendous," said the Frenchman.
"He's a fantasy professional and it's just great to have someone like this at the club.
"He's a leader, he's charismatic, he's a top player and he's a team player.
"There's not much more you can ask for from an individual."

[<<ELVIS>>]

Alexandre Pato: Staying with Rossoneri

PATO: I'M STAYING AT AC MILAN

AC Milan have confirmed that Alexandre Pato will remain at the San Siro to end reports linking the Brazilian striker with a move to Paris St Germain.
Media in France had claimed PSG had reached an agreement with Milan to acquire the 22-year-old on a permanent transfer.
A statement from Milan read on Thursday: "AC Milan announces that Alexandre Pato will remain with the Rossoneri outfit.
"The striker has decided to continue his young, splendid and winning career with Milan."
Pato, who has scored 51 goals in 111 league appearances for the Rossoneri since making his debut in January 2008, said to www.acmilan.com: "Milan is my home.
"I didn't wish to end my Rossoneri career after winning my first two trophies with this jersey (last season).
"I want to contribute to write the history of this club and to add further achievements and joy to this club with happiness and perfect harmony in the group.
"This joy will give me an added strength to face future games with more enthusiasm, will to win and hunger for goals.
"For me today is a special day.
"I want to thank the president (Silvio) Berlusconi, the club and the fans, who have always believed in me."
Pato was inspirational in helping Milan win the scudetto and the Italian Supercup last season.
He is under contract with Milan until June 2014.

[<<ELVIS>>]

Westley: Preston deal agreed in principle

GRAHAM WESTLEY SET FOR PRESTON

Preston have agreed a deal in principal for Stevenage's Graham Westley to become their new manager.
The two clubs have reportedly agreed a compensation package for the 43-year-old, who has guided Boro to back-to-back promotions.
Westley will plug the gap left by the dismissal of Phil Brown, whose last game in charge of North End was a goalless draw against Stevenage in November.
Stevenage have lost just one of their last 13 games under Westley and his departure will be a huge blow to the Hertfordshire club.
The former Gillingham, Barnet and Wycombe player is expected to take coaches John Dreyer and Dino Maamria with him to Deepdale.

[<<ELVIS>>]

Carlos Tevez: Future remains uncertain

CARLOS TEVEZ FUTURE STILL UNCERTAIN

The future of Carlos Tevez has been thrown into more confusion this afternoon after talks between AC Milan and Manchester City officials broke up without reaching agreement just hours after Inter Milan withdrew from the face to sign the South American.
Tevez is still in Argentina, having effectively concluded he has no future at City since the furore over his non-appearance during that infamous Champions League game against Bayern Munich in September.
Inter and wealthy French outfit Paris St Germain had both expressed an interest in signing Tevez but AC Milan have been front-runners for some considerable time.
It seemed a matter of when rather than if a deal would eventually be done, although hopes of a speedy resolution were dashed when City refused to yield from their present position of being unwilling to entertain any kind of loan for the 27-year-old.
However, with further negotiations planned for this afternoon in London, when asked if Tevez will join AC Milan, Inter president Massimo Moratti said on the club's official website, www.inter.it: "I believe so. That's football."
But within hours, the London talks had ended amid reports that a deal between Milan and City was off.
As Blues officials have strongly countered, it was impossible for a deal to be off because there was never actually one in place to start with.
Indeed, City have been left bewildered by the whole process which, as far as they can see, is fairly straightforward.
With no loan moves being entertained, a stance unlikely to change at present, the club will happily talk to any suitor willing to offer what they view as a fair market value for one of the world's best forwards.
Evidently, Tevez's present status has not done much for his valuation.
However, as he is tied to a contract that does not expire until 2014, City believe they have plenty of power, even if efforts to get Tevez back to Manchester will not be increased until the transfer window has closed.
Despite today's developments, it would be a major surprise if Tevez was still a City player at that point.
As City found out during their failed attempts to sign Brazilian superstar Kaka from the Serie A giants three years ago, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani is an astute footballing politician.
Having placed such store by trying to attract Tevez to the club, Galliani is unlikely to just give up when there is so much time left to do a deal.