Latest Transfer Update at 06-02-2012

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Gianluigi Buffon: No rush over new deal

BUFFON IN NO RUSH OVER NEW CONTRACT

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is in no hurry to sign a new deal at the club.
Reports in Turin claimed that the 34-year-old, who is under contract with the Bianconeri outfit until June 2013, would soon start negotiations with Juve regarding a possible contract extension.
However, Buffon said to Gazzetta dello Sport: "We are not talking about a renewal right now.
"The most important thing is concentrating fully on what is happening on the pitch. The rest can sort itself out after without any kinds of problems whatsoever."
The Italy international has enjoyed a stellar career in Turin since joining the club from Parma in 2001 and this season has proved pivotal in helping Juventus remain unbeaten this season.
The Turin giants lead the Serie A standings and have the best defensive line in the competition with just 13 goals given away in 21 games.

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Terry has been backed by Capello

CAPELLO MIGHT BE IN HOT WATER - DAVIES

Former Football Association chief executive David Davies has suggested that England manager Fabio Capello may be in breach of contract after he openly challenged the decision to strip John Terry of the national team captaincy.
The Italian spoke out in defence of Terry, who was removed as England skipper by FA chairman David Bernstein on Friday without any consultation with Capello, during an interview with Italian broadcaster Rai 1 yesterday.
The FA opted to axe Terry as captain once it was known the Chelsea defender would not face trial over allegations he used racist language to Anton Ferdinand at Loftus Road in October until July, after Euro 2012. Terry denies the charge.
Asked whether he was in agreement with FA's decision, Capello said: "No, absolutely not.
"I have spoken to the chairman and I have said that, in my opinion, one cannot be punished until it's official and the court - a non-sporting court, a civil court - has made a decision to decide if John Terry has done what he has been accused of."
Speaking to BBC's Breakfast Time show on Monday morning, Davies said that Capello, who reportedly earns £6million-a-year as manager of the national side, may have breached his contract with his comments and could face action from the FA.
"It is being taken very seriously by the FA because it may be that Fabio Capello has breached his contract," said Davies.
"You have to ask what his motive is. You have to suspect he wants to prevent John Terry retiring as a player before Euro 2012 but there are wider issues.
"You could have what some of the media are calling a morality circus while England are trying to win the second major tournament in football.
"A contract may have been breached, there is strong leadership now at the FA from David Bernstein. Last week he wasn't slow to take things forward and he may not be slow to do so now."
Meanwhile former England boss Graham Taylor feels Capello's public criticism of the FA's decisionhas further damaged the national team's harmony.
Taylor told BBC Radio Five Live: "It doesn't help the situation at all, as England go into the European Championships. I can't see what Capello's agenda is. All it does is disturb everything even more.
"It may be that he wants the FA to take a decision on this job. It depends really on how strongly he feels about it.
"To come out in this public fashion actually, in one respect, gives England an even bigger problem for the selection and harmony of the squad for the European Championships."
Taylor pointed out that whoever is now chosen as England captain by Capello will know full well that the Italian would prefer to have Terry in charge.
He added: "Fabio Capello, having been told by the FA in a private situation what they were going to do, has been a little bit unwise to come out as publicly as this.
"Whoever he makes as captain knows that he is not the manager's choice. That in itself doesn't help the dressing room.
"The FA apparently told Capello in private what they were going to do and why they were going to do it. He disagreed with it and it was noted. The best thing would have been for that to stay there, and not come out in such a public fashion."

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Fabio Capello: Backed by Ruud Gullit

GULLIT: CAPELLO WON'T QUIT

Ruud Gullit says Fabio Capello will not walk away from the England job over the John Terry captaincy saga.
Former Chelsea boss Gullit revealed he had spoken to Capello on Sunday and had no doubt the Italian would still be in charge at the European Championship.
Uncertainty over Capello's future arose on Sunday when he said he "completely disagreed" with the Football Association's decision to strip Terry of the England captaincy.
Asked if there was any chance of Capello quitting, Gullit, who is a good friend of the man he played under at AC Milan, said: "Not at all, not at all. He wants to do the European Championship.
"I saw him yesterday but I didn't get the feeling that he was concerned about anything.
"Capello is a guy that doesn't want people to tell him what to do.
"He just wants to go with the strongest team that he has and I think that there's a reason why he said something about it.
"That is something that the FA has to debate with Capello."
Terry was stripped of the captaincy last week while he awaits trial over allegations he racially abused QPR defender Anton Ferdinand, something he denies.
There are concerns the saga could cause a split in the England camp ahead of Euro 2012.
Gullit, who was part of the 1990s Holland side in which there were plenty of reports of infighting as well as suggestions of a racial divide, said: "Before each tournament starts, I think the English have more trouble than we had! It's a fact.
"We Dutch, we like to have an opinion, a strong opinion. We think we know everything better.
"If you say to a Dutchman, 'Go to that corner', he will ask you 'Why?'
"If there is a problem, and you don't say anything about it, it's like a cancer and it becomes bigger."
Gullit felt that the Terry saga would play into the hands of England's rivals.
Speaking ahead of the Laureus World Sports Awards, he said: "Last week, somebody told me maybe the FA's going to suspend John Terry.
"I said, 'I'm Dutchman - I hope they do!' Because I want to win the European Championship."
Terry was a youth player at Chelsea when Gullit was manager.
"I know John very well - I think he's a very good guy, a very nice guy," Gullit said.
"So I hope that everything is going to be done well."
Former Chelsea captain Marcel Desailly felt the Terry row would give his native France an advantage when they meet England at Euro 2012.
"I'm French and if you have problem in your national team and media, we'll try and take advantage of that in the summer," said Desailly, who was Terry's defensive mentor when the latter broke into the Blues side.
Desailly claimed stripping Terry of the armband was "going too far".
He added: "What is good is that Capello continues to stick behind his player because the player is a natural leader."
Desailly did hit out at the abuse Ferdinand and Patrice Evra had suffered in the wake of allegations they were racially abused by fellow players.
"When I see how Chelsea supporters have behaved towards Ferdinand, I don't understand," he said.
"The same thing for Evra when he went to play at Liverpool.
"How come you can behave like that and not be educated to be able to understand what's going on?"

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Gertjan Verbeek: New deal

VERBEEK EXTENDS AZ STAY

AZ Alkmaar coach Gertjan Verbeek has been rewarded with a two-year contract extension after making a big impact on his first 18 months in charge.
Verbeek, who has committed to AZ until summer 2015, has impressed since taking the reins at the Eredivisie club for the start of the 2010-11 campaign.
AZ finished fourth last season and are currently third in the table and just three points adrift of the top spot.
The club also finished second in their Europa League group this term and will face Anderlecht in the round of 32.
Verbeek told Uefa's official website of his renewed terms: "I have been working very well with everyone here at the club, so I am extremely happy with it."

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Matt Phillips: Happy to be at Blackpool

PHILLIPS HAPPY AT BLACKPOOL

Matt Phillips is happy to still be a Blackpool player and is optimistic that the club can win promotion back to the Premier League.
The winger has scored nine goals in his last nine games for the Seasiders after impressing during a loan spell at Sheffield United earlier in the season.
He was wanted by several clubs during the January transfer window and was the subject of several failed bids from Cardiff City.
Phillips scored twice as Blackpool came from behind to win 3-1 at Cardiff on Saturday and he is now aiming to help the Seasiders clinch a return to the top flight.
"It was a good day and I really enjoyed it," said Phillips in the Blackpool Gazette. "This team believes it can do really good things.
"We all believe we can get automatic promotion but we are just silently going about our business. We are creeping up the table nicely, so who knows what it is going to happen?
"It is nice to know other clubs are looking at me and are interested, but I am contracted to Blackpool and happy to be here. I want to help the club get promoted.
"I go into every game aiming to give 100 per cent and I am not happy unless I have had a good game.
"I am pleased to have gone to Cardiff and played well, but there was no added pressure. I just went out there and played my normal game."