Latest Transfer Update at 28-02-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 28-02-2012

Harry Redknapp: Backed for England job

KEANE: HARRY'S THE MAN FOR ENGLAND

Republic of Ireland skipper Robbie Keane is convinced Harry Redknapp will be the next England manager.
The 64-year-old Tottenham boss is the overwhelming favourite to land the post vacated by Fabio Capello and Keane, who played under Redknapp at White Hart Lane, can only see one possible solution.


He said: "There is certainly only one candidate at the moment. Me personally, I think it's only going to happen that he's going to take over.
"The whole of England I think wants him, and certainly the players do, so I certainly think that will be the case.
"Whether that's in the next month or so or at the end of the season, I am not too sure. But I am sure the Spurs fans wouldn't be too happy with him leaving because of the job he has done there."


If Redknapp were to be offered the job, and accept it, before the summer, he would lead England into the Euro 2012 finals, in which Keane and his Republic team-mates will join them in Poland and Ukraine.
However, with Spurs flying high in the Barclays Premier League - they currently sit third in the table despite Sunday's 5-2 derby defeat at Arsenal - the former Bournemouth, West Ham, Portsmouth and Southampton manager would face a tough decision over his future.

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Christopher Samba: Defended his move

CHRIS SAMBA DEFENDS ANZHI MOVE

Christopher Samba has defended his move to Anzhi Makhachkala by rejecting claims he only joined the Russian club for the money.
The central defender joined Anzhi last week in a £12million deal after months of speculation over his future at Ewood Park.
Samba lodged a transfer request in January in a bid to force a move away from Blackburn, but any deal failed to materialise before the close of the transfer window at the end of January.
However, big-spending Anzhi, now managed by former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink, moved to offer unsettled Samba an escape route out of Blackburn before the close of the transfer window in Russia.

Rovers boss Steve Kean aimed a swipe at Samba following his exit, but the 27-year-old insists he joined Anzhi because of their ambitions to become a major force.
"They may be a little club, but they have ambition," Samba told The Sun.
"This is a team with a realistic chance to play at the highest level of European football. They have the ambition and the money.
"They bought me for £12m - plus Roberto Carlos, Yuri Zhirkov and Samuel Eto'o. There will be more big names coming, I know of two which will surprise people that we will sign in the summer. We'd like to do what Man City have done."


Samba insists he has no regrets over how he went about trying to win a move away from Blackburn just a year after signing a new long-term contract.
"I don't want to have any regrets," added Samba. "I'm 27 and must look to make the most of my years.
"Of course I hope Rovers will remain in the Premier League."

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Paul Pogba: Linked with move to Italy

PAUL POGBA SITUATION 'PRECARIOUS'

Paul Pogba's agent has admitted his situation at Manchester United is "precarious" as reports suggest he is set to agree a move to Italy.
The 18-year-old French midfielder is out-of-contract this summer, and United - who lured him from Le Havre in 2009 - are desperate to tie him down to a new deal.
Talks are on-going but sources in England and Italy both claim that Juventus and AC Milan are offering him bigger money than United.
"It is a precarious situation," his agent Mino Raiola is quoted as saying by The Independent.


"It is difficult at the moment. Manchester United want him. It is up to the boy to make some decisions.
"We know there are some clubs interested in him.
"We must finish first with Manchester and after that we will see other options, if they are there.
"The club give the indication that they want to keep him and we are talking contract terms. There is willingness from both parties at the moment."


Raiola confirmed that Pogba was not happy to be left out of the United squad to face Ajax in the Europa League last week.
"It is never nice for the player not to be in the squad. It is the same for [Mario] Balotelli [whom Raiola also represents.]
"We must keep our minds cool and heads cool. Some things are good. Some things are not good [in this situation]."

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Danny Webber: Links up with Warnock again
LEEDS SIGN DANNY WEBBER

Leeds have signed free agent and former Sheffield United forward Danny Webber until the end of the season.
The 30-year-old, who can play out wide or up front, has scored 50 goals in almost 250 career appearances.
Webber started off as a trainee at Manchester United before moving to Watford and then joining the Blades.


He also spent two seasons with Portsmouth but has not featured competitively since his contract at Fratton Park expired last summer.
Webber worked with Neil Warnock during his time at Bramall Lane, and he also trained with his new manager at QPR earlier this season.
Warnock was keen to strengthen his forward line following the unexpected return of Andros Townsend to Tottenham and he said: "I know the player well and he'll be good to have around the place."

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Neil Warnock: Wants to make fans proud

MY FUTURE UP TO FANS - WARNOCK

Neil Warnock has said it will be the Leeds fans who determine whether he will still be at the club next season.
Warnock agreed an 18-month deal with Leeds chairman Ken Bates when he succeeded Simon Grayson as manager and takes charge of his first official home game against Southampton in the televised game on Saturday evening.


Warnock said: "They've got to show me they want me for next season and if they don't I won't be here, so it's up to the fans really.
"I'm going to do my best over the next 13 games to show what we've got at the club and what we can do.


"You're not going to get a more vociferous, noisier group of supporters and they're so keen. To get 25,000 against Brighton, it's an amazing place.
"So it would be nice while I'm here to fill the ground at some stage. That's my objective, to give them a team they can be proud of because if they've got a team to be proud of there's nothing the club can't do."

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Adam Smith pictured while at MK Dons

ADAM SMITH RECALLED BY SPURS

Tottenham defender Adam Smith has been recalled early from his loan spell at Leeds.
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp wants the 20-year-old back at White Hart Lane to provide cover for the first team.
Smith joined Leeds on loan at the end of January and made three appearances for the club while Neil Redfearn was caretaker-manager, but he has not appeared in the last two matches.


The right-back, yet to appear for Tottenham's senior side, has had previous loan spells at Wycombe, Torquay, Bournemouth and MK Dons, for whom he played 22 times this season before opting for a switch to Elland Road.

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Darren Ferguson: Won't rush into market

NO POSH PANIC OVER LOAN MOVE

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson has said that any potential defensive loan deal will not happen until the end of the week at the earliest.
The Posh lost star centre-back Ryan Bennett to Norwich in the transfer window and, despite signing Shaun Brisley from Macclesfield, Ferguson is looking for reinforcements in the backline.
As part of the deal that took Bennett to Carrow Road, United can take a player on loan from the Premier League club if they wish. Meanwhile, chairman Darragh MacAnthony said on his Twitter page that the club were not bidding for Crawley centre-back Kyle McFadzean after having an approach rebuffed in January.


Ferguson admits he is waiting on Premier League clubs to decide if they can loan out their players and expects that to be decided once players have reported back from international duty.
"If it is going to happen it won't be until Thursday at the earliest," Ferguson told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.
"It is a matter of waiting on a couple of internationals at the club we're dealing with getting through their games this week. But I'm not going to panic about it. Craig Alcock will be fit and can play at centre-back if required."

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Seydou Keita: Linked with Liverpool

LIVERPOOL LINK FLATTERS KEITA

Seydou Keita claims no decision has been taken regarding his future at Barcelona, but admits to being flattered by reports linking him with Liverpool.
The Mali international is under contract at the Nou Camp until 2014, but faces fierce competition for places at the club.
He remains an important figure in Pep Guardiola's plans and has been a regular throughout his three years with Barca.


It has, however, been suggested that he could be on his way out of the club this summer, with there no shortage of willing takers waiting in the wings.
Keita admits the time may have come for a fresh start to be made, with a new challenge holding considerable appeal.
He considers Liverpool to be one of the few clubs that could match his ambition, but he is keen to point out that no switch to the Premier League has been put in place.


"I am flattered by the interest of Liverpool Football Club, one of the biggest clubs in the world," said the 32-year-old midfielder.
"However, let's wait until the end of the season with Barcelona and see what happens.
"I love Barcelona and it is difficult to find a better team than them, but I am ambitious and want to play football week in, week out.
"A challenge somewhere else is attractive to me and Liverpool are a top team with very good players."

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Stale Solbakken: 'Free from pressure'

SOLBAKKEN RECEIVES BOARD BACKING

Stale Solbakken's position as coach of Cologne is not under threat, according to the club's general manager Claus Horstmann.
Cologne have slipped to within four points of the Bundesliga's bottom three following three consecutive defeats, but Horstmann has dismissed speculation that he might turn to director of sport Volker Finke to arrest the club's slide.
"As things stand, the coach and the team will be free from pressure in the Hoffenheim game and also the following games," Horstmann told the Kolner Stadtanzeiger newspaper.


"They will be allowed to work professionally and be able to reach their goals."
Finke took temporary charge of the club at the end of last season, with his three wins from as many games at the helm saving the club from relegation and securing a 10th-placed finish.
However, Horstmann says he is not contemplating a repeat of that situation.
"Volker Finke is not our emergency back-up for the coaching position," he told the Express newspaper.


"We appointed him as our director of sport and not because he is a good coach.
"In my eyes, we are fully convinced that we will reach our goals together with Stale Solbakken, which is why we are acting the way we are.
"There is no need for us to work on a scenario without Stale Solbakken."

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Paul Jones: Settled at Peterborough

PAUL JONES KEEN FOR POSH STAY

Peterborough goalkeeper Paul Jones has revealed he wants to stay at the club when his deal expires this summer.
Jones, who has battled with Joe Lewis all season, is currently first-choice goalkeeper at London Road and he is focused on retaining his spot and extending his contract.
"I like it here. The club and supporters are great, we play in a good league and I'm settled," he told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph.
"At the moment I'm just focused on playing games and ensuring we survive in this division. I didn't sort my contract out until quite late on in the summer, so there is no rush as far as I'm concerned. My agent looks after that side of things so I don't have to and I'm sure there are talks going on."


Manager Darren Ferguson is keen to tie Jones down to a new deal, especially as he expects Lewis to leave in the summer when his contract also expires.
"Paul has not let us down all season and his attitude was outstanding while he was out of the team. We're in the process of negotiating a new contract and I have a meeting planned with his agent tomorrow (Wednesday). I certainly want Paul here, he wants to be here and we're trying to get it done."