Latest Transfer Update at 19-03-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 19-03-2012

Jurgen Klinsmann: Focus on USA job

KLINSMANN RULES OUT SPURS RETURN

Former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann has ruled out returning to White Hart Lane as a replacement for Harry Redknapp.
With Redknapp favourite to be named England manager ahead of the European Championship following Fabio Capello's departure, United States boss Klinsmann has been linked with taking his place.


But the 47-year-old quoted in The Sun as saying: "It's just a wonderful club. But I am extremely proud and privileged to be US national team coach."
He added: "Hopefully we will have, after qualification, a great World Cup in Brazil.
"Then, in soccer, just like in any other environment, you never know what will happen."

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Eden Hazard: Linked with Premier League move

EDEN HAZARD AWARE OF MANCINI INTEREST

Lille star Eden Hazard admits he was aware Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini was watching him during Sunday's win over Valenciennes.
Hazard is being chased by a host of clubs across Europe, with the Belgian schemer expected to leave Lille in the summer.
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson watched Hazard in action earlier this month, while Spurs chief Harry Redknapp has previously confirmed his interest in the 21-year-old.


However, Manchester City are now weighing up a move for Hazard with Mancini an interested observer at the 4-0 success over Valenciennes.
"I was aware that Roberto Mancini was there," Hazard told French TV station Canal+.
"The manager (Rudi Garcia) told me... I wasn't thinking about it. I was trying to play to the best of my abilities.
"We'll see later. I'm concentrating on Lille this season."

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Gylfi Sigurdsson: Fine start with Swansea

ALLEN EYES GYLFI SIGURDSSON DEAL

Joe Allen is hoping Swansea City can agree a deal to keep on-loan midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson at the Liberty Stadium next season.
Sigurdsson has made a huge impact at Swansea since joining the club from Hoffenheim in January and his double in Saturday's 3-0 win at Fulham took his tally to five goals.
The Iceland international has already suggested he does not want to return to Hoffenheim to sit on the bench, while Swans boss Brendan Rodgers has confirmed his interest in a permanent deal.


Allen is enjoying playing alongside Sigurdsson and believes hanging on to the former Reading player must be a priority for Swansea.
"Gylfi has slotted in better than anyone I've ever seen," said Allen. "Of the young players out there I don't think I've seen too many better than him.
"On Saturday he scored another two goals and, considering that's from a midfield position, that shows how good a player he really is.
"A goalscoring midfielder, as everyone knows, especially at this level, is like gold dust. It's a shame that he isn't our player.


"No doubt we will do everything we can to sign him and I think, if you ask him, he'd probably agree that he'd like to stay.
"He's with us until the end of the season and then we've got to take things from there. Keeping him is definitely one of the priorities.
"As a team we're gifted, but he really has quality. As well as that and as well as his goals, he proved that he's prepared to work for the team.
"He's been a really great signing for us."

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Terry Connor: Wants players to 'keep believing'

TERRY CONNOR WON'T GIVE UP

Terry Connor insists he still has confidence in his ability to revive Wolves' fortunes after a 5-0 home defeat by Manchester United pushed them into bottom spot in the Barclays Premier League.
Caretaker boss Connor has seen his side leak 14 goals and collect a single point from his four games in charge since temporarily replacing the sacked Mick McCarthy until the end of the season.
The margin of United's win means Wolves dropped below Wigan into 20th position on goal difference and they have now gone nine home matches without a win.
Connor said: "It would have been lovely to have got eight points or nine from these four games so far but I knew it was going to be tough.
"We've had a tough season so far and I never thought for one minute it was going to get easier and we'd be picking up points as easily as that.
"Our aim was always to make sure we competed for the 13 remaining games from when I took over and we've still got nine left which is 27 points to play for.
"Of course the stats don't look great but we still believe we can turn it around and I still have confidence in my ability to do that.
"The message to the players and to everyone is keep believing.


"We know if we keep working and keep being honest then we still have a chance. If we don't do those things then we'll have no chance."
Connor was critical of defender Ronald Zubar for the challenges on Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck which led to him being sent off for two bookable offences five minutes before half-time.
He said: "You allow your defender one error where he might pick up a yellow card but after that you've got to use your brains and switch on and make sure it doesn't happen again.
"If that that happens, it is going to put the team in real difficulties.
"The yellow cards both came from challenges in areas of the park where you don't need to make those tackles.
"I did ask the boys to be competitive but to make two mistakes is not good."


Wolves also face being without the services of midfielder David Davis if fears he has broken a rib prove correct.
Connor said: "The first diagnosis is a possible broken rib but he'll have to go and get it checked out thoroughly.
"Obviously it was enough to cause some damage for him to leave the pitch.
"He'd been playing well and a vital cog in the way we had set out to play.
"For that opening 20 minutes I thought the midfield had done well against Carrick and Scholes. Dave was very much a part of that and to lose him was a blow."

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Dimitar Berbatov: Set for Manchester United exit

AGENT: BERBATOV SET FOR UNITED EXIT

Dimitar Berbatov's agent has revealed that the striker will leave Manchester United at the end of the season.
Emil Danchev claims to have met manager Sir Alex Ferguson on three occasions to discuss the future of the Bulgarian striker.
And, despite the Premier League champions taking up an extra year's option on his contract, the 31-year-old is expected to revive his club career elsewhere.
Berbatov has won two Premier League titles since his move from Tottenham in 2008, scoring 56 goals in 147 United appearances and sharing the Golden Boot prize with Manchester City's Carlos Tevez last term.


However, Berbatov has dropped down the pecking order at Old Trafford this season and has made just 19 appearances, including five Premier League starts.
"I had three meetings with (United manager) Alex Ferguson," Danchev told the media in Bulgaria.
"We should accept that he'll try to build a team for the next three or four years and Berbatov will not be part of this team.
"Ferguson wants to change the playing style, to implement more speed," Danchev added. "I was pleased with United's position as they said they'll not oppose Berbatov's move in the summer."


Berbatov, who is Bulgaria's all-time leading scorer with 48 goals, could be the target of clubs in Spain, Germany and France.
Danchev added: "Dimitar will most probably leave England but he doesn't want to move to the U.S., Japan, United Arab Emirates or championships like these."

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Luis Suarez: Wants to stay at Liverpool

SUAREZ WANTS NEW LIVERPOOL DEAL

Luis Suarez has revealed that Liverpool are ready to extend his long-term contract and he is prepared to commit his future to the club, while he has also reflected on the pain he felt after being banned for racially abusing Patrice Evra.
Suarez signed a five-and-a-half-year deal with the Reds when he made the move to Anfield from Ajax in January 2011, and he has endured a difficult start to his career on Merseyside.

He has nevertheless become a key player under Kenny Dalglish and would welcome the opportunity to agree fresh terms, dismissing recent suggestions that he could be a transfer target for other clubs.
"I would like to stay. Despite everything that happened, I'm happy here, on and off the pitch... and at the club they're happy with me and want me to stay," Suarez said in an interview with the Montevideo daily El Pais.
"I have a contract until 2016 and they already want to renew it for me. The coach still believes in me and that's very important, especially after having been out for eight matches."


Suarez missed eight matches after being found guilty of racially abusing Manchester United defender Evra during a Premier League match at Anfield last October.
He did not shake the Frenchman's hand when the teams met again in February and later apologised for those actions, but he remains disappointed that he was found guilty by the FA.
"What hurts me is that I was at the trial and there was no concrete proof," he said.
"It was simply my word against that of the other player and they believed him. That hurt me a lot."

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Gary Simpson: Departs Macclesfield

MACCLESFIELD SACK GARY SIMPSON

Macclesfield have parted company with manager Gary Simpson.
The npower League Two outfit are yet to taste victory in 2012 and Saturday's defeat to fellow strugglers Dagenham stretched their winless run to 16 matches in all competitions.
Simpson took over as manager at the Moss Rose two years ago following the death of Keith Alexander, who he worked under as assistant, and he leaves with the Silkmen outside the League Two relegation zone on goal difference.


A statement on Macclesfield's official website read: "Following a sequence of results that has left Macclesfield Town without a win in 2012, the club's board has asked Gary Simpson to step down from his role as manager."
Chairman Mike Rance added: "It is with great regret that we've had to make this decision.
"We've been through an immense amount together over the last two years and we owe Gary a real debt of gratitude for the dignity and commitment he has shown through a difficult time."

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Christian Panucci: Set to take Palermo reins

PANUCCI MAKES PALERMO CLAIM

Former Italy defender Christian Panucci has claimed he will take over as Palermo coach.
The 38-year-old revealed he was set to replace current boss Bortolo Mutti, who has come under fire following a poor run that has seen the Sicilians win just once since the turn of the year.
"It is true," Panucci was reported as saying in Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I will be in the Palermo technical area. The agreement is only lacking a signature."
Reports in Italy suggest, however, that former Real Madrid and Roma defender Panucci will not take up any deal until after the season due to his commitments as a commentator with Sky Italia.


Palermo only broke a three-game losing run with a 1-1 draw at struggling Lecce to heap further pressure on Mutti.
The 57-year-old would not discuss reports Panucci was set to take over, saying: "I do not worry about these things."

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Miguel Angel Lotina: Villarreal job

VILLARREAL TURN TO LOTINA

Villarreal have appointed Miguel Angel Lotina as their coach until the end of the season.
The 54-year-old replaces Jose Molina, who was sacked on Sunday following the 1-0 defeat at Levante.
The loss was Villarreal's third in a row in the Primera Division and left them one place and three points above the drop zone.


Lotina has not held a managerial post since leaving Deportivo La Coruna in May 2011.
He has also previously been in charge at Osasuna, Real Sociedad and Espanyol, whom he led to the Copa Del Rey title in 2006.

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Advocaat: Backed for PSV role

COCU BACKS ADVOCAAT FOR PSV

PSV Eindhoven caretaker manager Phillip Cocu believes Dick Advocaat would be the ideal man to succeed him at the end of the season.
Cocu replaced the sacked Fred Rutten earlier this month, but will make way for a permanent manager in the summer and has praised former PSV and current Russia boss Advocaat.


"I worked under him as a player at PSV and the national side," Cocu told Voetbal International. "He is an excellent and enthusiastic trainer with extensive experience. Moreover, he knows PSV well."
Advocaat, 64, previously managed PSV from 1995 until 1998, winning the 1997 Eredivisie title and the KNVB Beker in 1996.