Latest Transfer Update at 03-04-2012

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Jose Mourinho: Not a happy man

MOURINHO PLAYS DOWN TRANSFER TALK

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho has hit out at the latest round of transfer speculation and accused the Spanish press of trying to "destabilise" the Primera Division leaders.
Mourinho was angered by morning reports linking Madrid with a summer move for Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, with Gonzalo Higuain going the other way.
The Portuguese, speaking at a press conference ahead of Wednesday night's Champions League quarter-final second leg against APOEL Nicosia, said: "You (the press) want to destabilise the squad.
"Last week I had signed for (Manchester) City, (Iker) Casillas was going to Schalke, Higuain to Malaga..."


On the Higuain-Aguero story, he added: "The front cover of (newspaper) AS is false. If you want me to comment on false front covers then forget it."
The club's director of institutional relations Emilio Butragueno also dismissed the suggestion of selling Argentina international Higuain.
"Rumours seem to be inevitable," he told the club's official website. "But we are delighted with Higuain.
"He's scored 24 goals in 20 league games and just remember I was the league's top scorer with 19.
"He is a world-class striker and we intend for him to stay here many years. He arrived here very young and we regard him as a club player.
"He has always behaved impeccably, whether he plays or not."

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Jonathan Woodgate: Hoping to stay at Stoke

WOODGATE SEEKS STOKE STAY

Stoke defender Jonathan Woodgate is hoping to win a new deal at the Britannia Stadium.
Woodgate needs to play three more Premier League games to trigger a clause in his contract for a one-year extension to his deal.
The former Tottenham and Newcastle man, who has not played since February because of injury, would be happy to stay at Stoke, but admits the club will make the final decision.


"I would like to stay, but it depends on the club," said Woodgate.
"I am in no rush about it, so we'll see what happens. It was important I got games under my belt."

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Adel Taarabt: Came close to joining PSG

TAARABT: MY HEAD WAS IN PARIS

Adel Taarabt has admitted he could not focus on Queens Park Rangers early in the season when he thought he was on his way to Paris St Germain.
Taarabt was targeted by PSG's Qatari owners last summer but a move was blocked by director of football Leonardo and the Moroccan playmaker made no secret of his disappointment.
There was then speculation that the French club could renew their interest in January, and Taarabt has indicated that the uncertainty was behind his poor form for much of the campaign.


The 22-year-old has only recently begun to produce the sort of performances that set the Championship alight last term, scoring his first Premier League goal in Saturday's victory over Arsenal.
He said in the Daily Mirror: "I was hurt early in the season because my ead was in Paris.
"With Paris it was done. I was already in Paris where I met with the Qataris. But the arrival of Leonardo blocked things."

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Morten Rasmussen: Not joing Aalesund

AGENT BLOCKS RASMUSSEN EXIT

Aalesund have expressed their disappointment at missing out on Celtic striker Morten Rasmussen.
The Norwegian club agreed a deal with the Bhoys only for the player's agent to scupper the move.
The Denmark international has not kicked a ball for Celtic for almost two years and is surplus to requirements at the club.
Aalesund president Bjanrne Haagensen was confident the player would be arriving only to miss out on the 27-year-old.


"We had agreed the move with Celtic, but his agent destroyed it," explained Haagensen. "It's very frustrating."

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Jason Scotland: Keen to stay

SCOTLAND WAIVES CONTRACT CLAUSE

Ipswich striker Jason Scotland is looking to secure a new deal having rejected his right to higher wages.
The 33-year-old has scored six goals this season with 17 starts for the Tractor Boys and would have been due a wage boost with two more appearances in the starting XI.


Ipswich boss Paul Jewell told the BBC: "He did have a clause that could trigger a reasonably big wage.
"I think he deserves a lot of credit for saying he is waiving it.
"If I thought Jason's inclusion in the squad was vital in a promotion or relegation game I would have played him. But this clears it up for everybody."

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Nathaniel Knight-Percival: Heading for Peterborough

POSH AGREE DEFENDER DEAL

Peterborough have agreed a deal to sign Wrexham defender Nathaniel Knight-Percival on a free transfer at the end of the season.
The 25-year-old has signed a pre-contract agreement with the Championship club and will move to London Road when his Wrexham deal expires in the summer.
Knight-Percival was converted from a winger to a defender by former Dragons boss Dean Saunders at the start of the current Blue Square Bet Premier campaign.
Posh director of football Barry Fry told the Peterborough Evening Telegraph: "We have signed Nathaniel on a pre-contract and he will join us at the end of the current season.


"The manager went to watch Wrexham and Brighton in an FA Cup tie and liked what he saw of Nathaniel."
Knight-Percival, who joined Wrexham from Histon in 2010, becomes the latest signing recruited from the lower leagues by Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson.
Fellow defender Shaun Brisley and forwards Paul Taylor, Emile Sinclair and Tyrone Barnett have all stepped up to the Championship in the past 13 months.