Latest Transfer Update at 01-05-2012

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Brian Kennedy: Has clarified his position

BLUE KNIGHTS DENY NEWCO CLAIM

Brian Kennedy and the Blue Knights have stressed that their bid for Rangers is conditional on a Company Voluntary Arrangement being agreed rather than a newco option for the stricken club.
Manager Ally McCoist said that he believed both offers submitted to administrators Duff and Phelps were likely to involve a newco situation but that neither bid involved liquidation.
American tycoon Bill Miller is the other interested party, with administrators hoping to name a preferred bidder this week.
Kennedy and the Blue Knights have moved to clarify their own position.
A statement from Kennedy's spokesman read: "Following inaccurate media reports, the Blue Knights/Brian Kennedy consortium wishes to clarify its position.
"Firstly, on Saturday evening 28 April 2012, we submitted a materially increased offer which will be confirmed by the administrators, Duff & Phelps.


"Secondly, and for the avoidance of doubt, our offer is conditional on a CVA and the delivery of Craig Whyte's shares.
"If successful, this will retain the SPL membership share in RFC 1899."
Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Wednesday's game against Dundee United, McCoist was "very hopeful" that administrators will name a preferred bidder for the club this week.
He said: "I would be very hopeful that we would have positive news in terms of a preferred bidder this week.
"We can't really afford to go any longer at all.


"I would be really, really hopeful from what I'm hearing, what I've been told, that there would be a preferred bidder named this week."
McCoist added on Wednesday: "I spoke to the administrators last night and they were still involved in ongoing discussions with two potential purchasers.
"I think there is no liquidation at all with any of the two parties involved.
"That's my reading into the situation, I just hope I'm correct in saying that.
"Not being totally business-minded, I think the two offers - certainly one and very probably the other - do consist of newcos but I have been told that does not involve liquidation."

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Cristian Riveros: Completes Sunderland exit

RIVEROS LEAVES SUNDERLAND

Sunderland midfielder Cristian Riveros has completed a permanent move to Turkish club Kayserispor for an undisclosed fee.
The 29-year-old Paraguay international has spent the last season on loan in Turkey after failing to make an impact at the Stadium of Light, and has now severed his ties with the Black Cats.
Riveros, who was signed from Mexican outfit Cruz Azul by former boss Steve Bruce in May 2010, made just 14 appearances for the club.

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David James: Will not be offered a new deal

DAVID JAMES TO LEAVE BRISTOL CITY

Former England goalkeeper David James has been told he can leave npower Championship club Bristol City.
The Robins announced their retained list on Tuesday and revealed the 41-year-old, capped 53 times by his country, would not be offered a new deal.
James, who counts Liverpool, Aston Villa and Manchester City among his former clubs, was signed by Steve Coppell in August 2010 during the former City manager's four-month spell in charge.
The former Watford trainee had only recently returned from the World Cup in South Africa, where he featured in three of England's four matches, keeping two clean sheets.


Robins manager Derek McInnes has decided to consider alternative options and James was among eight players informed their futures lie away from Ashton Gate.
During his two seasons with the club, James made 81 league appearances and played a substantial part in their successful battle against the drop in this campaign.
As a sign of McInnes' desire to look to the future, youth team keeper Lewis Carey has been offered a professional deal.

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Darren Fletcher: On course to begin his comeback

NO RETIREMENT PLANS FOR FLETCHER

Darren Fletcher has no plans to announce his retirement, contrary to recent speculation.
The Manchester United midfielder has been absent since December after it was revealed he was suffering from a chronic bowel complaint that had been affecting him for months.


Sir Alex Ferguson's previous statement on the matter suggested Fletcher would attempt a comeback at some point during pre-season and was hopeful his fellow Scot would make a full recovery.
On Monday night rumours began circulating that Fletcher had accepted he would never overcome the problem and was set to quit.
However, it is understood that the rumours are wide of the mark and that the 28-year-old remains on course to begin his comeback this summer as planned.
The news will be greeted with relief by both United and Scotland fans.
Fletcher's combative midfield presence was missed by the Red Devils during their 1-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night.
And Scotland boss Craig Levein is hoping to have his captain available for the early stages of autumn's World Cup qualifying campaign.

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Magaye Gueye and Robert Huth in action

Stoke 1 Everton 1

Cameron Jerome netted two minutes after coming off the bench to secure a point for Stoke against Everton in the Barclays Premier League at the Britannia Stadium.
The Toffees had gone in front in the 44th minute thanks to an own goal from the hosts' former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch, whose unfortunate last touch sent the ball over the line after Tony Hibbert has delivered a cross into the box.


Jerome levelled in the 69th minute, making a forward burst and holding off two defenders before firing past Tim Howard.
While seventh-placed Everton will be disappointed not to make off with all three points, they have extended their unbeaten run in the league to seven games and, perhaps even more satisfyingly, their lead in the table over Merseyside rivals Liverpool - who are eighth and lost 1-0 to Fulham on Tuesday night - to three points with two games remaining.
Stoke, meanwhile, are up a place to 13th, two points away from the top half in which they are aiming to finish for the first time since their promotion to the division in 2008.


Rory Delap - back in the Potters side fresh from signing a new contract extension - delivered an early trademark long throw which Robert Huth met, only for the referees' assistant to raise their flag, and at the other end Sylvain Distin nodded a corner wide.
Stoke's Jon Walters was next to try to connect with a delivery, this time from Matthew Etherington, but his reward was a collision with Distin which led to him receiving treatment and having his head heavily bandaged.
Etherington then lofted an effort over before Huth headed another Delap missile too high.
Everton were struggling to handle the hosts' aerial bombardment, with Howard just able to fist a cross away from Kenwyne Jones' head, but when the Toffees pushed forward themselves, Leon Osman managed to get a couple of shots away in quick succession, both of which were saved by Asmir Begovic.


After Delap caused another scramble with a throw which Huth met to prompt Howard to punch the ball behind, the visitors went on the attack again, a cross from Magaye Gueye - who had come on a substitute in the 22nd minute for the injured Victor Anichebe - cannoning off Nikica Jelavic and over.
Steven Pienaar then saw his fierce strike helped over the bar by Begovic, Gueye drilled wide from the resulting corner, and moments later, Everton snatched the lead.
It came in freak circumstances a minute before the break, Pienaar playing a short free-kick to Hibbert, whose cross struck Stoke's Marc Wilson and then his team-mate Crouch before bouncing past Begovic.
A quiet start to the second half was punctuated by a succession of penalty appeals which amounted to nothing, while Osman fluffed his lines after being teed up Pienaar.


Stoke boss Tony Pulis refreshed things by deploying his three substitutes in one fell swoop in the 67th minute as Jerome, Ricardo Fuller and Glenn Whelan replaced Walters, Crouch and Delap, and his decision paid off almost immediately as the Potters pulled level.
Jerome showed great determination to power forward and he got the better of Phil Jagielka and John Heitinga to force the ball past Howard and in.
Jelavic attempted to restore the visitors' lead in the final 10 minutes but miscued and Stoke might have won it themselves late on, Jones shooting over and Howard getting down to save a deflected Huth free-kick.


Teams:
Stoke Begovic, Huth, Upson, Shawcross, Wilson, Walters (Fuller 67), Whitehead, Delap (Whelan 67), Etherington, Jones, Crouch (Jerome 67).
Subs Not Used: Sorensen, Shotton, Woodgate, Palacios.
Booked: Wilson, Shawcross.
Goals: Jerome 69.
Everton Howard, Hibbert, Heitinga, Jagielka, Distin, Anichebe (Gueye 22), Osman (McFadden 89), Fellaini, Pienaar, Cahill, Jelavic, Gueye (Stracqualursi 78).
Subs Not Used: Mucha, Barkley, Coleman, Duffy.
Booked: Pienaar.
Goals: Crouch 44 og.
Att: 26, 500
Ref: Anthony Taylor (Cheshire).