Latest Transfer Update at 30-05-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 30-05-2012

Claudio Ranieri: The outstanding candidate for the job

RANIERI TAKES OVER AT MONACO

Claudio Ranieri has been appointed the new coach of Monaco, ending speculation linking him with a move to West Brom.
The Ligue 2 club confirmed Ranieri's arrival in a statement on their website today, the 60-year-old Italian signing a two-year contract with the option for a further 12 months.
"AS Monaco Football Club is delighted to announce the appointment of Claudio Ranieri as the club's new head coach," read the statement.
"The appointment follows a rigorous search and selection process during which Claudio Ranieri clearly emerged as the outstanding candidate for the job.


"He is regarded as one of the leading coaches in modern European football and brings to ASM FC a wealth of experience and achievement in the game.
"We are confident that, under Claudio Ranieri's leadership, the team will continue the strong improvement it experienced in the second half of last season.
"Above all, we believe his coaching skills will bring an extra dimension to the preparation of the team that will help drive the level of performance that is required both to entertain and to excel."
The former Chelsea boss held two rounds of talks with Albion earlier this month over the possibility of succeeding new England manager Roy Hodgson at The Hawthorns.


He has most recently been employed in his homeland, with spells at Parma, Juventus and Roma before an ill-fated stint at Inter Milan ended in dismissal in March.
Ranieri will be presented at a press conference at 1700 local time (1600 BST) tomorrow alongside general director Filips Dhondt and sporting director Tor-Kristian Karlsen at the Stade Louis II.

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Lambert and Martinez: Favourites for Villa job

VILLA STEP UP SEARCH FOR NEW BOSS

Aston Villa are aiming to appoint their new manager by the start of next week with Paul Lambert and Roberto Martinez at the forefront of their thoughts, Press Association Sport understands.
Wigan boss Martinez's advisors spoke with Villa at the end of last week before the Spaniard held talks with Liverpool.
But Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers now appears to be the new favourite to take charge at Anfield.
It is understood Martinez is now willing to push ahead with Villa talks - a post he rejected 12 months ago.


But the delay in any possible deal while he spoke to the Reds means Norwich manager Paul Lambert is also now on Villa's radar.
The midlands club have still to make an official approach to either Wigan or the Canaries but are set to push ahead with moves in that direction in the next 24 hours.
Villa owner Randy Lerner sees Martinez as the kind of progressive young manager needed to take the club forward after dismissing Alex McLeish two and a half weeks ago.
He has also been impressed by Lambert steering Norwich to successive promotions and establishing them in the Barclays Premier League last season.
But either appointment - if permission is given to Villa to open talks - would be subject to compensation being agreed.

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Leighton Baines: The United link is flattering

BAINES FLATTERED BY MAN UNITED LINK

England full-back Leighton Baines insists he is focused on Euro 2012 rather than his own future.
Everton left-back Baines heads into the tournament with Manchester United being strongly linked with a move for his services this summer.
Baines has had another fine season at Goodison Park and is flattered by the speculation but is adamant all his thoughts are on helping England in Poland and Ukraine.
He said: "The United link is flattering. There is no harm in people talking about it because it is a great club.
"But I'm at a great club as well, a club that I love. The focus now is all on the tournament. There's not much time to let other things seep in.
"It's about getting your head on this job for the next six weeks and try to do the best you can.


"I'm not letting my focus shift to [my future] while I am in camp. I'm focused on what I'm doing at the moment."
Asked if it would be hard to leave Everton, he added: "Yes, obviously. You know what it means. I've been there for five years myself but also know first-hand what it means to a lot of people."
Baines admits he takes inspiration from fellow left-back Ashley Cole even though his presence in the England side during the past decade has denied him the opportunity to win many more caps.
He said: "Ash has always has been an inspiration. In my position, he has always been my favourite player from when I was a young lad.
"I have a tremendous amount of respect for him.


"Before I was making my way myself in the game, then it was Roberto Carlos, who was doing the free-kicks and all that stuff.
"But, once you start to look at things as a proper player, then Ash has always been a good role model for any player in that position, whether you be 17 or 18 establishing yourself or late 20s, he is the best.
"There is always something to learn and you never stop looking for things.
"It's not just Ash I look at. It's every player in my position who is at the top of their game. You are always looking at what they are doing and pick up their strengths and learn from that."

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Rangers had been handed a 12-month transfer embargo

GERS SANCTIONS REFERRED BACK TO SFA

Rangers have overturned a 12-month transfer embargo in the Scottish law courts - but they could now face more severe sanctions as a result.
The club succeeded in their application for a judicial review at the Court of Session in Edinburgh as Lord Glennie backed their assertion that a Scottish Football Association judicial panel had exceeded its powers in administering the ban on registering players.
The judge accepted the club's case that only the specific punishments laid down under the related rule should be imposed on the club for bringing the game into disrepute.
However, he proposed that the decision be referred back to an SFA appeal tribunal, which had upheld the decision that a transfer ban was appropriate punishment for a failure to pay more than £13million in tax last season.
The explicit punishments stated in the SFA's rule 66 are a maximum £100,000 fine, suspension or expulsion from participation in the game, ejection from the Scottish Cup or termination of membership.


The independent three-man SFA disciplinary panel had considered ending Rangers' membership, saying they viewed the offence second only to match-fixing in terms of seriousness, but decided a transfer ban was more appropriate.
Having already administered the maximum fine, an SFA appeal would therefore only be entitled to throw them out of the Scottish Cup for a spell or else stop the club playing football altogether in Scotland.
FIFA have also stepped in to the dispute, stating that they expect member associations to take "direct action" against clubs who take them to court.
The ruling brings fresh uncertainty to the club on the day administrators published a Company Voluntary Arrangement proposal.
Rangers are still subject to a Scottish Premier League transfer embargo but that will automatically be lifted if they come out of administration, which could happen as early as July 12.
Lord Glennie delivered his verdict on Tuesday afternoon after a three-hour hearing, which was continued from Friday.
A fellow Court of Session judge, Lord Carloway, had rejected Rangers' argument that the punishment was not open to the SFA when he chaired the appeal tribunal but the same QC, Richard Keen, was successful less than two weeks after that hearing.


Most of the argument centred around specific rules and how closely they should be interpreted. Section 95 of the SFA's articles of association, which state judicial panel members can administer any punishment they consider appropriate, were used to justify the embargo.
However, Lord Glennie felt article 94.1 was more appropriate given that it deals specifically with disrepute and states that it should be dealt with in terms of sanctions available in the judicial panel protocol, in other words the specific list of punishments for disrepute.
The judge also dismissed SFA QC Aidan O'Neill's assertion that the list offered a maximum punishment rather than an exclusive set.
Lord Glennie had earlier thrown out a challenge to the court's authority to rule, deciding the SFA had not been explicit enough in authorising the Court of Arbitration for Sport to settle disputes beyond their appeal stage in their rules, which underwent an overhaul last year.
Keen successfully pointed to Ashley Cole's failed attempt to appeal to CAS over his punishment for negotiating with Chelsea while at Arsenal in 2005, after which the FA tightened their rules.
Despite attempts by Rangers to suspend the additional sanction or at least revert the case back to the judicial panel, the judge proposed it return to the SFA appeal stage.


That leaves the club open to more severe sanctions, which they would struggle to overturn given that CAS has effectively been ruled invalid for Scottish disputes and that Lord Glennie admitted his only jurisdiction was whether the SFA applied their own rules properly and not their guilt.
An SFA spokesperson said on Tuesday: "We are surprised by today's verdict at the Court of Session, especially since the original sanction against Rangers FC was imposed by an independent panel chaired by a leading QC and upheld by an appellate tribunal chaired by a Supreme Court judge.
"We will now consider our position with our legal advisers before making any further comment."
A statement from FIFA read: "At the time of writing we have not received any communication from the Scottish FA.
"In such a case, FIFA will ask the member association to take action so that the club withdraws its request from the ordinary courts.
"FIFA will closely monitor the situation so that the issue is resolved as fast as possible."
FIFA's articles call for member associations to take "direct action" against clubs who seek redress before ordinary courts.


Rangers administrator Paul Clark said: "We welcome the decision by Judge Lord Glennie on Tuesday that vindicates the club's position that the original SFA judicial panel tribunal and the appellate tribunal acted beyond their powers in imposing a transfer embargo on the club.
"The costs for this legal action have been awarded against the SFA and it is our position it is very regrettable that court action was required.
"Both we, and the SFA, will have to study the full ramifications of the judgment when it is published and either side has 21 days in which to decide the next course of action or whether they wish to appeal."

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Jay Rodriguez: Southampton target

SAINTS RODRIGUEZ BID ACCEPTED - REPORTS

Burnley have accepted a bid in the region of £7million from Southampton for striker Jay Rodriguez, according to various reports.
Nigel Adkins' Barclays Premier League newcomers had an offer rejected for the 22-year-old 12 months ago but are understood to have come closest to matching the Clarets' £8million valuation.
Rodriguez enjoyed a blistering campaign last term, netting 21 goals despite having his contribution limited from early March by hip and groin problems.


The former England Under-21 international is currently out of the country and is yet to meet with Saints officials to discuss personal terms.
Should the deal go through, it is set to surpass the £6.5million recouped by Burnley for the sale of Scotland striker Steve Fletcher to Wolves two years ago.
Burnley declined to comment on the story when contacted.

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Paul Scholes: Signs up for one more season

PAUL SCHOLES SIGNS NEW ONE-YEAR DEAL

Paul Scholes has put pen to paper on a one-year contract extension that keeps the former England midfielder at Manchester United until the end of the 2012/13 season, the club have confirmed.


Scholes came out of retirement in January and produced a number of impressive displays as United were just beaten to the Barclays Premier League title by neighbours Manchester City.
The new deal for Scholes was first announced by United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, and Wednesday's announcement confirms that formalities have now been competed.

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Roberto Mancini: Happy with his strike force

MANCINI DENIES STRIKER INTEREST

Manchester City are not looking to reinforce their attacking options this summer, according to manager Roberto Mancini.
Reports in Italy have suggested that AC Milan front man Zlatan Ibrahimovic is a target for the Barclays Premier League champions.
Napoli forward Ezequiel Lavezzi and Bologna striker Gaston Ramirez have also been linked with the Eastlands club.
"Ibrahimovic is a champion," Mancini told Gazzetta dello Sport. "But I already have four very strong strikers.


"I just need them to compete in the Champions League. We are okay up front."
City boast rich talent in attack with Sergio Aguero, who scored the dramtic injury-time title winning goal against QPR, Mario Balotelli, Carlos Tevez and Edin Dzeko vying for places.

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Rafael van der Vaart: Linked with return to the Bundesliga

VAN DER VAART QUIET ON SCHALKE LINK

Rafael van der Vaart is refusing to be drawn on speculation linking him with a summer switch to Bundesliga outfit Schalke.
Reports in Holland and Germany suggest the Tottenham playmaker could be on his way out of White Hart Lane once the transfer winder re-opens.

The Dutch playmaker has spent the last two seasons with Spurs, but saw them miss out on UEFA Champions League qualification in 2011/12 as a result of Chelsea's success in the competition.
It is now being suggested that he would be willing to discuss a possible return to German football.
Van der Vaart spent three productive years with Hamburg between 2005 and 2008, before moving on to Real Madrid.


Schalke are keen to bring him back to the Bundesliga, allowing him to link up with international colleague Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Van der Vaart is reluctant to discuss his future, though, with a shot at Euro 2012 glory with Holland dominating his thoughts at present.
"I won't say anything about it," he told De Telegraaf.
"At the moment I am fully focused on Euro 2012."

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Ezequiel Lavezzi: Expected to leave Napoli

'BIDDING WAR' FOR LAVEZZI - NAPOLI

Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed there are six clubs in the race to sign striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.
Lavezzi is expected to leave Napoli this summer, with Manchester City, Paris St Germain and Inter Milan among those reportedly chasing the Argentina international.
"Six clubs continuously ask me about 'Il Pocho' (Lavezzi)," De Laurentiis said to Gazzetta dello Sport.
"There is an international bidding war going on for him.


"With calmness and alongside Lavezzi we will evaluate where he wants to go and what is the best solution for him and for the club."
Lavezzi is under contract with Napoli until June 2015 and has a release clause of £26.8million.
The 27-year-old, who joined the Serie A outfit from San Lorenzo in 2008, scored nine goals in 30 league appearances for Napoli in the 2011/12 season.

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Stefan Radu: Linked with a move to England

ENGLISH TEAMS CHASING RADU - AGENT

Lazio defender Stefan Radu is a target for several English clubs, according to his agent.
The Romania international has been strongly linked with a move to the Barclays Premier League, with Arsenal and Manchester City reportedly keen to acquire the 25-year-old's services.

"We are working with someone in England," Radu's agent Viktor Becali told lalaziosiamonoi.it. "There are three clubs that are very interested in Stefan.
"If we were to receive a good offer and Lazio were to accept, then he could leave.

"Otherwise, he is happy to remain in Rome. He is under contract until 2016."
Radu joined Lazio from Dinamo Bucharest in 2008 and made 21 Serie A appareances for the Biancoceleste in the 2011/12 season.