Latest Transfer Update at 17-06-2012

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Latest Transfer Update at 17-06-2012

Smuda: Stepped down after Poland's Euro 2012 exit

POLAND COACH SMUDA STEPS DOWN

Poland coach Franciszek Smuda has stepped down from his post after the Euro 2012 co-hosts were eliminated following a 1-0 defeat by the Czech Republic.
Poland went into the game knowing only a victory would see them through to the quarter-finals following draws with Greece and Russia in their opening two Group A matches.
But despite the passionate support in Wroclaw, Smuda's side were unable to make the breakthrough when on top in the first half and fell away after the break, with Petr Jiracek scoring the only goal of the game in the 72nd minute.



"This is 100 per cent the end of the road. My contract runs out at the end of Euro 2012. Thanks guys," Smuda told Poland's public TVP broadcaster in an emotional interview.

"We did our best. Unfortunately, we had a lot of missed passes. In the second period, we had to fight non-stop to get the ball back," added Smuda,
The 63-year-old took charge of Poland in October 2009 and the country must now begin the process of appointing a new manager.

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Frank Lampard: Shocked by Redknapp departure

LAMPARD STUNNED BY REDKNAPP SACKING

Frank Lampard was shocked to see Harry Redknapp sacked after Chelsea's European glory meant Tottenham missed out on a place in the Champions League.
Chelsea saw off Bayern Munich in last month's final meaning they secured the fourth available spot in next season's competition ahead of Spurs.
Despite finishing fourth, Tottenham this week got rid of manager Redknapp, Lampard's uncle, although the former Portsmouth boss later said he felt even achieving Champions League football would not have saved him.


Lampard told The Sun: "I feel really bad for Harry, especially as my biggest success in football turned out so unlucky for him.
"He deserved Champions League football. He and Spurs finished fourth. That's why I'm still shell-shocked by what's happened.
"I have some mates who are Spurs fans and they are desperately disappointed.
"They remember how they were rock-bottom when Harry came in. Then, all of a sudden, they're playing in the Champions League and competing at the top.
"He's done an amazing job."

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David Moyes: Not approached to replace Redknapp

DAVID MOYES - NO SPURS CONTACT

Everton manager David Moyes has revealed he has had no contact from Tottenham following the departure of Harry Redknapp and declared himself happy at Goodison Park.
The Scot has been linked with the vacant manager's job at White Hart Lane, along with Wigan boss Roberto Martinez and former Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas, following confirmation in the early hours of Thursday morning that Redknapp had been sacked.
Moyes told BBC Radio 5 Live: "All I can say is that I have had no contact and if I had had any I would have told my chairman (Bill Kenwright).
"I hope to meet all my ambitions at Everton but you never know in this game.
"I came back from holiday and found out about Harry and I feel sad for him because I feel he has done a good job."
Moyes has battled against a restricting budget at Everton but last season took the club to sixth in the Barclays Premier League, one place above bitter vials Liverpool.


Redknapp left Tottenham despite taking the club to fourth spot.
The 65-year-old took charge of Spurs in October 2008, transforming their fortunes from a side struggling in the Premier League when he joined them to title contenders at one stage last season.
Redknapp led his side into the Champions League in 2010-11 but last season's fourth place was not good enough for a repeat visit after Chelsea took the spot courtesy of their penalty shoot-out win over Bayern Munich in this year's final.
Redknapp was linked with the England post prior to Roy Hodgson's appointment, and Tottenham's early-season form fell away and they ultimately lost out on Champions League football once again.


Moyes was pressed again on the Tottenham job while appearing as a pundit during the BBC's Euro 2012 television coverage.
"I'm ambitious and I want to try to win things and ideally I want to do that with Everton," he added.
"We brought in two or three players in January and you could see the difference it made to the club, to the players, to myself, so we want to try and do that again.
"I told my chairman four weeks ago (that money was needed to compete) so for me my concentration is on getting Everton ready for the start of the season, and hopefully getting off to a better one than we've had in recent years."


Asked if a fresh challenge would appeal to him at some stage, Moyes said: "I've always been loyal and I will continue to be loyal to Everton - as long as they want me, I'm happy there.
"I'm ambitious and the players at Everton are ambitious and they want me to push to try to keep the club going forward. We're certainly, with the players we've got, in there competing and trying to do the best we can."

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Brian McDermott: We have our targets

McDERMOTT TALKING WITH TARGETS

Brian McDermott is in the process of readying Reading for life back in the Premier League and claims to be closing on a number of transfer targets.
The Royals boss is refusing to be drawn on the identity of those who figure prominently on his summer shopping list, but he is working hard on bringing them into the Madejski Stadium.
Discussions are being held and he hopes to be in a position to bolster his ranks in the not too distant future.
McDermott told getreading: "We have got some players we are trying to bring in at the moment. June is quite a quiet month for that, but we are in talks with a number of players as we speak.
"We have our targets and we will see what happens."


Garath McCleary is the only fresh face to have arrived at Reading since they secured promotion back to the big time, and McDermott admits acquiring top talent is no easy task.
He said: "Just because we are in talks doesn't mean it is necessarily going to happen.
"We are trying to get players in, but with any good player there is always going to be competition to sign him from elsewhere.
"We are no different to anybody else."

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Gary Glen: New Ross County signing

ROSS COUNTY SWOOP FOR GLEN

Clydesdale Bank Premier League newcomers Ross County have signed former Hearts striker Gary Glen.
The 22-year-old, who scored seven goals for the Tynecastle club before being released at the end of the season, has joined on a one-year contract.
Manager Derek Adams told the club's official website: "Gary's a player who has always been highly rated by his coaches and has developed throughout his career.
"It is always tough for a young player to break in to the first-team having come through the youth set-up at big clubs, and I can understand his hunger to play competitive football.


"Having had the option to move to another SPL club, I am delighted he has seen Ross County as the right team and environment for him to make that step up in.
"We have a great track record of nurturing and developing young players in the first team here at Victoria Park and I think Gary's signing fits in well with that ethos."

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Bullard: One year to run on his Ipswich contract

CHINA CLUBS EYE BULLARD - REPORTS

Jimmy Bullard has emerged as the surprise target for a number of clubs in China, according to Sky Sports sources.

The Ipswich Town midfielder has one year to run on his current deal but has been linked with a move away after a mixed first full season at Portman Road.

Bullard, who made an impressive impact when joining on loan from Hull in January 2011 before signing a permanent deal in the following summer, fell out of favour after disappointing on and off the pitch but boss Paul Jewell since indicated he does have a future at the club.



The 33-year-old is understood to have been contacted by two of the leading clubs in China but his agent Simon Dent insists he is currently just aiming to get back to full fitness ahead of the new season.

He told Sky Sports: "Jimmy is looking forward to having his first full pre-season and is fully focused on the new campaign."

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M'Vila: Interested in Arsenal move

M'VILA KEEN ON ARSENAL MOVE

Yann M'Vila is interested in a move to Arsenal this summer.
The France midfielder, part of Laurent Blanc's Euro 2012 squad, has been linked with the Gunners for months.
And he would welcome the move if Arsenal agree to match Rennes' asking price - thought to be in the region of £17m.
"I have heard Arsenal are interested in me," M'Vila said. "I like Arsenal and I like the Premier League.


"I don't know what is happening with the clubs, but yes, I would be interested in the Premier League and Arsenal."
M'Vila's international team-mate Olivier Giroud is also on Arsene Wenger's shopping list, according to the striker's club Montpellier.

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Jan Vertonghen: Tottenham move still on

VERTONGHEN STILL TARGETS SPURS

Jan Vertonghen's agent insists his client's move to Tottenham is still on despite the sacking of Harry Redknapp.
Spurs began talks with Ajax over the transfer of Vertonghen some weeks ago, but the two sides are still reported to be some way apart on their valuation of the 25-year-old defender.
Vertonghen, whose contract expires next summer, has made it clear he wants to move to White Hart Lane despite interest from other Barclays Premier League clubs, most notably Arsenal.
This week's sacking of Redknapp, who wanted to sign the player in January, raised doubts over whether the deal would go ahead, but Vertonghen's agent Mustapha Nakhli insists the move is "very close".
"Nothing has changed at all. He is coming to Tottenham for the club and not for the manager," Nakhli said.
"Managers come and go. Of course Jan is sorry that Harry Redknapp is no longer there but he is going for the club.
"We have a good relationship with Daniel Levy. He wants the deal to happen and there is a good atmosphere (between us).
"I don't know when it will happen but the deal is close, very close."


Two weeks ago after lauding the Premier League, Vertonghen was asked whether Tottenham was the club he wanted to join.
He said: "Yes. I know where I want to go and I think it is clear to everybody.
"I am a big fan of the Premier League. It is almost the only competition I watch on TV and for me it is the best competition in the world."
Redknapp's three-and-a-half year reign at Tottenham came to an end in the early hours of Thursday morning when his sacking was announced by the club.
The news came as a shock to many considering Redknapp had steered the club from the bottom of the league to two top-four finishes, and a Champions League quarter-final, since taking over in October 2008.
His failure to secure another season of Champions League football after leading Arsenal by 10 points, and his public flirtation with the England job, seem to have led to the 65-year-old's downfall.
Speculation over who will replace the former West Ham and Portsmouth boss has been rife since.
David Moyes, Roberto Martinez, Laurent Blanc and Andre Villas-Boas have all been mentioned as possible successors, and Spurs have vowed to take their time over a new appointment.


Moyes, who has forged a sterling reputation after a decade of over-achievement at Everton, yesterday refused to rule himself out of the running, but insisted he was content with life at Goodison Park.
"All I can say is that I have had no contact and if I had had any I would have told my chairman (Bill Kenwright)," Moyes told BBC Radio 5 Live.
"I hope to meet all my ambitions at Everton but you never know in this game."
Martinez's love of attacking football may work in his favour, but some fans are sceptical whether he would be able to make the step up after three years battling against relegation with Wigan.
Villas-Boas is a free agent and has trophy-winning experience on his side - but his unsuccessful stint at Chelsea may rule him out, while Blanc has built a good reputation after rebuilding a France side that flopped at the 2010 World Cup.
Whoever does come in, they will have a number of problems to resolve - most notably securing the futures of Gareth Bale and Luka Modric, who have been linked with moves away from the north London club all season.

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Olivier Giroud: Rumours of a move to Arsenal

OLIVIER GIROUD QUIET ON FUTURE

Olivier Giroud insists now is not the time to discuss his future amid reports Arsenal are closing in on the signing of the Montpellier striker.
The 25-year-old is currently with the France squad at Euro 2012 after playing an integral role in Montpellier's surprise Ligue 1 title success last season.
He is tipped to leave the French champions during the summer and has several clubs on his trail ahead of an anticipated £12million deal.
Borussia Monchengladbach have expressed an interest in signing Giroud, who has previously admitted he would be willing to join fellow Bundesliga side Bayern Munich.


However, Montpellier coach Rene Girard revealed earlier in the week that Arsenal are leading the chase for Giroud and suggested the forward's priority is to move to the Premier League.


Giroud is flattered to be the subject of such interest, but is putting his club future on the back-burner during France's bid to win the European Championship.
"It's nice that people talk about me but I can't talk about my future right now," Giroud is quoted by the Daily Star Sunday.
Arsenal are also in the market for Giroud's France team-mate Yann M'Vila and have already boosted their attacking options for next season by signing Germany international Lukas Podolski.

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Didier Drogba: Close to announcing new club

DROGBA DECISION IMMINENT

Didier Drogba says his next move is 'interesting' and the former Chelsea striker intends to make an announcement on his new club 'soon'.
The Ivory Coast international is available on a free transfer after rejecting a new contract at Chelsea in order to take on a fresh challenge.
Drogba is widely expected to join Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua and such a move would bring about a reunion with former Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Anelka.
However, United Arab Emirates club Al Wasl are reported to have shown an interest and the 34-year-old is close to finalising a decision about his future.


"The next step is interesting," said Drogba during a promotional visit to India.
"I will announce it soon. But as of now, you will just have to wait."
Drogba spent eight seasons with Chelsea after joining from Marseille and his final act for the club was to score the winning penalty in the shoot-out in last month's UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich.
He added: "Chelsea were very good for me. I shared a special relationship with the club.
"It was a difficult decision to leave them."