Latest Football Transfer News 04-08-2012

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Latest Football Transfer News 04-08-2012

Pool line up Heskey deal

Holloway hopes to win race for striker
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 10:18am


Emile Heskey: Linked with a move to Blackpool


Sky Sports understands Blackpool are lining up a move for former England international Emile Heskey.
Heskey is available on a free transfer after being released by Aston Villa earlier this summer.
The 34-year-old is thought to be willing to drop down into the Championship as he looks to continue his career.


A number of clubs have been linked with a move for Heskey, including Hull City and Huddersfield, but Ian Holloway is hoping to lure him to Bloomfield Road.
Holloway is keen to bolster his attacking options and sees Heskey as a key addition to his plans for the new season.
The Tangerines chief has been searching for a big, strong centre-forward and after pulling out of a deal for Leeds' Billy Paynter he is expected to step up his interest in Heskey.

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Pienaar makes Baines plea

Winger hopes his Toffees team-mate stays put
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 11:03am


Leighton Baines: Linked with a move away from Everton this summer


Steven Pienaar has called on Everton to do all they can to keep hold of Leighton Baines this summer.
Baines has been linked with a move away from Goodison Park during the transfer window with Manchester United thought to be weighing up an offer for the England international.


Pienaar, who sealed his return to Everton from Tottenham earlier this week, is keen to see Baines remain on Merseyside having formed a good partnership down the left with the full-back.
The South African believes it is crucial to Everton's hopes for the new season that they keep hold of their best players including Baines.
"If Leighton stays here it will make everyone at the club happy because he is an important player for the team," said Pienaar.
"He is a vital player for the club. The manager, the supporters, everyone knows it."

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Posh make Hall bid

Southend winger attracting interest
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 11:28am


Ryan Hall: Subject of a bid from Peterborough


Sky Sports understands Peterborough have made a bid for Southend winger Ryan Hall.
Hall impressed at Roots Hall last season, netting 14 goals and 25 assists in all competitions, and his assist return was the highest by any player in all leagues in England.


The former Crystal Palace man's showings have attracted interest from a host of Championship clubs and Peterborough have made a firm offer for Hall.
Posh boss Darren Ferguson is keen to add to his attacking options and is a big fan of Hall.
Hall is in the final year of his contract and Southend are reluctant to lose last season's top scorer.

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Lennon - No Wanyama worries

Celtic manager may look to extend Kenyan's contract
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 10:42am


Victor Wanyama: Linked with a move elsewhere but Neil Lennon wants him to stay at Celtic


Neil Lennon has insisted that Victor Wanyama is not being unsettled by speculation linking him with a move elsewhere, while he could look into extending the Kenyan's contract as Celtic are not a selling club.
Wanyama has reportedly attracted the attention of clubs such as Arsenal and Manchester United after impressing for Celtic in his first season in the SPL last term.


Lennon says the transfer talk has not proved to be a distraction and he is confident of keeping hold of the versatile 21-year-old
"Interest in Wanyama doesn't surprise me because he's a class player. Whether that's welcome speculation or not, there's nothing I can do about it," Lennon said in the Daily Record.


"Until we get firm interest I can't comment any more. He has three more years to go and we might look to extend that.
"I'm content that he isn't being unsettled, you can see that in how he's playing and the way he comes in every day.
"I'm not surprised by the clubs supposedly looking at him. I think he's got all the attributes to be anything he wants to be."
Streamlined

Lennon has plenty of other options in midfield and if Celtic get a good price for Wanyama it would allow him to strengthen the squad in other areas.
He is keen to bring in reinforcements but maintains that the club do not want to lose their best players.
"Every player has his price but we're not a selling club - although every club sells players if they get the right offer," said Lennon.
"But it's right that we are spoilt for choice in terms of talented young players in midfield.
"We've trimmed the squad and it's a bit more compact, streamlined.
"There will be more togetherness about the squad and we can improve the quality of the players here, because they're relatively young and we can improve them all.
"Incoming business will depend on selling a player for decent money and getting the funds to spend. That hasn't changed since I took over.
"I have a couple in mind and, if the money becomes available, we will spend it."

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O'Neill hopeful on Sessegnon

Sunderland manager keen for player to stay
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 11:32am


Stephane Sessegnon: Sunderland hope he will stay but have not given a hands-off warning


Martin O'Neill has insisted he would love to keep Stephane Sessegnon at Sunderland but knows it would be foolish to deliver a message ruling out a departure.
Sessegnon has been linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light after enjoying a tremendous finish to last season, but so far it is understood that the Black Cats have not received a serious enquiry.


O'Neill would be delighted for that situation to remain the same until the transfer window closes at the end of the month, but recognises that there is always the chance that an offer will come in that is too good to turn down.
"We would very much like to keep Stephane - any manager would want to keep him," O'Neill said in The Journal.
"He gives us that extra creativity and he is very important to us so I would genuinely like to keep him.
"I would love to give a 'hands-off' message but I wish it was as easy as that.


"If I was to say 'You cannot touch him' then I might have to come back here two days later and say 'sorry'.
"That would be all bravado speak and then he's gone, so I couldn't give that sort of message.
"However, I definitely want to keep him at this football club.
"I echo the sentiments of all of us, including the supporters on that front."
Settled

O'Neill says Sessegnon is now feeling much more settled at Sunderland, having initially struggled to adjust to English life following his move from Paris St Germain 18 months ago.
"He texts in perfect English now! He understands. There is an element of that (whether his family are happy) but there's only so much you can do," said O'Neill.
"If some families can't settle in areas or countries then you have to take it into consideration.
"That was an issue and I just hope that issue disappears again this year - I don't want that to rear its head again."

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Amelia to stay at Milan

Goalkeeper happy in Italy despite rumours of Boro interest
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 2:44pm


Marco Amelia: Reportedly attracting interest from Middlesbrough but enjoying life in Italy


Goalkeeper Marco Amelia has insisted he is happy at AC Milan and wants to finish his career with the Italian club.
Amelia has been linked with a move away from Milan this summer and Middlesbrough were reportedly interested in bringing him to The Riverside.
However, Amelia has made it clear that he is not looking to move abroad and hopes to make an important contribution for the Rossoneri after working hard over the summer.


He admits it would have been wonderful to play for hometown club Roma, but at the age of 30 he is now committed to spending the rest of his playing days at the San Siro.
He told calciomercato.com: "I will remain in Italy.
"I'm very satisfied with my pre-season. This is my third year at AC Milan and here you can work with the best.
"I am very well at AC Milan and I hope to finish my career here, even if it's obvious that, being born in Rome, I've always had the dream to wear the Roma shirt."

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Pereira could leave Porto

Agent waiting to see if right offer comes in for full-back
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 2:09pm


Alvaro Pereira: Staying calm as he waits to see if he will leave Porto this summer


Alvaro Pereira's agent says there have not yet been any official offers for the full-back but believes a move away from Porto this summer is a possibility.


The Uruguay international is under contract with Porto until the summer of 2016 and is valued at around €30million (£23.8m).
However, he has reportedly attracted the interest of a number of leading European clubs, including Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool.
Paris St Germain, Napoli and Juventus have also been linked with the 26-year-old, whose representative believes a departure from Porto could happen.


Flavio Perchmen told Antena 1: "I spoke with Alvaro last week and he is calm. We are waiting to find out if there is any offer.
"We think everything will go well and that he can leave the club, but right now we do not have any concrete offer."

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Hammers' Mohsni bid rejected

Southend snub bid for Frenchman
Last Updated: August 4, 2012 1:01pm


Bilel Mohsni: Impressed during pre-season trial with West Ham


Sky Sports understands West Ham have had a bid rejected by Southend for Bilel Mohsni.
Mohsni has been on trial at West Ham during pre-season as Hammers boss Sam Allardyce casts an eye over the 24-year-old.
The defender, who can also play as a striker, has impressed at Roots Hall over the last couple of seasons.


Mohsni is thought to have caught the eye in pre-season training and West Ham have tabled an offer in the region of £150,000 for the Frenchman.
However, Southend have rejected West Ham's initial offer for Mohsni as they battle to keep hold of the versatile performer.
Mohsni has just a year left on his current deal, after Southend took up the 12-month option they had on him at the end of last season.

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Ancelotti cools Cole link
Last Updated: August 4 2012, 10:31 BST

Paris Saint Germain boss Carlo Ancelotti has rejected rumours linking him with a move for Chelsea ace Ashley Cole.

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Carlo Ancelotti: Denied reports he is lining up a move for Ashley Cole






Reports claimed big-spending PSG were lining up a move for Cole as Ancelotti wants to be reunited with the England star in the French capital.
Cole's future at Stamford Bridge has been the subject of speculation with the full-back entering the final year of his contract and yet to open talks over an extension.


However, Ancelotti insists he is not planning a move for Cole as he claims PSG have finished their summer spending.
"The transfer window is over for us," Ancelotti told Abola. "The club did a good job. All the news from England [about Cole] are just rumours."

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Arsenal closing in on Cazorla
Last Updated: August 4 2012, 13:55 BST

Santi Cazorla is poised to become an Arsenal player early next week.



Santi Cazorla: Close to finalising Arsenal move
The Spain midfielder is in London finalising his move and Press Association Sport understands he will be part of the Gunners squad which travels to Germany for a training camp next week if, as expected, the deal is formally completed by then.
Arsenal will take on Cologne next Sunday in a friendly arranged as part of the deal which brought Lukas Podolski to the Emirates Stadium.


The club have not yet been able to formally announce the signing of Cazorla owing to complications caused by the financial plight of his current club Malaga, but the Spanish side's problems are not expected to jeopardise the completion of the deal.
The recruitment of Cazorla would be the third major piece of transfer business completed by Arsenal in the close season, with Podolski and Montpellier forward Olivier Giroud also coming in.


They have also been heavily linked with Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, with Real boss Jose Mourinho saying the player can leave the Bernabeu.
Cazorla was part of Spain's victorious Euro 2012 squad, but only featured for 16 minutes during the tournament in Poland and Ukraine.
He was Malaga's flagship signing of last summer but the club are experiencing severe financial difficulties and look set to offload a number of big names before the new Primera Division campaign begins.