Footballers Turn Their Attention To Poker

Football is a game that take tremendous athleticism, stamina, focus, and concentration.  Many of the same abilities are needed to become a successful poker player.  As such, it is no surprise that current and former football players have chosen to take up the game of poker and many doing so at very high levels.

Teddy Sheringham, formerly of Manchester United, had a storied football career with 289 career goals and 11 international team goals.  After retiring in 2008, he turned his attention to poker.  His largest win to date is an $118k score at the EPT Villamoura Main Event in 2010.  So far, Sheringham has won $289,236 in live poker touranments.

Gianluigi Buffon, the Italian football icon, happens to be an avid poker player.  Currently a member of Serie A club Juventus and the Italian National team, Buffon is sponsored "Sportstar" on online poker site on PokerStars.  As such, he has appeared in many live events around Europe, such as the European Poker Tour.

Poli Rincon is a former striker who played the majority of his career with Real Betis and also played for the Spanish National Team.  Nowadays, he is a member of Team PokerStars as a "friend" of the site and has played in events such as the PokerStars Caribbean Adventure, EPT Monte Carlo, and the Estrellas Poker Tour.  Rincon is said to be taking the game seriously and frequently plays online.

Tony Cascarino is a former association football player and member of the Irish National Team.  After retiring from professional soccer in 2000, he turned to poker professionally.  In that time, he was won over $500,000 in live poker tournaments, including a win at the Grosvenor UK Poker Tour Grand Final in London in 2009.

If you look at a list of the most popular poker sites in the world, you will see that poker is potentially available in every nation on the planet.  As such, soccer players can take up the game at their leisure.  Many find that once they get started, it is almost as addictive as soccer, but without 50,000 screaming fans cheering you on. 

I would love to hear any comments you may have. 

Suarez Given Eight Match Ban

Luis Suarez has toinght been given an eight match ban after allegedly racially abusing Man United left back, Patrice Evra. It is believed that on more than one occasion, Suarez called Evra "negrito".

Luis Suarez, 24, has been prolific for Liverpool this season, being their main man as Steven Gerrard has been hit by injuries since the start of the season.

This lengthy ban comes as a surprise to many  and I'm sure this will also come as a shock to John Terry who now must be assuming the worst after he said a few naughty words to Anton Ferdinand as Chelsea lost to QPR way back in October.

Liverpool now have to rely on Andy Carroll or either play Craig Bellamy in a more central role and hope he can find the same form he found when playing with the likes of Newcastle and West Ham.

Andy Carroll, I think it is fair to say has been a bit of a shambles since moving to Merseyside but perhaps this could be his chance to be a Kop hero.

Who knows what was said, but I think the FA have made it very clear that they won't accept any racial abuse and of course I believe that this is the correct thing to do.

What do you think? Is eight matches too much? Can we expect Liverpool to appeal?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Man City Face Early Exit

After last night's defeat away to Napoli, Man City now have to hope that pointless Villareal avoid defeat against Napoli in the last match of group stages. But more importantly Man City have to get a win against Bayern Munich to stand any chance of qualifying.

The 2-1 scoreline didn't really reflect the match itself as Man City had 70% of the possession and had numerous opportunities but as they say, you have to take your chances. While saying this, City were fortunate that the score stayed at 2-1 as Napoli missed two glorious chances.

Mancini has stated that he feels that his side have a 30% chance of qualifying and that seems about right because you just never know, football is a funny game. I don't think City beating Bayern and Villareal getting at least a point at Napoli is impossible although it wouldn't be far off with the way Villareal have been playing in this years campaign.

Man City will now have to pick themselves up as they face Liverpool this weekend. Liverpool will be heading into the match with a lot of confidence after their victory over Chelsea last Sunday. I think Man City might have a little bit too much class for Liverpool but I do expect a very close encounter.

What do you think? Do Man City stand any chance of qualifying for the last 16 of the Champions League?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Some Man For One Man

I know you're probably sick of hearing about Sir Alex Ferguson and the 25 years that he has spent at Old Trafford but I'm sure one more article wouldn't hurt.

It really is an astonishing achievement by the Scotsman especially in this day and age where managers are under pressure to deliver results more than ever before. I can't see United ever being the same when the day does eventually come when Sir Alex Ferguson must hand over the pleasure of managing United to another world class manager.

In his time at the Theatre of Dreams he has won 35 trophies which, in itself is truly remarkable but many more trophies look set to be making their way to the trophy cabinet at Old Trafford in the years to come.

There is no doubt that he is one of the best, but is he the best manager that there ever has been? There aren't many of the same caliber as Ferguson so to say he isn't would be gutsy and brave.

This season though, Ferguson looks set to face his biggest challenge yet as he tries to overcome the "noisy neighbours" City and win a 20th league title. Man United have been quite shaky these past couple of weeks, with a 6-1 defeat still fresh in the memory of both sets of Manchester fans.

What do you think? How much longer will Ferguson be manager at United and will he be able to stop City this season?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Man City Embarrass United At Old Trafford

In a game that was hyped up to be one of the closest Manchester derby for many years, it ended up being an annihilation as we saw the blue half of Manchester completely dismantle the red side.

Man City were simply superb and took full advantage of being a man up for a vast amount of the second half as Jonny Evan got the wrong side of "Super Mario" Balotelli and took the Italian down with no other red jersey in sight.

Although Mancini's men will get most of the praise, I think Mancini himself should get heaps of praise for tactically beating Ferguson. The supposed risk of starting Balotelli more than paid off and Milner who, for me was an unlikely feature, played a super game.

Man United did get a glimpse of hope with ten minutes to go as Fletcher scored probably the goal of the game which made it 3-1 but as they push forward, Man City punished them by banging in three more goals. You could blame Ferguson for getting his tactics wrong but quite simply no one showed for the red devils on the day.

Where does this leave City? Well I think it leaves them head and shoulders above the rest, for now at least, but anything can happen between now and May.

But judging by the disposal of both Tottenham and Man United away from home this early in the season, there is no reason why they won't get better and better and not only push on for the league, but start to perform in the the Champions League.

What do you think? Do you consider Man City favorites now to win the league?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

What Should Arsenal Be Doing Differently?

It's fair to say that Arsenal's season hasn't got off to the best off starts and the departures of Nasri and Fabrgas look to be already taking their toll. The arrival of Arteta has been successful thus far but will he be able to do the same for the majority of the season.

It looks as if Wenger will be finding it hard to capture even a Europa League spot with the way  things are going. We've all seen and heard the jokes made about Arsenal and their losses against the likes of Man United, Blackburn and most recently their local rivals, Tottenham.

Although the Man United loss will have to be considered a major blip, it will be interesting to see what the outcome will be when Arsenal next visit a team with genuine ambitions of winning the league and then we will then know where Arsenal stand.

I know it is hard to imagine, but maybe Arsenal ever so slightly becoming, not quite a mid table team, but a team which are along the lines of finishing 5th, 6th and possibly even 7th.

I know a lot of you may feel I'm being a little bit harsh but unless the club invest in world class players, It's inevitable that Arsenal will be slipping down the table.

It would be a real shame as Arsenal have been probably the most attractive team to watch but if your not getting the results what is the point in playing such fabulous football.

What do you think? Where will Arsenal be in the table come the end of the season?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Manchester City Receive Reality Check

Last night wasn't a very good night if you're a fan of the blue half of Manchester. In quite an embarressing display, City conceded defeat to German giants Bayern Munich. It was a shame as Man City had looked very impressive in the first 30 minutes or so but ultimately were too inexperienced as a group at this level.

No one in a blue jersey really performed last night. Hart seemed to be the only City player on the ball and alert. David Silva pulls all the strings and it just wasn't going his way last night and as a result, City played with no urgency or real effect going forward.

Unfortunately, the limelight has been taken away from the very dominant Bayern as all the talk is now surrounding one Carlos Tevez. With many Man City fans already annoyed with him over the antics surrounding his future this past Summer already, last night didn't help his cause for popularity votes.

Carlos Tevez ended up refusing to come off the Man City bench with Mancini struggling for attacking options.  I think by this stage, regardless of him earning vasts amount of money, he should just be dropped from the squad completely. I can't see how any manager would want to work with a player who is obviously not willing to put the effort in himself.

It is a real shame that it has come to this as Tevez was by far, along with Komapny, the most influential player at Manchester City's disposal last season. It's inevitable that he will leave eventually but it would be nice to see if he could get his act together and start pulling his weight for the remainder of his stay at the Etihad Stadium.

Although many people would say that you have more chance of winning huge amounts of money on some online bingo game than Man City even getting to the quarter-finals of the Champions League this season, I still feel that the quarter-finals are still in City's range.

What do you think? How far can City get this year and what should they do with Tevez?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Anzhi To Try And Get Another Milan Player?

Russian side Anzhi are in the headlines again after reports are suggesting that a move for AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso could be on the cards. Anzhi have already got their hands on former Inter Milan star Samuel Eto'o, so anything is possible it seems.

Anzhi have become the new Manchester City as they try to buy player after player with a good reputation. For me, I don't mind when clubs who are the subject of a massive takeover buy countless players because if you have money, you're going to spend it.

Gennaro Gattusoi is one of the most feared midfielders in the world, not only for his skill but also for his caveman looks. Apart from Joe Jordan, I can't name many players, or coaches, that have stood toe to toe against Gattuso in a confrontation.

I think Gattuso would be a superb signing, but similar to Eto'o, his playing days are numbered and retirment must be on the mind of the former Italian international.

I'm not going to make any predictions as I thought playing at a club like Inter Milan would be too much for Eto'o to join Anzhi but I was wrong. Yet again though, I would like to think that Gattuso would like to end his career at his Beloved AC Milan but if he decides to move, good luck to him.

What do you think? Will Genaro Gattuso end up leaving for Russian side Anzhi?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Man United Become Outright Leaders

Man United proved yet again that they are truely the team to beat as they, relatively comfortably, beat Chelsea at Old Trafford yesterday. In doing this, they now have a two point advantage as Man City slipped up against Fulham.

Man United have been simply breathtaking to watch and each and every signing  over the Summer seems worth the investment, although a few performances similar to yesterday from keeper de Gea are probably needed to make him worth the £18 million or so that United paid for him.

The current United team look as if they have been playing together for many seasons with years of experience but it's hard to forget that the average age of the squad is just 25.

Although the score should have been 3-2 if the Torres of old was playing, Man United never looked under threat for a good period of time. If Man United are to play with the same passion and speed, it's hard to see any team stopping them as they charge on in their pursuit to claim their 20th league title.

Manchester City however could not hold on to a 2-0 lead at Craven Cottage as Fulham clawed their way back to earn a point. This will probably lead to questions surrounding City's ability to close out matches. If Man City are to have any chance of winning the league, letting a lead slip will have to become extinct.

I'm sure all of you may think that Man United have got the league pretty much wrapped up, but there is inevitably further twist and turns to occur during the season and quite literally anything could happen.

So what do you think? Can Manchester United be stopped?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Man City Look To Send Out A Message To The Rest Of Europe

The new Man City era continues tonight as they set to play Napoli tonight in the first round of the Champions League.  Man City and Roberto Mancini look to send out a message to all European clubs tonight and show that they aren't in the tournament to make up the numbers. 

I'm sure all City fans are raring to see their beloved club play in the best club tournament that football has to offer. It's hard to think that just ten years ago Man City were playing their football in the old Division 1, now known as the Championship. 

Man City have already been hugely impressive with many already backing them to pip United at the finishing line and win the Premier League. As long as Silva stays fit and Aguero and Dezko keep banging in the goals, there is no reason why City can't count themselves as very serious contenders.

Although many might consider Man City's group a tough one, I think the draw has been kind to Roberto Mancini's men and I wouldn't be 100% surprised to see them come out on top . Tonights opponents, Napoli, although relatively quiet on the European stage, will prove to be sturdy opposition as they got off to a winning start at the weekend in the opening weekend of the Serie A.

I think we can expect a City win tonight but that's not to say that we should rule a Napoli victory out completely but I just think Man City will have just too much flair in the likes of Aguero and the simply magnificent Silva. 

But what do you think? How will City not only fare in tonight's game but in the campaign as a whole?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Joey Barton Makes The Move To QPR

Joey Barton has today completed his move to the newly promoted side Queens Park Rangers. QPR, who have just been taken over by Tony Fernandes, might have made one of the signings of the summer. Joey Barton hasn't been in the good books at Newcastle as of late and a move elsewhere was the right decision for me.

QPR have proven, after an embarrassing opening day defeat, that they will not be pushed around by bigger clubs this season as they went to Goodison Park picking up three points while they were there. To be honest, out of the Swansea, Nowich and QPR, QPR have the best chance of staying up and they have only increased that possibility with the superb signing of Joey Barton.

Joey Barton, 28, has never been short of controversy in the past and the past couple of weeks have proved to be no different.

After weeks of tension between the Newcastle board and Barton, Barton started the opening game against Arsenal and in the space of 90 minutes, Barton had been stamped on, got slapped in the face and got a player sent off. That really sums up Joey Barton doesn't it?

If you forget about the negative headlines, Barton is actually a very talented footballer. Barton was influential for Man City before joining Newcastle where he proved yet again that he can play the game and no doubt he will be a success at QPR.

What do you think? Will this purchase increase the chances of Queens Park Rangers staying up?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com. The winner receives a jersey of their choice and the more participants, the more prizes. The code you need is: 1209951-306274.

Chelsea Could Lose A Wideman After Signing One

With the signing of Juan Mata yesterday from Valencia, all Chelsea fans must have been smiling with delight but with news coming in that Malouda could possibly be on his way out, the fans may feel it's one step forward, two steps back. Juventus are reportedly very interested in the Frenchman and after yesterday's news that Mata was officially a Chelsea player, it seems a bid in the next few days is very much on the cards.

Florent Malouda, 31, has been a very influential player in the past few seasons, scoring and setting up goals on countless occasions. For this reason, it would seem hard to lure him away from London as this is arguably the best spell of his career.

Juan Mata has been hot property this Summer after a very good season with Valncia was capped off when he helped the Spanish U21's to European success. Mata even revealed that he snubbed offers from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham to sign for Chelsea.

Juventus missed out on the signature of Chilean Alexis Sanchez who eventually made the move to Barcelona, so the signing of Malouda would seem more of a rebound buy rather then their first priority.

I wouldn't expect Malouda to leave, yet again I didn't expect Eto'o to leave Inter Milan, but it's very late on in the transfer window and Malouda seems perfectly happy at Stamford Bridge.

So what do you think? Do you think Malouda will leave Chelsea?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Forlan's Agent Denies Transfer Talk

Diego Forlan's agent has denied that his client could be the next top class striker on his way out of Atletico Madrid. Rumors had been spreading that a move to Italian giants Inter Milan was on the cards.

I'm sure Atletico Madrid fans will be dreading the thought of Forlan leaving after already witnessing Sergio Aguero leaving this summer for a massive fee of £38 million.

Atletico Madrid did manage to invest in a player who I think is a suitable replacement for Aguero,  but it came at a very hefty cost as Atletico Madrid signed Porto striker Falcao. The Colombian cost the Spanish club just short of £35 million.

Falcao, 25, had a prolific goalscoring from last season and Atletico Madrid will surely hope he can continue where he left off last season.

It was suggested that should Atletico Madrid succeed in buying Falcao that it would be a hint for Forlan that he would be able to leave. But now it seems that Falcao, as expected, is a direct replacement for Aguero and not for both Aguero and Forlan.

Ever since last years World Cup which left many of us half asleep, Forlan has been hot property as he along with many of his Uruguay team mates were  the only thing that was entertaining and worth watching.

After a horrid time at Manchetser United he has proven he is a player of immense talent with both Villareal and his current club, Atletico Madrid. Maybe this suggests that Spanish football suits his style of play and should he move it should only be if Real Madrid or Barcelona make an inquiry.

So what do you think? Will Forlan move?

I would love to hear any comments you may have,

Join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com. With only one week gone, there is plenty of time to catch up if you haven't already joined. The winner will receive a jersey of their choice and the more participants, the more prizes so tell your mates. The code you need is: 1209951-306274.

Blackburn Show Interest In Raul

Schalke have today confirmed that they have been approached by Blackburn regarding the future of he former Real Madrid captain, Raul. But Raul has apparently revealed that he has no desire to leave Schalke.

Blackburn already have the veteran right back Salgado at their disposal, so a further swoop for another ex-Real Madrid player is obviously becoming a trend for Blackburn Rovers.

Blackburn fans have been promised big name signings by the owners and I think it's more than fair to say that Blackburn fans have got less than what they have expected. There have been respectable signings such as David Goodwillie from Dundee United but, with no disrespect to Goodwillie, I presume the Ewood Park faithful were expecting more established world class players.

Raul is certainly a legend of the game and a move from Schalke to Blackburn could have provoked other quality players from some of Europe's finest leagues to make the switch to Ewood Park also.

Now I'm not saying they that the likes of Lionel Messi and Wesley Sneijder will depart their respective clubs for Ewood Park, but Blackburn could attract genuine talent in the future, young and old.

I think it's obvious that if Blackburn are to believe they can bring in top players, the first step for Blackburn is to get their league form back on track as they came within 90 minutes of dropping down to the Championship last season. To make matters worse, they didn't get off to the greatest start this season, losing 2-1 at home to Wolves.

So what do you make of this? Will Blackburn be able to attract players of the caliber of Raul?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com. Although the first week has passed there is no reason you shouldn't make a team and join our league. The winner will receive the jersey of his/her choice and the more participants, the more prizes, so invite your friends. The code you need is: 1209951-306274.

Barcelona And Real Madrid Look To Get One Over On Each Other

Real Madrid face Barcelona tonight in the first leg of the Spanish Super Cup, Spain's equivalent of the Community Shield. I'm sure Real Madrid will be desperate to prove that this season might be the season that they defeat their fierce rivals in the race for the Primera Liga title.

It will be a difficult task, as Barcelona have only improved and with the arrival of Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal imminent, it will be hard for Spain and Europe's elite to take over from Barcelona as Europe's finest team.

As well as the probable arrival of Fabregas, Barcelona have also purchased in Alexis Sanchez, a player who was chased by many including the likes of Man City and Juventus. It will be interesting to see how they fit into the team, but if they can, the prospect is simply frightening.

With the Nou Camp faithful already in awe of how talented their home side is, the arrival of these two young, talented players will only improve the smile on everyone's face in Catalonia.

Real Madrid have been chasing another widely sought after player in the presence of Neymar. Neymar, who is currently playing with Santos, has been in the transfer gossip section of many papers for months now and a move away from Brazil at some time in the future is simply inevitable.

But they have brought in both Coentrao and Sahin, two very skillful players who will surely add something to the team and with the likes of Ronaldo and Di Maria already at the Bernabeu, Real Madrid should be no pushover for any team, not even the might of Barcelona.

So what do you think? What is your prediction for tonight's game?

I would love to hear any thoughts you may have.

Why not join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com. The more participants, the more prizes. The code you will need is: 1209951-306274.

Controversy Is Barton's Middle Name

After watching Match of the Day and assessing the quality of the opening day of the new Premiership season, I think it's fair to say that it wasn't quite the excitement we were looking forward to. When you find yourself not talking about the game, but instead, the controversy surrounding a player, you know that there was serious quality lacking from quite literally every match.

Joey Barton made all the headlines yesterday and who would have guessed, it was for all the wrong reasons. Sparking anger across the Newcastle board probably wasn't the best way to start the new season as his entertaining tweets didn't impress many associated with Newcastle United.

A year on from the classic match at St. James' Park, its hardly surprising that the same fixture this year couldn't live up to the expectation. Instead of goals galore, we got no goals leading all the talk to be be about one man, Joey Barton.

In two separate incidents, Barton was involved in both, with one ending up with Gervinho getting sent off. The first one, Barton was actually the good guy as his ankle was the victim of a malicious stamp by Alexander Song.

The second incident however, was very different. Gervinho had the ball in the box, got clipped, and fell over. Yes, he did make a meal of it as if he had just got shot but we have all come to terms with the fact that that is just part of the modern game.

Barton, furious with Gervinho's dive, went over and dragged the Ivory Coast international up with disgust. Gervinho stood up for himself, which I'm not sure many players would do when against Barton, and gave him a girly slap to the head. For me both players are in the wrong, and as Wenger said "either both of them should have gone or none of them".

Barton doesn't have the best reputation as it is and this definitely hasn't improved it either. There is no doubt that he is a very talented footballer but he just has to get his act together.

What do you think? Do you agree with the referees decision?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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It's back!

After three months of sitting around all day, we finally have something to look forward to on the weekends. Yes, that's right people, the Premierhship is back. I'm sure like everyone else, I think this definitely has the potential to be the best yet, I know it's said before the kick-off of every season, but I really do.

The title race will be closer than ever as Chelsea, Man City, and for me, Liverpool, will all be in with at least a shout of knocking off Man United of their  pedestal. Unfortunately for Arsenal fans, they simply won't be good enough unless players are brought in over the next 19 days.

Eventually I think Liverpool will fade away from the title race and will be competing with Arsenal and Tottenham for the coveted fourth spot. Like the past two seasons, this is bound to go to the very wire and making a prediction is simply too difficult.

As for the relegation battle, many teams could be involved with less than six points separating numerous clubs for countless weeks. As we saw with Birmingham last season. Poor form heading into the end of the season proved to be very costly. I can't see any of the newly promoted teams being relatively comfortable for the majority of the season. But QPR do have the potential to cause huge upsets.

So I am going to put my neck on the line and say that Man United will win the league and that Wigan, Swansea and Norwich will be packing their bags and heading to the Championship unfortunately.

But I'm curious to see what you think. Who will win the league and who will go down?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Why not join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com. The winner will receive a jersey of his/her choice and the more participants, the more prizes so invite your mates as well. The code you will need is: 1229432-312133 

Finally Fabregas Is A Barca Player

After days, months and years of speculation regarding Cesc Fabregas' future at Arsenal, he is finally going to get the move that he has wished for, a move to his home club, Barcelona. As Fabregas was left out of the Arsenal squad to face Newcastle, it was not only inevitable that Fabregas would make the move to Barcelona, but that it would happen in a matter of days.

It's been driving everyone insane, even many with no association with either club as we heard countless times that Barca were interested in bringing Fabregas back to the Nou Camp.

Arsenal fans have come to terms with the fact  that Fabregas would eventually depart I presume. They are also probably getting used to their top players ditching the club to join Premier league and European rivals.

It also looks imminent that Samir Nasri will be making his way up north as he was left out of the Arsenal squad also and of course we all know that Manchester City have been hot on the heels of the Frenchman all Summer.

So where does this leave Arsenal? For me, should they refuse to reinvest very soon, they will be put in the same group as Liverpool and Tottenham, the teams fighting for fourth spot.

Arsenal fans can argue all they want, but they made fourth last year, and I think it's pretty clear that they haven't improved over the Summer, presuming Nasri and Fabregas do go their seperate ways, so they've taken further steps back in their quest to regain the Premiership title.

But what do you think? Will Arsenal challenge for the league still or will they even struggle to make the top four?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Join the Football Team Talk fantasy league on premierleague.com! The winner will receive a jersey of his/her choice. The more participants, the more prizes. The code you need is: 1229432-312133

Samuel Eto'o To Join Russian League?

Despite speculation of a move to the Premier League before the end of the Summer, it is now apparent that Eto'o has finally decided to move from Italy, but not to the Premiership. Instead, the Cameroon international has his mind set on joining Anzhi.

Unknown to most, or maybe all, Anzhi are situated in Russia and play their football in the Russian Premier League. Anzhi came in with an offer believed to be in and around the region of $30-40 million but talks are still at an early stage and the bid is only being "considered".

With all due respect to Anzhi, a move to the Russian club would surely be fully motivated by the money on offer as I can't see this being a forward step in the career of Samuel Eto'o. Eto'o, 30, is nearing the end of his career but still has a few seasons left in him for me.

Samuel Eto'o was the talk of much speculation as it was rumored that he would be involved in a swap deal with Manchester City's want-away striker Carlos Tevez but nothing seems to have prevailed.

For me, this deal won't go through. I can't see Samuel Eto'o, a man who truly loves his football and who must be already on a hefty enough salary at Internazionale, leaving to play football in the Russian League.

What do you think? Should Eto'o even consider leaving Inter Milan for Anzhi?

I would love to hear your comments?

If you have made a fantasy team on premierleague.com, why not join the Football Team Talk league. FTT League code : 1229432-312133. 

Football Team Talk Fantasy League

We are just days away from the start of the new Premier League season and it promises to be the best yet.

I personally can't wait and still cant decide who will win the league, get 4th spot, go down etc. but it will be interesting to see how it all pans out.

One of the many things football fans do in preparation for the start of the new Premier League season is make a fantasy team. So if you haven't made one yet, I encourage you to do so now. With prizes possibly up for grabs, what's to lose.

Once you make your team, simply click on the "Leagues" tab. Click "Join a league". Choose "Private League" and enter this code: 1229432-312133.


Good Luck!


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Nasri and Sneijder still on the minds of both Manchester clubs

Man United successfully fended off "noisy neighbours" Manchester City to retain the Community Shield. But there is still a lot to sort out between the two, off the field as both clubs are reportedly interested in both Samir Nasri and Wesley Sneijder.

There is less then a week till the start of the very much anticipated new season and teams are likely to want to wrap up any deals as soon as possible. The two most frequent names that pop up when we read the sports section of many papers, are Sneijder and Nasri and if we are to believe everything we read in the papers, both will soon be leaving their respective clubs.

Samir Nasri, who is currently playing his trade at the Emirates is key to Arsenal's plans and with the possibility of Fabregas leaving increasing day by day, it is essential that Arsene Wenger keeps hold of the Frenchman.

For me, he was far and away, the best player that Arsenal had to offer last season and scored some vital goals. Because of his terrific performances, he has been rewarded with being one of the most sought after players in European football and would be a great addition to any club.

As for Sneijder, last season wasn't his best of seasons, especially compared with the season he had in 09/10 as he lead Inter Milan to a Champions League title and Holland to a World Cup final in Johannesburg. But, similiar to Nasri, he is being persued by numerous clubs and it doesn't look like dying down.

Mancini has admitted that the Blue half of Manchester is not strong enough to win the Premier League just yet and has expressed his desire to sign two or so more players as he plans to bring success to the newly named Etihad Stadium.

Man United proved today that they are on course to win their 20th league title but a replacement for Paul Scholes wouldn't hurt. Signing someone like Nasri or Sneijder before the transfer window closes would be ideal.

Who will sign who? Who would be a better signing?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Chelsea May Turn Their Attention To Kaka

Chelsea may give up on their hopes of signing Luka Modric from Tottenham and chase Brazilian playmaker, Kaka. Since the start of the summer it has been widely publicised that Chelsea are adamant that Modric plays his trade at Stamford Bridge next season.

However, Spurs have stood firm and it looks as though they are going to keep their word that Modric will not be going at "any price".

Though Chelsea are used to getting their way in the transfer window, it looks likely that Modric will not be leaving White Hart Lane any time soon. But, it does seem that they are willing to pay big money for a top class midfielder, so why not have a go at landing the signature of Kaka?

After all, Kaka was once the subject of a £107 million offer by Manchester City, so I think it's fair to say he is a talented and pursued footballer. Unfortunately, he hasn't been able to live up to the hype ever since joining the revitalised "Galacticos" and a suitable offer may be enough to tempt him away from Madrid.

Chelsea are in need of a midfielder after news came in that Michael Essien sufferred serious ligament damage to his leg. On top of that, Lampard isn't getting any younger and is at a tender age of 33 years. So it seems vital that Chelsea get their hands on a quality midfielder.

Although it has been a disappointing spell at Real Madrid, maybe a move now to Chelsea would be the right option for Kaka but I'm sure all Chelsea fans hope, should he move to Stamford Bridge, his performances are more convincing then the ones of Andriy Shevchenko.

Would Kaka be a better buy than Modric? Would Kaka be a success at Stamford Bridge?

I would love to hear any comments you may have?

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Arsenal To Try And Swoop Two Liverpool Targets

As Liverpool and Arsenal try to build championship winning sides, both clubs have become interested in Spanish starlet, Juan Mata. With the prospect of losing both Nasri and Fabregas, landing the midfielder would perhaps be more important for Arsenal. But, Arsene Wenger is adamant that the potential signing of Mata is not a replacement for Nasri.

Juan Mata, 23, shone at the U21 European Championships which were won comfortably in the end by the magicians of Spain and has been included in the transfer gossip section of virtually every paper on many occasions ever since.

Mata is currently playing with Valencia who have been forced to sell key players such as Davis Villa and David Silva due to financial difficulty and would be hesitant to now offload another young player with massive potential.

Offering Champions League football is not a problem at Valencia as they finished third last season, so a move to either Arsenal or Liverpool, would most likely be the result of the desire for a fresh challenge.

According to Sky Sports News, Arsenal might fight Liverpool for the signature of Stewart Downing as Arsenal have apparently put in a £18 million bid. If this turns out to be true, I certainly believe Villa should accept and take the money while they can.

I'm sure this news is satisfying for all Arsenal fans as the cry for new signings from them must have been heard by the Arsenal board.

It did look bleak for Arsenal as they were on the verge of losing two key players in Nasri and Fabregas but if they can keep hold of one and bag Downing and Mata, I think Arsenal have every chance in the world of staying into the top four next season.

So what do you make of this? Will Arsenal sign both Mata and Downing?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Aston Villa Look To Sign N'Zogbia In Preparation Of Losing Dowing

Aston Villa are looking to buy Charles N'Zogbia off Wigan after Liverpool's interest for Downing showed no signs of dying down. Aston Villa have already rejected a £15 million bid from Liverpool but are bracing themselves for an improved offer of around £18 million in the next coming days. Aston Villa have come out and said that will not sell Downing for less than £19 million but we'll see what happens when £18 million is put in front of them.

With the prospect of losing two valuable widemen in Young and Downing, Aston Villa have decided to turn their attention on Charles N'Zogbia. I highly rate N'Zogbia and it would make perfect sense for Villa to buy the Frenchman, whether or not Downing is still at the club. N'Zogbia is one of those players that won't have a perfect game every week, but he can certainly make things happen.

Personally I believe it would be the right choice to sell Downing when Liverpool come in with a new and improved offer. Even if it doesn't meet their evaluation of the player, I certainly believe they will be getting value for money should they get £18 million or so.

The last thing Villa need is for Downing to be unsettled and unhappy should he still be at the club come the start of the season. Aston Villa fans aren't happy as it is with the arrival of Alex McLeish and I'm sure the selling of Ashley Young didn't please a few fans either. Surely, the thought that a player refuses to play in front  of the Villa Park faithful, when millions of pounds could have been gained from selling him, would only annoy the Villa fans even more.

With the money they got for the departure of Young plus the possible amount they could get for offloading Downing would give McLeish and Aston Villa vasts amount of money to spend on players that are just as valuable an asset.

So do you think Villa should sell Downing? Would N'Zogbia be a suitable replacement?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Sunderland Are Making The Most Of This Transfer Window

Sunderland today completed the signing of Irish international John O'Shea after he passed a medical and put pen to paper and signed a four year contract. They have now signed nine players over the course of this transfer window with all purchases looking likely to be very profitable.

Steve Bruce struggled last season as we neared the end of the season. This was largely due to the fact that a lot of his key players were injured and they simply didn't have any back up. The wild spending has probably occurred also because a lot of their players were loaned out to them from other clubs.

Steve Bruce has also claimed his second signing off United as he also bought Wes Brown. Both O'Shea and Brown were not first in the pecking order at Old Trafford and will be pretty confident that Steve Bruce will allow them to start week in, week out, should they prove they're worthy.

John O'Shea has often been credited, or maybe insulted, of being a utility player and has been played in many positions, even between the two sticks. He was once called "the Irish Swiss Army knife". There was a time where he would regularly start at right-back but since Rafael broke into the first team, he has been struggling to even come on as a substitute.

Wes Brown is the same, once a regular at right-back but injuries were to be his downfall. I think it is a great signing for Sunderland as before he became an unfamiliar face in the starting line up at Old Trafford, he showed he could play and was being placed in the England team on many occasions.

Other notable signings are Connor Wickham, formerly of Ipswich, who was hot property going into this transfer window. Seb Larsson and Craig Gardner are  Premiership players for me, and once Birmingham dropped down to the Championship, it was inevitable that they would be offloaded to a Premiership club. Yet again, these are two fantastic buys for Sunderland.

What do you make of the new arrivals to Sunderland? How well will they do next season?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Adam To Arrive At Anfield

With all the hype surrounding Nasri and Fabregas in regards to which club they will be playing their trade with next season, it was easy to forget about the transfer saga regarding Charlie Adam's future. Well we were all reminded about it today as Liverpool and Blackpool have agreed a fee for the Scottish international to bring him to Anfield. Charlie Adam will now have a medical and if all goes well, no problems should occur.

Charlie Adam has been a target for Liverpool ever since he shot to fame playing with Blackpool last season. He, with no disrespect to any Blackpool player, carried their team to within minutes of avoiding relegation. Their is no doubt in my mind that he should be playing his football in the Premier League and I'm sure he will fit nicely in the Liverpool set up.

Liverpool are building a strong looking squad in preparations to reclaim fourth spot and see themselves playing European football once again. With the arrival of Henderson and now with Adam looking likely to join him, the competition to be starting in midfield will be fierce. To be honest, I can see players starting to strop should they be excluded from the starting eleven.

I worry for Liverpool's defence though and I do feel they should look to bring in a top quality defender, same with Arsenal. For me Johnson is slightly over-rated and talisman Jamie Carragher isn't getting any younger.

Their attacking line up is only bettered by very few, with Gerrard and Henderson in midfield. Also on top of that you have the, in-form, Suarez along side Andy Carroll. It does look like a frightening prospect when they do eventually meet the weaker teams but coming up against the likes of Man United and Chelsea, they could be vulnerable at the back.

Liverpool are showing no sign of stopping there either. The signature of Stuart Downing is another possibility but yet again another midfielder so I don't know if the plan is to play six or so in midfield but I'm sure "King Kenny" has thought it through.

What do you make of the recent signings that Liverpool have made? Will Adam be a success?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Check out www.footballscores.com today for all the latest scores, results and league tables.

Real Madrid Get Their Hands On Coentrao And Are Favoruites To Bag Tevez

Real Madrid today sealed the signing of Fabio Coentrao from Benfica for a fee believed to be around the region of £27 million. Unknown to some, Coenrtrao is a Portuguese international and has been called one of the most promising left-backs and is still only 23 years of age.

If we are to believe everything we read, Chelsea were also hopeful on securing Coentrao's signature before the Spanish giants beat them to it. Although Ashley Cole is still 30, and defenders do last a while, he isn't getting any younger so I'm sure Chelsea would have wanted to get Coentrao while they could.

Real Madrid are now favourites with most bookies to land Man City's wantaway forward, Carlos Tevez. City have taken the news rather well, fans included, and have said that they will let him go just as long as a suitable offer comes in for him and surely Real Madrid would be the only team with enough money to fork out £50 million odd.

I'm sure Barcelona would relish the chance to have Tevez at the Nou Camp but I think it's clear that there sights are set firmly on the capturing of both Cesc Fabregas and the most sought after player at the moment, Alexis Sanchez.

Real Madrid have no dilemma when it comes to their options for strikers as they have an array of talent in their squad but Tevez has proven he is a prolific scorer at the highest level and I believe he could really do the business at the Bernabeu.

So what do you think about the signing of Coentrao and the prospect of Tevez joining Real Madrid?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Tevez "I Want To Leave City This Summer"

On the day where things were looking good for all in connection to Manchester City, Tevez dropped  a  hammer blow for all City fans as he made it clear that his intentions are to leave the club this Summer in turn meaning he wants to pretty much leave the club as soon as he can.

This story has been going on for a while now, with Carlos Tevez adamant that he wishes to depart Eastlands and as we all know, his preferred destination is his home country of Argentina. Man City have stated that if Tevez fulfills his contract, in two years time he is allowed to leave on a free.

Mancini completed his first transfer of the Summer, and must have been ecstatic to have been able to get his hands on Clichy for a relatively cheap price of £7 million on a four year contract. The French left-back has been rated by many as one of the best in the Premier League and is still at a tender age of just 25.

Tevez, 27, wasn't an instant success as he was plagued by injuries but once he shook them off, he couldn't stop scoring and has been the most influential player at the City of Manchester Stadium in the past two seasons.

It would be a real shame, especially after helping City to their first top four finish, to see him just leave to play his trade in the relatively unknown league of Argentina. Of course, this is where many of the finest players learned how to play the beautiful game, Messi and Maradona amongst others. But the league isn't at the standard that most European leagues, especially the English one, are at.

His family is living in Argentina and Tevez has expressed his desire to move from England and has said, I'm sure on one occasion, that he doesn't like Manchester. I'm sure most City fans were expecting the inevitable that Tevez would eventually leave but it is quite soon.

If Tevez does get his wish, and does leave before the end of the Summer, then surely all eyes will turn in the direction of Roberto Mancini. The pressure would definitely be on him to splash the cash, and on someone as capable as Tevez. Mancini has been reluctant thus far to spend big but maybe he might have to.

What is your reaction to Tevez saying this? Will he leave?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Real Madrid To Enter The Race To Sign Cesc Fabregas

Now out of all transfer sagas of the past few years, this one has been going on for the longest. But according to Sky Sports News, Real Madrid could put in a cheeky bid for Arsenal midfielder which would in turn defeat their closest rivals, Barcelona, in the race to sign the Spainiard.

Now we can't believe everything that Sky Sports report, as they do have a notorious history of making up rumors that would lead you believe that they were true or were valid statements but end up being very much less than 100% accurate. Most recently, the report regarding Samir Nasri's future. Sky Sports say that City are close to agreeing a fee for the Frenchman, while City themselves state that no contact has been made with any agents or Arsenal officials.

Should this be true though, this would be one of the strangest transfer rumor mills for some time as we all know by now that Barcelona have been interested in the playmaker for some time and for Real Madrid to come in and announce their interest would be quite the article.

Cesc Fabregas was an upcoming star at Barcelona until Arsenal snapped him up and raised him up to be the fantastic footballer he is today as he plays to the only way Arsene Wenger knows how, beautifully. Cesc Fabregas has been Mr. Reliable at the Emirates for quite some time now and when, and if, he leaves, there will be a huge gap to fill.

As we saw with Henry, when Barcelona purchased him from Arsenal, Arsenal fans were distraught. Because despite the fact that it was a long time coming, Arsenal fans surely knew that there was simply no chance of replacing him.

After sealing the goalscoring record at Highbury, his name would forever be synonymous with the Arsenal crowd. Although Adebayor was a hit, he is now hated by all associated with Arsenal and they simply can't find a suitable replacement who can fill the shoes of the Highbury legend.

Will Fabregas shock everyone and decide to stay? Who will Arsenal buy as a replacement?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Man City To Swoop Arsenal Duo.

Man City have been extremely quiet in this Summer's transfer window especially considering the spending power that they posses which has led them to be one of the most hated teams of recent years. But, that looks set to change today as Roberto Mancini is eyeing up not only one Arsenal player, but two. Both Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy are reported to be on their way to Manchester City.

Although Nasri is definitely on his way to Manchester should he leave the Emirates, it is possible that he could be playing in the "Theatre of Dreams" as Man United have expressed their desire to sign the Frenchman for a while now.

Gael Clichy is all but a done deal and could move for a fee of £7 million and for the owners of City, that is like the rusty change you find in your back pocket. The left-back position is somewhat of a concern for Roberto Mancini as Kolarov, despite being praised for his set piece prowess, has struggled defensively at Eastlands. Especially with a big season coming  up, perhaps the biggest in the club's history, I'm sure Mancini wants to get that fixed.

Samir Nasri could be following his fellow Frenchman to Eastlands as it is being reported that Man City have matched the £20 million pound price tag that Arsenal slapped on his head.

Although United are very much fans of the creative midfielder and would relish the chance to have him in their team, I don't think they will be able to outbid the Blue half of Manchester, though the Glaziers have proved they have a hefty amount of money left in their bank account with three big signings already this Summer.

If it seems that Nasri looks likely to join the Red Devils, Mancini is prepared to offer him a contract which would see him earning £180,000 each week. It would be interesting to see if this bid is due to the fact that Man City missed out on getting their hands on the much talked about Chilean, Alexis Sanchez.

I think both would be a success at the club and would make a huge contribution to the team which are preparing to face the likes of Barcelona and AC Milan.

What do you make of the possibility of these two going to Eastlands? Is this the last we have seen of City in this transfer window?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

What Next For Birmingham City?

Besides the likes of Man United, Birmingham City have been making the most headlines over the past couple of days and weeks. With the much focused managerial saga over and done with, we now turn our attention to the coming and goings of many players.

All Birmingham fans were surely shocked when they heard the news that Alex McLeish had decided to call it a day and leave St Andrews, especially less than a month since he had brought the club down to the Championship.

More horrifically for Birmingham and Villa fans alike, he decided to move to the club in which he wouldn't have to worry about being in a different house next season, none other than Birmingham's biggest rivals, Aston Villa. I'm not McLeish's estate agent but I'm sure that's the least of his worries at the moment.

It is fair to say that Birmingham did have a squad fit to play in the Premier League and I honestly don't know where it went wrong. Obviously the lack of victories in the latter stages of the campaign didn't help but what led this to happen? Birmingham's playmaker last season, Sebastian Larsson has departed and he is now making his way up north to play his football with Sunderland next season.

There have been many reports surrounding Scott Dann who is the subject of a bid from Stoke City and Cameron Jermome is also believed to be involved. Birmingham are having none of it for the moment and rejected both bids respectively. Birmingham have looked into bringing new players in and we are led to believe that Inverness striker Adam Rooney is a potential target.

The Birmingham board have since resolved the vacant managerial position at St Andrews by appointing Chris Hughton as their manager. Hughton has proved that he can get a team straight back into the top flight, as he did with Newcastle. After a shaky run of form, Hughton was very harshly removed as manager at St James' Park but has been given the opportunity to prove himself once more.

What do make of the recent developments surrounding Birmingham City? Will Hughton be a success?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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United Refuse to Stop Splashing The Cash

With the signing of U21 Spain international, David de Gea, on the verge of being completed, this now puts Man United out of sight from other Premiership clubs as the biggest spenders this summer and we still have two months left of this Summer transfer window, which is sure to get quite hectic.

Man United had their sights set on Phil Jones from day one and with the U21 European Championships just around the corner, United did well to get the deal done just before the tournament kicked-off.

Much has been made of Phil Jones, as far as I can see from his performances lately, as a no-nonsense defender, something, which I feel is missing from the game. Maybe not quite the psycho that Stuart Pearce was, but he can still leave a forward dreading the prospect of coming into contact with him.

Just last week, Ashley Young was confirmed as the newest member among the United ranks. Young, 25, had a bright future ahead of him when he shone in a Watford side that were struggling to stay in the Premier League. He has since fizzled out, I feel, with not much being said about him but he still can fix that if he impresses at Old Trafford.

I think most will be looking forward to the competition between the likes of Valencia, Nani and Ashley Young although it does feel that Young has not come in to cause tension but more to fill the shoes of Ryan Giggs which will be some challenge.

David de Gea had a medical last night in preparation for his move to Old Trafford and looks set to complete the deal sometime soon. De Gea, 20, really impressed at the U21 European Championships as he helped Spain to lift the trophy as they defeated Switzerland 2-0 in the final, capped off by a wonder goal by Thiago.

De Gea has certainly made himself a household name in European football after the tournament, if he wasn't one already. Similar to Ashely Young, De Gea has the prospect of filling the gloves of the goalkeeping maestro who goes by the name of Edwin van der Sar. No doubt there will be pressure on the young Spaniard as United had trouble finding a suitable replacement for Peter Schmeichel as countless keepers came and went without leaving a legacy at Old Trafford.

What do you make of Man United spending so much money? Was the embarrassing defeat to Barcelona a key factor to the sudden purchase of top class players?

I would live to hear any posts you may have.

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Chelsea Get Their Man

Chelsea have today confirmed the hiring of former Porto manager Andre Villas Boas. This news comes after much speculation regarding the vacant managerial position at Stamford Bridge. Villas Boas, although known by most, is a relatively surprising choice purely because of his lack of experience. After guiding Porto to the Europa League title which culminated in a very dull affair in the final, much has been made of the Portuguese man.

Many thought that Guus Hiddink would be the man to replace Carlo Ancelotti as Chelsea boss but after paying Porto £13.2 million in compensation they were allowed to hijack their man from the Portuguese champions. Many reports suggest that Villas Boas will be taking some of Porto's top players with him to London.

Villas Boas has a history at Stamford Bridge as he worked under Jose Mourinho during the "Special One's" rein at Chelsea. He is now the youngest manager working in the Premiership at this present time and has a lot to prove in the coming season. Talk of Champions League glory has already been mentioned by many.

With the disappointment of last season, many Chelsea fans are expecting big things next year and with such a big risk being taken with the hiring of Villas Boas, it will either go incredibly well or backfire dismally. Villas Boas, only 33, has been credited with having an attacking approach to the way he puts out his team. I'm sure this will please many especially the likes of Torres and Drogba who both struggled to get on target as we were nearing the end of the season.

I feel that everyone close to Chelsea should be reasonably happy with the appointment of Villas Boas. Although the inexperience is somewhat of a concern, there is no underestimating his knowledge and passion for the game. He has proven he can win trophies and that is exactly what Chelsea fans, but more importantly, the Chelsea Board want.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Barcelona Looking To Improve Options

Despite the success of winning the La Liga title and comfortably beating Man United at Wembley to claim their third Champions League title, Pep Guardiola is still keen on increasing the size of his squad. Barca look interested in bringing in Alexis Sanchez and as we all know, I hope, the very talented Cesc Fabregas who has been tracked by Barca ever since his rise to fame in an Arsenal jersey, although he was on the Barca books at a very young age.

We all know that this Barcelona side is one of, if not the, best club side that we have ever seen but that won't stop Guardiola from reaching into the clubs bank account to take out a cheeky £50 million or so, although the club's board are insisting that all their funds will be generated from the transfers of players currently playing their trade at the Nou Camp. The likes of David Villa are being mentioned as the ones who could be offloaded.

Barcelona have insisted that they will go no higher than £35 million when it comes to the bidding for Cesc Fabregas. Arsenal have made clear time after time that Fabregas is not for sale but I don't think they can do much if the Arsenal captain really wants to move although he hasn't made any indications or expressed any desire to leave the Emirates.

An awful lot has been said about Alexis Sanchez and a lot of people I would presume think he is just "all talk". I'm going to be blatantly honest and admit that the most I've seen of him was a six minute clip on youtube but trust me, he can play. Barcelona are now favourites to land the Chilean playmaker after bids from both Manchester City and United have seemed to have fallen through.

Like I mentioned, if Barcelona want to purchase these players, some players must be sold to generate funds and that will leave the door open to a few of the top European clubs such as Chelsea, Man City, Inter Milan and maybe we could see a cheeky offer put in by Real Madrid for one of the Barca stars.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Spurs Insist They Will Not Sell Modric At Any Cost

Despite much interest for Luka Modric, Harry  Redknapp and and all associated with Tottenham, are adamant that the little Croatian will not be sold for any price, to any club.

They even claim that they will not even be entering any negotiations.I understand why they would be hesitant to sell Luka, but when the likes of Chelsea are prepared to offer in and around £30 million for the playmaker, I think Totrtenham should take in to consideration who they could potentially buy with that money

Luka Modric, 25, has made it quite clear that he would like to leave White Hart Lane and that Chelsea would be his preferred destination.  Chelsea have all but given up on signing Santos and Brazil star, Neymar and it seems like this is more of a "plan B" choice.

For me, I think Modric should stay with Tottenham. Although the lure of winning titles and cup competitions might be enough to secure the deal for Chelsea, being the main man in a very formidable Spurs side should be enough to persuade Modric to stay. It wouldn't be the best for his reputation either and no doubt the White Hart Lane faithful would be booing him every time he got the ball should he be playing for Chelsea next season.

Spurs are looking into taking legal action as they feel Chelsea, like on many other occasions, have been tapping up a player, this time Modric is the target. Chelsea have got into trouble on many occasions regarding transfers. The transfers of the likes of Ashley Cole and Kakuta were very controversial at the time.

Although Harry Redknapp is so confident that Modric won't go that he probably hasn't looked at potential replacements but I think he should start. With the lack of Champions League football this season it will be hard to attract attention to themselves but at least with the success of last year, they are a known force and are to be reckoned with.

What do you think about this transfer saga? Should Spurs just take the money?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

West Ham And Newcastle Do Business

In the past two days now, both Newcastle United and West Ham have done business with each other as Kevin Nolan has decided to ditch the Premier League and join the Hammers while Demba Ba is making his way up north as the two clubs agreed a fee for the Senegalese international.

As you might have noticed as well, it's not only Ba and Nolan who are switching roles, both Alan Pardew and Sam Allardyce used to be in each others position. The only difference being, Pardew had a very successful time at Upton Park while "Big Sam" was literally abused by all Geordie's after a terrible start to his Newcastle career left the Newcastle board with no choice but to sack him.

I think there is no doubt that Demba Ba is the better off between the two as although their is no guarantee that he will be starting week in, week out, and although Nolan was confirmed the captain's armband for next season, the difference in caliber between the Premier League and the Championship, no disrespect to the Championship, is quite remarkable.

Newcastle are increasingly likely to lose further players as it has been announced that Barton, Jose Enrique and Gutierrez want out. It looks bleak for the Magpies, purely because of the task Pardew might have in finding replacements and valuable ones as well.

As for West Ham, Sam Allardyce has been given the task of getting the Hammers straight back into the Premiership. It does seem very much possible, especially if they keep hold of the likes of Scott Parker and besides the lack of transfer rumors associated with him, I do think he will be departing West Ham. My only fear though, is that they follow in the footsteps of Leeds and Charlton, where we don't see or even hear about them for the next five years or so. I'm sure it won't happen but who knows.

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

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Liverpool Look To Carry On With Their Summer Spending Spree

Here is a guest post by Football Team Talk's friend, Jake Rogers.


Liverpool's Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli have shown great intent so far this transfer window and if this continues they could be the busiest of Premier League clubs this Summer. Already they have captured the highly rated Jordan Henderson from Sunderland for a fee in the region of 20 million with David N'gog possibly going to Sunderland as part of the deal. 


This could be a very good buy for Liverpool as Henderson is being talked about as a future England captain. N'gog leaving, as far as I'm concerned, is also a bonus. So far this is the only done deal for Liverpool although they have been linked with nearly every player who is looking to leave their clubs.  

In my opinion Liverpool need two decent wingers , a good centreback , another striker and a left back. Personally I think Stewart Downing and Juan Mata would be great additions although the signature of Mata is very much less than likely. They might not need to worry about a winger much longer as Rennes' Sylvain Marveaux is set to complete his move on a free transfer.  Marko Marin of Werder Bremen has also been linked with the Reds and his agent has said that a bid has been rejected for the 22 year old.  

As for a center half, Liverpool have been linked with a few. Scott Dann of Birmingham, Gary Cahill of Bolton and Cristian Zapata who plays in Italy for Udinese. I would like to see someone with Premier League experience but as you know that increases the price tag by up to £15 million as we have seen with the transfers of Jordan Henderson , Andy Carroll and Phil Jones.  

A few strikers have also been linked with a move to Anfield. Connor Wickham, the young Ipswich striker was the subject of a bid from Liverpool. They are also keeping tabs on Antonio Cassano and Gervinho .  Clichy is being linked with a remarkable switch from Arsenal but I would be very surprised if that transfer happened.  

Liverpool are being linked with two centre midfielders also. Charlie Adam and Fernando Gago are being highlighted as potential targets.  I don't think Liverpool need another central  midfielder, Steven Gerrard will be back from injury and new signing Jordan Henderson will be there. Lucas Leiva and Raul Meireles had very good seasons last year and Jay Spearing also came into the squad under Dalglish.

On the other side, a lot of players may be on their way out of Merseyside.  The duo of Joe Cole and Milan Jovanovic, who are both on £90 thousand a week are looking to leave. Paul Konchesky, Christian Poulsen and Jonjo Shelvey are searching for first team football.

Liverpool are looking to reclaim their spot in the top four and start winning trophies again. Liverpools owners are looking to make a franchise out of the club and they will do whatever it takes to make it happen. 

This is going to be a very busy transfer window for Kenny Dalglish , Damien Comolli and everyone involved with Liverpool football club!

I would love to hear any comments you may have.

Chelsea Keen On Two Players But Still In Need Of A Manager

Yesterday we learned that Chelsea's bid for Luka Modric of £22 million was rejected by London rivals, Spurs. Chelsea have claimed that they will improve their offer in their pursuit to land the Croatian. Another player on the Chelsea transfer list is Atletico Madrid forward, Sergio Ageuro. Despite rumors that a deal with Juventus, worth £40 million, was made, his agent has scrapped those rumors leaving Chelsea as well as Man City still in the hunt to sign the little Argentinian.

With all this transfer talk, it seems that many people, including myself for a short while, had forgetten that Chelsea are in fact still without a manager. Guus Hiddink is still the clear favourite but for some reason they just haven't been able to get his signature yet.

Harry Redknapp has slammed the thought that Tottenham will even consider selling the silky and creative Croatian. He has become like a broken record are we keep on hearing that no players are for sale but with an improved offer closer to the £30 million mark will really test the Spurs boss.

As for Aguero, he has been a wanted man for years now and a move this Summer is looking very likely. It is hard to see anyone out-offer Manchester City but I can't see Aguero being too fond of moving to the north of England especially when his Argentinian team-mate, Tevez, has been going on about how "boring" the city is or the weather conditions being horrible. Juventus look like being the favourites but it could be a while before Aguero's future is resolved.

I'm sure Roman Abramovich is in for a hectic few days as he tries to sort out new players coming in and most importantly, a new manager being put in place. He also is under the threat of losing a few key players as Jose Mourinho is reportedly interested in Ghanain, Essien.

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Possible Deals For Manchester City This Summer

I know it is early on, but Man City have been very quiet in this transfer window thus far. It has been their rivals, Man United, who have been the more productive in the transfer window as they have added Phil Jones among the ranks and look likely to add the likes of Ashley Young and now even talk of Wesley Sneijder.

Man City, apparently, have their eye on ex-United favourite, Cristiano Ronaldo. There was talk that as long as he got the number 7 jersey, captain's armband and £400,000 a week that he would agree to join the Blue side of Manchester. Although Cristiano himself has played down these reports, I still have a feeling that the saga might carry on for a few more weeks.

There is no doubt that Ronaldo, 26, has claimed that he can't see himself leaving but if he joined for, what I believe is purely money, why can't he leave for money, it wouldn't surprise me by any means. I think he would be a great asset to a team which is already crammed with superb talent, but as a Man City fan, I would prefer if he didn't join.

Another player who is unheard of to some is Alexis Sanchez. Many clubs are interested in the Chilean and of course City are among them. Barcelona were believed to have been the main threat but reports suggest that Man United might spoil the party as the Glazer's seem to have found a few extra quid in their back pocket as their  Summer spending spree looks to carry on.

Alexis Sanchez is currently at Udinese as is bound to move to a big club, well Man City aren't quite yet at the big club status, even I'll admit that but either way a move to Manchester looks increasingly on the cards. Sanchez has been compared to Ronaldo, coincidentally can play both on the wing or in a more attacking position. Unlike Ronaldo, I would very much welcome the move of Sanchez, but, if he comes in, that means the likes of Adam Johnson will be pushed out.

With Boateng all but gone and talk of Tevez leaving always on-going, surely City will complete the signing of a player some time soon.

What do you think? Will City sign either Ronaldo or Sanchez?

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Managerial Merry Go Round

The last two days have been less about the transfers of players and more about the movement of managers. We learned today that Steve McClaren will be taking over at Nottingham Forest after Billy Davies was sacked. Yesterday, we were all shocked to hear that Alex McLeish had decided to call it a day and resigned as Birmingham manager making him, more shockingly, bookies favourite to become the next Aston Villa boss.

The position as Aston Villa boss has been vacant now for a while after Houillier confirmed he would not be carrying on as Villa manager. Many men have been suggested as a possible replacement for the French man but we are yet to find out who will be deciding the tactics and formations at Villa Park next season.

Once Mark Hughes departed Fulham, many backed him but his cause to become the man to replace Houllier has been seemingly hampered with very little being spoken about the prospect of him joining the Villains.

Now with the resignation of McLeish from Birmingham (by e-mail), it is looking likely that he will be taking the reins at Villa Park especially with reports that he has been contacted by Aston Villa. Birmingham are looking into taking legal action though, which would prevent him joining another club any time soon.

Both sets of fans are dreading the prospect of McLeish joining Aston Villa and it would be hard to see him getting a warm reception should he join Aston Villa.

Earlier today, McClaren signed on the dotted lines and became the next Nottingham Forest manager. With the harsh sacking of Davies, it seems that qualifying for the Premiership next season is McClaren's only option. McClaren had to deal with the same financial resources at Middlesbrough  and he worked wonders at the Riverside claiming the sides first trophy in its history and getting them to the Uefa Cup final only to lose to Seville in the end.

What do you make of all of this? Will McLeish join Aston Villa?

I would love to hear any comments you may have.