Liverpool consider January transfer move for Manchester City’s John Guidetti
The 21-year-old, who has been battling injuries and illness in the last 18 months, has now fully recovered after having knee surgery in the summer.
But after Manuel Pellegrini warned him this week that he will struggle to get into the City side, Guidetti looks all but certain to leave in the new year.
Brendan Rodgers has been following the City man for a while (Picture: Getty)
Liverpool are known to be the front runners for his signature, having followed him since his loan spell at Feyenoord in 2012, where he scored 20 times in 23 matches.
French money bags Monaco and Turkish outfit Trabzonspor are also in the race, but staying in the Premier League is the priority for Guidetti.
Liverpool are committed to bringing through young talent and with Guidetti able to play up front or on the wing, he offers real versatility for Brendan Rodgers.
It’s thought City would want at least £5million for the youngster, who still has 18 months left on his contract.
Yaya Toure: Black players may boycott 2018 Russia World Cup
Black players might boycott the 2018 World Cup in Russia unless the country tackles racism in football, Manchester City's Yaya Toure has suggested.
"If we aren't confident at the World Cup, coming to Russia, we don't come," the Ivorian midfielder was quoted as saying by the RIA Novosti news agency.
“If all the players said they are not going, there wouldn't be a World Cup, or if there was it would be meaningless”
Piara Powar, Anti-racism campaigner
Uefa is investigating Toure's complaint that he was racially abused by some CSKA fans during Wednesday's Champions League game in Moscow.
CSKA deny racist chanting took place.
The Russian club, which said it was "surprised and disappointed" by Toure's allegation, will face a disciplinary hearing on 30 October.
If found guilty, Uefa could force CSKA to close part of its stadium for a future game.
A club statement read: "Having carefully studied the video of the game, we found no racist insults from fans of CSKA."
Spokesman Michael Sanadnze told BBC Radio 5 live: "We have nothing to hide, of course, and we have confirmation from the match delegate and the venue director that they themselves didn't hear anything special."
The Russian side's own Ivory Coast player, striker Seydou Doumbia, added: "I didn't hear anything like that from the CSKA fans.
"Yes, they're always noisy in supporting the team and try to put as much pressure as possible on our opponents, but they wouldn't ever allow themselves to come out with racist chants.
"So my Ivory Coast colleague is clearly exaggerating."
But Piara Powar, executive director of European anti-discrimination body Football Against Racism in Europe (Fare) and a member of Fifa's anti-discrimination taskforce, backed Toure's stance.
Uefa's sanctions against clubs for racist behaviour this season
•Full stadium closures: Dinamo Zagreb of Croatia, Legia Warsaw of Poland and Honved of Hungary
•Partial stadium closures: Lazio (originally given a full stadium closure that was reduced on appeal), Polish clubs Lech Poznan and Piast Gliwice, APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus and Croatian outfit HNK Rijeka
He said: "Yaya Toure is absolutely right in raising the spectre of African players or players of African heritage not going to the 2018 World Cup - and without them there will not be a World Cup in Russia.
"I wouldn't blame them - in this era players are the most powerful force and if all the players said they are not going there wouldn't be a World Cup, or if there was it would be meaningless."
While saying he did not envisage racism at a World Cup in Russia, Powar claimed the situation in the country's domestic football is "dire" and fuelled by far-right extremists.
Fare has identified banners supporting the Greek far-right political party Golden Dawn - which has a swastika-like symbol - being displayed in several stadiums in eastern Europe including Russia in the last month.
"In terms of the number of black players being abused, that is happening in club football in Russia and in that regard the situation is dire," Powar said.
Hazard: Kompany key for City
Chelsea forward Eden Hazard feels the availability of Vincent Kompany for Manchester City could have a big impact on the outcome of Sunday's clash at Stamford Bridge.
The two Premier League titles hopefuls will lock horns this weekend separated by only a point, with the Blues currently joint second with Liverpool on 17 points, two behind leaders Arsenal after the opening eight rounds of fixtures.
Kompany is facing a late fitness test on a groin injury ahead of the trip to west London, though, and his Belgium international team-mate Hazard believes his absence in the clash would only increase Chelsea's chances of securing the three points.
"Kompany is really important for City because when he plays they win and when he doesn't play they lose, often," said Hazard.
"We know his quality and we're lucky to have him in the Belgium team. I prefer to play with players like that than against them."
Either way, Hazard remains confident his side have the quality to overcome City, adding: "We are playing well at the moment and are in form. We have won at Norwich, we won at home against Cardiff . We have got a good dynamic.
"I hope we can continue like this because this weekend we have another big, important match.
"Our role is to try to stay in the title race at the top of the table, win and carry on our way to the Arsenal game (on Tuesday, in the League Cup)."
GOLDEN BOLLOX 25-10-2010
Praise from the kerbcrawler
Manchester City deserve praise for bold 10-man tactics against Arsenal. Roberto Mancini shows commendable bravery by making his midfield and strikers work overtime after Boyata is sent off
Roberto Mancini deserves praise for his reaction to Dedryck Boyata's early red card, even if the manager's bravery ended up counting for nothing. Once the youngster had been dismissed I wondered what plan Mancini would concoct to counter an Arsenal side always so comfortable in possession. Nine out of 10 managers would have fallen back on a 4-4-1 system and isolated a forward. Boldly, however, Mancini challenged his players to work a 4-3-2 structure with the skilful and tireless David Silva and Carlos Tevez charged with occupying Arsenal's back four.
The home side maintained a level of attacking threat by keeping two players up front and Mancini merits praise for his outlook. His side rarely sat back, even if their efforts demanded maximum energy. Yaya Touré was initially switched to centre-back to partner Vincent Kompany, with City going narrow – dragging Silva from the touchline – just as Arsenal, with their numerical advantage, were attempting to stretch the pitch using the full width with Andrey Arshavin and Samir Nasri pinned wide.
Cesc Fábregas and Denílson were intent on spreading the play to the flanks but City worked feverishly to counter Arsenal's central dominance. James Milner, Nigel de Jong and Gareth Barry grafted in an attempt to cut down passing angles and dissuade Arsenal from making the field bigger by pinging the play from flank to flank. When the visitors were in possession, City's central trio ferried across to try to stop Arsenal working the ball from the right flank to Arshavin on the opposite side, with Silva showing good team responsibility by continually dropping in on Alex Song, the deepest of the Arsenal midfielders.
As a tactic, with Arsenal's own back line ever conscious of the threat posed by Tevez and Silva, it succeeded until City ran out of legs. Nasri's neat one-two with Arshavin, exploiting Barry's brief presence at left-back, had earned Arsenal a lead but it was fatigue that did for City. Up to Alexandre Song's second, Arsenal had arguably not used their one-man advantage as well as might have been expected, but the goal gave them breathing space and an opportunity to exhibit their comfort in keeping possession.
City will feel hard done by, and that their efforts deserved more than a heavy home defeat, but credit to Arsenal for some excellent performances. The impression left by Fábregas was to be expected, as was that of Nasri, whose continued emergence this season has been notable. Yet it was the confidence exuded by Lukasz Fabianski in goal that may just have given Arsène Wenger cause for a quiet smile.
Neville takes swipe at City over Rooney
Last week it looked as though the wheels were falling off for United as Rooney was supposedly on the way out of Old Trafford, with high-flying City one possible destination.
Rooney then signed a five-year contract at United before City dropped to fourth on the ladder on Sunday as Dedryck Boyata's early red card contributed to their 3-0 loss to Arsenal while United - who were lucky not to lose Neville to a first-half red card - grabbed a 2-1 win at Stoke.
In his column for the Sunday Times of Malta, Neville wrote: "When our top players sign long-term contracts it obviously gives us a boost. Wayne is staying and now we look forward to winning trophies with him in our team. The main thing is that after a difficult week the best outcome was reached for all parties. Except perhaps Manchester City..."
Neville is confident that the player will quickly be forgiven for questioning the club's ambition, and added: "He has apologised to the fans and everyone else connected with the club so we have to put it to bed now. While there will always be fallout from an incident like this, as soon as we get back to playing football and Wayne gets back on the pitch it will all be forgotten about.
"The fans have obviously been watching it very closely. While the statement attributed to Wayne last Wednesday didn't go down very well, we all make mistakes in our lives and we've all done things we regret. United fans will accept that. He has always given 100% when he has pulled on a United shirt, and that is the overriding factor. No one can doubt that he loves playing football for this club and I have no doubt the fans will support him through the rest of his career here.''
The Sunday Times of Malta eh ... impressive stuff Gary ...
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas has called Arsenal's Mesut Ozil, 25, a "spectacular" signing, believing his former club now have the experience to challenge for the league title. Guardian
Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler, 28, says he has twice rejected moves to Arsenal but could now join the Gunners in January. Metro
Serie A side Inter Milan could offer Belgian defender Thomas Vermaelen, 27, an escape route out of Arsenal. TalksHIt
Liverpool are also keen on signing former Manchester United goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler, 24, from Bundesliga side Hannover 96. Daily Star
Wolfsburg will not allow teenage winger Julian Brandt to leave the club in January. The 17-year-old is being tracked by Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. Inside Futbol
Ligue 1 side Paris St-Germain were involved in negotiations with Adnan Januzaj's agent about signing the 18-year-old on a free transfer at the end of the season before the Belgian-born winger committed his future to Manchester United earlier this month. Daily Express
Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 26, says that Arsenal is in his heart and he would like to start his coaching career at his former club when he retires from playing.
Former Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish, 62, ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel and 1998 World Cup winner Marcel Desailly have been lined up as coaches in the new Indian Super League scheduled to start in January 2014. Daily Mirror
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has ruled out handing midfielder Fabian Delph a new deal because he does not want to 'disrupt' him. The 23-year-old's current contract expires at the end of next season. Daily Mirror
Lambert has admitted for the first time that he enquired about taking striker Romelu Lukaku, 20, on loan from Chelsea last summer before the claret and blues signed Christian Benteke, 22, on a permanent deal. Birmingham Mail
Manchester United are close to agreeing a world record £300m five-year kit deal with Nike. It will triple the annual amount they receive in the current deal with the sportswear manufacturer. Sun *Financial Fair <cough> Play*
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers believes that Alex Ferguson's criticisms of midfielders Steven Gerrard, 33, and Jordan Henderson, 23, in his autobiography are down to his frustration at his failure to sign them for Manchester United. Liverpool Echo
New Sunderland boss Gus Poyet has said he is not afraid to drop Sunderland's big-name stars ahead of his first Tyne-Wear derby with Newcastle on Sunday. Sunderland Echo
British actor Tim Roth, 52, has been cast as Fifa chief Sepp Blatter in the film F2014, which will be released to coincide with the 2014 World Cup and Fifa's own 110th anniversary. Metro
Fulham manager Martin Jol, 57, says Alex Ferguson never paid him back his fare when he travelled to Manchester to discuss the assistant manager's role at Old Trafford in 2004. DSSC
Chelsea players made surprise visits to the homes of various supporters during the last international break to help out with the domestic chores. In one home, midfielder Eden Hazard, 22, dried the dishes. Daily Telegraph
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