City to honour youth plan with bid for Palace’s Moses
Manchester City are seeking to make good their pledge to buy in elite youth players by moving for Crystal Palace’s 19-year-old striking prodigy Victor Moses. Palace manager Neil Warnock indicated yesterday that he believes Moses will be heading out of Selhurst Park unless the current financial difficulties are resolved and City’s football administrator Brian Marwood will press ahead with the club’s move for a player Palace are seeking £5m for. Palace are understood to have received a £1.5m bid from West Bromwich Albion and there are doubts as to whether other prospective suitors will match the valuation. But City, who feel that their current academy crop does not equip them to make the leap to Champions League football, have the spending power that others seeking Moses’ signature lack.
Mancini has dismissed suggestions that he might be about to move for the Argentine defender Christian Ansaldi, suggesting that Wayne Bridge meets his requirements for the left-back spot. Ansaldi, who plays for the Russian side Rubin Kazan was reportedly to move for £4m. “No, in that position we have Bridge,” Mancini said. “In seven days he will have recovered.” Bridge has been missing from the Manchester City side since early December, with a knee injury
Adebayor still in shock
Emmanuel Adebayor admits Togo could very well pull out of the African Cup of Nations after their team bus was machine gunned.
The Manchester City star and his team-mates had to duck for cover as their team bus was peppered with gun fire as they travelled to their training camp in Angola.
Two players were injured by bullets, a number of the management were also hurt and the driver was killed.
With many players in shock Adebayor admits they are considering pulling out.
"I think a lot of players want to leave, I don't think they want to be at this tournament any more because they have seen their death already," said Adebayor.
"Most of the players want to go back to their family. No-one can sleep after what they have seen today. They have seen one of their team-mates have a bullet in his body, who is crying, who is losing consciousness and everything.
"We are still in shock. If the security is not sure then we will be leaving. I don't think they will be ready to give their life."
Adebayor recounted what happened when the team bus reached the border between DR Congo and Angola. "We saw military people dressed like they were going to war and it was a little bit of a shock at the beginning but I thought, 'okay, it's for security, which is normal, because we are players here for a big tournament and we are like ambassadors for Africans, so it's normal that security is big'," he continued. "We went through the border and got into Angola and, I don't know, 5km away from the border we started hearing shooting on the bus, for no reason. At the end of the day, we got a lot of (people) injured. "One of our (reserve) goalkeepers got a bullet in his body. Our press and communications guy has got injured; he's not even conscious now, we don't know if he's going to survive or not. "These are the things we keep saying, keep repeating - in Africa, we have to change our image if we want to be respected but unfortunately that's not happening. "We have a chance with one of the biggest tournaments in the world, the World Cup. Can you imagine what's happening now? I'm disgraced and, I don't know, it's unfair." "The thing we don't understand is why they shot on our bus, that's the question now. There's no-one who has got a reason for that. It's not only one guy, or two guys shooting one time or two times on our bus. "Can you imagine, we have been in the middle of that for 30 minutes, even a little bit more. Our bus had been stopped and people had been shooting on our bus for 30 minutes. "If you can imagine, the silence on the bus was unbelievable." Serge Akakpo and Kodjovi Obilale were confirmed by their clubs as the players injured in the attack.
Clubs want African players back after Togo attack http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/8449787.stm
Fifa statement
Fifa also released a statement speaking of their concern. "Fifa and its President, Joseph S. Blatter, are deeply moved by incidents which affected Togo's national team, to whom they express their utmost sympathy," said the statement. "Fifa is in touch with the African Football Confederation (CAF) and its President, Issa Hayatou, from which it expects a full report on the situation." The Football Association are contacting Fifa to gain reassurance for English clubs who have players involved in the tournament.
David Moyes gives Brazilian Jô chance to rescue his Everton career
On-loan striker was fined and suspended for going awol
The commitment of Jô, Everton's Brazilian striker, will be assessed in training by the Everton manager, David Moyes. David Moyes will give his on-loan striker Jô the chance to salvage his Everton career next week when he ends the Brazilian' internal suspension for going missing over the festive period. The 22-year-old incensed the Everton manager when he returned to Brazil without permission for personal reasons at Christmas, inviting a fine, an order to stay away from the club's training ground and doubt over whether Moyes will retain the Manchester City forward's services until the end of this season.
With Everton low on funds and personnel, and City paying Jô's wages as part of the deal that took Joleon Lescott to Eastlands, an early exit from Goodison for the Brazilian appears unlikely. But Moyes intends to assess the striker's commitment upon his return to training.
"Jô will back at the club next week following his suspension," Moyes said. "He has been fined heavily and he knows the situation. We will look at it more next week. I don't think it is a big discussion point. We have dealt with it and should now move on."
Moyes gave no consideration to reducing Jô's suspension in time for today's trip to Arsenal despite losing Yakubu Ayegbeni to the Africa Cup of Nations and, in all likelihood, Louis Saha to a hamstring strain. And the Everton manager believes the club's appalling injury problems are finally nearing an end.
He said: "Louis joined in training for the first time yesterday. Leon Osman joined in also. Mikel Arteta joined in but was in non-contact training, Victor Anichebe has done a little bit and is improving. Dan Gosling, Jack Rodwell and Sylvain Distin are all close, Sylvain probably the closest. They are all going in the right direction."
Everton's new loan signing Landon Donovan could be given his debut at Arsenal.
TRANSFER BOLLOX
Chelsea are ready to swoop for £36m Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, the Stamford Bridge outfit are ready to offer straight cash for the big Bosnian front man, where as fellow suitors AC Milan want to try and do a swap deal.Daily Mirror
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says striker Robbie Keane will only leave White Hart Lane if someone offers £50m for him. Aston Villa and Celtic are interested in the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland forward. The Sun
Meanwhile, Spurs are locked in a £7m race with Lyon to sign Dinamo Zagreb defender Dejan Lovren, 20.The Sun
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he is considering re-signing Sol Campbell - it would be the first time Wenger has re-signed a player for the Gunners.Daily Mirror
However, despite having a transfer budget of about £35m, Wenger insists he does not need to buy a striker as Nicklas Bendtner is set to resume full training next week. The Independent
Liverpool are tracking Wolves utility man Richard Stearman, the 22-year-old can play right-back and centre-half and manager Rafael Benitez sees the former England under-21 man as ideal cover for the injured Glen Johnson. Daily Mirror
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is ready to table a £4m bid for Sporting Gijon's Spain Under-21 left-back Roberto Canella - who also interests Aston Villa. (The Sun)
Fulham are considering a move for 26-year-old Panathinaikos winger Dimitris Salpigidis. The Greece international, who is available for £1m, has also attracted interest from Birmingham and Stoke. Daily Mail
West Ham have made a bid to sign Belarus striker Sergey Kornilenko, 26, on loan from Zenit St Petersburg. Daily Mail
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is hopeful of signing a new striker next week. With Carlton Cole out injured, the Hammers have been linked with former Upton Park man Marlon Harewood, surplus to requirements at Aston Villa. Stoke's James Beattie and Eidur Gudjohnson of Monaco are also in the frame. Daily Star
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce insists striker Kenwyne Jones is not for sale. Birmingham are weighing up an £11m bid for the Trinidad & Tobago star while Liverpool, Arsenal and Stoke are all admirers of the big striker. Daily Star
WAG OF THE DAY
http://www.thespoiler.co.uk/index.php/2 ... lex-curran
OTHER BOLLOX
Newcastle fans have pledged more than £50m to buy out owner Mike Ashley and take control of the club. The scheme is fronted by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust. (The Mirror)
Burnley are set to offer Leeds boss Simon Grayson five times his current pay deal to become their new boss after Owen Coyle left for Bolton. The Mirror
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sent out a clear message to Real Madrid and Barcelona - Cesc Fabregas will still be an Arsenal player next season. The 22-year-old midfielder's contract runs to 2015. The Sun
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned midfielder Joe Cole that his performances will have to improve if he wants to be part of England's World Cup squad. Daily Mirror
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has emerged as a leading contender to replace Owen Coyle at Burnley.Daily Mail
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is so fed up with freezing conditions ruining training that will take his players to Dubai if Saturday's game at Birmingham is called off. The Sun
PATRICK VIEIRA has warned Manchester United he is back to topple them – again.
The former Arsenal hero led the Gunners to three Premier League title successes over Sir Alex Ferguson’s United.
And Vieira, who signed for Manchester City yesterday, claimed the Reds are not the team they were when he and Roy Keane went head to head.
“Yes, of course, I can help topple them again,” Vieira said.
“I don’t believe United dominate the Premier League as much as they used to because now you have Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal plus City and Aston Villa, so many teams who can finish in the top four.
“And I think that has made it really difficult for United to dominate as they used to. They don’t look as strong as they did.”
Vieira, 33, a veteran of nine success-packed years at Arsenal and title wins in 1998, 2002 and 2004, couldn’t resist a taunt at the club with whom the Gunners have such a fierce rivalry.
He said: “I remember my last kick for Arsenal was the winning penalty in the FA Cup final shoot-out against United in 2005.
“So, that is a good memory and maybe a good omen.”