Thursday's B*ll*x
Posted: Thu Jun 30, 2011 9:11 amCeltic give Craig a Bell
CELTIC boss Neil Lennon is ready to offer Craig Bellamy a way out of his Manchester City hell.
Wales striker Bellamy will have to report back to Carrington for pre-season training next week - unless a club comes in for him.
The Glasgow giants are showing most interest at the moment although they could face competition from Blackburn.
Bellamy, 31, had a volatile relationship with Roberto Mancini for six months before he was farmed out on loan to Championship side Cardiff for the season.
He is one of several players the City boss wants to offload and Mancini must decide who to take on the club's pre-season tour to the USA next Friday.
Celtic would like to get Bellamy on loan, but any deal would depend on City being willing to pay a portion of Bellamy's £90,000-a-week wages.
That could leave Blackburn to step in after they were knocked back by Roma's Mirko Vucinic and failed to agree a fee with Spurs for Robbie Keane.
Blackburn to launch a £6.5m bid for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha
Blackburn Rovers are ready to make an £6.5million bid for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.
The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Sunderland and manager Steve Bruce is keen to sign him permanently this summer.
However, Blackburn are keen to find a replacement for Phil Jones and fear Chris Samba will also leave.
They are struggling to strike a deal for Brazilian Joao Miranda and Birmingham's Roger Johnson is valued at £10m. A deal for Onuoha would represent better value.
City to test Everton with part-ex offer for Baines
Manchester City will test Everton’s determination to keep their top stars by making a players-plus-cash offer for Leighton Baines.
Blues boss Roberto Mancini rates the left-back as the best in the Premier League and originally made enquiries about the England defender months ago.
That initial approach got short shrift from Everton manager David Moyes, but the Goodison Park side are now so cash-strapped they cannot even afford a down payment on their no.1 target, Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia.
Moyes will almost certainly be forced to sell one of his biggest names to finance any serious move in the summer transfer market and City hope it will be Baines, who they value at £20million.
City will offer a cash payment of around half that figure, plus Everton's pick of two players to make up the difference, with forwards Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy possible solutions to their striker hunt.
Moyes is also a fan of defender Nedum Onuoha, while winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and full-back Wayne Bridge are also available.
The Scot has to balance any transfer plans with the fight to keep his big international stars such as Baines, Phil Jagielka, Marouane Fellaini, Mikel Arteta and Jack Rodwell, who is another on City’s radar.
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas close to £35 million move to European champions Barcelona
Barcelona and Arsenal were locked in talks on Wednesday over Cesc Fabregas, with the European champions increasingly confident they can agree a deal worth around £35 million, while Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy could both be heading out of the Emirates up to Manchester.
Although a new Fabregas bid was not formally tabled, Barcelona were back in contact with Arsenal following their rejection last week of a £27 million offer. The talks on Wedneday were understood to be productive and, while there remains some difference in the valuations, there is a mounting sense that this most protracted transfer saga is finally nearing an end. Barcelona have increased their valuation of Fabregas to almost £35 million, with Arsenal believed to be holding out for a deal that, with add-ons, they can present to their fans as more like £40 million.
Significantly, Arsenal have adopted a very different strategy with Barcelona to last summer, when they would not entertain any form of talks. They also quickly issued a public statement to make it clear that their captain was not for sale. Arsenal’s engagement in private correspondence this summer suggests an acceptance that they will not block Fabregas’s departure as long as there is an acceptable offer. From a PR perspective, it would also be helpful for them to clinch one or more of their own transfer targets — they have made significant progress on Gervinho, Gary Cahill and Ricardo Alvarez — before any announcement on Fabregas.
Fabregas is currently in Spain and said he was “calm” when asked on Wedneday about his future. “If a player is on the market it is because a club doesn’t want you”, he said
Nasri and Clichy could also be following Fabregas out of the Emirates. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that a £20 million bid could be enough to lure Nasri. Despite Arsène Wenger’s insistence earlier this month that, “one thing’s for sure: we’re not selling him [Nasri] to Manchester United”, Ferguson has become encouraged by his chances of landing the French international.
With the player refusing to commit to a new contract, Arsenal risk losing the 24 year-old for nothing when his deal expires next summer. United have been informed that Nasri is prepared to leave for Old Trafford. Yet Wenger’s resistance to selling one of his best players to United, particularly if it coincides with the loss of Fabregas, is likely to provide a formidable obstacle to Ferguson.
Talks involving third parties linked to United and Nasri took place earlier this month and senior figures at Old Trafford believe the economics of the deal, with Arsenal standing to receive a substantial fee for a player entering the final year of his contract, will ultimately prove decisive in their favour.
Manchester City are monitoring Nasri’s situation, with the player listed as a secondary target, but are ready to bid £7 million for defender Clichy .
United have taken their summer spending to £49.8 million by completing the £18.3 million signing of Atlético Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea. He is set to make his debut against Seattle Sounders on July 20.
United chief executive David Gill has claimed that the punishment meted out to Ferguson and Wayne Rooney by the Football Association last season has added to the belief at Old Trafford that United are victims of disciplinary double standards.
“I genuinely believe there have been some poorish decisions that, in my opinion, wouldn’t necessarily have hit other clubs,” said Gill. “What better way to demonstrate the authorities are being tough than by hitting one of the biggest clubs the hardest?”
Chelsea have had a £4m bid for 19-year-old goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rejected by Belgian champions Genk. Inside Futbol
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has confirmed he will return to Liverpool this summer following a season-long loan at Juventus. Sky Italia
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is hoping the signing of Lille striker Gervinho - with a £12m deal close to completion - will keep Nasri in London. Daily Mirror
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur have joined Arsenal in the race for Valencia winger Juan Mata. (the Times)
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas wants Benfica wing-back Fabio Coentrao as his first signing for the Blues but faces competition from Real Madrid. Daily Telegraph
Celtic manager Neil Lennon is hoping to tempt Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy back to Glasgow but faces competition from Blackburn. the Sun
Newcastle target Romaric looks set to leave Sevilla after it was revealed that the midfielder will be left out of the Spanish club's pre-season tour of Costa Rica. talkSport
Tottenham are set to make Mexican striker Antonio Pedroza Whitham their first signing of the summer transfer window, with the 20-year-old set to cost under £1m as his contract at the Mexican club had expired. Daily Mirror
The White Hart Lane club have also joined Manchester City in the chase for highly rated 16-year-old Caen striker M'Baye Niang. Daily Mail
Chelsea have made a huge undisclosed bid for Palermo's attacking midfielder Javier Pastore, which seems to signal the end of their quest for Tottenham's Luka Modric. footybunker.com
Big-spending Paris St Germain are ready to make a bid for Lille's Belgian star Eden Hazard, who is wanted by Arsenal and Tottenham. talkSport
Bolton and Tottenham are among the clubs to have shown an interest in Egyptian midfielder Hosny Abd Rabo, who plays for Ismaily but is available on a free transfer. Daily Mail
Stoke City have had a £3m bid rejected by West Ham for striker Carlton Cole. the Sun
Former Ipswich striker Marcus Stewart has warned Sunderland fans not to expect Connor Wickham to play a major role next season. The 18-year-old forward left Portman Road to join the Black Cats on Wednesday. talkSport
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says that John Terry will remain as Blues captain for now. the Sun
Manchester United striker Michael Owen has revealed on social networking site Twitter that he was struggling to get through to pay for television coverage of Saturday's David Haye v Wladimir Klitschko boxing bout in Germany, which is available on pay-per-view. Michael Owen on Twitter
After Martin Jol's car was towed, the Fulham manager blamed goalkeeping coach Hans Segers for some bad advice on where to park. Daily Mirror
Andrey Arshavin says the new Arsenal away kit will make the players look like jockeys. Metro
With an eye on the first English Premiership League game of the season coming up we continue to focus on ....
Welsh Bollox
Swansea City close in on Tottenham starlet Caulker
SWANSEA City have all but agreed a deal to take Tottenham youngster Steven Caulker on a season-long loan.
Brendan Rodgers wants another centre-back to compete with Ashley Williams, Alan Tate and club skipper Garry Monk in the Premier League.
And as the Evening Post revealed three weeks ago, Caulker is his top target.
The 19-year-old has declared his interest in heading to the Liberty Stadium, while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has given his blessing to the move.
And it is understood Swansea expect the long-term loan switch to be finalised soon.
Caulker is highly regarded at White Hart Lane, but Redknapp is keen for the 6ft 3in defender to go out and get some top-flight experience.
And Rodgers sees the England Under-21 man as the type of young, hungry player who could thrive in Wales.
The Swansea manager first expressed an interest in Caulker last season, but the Londoner ended up spending the majority of the campaign on loan at Bristol City.
The Spurs academy product had made his senior debut for the London giants at the start of last term after a promising loan stint at Yeovil Town in 2009-10.
He had cleaned up at Yeovil's end-of-season awards do in 2010 and was named young player of the year at Ashton Gate in May.
Capped for the first time by England at under-21 level last November, Caulker would have been in contention to join Scott Sinclair in the recent European Under-21 Championship but for an injury which ended his season in late March.
Norwich have also expressed an interest in taking Caulker, but Swansea believe they have won the race for his signature and he should become their second summer signing after Danny Graham.
CELTIC boss Neil Lennon is ready to offer Craig Bellamy a way out of his Manchester City hell.
Wales striker Bellamy will have to report back to Carrington for pre-season training next week - unless a club comes in for him.
The Glasgow giants are showing most interest at the moment although they could face competition from Blackburn.
Bellamy, 31, had a volatile relationship with Roberto Mancini for six months before he was farmed out on loan to Championship side Cardiff for the season.
He is one of several players the City boss wants to offload and Mancini must decide who to take on the club's pre-season tour to the USA next Friday.
Celtic would like to get Bellamy on loan, but any deal would depend on City being willing to pay a portion of Bellamy's £90,000-a-week wages.
That could leave Blackburn to step in after they were knocked back by Roma's Mirko Vucinic and failed to agree a fee with Spurs for Robbie Keane.
Blackburn to launch a £6.5m bid for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha
Blackburn Rovers are ready to make an £6.5million bid for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.
The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Sunderland and manager Steve Bruce is keen to sign him permanently this summer.
However, Blackburn are keen to find a replacement for Phil Jones and fear Chris Samba will also leave.
They are struggling to strike a deal for Brazilian Joao Miranda and Birmingham's Roger Johnson is valued at £10m. A deal for Onuoha would represent better value.
City to test Everton with part-ex offer for Baines
Manchester City will test Everton’s determination to keep their top stars by making a players-plus-cash offer for Leighton Baines.
Blues boss Roberto Mancini rates the left-back as the best in the Premier League and originally made enquiries about the England defender months ago.
That initial approach got short shrift from Everton manager David Moyes, but the Goodison Park side are now so cash-strapped they cannot even afford a down payment on their no.1 target, Wigan’s Charles N’Zogbia.
Moyes will almost certainly be forced to sell one of his biggest names to finance any serious move in the summer transfer market and City hope it will be Baines, who they value at £20million.
City will offer a cash payment of around half that figure, plus Everton's pick of two players to make up the difference, with forwards Emmanuel Adebayor and Craig Bellamy possible solutions to their striker hunt.
Moyes is also a fan of defender Nedum Onuoha, while winger Shaun Wright-Phillips and full-back Wayne Bridge are also available.
The Scot has to balance any transfer plans with the fight to keep his big international stars such as Baines, Phil Jagielka, Marouane Fellaini, Mikel Arteta and Jack Rodwell, who is another on City’s radar.
OTHER BOLLOX
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas close to £35 million move to European champions Barcelona
Barcelona and Arsenal were locked in talks on Wednesday over Cesc Fabregas, with the European champions increasingly confident they can agree a deal worth around £35 million, while Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy could both be heading out of the Emirates up to Manchester.
Although a new Fabregas bid was not formally tabled, Barcelona were back in contact with Arsenal following their rejection last week of a £27 million offer. The talks on Wedneday were understood to be productive and, while there remains some difference in the valuations, there is a mounting sense that this most protracted transfer saga is finally nearing an end. Barcelona have increased their valuation of Fabregas to almost £35 million, with Arsenal believed to be holding out for a deal that, with add-ons, they can present to their fans as more like £40 million.
Significantly, Arsenal have adopted a very different strategy with Barcelona to last summer, when they would not entertain any form of talks. They also quickly issued a public statement to make it clear that their captain was not for sale. Arsenal’s engagement in private correspondence this summer suggests an acceptance that they will not block Fabregas’s departure as long as there is an acceptable offer. From a PR perspective, it would also be helpful for them to clinch one or more of their own transfer targets — they have made significant progress on Gervinho, Gary Cahill and Ricardo Alvarez — before any announcement on Fabregas.
Fabregas is currently in Spain and said he was “calm” when asked on Wedneday about his future. “If a player is on the market it is because a club doesn’t want you”, he said
Nasri and Clichy could also be following Fabregas out of the Emirates. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes that a £20 million bid could be enough to lure Nasri. Despite Arsène Wenger’s insistence earlier this month that, “one thing’s for sure: we’re not selling him [Nasri] to Manchester United”, Ferguson has become encouraged by his chances of landing the French international.
With the player refusing to commit to a new contract, Arsenal risk losing the 24 year-old for nothing when his deal expires next summer. United have been informed that Nasri is prepared to leave for Old Trafford. Yet Wenger’s resistance to selling one of his best players to United, particularly if it coincides with the loss of Fabregas, is likely to provide a formidable obstacle to Ferguson.
Talks involving third parties linked to United and Nasri took place earlier this month and senior figures at Old Trafford believe the economics of the deal, with Arsenal standing to receive a substantial fee for a player entering the final year of his contract, will ultimately prove decisive in their favour.
Manchester City are monitoring Nasri’s situation, with the player listed as a secondary target, but are ready to bid £7 million for defender Clichy .
United have taken their summer spending to £49.8 million by completing the £18.3 million signing of Atlético Madrid goalkeeper David de Gea. He is set to make his debut against Seattle Sounders on July 20.
United chief executive David Gill has claimed that the punishment meted out to Ferguson and Wayne Rooney by the Football Association last season has added to the belief at Old Trafford that United are victims of disciplinary double standards.
“I genuinely believe there have been some poorish decisions that, in my opinion, wouldn’t necessarily have hit other clubs,” said Gill. “What better way to demonstrate the authorities are being tough than by hitting one of the biggest clubs the hardest?”
Chelsea have had a £4m bid for 19-year-old goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois rejected by Belgian champions Genk. Inside Futbol
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has confirmed he will return to Liverpool this summer following a season-long loan at Juventus. Sky Italia
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger is hoping the signing of Lille striker Gervinho - with a £12m deal close to completion - will keep Nasri in London. Daily Mirror
Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur have joined Arsenal in the race for Valencia winger Juan Mata. (the Times)
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas wants Benfica wing-back Fabio Coentrao as his first signing for the Blues but faces competition from Real Madrid. Daily Telegraph
Celtic manager Neil Lennon is hoping to tempt Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy back to Glasgow but faces competition from Blackburn. the Sun
Newcastle target Romaric looks set to leave Sevilla after it was revealed that the midfielder will be left out of the Spanish club's pre-season tour of Costa Rica. talkSport
Tottenham are set to make Mexican striker Antonio Pedroza Whitham their first signing of the summer transfer window, with the 20-year-old set to cost under £1m as his contract at the Mexican club had expired. Daily Mirror
The White Hart Lane club have also joined Manchester City in the chase for highly rated 16-year-old Caen striker M'Baye Niang. Daily Mail
Chelsea have made a huge undisclosed bid for Palermo's attacking midfielder Javier Pastore, which seems to signal the end of their quest for Tottenham's Luka Modric. footybunker.com
Big-spending Paris St Germain are ready to make a bid for Lille's Belgian star Eden Hazard, who is wanted by Arsenal and Tottenham. talkSport
Bolton and Tottenham are among the clubs to have shown an interest in Egyptian midfielder Hosny Abd Rabo, who plays for Ismaily but is available on a free transfer. Daily Mail
Stoke City have had a £3m bid rejected by West Ham for striker Carlton Cole. the Sun
Former Ipswich striker Marcus Stewart has warned Sunderland fans not to expect Connor Wickham to play a major role next season. The 18-year-old forward left Portman Road to join the Black Cats on Wednesday. talkSport
Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says that John Terry will remain as Blues captain for now. the Sun
Manchester United striker Michael Owen has revealed on social networking site Twitter that he was struggling to get through to pay for television coverage of Saturday's David Haye v Wladimir Klitschko boxing bout in Germany, which is available on pay-per-view. Michael Owen on Twitter
After Martin Jol's car was towed, the Fulham manager blamed goalkeeping coach Hans Segers for some bad advice on where to park. Daily Mirror
Andrey Arshavin says the new Arsenal away kit will make the players look like jockeys. Metro
With an eye on the first English Premiership League game of the season coming up we continue to focus on ....
Welsh Bollox
Swansea City close in on Tottenham starlet Caulker
SWANSEA City have all but agreed a deal to take Tottenham youngster Steven Caulker on a season-long loan.
Brendan Rodgers wants another centre-back to compete with Ashley Williams, Alan Tate and club skipper Garry Monk in the Premier League.
And as the Evening Post revealed three weeks ago, Caulker is his top target.
The 19-year-old has declared his interest in heading to the Liberty Stadium, while Spurs boss Harry Redknapp has given his blessing to the move.
And it is understood Swansea expect the long-term loan switch to be finalised soon.
Caulker is highly regarded at White Hart Lane, but Redknapp is keen for the 6ft 3in defender to go out and get some top-flight experience.
And Rodgers sees the England Under-21 man as the type of young, hungry player who could thrive in Wales.
The Swansea manager first expressed an interest in Caulker last season, but the Londoner ended up spending the majority of the campaign on loan at Bristol City.
The Spurs academy product had made his senior debut for the London giants at the start of last term after a promising loan stint at Yeovil Town in 2009-10.
He had cleaned up at Yeovil's end-of-season awards do in 2010 and was named young player of the year at Ashton Gate in May.
Capped for the first time by England at under-21 level last November, Caulker would have been in contention to join Scott Sinclair in the recent European Under-21 Championship but for an injury which ended his season in late March.
Norwich have also expressed an interest in taking Caulker, but Swansea believe they have won the race for his signature and he should become their second summer signing after Danny Graham.
