Friday's B*ll*x
Posted: Thu Sep 29, 2011 11:53 pmManchester City players claim they 'didn't hear' Tevez's refusal to play at Bayern Munich
A group of Manchester City players who sat next to Carlos Tevez will tell investigators they did not hear him refuse to play at Bayern Munich.
The players — along with manager Roberto Mancini and Tevez — will be interviewed by legal representatives as part of a probe at the club following the astonishing events in the Allianz Arena.
Tevez has been banned for failing to take the field and accused by Mancini of refusing to play.
The former captain told Sky Sports after the game that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind, but, on Wednesday, insisted he had ‘warmed up and was ready to play.’
He claimed there was ‘confusion on the bench’ and that his position may have been ‘misunderstood’.
Mancini is aware he must avoid a split in his dressing room 24 hours before City play Blackburn in the Barclays Premier League.
He feels City’s attempts to sack Tevez could get messy and distract his squad because Tevez has several friends in the City dressing room.
The Italian believes Tevez has no future at the club, but wants City to sell his former captain in the transfer window, rather than sacking him if the allegations against him are substantiated.
Mancini fears the dispute has already wiped £30million off the player’s transfer value to somewhere near the £20m mark.
That would not be enough to replace him with Mancini’s main 2012 target, Robin van Persie.
He is prepared to tolerate Tevez’s presence back at the training ground when his current two-week suspension ends rather than attempt to throw him out and then watch him negotiate a high-profile free transfer to a big club.
Mancini called a meeting of his players on Thursday and told them they must not allow the drama to overshadow their efforts on the field.
He also spoke privately with Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, who apologised for a show of petulance on being substituted in Munich.
Dzeko has not been fined and will be in the squad for the game at Blackburn tomorrow.
He said: ‘I know my reaction was bad. I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it. He says it is ok .’
Fiery characters: Even Tevez looks surprised at Edin Dzeko's reaction to being hauled off
Tevez received some unlikely support from former Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes.
‘I did a similar thing quite a few years ago when I refused to play at Arsenal, which I deeply regret,’ Scholes told talkSport .
‘I think Carlos, if it’s true what happened, will regret that as well. But I can understand his state of mind. He has not been in the team of late. He was by far and away City’s best player last year.
‘He’s the type of player who needs to be playing. He wants to play every week and he wants to be playing football.
‘I see his frame of mind. He thinks he’s being messed about by Mancini. I know the type of things going through Carlos’s head.’
Chase for cut-price Tevez begins as Juve, Inter and PSG circle
Inter Milan, Juventus and PSG are ready to sign Carlos Tevez.
The two Italian clubs, who were in negotiations over the Argentine in the summer, reckon his fallout at Manchester City will now have halved his price to around £20million.
Juve want to take the Tevez on loan in January, with the view to a permanent move next summer. The Turin club failed to strike a deal for him this summer ,with their failure to qualify for the Champions League one of the obstacles.
Inter will also go back in for the former City captain. Last year's Champions League winners were interested in a swap deal involving their Wesley Sneijder before City bought Arsenal's Samir Nasri.
Now coached by Claudio Ranieri, Inter also have a core of Argentine players in captain Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Walter Samuel, Diego Milito and on-loan Mauro Zarate.
Qatari-owned PSG, who spent £45m on Javier Pastore in the summer, are also keen on another big-name signing.
Reports in the French capital claimed the club's sporting director, Leonardo, has made contact with David Beckham to propose a loan move to the Paris side in January. The Brazilian was the former England captain's coach at AC Milan.
Roberto Mancini's insistence he will not select Tevez again should make a deal easier to push through at a lower price.
In the summer, Juventus sporting director Beppe Marotta held talks with Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian.
Marotta said: "Tevez is a great player who we would like to have but it is a thought shared by a lot of clubs and economically it is not easy to reach an agreement."
After Sunday's draw at Catania, Juve coach Antonio Conte admitted his side lack the quality to win Serie A after missing out on targets such as Tevez in the summer.
"We have a long way to go to be a title-winning team," he said. "It is not as if we signed Nani or Tevez in the summer, but younger players."
Former West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola reckons Tevez could decide the destiny of the Serie A title this season if he moves to Italy.
"Carlos is definitely a player who is so good he can make an immediate difference - even more so in a league as balanced as the Italian one," he said. "Great players like him always want to play and it is not that strange that at City, where there are so many great players, that there is a problem." Mirror
Adebayor: 'I will never celebrate in front of Arsenal fans again'
Emmanuel Adebayor admits he regrets running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans – and insists he will never do it again.
The Togolese striker netted for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium back in 2009 in a 4-2 victory and sprinted towards his ex-club’s fans before sliding on his knees and celebrating.
But now, as he gets set to face the Gunners in Tottenham colours for the first time, he has issued an apology and promises there will no repeat if he finds the target this weekend.
He told talkSHIT: “What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal. Sometime the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings.
“I regret what I have done and I say sorry to everyone but at the end of the day sorry doesn’t change anything. For me it’s over.
“I’m looking forward to playing against Arsenal again on Sunday but believe me, if I have a chance to score, trust me I will score but as for the celebration, never in my life will I do something like that again.
“
“It will be a funny game [on Sunday], it’ll be fantastic. I have a chance to play against Arsenal again, the club that gave me the chance to be where I am today. I have a huge respect for the club.”
And Adebayor says it feels like he’s been playing for Tottenham for years after settling in straight away at White Hart Lane, scoring three goals in three games since joining on loan from City.
“I’m having a good time at training every day,” he added. “We’re having a big laugh and I find myself already in the squad as if I have been playing for Tottenham for ages.
“We defend together and we attack together. We have a lot of good players, Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-ekotto and Luka Modric, they’re all fantastic players.”
Dzeko apologises to Mancini over sub strop
Edin Dzeko has escaped being fined by Roberto Mancini after apologising for his moan-up in Munich.
Mancini was furious with Dzeko's sulk when he substituted him against Bayern Munich and allegedly told him to "f*** off back to Bosnia".
The City boss accepted the striker's apology yesterday to him and the other players at training and has drawn a line under the matter.
"Everyone has had a sleep and a rest after the Bayern game," said Dzeko. "The Bayern game is behind us and we are feeling positive and looking forward to the next game.
"I know my reaction was bad and I have spoken to the rest of the guys and the coach as well.
"I was unhappy because we were 2-0 down and I wanted to win the game. That's why I was extra frustrated.
"I have apologised for my reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said everything is OK and that we have to be positive for the next game." Mirror
Summer raid for Van Persie on cards to fill Argentine's boots
City want Robin van Persie to join their other recruits from Arsenal, Samir Nasri, Kolo Touré and Gaël Clichy
Manchester City are ready to return to Arsenal – the club whose manager, Arsène Wenger, has been subjected to more approaches from the Abu Dhabi owners than any other – with Robin van Persie a possible recruit next summer when the gap soon to be left by Carlos Tevez is eventually filled.
City appear to be in no hurry to prepare an immediate replacement for Tevez in the probable circumstances of his departure for a fee the club feel may dip to below £20m and it is impossible to make any firm predictions four months away from the next window.
But the idea of adding Van Persie to a side already including Samir Nasri and Kolo Touré – former Wenger employees – is one that intrigues Mancini. An approach for a player likely to cost the club £30m is unlikely to be made in the January transfer window but the prospect remains a dreadful one for Wenger, who could find himself in a repeat of this summer's futile battle to retain Nasri.
It is not yet clear how City's spending will be affected next summer by the financial fair play regime (FFP), which will be introduced from next season. Working on the assumption that Tevez was signed for £45m – neither City nor his representative Kia Joorabchian has been prepared to reveal the figure – his value on the club's balance sheet has already dropped by £18m.
That figure must be amortised, or written down, by £9m for each of the five years of the deal concluded in 2009, leaving his current value on the club's books at £27m. But his sale for £20m would still represent a stinging £25m loss. Tevez's £250,000-a-week wages are not counted against the FFP break-even calculations this year. But if City were to retain him until the end of his contract, next year's wages would be counted – another incentive to part company with him quickly.
A move for 28-year-old van Persie would suggest that City remain confident of meeting the break-even requirement, at a time when other clubs are investing in cheaper, younger players with a far better sell-on value. Van Persie's current contract is thought to be worth around £80,000 a week so a move to the Etihad Stadium would make him another in the six-figure weekly-wage bracket.
City's own balance sheet is enhanced by their £350m 10-year sponsorship deal with Abu Dhabi national airline Etihad, the probity of which Wenger has already questioned.
Van Persie has had offers to leave before. He signed a new contract in 2009 despite Juventus, Internazionale and Chelsea all following the progress of talks. It is the departure of so many key players and the inability of Arsenal to keep pace with Manchester United and City which could prove decisive. The Dutchman has won just one trophy at Arsenal, the FA Cup in 2005. Asked if he could give fans any encouragement that his long-term future is at Arsenal, he said two weeks ago: "I don't know... I can't look into the future."
Rio Ferdinand loses landmark legal bid for damages over kiss and tell by ex-mistress
The Man United star’s case was booted out as a High Court judge ruled that it had been justifiable to question his moral suitability to be England captain.
Serial love-cheat Ferdinand had demanded £50,000 from the Sunday Mirror and a worldwide gagging order over an interview with Carly Storey last year in which she claimed to have dated him since he was a teenage star at West Ham.
She said they continued seeing each other up to his 2009 marriage to Rebecca Ellison, the mother of his three children.
Ferdinand, 32, who had previously failed to take action over a succession of lurid stories linking him to various women, was “angry and upset” over the story. He said “a line needed to be drawn” under articles about his private life.
Interior designer Carly, 32, went to PR guru Max Clifford last year when Ferdinand, who was not in court to hear the decision, cut off all contact with her after he was made England skipper.
He was given the ambassadorial role in the wake of the scandal surrounding John Terry – sacked by coach Fabio Capello over his alleged affair with lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel, partner of his ex-Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.
Carly was subsequently paid £16,000 by the newspaper for an article headlined: “My affair with England captain Rio”. The £120,000-a-week defender brought the action under human rights privacy laws. But Mr Justice Nicol decided his claim was outweighed by the newspaper’s right to freedom of expression.
Dismissing the case, he said: “Overall, the balancing exercise favours the right of expression over the claimant’s right of privacy.”
The judge added: “In his evidence the claimant (Ferdinand) said Mr Capello had told him to be professional not only on the pitch but around the hotel.
“In the past the claimant had not behaved in a professional manner around the hotels into which he had tried to sneak Ms Storey.
“Whether or not he’d done that in the few weeks since he had been made the permanent captain of England, his relatively recent past failings could legitimately be used to call into question his suitability for the role.”
During the three-day trial in July the court heard how Ferdinand cheated on Rebecca with at least 10 women. He was even accused of having sex with a model on his stag night. It was alleged in court that he also had a three-in-a-bed session in Cyprus, plus flings with a Page Three girl, two international models, a Pop Idol contestant, a stripper and an air hostess. All 10 women were named during the London hearing.
Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said yesterday: “We are very pleased that the court has rejected Rio Ferdinand’s privacy claim.
“The judge found that there was a justified public interest in reporting the off-pitch behaviour of the then England captain and discussion of his suitability for such an important and ambassadorial role.
“We are pleased the judge ruled that Ferdinand had perpetuated a misleading image and the Sunday Mirror was entitled to correct this impression.”
She added: “There has never been greater scrutiny of the media than now and we applaud this ruling in recognising the important role a free press has to play in a democratic society.”
The failed action landed Ferdinand with a legal bill of around £400,000 and he was ordered to pay £100,000 of the Sunday Mirror’s share within a fortnight. The judge refused him leave to appeal, but he could go direct to the Appeal Court.
The Sunday Mirror accused him of bringing the action because he wanted to “rebrand” himself as a devoted family man.
Gavin Millar, QC, for the newspaper, told the original trial: “He has lied about his fidelity and falsely presented himself as a reformed individual. Disclosure of an affair was well justified and in the public interest.”
WARNING - CONTENTS MAY BE DISTURBING
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OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea are pondering a £20m January move for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira. Daily Mirror
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has ruled out a move for forward El Hadji Diouf, who is a free agent after his release by Blackburn. the Independent
Chelsea target Stevan Jovetic looks set to hold talks with Serie A side Fiorentina this weekend to sort out his future at the club. Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas is believed to be a keen admirer of the 21-year-old midfielder. talkSHIT
Werder Bremen midfielder Marko Marin is attracting the interest of Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger considering making a £10m bid for the 22-year-old German international when the transfer window reopens in January. Footie-online
German champions Borussia Dortmund are reportedly ready to make an offer for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. Footylatest.com
Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish has reportedly identified Rangers striker Steven Naismith as his number one January transfer-window target. Footie-online
AC Milan are ready to make a concerted effort to land Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, who is currently delaying contract extension talks. Footylatest.com
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly approached Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy with a view to signing former England midfielder David Beckham. Inside Futbol
Former Brazil international Roberto Carlos has taken charge of Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala following the dismissal of former head coach Gadzhi Gadzhiyev. the Sun
Arsenal new boy Per Mertesacker has revealed the Gunners wanted him in the summer of 2010 but his club, Werder Bremen, blocked the deal. Daily Mirror
Midfielder Frank Lampard insists he would never show disrespect to Chelsea by storming off during a game, as had been suggested at the weekend. Metro
Al Ain loanee striker Asamoah Gyan has revealed that he has not spoken to Steve Bruce - his manager at parent club Sunderland - since his move to the United Arab Emirates. the Sun
Former Arsenal captain Frank McLintock believes the current Gunners squad are the "poorest" he has ever seen. talkSHIT
Arsenal youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed he snubbed Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham to join Arsene Wenger's side after watching the Gunners' Champions League victory over Barcelona last season. Metro
Ex-Aston Villa, Celtic and Leicester boss Martin O'Neill is being linked with a return to football at Premier League club Blackburn. Daily Mirror
AC Milan fans were left wondering what had happened to their all-star players after the team warmed up for a recent game wearing fake comedy beards. Metro
OK, IT HAD TO BE DONE BOLLOX
Carlos Tevez to spend suspension refusing to play with his kids
Carlos Tevez has today announced his attention to spend his recent club suspension refusing to engage in any way with his children, Florencia, 6, and Katie, 2. Manchester City handed down the suspension to the errant striker after he disobeyed manager Roberto Mancini’s orders for him to come on as a substitute, so Tevez has decided to bring his work home with him.
In a change of roles, the Argentinian ace threw the kids’ toys out of the pram after they had the temerity to play with their mother Vanesa before him. Tevez protested that he had already warmed up to play with them earlier, but the introduction of the more protective mother, leaving one child crying and another starting to sniffle, flew Tevez into a rage.
Having previously professed a desire to move back to Argentina to be closer to his kids, Tevez suddenly realised his mistake:
“You know, being away, it’s the little things that you miss. The quiet. The not playing golf. Those two restaurants.
Both of them: not just the Stockport Rd McDonalds, but its drive-thru too. Even Roberto”.
Tevez later denied missing Roberto Mancini, then denied the denial. “Que?”
It is believed that for the period of the suspension, both Florencia and Katie will have their pocket money suspended. Rumours close to the duo suggest that they are keeping an eye on the January transfer window, where they may secure a transfer to another family.
The eldest daughter Florencia, speaking on behalf of Katia, who has not mastered English despite being 2 years old, expressed their frustration with their father.
“He always does this,” Katia sighed. “I wish he’d grow up”.
A group of Manchester City players who sat next to Carlos Tevez will tell investigators they did not hear him refuse to play at Bayern Munich.
The players — along with manager Roberto Mancini and Tevez — will be interviewed by legal representatives as part of a probe at the club following the astonishing events in the Allianz Arena.
Tevez has been banned for failing to take the field and accused by Mancini of refusing to play.
The former captain told Sky Sports after the game that he wasn’t in the right frame of mind, but, on Wednesday, insisted he had ‘warmed up and was ready to play.’
He claimed there was ‘confusion on the bench’ and that his position may have been ‘misunderstood’.
Mancini is aware he must avoid a split in his dressing room 24 hours before City play Blackburn in the Barclays Premier League.
He feels City’s attempts to sack Tevez could get messy and distract his squad because Tevez has several friends in the City dressing room.
The Italian believes Tevez has no future at the club, but wants City to sell his former captain in the transfer window, rather than sacking him if the allegations against him are substantiated.
Mancini fears the dispute has already wiped £30million off the player’s transfer value to somewhere near the £20m mark.
That would not be enough to replace him with Mancini’s main 2012 target, Robin van Persie.
He is prepared to tolerate Tevez’s presence back at the training ground when his current two-week suspension ends rather than attempt to throw him out and then watch him negotiate a high-profile free transfer to a big club.
Mancini called a meeting of his players on Thursday and told them they must not allow the drama to overshadow their efforts on the field.
He also spoke privately with Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, who apologised for a show of petulance on being substituted in Munich.
Dzeko has not been fined and will be in the squad for the game at Blackburn tomorrow.
He said: ‘I know my reaction was bad. I have apologised for the reaction and Roberto has accepted it. He says it is ok .’
Fiery characters: Even Tevez looks surprised at Edin Dzeko's reaction to being hauled off
Tevez received some unlikely support from former Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes.
‘I did a similar thing quite a few years ago when I refused to play at Arsenal, which I deeply regret,’ Scholes told talkSport .
‘I think Carlos, if it’s true what happened, will regret that as well. But I can understand his state of mind. He has not been in the team of late. He was by far and away City’s best player last year.
‘He’s the type of player who needs to be playing. He wants to play every week and he wants to be playing football.
‘I see his frame of mind. He thinks he’s being messed about by Mancini. I know the type of things going through Carlos’s head.’
Chase for cut-price Tevez begins as Juve, Inter and PSG circle
Inter Milan, Juventus and PSG are ready to sign Carlos Tevez.
The two Italian clubs, who were in negotiations over the Argentine in the summer, reckon his fallout at Manchester City will now have halved his price to around £20million.
Juve want to take the Tevez on loan in January, with the view to a permanent move next summer. The Turin club failed to strike a deal for him this summer ,with their failure to qualify for the Champions League one of the obstacles.
Inter will also go back in for the former City captain. Last year's Champions League winners were interested in a swap deal involving their Wesley Sneijder before City bought Arsenal's Samir Nasri.
Now coached by Claudio Ranieri, Inter also have a core of Argentine players in captain Javier Zanetti, Esteban Cambiasso, Walter Samuel, Diego Milito and on-loan Mauro Zarate.
Qatari-owned PSG, who spent £45m on Javier Pastore in the summer, are also keen on another big-name signing.
Reports in the French capital claimed the club's sporting director, Leonardo, has made contact with David Beckham to propose a loan move to the Paris side in January. The Brazilian was the former England captain's coach at AC Milan.
Roberto Mancini's insistence he will not select Tevez again should make a deal easier to push through at a lower price.
In the summer, Juventus sporting director Beppe Marotta held talks with Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian.
Marotta said: "Tevez is a great player who we would like to have but it is a thought shared by a lot of clubs and economically it is not easy to reach an agreement."
After Sunday's draw at Catania, Juve coach Antonio Conte admitted his side lack the quality to win Serie A after missing out on targets such as Tevez in the summer.
"We have a long way to go to be a title-winning team," he said. "It is not as if we signed Nani or Tevez in the summer, but younger players."
Former West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola reckons Tevez could decide the destiny of the Serie A title this season if he moves to Italy.
"Carlos is definitely a player who is so good he can make an immediate difference - even more so in a league as balanced as the Italian one," he said. "Great players like him always want to play and it is not that strange that at City, where there are so many great players, that there is a problem." Mirror
Adebayor: 'I will never celebrate in front of Arsenal fans again'
Emmanuel Adebayor admits he regrets running the length of the pitch to celebrate in front of the Arsenal fans – and insists he will never do it again.
The Togolese striker netted for Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium back in 2009 in a 4-2 victory and sprinted towards his ex-club’s fans before sliding on his knees and celebrating.
But now, as he gets set to face the Gunners in Tottenham colours for the first time, he has issued an apology and promises there will no repeat if he finds the target this weekend.
He told talkSHIT: “What happened two years ago was an accident and I do apologise to all the fans of Arsenal. Sometime the emotions, we cannot control them, we are all human beings.
“I regret what I have done and I say sorry to everyone but at the end of the day sorry doesn’t change anything. For me it’s over.
“I’m looking forward to playing against Arsenal again on Sunday but believe me, if I have a chance to score, trust me I will score but as for the celebration, never in my life will I do something like that again.
“
“It will be a funny game [on Sunday], it’ll be fantastic. I have a chance to play against Arsenal again, the club that gave me the chance to be where I am today. I have a huge respect for the club.”
And Adebayor says it feels like he’s been playing for Tottenham for years after settling in straight away at White Hart Lane, scoring three goals in three games since joining on loan from City.
“I’m having a good time at training every day,” he added. “We’re having a big laugh and I find myself already in the squad as if I have been playing for Tottenham for ages.
“We defend together and we attack together. We have a lot of good players, Gareth Bale, Benoit Assou-ekotto and Luka Modric, they’re all fantastic players.”
Dzeko apologises to Mancini over sub strop
Edin Dzeko has escaped being fined by Roberto Mancini after apologising for his moan-up in Munich.
Mancini was furious with Dzeko's sulk when he substituted him against Bayern Munich and allegedly told him to "f*** off back to Bosnia".
The City boss accepted the striker's apology yesterday to him and the other players at training and has drawn a line under the matter.
"Everyone has had a sleep and a rest after the Bayern game," said Dzeko. "The Bayern game is behind us and we are feeling positive and looking forward to the next game.
"I know my reaction was bad and I have spoken to the rest of the guys and the coach as well.
"I was unhappy because we were 2-0 down and I wanted to win the game. That's why I was extra frustrated.
"I have apologised for my reaction and Roberto has accepted it and said everything is OK and that we have to be positive for the next game." Mirror
Summer raid for Van Persie on cards to fill Argentine's boots
City want Robin van Persie to join their other recruits from Arsenal, Samir Nasri, Kolo Touré and Gaël Clichy
Manchester City are ready to return to Arsenal – the club whose manager, Arsène Wenger, has been subjected to more approaches from the Abu Dhabi owners than any other – with Robin van Persie a possible recruit next summer when the gap soon to be left by Carlos Tevez is eventually filled.
City appear to be in no hurry to prepare an immediate replacement for Tevez in the probable circumstances of his departure for a fee the club feel may dip to below £20m and it is impossible to make any firm predictions four months away from the next window.
But the idea of adding Van Persie to a side already including Samir Nasri and Kolo Touré – former Wenger employees – is one that intrigues Mancini. An approach for a player likely to cost the club £30m is unlikely to be made in the January transfer window but the prospect remains a dreadful one for Wenger, who could find himself in a repeat of this summer's futile battle to retain Nasri.
It is not yet clear how City's spending will be affected next summer by the financial fair play regime (FFP), which will be introduced from next season. Working on the assumption that Tevez was signed for £45m – neither City nor his representative Kia Joorabchian has been prepared to reveal the figure – his value on the club's balance sheet has already dropped by £18m.
That figure must be amortised, or written down, by £9m for each of the five years of the deal concluded in 2009, leaving his current value on the club's books at £27m. But his sale for £20m would still represent a stinging £25m loss. Tevez's £250,000-a-week wages are not counted against the FFP break-even calculations this year. But if City were to retain him until the end of his contract, next year's wages would be counted – another incentive to part company with him quickly.
A move for 28-year-old van Persie would suggest that City remain confident of meeting the break-even requirement, at a time when other clubs are investing in cheaper, younger players with a far better sell-on value. Van Persie's current contract is thought to be worth around £80,000 a week so a move to the Etihad Stadium would make him another in the six-figure weekly-wage bracket.
City's own balance sheet is enhanced by their £350m 10-year sponsorship deal with Abu Dhabi national airline Etihad, the probity of which Wenger has already questioned.
Van Persie has had offers to leave before. He signed a new contract in 2009 despite Juventus, Internazionale and Chelsea all following the progress of talks. It is the departure of so many key players and the inability of Arsenal to keep pace with Manchester United and City which could prove decisive. The Dutchman has won just one trophy at Arsenal, the FA Cup in 2005. Asked if he could give fans any encouragement that his long-term future is at Arsenal, he said two weeks ago: "I don't know... I can't look into the future."
Rio Ferdinand loses landmark legal bid for damages over kiss and tell by ex-mistress
The Man United star’s case was booted out as a High Court judge ruled that it had been justifiable to question his moral suitability to be England captain.
Serial love-cheat Ferdinand had demanded £50,000 from the Sunday Mirror and a worldwide gagging order over an interview with Carly Storey last year in which she claimed to have dated him since he was a teenage star at West Ham.
She said they continued seeing each other up to his 2009 marriage to Rebecca Ellison, the mother of his three children.
Ferdinand, 32, who had previously failed to take action over a succession of lurid stories linking him to various women, was “angry and upset” over the story. He said “a line needed to be drawn” under articles about his private life.
Interior designer Carly, 32, went to PR guru Max Clifford last year when Ferdinand, who was not in court to hear the decision, cut off all contact with her after he was made England skipper.
He was given the ambassadorial role in the wake of the scandal surrounding John Terry – sacked by coach Fabio Capello over his alleged affair with lingerie model Vanessa Perroncel, partner of his ex-Chelsea team-mate Wayne Bridge.
Carly was subsequently paid £16,000 by the newspaper for an article headlined: “My affair with England captain Rio”. The £120,000-a-week defender brought the action under human rights privacy laws. But Mr Justice Nicol decided his claim was outweighed by the newspaper’s right to freedom of expression.
Dismissing the case, he said: “Overall, the balancing exercise favours the right of expression over the claimant’s right of privacy.”
The judge added: “In his evidence the claimant (Ferdinand) said Mr Capello had told him to be professional not only on the pitch but around the hotel.
“In the past the claimant had not behaved in a professional manner around the hotels into which he had tried to sneak Ms Storey.
“Whether or not he’d done that in the few weeks since he had been made the permanent captain of England, his relatively recent past failings could legitimately be used to call into question his suitability for the role.”
During the three-day trial in July the court heard how Ferdinand cheated on Rebecca with at least 10 women. He was even accused of having sex with a model on his stag night. It was alleged in court that he also had a three-in-a-bed session in Cyprus, plus flings with a Page Three girl, two international models, a Pop Idol contestant, a stripper and an air hostess. All 10 women were named during the London hearing.
Sunday Mirror editor Tina Weaver said yesterday: “We are very pleased that the court has rejected Rio Ferdinand’s privacy claim.
“The judge found that there was a justified public interest in reporting the off-pitch behaviour of the then England captain and discussion of his suitability for such an important and ambassadorial role.
“We are pleased the judge ruled that Ferdinand had perpetuated a misleading image and the Sunday Mirror was entitled to correct this impression.”
She added: “There has never been greater scrutiny of the media than now and we applaud this ruling in recognising the important role a free press has to play in a democratic society.”
The failed action landed Ferdinand with a legal bill of around £400,000 and he was ordered to pay £100,000 of the Sunday Mirror’s share within a fortnight. The judge refused him leave to appeal, but he could go direct to the Appeal Court.
The Sunday Mirror accused him of bringing the action because he wanted to “rebrand” himself as a devoted family man.
Gavin Millar, QC, for the newspaper, told the original trial: “He has lied about his fidelity and falsely presented himself as a reformed individual. Disclosure of an affair was well justified and in the public interest.”
WARNING - CONTENTS MAY BE DISTURBING
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea are pondering a £20m January move for Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira. Daily Mirror
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has ruled out a move for forward El Hadji Diouf, who is a free agent after his release by Blackburn. the Independent
Chelsea target Stevan Jovetic looks set to hold talks with Serie A side Fiorentina this weekend to sort out his future at the club. Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas is believed to be a keen admirer of the 21-year-old midfielder. talkSHIT
Werder Bremen midfielder Marko Marin is attracting the interest of Arsenal, with Arsene Wenger considering making a £10m bid for the 22-year-old German international when the transfer window reopens in January. Footie-online
German champions Borussia Dortmund are reportedly ready to make an offer for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. Footylatest.com
Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish has reportedly identified Rangers striker Steven Naismith as his number one January transfer-window target. Footie-online
AC Milan are ready to make a concerted effort to land Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, who is currently delaying contract extension talks. Footylatest.com
Paris Saint-Germain have reportedly approached Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy with a view to signing former England midfielder David Beckham. Inside Futbol
Former Brazil international Roberto Carlos has taken charge of Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala following the dismissal of former head coach Gadzhi Gadzhiyev. the Sun
Arsenal new boy Per Mertesacker has revealed the Gunners wanted him in the summer of 2010 but his club, Werder Bremen, blocked the deal. Daily Mirror
Midfielder Frank Lampard insists he would never show disrespect to Chelsea by storming off during a game, as had been suggested at the weekend. Metro
Al Ain loanee striker Asamoah Gyan has revealed that he has not spoken to Steve Bruce - his manager at parent club Sunderland - since his move to the United Arab Emirates. the Sun
Former Arsenal captain Frank McLintock believes the current Gunners squad are the "poorest" he has ever seen. talkSHIT
Arsenal youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has revealed he snubbed Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham to join Arsene Wenger's side after watching the Gunners' Champions League victory over Barcelona last season. Metro
Ex-Aston Villa, Celtic and Leicester boss Martin O'Neill is being linked with a return to football at Premier League club Blackburn. Daily Mirror
AC Milan fans were left wondering what had happened to their all-star players after the team warmed up for a recent game wearing fake comedy beards. Metro
OK, IT HAD TO BE DONE BOLLOX
Carlos Tevez to spend suspension refusing to play with his kids
Carlos Tevez has today announced his attention to spend his recent club suspension refusing to engage in any way with his children, Florencia, 6, and Katie, 2. Manchester City handed down the suspension to the errant striker after he disobeyed manager Roberto Mancini’s orders for him to come on as a substitute, so Tevez has decided to bring his work home with him.
In a change of roles, the Argentinian ace threw the kids’ toys out of the pram after they had the temerity to play with their mother Vanesa before him. Tevez protested that he had already warmed up to play with them earlier, but the introduction of the more protective mother, leaving one child crying and another starting to sniffle, flew Tevez into a rage.
Having previously professed a desire to move back to Argentina to be closer to his kids, Tevez suddenly realised his mistake:
“You know, being away, it’s the little things that you miss. The quiet. The not playing golf. Those two restaurants.
Both of them: not just the Stockport Rd McDonalds, but its drive-thru too. Even Roberto”.
Tevez later denied missing Roberto Mancini, then denied the denial. “Que?”
It is believed that for the period of the suspension, both Florencia and Katie will have their pocket money suspended. Rumours close to the duo suggest that they are keeping an eye on the January transfer window, where they may secure a transfer to another family.
The eldest daughter Florencia, speaking on behalf of Katia, who has not mastered English despite being 2 years old, expressed their frustration with their father.
“He always does this,” Katia sighed. “I wish he’d grow up”.