Friday's B*l**x
Posted: Fri Dec 20, 2013 8:38 amTHE BOLLOX
ROUND-UP
Tis the season of transfer speculation…
Add a new name to your list of City links this morning, because Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio is the latest player who could be booking his flight to Manchester – at least, if a report in the Independent is to be believed.
The centre-back is hot property this winter, and City are reportedly going up against Barcelona and Chelsea to secure his signature.
Writes Charles Reynolds: “The centre-back has had a great start to the La Liga season, playing every minute of Villarreal's games, and he has reportedly started to attract the interest of bigger clubs.
“Villarreal have had five clean sheets already this season and are sitting in a slightly surprising fifth place in the table, thanks in part to the defensive efforts of Musacchio.”
Remember, as ever, nothing is confirmed until you read it right here on mcfc.co.uk!
Meanwhile, City’s last match before Christmas takes place at Craven Cottage tomorrow, and John Arne Riise is keen to point out Fulham won’t be handing out any early gifts.
The former Liverpool man has his eye on all three points when the Blues come to town, before the Cottagers face a run of three crucial games against teams lower down the table.
Riise is quoted on Goal.com as saying: "It's not a game people will expect us to win but we're prepared to go out to try and get the victory.
"We want to go off the pitch on Saturday having given our all.
"City isn't an easy game and the three games after that [against Norwich City, Hull City and West Ham] are probably bigger for us as they're against teams around us in the table.
"Those three games are massive but we'll certainly be aiming to cause an upset against City."
Fighting talk! Tomorrow’s game isn’t on TV in the UK, but never fear – you can follow the action with our Match Day centre, or check out the twitter updates.
Finally, imagine a world where Alvaro Negredo turns out in the orange shirt of Hull. Struggling? Well, Phil Brown reckons it was a real possibility a few years ago.
The Daily Express claims that Brown, who is now manager of Southend United, tried to land the striker when he left Real Madrid in 2007.
John Dillon reports: “A 6ft 1in slab of uncompromising muscle with a deft touch, Negredo could fire City to the top of the table tomorrow courtesy of their huge goal difference, if Liverpool fail to beat Cardiff.
“‘It would have been a massive coup if we had got him,’ recalls Brown, now managing Southend United. “’was going nowhere at the time and we were trying to uncover little gems. The chairman, Paul Duffen, went to the Bernabeu and we had a deal set up.
“‘You look at Negredo now and he is on fire. When you look at forwards like that, you are looking for technical ability. But the bottom line is they have to be able to put up with the rigours of the Premier League. Negredo is made for it.’”
No arguments there…
Kompany warns City have lot to lose over Christmas
The City skipper says the festive fixtures could damage the Blues' chances of success on all fronts if they are not careful.
For many it is a time for putting up with sozzled relatives, searching for batteries and passing out in front of the Queen’s Speech.
But for Blues captain Vincent Kompany, Christmas and the New Year could be when goodwill to all comes to a crashing halt.
Heading into the festive period his side are in ruder health than a fattened-up turkey.
Away day blues seem to have suffered the same fate of those bedevilled birds and the talk is of a seeming implausible quadruple.
However, speaking to M.E.N. Sport at a visit to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Kompany warned of a Grinch-like party pooping should City take their eye off the ball.
Two hours cheering up poorly youngsters and speaking to their battling parents can be a grounding for anyone. But Kompany clearly does not need it.
“Nothing is won in December but a lot could be lost in December,” he warned.
“At the moment we are doing the right things but nothing more than that. This is my sixth season in the
Premier League and every time this has been the period when you start realising which teams might go on and win it and which teams aren’t maybe the real deal.
“You don’t win anything but you could lose the Capital One Cup, the FA Cup, and you could lose two or three games and be out of title race.
“That is what at stake. Games come thick and fast if you have bad form it can cost you at this time of the season.”
The Blues kick-off six matches in 17 days against at Fulham tomorrow before a Christmas home double-header against flying Liverpool and relegation-fighting Crystal Palace.
New Year’s Day will be at Swansea City before a cup double-header away at Blackburn and back at the Etihad against West Ham United.
But Kompany believes the next match is always the most important one – and that his team-mates have to put previous successes quickly behind them.
“We’ve not won anything yet,” he said. “We’re behind three points so you have to reboot every single time and put yourself back on track.
“You can’t consider yourself a great team if you can’t do that.
“I believe this is also why you want to be a Man City player. If you don’t have that ambition then Man City is not the right club for you.
“We have done well so far but the Fulham game becomes the most important game of the season now.”
While their away form has improved noticeably in recent times their home form at fortress Etihad has been a constant throughout the past three campaigns.
And Kompany joked that supporters have been given more than their money’s worth.
“We’re probably spoiling our fans a bit at home but we are happy we can do that for them!” he said.
“I don’t know what it is.
“Maybe it has to do with the opponent fearing coming to our place.
“It is definitely not a case of motivation because we are always motivated to win every game. It’s our home and you always like to be strong. I can’t find an explanation.”
Kompany added that home comforts have followed him over from Belgium.
“I have always been lucky to have teams with good form since starting my career,” he said. “When I was in Belgium playing for Anderlecht we lost two games in three years.”
So why can’t City just treat away games as home games – starting with the trip to Craven Cottage?
“Anybody would come in and say ‘can you please play away like you do at home’,” he said.
“It seems logical but we have been doing well now and it’s more of a case of carrying on what we have been doing in past three or four weeks.
“Fulham is a great opportunity after the win against Arsenal to put more pressure on those above and around us.”
It is a very upbeat message as the Blues look to continue their road revival at Rene Muelensteen’s strugglers.
But, as is always the way with the Blues straight-talking skipper, he is soon minded to start talking about focus once more.
“One of the basics in football is that you should treat every opponent the same way and you should not fear any opposition,” he said.
“When we played Bayern we had an unbelievable result.
“We had two decent results in row at West Bromwich Albion and Southampton followed by the win at Arsenal.
“We had every reason to be confident but you play Leicester and you need the same motivation again or you are going to get a surprise.
“At the moment we are doing alright. Every day we have to hammer it.
“We can’t lose a percentage because it will cost us.”
Chelsea and Man City set to battle Barcelona for signature of Villarreal's Mateo Musacchio
CHELSEA and Manchester City are to lock horns with Barcelona over Villarreal's centre back sensation, Mateo Musacchio.
Villarreal have surprised a few people in La Liga this season and their rise up the table has been aided by the form of Musacchio, who has played every minute of their 16 La Liga games this season.
The 23-year-old has started to come of age this year, helping his side to keep five clean sheets so far.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has indicated he might have to start shutting up shop as he can't rely on his forwards to win them games. One way to do that is to bolster his defensive options.
A prime example of the problem facing the Blues boss came on Tuesday night.
Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba missed good chances to kill off Sunderland in the Capital One Cup quarter final and Mourinho's side went on to pay the price by going out in extra-time.
Mourinho is known to be in the market for another defender, with his interest in former-club Inter Milan's Andrea Ranocchia widely known.
City are always on the lookout for talent as they strive to become a European powerhouse.
Lionel Messi skips past Mateo Musacchio and the pair could be team mates if Barca get their way [GETTY]
Keeping players of Musacchio's quality away from the likes of Barcelona will help them to go some way to achieving that target as well as providing cover for the increasingly injury prone Vincent Kompany.
But they might both be thwarted in their pursuit of the two time Argentine capped defender as Barcelona are getting desperate for talented, young centre backs.
Carlos Puyol has been a rock for them over the years but is creaking towards the end of his career.
Centre back is probably the one weak spot in their team and as their style of play changes and they start to look towards a new cycle of players, Musacchio would fit the bill perfectly.
Chelsea and City are likely to make a move in January, but Musacchio might want to hold out until the end of the season to see if the Yellow Submarine can make an unlikely charge for the Champions League.
You can expect a lot of movement for the Villarreal defender over the summer, if not before
Dzeko vows to fire City in Aguero's absence
Edin Dzeko is confident he can fire Manchester City's challenge for the Premier League title in the absence of injured star Sergio Aguero.
Aguero suffered a calf injury in City's 6-3 win over Arsenal last weekend and is likely to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
The Argentine forward, who has scored 19 times already this season, will definitely be missing for Saturday's visit to Fulham.
Dzeko has been rarely used this season by City manager Manuel Pellegrini, despite promises he would have a more important role than under previous boss Roberto Mancini.
But the Bosnian international, who scored twice in City's 3-1 win over Leicester in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, is now hoping he is given a chance to shine up front alongside Alvaro Negredo.
"Sergio has had an amazing season, scoring a lot of goals, and he is an important player for us," Dzeko said.
"That's life and now we have to try to play games without him and try to win.
"This is very bad for the team but there are a lot of players who want to play.
"I am happy to score two against Leicester - that's my job. I hope it means I am back among the goals. When I'm playing, I'm trying always to score goals.
"I am a striker that has scored goals all my life, and I love to do it.
"When I get a chance I try to do my best. We have a superb squad and recently have scored a lot of goals."
Victory over Fulham on Saturday would leave City level with leaders Arsenal, who don't play until Monday's showdown with Chelsea, and midfielder James Milner believes the Christmas period will be a crucial period for their title chances.
"It's a critical time when you've got games so close in succession. It's important that we perform and use that squad," said Milner ahead of a programme which includes fixtures against Liverpool and Crystal Palace at home.
"The league table always looks very different going into Christmas than it does coming out. It is an important time and hopefully we can keep the pressure on our rivals."
XMAS SNUB
Casillas to snub Premier League duo and stay at Real Madrid
Arsenal and Manchester City target Iker Casillas has again expressed his desire to stay at Real Madrid despite his reduced first-team status at the Bernabeu.
Former Real boss Jose Mourinho dropped Casillas last term and his successor Carlo Ancelotti has also used Diego Lopez as his first-choice goalkeeper.
Casillas' involvement has been limited to cup competitions - namely the Champions League and Copa del Rey - and reports in Spain earlier this month claimed he would consider a switch to the Emirates next summer if his first-team prospects do not improve.
However, the Spain international insists he is fully committed to his boyhood club and is not thinking of leaving anytime soon.
"Today I want to stay at Real Madrid and win 'La Decima' (the tenth European Cup)," he is quoted as saying in Spanish newspaper Sport.
"I belong to Real Madrid, it's where I've always been, and what I want is to stay here and win more cups and leagues.
"Many people speculate logically and I do not know where I'll be in ten years, but my mind is white and I'm happy to be in Real Madrid."
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[/spoiler]
Brendan Rodgers believes Luis Suarez will commit his long-term future to Liverpool and warns Premier League defenders the 26-year-old striker "can get even better." Liverpool Echo
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew denies any interest in bringing Manchester United's 21-year-old forward Wilfried Zaha in on loan. Daily Mirror
Arsenal will go head-to-head with Italian side Roma to sign 21-year-old Auxerre striker Paul-Georges Ntep. Daily Star
Wolfsburg forward Ivica Olic has emerged as a surprise target for Stoke City. The 34-year-old Croatia international, out of contract next summer, is also being chased by Hamburg. Talkshit
Arsenal have been scouting Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, 25, but remain doubtful about their prospects of signing him in January. Daily Telegraph
Manchester United face a battle with Arsenal to land Basel defender Fabian Schar, 21. Daily Star
Liverpool and Manchester United must meet Ivan Rakitic's release clause of £33m if they are to sign the 25-year-old Sevilla midfielder. Daily Express
Tottenham have been dealt a double blow after former Netherlands manager Guus Hiddink and current Ajax boss Frank De Boer both turned down the chance to take over at White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror
Andre Villas-Boas has been approached by AC Milan to become their new coach despite his sacking by Tottenham Hotspur. Times
Brendan Rodgers believes he had a "close shave" by rejecting Tottenham and claimed the club's revolving-door policy with managers made Liverpool a more attractive proposition. Daily Express
Ex-Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ready to open talks with West Bromwich Albion about becoming their new head coach after he turned down the chance to manage Legia Warsaw in Poland. Daily Mirror
However, it is claimed the Baggies are unlikely to move for Molde boss Solskjaer and have also ruled out Argentine Mauricio Pellegrino. Express & Star
Everton will turn to the loan market in January for a midfielder and striker to boost their Champions League hopes after injuries to Arouna Kone, Darron Gibson and Gerard Deulofeu. Liverpool Echo
Rafael Da Silva, 23, seriously considered defecting from Brazil to play for England before the controversial "nationality" debate exploded around Adnan Januzaj, his Manchester United team-mate. Times
Alex Ferguson beat his previous mark on ITV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? to secure £50,000 for the Manchester United Foundation. DSSC
Birmingham City fans are in uproar after the new Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square was lit up in the claret and blue colours of arch-rivals Aston Villa. Express & Star
Brazil Under-17s were so incensed by a referee's decision to send one of their players off against the United States that they completely stopped playing. Daily Mirror
ROUND-UP
Tis the season of transfer speculation…
Add a new name to your list of City links this morning, because Villarreal defender Mateo Musacchio is the latest player who could be booking his flight to Manchester – at least, if a report in the Independent is to be believed.
The centre-back is hot property this winter, and City are reportedly going up against Barcelona and Chelsea to secure his signature.
Writes Charles Reynolds: “The centre-back has had a great start to the La Liga season, playing every minute of Villarreal's games, and he has reportedly started to attract the interest of bigger clubs.
“Villarreal have had five clean sheets already this season and are sitting in a slightly surprising fifth place in the table, thanks in part to the defensive efforts of Musacchio.”
Remember, as ever, nothing is confirmed until you read it right here on mcfc.co.uk!
Meanwhile, City’s last match before Christmas takes place at Craven Cottage tomorrow, and John Arne Riise is keen to point out Fulham won’t be handing out any early gifts.
The former Liverpool man has his eye on all three points when the Blues come to town, before the Cottagers face a run of three crucial games against teams lower down the table.
Riise is quoted on Goal.com as saying: "It's not a game people will expect us to win but we're prepared to go out to try and get the victory.
"We want to go off the pitch on Saturday having given our all.
"City isn't an easy game and the three games after that [against Norwich City, Hull City and West Ham] are probably bigger for us as they're against teams around us in the table.
"Those three games are massive but we'll certainly be aiming to cause an upset against City."
Fighting talk! Tomorrow’s game isn’t on TV in the UK, but never fear – you can follow the action with our Match Day centre, or check out the twitter updates.
Finally, imagine a world where Alvaro Negredo turns out in the orange shirt of Hull. Struggling? Well, Phil Brown reckons it was a real possibility a few years ago.
The Daily Express claims that Brown, who is now manager of Southend United, tried to land the striker when he left Real Madrid in 2007.
John Dillon reports: “A 6ft 1in slab of uncompromising muscle with a deft touch, Negredo could fire City to the top of the table tomorrow courtesy of their huge goal difference, if Liverpool fail to beat Cardiff.
“‘It would have been a massive coup if we had got him,’ recalls Brown, now managing Southend United. “’was going nowhere at the time and we were trying to uncover little gems. The chairman, Paul Duffen, went to the Bernabeu and we had a deal set up.
“‘You look at Negredo now and he is on fire. When you look at forwards like that, you are looking for technical ability. But the bottom line is they have to be able to put up with the rigours of the Premier League. Negredo is made for it.’”
No arguments there…
Kompany warns City have lot to lose over Christmas
The City skipper says the festive fixtures could damage the Blues' chances of success on all fronts if they are not careful.
For many it is a time for putting up with sozzled relatives, searching for batteries and passing out in front of the Queen’s Speech.
But for Blues captain Vincent Kompany, Christmas and the New Year could be when goodwill to all comes to a crashing halt.
Heading into the festive period his side are in ruder health than a fattened-up turkey.
Away day blues seem to have suffered the same fate of those bedevilled birds and the talk is of a seeming implausible quadruple.
However, speaking to M.E.N. Sport at a visit to the Royal Manchester Children’s Hospital, Kompany warned of a Grinch-like party pooping should City take their eye off the ball.
Two hours cheering up poorly youngsters and speaking to their battling parents can be a grounding for anyone. But Kompany clearly does not need it.
“Nothing is won in December but a lot could be lost in December,” he warned.
“At the moment we are doing the right things but nothing more than that. This is my sixth season in the
Premier League and every time this has been the period when you start realising which teams might go on and win it and which teams aren’t maybe the real deal.
“You don’t win anything but you could lose the Capital One Cup, the FA Cup, and you could lose two or three games and be out of title race.
“That is what at stake. Games come thick and fast if you have bad form it can cost you at this time of the season.”
The Blues kick-off six matches in 17 days against at Fulham tomorrow before a Christmas home double-header against flying Liverpool and relegation-fighting Crystal Palace.
New Year’s Day will be at Swansea City before a cup double-header away at Blackburn and back at the Etihad against West Ham United.
But Kompany believes the next match is always the most important one – and that his team-mates have to put previous successes quickly behind them.
“We’ve not won anything yet,” he said. “We’re behind three points so you have to reboot every single time and put yourself back on track.
“You can’t consider yourself a great team if you can’t do that.
“I believe this is also why you want to be a Man City player. If you don’t have that ambition then Man City is not the right club for you.
“We have done well so far but the Fulham game becomes the most important game of the season now.”
While their away form has improved noticeably in recent times their home form at fortress Etihad has been a constant throughout the past three campaigns.
And Kompany joked that supporters have been given more than their money’s worth.
“We’re probably spoiling our fans a bit at home but we are happy we can do that for them!” he said.
“I don’t know what it is.
“Maybe it has to do with the opponent fearing coming to our place.
“It is definitely not a case of motivation because we are always motivated to win every game. It’s our home and you always like to be strong. I can’t find an explanation.”
Kompany added that home comforts have followed him over from Belgium.
“I have always been lucky to have teams with good form since starting my career,” he said. “When I was in Belgium playing for Anderlecht we lost two games in three years.”
So why can’t City just treat away games as home games – starting with the trip to Craven Cottage?
“Anybody would come in and say ‘can you please play away like you do at home’,” he said.
“It seems logical but we have been doing well now and it’s more of a case of carrying on what we have been doing in past three or four weeks.
“Fulham is a great opportunity after the win against Arsenal to put more pressure on those above and around us.”
It is a very upbeat message as the Blues look to continue their road revival at Rene Muelensteen’s strugglers.
But, as is always the way with the Blues straight-talking skipper, he is soon minded to start talking about focus once more.
“One of the basics in football is that you should treat every opponent the same way and you should not fear any opposition,” he said.
“When we played Bayern we had an unbelievable result.
“We had two decent results in row at West Bromwich Albion and Southampton followed by the win at Arsenal.
“We had every reason to be confident but you play Leicester and you need the same motivation again or you are going to get a surprise.
“At the moment we are doing alright. Every day we have to hammer it.
“We can’t lose a percentage because it will cost us.”
Chelsea and Man City set to battle Barcelona for signature of Villarreal's Mateo Musacchio
CHELSEA and Manchester City are to lock horns with Barcelona over Villarreal's centre back sensation, Mateo Musacchio.
Villarreal have surprised a few people in La Liga this season and their rise up the table has been aided by the form of Musacchio, who has played every minute of their 16 La Liga games this season.
The 23-year-old has started to come of age this year, helping his side to keep five clean sheets so far.
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has indicated he might have to start shutting up shop as he can't rely on his forwards to win them games. One way to do that is to bolster his defensive options.
A prime example of the problem facing the Blues boss came on Tuesday night.
Samuel Eto'o and Demba Ba missed good chances to kill off Sunderland in the Capital One Cup quarter final and Mourinho's side went on to pay the price by going out in extra-time.
Mourinho is known to be in the market for another defender, with his interest in former-club Inter Milan's Andrea Ranocchia widely known.
City are always on the lookout for talent as they strive to become a European powerhouse.
Lionel Messi skips past Mateo Musacchio and the pair could be team mates if Barca get their way [GETTY]
Keeping players of Musacchio's quality away from the likes of Barcelona will help them to go some way to achieving that target as well as providing cover for the increasingly injury prone Vincent Kompany.
But they might both be thwarted in their pursuit of the two time Argentine capped defender as Barcelona are getting desperate for talented, young centre backs.
Carlos Puyol has been a rock for them over the years but is creaking towards the end of his career.
Centre back is probably the one weak spot in their team and as their style of play changes and they start to look towards a new cycle of players, Musacchio would fit the bill perfectly.
Chelsea and City are likely to make a move in January, but Musacchio might want to hold out until the end of the season to see if the Yellow Submarine can make an unlikely charge for the Champions League.
You can expect a lot of movement for the Villarreal defender over the summer, if not before
Dzeko vows to fire City in Aguero's absence
Edin Dzeko is confident he can fire Manchester City's challenge for the Premier League title in the absence of injured star Sergio Aguero.
Aguero suffered a calf injury in City's 6-3 win over Arsenal last weekend and is likely to be sidelined for up to eight weeks.
The Argentine forward, who has scored 19 times already this season, will definitely be missing for Saturday's visit to Fulham.
Dzeko has been rarely used this season by City manager Manuel Pellegrini, despite promises he would have a more important role than under previous boss Roberto Mancini.
But the Bosnian international, who scored twice in City's 3-1 win over Leicester in the League Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday, is now hoping he is given a chance to shine up front alongside Alvaro Negredo.
"Sergio has had an amazing season, scoring a lot of goals, and he is an important player for us," Dzeko said.
"That's life and now we have to try to play games without him and try to win.
"This is very bad for the team but there are a lot of players who want to play.
"I am happy to score two against Leicester - that's my job. I hope it means I am back among the goals. When I'm playing, I'm trying always to score goals.
"I am a striker that has scored goals all my life, and I love to do it.
"When I get a chance I try to do my best. We have a superb squad and recently have scored a lot of goals."
Victory over Fulham on Saturday would leave City level with leaders Arsenal, who don't play until Monday's showdown with Chelsea, and midfielder James Milner believes the Christmas period will be a crucial period for their title chances.
"It's a critical time when you've got games so close in succession. It's important that we perform and use that squad," said Milner ahead of a programme which includes fixtures against Liverpool and Crystal Palace at home.
"The league table always looks very different going into Christmas than it does coming out. It is an important time and hopefully we can keep the pressure on our rivals."
XMAS SNUB
Casillas to snub Premier League duo and stay at Real Madrid
Arsenal and Manchester City target Iker Casillas has again expressed his desire to stay at Real Madrid despite his reduced first-team status at the Bernabeu.
Former Real boss Jose Mourinho dropped Casillas last term and his successor Carlo Ancelotti has also used Diego Lopez as his first-choice goalkeeper.
Casillas' involvement has been limited to cup competitions - namely the Champions League and Copa del Rey - and reports in Spain earlier this month claimed he would consider a switch to the Emirates next summer if his first-team prospects do not improve.
However, the Spain international insists he is fully committed to his boyhood club and is not thinking of leaving anytime soon.
"Today I want to stay at Real Madrid and win 'La Decima' (the tenth European Cup)," he is quoted as saying in Spanish newspaper Sport.
"I belong to Real Madrid, it's where I've always been, and what I want is to stay here and win more cups and leagues.
"Many people speculate logically and I do not know where I'll be in ten years, but my mind is white and I'm happy to be in Real Madrid."
WEST HAM TICKET OFFICE
http://www.whufc.com/articles/20131220/ ... 84_3585276
WIN A CITY SHIRT FOR 100th POST
viewtopic.php?f=119&t=47298
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]Brendan Rodgers believes Luis Suarez will commit his long-term future to Liverpool and warns Premier League defenders the 26-year-old striker "can get even better." Liverpool Echo
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew denies any interest in bringing Manchester United's 21-year-old forward Wilfried Zaha in on loan. Daily Mirror
Arsenal will go head-to-head with Italian side Roma to sign 21-year-old Auxerre striker Paul-Georges Ntep. Daily Star
Wolfsburg forward Ivica Olic has emerged as a surprise target for Stoke City. The 34-year-old Croatia international, out of contract next summer, is also being chased by Hamburg. Talkshit
Arsenal have been scouting Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa, 25, but remain doubtful about their prospects of signing him in January. Daily Telegraph
Manchester United face a battle with Arsenal to land Basel defender Fabian Schar, 21. Daily Star
Liverpool and Manchester United must meet Ivan Rakitic's release clause of £33m if they are to sign the 25-year-old Sevilla midfielder. Daily Express
Tottenham have been dealt a double blow after former Netherlands manager Guus Hiddink and current Ajax boss Frank De Boer both turned down the chance to take over at White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror
Andre Villas-Boas has been approached by AC Milan to become their new coach despite his sacking by Tottenham Hotspur. Times
Brendan Rodgers believes he had a "close shave" by rejecting Tottenham and claimed the club's revolving-door policy with managers made Liverpool a more attractive proposition. Daily Express
Ex-Manchester United striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ready to open talks with West Bromwich Albion about becoming their new head coach after he turned down the chance to manage Legia Warsaw in Poland. Daily Mirror
However, it is claimed the Baggies are unlikely to move for Molde boss Solskjaer and have also ruled out Argentine Mauricio Pellegrino. Express & Star
Everton will turn to the loan market in January for a midfielder and striker to boost their Champions League hopes after injuries to Arouna Kone, Darron Gibson and Gerard Deulofeu. Liverpool Echo
Rafael Da Silva, 23, seriously considered defecting from Brazil to play for England before the controversial "nationality" debate exploded around Adnan Januzaj, his Manchester United team-mate. Times
Alex Ferguson beat his previous mark on ITV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? to secure £50,000 for the Manchester United Foundation. DSSC
Birmingham City fans are in uproar after the new Library of Birmingham in Centenary Square was lit up in the claret and blue colours of arch-rivals Aston Villa. Express & Star
Brazil Under-17s were so incensed by a referee's decision to send one of their players off against the United States that they completely stopped playing. Daily Mirror