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Juventus target £7.5m move for Man City defender
Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov is a transfer target for Juventus, according to reports in Italy.
The Serbian full-back has started just six Premier League games so far this season, with summer arrival Gael Clichy the first-choice under Roberto Mancini.
And that has led to interest from around Europe, with the website Calciomercato reporting that Juventus have jumped to the head of the queue for his signature.
According to the report, the Serie A leaders would be willing to pay around £7.5m for the 26-year-old, whose contract runs until 2015.
TALKshite
John O'Neill confirms Man City approach
John O'Neill has confirmed speculation he was approached by English Premier League giants Manchester City but is adamant he remains fully committed to the Australian rugby cause.
The ARU boss was approached by City officials during the recent Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and had a series of discussions with club directors followed by an interview with chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak in December.
O'Neill, who is contracted to the ARU until the end of 2013, was eventually beaten to the position by former Barcelona general manager Ferran Soriano.
But while the former FFA chief admitted he had a 'conversation' with arguably the richest sporting club in the world, the veteran administrator was adamant he wasn't going anywhere.
"The answer to that is yes, I am committed to completing my contract at the ARU," O'Neill said at the official Super Rugby season launch in Sydney on Thursday.
"I mean employment contracts have an employer and an employee who both have rights and obligations."
"Look, in life, and you sort of hope it never stops, you do get phone calls and you do get approaches, it's the nature of the industry."
"I've had plenty of approaches and some of which you don't take any further and some of which you have a further discussion to get more information."
"And when you get phoned about an English Premier League club like Manchester City, which I was phoned about, it's not anything other than a normal business reaction to say 'well what's all this about?'"
"It's water under the bridge, it didn't go anywhere, but there's no harm in having a conversation."
VINCENT KOMPANY: MANCHESTER CITY CAN WIN FIVE TITLES
VINCENT KOMPANY believes Manchester City have the resources and potential to create Premier League history by winning four or five titles in succession.
Manchester City are favourites for their first championship since 1967-68 after leading the table since October 15 but skipper Kompany insists he will not settle for just being top in May.
He wants them to beat the record of three titles in a row shared by Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Huddersfield and said: “I can’t take satisfaction out of winning only one title. With the team and the potential we have at this club, I’d like to see us winning four or five titles in succession – being relentless, in fact.”
Spurs overtake City in money league but have ground for concerns
Tottenham's first season in the Champions League drove a dramatic increase in revenue that lifted them above Manchester City – the club they edged out of fourth spot in the Premier League two years ago – in the latest Deloitte European Football Money League. But the report also highlights the need for Spurs, Liverpool and Chelsea to resolve their stadium issues if they are to keep pace financially with the Manchester clubs and Arsenal.
Tottenham's run last year to the last eight of the Champions League helped boost their revenue by 36 per cent to a record £163.5m and their matchday revenue by 18 per cent. But at £47.9m it remains around half of the totals raised by Arsenal and Manchester United. Chelsea took £67.5m on matchdays and Liverpool £40.9m. Manchester City's was only £26.6m for the 2010-11 season but that will grow rapidly with Champions League football this season.
Like United and Arsenal, City have the security (aside from the small matter of a Qatari fortune) of having a ground ready for the future, unlike Tottenham, Liverpool and Chelsea. "[Resolving their ground issues] is hugely important," said Dan Jones, the editor of the report. "If you look at the relativities of different clubs, you can clearly see the advantage Manchester United and Arsenal are reaping from the investment they have made in their stadia, versus Chelsea, Liverpool and Tottenham, who are all capacity-restrained by where they are. It's no surprise they are looking carefully at their stadium options."
The table also underlines the importance of reaching the Champions League for those trying to close the gap on the top six in Europe, which remained the same for the fourth year in succession with Real Madrid and Barcelona leading Manchester United.
"Champions League qualification is the great differentiator," said Jones. "The benefits are pretty clear. Despite the growth of Manchester City, Tottenham managing to leapfrog them will probably surprise people. It is not the whole cake but it is a very, very significant icing on the top. Next season expect to see City in the top 10 and that will be in large part due to Champions League qualification."
Money league table
Rank/Club/Revenue (£m)
1 (1) Real Madrid 433.0
2 (2) Barcelona 407.0
3 (3) Manchester Utd 331.4
4 (4) Bayern Munich 290.3
5 (5) Arsenal 226.8
6 (6) Chelsea 225.6
7 (7) Milan 212.3
8 (9) Internazionale 190.9
9 (8) Liverpool 183.6
10 (16) Schalke 04 182.8
11 (12) Tottenham H 163.5
12 (11) Manchester City 153.2
13 (10) Juventus 139.0
14 (15) Marseilles 135.8
15 (18) Roma 129.6
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OTHER BOLLOX
Harry Redknapp will be offered the England job - but on the FA's terms. "The FA will tell Redknapp they want him to lead a coaching set-up with staff they have already picked as part of an England revolution". Daily Mirror
Tottenham are braced for an approach from England for Harry Redknapp but are desperate to hang on to their manager until the end of the season. Goal.com
Stuart Pearce and Trevor Brooking will team up as caretaker bosses for England's friendly against the Netherlands at Wembley on 29 February. Daily Mail
Barcelona are looking at ways of raising cash to fund a massive summer bid for Tottenham's £50m-rated winger Gareth Bale, 22. Daily Express
Barca are not prepared to pay more than £35m and Bale wants to stay at Spurs rather than make the move Daily Mirror
Chelsea are believed to be lining up a £50m swoop for 25-year-old Atletico Madrid striker Falcao. Daily Star
Liverpool are keen on Barcelona's Seydou Keita. The £2m-rated midfielder, 32, currently playing for Mali in the African Nations Cup, has been frozen out at the Nou Camp. the Sun
Bolton manager Owen Coyle is believed to have issued a "come and get them" invitation to Championship clubs for some of their out-of-favour stars. Bolton News
Falcao has made 32 appearances for Colombia
Hamburg hope to tempt 22-year-old midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson back to Germany when his loan deal at Swansea expires at the end of the season. talkShite
Former Blackburn captain Garry Flitcroft insists Rovers must resolve their differences with wantaway defender Chris Samba, 27, immediately or face a daunting task in avoiding Premier League relegation. Lancashire Telegraph
Several top clubs are already lining up to sign Blackburn's highly-rated 21-year-old striker Junior Hoilett, who could leave the club for a bargain price when his contract expires in the summer. Metro
Striker Dimitar Berbatov, 31, expects to remain at Manchester United beyond this season but has reiterated his disenchantment at his lack of playing time at Old Trafford. Manchester Evening News
Arsenal striker Andrey Arshavin, 30, is holding on for a summer move back to former club Zenit St Petersburg rather than move to Anzhi Makhachkala over the next three weeks while the Russian transfer window remains open. Daily Mirror
Anderlecht's 26-year-old striker Dieumerci Mbokani is being targeted by Liverpool. The 26-year-old's agent has also admitted that his client is being scouted by English clubs and could move abroad. Inside Futbol
Jose Mourinho will not leave Real Madrid at the end of the season, according to midfielder Jose Callejon, 24. talkShite
Aston Villa manager Alex McLeish is hoping to convince 25-year-old striker Gabriel Agbonlahor about the benefits of yoga - using Ryan Giggs as the prime example. Birmingham Mail
West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison, 19, looks set to be hauled in front of senior Hammers staff to explain comments he made on Twitter. Daily Mail
Former Norwich City winger Adrian Forbes, 33, believes the Canaries have bagged themselves a bargain in the form of transfer deadline day signing Ryan Bennett. Eastern Daily Press
Everton fan group 'Trust Everton' has launched a plan to buy the club's £15m Finch Farm training ground. Liverpool Echo
Mourinho joined Real Madrid from Inter in 2010
Blackburn are believed to have have cancelled a visit from the Indian national team due to fresh fears over the future of boss Steve Kean. Daily Star
French winger Sylvain Marveaux, 25, has admitted his season could already be over with Newcastle.
Newcastle Chronicle
Swansea's 29-year-old midfielder Ferrie Bodde faces a fight to save his career after news that he has suffered a third cruciate ligament injury which will rule him out until next season. South Wales Evening Post
The Brazilian club Corinthians are keeping their striker Adriano "detained" inside the team's hotel in an effort to force him to lose weight. Guardian
Manager Alex McLeish has urged French winger Charles N'Zogbia, 25, to do his talking on the pitch for Aston Villa rather than on Twitter. Express & Star
The now world famous 'Anfield cat' may have found a home after a former Liverpool steward came forward claiming he was a local stray - and he's named after manager Kenny Dalglish. Metro
more B*ll*x later ...
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