VINCENT KOMPANY is set to reject a shock move to Barcelona and pledge his long-term future to champions Manchester City.
Kompany has emerged as one of the best defenders in the world after leading City to the Premier League title this season.
New Barca boss Tito Vilanova has made the Belgium international one of his top targets this summer.
Vilanova sees the City skipper as the perfect replacement for Carles Puyol, 34, who is approaching the end of his glittering career at the Nou Camp.
Starsport understands the Spanish giants have sounded out Kompany about a possible move to La Liga and promised him a long-term deal worth around £160,000 a week.
But it is understood the 26-year-old ace has no intention of leaving the Etihad Stadium and wants to stay and lead the club to more silverware.
Boss Roberto Mancini is aware of the interest in his captain, who cost £6m from Hamburg in 2008, and has urged his billionaire bosses to tie him down to a new and improved contract.
AC Milan, Juventus and Bayern Munich are also keen on Kompany and the Blues are expected to move quickly to secure his long-term future.
Mancini is expected to make several summer signings and aims to land the Champions League next season.
Kompany said: “I’m happy in Manchester. People talk about me moving, but what interests me is Manchester City. We can’t stop with the title, we want to win the Champions League.
Meanwhile, the FA have revealed City striker Carlos Tevez escaped a red card for his role in the violent incidents involving Joey Barton on the final day of the season.
Shamed QPR midfielder Barton was shown a red card for elbowing Tevez in the face and was subsequently hit with a 12-game ban after being found guilty of two more counts of violent conduct.
But the FA’s commission insists Tevez instigated the incident by striking Barton first and would have been sent off had referee Mike Dean seen it.
An FA report says the commission questioned Dean about the incident.
The report added: “It was confirmed that neither the referee nor the assistant saw the alleged incident of Mr Tevez striking Mr Barton, although Mr Barton immediately made representations to Mr Dean.
“That is what happened and such comments by Mr Barton can be clearly seen in the video.
“The commission accept that Mr Barton was aggrieved by the action of Mr Tevez and Mr Dean confirmed that had
the incident been seen by the officials, as shown by the clip supplied by Mr Barton, it would have been an automatic red card.” Star
Arsenal Consider Move for Man City Midfielder as Yann M’Vila Chase Goes Cold
Etihad Stadium ‘enforcer’ on Emirates Stadium radar.
Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to mount a bid for Man City midfielder Nigel De Jong as he looks to add more steel to his Arsenal squad having seemingly opted to give up on landing long term target Yann M’Vila. The young Rennes man had seemed likely to make a move to the Emirates Stadium but wage demands and an inflated asking price have scared off the North London side who are now planning a move for the Dutch international.
Wenger is keen to bring in further defensive midfield options in order to help protect his more creative talents, a need that seems all the more urgent given the lengthy injury lay-offs the likes of Jack Wilshere, Aaron Ramsey and Mikel Arteta have all suffered in recent seasons.
27 year old Man City man De Jong found himself out of favour with Roberto Mancini over the last campaign with the Italian opting for a more attacking formation which left the former Ajax and Hamburg man making just 11 starts compared to the 30 Premier League starts in 2010/11.
Given that Arsenal have sold a number of players to Man City in recent seasons; with Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy all moving to the Etihad Stadium, perhaps Wenger is hoping for the title holders to return thef favour though Roberto Mancini may be loathed to sell a player to a rival Premier League side.
Mark Hughes brought the Amsterdam born midfielder to Man City in January 2009 but it may take a fee less than to lure the player to Arsenal.
Arsene Wenger has seen midfielder Alex Song evolve into a more rounded performer over the past 12 months, with the Cameroon international becoming a more attacking influence, as proven by the fact that the Arsenal man finished the last campaign as one of the most prolific assist makers in the Premier League. This fact coupled with the belief that youngster Emmanuel Frimpong is still too raw for a regular first team spot may have led the Gunners boss to the conclusion he needs some added bite in his midfield which leads him to express an interest in the experienced World Cup Runner-Up.
I'm Eden to Chelsea! Blues beat City and United in race to sign £32m
Eden Hazard revealed on Monday night he would be joining Chelsea in a £32million deal - a massive statement of intent by the European champions.
Hazard announced on Twitter that he would be signing for Chelsea after weeks of talks with them, Manchester United and Manchester City.
The Lille playmaker, one of the most coveted players in Europe, will sign a five-year deal at Stamford Bridge once details have been finalised.
It is an amazing coup for Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who has not even appointed a manager for next season but is intent on rebuilding a team that finished only sixth in the Barclays Premier League.
The deal is a clear indication that the west Londoners will challenge the might of the Manchester clubs, especially newly-crowned champions City and their Abu Dhabi owners.
Hazard, 21, is with the Belgium squad preparing for Saturday's friendly against England at Wembley. City pulled out of the deal for Hazard last week because of his incredible salary demands, which are close to £200,000 a week, and his agent John Bico's demands for £6m.
However, Chelsea are understood to have reached a compromise agreement with his representative.
Hazard will play in a new-look Chelsea attack that is purpose built by Abramovich for the next manager.
Juan Mata, Germany international Marko Marin, who will also be coming to Stamford Bridge from Werder Bremen in a £6m deal, and Hazard are being primed for the three advanced midfield positions to provide the ammunition for Fernando Torres.
Hazard came to prominence with Lille during their 2010-11 title-winning season and has just been named Player of the Year in France for the second successive season.
In an attempt to lure Hazard to Old Trafford, Sir Alex Ferguson, who will now step up his attempts to sign Shinji Kagawa from Borussia Dortmund, had offered him the famous No 7 shirt vacated by Michael Owen.
Instead the Belgian has been persuaded by Abramovich that his future lies at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea's owner wants to reestablish them as the best team in the country and this is part of his plan to create one of the most attacking teams in Europe.
MCF.NET THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=42613&start=525
Who Are Manchester City’s Hazard Alternatives?
Yesterday there was confirmation of sorts that the Belgian superstar-in-waiting Eden Hazard had plumped for the Bridge.
Yet at one stage Manchester City appeared to be home and dry with the signing of the sensationally gifted youngster. Thirty-two million. In the bag. That was until Didier Drogba slotted away the deciding pen in the Allianz Arena and made Chelsea serious contenders in one of the most fiercely fought transfer battles in recent years.
Worse yet for the northern blues the firm and admirable stance they took with the player during negotiations – outright dismissing his agent’s demand for four million and baulking at the £200,000 wages – will have presumably only benefitted their London rivals.
Like jilted lovers City must now take stock and remind themselves that there are plenty more fish in the sea. And cast out their lines they must because with Adam Johnson an erratic source of width their reliance on Nasri and Silva for creativity means a player in the Hazard mould – pace, flair, and the ability to produce the unexpected – is a necessity prior to a second assault on Europe.
Mario Gotze – Dortmund have no intention of selling their prized asset and with a second consecutive Bundesliga in the bag they’re in a strong position to treat any approach with Germanic disdain. Furthermore the exciting 19 year old talent appears to have no inclination to leave and indeed surprised those who expected a big-money move this summer by signing a contract extension in March that ties him to the club until 2016. After committing his future to Die Borussen he said “Everyone knows how comfortable I feel in Dortmund. The club are far from finished with their recent resurgence. And I want to be part of this development”. Hardly the words of a lad agitating for a move.
However, with the recruitment of Marco Reus from Monchengladbach the title winners do now possess a player in a similar vein to Gotze and may be more inclined to consider a huge offer.
City also have a potentially useful bargaining chip in the shape of Edin Dzeko particularly if Lewandowski moves on as anticipated leaving Dortmund in need of a top class finisher.
Angel Di Maria – If you believed all the rumours you’d think that the slightly-built Argentine was eternally at war with Mourinho and always just a window away from a Bernabau exit. The facts however contradict this. The Special One gave his winger 23 starts last term in La Liga alone and clearly values a surprising work and team ethic from someone whose game is largely based on flair. According to various reports he has personally intervened in a long-standing dispute between club and player over a pay rise and instructed his board to resolve it at any cost. With Real in the process of becoming top dogs in Spain once again what Mourinho wants Mourinho gets and – to my mind at least – it is extremely doubtful that we’ll see El Angelito displaying his tricks and pinpoint deliveries anywhere but the Bernabau next season.
Should City make a move though a fee in excess of £35m is a given as too will be the retaining of Edin Dzeko in their ranks to capitalise on the aerial assists.
Gareth Bale – A long-mooted switch that’s had all kinds of silly figures attached to it there is no question that should City receive the slightest encouragement they would doggedly pursue the possibility of landing Bale. However the old adage about domestic talent costing more can be applied ten-fold here especially with the prospect of Redknapp ramping up the figures during his daily Sky briefings. For a realistic fee to be even remotely feasible it may require the player himself to engineer proceedings. The Welshman though, to his enormous credit, has none of the self-promoting arrogance of Eden Hazard and is unlikely to publicly rock the boat.
Younes Belhanda – Reports vary enormously on the Montpellier schemer who is still flying high from his club’s shock Ligue 1 triumph over moneybags PSG. Some suggest he is a bargain Hazard, a late-blooming Pires in the making capable of great things. Others insist he is a glorified Taraabt, over-hyped due to his side’s fantastic campaign.
Certainly his playing style is an attraction for City with his comfort on either flank and the ability to drift into dangerous areas and produce the fantastical.
Should a firm bid be made however reports in the region of ten million appear way short with Montpellier now in a position to insist on double-or-nothing that figure.
Lucas Moura – The latest Brazilian superstar from a nation who seem to knock them out with annoying ease. Not only would a move for the Sao Paulo teenager be doomed to failure but it would also amount to an expensive tit-for-tat with Chelsea for missing out on Hazard.
The player’s influential agent, Wagner Ribeiro – who also represents Neymar and was instrumental in Robinho’s headline-grabbing switch to Eastlands – has insisted that his twinkle-toed prodigy is going nowhere until after the World Cup in 2014 and it seems even then Chelsea have first dibs on securing his explosive talent.
As a pertinent aside City appear to have a once-bitten-twice-shy approach to signing Brazilian players and much prefer to concentrate their attentions on neighbouring Argentina. Moura is undoubtedly a sublime prospect but is also a high-risk gamble – would City be prepared to take such a FFP-ruining punt?
Iker Muniain – To the best of our knowledge the Athletic Bilbao teen has not been linked to City in any quarters but certainly has the qualities they are seeking. Dubbed the ‘Spanish Messi’ his lightning footwork and impressive footballing intelligence makes him an attractive proposition for any side who value possession-led intricate build-up play whilst his searing pace makes him a threat on the counter.
Ezequiel Lavezzi – The break up of the exhilarating Napoli front three will be a personal sadness for many who enjoyed their explosive devastation of the best defences around last season but alas it seems inevitable. The smart money at present is on Cavani heading to the Etihad with the Argentine Lavezzi moving to PSG. The loss of Hazard however may well change matters. The 27 year old is a snorting raging bull of a player – a Tevez with pace – who would slot seamlessly into City’s set-up and instantly provide direct pace and energy into wide areas. With a reputed £26m buy-out and a public declaration of wishing to leave Naples don’t rule out the possibility of an all-Argentine attack at City next term. The sole concern would be the player’s lack of goals.
Lucas Ocampos – The step-over king of River Plate, or should that be step-over prince as Ocampus doesn’t even turn 18 until July. Has reportedly been on City’s radar for several months but surely would be one for the near future rather than the present even if a £15m move does occur. With comparisons to Ronaldo – based upon not only his blistering talent but an imposing physique for one so young – perhaps this is a wise strategy for a club no doubt brooding over missing out on their number one summer target: if you’re spurned by one amazing prospect simply buy the next one in the making.
Bayern buying a winner: Edin Dzeko will leave City as a champion
Bayern Munich, who Chelsea beat in the Champions League final, have reacted to an agonising end to their season by moving for Edin Dzeko and vowing to compete with City for Javi Martinez.
Bayern officials initially distanced themselves from Dzeko, after Sportsmail exclusively revealed in March that City manager Roberto Mancini had decided to offload the former Wolfsburg striker at the end of the season.
They have had a change of heart, though, after deciding they need another proven finisher.
With the Bosnia striker recently accepting that his days at City were numbered, a return to the Bundesliga looks certain, provided Bayern can come close to matching a likely £20million-plus asking price.
Finance is unlikely to prove a stumbling block, after a clear signal that Bayern are ready to spend lavishly to reclaim their place at the top of German football. Sporting director Christian Nerlinger attended Friday night's Spanish Cup final in Madrid to check on the form of Martinez.
Silva rues Spain's Villa loss
Barcelona marksman misses Euro 2012 with broken leg
Manchester City winger David Silva has predicted winning Euro 2012 without their record scorer David Villa will be difficult.
Villa, who is Spain's all-time record scorer, has 51 goals from 82 games but will miss the tournament after failing to recover from a broken leg he sustained in December.
"It is a new situation for us," Silva told Marca. "The truth is I don't know what life for the national team will be like without Villa.
"Hopefully it will be the same but 'El Guaje' is a very important player for us, he is pure goal. We are going to miss him both on and off the pitch."
Spain are bidding to become the first country to win three international trophies in a row following success at the 2008 European Champions and 2010 World Cup.
Silva, who played with Villa at Valencia, added: "We can always dream about it, of course, but we have to be conscious that other teams are equally strong. It can happen, but nobody should think it will be easy."
SAMIR NASRI FEARS FRENCH FARCE
We struggled to have enough cover in midfield Samir Nasri
SAMIR NASRI last night warned France that England will sink them without trace at Euro 2012 unless they sort out their midfield.
Laurent Blanc’s side face the Three Lions in the opening Group D clash in Donetsk on June 11.
France warmed up by going 2-0 down at home to minnows Iceland on Sunday.
They only spared their blushes with a late fightback to win 3-2.
And Manchester City midfielder Nasri admitted: “We leave ourselves exposed a lot with the system we have. We struggled to have enough cover in midfield.
“Our opponents found gaps to get through. We need to find the right balance if we line up the same way.
“That’s because once the Euros get under way it will be difficult for us to come back if we start a game the way we did against Iceland.”
Nasri has just won the Premier League title with City and earned his 29th cap against Iceland. But he conceded Les Bleus looked tired in the heat of Valenciennes.
“We made a dodgy start to the game,” the 24-year-old star said.
“We were heavy-legged after a week of training and the temperature weighed down on us too.
“But we felt better as the game went on and we showed our character. It was important to win.
“At half-time the coach told us to get a quick goal and said if we could do so, we would win 3-2.
“We knew this was a warm-up game with consequences for the matches to come and we showed our mental strength.”
WAG OF THE DAY
The British model and actress, Lauren Pope, is known for her Page 3 appearances and for being on the features of popular lads’ magazines like Playboy, FHM, etc.
She has had the honor to dance with Prince Henry of Wales and also to have dated Spurs striker Peter Crouch before he hooked up with Abigail Clancy.
She has also been on reality shows and runs her own brand of hair extensions and is still aledgedly still dating the Ex City striker Shauny Wright Wright Wright
[spoiler]
[/spoiler]OTHER BOLLOX
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich landed Lille winger Eden Hazard, 21, by agreeing a £32m, five-year deal worth £4.8m a season to the Belgian playmaker. Daily Mirror
AC Milan are trying to force down the price of Liverpool's 27-year-old midfielder Alberto Aquilani. talkShit
Barcelona have made an enquiry for 28-year-old Branislav Ivanovic as competition hots up for Chelsea's defender. Daily Mail
Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to mount a bid for Man City midfielder Nigel De Jong, 27, as he looks to add more steel to his Arsenal squad. Caught offside
Long-term Arsenal target Mathieu Valbuena, 27, will not leave Marseille this summer, he has confirmed. talkShit
Newcastle United want to continue their French revolution with a deal for Lille full-back Mathieu Debuchy, 26, after watching him star against Iceland over the weekend. Metro
Reading, Southampton and West Ham are on alert as Yakubu, 29, vows to leave Blackburn. Daily Mail
Salomon Kalou, 26, is set to leave English football and sign for Germany's Schalke now his Chelsea contract has expired. Daily Mirror
Louis van Gaal believes that Liverpool will make an official announcement of his appointment at the club by the end of the week, despite the Reds' ongoing talks with Wigan's Roberto Martinez. Metro
Liverpool's owners are due in England on Tuesday to advance their search for a new manager and, according to the Wigan Athletic chairman, Dave Whelan, will have only 48 hours to decide whether Roberto Martínez is the man to succeed the sacked Kenny Dalglish. the Guardian
Tottenham Hotspur have identified former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas as a potential replacement for manager Harry Redknapp. Caught offside
Laurent Blanc admits his France side are not physically ready to face England on 11 June after they had to come back from 2-0 down to beat Iceland. Daily Mirror
John Fashanu insists Uefa aren't serious enough about racism and insists he would find it "impossible" to watch England play in Ukraine this summer. talkShit
Chelsea-bound Eden Hazard, 21, was once caught on camera eating a burger outside the stadium where a Belgium match in which he'd been substituted was still going on. Daily Mirror
Fulham's Norway defender Brede Hangeland, 30, says England's players are too worn out after a long season to make an impact at Euro 2012. Daily Star
Scott Parker, 31, has spoken of his relief at being fit for England's Euro 2012 campaign after experiencing the disappointment of Tottenham missing out on the Champions League. Daily Mail
Frank Lampard, 33, is facing frustration at Euro 2012 after England manager Roy Hodgson decided on a first-choice central midfield of Steven Gerrard and Scott Parker. Daily Star
Former Arsenal and Tottenham defender Sol Campbell has warned England fans not to travel to Euro 2012 because they "could end up coming back in a coffin". Daily Mail
Tottenham's Mexican international Giovani Dos Santos, 23, may ask for a move unless he gets assurances he still has a role at White Hart Lane. Daily Mirror
Liverpool will hold talks with Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers as they seek to end their search for Kenny Dalglish's successor. Daily Star
Wigan owner Dave Whelan is ready to meet manager Roberto Martinez's "terms" in a bid to stop him joining Liverpool or Aston Villa. Daily Mirror
The Latics are expected to hold a press conference this week in which Martinez is likely to announce whether he will stay at the club. Guardian
Zimbabwea president Robert Mugabe revealed he is a Chelsea supporter just days after the Blues won the Champions League with victory over Bayern Munich. Metro
more bollox later ...
