De Rossi ready to reject Manchester City and Chelsea
Daniele De Rossi will snub interest from Manchester City and Chelsea if he decides to leave Roma, according to sources in Italy.
The future of the Italy star has come under much scrutiny in recent months, with several reports suggesting he has failed to see eye to eye with Roma boss Zdenek Zeman.
De Rossi, 29, inked a new deal at the Stadio Olimpico in February but that has failed to deter the likes of City, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain from monitoring his availability.
Should the midfielder leave his boyhood club, it is believed he will reject offers from the Premier League to go Paris or Madrid.
The 29-year-old is thought to be tempted to go to PSG by the number of former Serie A players within their ranks - Thiago Silva, Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Ezequiel Lavezzi all moved to France from Italy - and the presence of former Juventus and AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti in the dugout.
Man United and Man City target to sign long-term deal at Malaga
Malaga insist highly-coveted youngster Isco, who is wanted by Manchester United and Manchester City, is on course to sign a new long-term deal at the Spanish club.
Liverpool, Arsenal and Tottenham have also been keeping tabs on the 20-year-old, who has shot to stardom since joining Malaga last year.
The Spain Under-21 international has sparkled during his debut campaign in the Champions League this season and Malaga sporting director Mario Husillos feels the player is keen to continue his progress in Spain.
Speaking to Malaga Hoy, Husillos said: "Talks for renewal [of his contract] are still on track.
"The boy wants to stay at the club because it is clear that this is best for his development. Isco is intelligent and young and hasn't played that many La Liga matches."
Husillos also believes Isco will be more likely to move to Barcelona or Real Madrid than the Premier League if he leaves Malaga.
He added: "He will soon be in the Spanish national team and that will be the ideal time to exit. If in two or three years Real Madrid or Barcelona show their interest we will all understand that this is a step forward."
£17m Manchester City target could spell end for Scott Sinclair
Manchester City have identified Malaga playmaker Isco as the summer transfer priority, which could lead to Scott Sinclair leaving the club, according to the Daily Telegraph.
The former-Swansea winger signed for Manchester City this summer as a direct replacement for Sunderland-bound Adam Johnson, who left the Premier League champions in an effort to secure regular football.
But Sinclair has struggled to make an impression on the City first-team - his contribution totalling just 15 on-pitch minutes in the past two months.
The report claims City's interest in Isco is growing, with Roberto Mancini and director of football Txiki Begiristain both watching the 20-year-old in action for Malaga this season.
The young attacking midfielder has a £17m release clause, and while City are unlikely to move in January, Mancini could agree a deal to bring the Spanish under-21 international to the Etihad Stadium next season.
And City assistant manager David Platt revealed Mancini's 'door is open' for Sinclair if he wants to get first-team football elsewhere.
"When a player comes to this club, they are going to have to accept they are not going to play week in and week out," Platt said.
"Some will play more than others, but when we spoke to Scott, he knew what he was coming into and that it was a big, big squad.
"The manager's door is always open to any player if they feel they want to go and play, like Adam [Johnson] did, but Scott seems happy and hasn't made any noises about that."
Inter Milan club president Massimo Moratti says the club have no interest in re-signing Mario Balotelli, 22, from Manchester City in the January transfer window. Link: Gazzetta dello Sport (in Italian) http://www.gazzetta.it/Calcio/Squadre/I ... 0261.shtml
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini: 'Mario Balotelli will not be sold'
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has insisted that controversial striker Mario Balotelli will not be sold in the January transfer window.
Rumours of a possible exit from the Etihad Stadium for the Italy international emerged in recent weeks after he was excluded on a number of occasions from the first-team squad.
Despite his previous snubs, Balotelli was included in last night's clash against Wigan Athletic and inspired his side to a 2-0 victory.
"No, no, we are not looking to sell Mario," Mancini told The Mirror. "I'm very happy for him because he scored his first goal this season, and I hope he can improve on this.
"He's one of the four strikers, and it's clear they have had some difficulty to score lots of goals like last year, but if we keep working hard we can change that."
City currently sit second in the Premier League table, one point adrift of Manchester United.
MANCHESTER TITLE RACE
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[/spoiler]Ballon d'Or Bollíx.
Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Andres Iniesta have been named on a three-man shortlist for this year's Ballon d'Or prize, Fifa has announced.
Messi, 25, has scored 82 goals this calendar year - just three short of the record set by Gerd Mueller in 1972.
Real Madrid's former Manchester United player Ronaldo also makes the list, along with Barcelona's Iniesta.
Pep Guardiola, Vicente del Bosque and Jose Mourinho are shortlisted for coach of the year.
Manchester United's Wayne Rooney, Britain's sole representative on the initial 23-man list, failed to make it through. His Old Trafford team-mate Robin van Persie also missed the cut, as did Manchester City trio Sergio Aguero, Mario Balotelli and Yaya Toure.
After 50 goals last season in La Liga - including breaking Barcelona's 60-year-old goal-scoring record with a hat-trick in a 5-3 win over Granada in March - Messi is expected to win Fifa's player of the year award for the fourth successive year.
Ronaldo, who won it in 2008, provides strong competition after playing a key role as Real Madrid edged arch-rivals Barca to the Spanish title.
The Portuguese scored 60 goals in all competitions in the 2011-12 season as Mourinho's side also reached the last four of the Champions League before being knocked out by Bayern Munich.
He already has 19 to his name so far this term.
Iniesta, a team-mate of Messi's at Barcelona, was named as the tournament's best player as Spain won Euro 2012.
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BBC African Footballer of the Year 2012 shortlist revealed
The five candidates for the BBC African Footballer of the Year 2012 award have been revealed.
The results of this vote will be announced here on the 17th December 2012.
It has been an outstanding year for all the nominees, with four of the players winning silverware.
Drogba could not have bid a better farewell to Chelsea at the end of the season after scoring the winning penalty to clinch the Champions League trophy for the first time in the club's history, and also scoring what proved to be the winning goal in the FA Cup final. His Ivorian compatriot, Toure, was a key player for Manchester City as the Sky Blues were crowned Premier League champions for the first time - and their first top-flight title for 44 years.
A domestic title was also earned by Belhanda, whose 12 goals and all-round performances were a huge factor as Montpellier pulled off a major surprise to win the French Ligue 1 championship.
2012 AWARD NOMINEES
Demba Ba profile
Younes Belhanda profile
Didier Drogba profile
Christopher Katongo profile
Yaya Toure profile
On the international scene there was yet another first as Katongo led from the front for Zambia, skippering them to a shock victory in the Africa Cup of Nations, where Chipolopolo beat Ivory Coast on penalties in the final.
Ba fared less well at the Nations Cup, with Senegal going out of the competition at the group stage, but he enjoyed personal success with Newcastle where he ended last season as the club's top scorer with 17 goals, helping them to finish fifth in the table.
Previous winners of BBC African Footballer of the Year award:
2011 - Andre 'Dede' Ayew (Marseille & Ghana)
2010 - Asamoah Gyan (Sunderland & Ghana)
2009 - Didier Drogba (Chelsea & Ivory Coast)
2008 - Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2007 - Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal & Togo)
2006 - Michael Essien (Chelsea & Ghana)
2005 - Mohamed Barakat (Al Ahly & Egypt)
2004 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2003 - Jay Jay Okocha (Bolton & Nigeria)
2002 - El Hadji Diouf (Liverpool & Senegal)
2001 - Sammy Kuffour (Bayern Munich & Ghana)
2000 - Patrick Mboma (Parma & Cameroon)
Liverpool are keen to re-sign Thomas Ince from Blackpool in a £6m move. The Reds sold Ince, 20, to Blackpool just 18 months ago for £250,000. Daily Mirror
Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway has criticised Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger after he admitted his interest in England new boy Wilfried Zaha, 20. Sun
Midfielder Wesley Sneijder has admitted he does not know if he will stay at Inter Milan due to a contract dispute. The 28-year-old Dutch star has been linked with moves to Manchester United, Schalke and Russian side Anzhi. Metro
Manchester United could make a move for Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 24, who is reportedly considering his future at Real Madrid after losing his place to Luka Modric. Sun.
New QPR manager Harry Redknapp is considering making a January move for out-of-favour Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 28. Daily Mirror
Chelsea are lining up a move for Bayern Munich's 28-year-old striker Mario Gomez as owner Roman Abramovich looks to strengthen Rafa Benitez's squad in January. Caught Offside
Benitez is also keen to bring in German forward Andre Schurrle, 22, from Bayer Leverkusen. The German international was also a target for Benitez's predecessor at Stamford Bridge, Roberto Di Matteo. Daily Mirror
Brazilian full-back Wallace, 18, claims he will move to Chelsea from Fluminense either in January or in next summer's transfer window. skysports.com
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas says that Jermain Defoe is not for sale after rumours claimed Harry Redknapp was keen to link up with the 30-year-old striker at QPR. Metro
Manchester United are keen on Chelsea's teenage midfielder Conor Hunte. The 16-year-old is yet to sign a professional contract at Stamford Bridge and has already attracted interest from Manchester City and Liverpool. DSSC
Former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady is ready to quit Spartak Moscow when the transfer window opens, with Fulham leading the chase for the £6m-rated Glasgow-born Republic of Ireland international. The Sun
Huddersfield Town and Sheffield United are poised to battle it out with Rangers, whose signing ban ends in September, to sign Motherwell forward Jamie Murphy when his contract ends in the summer. The Sun
Goalkeeper Mark Brown has agreed a contract extension with Ross County until the end of the season. Daily Express
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is understood to be in negotiations with Scottish Third Division side Rangers for naming rights to the Ibrox Stadium. The ground will be renamed the Sports Direct Arena if the deal goes through. DSSC
Harry Redknapp is to give Rob Green, 32, another chance to establish himself as QPR's first-choice goalkeeper following an injury to 33-year-old team-mate Julio Cesar. Daily Mirror
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers insists that Steven Gerrard has not been told to curb his attacking instincts this season, and that the 32-year-old is just as effective as ever. Liverpool Echo
Arsenal's Emmanuel Frimpong, 20, can join Ghana's bid to qualify for the 2014 World Cup finals after Fifa switched his national eligibility from England. DSSC
The prospect of Joe Jordan becoming the new Scotland manager look set to diminish today, when he is expected to sign a contract to become first-team coach at Queens Park Rangers and renew his partnership with manager Harry Redknapp. The Scotsman
Scotland will today table two bids to host Euro 2020 - one as co-hosts with Ireland and Wales and the other as part of Uefa president Michel Platini's vision to involve 13 different European cities. The Sun
London-based liquidator BDO has officially launched a full-scale probe into the circumstances surrounding the collapse of Rangers and it could lead to criminal prosecutions and legal cases worth tens of millions of pounds. Daily Record
Tottenham's Emmanuel Adebayor, 28, has threatened to quit playing for Togo if the country's football federation refuses to pay the players the money it owes them. skysports.com
Conference sponsors Blue Square Bet will give non-League club Hereford United £500 for every fan who finds the top corner of the net in a recreation of Ronnie Radford's 1972 FA Cup goal against Newcastle at Edgar Street on Friday. DSSC
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