TheDailySoccerNews.com

Manchester City defender Jerome Boateng says he has agreed a four-year deal with Bayern Munich, pending approval from Eastlands.

The 22-year-old arrived from Hamburg in 2010 but after failing to win a regular starting place at City has repeatedly said he wants to leave.

“It’s true that I have agreed a four-year deal with Bayern. Now it is up to Manchester to make it work,” he said.

“At the moment they are making things a bit difficult.”

After a successful 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the Germany international signed a five-year contract with City that summer, but his first season was disrupted by injury and he was limited to 24 appearances.

Boateng was also played at right-back, rather than in his favoured central defensive position, something a move to Munich would end.

“It is about the position. Bayern want me as a central defender. That is also an advantage for the national team,” Boateng told Kicker magazine.

His last game for City was on 2 March in the FA Cup fifth-round victory over Aston Villa.

“My dream is to have a starting spot within a year, hopefully at Bayern, and then I want to win the European Championship [with Germany],” Boateng added.

Fourth place still looked achievable until last weeks dismal display against West Ham. It was such a shame to see so much of the recent good work come undone and that sense of shame was only exacerbated by the league position of the opposition. After such solid displays at the back we were leaking goals against the bottom placed side and going forward, well, they looked like they were all wearing binoculars
Seriously though, all credit must go to West Ham because they put in an exceptional performance in all aspects of the game. Liverpool on the other hand looked tired and complacent, symptoms of a long and difficult season.
With fourth place surely now out of reach, it would seem that there’s not alot for us to play for anymore. I assure you, that’s not the case. We now have no excuses not to go on and win the Europa league. It may not be the best trophy to win but any silverware would go along way to easing the pain of this season.
We also have to make sure we re-qualify for the Europa league. With Birmingham winning the Carling Cup only the 5th and 6th placed teams will qualify. Liverpool are currently seventh behind Bolton, although we do have a game in hand. Finishing as high as possible is as much about pride as it is about European qualification, though. (continue reading…)

Carlo Ancelotti turns translator for a moment. ‘In Italian the word is riconoscenza,’ he says. ‘When people remind you of what you have done in the past. What you have achieved. Recognition, you say. In football there is no recognition. The past is the past. In football there is nothing like that.’

He is responding to the suggestion that, whatever happens between now and the end of the season at Chelsea, he has credit in the bank. A League and Cup double in his first season as a manager in English football, a remarkable feat that surely offers him protection. Judging by Ancelotti’s answer, he is not so sure.

A better translation for riconoscenza would be gratitude. But because the last few months at Stamford Bridge have been so difficult, the pressure would appear to be on. The gratitude would seem to have gone. (continue reading…)

Manchester United will aim to keep their unbeaten record intact when they welcome the visit of Birmingham City to the Theatre of Dreams. They had to battled hard against Tottenham to get the draw and now the Red Devils will be looking to register a win with Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham all are in contention for the title.

When these two sides met earlier this season Birmingham held Manchester United to a draw. However at present they lie just a point above the relegation zone.

The meeting at St. Andrews could have been United’s way had it not been for the 89th minute equalizer by Lee Bowyer. They will once again hope to frustrate Manchester United but will also be eyeing their midweek clash in the Carling Cup.

Manchester United are unbeaten in 21 matches now and will want to increase it no doubt. Despite missing Rafael as he is suspended after being sent off against Tottenham, the good news is that John O’Shea and Wes Brown returns to the side.
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David Beckham could be set to return to the English Premier League after an eight-year absence.

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp confirmed Friday that he is interested in signing the former England captain on a short-term loan.

As in the previous two seasons, Beckham — who currently plays for Los Angeles Galaxy — is thought to be interested in playing top-level football for two months prior to the start of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season in March.

In 2009 and 2010, the midfielder completed loan spells with current Serie A league leaders AC Milan.

Several English clubs are thought to be interested in signing the 35-year-old on loan, but Spurs are thought to be his preferred choice because of the club’s proximity to his UK residence in Hertfordshire.

The London club, which missed out on signing Beckham as a teenager, are also only a short distance away from where he was born in Leytonstone, east London.

Ferguson: No need for major signings

Redknapp hopes Spurs club chairman Daniel Levy can persuade Los Angeles Galaxy to lend Beckham to Tottenham.

If the move is confirmed, it would make Beckham eligible for key fixtures in the Premier League.

Spurs are due to face Beckham’s old team Manchester United mid-January and play Arsenal in February.

During the same period Spurs also face AC Milan over two legs in the first knockout stage of the Champions League.

Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to be given at least £50million to spend in the transfer market and is targeting Liverpool’s Pepe Reina as a replacement for goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar.

The Manchester United manager is prepared to hold fire until the summer, when the Glazer family will let him dip into the transfer fund they have accumulated.

A £20m move for Reina is expected then, although the club are also monitoring Atletico Madrid’s David de Gea, who would cost £17m.

Reina is known to be unsettled at Liverpool, who are well off the pace for a Champions League spot, and Van der Sar, at 40, is coming to the end of his top-flight career.
United’s debts reached £750m before a recent repayment of £249m and they recorded losses of £83.6m in their last accounts.

But the club have cash reserves estimated to be £120m thanks largely to the £80m sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid last year.

That money will diminish as the season goes on but £50m is thought to be set aside for new signings. (continue reading…)

Italian Serie A leaders AC Milan have agreed a deal to sign unsettled Italian international striker Antonio Cassano from Sampdoria in the January transfer window.

Italian news agency Ansa have confirmed the 28-year-old will finally be leaving the Genoa-based club following his highly-publicized row with Sampdoria owner Riccardo Garrone in October.

Cassano has not played a competitive match since falling out with Sampdoria, although the club recently failed to get the player’s contract cancelled at an arbitration panel.

Although Cassano cannot officially join Milan until next month, he can join his new club at their winter training camp in Dubai from December 27.

Neither club has confirmed the deal yet, however, Italian media have reported that Cassano’s contract will run until 2014 and that a 5m euros sell-on clause due to former club Real Madrid will now be divided between Milan, Sampdoria and the player. (continue reading…)

Confusion continued to surround Rafael Benitez’s future as coach of Inter Milan last night.

Nerazzurri president Massimo Moratti insisted the Spaniard was still in charge as further reports emerged that he has been sacked.

Speculation regarding Benitez has only intensified since he called on the club to back him or sack him following their FIFA Club World Cup triumph, comments Moratti did not take well.

The club president attended a meeting last night at the club’s offices in Milan, and said Benitez was still the coach when he emerged.

Asked if Benitez was still in charge, Moratti said: “Yes, yes. There are no other thoughts. I have heard of and read about contacts being made with other coaches, but the club has not made contact with any other coach and will not until the situation is clarified.” (continue reading…)

Ex-footballer Paul Gascoigne has been given a suspended prison sentence after he admitted a drink-driving charge.

The 43-year-old Tyneside-born former England midfielder was stopped by police in Newcastle on 8 October.

Newcastle Magistrates’ Court was told that Gascoigne was found to be driving while more than four times the legal alcohol limit.

He was given an eight-week sentence, suspended for a year, and banned from driving for three years.

He was also given an alcohol treatment order.

Gascoigne’s original sentencing date on 11 November had to be adjourned after it came to light he had checked himself into rehab. (continue reading…)