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Tottenham have secured the signing of Real Madrid midfielder Rafael Van der Vaart for £8m.

Spurs moved to sign the 27-year-old Netherlands international two hours before the transfer window closed at 1800 BST on Tuesday.

But the club’s urgency to file the necessary paperwork before the deadline was hampered by a technical problem.

However, the Premier League sanctioned the signing after investigating Tottenham’s claims on Wednesday.

Spurs faced an anxious wait as the Premier League assessed their claims with the 1700 BST cut-off point on Wednesday fast approaching for clubs to submit their 25-man senior squads for the first half of the season.

Van der Vaart becomes Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp’s second deadline-day signing following the capture of Croatia goalkeeper Stipe Pletikosa on a season-long loan from Russian club Spartak Moscow. (continue reading…)

The Reds website said: “The Spanish club have now been given permission to speak to the Argentina midfielder.”

Liverpool were keen to recoup the £18m they paid three-and-a-half years ago, after Mascherano joined from West Ham.

And the Catalan giants confirmed: “The clubs have reached an agreement in principle for the transfer of Mascherano for the next four seasons.”

The statement on Barcelona’s website continued: “The deal was closed after intensive efforts made by the club in the final hours and through the player himself in the negotiations.
“Barcelona will report the details of the operation once the player passes the medical and the transfer is concluded.

“It is hoped Javier Mascherano will arrive in Barcelona this weekend.”

Liverpool had rejected an initial bid of £16m from Barcelona seven days ago but reports suggest the new offer is closer to the club’s £25m valuation of Mascherano. (continue reading…)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has closed in on a move to Milan after comments about his difficult position at Barcelona. The Swedish striker declared he has problems with Barca coach Josep Guardiola. He also mentioned he would like to play with Ronaldinho at Milan.

The former Internazionale star, who arrived at the Camp Nou last summer, revealed he hasn’t heard from Guardiola for six months.

“Guardiola has not spoken to me for six months,” he told Sky Italia television.

“He only did so twice. I would like to understand why, but he won’t tell me. I need to be happy. I’m fine in Barcelona, but I have problems with the coach.

“The directors tell me they don’t want me to go, but at the same time how can I continue here when the manager doesn’t speak to me?

“Milan? I don’t know at what stage the negotiations are, but I would like to play with Ronaldinho.”

The 29-year-old played for Barca in a friendly against Milan in Spain on Wednesday night, after which he told reporters that he had no relationship with his club coach, although he claimed he knew nothing about Milan’s reported interest. (continue reading…)

“Before I begin I would like to thank everyone in attendance, and thank you to the president for his kind words. I love football more than anything, and to play for Real Madrid is the best dream I can think of. I feel like a footballer, and I want to continue doing so as long as time and my body permit.”

“Throughout the years I have always tried to stay true to the values of Real Madrid. Today more than ever before I want everyone to know that I tried to give my very best in every play, every dribble, every shot and every gesture on the pitch. That is what Real Madrid is to me, and that is why the word surrender never existed in my head.”

“Today is a very emotional day. Today is a day of powerful feelings. Today is a day that cannot do without my gratitude and thanks. It is impossible to name each and every person who over this time have stood by me and helped me. (continue reading…)

ARSENAL have told Barcelona: You can have Cesc Fabregas for £50million.

And Arsene Wenger has already held talks with Joe Cole over filling the gap left in the Gunners midfield.

Arsenal insisted skipper Fabregas, 23, was not for sale when they dismissed Barca’s opening bid last week.

But the Nou Camp’s top brass now claim Arsenal say they will sell… if Barca double their offer.

The Catalan giants are not prepared to do that but the fact Arsenal have named a price suggests there is now room for negotiation.

A Nou Camp source said: “This is the news the men in charge at Barca wanted.

“They now see the possibility of Arsenal cracking and are determined to get their man.

“They hope they can get an agreement at around the £35m mark.”

Chelsea star Cole met Gunners boss Wenger before jetting out to South Africa with England last week.

The former West Ham ace, 28, is out of contract and set to quit Stamford Bridge after seven years.

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has not given up hope of keeping Cole.

Assistant boss Ray Wilkins admitted: “Carlo and myself would love Joe to stay. But it’s down now to the club to see what we can do.”

Jose Mourinho is set to coach Real Madrid  in a deal between European soccer powers, leaving Inter Milan  less than a week after guiding the Italian club to the Champions League title.

The agreement was announced after a meeting in Milan between Madrid president Florentino Perez and Inter counterpart Massimo Moratti. Madrid will pay $19 million in two installments, the Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport said.

Real Madrid said Mourinho will be introduced Monday at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. He replaces Manuel Pelligrini, who was fired Wednesday.

Mourinho confirmed he wanted to join Madrid after Inter beat Bayern Munich 2-0 in the Spanish capital last Saturday to win the Champions League.

In two years with Inter, Mourinho led the club to two league titles, one Italian cup and its first European Cup since 1965. Before that, he led Chelsea to two Premier League titles. He also won the Champions League with FC Porto of Portugal in 2004.

Mourinho is a defensive-minded coach and questions have been raised over how he will blend the attacking talents of Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Karim Benzema.

”We have to know what we have and apply it in the best possible way to create damage,” Mourinho told the Spanish daily AS. ”Madrid has Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka who are very good on one-on-ones. We have to find a style of play that allows them to do that. The principles of play depend on the players you have.”

Madrid has won nine European Cups but its last Champions League triumph came in 2002. Last summer, Madrid spent large sums on Ronaldo, Kaka and Benzema but failed to progress past the first knockout round of the Champions League.

”I think Madrid have signed me because they know that they can demand aims in the short term, but that I am also capable of leaving a base for the future,” Mourinho said. (continue reading…)

FC Barcelona have won the fourth trophy of an incredible season, and by beating Valladolid have set an all-time Liga record of 99 points.

This team was born to win. Guardiola has continued weaving his magic and 368 days after winning the cup in Mestalla, the celebrations continue. Barça won an unprecedented six titles in 2010, and it was exactly a year ago today on May 16 that their second League title was confirmed. They have now retained the title, while in the meantime, the Clubs World Cup, the Champions League and both Super Cups have also been conquered.

This team just can’t stop winning. It is often noted that after a very successful season, it is hard for a team to reproduce the same form the following year. Not so with Barça, who have continued to stun the world with their gourmet football, in which every pass, and every shot, is a delight to behold. The hallmark style of maintaining possession of the ball, wearing down the opposition and always playing to attack has always been present, even when the side was beaten in the two knockout competitions it has played in this year. In the League, the statistics speak for themselves, 99 points including the double over nearest rivals Real Madrid.

Guardiola’s side has been truly remarkable, and this League title is particularly valued considering how difficult the campaign has been this year. Barça have been astounding, but Real Madrid have been putting together a similarly brilliant record, and it all came down to the very last day. FC Barcelona have had to break records to get here. Nobody has ever gained 99 points in one of the major European leagues, and they have once again had to win no fewer than 13 games on the road, and just draw five games and lose one. With top scorer Messi and top goalkeeper Valdés on the park, they have gone unbeaten at the Camp Nou – it’s been a season to remember for so many wonderful reasons.
It is also especially pleasing to know that all of this has been achieved with so much homemade talent.

The team that has had the most overall possession and shot the most times at goal has done so with 10 of 21 players that have appeared being products of the club’s own youth system based at La Masia. Guardiola, the incomparable leader of the team, has managed to blend the talent of imported stars with local players in stunning fashion, with everybody learning to combine and respect the club’s philosophy that does so much to reflect what is so good about football. We can now salute a champion in every sense of the word.

Jose Mourinho has fuelled speculation he will move to Real Madrid this summer
by admitting he will coach the Spanish giants ’sooner or later’.

Former Chelsea boss Mourinho is currently preparing his Inter Milan side for this weekend’s Serie A climax where they go into the final round of fixtures two points clear of Roma.

Then comes the Champions League final, in Madrid, against Bayern Munich on May 22.

Recent reports have suggested the Bayern clash will be Mourinho’s last on the Inter bench before he switches to Madrid and he was doing little to quell the rumours in an interview with Panorama magazine published on Friday.

He said: ‘What they write about me having one foot in Madrid and one in Milan is false.

‘(But) Sooner or later I will coach Real Madrid. I coached a big team in England, I am coaching a big team in Italy, and then I will coach a big team in Spain.’

Mourinho has already led Inter to the Coppa Italia this season and is closing in on a treble. (continue reading…)

Barca took a massive step towards retaining their league title with a 0-2 win over Madrid at the Bernabeu tonight. Goals from Messi and Pedro saw off the challenge from Madrid and left Barca three points ahead at the top of the table.

Xavi Hernandez set up Leo Messi to open the scoring just past the half hour mark and then split open the Madrid defence to release Pedro to wrap up the game on 56 minutes. Madrid had their chances too, but Victor Valdes was at his best to keep out Van der Vaart, Ronaldo and Marcelo with another excellent performance.

The team maybe didn’t reach the heights of last season’s 2-6 demolition, but their efficiency in front of goal, an inspired Xavi and a solid Victor Valdes inflicted the first home defeat of the season on Madrid and ensured the three points that put them in the driving seat for another league title, with a three point lead and just 7 games left to play. (continue reading…)