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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…)

Everton manager David Moyes is reportedly the favourite to take up the job at Aston Villa.

The Birmingham-based club are in the hunt for a new manager following the exit of Martin O’Neill on the eve of the season. The Irishman left following a disagreement with owner Randy Lerner, leaving the club to appoint Kevin MacDonald as the caretaker boss while looking for a permanent replacement.

Now The Mirror reports that the Villans see Moyes as the right man the take the club forward, as he has a lot of experience in working with a shoestring budget while at the same time getting the best out of his players.

This also comes in the light of bookmakers slashing odds on the former Preston North End boss to be the next manager at Villa Park, as he is believed to be tired of working at Goodison Park.

The Scot has spent eight years with the Toffees, but has nothing to show for his efforts in keeping the club as competitive as they have been in recent years - even breaking into the top four on one occasion.

Villa have already maintained that they are looking for a manager with prior experience in managing a Premier League club, effectively ruling out several manager who had previously been linked with the job - including USA coach Bob Bradley.

It has been speculated that Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce could be another name being discussed by the upper echelon at Villa.

Arsenal striker Robin van Persie will be sidelined for “at least a few weeks” with an ankle injury, according to the Dutch Football Association.

The 27-year-old suffered the injury during Arsenal’s 2-1 win over Blackburn in the Premier League on Saturday.

Van Persie will miss Netherlands’ European Championship qualifiers against San Marino and Finland.

He missed five months last season after damaging ankle ligaments while on international duty.

In Van Persie’s absence, Hamburg’s former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been called up by the national team for the first time in two years.

After missing much of last season through injury, Van Persie was an ever present as the Netherlands reached the World Cup final, but he has had a frustrating start to the current campaign.

Lacking full match fitness, he made only brief appearances in Arsenal’s opening fixtures against Liverpool and Blackpool before his first start of the campaign was curtailed by injury after 35 minutes on Saturday.

Marouane Chamakh, who led the line after replacing Van Persie on Saturday, is likely to continue to play as Arsenal’s sole forward with Denmark international Nicklas Bendtner also unavailable because of a groin injury.

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…)

Owen to play in Carragher’s testimonial
Michael Owen is to pull on the colours of Liverpool for the first time since leaving the club six years ago after agreeing to brave a potential backlash from Manchester United’s supporters by playing for his old team in Jamie Carragher’s testimonial match. Owen, reviled by some Liverpool fans after crossing one of the game’s oldest divides, is said to be uncertain of the reaction he will get from the Anfield crowd but does not have great expectations considering the abuse when he returned last season for the first time since joining their rivals at Old Trafford.

The former England striker has given his word to Carragher, however, that he will play in the match at Anfield on Saturday week, swapping the red of United for that of the team where he began his career. Sir Alex Ferguson, the United manager, has given him permission to play for 45 minutes and Owen will be in attack for a Liverpool XI taking on an Everton XI.

Dirk Kuyt finally ended uncertainty over his Anfield future after firing Liverpool into the Europa League group stage here last night.

Liverpool were trailing to a fourth-minute strike until an own goal in the 84th minute and a close range finish by Kuyt four minutes later secured a 2-1 win on the night, 3-1 on aggregate.
Kuyt’s agent had claimed he was keen on a move to Inter Milan, but the Holland forward set the record straight by insisting after the match: ‘A lot of people have said a lot of things about my future.

‘For me, it is at Liverpool. I like it here and want to stay and win things.’

It was something Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson welcomed but did not think was necessary.

‘Dirk Kuyt is not for sale so excuse me for not understanding the speculation of being happy now he has said he is staying because I never doubted he was staying,” added the Englishman. (continue reading…)

After the dream, inevitably, comes the awakening. The tangerine hordes of Blackpool gathered at the Emirates Stadium with a sense of trepidation but sung and celebrated throughout, never allowing the details of the scoreline and an early sending-off to spoil their day out.

Yet this was the reality check they feared. When Arsenal were 5-0 up with 30 minutes to play, they brought on Cesc Fabregas and Robin van Persie, which is as dispiriting as it must get for any opposition team. While not every club will be able to boast such reserves, Arsenal provided a more authentic welcome to the Premier League than Wigan last week.

‘They were absolute class,’ acknowledged Blackpool boss Ian Holloway. ‘If my team play like that one day I’d be delighted. The ball hardly left the grass, the pace and movement were terrific and it’s a joy to watch. It shook us that we couldn’t play our natural game and it was an absolute education. We have to learn quickly.
(continue reading…)

GALLAS is set to sign for Spurs - and instantly become a hate figure for Arsenal fans.

The free-agent former Gunners captain will have a medical and is due to sign a one-year deal over the weekend.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp said: “The chairman’s agreed a one-year contract with him and the wages are more than reasonable.

“He’s a no-brainer on a free transfer.”

Gallas met Redknapp last night and asked for a two-year contract but only a year was on offer.

Redknapp was desperate to boost his defence due to the long-standing injury problems of Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate.

Gallas, 33, will not be registered in time to face Stoke tomorrow or play in the crucial second leg of the Champions League qualifier against Young Boys with Spurs 3-2 down.

He was let go by Arsenal after refusing to accept a one-year deal that included a pay cut.

The ex-Chelsea centre-half suffered abuse from fans every time he went back to Stamford Bridge.

But that will be nothing compared to the reception he will get at the Emirates on November 21.

Arsène Wenger has revealed that the keeper who starts against Liverpool on Sunday will be Arsenal’s No 1.

At the start of pre-season the manager laid down the gauntlet to his four stoppers, stating that the place was up for grabs.

Manuel Almunia, Lukasz Fabianski, Vito Mannone and Wojciech Szczesny have all featured in friendlies this summer and Arsenal fans are close to finding out who will be the Gunners’ No 1.

“The goalkeepers are great, all ready to play,” said Wenger ahead of the trip to Liverpool. “I just wait for my decision and you will get it soon.

“The guy who plays on Sunday will be No 1. It is never for definite but it will be a consequence of what I have seen in pre-season.”

However, the manager has admitted that handing the gloves to Szczesny would be a ‘great gamble’.

“He has not played one game in the Premier League,” he said. “I believe he has huge quality but I believe it would be a great gamble to play him.

“Man United play with a goalkeeper who is 40 years old and Chelsea with a keeper with seven years in the Premier League. You need experience at the back.”