Steven Gerrard is confident Liverpool can win the Premier League next season, providing they can add quality additions to Rafa Benitez’s Anfield ranks.
The England midfielder, speaking ahead of his country’s World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan, was keen to be reunited with his international team-mate Gareth Barry at club level.
However, despite Liverpool’s strong pursuit of Barry last season, Manchester City completed a swiftly concluded £12million swoop for the Aston Villa man on Tuesday.
Gerrard believes Liverpool should be looking for players “of Gareth’s standard” and added: “He is English and you need English players at your club now.” Read more…
Adriano Galliani has laughed off reports he is already in Madrid to discuss Kaka’s sale to Real. “I’m on a beach in Italy!”
El Confidencial and As announced that Milan Vice-President Galliani and Kaka’s father were spotted in Madrid airport at 14.00 UK time today, arriving in a private jet.
They drove towards the Bernabeu and were set to hammer out the final details for a £70m move to the Merengues.
“Spain? I’m on a beach in Italy!” exclaimed Galliani when he was called by the Gazzetta dello Sport this evening.
“I’m at the seaside in Romagna. There are no negotiations with Real Madrid over Kaka.”
The speculation exploded after Paolo Maldini was quoted as saying he thought Kaka would quit the club.
However, the official Milan website has given a very different spin on the comments he made at a Press conference. Read more…
The future of Brazilian midfielder Kaka was shrouded in mystery on Tuesday night after Spanish radio station Cadena Ser reported he had joined Real Madrid for £56m - only for the player’s spokesman and AC Milan to both deny any deal had been agreed.
Real are set to go on a spending spree following the return of Florentino Perez as the club’s president. Despite Kaka not wishing to leave AC Milan it is believed the offer was too good to turn down and, unlike with Manchester City in January, it seems unlikely the player will reject the move.
The fee would represent a new world record, surpassing the £46m Real paid to Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001. It would also mean Real hold the three highest fees paid, with the £37m for Luis Figo from Barcelona in 2000 completing the set.
The radio station reported a fee of €65million (£56million) which had been confirmed by Kaka’s father and agent, Bosco Leite. Read more…
Barcelona Coach Pep Guardiola has identified Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic as his No 1 transfer target this summer, according to L’Equipe.
Ibrahimovic has become increasingly disgruntled at Inter since they were knocked out of the Champions League in March.
The Sweden international feels he has to win in Europe to lay any remaining doubters to rest, and Inter, in his opinion, are unable to help him achieve that end.
The Nerazzurri are reluctant to let him go and are only willing to do so for what would be a world record fee of around £70m.
According to L’Equipe, Barça would try to bring that price down by exchanging Samuel Eto’o for Ibrahimovic.
A sum of money would also be involved, although not as much as previously thought as Eto’o has had another excellent season. Read more…
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is ready to raid his old club Milan and bid for Alexandre Pato, according to the Sun.
Ancelotti left the Rossoneri on Sunday to join Chelsea with whom he signed a lucrative three-year contract.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is believed to have given his new manager a huge transfer budget to spend this summer.
The Blues have been linked with Franck Ribery and David Villa, but Pato represents a tried and trusted purchase for the cautious Ancelotti. Read more…
Paolo Maldini has doubts Brazil international Kaka will stay at Milan this summer and believes he could finally move to Spain or England.
The legendary Milan No 3 retired at the weekend, calling an end to a glorious career spanning 25 years.
Just as Milan fans are getting used to life without Maldini they are being confronted with reports suggesting Kaka will also leave.
The 27-year-old former World Player of the Year is being linked with Real Madrid and Chelsea, who are now managed by Carlo Ancelotti.
“I don’t know if he will stay at Milan,” Maldini explained. “If Ancelotti has been cryptic about his future, Kaka has been even more so.”
Maldini then suggested replacing Ancelotti with the unproven Leonardo is a bit of a bet that could backfire on Milan.
“I am a little worried for Leonardo and I believe there are some worries on his behalf, too, but he has the advantage of having been here for 12 years,” Maldini said. Read more…
Zlatan Ibrahimovic could leave Inter in the summer if a big offer is received says the player’s agent Mino Raiola.
The Swede has already expressed doubts regarding his future at San Siro making it clear that staying with the Nerazzurri is no longer a priority for him.
“I haven’t received any offer yet, but, if a super offer from a top club was to be made before the end of August then we would consider it,” confessed Raiola while talking to Radio Kiss Kiss.
“We don’t care about money, but Inter own Zlatan so only Massimo Moratti can sell him. But the player is happy in Milan. It all depends on the offer, once we receive it then we can consider it.”
According to reports there are several parties interested but none of these clubs have unveiled their intentions just yet. Read more…
Fresh from celebrating his team’s FA Cup Final victory John Terry has called on Roman Abramovich to bankroll Carlo Ancelotti.
Having agreed to leave AC Milan on Sunday night, Ancelotti has been announced as the Blues’ new boss, despite rumoured late interest from Real Madrid, and will be interested to hear the thoughts of his new skipper.
Terry believes that the club needs players as well as a manager, and is keen to aim high, asserting that “the likes of Franck Ribery and David Villa are the kind of players we want”.
Chelsea ended their two-year trophy drought with their FA Cup success, and Terry wants them to use that success as a springboard to go on and win more trophies: Read more…
Chelsea have confirmed the appointment of Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager, just a day after the exit of Guus Hiddink.
Ancelotti’s twin Champions League wins make him an outstanding manager.
The Italian succeeds Hiddink, whose short stint at Stamford Bridge ended after Saturday’s FA Cup final victory over Everton. Ancelotti, who has long been linked with the Stamford Bridge post, left AC Milan by mutual consent on Sunday.
A statement on their official website read: ”Chelsea Football Club is delighted to announce that Carlo Ancelotti has agreed to become our new manager. He has signed a three year contract and will start on July 1, 2009.
”Carlo was the outstanding candidate for the job. He has proved over a long period his ability to build teams that challenged for, and have been successful in, major domestic and European competitions.
”He also had a highly successful playing career in those competitions and therefore brings unparalleled all round experience to the job. Read more…
