Radamel Falcao’s father has confirmed that Manchester City and Chelsea want his son, and that it is likely that the Atletico Madrid striker will move to England in January.
The Colombian marksman has become on of the most lethal forwards in world football, and showed his pedigree with a hat-trick against the Blues in the European Super Cup last Friday.
With speculation that the South American could be in-line for a big-money move, Falcao’s father has confessed that the attacker could leave the Vicente Calderon in January.
“There are three teams interested – Manchester City, Chelsea and a Russian team,” The Daily Mail report Falcao senior as saying.
“Falcao has always wanted to play in the Premier League.
“Ever since he was a boy he has loved Chelsea and has always thought it would be an honour to play for a big Premier League team.
“I don’t want to talk about any pre-agreements.
“I spoke to Falcao very briefly yesterday. The minimum release clause in his contract with Atletico Madrid is about €55million, but Falcao doesn’t want to talk figures,” he concluded.
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Neither Manchester City or Chelsea bought new strikers in the summer transfer window.
Mark Hughes has claimed there is more to come from Stephane Mbia after his debut in the R’s 3-2 defeat to Reading.
A summer signing from Marseille, the Cameroon international played his first 90 minutes for the London club in the Capital One Cup last night.
Hughes said to the Fulham Chronicle: “I thought he did fine. It was a different type of game from what he’s used to but for the most part he looked strong and what a good player he will be for us.
“He hasn’t played for a couple weeks or had that many training sessions and I wasn’t anticipating having to play him for the whole match.
“He came through it thankfully and will get better. It was a good test for him and he understands this is the type of game he will have to play in.”
Mbia’s signing from France saw controversial midfielder Joey Barton going in the other direction, the 26 year old will be hoping to make his first Premier League berth, when Rangers host West Ham on Monday.
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Wayne Rooney’s recent thigh injury may have been one of those silver linings among the dark clouds. In truth, the England international has not been up to scratch in recent times, prompting many to question whether he should be dropped altogether in favour of new signings Shinji Kagawa and Robin van Persie. But the injury took some of the heat off Rooney, and with Alex Ferguson talking up his attacking options for the season, he’s undoubtedly trying to force a rise from his long time talisman.
It’s not been good enough from Rooney, and you’d like to think he’s aware of it himself. Barcelona’s Alexis Sanchez recently spoke out about his own form this season, stating that he’d give himself a rating of five with plenty of room for improvement. It’s a good and necessary acknowledgement of a player’s flaws and his form, but Sanchez’s admission of it should also be a good sign for Tito Vilanova.
Wayne Rooney, however, needs to be on form and playing at his very best far more consistently than he has. Manchester United do not have the personnel to fall back on that equals Barcelona’s resources, and Rooney really has to be doing better than a great scoring season once every other year.
It’s clear that van Persie’s signing was a necessity even if those funds could have been spent equally well elsewhere. It’s also a little interesting that Ferguson has spoken about the depth and quality in his attack when the reality is they haven’t been great. Javier Hernandez needs to return to the form of his first season in England and Danny Welbeck doesn’t appear to be a striker who will bag 20 goals a season; he’s certainly not higher up the pecking order than Rooney.
But what else can Ferguson do to let Rooney know that he has to take control of his ability and have a lasting impact on Manchester United’s season. He can score goals but when was the last time he looked world class? Has he ever looked like the player that was once spoken of as the English equivalent to Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? He’s capable of the spectacular but how long do we have to wait for one of those moments again? How long can United afford to wait for one of those moments again?
Van Persie’s first goal for his new club was outstanding, it was a work of genius, but it’s something we’ve come to expect from the Dutchman. His injuries have always clouded his career but goals such as those have been in locker with plenty of examples. Is he a challenge to Rooney’s crown at United? I think there would be a problem if he wasn’t looking to stake his claim as the best in the red half of Manchester. But that’s what Rooney needs, he needs someone who is genuinely on his level in terms of quality and with the scoring power to change games. Rooney needs an internal challenge to get himself back to his best. The Premier League wants to see the Rooney that rose to the occasion against Barcelona at Wembley and against Manchester City at Old Trafford.
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Rooney’s reputation shouldn’t force him into the starting XI for either Manchester United or England, but for too long that has been the case because neither team has anyone that’s an equal or better. Van Persie changes that at United, as well as Kagawa in the role behind the striker. It forces Rooney to pull up his socks and fight for a place with goals and high level performances. It also forces him to keep a clear head and avoid meaningless red card incidents or displays of immaturity. As soon as he’s out of the team for a handful of games, he’ll find it incredibly difficult to get back in.
It goes without saying that the Premier League is the promised land of English football; especially after a report was released showing how clubs go for broke in their desire to play in the top-flight.
A report was released by accountancy firm, PKF; which after surveying 62 clubs in England and Scotland, revealed that two thirds of these were not expecting to make a profit in the next financial period.
The firm knows all about the reckless spending that can almost destroy a football club, as they have been responsible for the running of Portsmouth since February.
The club’s demise has been well-publicised; and is the most notable example of how a team has chased the dream at all costs.
The mixture of football and business has never been a happy one, as the losses made by clubs would surely cause leading businessmen and women everywhere to blow a gasket; especially when considering the likes of Queens Park Rangers made an estimated loss of £25.8million in their Championship title-winning season.
Perhaps what is even more worrying is the fact that the gap between the Premier League and the rest is only set to increase further; with a new television deal worth a staggering £1billion set to be introduced to top-flight clubs from 2013-14.
Deals such as these look set to attract more wealthy investors from overseas to grab a slice of the action; targeting Championship clubs with significant growth potential, with a notable instance being the Kuwaiti takeover of Nottingham Forest.
But at least the football authorities have recognised the need to curb this out-of-control spending, with stricter financial regulations being enforced as of this season.
UEFA has already stamped its authority on the issue with the introduction of Financial Fair Play; and has held back prize money for a total of 23 clubs who have overdue payments.
Meanwhile, the Football League has enforced a similar model on the 72 clubs from the Championship to League Two, by limiting the amount that owners can spend and setting maximum annual losses at £5million.
Failure to adhere to these rules could involve punishments such as transfer embargos, indicating the seriousness of the problem. Therefore, it is promising to see action being taken to prevent the risks which some sides take in pursuing the Premier League dream.
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Although, it will be a long road back to financial parity for the majority of Football League clubs; and one must question whether these rulings have been introduced too late to make a real difference.
The 72 clubs have combined debts of £2billion; and as the Premier League obsession becomes greater each year, it is more with hope rather than expectation that clubs will not bury themselves into the ground.
Sunderland AFC has announced TLC88.com as the Asian betting and gaming partner officially for the club.
The partnership represents the first sponsorship venture in Asia for the club and it is seen as part of giving the football club an international appeal.
An initial two year deal has been agreed between the two parties and the website will offer exclusive bets for a range of activities online alongside football betting odds.
Sunderland AFC’s international marketing director Mike Farnan was quick to praise the deal as he went to say “This echoes our commitment to partnering with top line international brands and we are delighted with the partnership.”
The club declare the deal on a week where their North East rivals Newcastle announced a controversial new shirt sponsorship deal for the 2013/14 season with pay day lenders Wonga.
The morality of the deal could similarly be brought into questions with TLC88.com offering people across Asia the opportunity to bet in play on Barclays Premier League football as well as online casinos and gaming.
Mike Chong, Asia Pacific Strategy Director for www.TLC88.com, was quick to dismiss these fears adding “We believe that our knowledge of developing fun, interactive and engaging platforms will provide Sunderland’s international fan base with an exciting, new gaming experience.”
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Now that a deal has been made to broaden Sunderland’s appeal away from England, they will be looking to deal with domestic matters in hand. Next up they welcome visitors Newcastle United to the Stadium of Light and there will be no love lost between the sides, when the sides clash on Sunday.
Manchester City and Chelsea are possible destinations for former Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola, according to his agent.
The Spaniard has been heavily linked with AC Milan recently, but his agent Jose Maria Orobitg rubbished rumours suggesting a deal had been reached and opened the door for a move to the Premier League.
Chelsea are believed to be long-term admirers of the ex-Barca coach, with the club’s owner Roman Abramovich coveting the style of play adopted by the manager.
City are also in the frame with current boss Roberto Mancini under increased pressure following two disappointing Champions League campaigns.
Orobitg claimed that both club’s are viable options for his client:
“Milan is an option, as are Manchester City and Chelsea.” He is quoted by ESPN.
“Pep is listening to offers and evaluating them, but he will not coach this year. We’ll talk about it in June.”
However, he did highlight AC Milan as the most likely option:
“Anything is possible next year. I speak to (Milan vice-president Adriano) Galliani all the time, and when I speak to him he is very friendly.
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“We have a good relationship. Who knows what will happen in the future.”
Guardiola resigned as manager of Barcelona during the summer after an immensely successful period with the Catalan giants.
Blackpool starlet Thomas Ince has claimed that whilst he is flattered by interest shown in him by major Premier League clubs, he is happy at Blackpool.
Ince has had a superb two years at Blackpool, narrowly missing out on promotion last season and looking to go one better this time out, but after the departure of Ian Holloway to Crystal Palace it may be a good time for a big club to swoop in with a bid.
Blackpool have ruled out the sale of their main man and former Liverpool youngster, but every player; especially in the Championship; has their price.
“I wouldn’t be where I am if it wasn’t for Blackpool,” Ince told the Blackpool Gazette.
“I’ve been given the chance to play week in, week out at a very high level
“It is flattering to have all that interest. It shows you are playing good football and are in good form but my focus is on playing for Blackpool.”
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Manchester United beat Reading in a seven goal thriller at the Madjeski Stadium to move three points clear at the top of the Premier League.
Sir Alex Ferguson’s men made the trip to Berkshire expecting a routine victory against the relegation threatened Royal’s as they aimed to stretch their lead over local rivals City.
But, in a first half that saw seven goals scored and one disallowed in a manic 34 minute period, United were put through their paces by Brian McDermott’s spirited side, who deserve recognition for their efforts on another memorable night at the Madjeski.
It took just eight minutes for the first goal to arrive as Hal Robson-Kanu put the hosts in front, taking advantage of Jonny Evans’s poor clearing header to control and lash the ball past Anders Lindegaard from close range.
But within seven minutes they were behind as Anderson exchanged passes with Ashley Young before firing past Adam Federici at the near post just before the quarter hour. Jay Tabb then hauled Evans down in the penalty area allowing Wayne Rooney to calmly convert the first of his two goals from the spot and give the visitors a 2-1 lead after just 16 minutes.
Still, United have looked frail defensively this season and were behind once again as they conceded two identical goals from set pieces. Firstly, a corner from Nicky Shorey was headed in by Adam Le Fondre in the 19th minute and the left back repeated the trick four minutes later, delivering for Sean Morrison nod home.
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The visitors weren’t done though and were level again when Rooney was positioned well to side-foot Patrice Evra’s cross into the net to make it 3-3. And the scoring was complete in the 34th minute as Robin Van Persie finished with precision after latching onto a flick from his strike partner.
It could have been five had the had the officials seen Van Persie’s effort cross the line before being hacked away by Shaun Cummings before firing the best chance of the second half over the bar after a mistake from Federici.
Everyone has seen their club sign a good player but then watch confused as they are not given the chance of regular first team football.
This season, the most high-profile player to have been the victim of this is QPR’s Robert Green. After deciding to leave West Ham for a ‘new challenge’ after they were promoted back to the Premier League in May, Green signed for QPR on the understanding that he would be the club’s first choice keeper.
But a month later Brazilian keeper Julio Cesar arrived at Loftus Road with Green instead warming the bench, left sulking in the shadow of Champions League winning star. This got me thinking wether players are sometimes tricked in to signing for a club without actually knowing what’s in store for them.
Last week Green spoke out about his disappointment at the way he was treated at QPR by former manager Mark Hughes. He words were quite shocking, especially when you consider how much he was liked at West Ham and how he probably wishes he stayed there instead.
Green said: “I asked Mark Hughes. He told me Julio was going to play, that I’d done nothing wrong and that he wanted two top keepers competing for the position. I replied ‘Well, if he’s going straight into the first team he’s not really competing, is he? Where does that leave me?'”
The keeper then goes on to explain how Hughes told him that he was free to leave whenever he wanted, which he describes as “not quite what I wanted to hear.”
The problem here is that Hughes pretty much tricked Green in to signing for a club that had no real intention of making him a permanent first choice fixture in the team. That all seems to have changed since Harry Redknapp took over, but that’s not the point.
But how can it be prevented? If a manager wants a player, regardless of what plans they have for him, they will do and say anything to ensure they get his signature. QPR might well have been the only club that offered Green first team football, so to then freeze him out just months later is not fair on a keeper who can still cut it at the highest level.
And at what point does it become a breach of contract, or is that where players are missing a trick? I’m no expert at what’s exactly outlined in a contract between club and player, but surely a detailed job description would be in there some where?
In Robert Green’s case, the contract may have said: “Position: First team goalkeeper. Job role: To concede as little goals as possible on a weekly basis.” If I’m right then QPR have breached his contract. He hasn’t been able to concede as little goals as possible on a weekly basis because he wasn’t playing, which isn’t his fault.
Green obviously isn’t the only player to have been tricked in to signing a contract, though. Robinho famously signed for Manchester City (ironically by Mark Hughes) thinking he was actually signing for rivals United, although the move may have been more down to his overall confusion about where he was going to end up after he initially thought Chelsea was going to be his final destination.
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And what about Scott Sinclair’s move to Manchester City? Aside from the obvious attraction of money, was he promised more football than what he’s actually getting or did he know he would have no chance at making a positive impact on a team packed with some of the world’s best players?
With all that in mind, maybe it is time for players to insist that their squad status is outlined specifically in their contracts from now on, that way they we won’t see the likes of Robert Green being treated the way he did any longer.
Do you think players are sometimes tricked in to signing for a club without knowing what’s in store for them? Leave your comments below.
Los Angeles Galaxy striker Robbie Keane has distanced himself from a January loan switch to the Premier League, insisting he wants to rest over the winter.
The Republic of Ireland international has been linked with temporary moves to QPR and Aston Villa next month, with the MLS finished until spring 2013.
A number of players, including Keane, have elected to move during the off-season in a bid to maintain match fitness, and keep their name in the fold for international squads.
However, the 32-year-old has distanced himself with a return to England, maintaining that he will use the break to recover from the Galaxy’s domestic success of 2012:
“I am going to rest up and get ready for next season with the Galaxy. “ he told the Evening Herald.
“I haven’t even thought about taking up with any other teams, I have a few little niggles that I have to sort out before I even contemplate making any decisions,
“There has been a lot of speculation and a few clubs are interested but it wouldn’t be right for me to go anywhere if I wasn’t 100 per cent fit and ready.
“I don’t have any major problems, just an Achilles injury, but if that isn’t right, I won’t be going anywhere.
The ex-Liverpool and Tottenham forward went on to suggest that he is hoping to be at full fitness for Ireland’s international games next year:
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“2013 is going to be a big year for Ireland in March – two very important games.
“They will dictate where the team will go so we look forward to it and hopefully it’ll be a lucky year for us.”