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Saturday, June 27, 2009

DJIBRIL CISSE MOVES TO PANATHINAIKOS

Former Liverpool and Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse has signed a four-year deal with Panathinaikos to complete his £7m move from Marseille.

Cisse, 27, scored 11 goals in 38 appearances in a loan spell with Sunderland in the English Premier League last season, but failed to clinch a permanent move.

He was greeted by around 3,000 fans when he flew into Athens on Thursday.

Cisse said: "I am very enthusiastic from the welcome and I have not witnessed anything like it in my life."

Cisse,reportedly going to be the highest-paid player in Panathinaikos history in a deal worth more than £2m a year

Sunday, June 21, 2009

CARLOS TEVEZ LEAVES MAN UNITED LIKELY TO JOIN CITY

Carlos Tevez is expected to join Manchester City after champions Manchester United confirmed the striker is to leave Old Trafford.

Manchester United issued a statement which read: "Following contact received from Carlos Tevez's advisors last night, in advance of the deadline the club set for concluding negotiations, Manchester United announces that Carlos will not be signing a new contract with the club.

"The club agreed to pay the option price of £25.5million and offered Carlos a five-year contract which would have made him one of its highest-paid players.

"Disappointingly however, his advisors informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club's most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United.

"The club would like to thank Carlos for his services over the last two seasons and wishes him good luck for the future."

Saturday, June 20, 2009

RONALDO DECIDED ON REAL MADRID MOVE LAST SUMMER

FOOTBALL: Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he made up his mind to leave Manchester United last summer

Madrid conducted a long and public pursuit of Ronaldo last year but it proved ultimately unsuccessful as the 24-year-old remained at Old Trafford.

But despite staying in the Premier League, and helping United retain their title, Ronaldo claims he made up his mind to leave after the Champions League triumph over Chelsea a year ago.

"After we won the European Cup. I thought there is no more I can achieve here," the Portuguese player told the News of the World.

"And when you have done all you can, you know it is time for a new challenge. I stayed one more season and it was nice to make it three titles in a row but it was my dream to play for Madrid."

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

BIRMINGHAM CITY VISIT MANCHESTER UNITED FIRST UP

FOOTBALL: Fixtures for the 2009-2010 Barclays Premier League season have been released.

Manchester United start at home to newly-promoted Birmingham on August 15, followed by a visit to Burnley where they take on the Coca-Cola Championship play off-winners.

Liverpool start their season with a tough away fixture at Tottenham on August 15, while Chelsea will be at home to Hull.

Over at Goodison Park Everton will host Arsenal while Championship winners Wolves are at home to West Ham on the opening day

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES for Saturday, 15 August 2009
Aston Villa v Wigan
Blackburn v Man City
Bolton v Sunderland
Chelsea v Hull
Everton v Arsenal
Man Utd v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Fulham
Stoke v Burnley
Tottenham v Liverpool
Wolverhampton v West Ham

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

TONY MOWBRAY NAMED CELTIC BOSS

FOOTBALL: Celtic have at last named former West Brom boss Tony Mowbray as their new manager.

Tony Mowbray ended weeks of speculation surrounding Gordon Strachan's successor as Celtic manager by signing a rolling 12-month contract with his former club.

Mowbray was given permission by West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace to open negotiations with the Parkhead club on Saturday after Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell eventually agreed to the Baggies' request for £2m compensation.

As expected, Mowbray agreed personal terms and will be joined in the east end of Glasgow by Mark Venus, his assistant at The Hawthorns, and Peter Grant, his first-team coach at Albion and a former Celtic team-mate.

Current Parkhead coach Neil Lennon will join the new management team but his role is as yet unknown.

Monday, June 15, 2009

INTER MILAN TARGET CHELSEA DUO DECO AND CARVALHO

FOOTBALL: Inter Milan have confirmed their intention to sign Deco and Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea.

Both players have been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.

"(Inter coach Jose) Mourinho has asked us for Deco and Carvalho and we are working towards making him happy," said Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Our wish is to sign both players and I have seen that the players' intention is to join us. We still haven't reached an agreement with Chelsea but I think we will do in a short time."

Carvalho, who moved to Chelsea in 2004, endured a frustrating campaign with the Blues. Injury restricted the 31-year-old to just 18 appearances this season.

Deco joined Chelsea from Barcelona last summer but the 32-year-old also suffered injuries, making just 22 league appearances this campaign.

Sunday, June 14, 2009

TENERIFE, XEREX, REAL ZARAGOZA WIN PRIMERA LIGA SPOT

Tenerife, Xerex and Real Zaragoza all secured promotion to the Primera Division on Saturday with one round of fixtures still remaining in the Segunda Division.

Leaders Tenerife edged Girona 1-0, while Xerex were 2-1 winners over Huesca to ensure their place in the top flight for the first time in their history.

Zaragoza's 3-1 victory over Cordoba seals their return after just one year in the Segunda Division, with fourth-placed Hercules unable to catch the top three.

The destination of the title will be decided next weekend with just one point separating the leading three sides

Thursday, June 11, 2009

UNITED ACCEPT REAL MADRID'S £80M RONALDO BID


FOOTBALL: Manchester United have accepted an £80million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

Manchester United have finally caved in to Real Madrid's repeated attempts to lure Cristiano Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.

United confirmed on Thursday morning they had accepted an £80million bid for the world player of the year, with a world-record deal expected to go through by June 30.

The news had been expected given that Real stated on Wednesday night talks were under way and now it is only a matter of finalising the player's personal terms before he completes a dream move to the Bernabeu.

A United statement read: "At the request of Cristiano - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player."

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

SETANTA TV BROADCASTER LIKELY TO COLLAPSE

Setanta broadcaster in financial troubleSetanta faces administration "within days" unless backers provide more funds to pay £30m it owes to the English Premier League, reports have suggested.

The broadcaster has already failed to pay the Scottish Premier League £3m it owes in television rights money. Setanta, which also shows cricket, golf and rugby union, has about 1.2 million subscribers but is losing up to £100m a year, analysts say.

Would-be customers who attempted to subscribe to Setanta through its website were on Tuesday told that it was not possible because of "routine maintenance". Meanwhile anybody trying to subscribe by phone receives a recorded message saying that "The service is temporarily out of order".

A spokesman for Setanta declined to comment on the firm's situation.

ROBERTO MARTINEZ IS WIGAN ATHLETIC'S NEW MANAGER

FOOTBALL: Wigan Chairman Dave Whelan has confirmed Roberto Martinez will be Wigan's new manager.

An official announcement on Martinez's appointment is expected to be made in the next 24 hours, but Whelan has revealed to Sky Sports News that the deal is done.

The Spaniard, who has agreed a three-year contract, emerged as Wigan's top target soon after Steve Bruce left the Latics to take charge of Sunderland.

Martinez, who spent six years as a player with Wigan and is fondly remembered by the club's fans as one of the 'Three Amigos', is one of the most highly-rated young managers in the game.

KAKA COMPLETES REAL MADRID MOVE

Kaka moves to Real MadridFOOTBALL: Real Madrid have completed the signing of Kaka from AC Milan on a six-year contract.

The Spanish giants confirmed the eagerly-awaited capture of the 27-year-old Brazilian superstar in a brief statement on their website late on Monday night.

Kaka, currently on international duty with Brazil in his homeland, underwent a medical in Recife earlier on Monday before putting pen to paper on a six-year deal.

The transfer fee is expected to be new world record at around £56million, eclipsing the £48million Real paid Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in the summer of 2001.

Monday, June 08, 2009

NEWCASTLE UTD FOR SALE AT £100 MILLION

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has confirmed he's put the club up for sale for £100million.

More than a week after it emerged that Ashley was looking to get out for the second time since he took control, the Magpies issued an official statement setting a price as Keith Harris, chairman of investment bankers Seymour Pierce, continued his search for buyers.

The statement read: "The board of Newcastle United can today confirm that the club is for sale at the price of £100million.

"Interested parties should contact Newcastle United at admin@nufc.co.uk (or Keith Harris at Seymour Pierce) for further details.

The announcement came as no surprise, with Ashley's desperation to offload the club he bought for £134.4million in May 2007 growing by the day.

Sunday, June 07, 2009

ROGER FEDERER SECURES PLACE IN TENNIS HISTORY

TENNIS: Roger Federer completed a career Grand Slam by beating Robin Soderling at the French Open.

Federer won in sstraight sets, 6-1 7-6 (7/1) 6-4 to become only the sixth man in history to win all four Grand Slam tournaments.

He also equals Pete Sampras' all-time record of 14 Grand Slam singles titles and will now be regarded by many as the greatest player of all time.

JENSON BUTTON MAKES IT SIX WINS FROM SEVEN

FORMULA ONE: Jenson Button recorded his sixth victory in seven races at the Turkish Grand Prix.

Red Bull Racing's Mark Webber and Sebastian Vettel finished around seven seconds behind in second and third.

Drivers' Standings
1 Jenson Button 61 points
2 Rubens Barrichello 35
3 Sebastian Vettel 29
4 Mark Webber 27.5
5 Jarno Trulli 19.5
6 Timo Glock 13
7 Nico Rosberg 11,5
8= Felipe Massa 11
8= Fernando Alonso 11