Arsenal skipper out for four months, so could this Barcelona midfielder be the one to step in?

Arsene Wenger has today been rocked by the news that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will be out for four months after injuring knee ligaments in the side's 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.
The Spanish international limped off just as the half-time whistle blew on Sunday after a collision with international team-mate Xabi Alonso. Both players went for the ball fully committed and unfortunately for Fabregas he came off the worse.
Wenger had this to say : "The news is not good. It will take three to four months, we count four. He will be working hard to come back earlier but I count four months .... We will miss him, of course, but how much is difficult to say. We have to find a way and we want to find a way to compensate the fact that he is not on the pitch to give everyone a bit more. "
With Fabregas now sidelined for the foreseeable future, it means Wenger is short a central midfield player and many names have already been mentioned. One name which has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Emirates is Barcelona's Yaya Toure.
The 25-year old plays in a not too dissimilar role as the one which Fabregas plays for the Gunners week in week out and a January move for him may now become a reality. Earlier this year, the Ivorian international had this to say about a possible move to North London : "I am aware of the interest from the Premier League .... It would be great to play in a big team with my brother."
No matter who Wenger does eventually bring in, I think they will struggle to fill the boots of Fabregas. Personally, I feel Fabregas is irreplaceable. He is without one of the best players in the world at the moment and without him in the Arsenal side, I can see them struggling to even finish in the top four considering the unbelievable form of Aston Villa this campaign. Get well soon Cesc.

Arsenal line up incredible £32 million move for Premier League striker

Arsenal have today been linked with an incredible £32 million move for Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez. The Argentine international has struggled this season to keep his place in the United starting eleven due to the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov at Old Trafford earlier this season and a January exit has been touted.
Tevez, 24, has yet to sign permanently for the Premier League Champions and a move to both Manchester City and Real Madrid has been rumoured, however Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is now ready to join the race.
United have thus far failed to cough up the £32 million needed to make Tevez' move permanent and have just six months left to do so. Should Sir Alex Ferguson decide not to make Tevez' move permanent, that will leave the door open for the likes of Arsenal, City and Real to make a move.
I fully expect Tevez to leave United next summer, however whether or not he moves to the Emirates, I do not know. He has established himself as a firm fan favourite at Old Trafford and I am sure the United faithful would be upset to see him join the Gunners (or even City for that fact). Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest news and views of the footballing nature.

Manchester United are officially the Best Club in the World

Manchester United are officially the best club in the world after winning the final of the FIFA Club World Cup. Sir Alex Ferguson's men ran out 1-0 winners over Ecuadorian side Liga De Quito thanks to a goal from Wayne Rooney.
The Premier League Champions found it difficult to break down their opponents for large parts, however they finally made the break through with twenty minutes left on the clock. Cristiano Ronaldo laid the ball to Rooney, who in turn expertly finished from the edge of the box.
Despite the win, it's not all good news for United. Nemanja Vidic was shown a straight red card just after the break and may face a suspension. Great achievement by United, however I just hope that this doesn't affect their bid for the title this season because things like this can often have a negative affect on the team's league form.

Spurs in talks over £15 million move for England international

Tottenham are in talks with Middlesbrough about a possible £15 million move for Stewart Downing. The England international has been linked with a move to Spurs for what seems like decades now, however Boro boss Gareth Southgate has always insisted "I don't have to sell, unless I want to buy."
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is keen to strengthen during the January transfer window, with Downing understood to be his number-one target. The 24-year old is widely renowned as the best left-sided midfielder in the country (only because England have no other left-wingers) and has over 20 caps for the national side.
I have never been Downing's biggest fan, in fact I am probably one of his biggest critic. If Spurs were to splash £15 million on Downing, quite frankly, I think they would be wasting their money. I know a lot of Spurs fans who would most definitley disapprove of Downing arriving at White Hart Lane in January because he is just wouldn't improve the side in any way.

Big Sam off to a flyer

New Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce got off to a flyer today as he guided Rovers to a 3-0 home win against Stoke City. The former Bolton and Newcastle manager took over at Ewood Park on Wednesday and judging by today's display, he has certainly had an immediate impact on the player's.
Benni McCarthy opened the scoring for Allardyce's men just ten minutes into proceedings when he slotted home a penalty after Ibrahima Sonko brought down Morten Gamst Pedersen in the box. Jason Roberts doubled the lead for the home side just five minutes later when he netted from close range.
It was 3-0 just before the break when McCarthy bagged his second to end any chances of a possible comeback for Stoke. This result leaves Blackburn just three points off safety and will no doubt come as a massive confidence boost as they enter this busy Christmas period.
Disappointing for Tony Pulis' men who now sit just two points above the relegation zone. It is often said that the appointment of a new manager can have a positive affect on a team and that was definitely the case with Blackburn today. Over the past two months or so under former boss Paul Ince, they looked as though they were going only one way .... down, however with Allardyce in the hot seat they now have a cracking chance of beating the drop.
Elsewhere in the Premier League it finished : Bolton 2-1 Portsmouth, Fulham 3-0 Middlesbrough, Hull City 1-4 Sunderland.

Chelsea to make Fab £20 million bid for Brazilian striker

Chelsea are preparing a £20 million bid for Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano as they look to bolster their attacking options come the new year. The Brazilian international has long been linked with a move to England, with Chelsea understood to be keen admirers of the player for some time, however for whatever reasons he remains a Sevilla player.
That may be about to change though. Blues boss Luis Filipe Scolari is desperate to bring another striker to Stamford Bridge in January after losing out to Manchester City for the signature of Robinho during the summer. Fabiano, 28, has been in sensational form for Sevilla since his move to the La Liga giants back in 2005 and has firmly established himself as one of the world's most prolific strikers.
What a tremendous signing this would be for Chelsea. Fabiano is a player who I really admire and I think he would be a real success should he decided to move to the Premier League. There is no doubt that Sevilla will reluctant to sell one of their star players, however, as well all know, when Chelsea set their sights on a player they usually get their man (apart from Robinho of course).

Champions League Last 16 Draw : Liverpool get Real, while Chelsea face Juve

Here is the draw for the last 16 of the Champions League :

Chelsea V Juventus
Villarreal V Pannathanikos
Sporting Lisbon V Bayern Munich
Atletico Madrid V Porto
Lyon V Barcelona
Real Madrid V Liverpool
Arsenal V Roma
Inter Milan V Manchester United

The first-leg's of each tie will take place on the 24/25 February with the return legs coming two weeks later. A very interesting draw indeed. Obviously the Inter Milan V Man United looks the most attractive, with former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho set to meet his old friend Sir Alex Ferguson.

Ronaldo to join Real Madrid next summer

It has been reported in several papers today that Manchester United have agreed in principle to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid once the seasons ends. The Portuguese winger was continuously linked with a move to the Spanish giants during the summer, with an £80 million transfer being touted, however for whatever reasons he remains a United player.
At times it looked as though Ronaldo would join the La Liga side, but in the end Sir Alex Ferguson managed to hold onto his man but how much longer will he be able to keep hold of his prized asset. Well it has today been claimed that United and Real have a gentleman's agreement in place for Ronaldo to leave Old Trafford next summer and move to the Bernabeu.
Real Madrid director Pedro Trapote is quoted in El Mundo today saying : "The deal is already done for the summer ... It's better not say anything now because there are some clauses that prevent us from announcing it. For us it would be the right time, but we shouldn't do it."
For many people, it is a case of when, not if Ronaldo joins Real after the 24-year old openly admitted it has always been his dream to play for the club. As much as I dislike Ronaldo, I feel it would be a shame to lose such a fantastic player. He is undoubtedly the greatest player in the world at this current moment in time and I think United will find it tremendously hard to find a replacement should he leave in the summer. Judging by the picture of Ronaldo, he doesn't know where he'll be next season!

Arsenal to renew their interest in Liverpool midfiedler come January

Arsenal are ready to renew their interest in Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso once the January transfer window opens. The Spanish international was heavily linked with a move to the Emirates during the summer, but for whatever reasons Alonso remains a Liverpool player.
The 27-year old has played no small part in Liverpool's terrific start to the Premier League campaign, which sees the Merseyside club sit top of the table. Alonso was close to joining to Juventus during the summer after falling down the pecking order at Anfield behind Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard, however Rafa Benitez has now managed to use the trio to best affect.
Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been told he has money to spend in the transfer window and he has now set his sights on bringing Alonso to North London. I am sure all Arsenal fans would be delighted to see a player like Alonso walk in the door in January, however I just can't see it. He is really starting to excel at Liverpool and I can't see Benitez letting him go for anything.
There is no doubting that Alonso is in terrific form and personally I would want him in my team. He costs just £4 million in this season's "You the Manager" and personally I feel that is a bargain. So follow the link below to enter your team to be in with a chance of winning some great weekly and monthly prizes.

Keane : I'll Be Back

Former Sunderland manager Roy Keane has this evening insisted he will return to management. Keane left the Stadium of Light last week after a poor run of form with the Wearside club, however he has vowed to one day return to management.
Many senior figures in the game questioned whether or not Keane would have the desire to return to management including his former manager Sir Alex Ferguson. The 37-year old had this to say when questioned about the matter : "I have experienced and learnt a tremendous amount in the last 27 months and enjoyed the rigours of being a manager.
"I look forward to building on those experiences and, sometime in the future, returning to football management." Personally, I am glad to hear Keane say these things. There is no underestimating how well Keane actually did during his time at Sunderland, earning promotion in his first season their and maintaining their Premier League status the season after.
Meanwhile the race to replace Keane at Sunderland is hotting up. Sam Allardyce remains the bookies favourite, however Alan Curbishley has come in for a lot of support from the punters in recent weeks and is now the second favourite. Make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner over the coming weeks for the latest news and views of the footballing nature.

Bad news Arsenal fans, even your best striker doubts you can win the league

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor has today admitted he can't see Arsenal winning the Premier League this season if they perform like they did against Tottenham on Wednesday. The Gunners conceded two very late goals against their North London rivals Spurs to draw the game 4-4 leaving everyone at the club feeling sick as parrots.
The 24-year old said : "To be champions in this way? You can never be a champion ... There is a lot of disappointment. We are down at the moment because we did everything to get the three points and we ended up with one ... We feel very sorry for ourselves that the things are not going the right way ... It was one of the most difficult games in my life because I cannot understand that after 90 minutes we were leading 4-2 - I don't know how we finished with a draw.
Arsenal also threw away silly points against lesser opposition earlier in the season, most notably the shock 2-1 home defeat by Premier League new boys Hull City. The Gunners now travel to Stoke City on Saturday where a defeat would almost certainly put to bed their chances of winning the title this season.
Personally I am a little bit surprised to see Adebayor come out with these statements. Following such a shock result, a player should be coming out and saying that the side can recover from such a result or not to worry we can still challenge for the league. But hey, at least he is saying what he really feels and I like that in a footballer, however I don't know whether or not these comments will have a positive or negative effect on the players come Saturday.

It's official, Beckham will join Milan in January

After weeks of speculation, it has been confirmed this evening that David Beckham will join AC Milan on January 7. The England international will spend two months on loan with the Serie A giants in order to try and maintain his place in Fabio Cappelo's plans for the national team.
The LA Galaxy midfielder was keen to leave the MLS club on a short-term loan deal in order to keep his place in the England team. The former Manchester United and Real Madrid star currently has 107 caps under his belt, one behind Bobby Moore who lies in second place behind Peter Shilton.
The 33-year old now gives Milan boss Carlo Anceolotti another option in midfield and will certainly add to the array of talent currently on show at the San Siro. LA Galaxy had to cancel a friendly game with Australian side Queensland Roar earlier this week because they could not guarantee that Beckham would be able to play.
Personally I hope Beckham does really well in Milan. He was and still is a terrific footballer who many of Europe's elite would love to have in their squad's. I am sure Cappelo is delighted that Beckham has made the move because it would of looked wrong for him to keep picking him if he wasn't playing any football over the winter.

One thing we learned about Spurs under Redknapp last night was

That they are real fighters now Ramos has left. At 4-2 even the most ardent Spurs fan would of said OK we are going to lose but hey there are a lot of positives to take from the result. But Tottenham are different under new manager Harry Redknapp. They are now a side who never say never and it is that attitude which I think will see them suddenly rise up the Premier League table.
Under Juande Ramos Spurs could of easily went on to lose 6-2 to Arsenal, but the spirit the Spurs players showed in the last five minutes was terrific. In particular David Bentley. Since joining from Blackburn in the summer, Bentley has struggled to show any kind of form but suddenly in the last two games, with Redknapp in charge he looks a different player altogether.
He didn't stop running for the whole 90 minutes and if he keeps that kind of form up he will certainly become a first team regular in the England squad. I feel now it is essential for Spurs to keep that kind of form up for the rest of the season, starting with Liverpool at the weekend and they could easily finish top ten

Ferguson trying his best to convince £32 million striker to join United

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has today admitted he has held talks with United's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez in a bid to keep him at the club. Tevez' two-year loan deal at the club is set to expire at the end of this season and so far United have been reluctant to cough up the £32 million needed to make the deal permanent.
Following the arrival of Dimitar Berbatov, Tevez has found it hard to keep his place in United's starting eleven which has led to speculation that he may leave Old Trafford once the January transfer window opens. Both Real Madrid and Manchester City have been linked with the player in recent weeks, however as of now neither club have made their interest known.
Ferguson told The Guardian this in relation to the matter : "I sat down with him only last week to stress that our faith in him is absolute and, that he remains a top player in the eyes of myself, the players and supporters .... It's just that three players won't fit into two positions and my job is to balance the team .... Carlos understands this and I have explained that when the season really hots up we will need everyone."
It is clear that Ferguson is getting worried that he may not be able to sign Tevez on a permanent deal. I would not be one bit surprised to see Tevez leave the Premier League and Champions League Champions this winter. I personally feel Tevez is without doubt one of the best strikers currently playing in Europe and I am sure he does not want to be sitting on the bench every week waiting for his chance. If he is to leave United, a move to Real Madrid is a real possibility however he may want to stay in England and join money-bags Man City.

Ronaldo, Torres, Fabregas and Drogba all included in Wolrd Player of the Year shortlist

Ten Premier League players have been included in the short-list for FIFA's World Player of the Year award. The list is made up of 23 players from all around the world that will eventually be whittled down to just three in December.
The winner will be decided by national team captains and coaches and the winner of the award will be announced at a ceremony in Zurich in January. Cristiano Ronaldo is the hot favourite to take the award after he was recently awarded with the FIFPro world player of the year.
AC Milan's Kaka won the award last year with Real Madrid's Fabio Cannavaro winning it the year before. In total, 20 European players have been nominated along with 3 South Americans and 3 Africans. Here is the list in full :
Emmanuel Adebayor (Togo), Sergio Aguero (Argentina), Andrei Arshavin (Russia), Michael Ballack (Germany), Gianluigi Buffon (Italy), Iker Casillas (Spain), Deco (Portugal), Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast), Samuel Eto'o (Cameroon), Cesc Fabregas (Spain), Steven Gerrard (England), Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Sweden)
Andres Iniesta (Spain), Kaka (Brazil), Frank Lampard (England), Lionel Messi (Argentina), Franck Ribery (France), Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal), John Terry (England), Fernando Torres (Spain), Ruud van Nistelrooy (Netherlands), David Villa (Spain) and Xavi (Spain).

Maradona to manage Argentina, first up, Scotland

Diego Maradona is tonight on the verge of becoming the manager of the Argentinian national team, according to Carlos Bilardo who led the country to World Cup glory back in 1986. Maradona is a legend in Argentina and this news will no doubt be met with joyous scenes in the country.
Bilardo, who is to become the director of football for the national team once Maradona's appointment is confirmed, was quoted as saying : "Diego will be the next coach of the national team,"
Could you imagine Maradona leading Argentina to World Cup glory in South Africa in 2010. I certainly wouldn't bet against it. It will be fascinating to see how he handles managing such a great bunch a players, who just two months ago won gold at the Olympics. His first game is likely to come in Scotland next month when the sides meet for a friendly.

Adams the wrong choice for Pompey

Portsmouth have today appointed Tony Adams as their new manager following the departure of Harry Redknapp to Tottenham last week. Adams was of course Redknapp's assistant at Fratton Park so it was an obvious choice for Pompey to install Adams as the new manager, but personally I feel it is the wrong decision.
This is Adams' second spell as a first team manager, his first coming at League Two side Wycombe Wanderers. During his spell at Adams Park he had a win percentage of just 22%, spending just over a year at the club. The former England captain handed in his resignation in November 2003, which was accepted.
Adams joined Portsmouth in June 2006, becoming Redknapp's assistant and remained in that position until this afternoon. The 42-year old has admitted he has taken a risk in accepting the opportunity to manage the Premier League side and in my view it won't be long until he is on his way out the exit door at the club.
Just look at the likes of Sammy Lee and Chris Hutchings. Bolton parted company with Sam Allardyce two seasons ago and immediately gave assistant manager Sammy Lee the job. He only won one game in his short spell at the club which ended just six months after his appointment. When Paul Jewell left Wigan, Chris Hutchings was given the job and he did just as bad as Lee, lasting just six months at the JJB Stadium.
I feel the price of 14/1 from Paddy Power on Tony Adams to be the next Premier League manager to be sacked or leave his post is a very decent bet because if Pompey are to go four or five weeks without a win, suddenly pressure starts to build on Adams from the fans and the board and the sack is inevitable.

Redknapp opens the door for former Spurs and Pompey midfielder

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has opened the door for Tim Sherwood to return to White Hart Lane after five years away from the club. Sherwood, 39, has been offered a role in Redknapp's new coaching staff at the North London club, however he is currently considering his options.
Sherwood, who currently works as a pundit on Setanta Sports, had this to say about the offer : "I'm due to speak to Harry but I have a lot of things to consider ... It's a great opportunity - there must be a queue a mile long for that job." Sherwood left Spurs in 2003 to join Redknapp at Pompey and now five years on, Redknapp has made him a totally different offer.
Redknapp has been quoted as saying : "Tim's knowledge of the game is tremendous and he tells it as it is. He's terrific in the dressing room ... He's got a big future in the game if he takes that gamble." Sherwood has expressed a desire to return to Spurs but he doesn't know if he could give it "One million percent of my time".
I really think this could be a superb move for Spurs if Sherwood does in the end join. Sherwood would provide great Premier League experience for Spurs, with the former England international having captained Blackburn to the title back in 1995. Overall I feel it would be a great move for both parties and lets hope a deal happens.

Kaka, Buffon and Torres on way to Manchester?

Manchester City are to go on a massive spending spree once the January transfer window opens with Gianluigi Buffon, Kaka and Fernando Torres all on their wish-list. City boss Mark Hughes is to be given a massive £100 million transfer kitty for January and they are already trying to persuade some of football's biggest names.

Since the arrival of Robinho on the final day of the summer transfer window, City have been linked with dozens of player's, however it is now thought that the Premier League club are beginning to whittle down their targets. City's new owners, Abu Dhabi-United group, have promised to spend big in their efforts to make City the biggest club in the world, with Kaka, Buffon and Torres all attracting interest.

Although I would love for City to sign all these players (I'm a City fan!) I just can't see it happening. I feel it will be at least another season or two before we can really start to think of signing these players. The signing of Robinho has really lifted the expectation at Eastlands but I think we should all try and keep our feet on the ground for a little while anyway, including the owners.

Oh no, the most annoying transfer saga of the summer to kick off again

Yes, Real Madrid manager Bernd Schuster has today confirmed that the Spanish giants will be re-igniting their interest in signing Manchester United's Cristiano Ronaldo once the next transfer window opens. The Portuguese international was the centre of a massive transfer-saga in the summer, with Real rumoured to be prepared to spend as much as £80 million for Ronaldo.

Real manager Schuster told Spanish newspaper Marca : "We must do everything possible as it would be worth it to have this player ... I think this year it will be a little complicated for his club to hang on to him." The 23-year old has always spoken of his desire to join Real, however United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has maintained that he will not be leaving the club anytime soon.

Personally, last summer was just so boring. Listening and reading the same crap everyday about the future of Ronaldo was so frustrating at times. Please for the sake of January, give up Real and just let it be until next summer and them maybe make another bid for Ronaldo. Perhaps, United's local rivals Man City will come into the equation come January.

£16 million Spurs midfielder set for early exit?

Juventus are preparing a January move for Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric. The Croatian international has struggled to to make any kind of impact in the Premier League since his £16 million move from Dynamo Zagreb in the summer and Juve boss Claudio Ranieri is ready to offer Modric an exit door from White Hart Lane.

The 23-year old was linked with several of Europe's elite before his move to Spurs in the summer with Juve rumoured to be among his admirers. After a promising pre-season with the North London club, Modric has played a part in the club's worst start for the past century, which sees Juande Ramos' side sit bottom of the league with just two points.

This may be the best thing for all parties. Spurs could cut their losses from the signing of Modric, the player can start fresh at one of the best teams in Serie A and Juve will have a terrific midfield player with over 30 caps for his country. If Juve were to make a bid of £15 million, I feel Ramos (supposing he is still at the club) would be mad not to accept.

Former Gunners ace doing his best to anger Wenger

Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb has today admitted he is begging Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas to come join him at the Camp Nou. The former Arsenal midfielder left the Emirates in the summer to join Barca and he admits he would love to Fabregas to move to La Liga to re-ignite their central midfield partnership.

Fabregas, 21, admitted during the week that it would be "a dream come true" to move back to Barca where he spent his days as a youngster. Despite signing a new deal at the club only last year (which will keep him at the club until 2013) Fabregas admits he will review his options at the end of the season.

Hleb, 27, told El Mundo Deportivo : "We get on very well on and off the pitch. For me he is like a brother. We call each other a lot to talk about things ... He tells me he misses me at Arsenal and, without wanting to detract from anyone, I would love it if he came to Barca to be a part of all this.

"I don't stop insisting that he should return to Barca and he doesn't stop insisting that he is very happy at Arsenal and with Arsene Wenger. "I will keep boring him until he changes his mind. If in the end he listens to me, I think it would be great for Barcelona."

I really hope Hleb stops pestering Fabregas to join him in Spain because I want Fabregas to stay in the Premier League. He is without doubt one of, if not, the best player in the league and I feel he would be a massive loss for both Arsenal and the league itself. I am sure Arsene Wenger will not be overally happy to hear Hleb trying to persuade Fabregas to leave the Gunners

Latest developments in Newcastle saga

Newcastle United's problems continue today as Mike Ashley has now appointed London-based investment bank Seymour Prince to help push through the sale of the club. Magpies owner Ashley confirmed last week he is keen to sell the club after a nasty fan backlash to Kevin Keegan departing the club two weeks ago.

Keith Harris, the chairman of Seymour Prince, has been involved in some of the biggest deals in the Premier League in recent years including the sale of Chelsea to Roman Abramovich and Randy Lerner buying Aston Villa.

A Newcastle statement said: "The board of Newcastle United can confirm it has appointed the London-based investment bank Seymour Pierce to act on the potential sale of the club.

"All matters relating to the sale of the club, including inquiries from interested parties, should go through Seymour Pierce. "The club will be making no further comment at this time." I personally hope this will push through any deal for Newcastle because it is such a shame to see such a big club being dragged through the dirt like this.

Chelsea hit by double injury blow

Chelsea have today been hit with the news that Portuguese pair Deco and Ricardo Carvalho could both face weeks on the sidelines after picking up injuries at the weekend. Deco tore a muscle in his upper thigh in the warm-up for the game against Man United.

That could see the former Barcelona man out for at least weeks whilst Carvalho could face double that time out after picking up knee ligament damage during the game at Stamford Bridge on Sunday.

Obviously this is a big blow to Luis Filipe Scolari considering both players are regulars in his starting eleven. I would imagine Alex will slot in to replace Carvalho whilst the Brazilian midfielder Mineiro may now be brought in by Scolari after weeks of speculation over his future to cover for Deco.

Crisis at Spurs?

Tottenham remain bottom of the Barclays Premier League table after only picking up a point at home to Wigan Athletic today. At the start of the season, many fans and pundits felt they could break into that elusive top four, but that looks a distant memory now.

They are still without a win this season and it is now their worst start to a top flight season in 34 years. Juande Ramos has blamed their poor start to the season on the fact Dimitar Berbatov left the club so late in the summer transfer window, thus leaving the club with little time to find a suitable replacement.

This is obviously worrying times at White Hart Lane. They travel to Portsmouth next week and that will be no easy task considering, Pompey will be looking to avenge the 6-0 humiliating result they picked up at Manchester City today. I am not a Spurs fan myself, but I am interested to hear what you think? Leave your comments below.

£32.5 million well spent

Manchester City have today demolished Portsmouth 6-0 at the City of Manchester stadium. Mark Hughes' men put on a quite a show today which makes quite a statement to the rest of the Premier League.

It was a case of some samba beat at Eastlands today with Brazilian trio Elano, Jo and £32.5 million man Robinho running the show for the whole game. Jo got his first Premier League goal while Robinho bagged his second to send City fifth in the league.

Wright-Phillips, Evans, Dunne and Fernandes also got on the scoresheet today but it was the Brazilians that stole the show. After it was announced before the game that the Abu Dhabi group had signed the deal to complete their £210 million, City fans had every right to feel optimistic.

Following his move from Real Madrid on transfer deadline day, Robinho has been the centre of attention in Manchester and he certainly hasn't disappointed so far. If today's performance is anything to go by, this kid is a real bargain at £32.5 million.

Honours even at Stamford Bridge

Today's big game in the Premier League saw Chelsea and Manchester draw 1-1. In truth both Luis Filipe Scolari and Sir Alex Ferguson will be reasonably happy with the point although with Chelsea being at home, Scolari may feel a little upset.

Man United's Ji-Sung Park put the visitors in front after Chelsea keeper Peter Cech parried Dimitar Berbatov's straight into the path of the on-rushing Park.

Chelsea's Florent Malouda had a claim for a penalty mid-way through the first-half when he was taken down by Van Der Sar although replays showed the Dutchman got a touch on the ball.

The second-half saw Chelsea press for an equaliser but it wasn't until the final ten minutes that Scolari's men grabbed an leveller. Salomon Kalou headed in from all of six-yards from a John Obi Mikel free-kick.

I feel Ferguson will obviously be the happier manager. He got a point and he saw his star player, Cristiano Ronaldo come on and look very promising. So, Chelsea move up to second with their point whilst United climb one place to 14th in the Barclays Premier League.

Man United to miss out on £30 million, to rivals City?

Manchester United may miss out on striker Carlos Tevez, with rivals Manchester City ready to pounce. The Argentine international has yet to sign a permanent deal at Old Trafford and now City's new owners are ready to bid big to land the player. (News of the World)

Tevez, 24, has been a real hit at United since joining from West Ham a year ago. City have been linked with a whole host of strikers since the takeover of the club by foreign investors last month, but they see Tevez as a realistic acquisition with the player still not officially a United player.

Although I would love to see this move happen (because I am a City fan) I just can't. Tevez is a quality player who has been magnificent since coming the to the Premier League a few years back, but I couldn't see him joining City. I would expect the Tevez' permanent move to United to be complete before January.

You can sign Tevez for just £7 million in this season's "You the Manager" (above). Sign-up now for your chance to win some terrific weekly and monthly prizes and hurry, you can also receive 2 teams for the price of 1 if you sign-up now.

Ashley to sell Newcastle for £250 million after fans protest

Mike Ashley is preparing to sell Newcastle United after losing his popularity with the fans, by forcing Kevin Keegan out the door earlier this week. It all looked so promising for the club when Ashley took over just a year ago, with many Magpies fans happy to see the new owner mixing with the supporters on Newcastle's away trips, but now it looks inevitable he will be forced out by the same fans he mingled with every week. (Daily Mirror)

Wearing his replica jersey's to every game, Ashley was seen by many as a die hard Newcastle fan who was a fan first and then an owner second, but sadly that opinion seems to be fading rapidly. The billionaire retail entrepreneur promised to invest heavily in the club when he took the reins last July, but sadly for the Newcastle fans, the biggest signing they saw come in the door at St James' Park was Fabricio Collocini for a fee of £10 million.

Now that sounds like a big signing but considering Manchester City's recent activity in the market (buying Robinho for a whopping £32 million) I personally think Ashley may of invested a bit more than what he has done. So what next for the club, well it was reported earlier this summer that a company owned by family members of Bin Laden were interested in taking over the club, so there may be a renewed interest from them after hearing this news.

Arsenal on the brink of signing United target

Arsenal are considering offering Steven Appiah a contract after the player admitted he would relish a move to the Premier League. The Ghana international is now a free agent after being released by Turkish side Fenerbahce and can still sign for any outside the transfer window.

Arsene Wenger is keen to add to his midfield options after missing out on Gareth Barry and Xabi Alonso during August and Appiah looks a suitable candidate. The 27-year old has also been linked with a move to West Ham United in recent days but as yet nothing has materialised and Appiah has welcomed the interest from the Gunners.

"There are contracts, there are talks – I can't say anything yet," said Appiah. "I am not going to put people off, my agents are talking so I have nothing else to say." I personally think Appiah is a tremendous midfield player who would benifit a lot of sides in England, including Arsenal. He wouldn't cost the club a penny (apart from his wages) and I feel he could prove to be an excellent signing.

City to do everything in their power to sign former United goal machine

Manchester City are determined to sign Real Madrid striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy come January after missing out on the Dutch international on deadline day. The former Manchester United goal machine is high up on City's January wish-list which also includes Fernando Torres, Cristiano Ronaldo and Cesc Fabregas.

Van Nistelrooy, 32, was apparently subject of a blank cheque offer from City's new owners on transfer deadline day on Monday, an offer which Real Madrid immediately rejected. Van Nistelrooy made a total of 217 appearances for United during his time at the club, scoring an impressive 149 goals in that time.

There is no doubt Van Nistelrooy is a magnificent player, however I personally wouldn't like to see the Dutchman heading for Eastlands. He is 32-years old now and I feel it is best that the City owners concentrate their efforts on bringing younger front men into the club, come the opening of the January window.

Keegan finally resigns

Newcastle United manager Kevin Keegan has resigned after days of uncertainty over his future. This has led to much uproar at St James' Park with the fans protesting against the owner, Mike Ashley and executive director of football at the club Dennis Wise, who the fans believed was part of the reason Keegan left.

After only coming back to the club he is adored so much at eight months ago, Keegan has decided enough is enough and has now decided to walk after days of uncertainty over his future. It was announced on Monday that Keegan had parted company with the club, only for it to be confirmed on the club's official website that he was in fact still their manager.

But now we all know he is gone and what next for the club. Well expect a massive backlash from the club, with a possible boycott for their next home game against Hull City. I personally believe Ashley may have to balls to appoint Wise, who the fans seem to hate so much.

Hammers legend on his way back to Upton Park?

Former West Ham striker Paolo Di Canio has this afternoon confirmed he is interested in the vacant position at Upton Park. The Italian legend spent five very successful years at the East London club, where he became a firm fan favourite during his time at the club.

After Alan Curbishley's departure on Wednesday, several of the bookies favourites have ruled themselves out of the race for the managerial post, including Slaven Bilic and Stuart Pearce. Di Canio is currently the 9/2 second favourite with the bookies and that now sounds like great value, considering his admission he now wants the job.

I think it would be great to see Di Canio return to the Upton Park, and indeed the Premier League after five years away. After leaving the Hammers he joined Charlton and then returned to his homeland and signed for Lazio before making his final move to Cisco Roma.

Who do you want to see as the new West Ham Manger?

Its simple. Who do you want to see replace Alan Curbishley as the manger of West Ham?

Well have your say on the poll at the top right of the blog!

Personally Id love to see Bilic get it. I think he is a very good manger and is an interesting character to say the least! Unfortunately I don't think he will take the job. He has recently came out and said will see out the rest of his contract with Croatia which lasts until the end of the world cup in 2010, but then again you never know...

Think you know your football? £275k up for grabs

You think you know your football? Well sign up for the Daily Mirror's fantasy football game "You The Manager" and simply pick your team and the winner receives £100,000. It's really that easy.

Overall, there is £275,000 in prize money to be won, with prizes ranging from first prize, £100,000 to 10th place, £250. I have selected my team, who I think will win me the massive first prize, but do you think you can bring the money home by selecting your own Premier League XI.

Simply sign up for the game by following the link at the top of this post. I have set up a mini league of my own, which you can enter and I am keen to see can any of my readers actually beat me. Don't think so!

When you are joining, be sure to enter the Football Corner Premier League mini league. The password for the league is footballcorner. Good luck with picking your teams!

Arsenal vs Szombathelyi Haladas Goals & Highlight

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Theo Walcott 1-0 (one-time finish)
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Toon close in on £22 million Argentine trio !

Newcastle are certainly going with an Argentine theme in this Summer transfer window. After securing the signature of Jonas Gutierrez last week, the Geordies are looking to snatch up Real Zaragoza's Pablo Aimar and Liverpool youngster Emiliano Insua.
Aimar has also been linked with Sunderland and Benfica over the last few days but it is expected that the Argentine international will complete his move to Newcastle in the next 48 hours after agreeing on a £7 million fee.

Liverpool's promising, young full back Emiliano Insua, could be joining his fellow countrymen at St.James Park as he is also being linked with a move to Kevin Keegan's side. There's no doubt that Insua has a bright future ahead of him and I think Liverpool would be wise to hold on to him even if it does mean competing for a place with new signing Andrea Dossena.

Spurs join Gunners in race for £12 million South American !

Spurs have joined Arsenal in the race to sign Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz according to reports in The Guardian today.
Santa Cruz joined Rovers last year from Bayern Munich and had an outstanding debut season in the Premier League bagging 19 goals, for then Mark Hughes' side. New boss Paul Ince has vowed to try and cling onto the Paraguayan international, despite Santa Cruz saying he is open to offers.

Tottenham may well need to recruit a new striker in this transfer window if not two, as both Robbie Keane and Dimitar Berbatov are being heavily linked with moves to Liverpool and Man United respectively. Spurs face stiff competition, though for Santa Cruz' signature with Arsenal also in the hunt for the £12 million rated 26 year ol

Chelsea set for £65 million double swoop while losing £5 million defender !

Chelsea are preparing bids for Brazilian duo Ronaldinho and Robinho while The Blues' full back Wayne Bridge looks set for a move to Pompey.Ronaldinho has been the subject of one of the biggest transfer sagas this summer as AC Milan, Man City and now Chelsea are all trying to capture the unsettled Brazilian. Despite his severe drop in form last season the likes of Mark Hughes and his former Brazil boss Felipe Scolari, hope to bring him back to full fitness and back to his best.

Real Madrid have reportedly received a £48 million bid for Robinho from Chelsea as Scolari is looking to link up with another of his former players. The pacy winger come striker has had a very successful few seasons with the La Liga side, bagging the league title two year's in a row.

Harry Redknapp is looking to snatch up out of favour Chelsea full back Wayne Bridge for a cut price of £5 million. The left sided player is currently second choice to Ashley Cole at Chelsea, however he would certainly make it into any team outside the "Big Four".

Gunners star moves to Greece to make way for Arsha !

Arsenal veteran Gilberto Silva looks set for a move away from the Emirates this week to Greek outfit Panathanaikos as the Londoners look to secure the signature of Russian midfielder Andrei Arshavin.

The 31 year joined the Gunners in 2002 and played a vital part in the club's success. However this season he has struggled to break into the first eleven with the presence of Mathieu Flamini and Cesc Fabregas. Despite Flamini's departure from the club this Summer, Samir Nasri has come in as a replacement and could even be followed by Andrei Arshavin in the next few weeks.

Gilberto is expected to complete a move to Greece on Wednesday when he returns from holidays. Everton were also rumoured to be in the hunt for the Brazilian but still remain as outsiders to capture the Gunners number 19.

Liverpool sell goalkeeper and midfielder to fund £18 million striker deal

Liverpool are to sell Scott Carson and Jermaine Pennant in order to fund a deal for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane. The pair have both been linked with exits from Anfield all summer as Rafa Benitez looks to rebuild his side for a title challenge this season.
Scott Carson will complete a £6 million move to Premier League newcomers Stoke City, once he has passed a medical. The England international spent last season on loan at Aston Villa and has been linked with several other top flight sides in recent weeks but it now looks as though Stoke have won the battle for the 22-year old.

Meanwhile, Jermaine Pennant looks set to link up with Paul Ince at Blackburn. Rovers have prepared a £4 million bid for the 25-year old but it is thought that Rafa Benitez will hold out for his £6 million valuation of the former Arsenal player. If Liverpool were to get the £12 million they want out of Carson and Pennant it will certainly go towards bringing Spurs striker Robbie Keane to Anfield.

All change at Spurs as £28 million striker leaves whilst £17 million midfielder arrives

It is all change at Tottenham this evening, with striker Dimitar Berbatov looking almost certain to join Manchester United and Blackburn midfielder David Bentley nearing a move to White Hart Lane. Both moves have been rumoured for weeks now as Juande Ramos looks to freshen up things at the North London club.



















There was little doubt that Berbatov was going to leave Spurs this summer but the question was to who and how much would he go for. Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has decided to splash out £28 million on the 27-year old Bulgarian as he prepares for life without Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, some good news for Spurs fans is that David Bentley looks certain to join them for a fee believed to be £17 million. The former Arsenal academy player has impressed during his time at Ewood Park, earning himself an England call-up in the process. Spurs saw off competition from Aston Villa for the 23-year old's signature.

Spurs are making a £11 million profit out of these two deals and I feel that is terrific work by Ramos. Berbatov is 27 now and Bentley is only 23 and although they play in different positions I think Bentley will provide the same quality as Berbatov has done for the previous two years at White Hart Lane.