Betis ace Joaquin confirms " negotiations" with Chelsea, Man Utd

Real Betis winger Joaquin has confirmed the interest of Chelsea and Manchester United.

Betis president Mauel Ruiz de Lopera is in talks with both Premiership clubs and Joaquin admits a move to England is likely. He said: " There have been negotiations with Chelsea and Manchester United."

Meanwhile, Joaquin has revealed he would rather be a bullfighter than a Premiership player.

But he says he would have been a fearless toreador - had he not been afraid of his mum!

Joaquin, 23, said: " My mum used to lock me in my room because I´d always be down the bullring trying out moves.

" I fought a couple of times but my mum didn´t like it."

=>Joaquin sa serait bien mais je doute qu´on ai les moyens de le faire venir

Maniche c´est pas le joueur qu´il nous faut, c´est pas vraiment un milieu defensif.

J´ai l´impression que c´est un truc de l´an dernier pour Joaquin parce que je vois pas comment on peut negocier sans argent ou alors le chekh milliardaire compte s´offrir le club ou nous faire un don très généreux.

Sinon Chelsea s´est fait rejeté pour Essien et ils ont fait une offre pour Gilardino.

J´ai lu qu´on parlait de Zokora, l´ivoirien de St-Etienne, pour venir renforcer notre milieu.

zokora vie la blague . on a eu djemba ca suffit non . .

et comment on fait de gros changements sans argent . .

pour moi joaquim fera une reyes pas assez de phyqique pour l´angleterre

on est a 20 points de chelsea . ca frise vraiment l´humiliation . et l´an prochain on repart avec la méme équipe logiquement . .

On repart avec la même equipe mais on n´aura pas les blessés et rio ne sera pas suspendu

accessoirement rio ne sera peut étre pas la . .

et pas de bléssé ca personne ne le sait non plus.

CHELSEA

Je sui d´accord avec toi ivguenyp qu´on ne peut pas savoir qui sera blessés mais je pense que ca ne peut pas etre pire que cette année

d accord avec toi

Arsenal a gagné 7-0 contre Everton si on veut gagner faut variment que les joueurs se motivent sinon on perdra la finale de la cup

Real rule out Rio raid

Real Madrid have dismissed reports that they are preparing a bid to lure Rio Ferdinand away from Manchester United.

Spanish daily Sport claimed that Los Merengues made tentative contact with United after hearing of Ferdinand´s continued refusal to put pen to paper on the contract offered to him by the Premiership titans.

The possibility of United entertaining the prospect of selling their England international centre-back always seemed remote, especially given their assertion that they expect him to sign before the FA Cup final with Arsenal.

However, Real themselves have now moved to quash the speculation with director of football Arrigo Sacchi insisting Ferdinand is not on their list of summer targets.

" At this time the publication of rumours related to players and us is usual, but the purchase of Rio is not being looked at by Real," Sacchi told skysports.com.

" Rio Ferdinand is a good player but is not on our agenda."

Real already have plenty of options at centre back with Ivan Helguera, Walter Samuel and Francisco Pavon all on their books, and also hope to have injury-plagued Jonathan Woodgate available for selection next term.

The Primera outfit, who look certain to finish without a trophy for the second successive season, are expected to be busy in the transfer market this close-season, but it is highly unlikely a move for Ferdinand will materialise.

ivguenyp2 Posté le 11 mai 2005 à 17:23:29
pour moi joaquim fera une reyes pas assez de phyqique pour l´angleterre

>>> Joaquin a largement les moyens physiques de réussir en angleterre, le seul probleme que je vois, c´est qu´il risque de ne pas s´habituer à la vie là-bas. Et de toute façon, il attend une offre du real qui devrait arriver d´ici peu si Figo s´en va.

Rossi And Blake Have Bright Futures - Ferguson

Giuseppe Rossi and Sylvan Blake both have bright futures in the game, according to Sir Alex Ferguson, after the two teenagers were handed Player of the Year awards.

Forwards Rossi, 18, and Blake, 19, formed a clinical partnership in the Reserves this season, scoring 33 goals between them as the Reds clinched the Pontin´s and Premier Reserve League titles.

Rossi, who joined from Parma in the summer, won the Jimmy Murphy Young Player of the Year award after some superb performances for the Reds´ second string.

Ferguson predicts the diminutive Italian has an exciting career ahead of him at Old Trafford.

He said: " I am very pleased with Rossi. He is a young lad who came from Italy and he has settled in and performed at a high level, especially when he has been introduced into the first team.

" He handled being brought into the Carling Cup games and I am delighted that he has received the award.

" Rossi can look forward to a terrific career," the Reds boss told ManUtd.com.

Blake, who suffered a broken leg in February which prematurely ended his season, is a graduate of United´s 2003 FA Youth Cup-winning side.

The Denzil Haroun Reserve Player of the Year trophy is just reward for polishing the edges to his game in a season that saw him hit 15 league goals.

" He is a great testament to youth development at Manchester United," Sir Alex said of Blake.

" He was a young boy with raw talent when he first arrived and he has become a great forward.

" He was unlucky when he got a bad break mid-season but he´ll be back next year. He can take encouragement from this award, he truly deserves it."

Blake and Rossi helped the Reds to the Pontin´s Holiday League and Premier Reserve League titles as well as the Pontin´s League Cup during a highly-successful campaign for the second string.

Rossi scored four goals in the Pontin´s League and 13 for the Premier Reserves, while Blake hit four and 11 in the respective leagues.

Report by Ben Hibbs.

Wilf: Midfielder & Goalkeeper Are Top Targets

Former United boss Wilf McGuinness believes United fans could see the arrival of two new faces in the summer in the shape of a midfielder and a goalkeeper.

Despite a healthy sprinkling of midfielders within the squad, there are none in the mould of Roy Keane, whose ageing legs continue to prevent him from leading the side in every match.

On the goalkeeping front, both Roy Carroll and Tim Howard have endured spells out of the team after making a series of errors, while Carroll is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal and could leave the club in the summer.

" The way things are going at the moment, I´d be looking to see a midfielder or a goalkeeper coming into the squad," McGuinness told ManUtd.com.

" Chelsea´s No.2 Carlo Cudicini has been linked with us and he´s a keeper I like. He´s not the biggest, but he always seems very alert which is what we need.

" It would be nice if we could get one like Petr Cech who was plucked from nowhere, much like Peter Schmeichel was.

" United goalkeepers aren´t always tested in some games because the opposition can find it difficult to break through our defence. So we need a reliable keeper who is capable of making saves whenever he´s called upon.

" In terms of a midfielder, I´m a big Steven Gerrard fan - I always have been and I always will be!" he continued. " I´d love to see him at this club but don´t really expect it to happen.

" Bayern Munich´s Michael Ballack is another who has been mentioned - I´ve been impressed with him whenever I´ve seen him play.

" Another player that has always caught my eye is Milan´s Gennaro Gattuso. He´s a real battler and was excellent when he played against us earlier in the season."

Report by Gemma Thompson.

New Boy Mikel is Better Than Gerrard - Henning Berg

Former United defender Henning Berg claims the club´s new signing John Obi Mikel is one of the most exciting young players he has ever seen.

Berg, now a coach with Mikel´s club FC Lyn Oslo, describes the highly-coveted 18-year-old defensive midfielder as " better than Steven Gerrard" at a similar age.

" Mikel is an amazing player and the biggest talent for his age that I have ever seen," Berg told the Daily Express.

" He is better than both Steve Gerrard and Michael Owen were at that age and he can achieve great things."

Chelsea were reportedly interested in the Nigerian youth international - who is still in Norway playing for Lyn - while Sir Alex Ferguson has promised a warm welcome when the player arrives at the club.

Mikel is also quoted in the newspaper, saying: " Sir Alex called me to say he was very happy that I have joined United.

" He said he would organise a party in my honour to celebrate the transfer. This is a huge opportunity for me and I am delighted."

Last week United announced an agreement with Lyn, where Mikel has made just two league appearances so far. He recently scored his first goal for the club in their 6-1 league win over Molde ( Ole Gunnar Solskjaer´s old club) and was voted Man of the Match.

Report by Ben Hibbs.

Fergie flys into Mikel fray

Sir Alex Ferguson is flying to Norway on Thursday to try and resolve the situation over Jon Obi Mikel.

The Nigerian starlet penned a deal with Manchester United last month, which infuriated Premiership rivals Chelsea who thought they already had the 18-year-old signed and sealed.

Since the announcement of Mikel´s signing, the youngster is reported to have received death threats and went into hiding - and some parts of the Norwegian press are claiming the youngster now wants to join Chelsea instead of United after Lyn called the police.

He has since gone missing and Lyn insist that agents Jerome Anderson and John Shittu are responsible for taking Mikel away -
Lyn are now furious with how events are transpiring.

" Jim Ryan [United youth coach] is already here and Sir Alex Ferguson is coming to Norway," Lyn´s sporting director Morgan Anderson told skysports.com.

" We will have to see what happens when Sir Alex comes, but we are informing the police again and the Norwegian FA.

" We don´t know where Jon is. He has been taken away by agents John Shittu and Jerome Anderson - who told us they were working for Chelsea, although Chelsea have not confirmed that with us.

" We have received some information that Jon may be on his way to join-up with a Nigeria training camp in Germany, but we are not sure if this is right.

" Manchester United we know have written to Chelsea about this whole saga, but we know there is nothing wrong on our part. Everything done is rock solid and legal.

" We have always got on well with Chelsea. They made us an offer for Jon, but it was way off the mark and they only wanted to use middle men all the time.

" Jon wasn´t happy with all the agents becoming involved and so we managed to cancel all arrangements before he signed for Manchester United."

Lyn have also insisted that Chelsea are illegally keeping hold of Mikel´s team-mate and fellow countryman Emmanuel Sakri - who has been on trial at Stamford Bridge since January.

" He [Sakri] is our player and what can we say? They will not let him come back!" Anderson continued.

Lyn are now just concentrating on the Mikel situation, which has been complicated by the fact that the player is quoted as saying he wants to move to Stamford Bridge.

" I don´t want to play for Manchester United anymore," Mikel is reported to have said.

" I´m not satisfied with the way Lyn have handled this case and I´m angry that they sent the police after me. I find this very degrading."

Lyn, though, insist that Mikel will only move with their say so as he is under contract with them for two more years - meaning he will not move to Chelsea unless there is a dramatic u-turn in events.

" We have him under contract, we will decide where he goes," said Anderson.

" It was all okay until 48 hours ago when these agents turned up, but now we just have to find him and clear this up."

Lyn and United are now looking into the possibility of the deal, which was scheduled for January, being brought forward to this summer.

" That is a possibility we are considering," said Jim Ryan.

" But first we have to discuss with Lyn and the player."

Lyn will hope the arrival of Ferguson - who is obviously worried enough to make the trip - will get the whole issue sorted out.

< << ça promet cette affaire...

Ferguson in emergency Norway dash

Sir Alex Ferguson has flown out to Norway in an attempt to sort out the John Obi Mikel transfer.
Manchester United thought they had snatched the 18-year-old Nigerian from Chelsea´s grasp when they announced his signing almost a fortnight ago.

The Stamford Bridge club also believe they have a deal in place that will see the midfielder switch from his current Norwegian club Lyn Oslo.

Mikel has apparently said he wants to join Chelsea in preference to United.

It has been confirmed that Mikel failed to turn up for training in Norway, amid further rumour that he could be heading for London and a summit meeting with his prospective employers.

If that proves to be the case, Ferguson faces acute embarrassment when he lands in the Norwegian capital.

The Scot has made a point of trying to attract the best young talent available, hence the arrivals of Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney at Old Trafford in the last two years, and sees Mikel as a potential star of the future.

Ferguson has cancelled scheduled pre-match media engagements for Sunday´s clash with Southampton to make the trip to Scandinavia, accompanied by coach Jimmy Ryan.

Glazer launches bid for Man Utd

US sports tycoon Malcolm Glazer has launched a £790m formal takeover bid for Manchester United.
The American has secured the 28.7% stake of Irish racing tycoons JP MacManus and John Magnier, giving him a 59% stake in the Premiership club.

Red Football Ltd, acting on behalf of Mr Glazer, said the Irishmen had sold their stakes for 300p a share.

The bid comes five days ahead of the 17 May deadline for which Mr Glazer had to make known whether he planned to bid.

Shares in Manchester United rallied 34.25 pence, or 12.9%, at 299.25p shortly after the announcement.