£40m Van raid
Ruud van Nistelrooy has become a £40million target for Barcelona. And that could see him team up with Dutch pal Patrick Kluivert. Spanish giants Barca will be holding elections for a new president next month. And several contenders have put the Manchester United hitman top of their shopping list. Ex-Barcelona vice-president Josep Martinez-Rovira, who is in the running, admitted: " We have spoken to Ruud´s agent and we believe the player is very interested in joining our project to make us great again. He is interested in the proposal we have made to him."
Ross Gregory, The Sun
Time to listen to Becks
The chair sailed straight through the front window of the Belgian high street cafe. The women and children inside cowered as their afternoon tea was disrupted by a shower of broken glass. Outside a group of England " fans" lurched against each other, laughing raucously in the time-honoured tradition of the moron. Stripped to the waist in the early summer sunshine that had accompanied the start of Euro 2000, they revealed themselves in all their glory. Slovenly, overweight, shaven-headed, tattooed and three sheets to the wind at four o´clock. And all fully-paid up members of Combat 18, the National Front and those other neo-Nazi organisations who were doing their damnedest to get England ejected from the tournament. They didn´t succeed but, from that moment, England´s hopes of staging World Cup 2006 were dead in the water.
Steven Howard, The Sun
Sven´s got back ache
England boss Sven Goran Eriksson has a centre-back crisis on his hands now Rio Ferdinand is facing a knee operation. Ferdinand, Sol Campbell, Jonathan Woodgate and Wes Brown are ALL out of the June 11 Euro 2004 qualifier with Slovakia in Middlesbrough. Manchester United star Ferdinand has been struggling with the injury for six weeks and FA medics now believe he needs surgery. Ferdinand will be checked over by United´s doctors today but it is expected they will confirm the FA diagnosis.
Shaun Custis, The Sun
Decision day for crocked Rio
Manchester United will decide today whether to send Rio Ferdinand for surgery on his injured knee. An operation on the long-standing problem, which was aggravated playing for England in South Africa last week, will rule him out for six weeks. It would be a huge blow for Ferdinand, who will definitely miss England´s friendly with Serbia on Tuesday and the Euro 2004 qualifier with Slovakia on June 11. He would also struggle to be ready for United´s pre-season preparations and four-game tour of America at the end of July.
John Cross, Daily Mirror
Serie A or Serie Aaargghh
The celebrations in Milan went on long into the night, but there was little joy elsewhere in Europe as Italy´s football renaissance bored the continent into submission. AC Milan´s Champions League Final triumph over Juventus allowed Carlo Ancelotti and his side to call themselves the best in Europe, even if opposite number Marcelo Lippi publicly doubted their right to brag. If the ultimate result is all- important, then Milan will point to the return of the Cup with the " Big Ears" to the San Siro for the sixth time as justification for the game they played. The fact of an all-Italian final demonstrated that Serie A has clawed itself back from the self-doubt that had begun to eat away at the national consciousness over the past four seasons. Yet the carping from Madrid of Ronaldo, whose spell in Milan with Inter was decidedly unsuccessful, will have struck more of a chord than any Italian delight. He dismissed both the game and the two finalists as he delivered a withering put-down. Real´s Brazilian ace said: " It was obviously no great spectacle. We all saw that it was a very ugly and boring final."
Martin Lipton, Daily Mirror
Bored by Italians? Juve got it wrong
The European Cup final was the most fascinating, exciting and intriguing game that I have seen this season. That people would say it was a boring goalless contest is wrong as the superb duel between Juventus and AC Milan was a stunning exhibition of top-class European football and a great advert for the Champions League. Furthermore, it raised questions as to whether our best teams, Arsenal and Manchester United, could cope at the highest level in the Champions League and in all honesty the two Italian giants showed that they are still a notch above the best that the Premiership has to offer. The first half was played at a terrific pace, the second half was a bit more of a tactical battle but AC Milan finished extra-time with three strikers so both teams were determined to win without the lottery of penalties. It was a far cry from a typical Italian match and it may sound stupid but both teams were determined to put on a different and exciting exhibition of football because they were in a foreign country. If you analyse the first half, that was played at an electric pace with the sort of speed that the Premiership is famous for. However, when our teams play at that sort of pace in the Premiership it induces so many mistakes, bad passing and players conceding possession very cheaply. In stark contrast, the likes of Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf were magnificent in midfield.
Mark Lawrenson, Daily Mirror
Ambush!
Manchester United plan to pinch Republic of Ireland ace Steve Finnan from under the noses of arch-rivals Liverpool. Sir Alex Ferguson is lining up a shock move for the Fulham defender - even though Finnan appeared to be earmarked for Anfield. Liverpool boss Gerard Houllier targeted Finnan to fill his problem right-back position several months ago. And a £4m deal to take the 27-year-old to Anfield has been widely reported.Now, Houllier may be out-manoeuvred by Ferguson - just as he was when French star Mikael Silvestre opted for Old Trafford four years ago.
Bill Thornton, Daily Star
Keep on the attack
Manchester United and Arsenal must not betray their commitment to attack in a desperate bid to win the Champions League, insists former Newcastle striker Jon-Dahl Tomasson. Danish international Tomasson was part of the AC Milan squad which triumphed in the final at Old Trafford, although he was forced to watch from the sidelines with a shoulder injury. Tomasson, 26, said: " Manchester United have done reallt well for many years, so I think they should remain true to their strengths."
George Scott, Daily Star
If only could do Italian job
At £30m, Rio Ferdinand is not just the costliest, he should also be THE outstanding central defender in European football. He isn´t. Not yet. Manchester United´s hugely talented signing still has a lot to learn about the art of dominating the best forwards around. That was so obvious when AC Milan and Juventus treated us to a wonderful exhibition of protecting what is theirs during Wednesday´s European Cup final at Old Trafford. The Italians view defending as we in England boast about our goalscorers. We like a shoot-out, they enjoy a shut-out just as much.
Brian Woolnough, Daily Star
Nev set to Phil gap
Sven Goran Eriksson is ready to solve his shock midfield crisis with a shock switch for Phil Neville. The absence of Neville´s Manchester United team-mate David Beckham through injury and suspension has left Eriksson with a major problem for next week´s friendly against Serbia and the Euro 2004 qualifier against Solvakia on June 11. With Beckham absent, Eriksson is considering moving Steven Gerrard out to the right. He will then use Neville in the middle along with Paul Scholes.
David Woods, Daily Star
I would love to manage Madrid - Wenger will decide future in two weeks
Arsene Wenger reopened the row over his talks with Real Madrid last night by admitting he would love to coach the Spanish giants. Wenger stunned Arsenal this week when he revealed that he had had talks with Real president Florentino Perez in Paris last Friday. The Gunners manaer has since said he will see out the remaining two years on his contract.
Tony Banks, Daily Express
Becks keeps options open
David Beckham is reconsidering his decision to stay at Old Trafford because it is increasingly " difficult to live a normal life" in England. Beckham made a definitive statement pledging he will remaining at Manchester United following speculation over a move to Real Madrid.
Harry Harris, Daily Express
