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Roma still interested in Rabiot

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Roma coach Rudi Garcia has hinted that a move for Arsenal target Adrien Rabiot is still possible. Reports from talkSport had originally claimed that a deal for the 19-year old had collapsed.

However, it appears a move for the youngster could once again be on the cards. He has just one-year left on his current deal, meaning that he would be able to leave on a free next summer.

It also means that PSG may be willing to sell him on in January, so that they don’t end up losing the Frenchman for nothing at the end of the season. Garcia himself has claimed a deal could happen come January time. He said:

“We are always interested in quality players. Some are accessible, others less so. Until January he [Rabiot] will remain at PSG, but after that he is free to decide his next destination.”

By Charlie Gregory

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@CharlieGreg15

Strootman set for new Roma deal

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Kevin Strootman is set to pen a new deal at Italian Serie A side Roma, despite interest from Manchester United. 

Midfielder Strootman, aged 24 has recently been recovering from a serious knee injury, with Manchester United keen to land the Dutch international. 

Louis Van Gaal is a well-known fan of the player, and is set to test the water with a potential bid for the centre midfielder once the January transfer window opens. 

Strootman has only recently returned to training, and Roma are keen to tie him down to an improved contract in the Italian capital. 

And Strootman stated his delight at his return to light-training, and recently tweeted:

“Nice feeling to do some work with the team today.” 

Reports in the Italian press suggest that Roma are to lure Strootman in by improving his current £25,000-a-week a week contract. 

by Ben Reardon 

@BenReardon1

Monaco plan Rooney swap deal

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Monaco want Wayne Rooney from Man United in exchange for making Radamel Falcao’s move to Old Trafford permanent. According to reports from the Express, the French side are confident that they WILL land the forward, by offering a lucrative and long-term deal at the club.
Although United will be reluctant to agree to any kind of deal which would see the England international leave, the transfer offer has been made more attractive to boss Louis Van Gaal because of the fact Monaco would be willing to let Falcao stay in Manchester in exchange.
The news of this new bid comes just a week after the vice-president of Monaco, Vadim Vasilyev, revealed that the Ligue 1 club wouldn’t be giving up their interest in Rooney, despite the fact the striker signed a new five-and-a-half year deal at Old Trafford earlier this year.
By Charlie Gregory
Follow me on Twitter – @CharlieGreg15

Ancelotti reveals why he sold Di Maria

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Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti has revealed why he sold Angel Di Maria to Manchester United. 

Di Maria joined Manchester United from Madrid in the summer for a British record of £60 million, and has impressed at Old Trafford so far. 

In his five games for the Red Devils, Di Maria has scred three goals, and provided three assist, with the winger scoring, and setting up Falcao in United’s 2-1 win over Everton at Old Trafford just before the international break commenced. 

However, in a recent interview with the Spanish Newspaper MARCA, Ancelotti revealed that he let the in-form player leave due to his wage demands. 

Real also sold Xabi Alonso and Diego Lopez during the summer, with Ancelotti claiming that the Spaniards moves were motivated by desire, though Di Maria’s was motivated by money.

He said: “Di Maria? I was in agreement with the club. There are times when the club needs to say no. You can’t change the policies of the club for one player.

“Di Maria asked for a lot of money and preferred to leave to go find it. The club couldn’t give him the money he wanted.”

“They say that I’m the manager of the club; of course, I coach for the club, not for the players.

“Xabi is different because he asked to leave. He was a little tired and because of the respect we have for him, we let him leave because we had good options with (Toni) Kroos and James (Rodriguez). He didn’t betray us.

“Diego Lopez left to find another great club with less competition. He left because he preferred to leave, no one ever asked for him to leave.” 

by Ben Reardon 

@BenReardon1

Arsenal seek new striker

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Arsenal are currently keeping tabs on Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike, who has been linked with a move to the premier league for the last 18 months. 

The Gunners are said to be leading the race for the striker who will cost them around £15 million if they were to sign him this January.

Arsenal boss, Arsene Wenger, has asked his scouts to keep an eye on Emenike, who grabbed himself nine assists and twelve goals in 28 matches last season for Turkish side, Fenerbache.

The Nigerian has also been closely monitored by Chelsea and was reportedly a transfer target of Jose Mourinho’s during the Summer transfer window.

Written by Connor Breen

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@Connor_breen12

 

Griezman reveals why he snubbed Gunners

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After having a an impressive season the Frenchman was wanted by European giants Arsenal and PSG but opted for a move to Atletico Madrid instead. He told France football “Why Spain and not elsewhere? This is my championship, my home, I’m happy here.”

“And Atletico is a great club. The leaders were willing to pay 30 million euros for me.”

“I had the boss on the phone. He motivated me and said the club really wanted me. I knew that I was coming here to learn.”

“Was it weird when PSG and Arsenal were also interested? They’re still the champions of Spain! I needed a club like that and a coach like Diego Simeone to progress. I always demand intensity in training. That’s my style and I like it.” 

Written by Connor Breen

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@Connor_breen12

 

Schurrle ready to get robust!

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Despite not always being in the starting line up Schurrle has played an important part in the Blues campaign to top the Premier League table this season, But despite as he has contributed to the squad, Mourinho has told Andre to become a bit more robust in matches and that it is OK to commit the occasional foul.

Schurrle has been more than accomidating to his bosses wishes as he too believes that a more tougher approach should be brought to his game.

“Jose Mourinho has taught me a different style of play and a different way of thinking to reach the world-class level someday. said Schurrle speaking to the press

“To him, finishing second is a failure. He doesn’t know the word ‘losing’. That’s how he holds his talk before the matches. His thinking is impressive – as impressive as the way he gets his message across.

“He challenges you to be robust on the pitch, to play like a man. That sometimes means committing a foul. I feel much better since joining Chelsea and I have become much more confident.”

Written by Steve Milne Follow me on Twitter: @SteveMilneNews

The reason Raphael Varane turned down Man Utd

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Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane has revealed he turned down a move to Manchester United because they had just signed Phil Jones.

The French ace was a target for a number of clubs when he left Lens in 2011 before eventually moving to the Bernabeu, where he has settled in comfortably.

Varane cost Madrid around £8m, while United shelled out £16.5m for England international Jones. 

Speaking about his decision, Varane claimed the decision was straightforward in the end.

“PSG? The project there wasn’t clear. The Qataris had only just arrived and it was all still very vague.

“Manchester United? They had just signed Phil Jones in my position. My first reaction when Real wanted to sign me was not ‘of course I will go’, I only decided to move there when I knew the coach wanted me to play in the first team.”

The player has been linked with Chelsea over recent months and while Jose Mourinho is a known fan he admits a deal is unlikely. “I Like Varane, but everyone knows he will stay at Real Madrid.”

 

By Andrew Bell (@AndrewBizzle009)

 

 

Arsenal to beat Chelsea to star?

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Arsenal have stepped up their efforts to sign Chelsea target Talisca.

Brazilian born Benfica star Talisca, 20, has made a lightning start to his career in Europe following a summer move from Bahia. 

That has alerted a numer of European clubs, with Chelsea the early front runners to sign the striker. Blues boss Jose Mourinho himself claimed Talisca was only stopped signing for an English club by work permit issues, before claiming the Benfica star was one of only two long term Chelsea targets.

Arsene Wenger is believed to have sent scouts to watch the promising forward play for Brazil U21’s on Saturday, taking the first step in what is sure to be an interesting transfer story.

And the Arsenal boss is now ready to make an official bid in an effort to push through the transfer ahead of the competition.

 

By Andrew Bell (@AndrewBizzle009)

 

Injury-plagued centre back a target for the Gunners

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Sparagna not long ago was considered one of Marseille’s brightest stars of the future but the club have stalled on offering him a new deal, Mainly because of his poor injury record.

But that has not deterred Arsenal, with La Marseillaise newspaper saying the Gunners have made an offer to lure Sparagna to the Emirates before the end of the year.

A centre back who often plays as a defensive midfielder, Sparagna has been dubbed the ‘new Mathieu Flamini’ by the French media.

Rennes have also made an approach for Sparagna but Arsene Wenger is hopeful of doing business.

Mesut Ozil to stay at Arsenal

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Mesut Ozil has resorted to Twitter to thank the fans of Arsenal for their messages of support, and has appeared to quash any rumours linking him to the reported interest from German giants, Bayern Munich.

Ozil is unlikely to play again for the Emirates club this year following a knee ligament injury picked up in the recent 2-0 defeat by Chelsea.

The 25-year-old has only scored one goal so far this term and the injury will rule him out of Arsenal’s remaining Champions League group matches and also 4 international games. 

But that has not stopped Bundesliga big guns, Bayern Munich, being linked with a shock £30million offer for the attacking midfielder.


‘Thanks for your support following my injury. I’ll come back on the pitch soon as I can to help #AFC. now and in the future #MiaSanArsenal’ Ozil wrote on the social media site.

‘Mia San Mia’ is a Bavarian saying that loosely translates into English as ‘We are who we are’. With it being a popular chant on the stands of the Allianz Arena, there seems to be some sort of message to Bayern fans, however, just what it is, is unclear.

Whatever the message, Ozil looks unlikely to move in the near future, and Arsenal fans will be hoping that the diminutive midfielder with over 60 caps can shake some of the critisism he has received since his move to North London. The Gunners paid a (reported) club record £42.5million fee for his services, and Ozil will very much want to get fit and start rewarding Arsene Wenger’s faith in him.


Written by Michael Horne

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelHorne777

https://twitter.com/MichaelHorne777


Sir Alex Ferguson gives his verdict on ALL Manchester United signings

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Former-Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, has revealed all about how he feels the club did in the Summer transfer window.

United spent well over £150million during the Summer break, signing six new players, and in a recent interview, Sir Alex has given his thoughts on all of Louis Van Gaal’s new signings.

In the interview with MUTV, Manchester United’s official TV station, Ferguson admitted that the club desperately needed to spend big this Summer after their nightmare season last year under David Moyes, and he wasn’t surprised to see the club spend big.

Below you can read Sir Alex’s thoughts on each new face at Old Trafford.

Angel Di Maria

‘That’s the way the game is going today with fees like £86m for Gareth Bale,’ said Ferguson.

‘I think when you can identify ability like that needed by Manchester United, they have the resources to do that. They are fees I never quite equalled but nonetheless they were needing quite a big injection this year.’

Radamel Falcao

‘The big one is Falcao who we’re all waiting to see. Obviously, he has fantastic goalscoring ability. He had his injury so getting him on loan is the right thing to do,’ said the former United manager.

Daley Blind

‘Daley Blind is one of those common-sense footballers that make up a team. He’s probably a version of Darren Fletcher of a few years ago, that type of player. 

‘He’s a good professional with common sense to his game. He keeps it simple and protects the defenders and the attacking midfield players in his role.’

Ander Herrera

‘Herrera played against us three years ago for (Athletic) Bilbao in the Europa League. In fairness, they gave us a right battering at Old Trafford,’ said Ferguson.

‘He’s a talented young player and we scouted him quite a lot at that time. Obviously I think they tried to get him last year but it fell through for some reason or another.

‘He’s athletic, quite aggressive actually for a lad who has not got a great frame and he’s quite slim but he’s quite aggressive and he gets around the pitch.’

Luke Shaw

‘The signing of Shaw was the one we tried to get when he was 16 years of age,’ said Ferguson. ‘They wouldn’t sell him to us but they always said we’d be first to know if they ever did.’

‘Of course, Ed Woodward has carried that through and we got him for, I think it was £30m. He’s a talented boy, a good footballer who likes to get forward all the time.’

Marcos Rojo

‘Rojo, the Argentinian boy, I watched him at the World Cup, I thought he did really well for them and I think he’s capable of playing either left side as a wing back if you like or as a centre back.’

So it’s clear Sir Alex Ferguson is delighted with the new faces brought into Old Trafford by Van Gaal, but only time will tell if they have the desired effect and if they can get the giants back into the Premier League top-four.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

David De Gea stalls contract talks amid Madrid links

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Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea has put contract talks on hold with the Premier League giants, amid reports that Real Madrid could be interested.

The Spanish outfit are in the market for a new shot-stopper, in order to replace veteran, Iker Casillas, who could be on his way out of the Bernabeu as soon as next Summer, and De Gea has been highlighted as his perfect replacement.

The 23-year-old ‘keeper will enter the final year of his contract next season, but after massive improvement shown since arriving at Old Trafford, officials at the club want to offer him a new deal worth £30million.

However, according to reports, interest from Madrid, who De Gea is interested in playing for despite his previous Atletico Madrid days, has lead the ‘keeper to stall contract talks.

De Gea’s agent, Jorge Mendes, is also keen on the move happening as he has close links with the Spanish giants.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Man Utd nearly signed Luke Shaw at 16!

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Manchester United paid a whopping £30million for the 19-year-old full back this summer, which at the time, was a world record transfer fee for a teenager. Ironically, that record was previously held by Wayne Rooney.

And now, Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed that the Red Devils tried to buy the youngster at 16!

‘The signing of (Luke) Shaw was the one we tried to get when he was 16 years of age,’ Ferguson told MUTV.

‘They wouldn’t sell him to us but they always said we’d be first to know if they ever did. 

‘Of course, Ed Woodward has carried that through and we got him for, I think it was £30m. 

‘He’s a talented boy, a good footballer who likes to get forward all the time.’

The youngster worked his way up through the youth ranks at Southampton, and is now part of the England setup. With a fair amount of competition at left-back, he will be looking for a good season ahead to cement a place in Roy Hodgson’s national team.

With only a couple of first team appearances so far this season due to injury, Shaw will be hoping to repay the Old Trafford club with a sustained run in the side.

 

Written by Michael Horne

Follow me on Twitter @MichaelHorne777

Liverpool eye Kiko Casilla

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Liverpool are now closely monitoring Espanyol goalkeeper, Kiko Casilla, as their hunt for a new shot-stopper intensifies.

Despite reports of Victor Valdes turning down a trial being dismissed by his agent, Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers, is still exploring other options as he looks to sign a suitable ‘keeper to give current number-one, Simon Mignolet, some real competition.

According to Spanish media, Rodgers has turned his attentions to Casilla from Espanyol and could go through with a move in January, unless he continues to try and lure Valdes to the club, who is currently a free agent after he left FC Barcelona in the Summer.

However, there are still fears over Valdes’ fitness levels after he sustained a serious knee injury at the beginning of the year, and that is one of the reasons Rodgers is thinking about other targets.

The 28-year-old La Liga shot-stopper has become one of the top performers in the league, with Real Madrid once linked with him, and it’s believed that an £8million offer would be enough for the Spanish club to accept.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles