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Tesco Mobile Twitter account poke fun of David Moyes

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It’s been a tough season for David Moyes at Manchester United and it just got a whole lot worse for the Scot after Tesco Mobile joined in on the jokes after his poor season at Old Trafford so far.

After taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson, everyone knew Moyes was going to have a tough job on his hands, but it’s been a lot worse, a whole lot worse than he could have ever imagined.

United are seventh in the Premier League, 18 points off league-leaders Chelsea, they got knocked out of both domestic cups by Sunderland and Swansea City, and they are fighting for their place in the Champions League Quarter Finals after losing 2-0 in the first-leg against Olympiakos.

Now it’s got worse for Moyes as Tesco Mobile joined in on the jokes by claiming the Scot isn’t a born-winner.

A conversation between ‘@FootyAccums’ and ‘@FourFourTom’ was taking place before one of them asking what should Moyes change to be more successful, and that is when the other replied with ‘his job’.

That was then replied with @tescomobile being introduced when they said there was vacancies with them, but unfortunately for Moyes, not even Tesco Mobile want him as they tweeted this as a reply:

‘We’re award winners… not sure he’d fit in here.’ 

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Arsenal and United set to battle it out for Saints defender

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Arsenal and Manchester United are set to go head to head in the battle to prise defender Calum Chambers away from Southampton this summer,

Chambers is the latest young star to emerge from the Saints’ famed academy, after the likes of Luke Shaw and Adam Lallana, and has enjoyed his breakthrough year under Mauricio Pochettino, competing with fellow right-back Nathaniel Clyne for a starting spot.

The 19-year-old has attracted admiring glances from afar and both Arsene Wenger and David Moyes are believed to be huge fans of the youngster, who seems set for big things.

Wenger’s interest in Chambers dates well back to his days as an under-16 at St Mary’s, but it has intensified with the suggestions Bacary Sagna will reject the terms offered to him by the Gunners.

That would entitle Sagna to a Bosman transfer this summer and leave Arsenal with a vacancy to fill in the right-back slot, with Chambers emerging as the first-choice option.

Sagna is reportedly demanding a three-year deal at wages of over £100,000 per week, a figure the Gunners hierarchy are seeminly not prepared to stretch to, and it has resulted in an impasse between club and player.

The report also suggests that, despite Chambers penning a new four-year contract last summer, the Saints prodigy could be available for around the £10m mark.

United will have a say in the final destination of Chambers with Moyes looking at the possibility of a triple deal which would see Lallana, Shaw and the fellow full-back move to Old Trafford.

Written by Steve Milne

Manchester United confident on Seamus Coleman transfer

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David Moyes has asked for the full-back and senior figures at Old Trafford are confident of getting a deal done

Manchester United are pushing ahead with a £15million summer move for Everton defender Seamus Coleman.

United boss David Moyes wants to raid his old club for his former defender and has been given the green light to do so by the United board.

Mirror Sport has learned United’s move for Coleman is well advanced, with some Old Trafford insiders claiming an outline agreement with Everton has already been agreed.

Moyes paid just £60,000 to sign Coleman from League of Ireland side Sligo Rovers in 2008 and helped turn the 25-year-old into one of Premier League’s best full-backs.

With Moyes unconvinced by United’s current right-back Rafael, and Phil Jones and Chris Smalling more comfortable in central defence, Coleman has emerged as his top target for that position.

Coleman would be the second Everton player to follow Moyes to Old Trafford, after United paid £27.5m for Marouane Fellaini last summer. But Moyes failed in three attempts to bring Leighton Baines from Goodison Park.

Arsenal are also keen on Coleman, but it is understood United officials are confident a deal can be struck for the 25-year-old, who has been a revelation for Everton and is destined for a big-money summer move.

Written by Steve Milne

Bayern Munich look to hijack Arsenal for Schalke star Julian Draxler

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Gunners boss Arsene Wenger has been looking to land the 20-year-old forward for some time.

But it now appears German giants Bayern are joining the chase for Draxler, who was close to moving to north London in the January transfer window.

Norwegian journalist Jan Aage Fjortoft, the former Premier League striker turned Bundesliga pundit, wrote on Twitter: ‘I understand Bayern will try to make a deal with Schalke where they pay part of fee now, but Draxler will come to Bayern [in] 2015.

‘I have been told that Arsenal felt they “lost” player when Bayern entered the stage. But I understand player hasn’t decided yet.’

Written by Steve Milne

Toni Kroos unhappy with current wages

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Kroos is unhappy with his salary at Bayern Munich, in comparison to some of their more well-known players, and is likely to leave the Allianz Arena in the summer.

The 24-year-old, who is being compared to a young Ballack, who was a Bayern star in his own right, is attracting attention from David Moyes’ side as well as Real Madrid.

“I think he has been checking out his market value and he will know where he is in the salary structure,” Ballack told Bild.

“It’s important to know you’re valued and it is perfectly legitimate that he looks around.”

This news comes as a boost for United who currently have their eye on the star midfielder

Written by Steve Milne

SIXTH Arsenal player set to commit future at club

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Arsenal Football Club have opened talks with defender Laurent Koscielny over a new deal which would see him commit his future for the forseeable future and would make him the sixth player to extend his stay in the last fortnight.

If Koscielny does put pen-to-paper over a new deal, he will join team-mates; Per Mertesacker, Tomas Rosicky, Santi Cazorla, Aaron Ramsey and Gedion Zelalem in committing to the club for the next few years.

Manager Arsene Wenger has been criticised in recent years about how he deals with player’s contracts, and after losing both Robin Van Persie and Samir Nasri due to their contracts expiring, the Frenchman has shown his change by securing the future of five players already, with Koscielny set to be the sixth.

The French centre-back has been superb for Arsenal this season and has developed a sensational partnership with Per Mertesacker at the heart of The Gunners’ defence, and if the club can get the defender to sign a new deal, it would be yet another massive boost for them off the field as they prepare for the title run-in and the FA Cup Semi-Finals.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Poll reveals Manchester United fans blame Sir Alex Ferguson!

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According to a recent poll, the majority of Manchester United fans blame Sir Alex Ferguson for this season’s failures due to him hand-selecting David Moyes to replace him.

Ferguson retired at the end of last season after winning United their 20th Premier League title, and after stepping down from the hot-seat at Old Trafford, he recommended Moyes to the board as his replacement.

Red Issue, which is a Manchester United fan forum, set up the poll recently and a staggering 40.57% of the fans that took the poll blame Sir Alex for picking Moyes to replace him.

United owners, the Glazers, have been blamed by 32.55% of those who have taken part, while 17.45% feel it is in fact Moyes’ fault that United are currently in seventh place in the table, a whopping 18 points behind leaders Chelsea.

A long with those poll results, 4.25% believe this season’s failures is due to the current players at Old Trafford, and a small 3.77% blame chief executive Ed Woodward.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Arsenal to sign two ‘world-class players’ this Summer

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Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is preparing a busy Summer at the club and is ready to sign another two ‘world-class players’ after securing Mesut Ozil from Real Madrid last year.

The Gunners boss is desperate to keep building his squad and to take it from strength to strength in order to bring it back to it’s glory days, and according to reports, two more world class players could be arriving at the Emirates Stadium this Summer.

Wenger splashed £43million last year on bringing Ozil from Madrid and he will now be looking for a few more players in order to push on and challenge for silverware yet again next season.

Arsenal are still fighting in this season’s Premier League title race and are also firm favourites to win the FA Cup after reaching the Semi-Finals where they will face last year’s winners Wigan Athletic.

According to reports, Wenger has been given the green light by the board to go out and spend big once again this year after they boasted some impressive financial figures, and it is believed that a striker and a winger are high on the Frenchman’s wishlist.

The Gunners will also be looking into a new right-back and goalkeeper due to Lukasz Fabianki’s departure and Bacary Sagna’s expected transfer away.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Ross Barkley takes dig at David Moyes

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Everton midfielder Ross Barkley has revealed that despite enjoying working under David Moyes, he believes new boss Roberto Martinez is a better tactician.

The 20-year-old Englishman was given his full-debut by Moyes back in 2012, but he has really grown and developed into one of England’s promising youngsters this season under Martinez and he has put that down to the Spaniard being more tactically smart.

During an interview, Barkley was asked about the difference between working under Moyes and working under Martinez, and the midfielder admitted that it was better working with the former-Wigan boss due to him being better tactically.

‘He’s similar to David Moyes as they both like to take over the training session and be the main man. But Martinez is more tactical. We do a lot more tactical work which is good for me because I’m young and still learning.’

He added: ‘Roberto Martinez has come in and given everyone confidence. He’s a positive man and doesn’t say anything negative. I’m an Evertonian so I want the club to be up at the top end of the table and it’s great to be a part of it.’

Moyes has endured a torrid time at Old Trafford this season and things went from bad to worse last weekend as they fell to a 3-0 defeat at home to fierce-rivals Liverpool, which has all-but ended their hopes of Champions League football.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Everton to offer new deal to Arsenal, United and City target

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Everton manager Roberto Martinez is desperate to offer right-back Seamus Coleman a new deal as a reward after his superb season at Goodison Park, but also to keep potential buyers at bay, as reports suggest Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City are all interested in the Irishman.

The Toffees have got a whole host of young talent coming through in Merseyside, and Martinez is desperate to keep hold of them all so that he can build a team around them, but when the likes of Arsenal, City and United come in for them, the chances are they will jump at the chance just to play at the highest level.

Coleman has had a real breakthrough season under Martinez and has found a new attacking role from right-back which has seen him add goalscoring to his game, but with the Summer transfer window just a few months away, bigger clubs are preparing to make bids for the promising right-back.

Arsenal are fearing that current right-back Bacary Sagna will leave the club on a free once his contract expires, whilst United and City both want to add more talent to their sides, but Martinez is standing strong and insists that he will not be selling his stars this Summer.

He said: “We won’t offer encouragement to any club over Seamus. He is on a long-term contract and we want to ensure we grow together and we need players like Seamus.

“Yes, it is the intention to offer him a new contract. We are already thinking about Seamus, Ross (Barkley) and John Stones. We want to reward them, even James McCarthy.

“That is something we will look at this summer. They are players with long-term contracts. It is not a decision just to keep them at the club; it just highlights the next step of their development and rewards them for their performances.

“Seamus has got a long-term contract. James and Ross are the same. But we want to reward them.”

“We hope they will feel excited about developing with the football club and I think with the young players we have got in the club – Seamus, Ross, James McCarthy – they are footballers I believe to be of the highest, highest level.

“We need to grow together. The way we work at the club, there is a structure in the salaries and everything goes down to your role at the club.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Liverpool and Arsenal chase Belgium ace

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PSV Eindhoven youngster Zakaria Bakkali is attracting interest from Premier League duo Liverpool and Arsenal, as well as La Liga giants Real Madrid.

The Belgium striker is stalling over signing a new contract in Holland, and after numerous reports have broken out claiming that three giant clubs in world football are chasing his signature, the 18-year-old may be set to leave PSV in the Summer.

According to reports, Liverpool are the club leading the race for Bakkali, but his current employers are trying to persuade his agent to stay for a few more years as it would be good for his development as a player, rather than join an elite club at such a young age.

Despite being highly-rated, PSV have only started Bakkali seven times this season in the league and on a few of those appearances, there have been Liverpool scouts in the crowd monitoring his performances.

However, it was claimed by an unnamed PSV source that Arsene Wenger is highly interested in the 18-year-old as well.

“Bakkali is a player that Wenger rates highly.

“Arsenal have kept an eye on him and are aware that other teams want him, so could move in the summer to buy him.”

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Didier Drogba admits contract dispute with Chelsea

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Galatasaray striker Didier Drogba has admitted that he never would have left Premier League side Chelsea if the two parties could have agreed a contract back in 2012.

The Ivorian international eventually left Stamford Bridge on a free and joined a Chinese team before then moving to Turkey, but after returning to The Bridge last night for a Champions League game, the much-loved striker admitted that it was a fall-out regarding contracts that made him leave the club.

Drogba was given a huge reception when he returned to the place he became a legend, and the news that he would have stayed on if the right deal was offered may annoy most of the fans who would have loved to see him stay, especially after his match-winning penalty in the Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

He said: “Why did I leave Chelsea? I didn’t want to talk about that, but I would have stayed if we could find a satisfactory agreement for both parties.”

Drogba couldn’t help Galatasaray produce a shock at The Bridge last night as they fell to a 2-0 defeat thanks to first-half goals from Samuel Eto’o and Gary Cahill.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Chelsea target set to pen new deal at club

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Inter Milan midfielder Fredy Guarin is set to deal Premier League side Chelsea a real-blow by signing a new deal at the San Siro, just two months after he was close to sealing a move to Stamford Bridge.

The Colombian midfielder was wanted by Jose Mourinho and according to reports, the West London club made a £13million offer for the Milan man, but that was soon rejected by the Italian club as they wanted to hold out for more.

The 27-year-old was then in the final stages of completing a move to Juventus to take part in a swap deal with Mirko Vucinic, but that deal also collapsed and he remained an Inter Milan player.

Now, the Colombian is set to put pen-to-paper and sign a new 12-month extension, which will see him remain at the club until 2017 at least.

Written by Alex Batt – @AlexBatt – @AlexsArticles

Inter Milan reported to be eyeing Chelsea’s Mikel ,Eto’o AND Torres

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It is claimed that all three players are being considered by the Serie A club as possible signings this summer.

Eto’o, who had a two-year spell at Inter before leaving in 2011, scored Chelsea’s first goal. Mikel was an unused substitute.

And Torres, who started on the bench against Galatasaray, has two years left on his contract and will be aware that Jose Mourinho is searching for new strikers in the summer.

However, Ausilio warned last week that Torres’s wages might be too expensive for Inter but the Spain striker remains high on the list of targets for the Italian giants as they rebuild under new Indonesian owner Erick Thohir.

Inter boss Walter Mazzarri is also anxious to boost his attacking options and has also prioritised a defensive midfielder, with John Mikel Obi as another option.

However, Fredy Guarin has been tipped to sign a new contract at Inter, which would be a blow for Chelsea.

The Colombian midfielder has consistently been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge and there has been speculation that a bid could be tabled for him in the summer.

And Chelsea are again being linked with Atletico Madrid stars Filipe Luis and Diego Costa – Blues scouts were reportedly sent to watch the duo in action.

Written by Steve Milne

Brendan Rodgers warns fans not to expect big summer splurge

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The Reds currently look on course to return to Europe’s top club competition for the first time since 2009, which has led to talk that the financial advantages bestowed by the competition may help to bring in big name players.

Liverpool have impressed this season, but with no European football to speak of at Anfield Rodgers has been able to rely on a relatively small pool of players to get his side through their domestic responsibilities.

Gossip columns have been alight with rumours surrounding possible targets of the course of the past few weeks, with the Merseysiders being linked with top names on an almost daily basis.

However, Rodgers says that spending money doesn’t guarantee success, and that Liverpool will be adopting a sensible approach in the transfer market:

“Teams spend a billion quid and it does not guarantee anything,” he is quoted by the Daily Star.

“We will be in the market for good and top players but there is more to it than that.”

“The money is great and we will be in the market to compete but what is important is still having a vision of how you want the club to progress.

“It is about coaching and man management and dealing with people, having a great staff, finding a cause for the players to fight for.

“All of that comes into it and that is something we have done in the period I have been here.”

Written by Steve Milne