SPORT IN BRIEF August 5, 2009 Headingley crackdown on fansCRICKET: Security has been increased at Headingley to avoid repeats of the rowdy behaviour at the fourth Ashes Test, which starts tomorrow. Some 81 fans were ejected from the Leeds ground when England played South Africa last year and, following the booing of Australia captain Ricky Ponting at Edgbaston, Yorkshire County Cricket [...]
Benitez seals 20m swoop for Aquilani August 5, 2009 LIVERPOOL manager Rafael Benitez yesterday moved quickly to fill the gap left by Xabi Alonso by agreeing a £20m fee with Roma for Italy midfielder Alberto Aquilani. While Alonso was completing his protracted £34m transfer to Real Madrid, Benitez wasted no time in replacing the Spaniard by confirming a deal for Aquilani. The 25-year-old is [...]
Bordeaux want ‘agreement’ with Arsenal over Chamakh August 5, 2009 ARSENAL have been given fresh hope in their bid to sign Marouane Chamakh, after Bordeaux hinted they are ready to slash their asking price for the Morocco striker. Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has had a £6m offer rejected but is refusing to go higher for a player who will be able to leave for nothing [...]
Kinnear claims Newcastle job offer on table August 5, 2009 NEWCASTLE’S chaotic preparations for life in the Championship took a further twist yesterday when former manager Joe Kinnear claimed to have been offered the job once again. Kinnear, who took over when Kevin Keegan departed in September only to be sidelined by heart surgery five months later, says he rejected a two-year deal last week [...]
SUMMER SALES FOOTBALL UPDATE August 5, 2009 Drogba signs to Blues until 2012 CHELSEA striker Didier Drogba last night committed his future to the club by signing a new three-year contract. The Ivory Coast international, who joined the Blues from Marseille in 2004, is thought to have agreed a deal worth £100,000 per week. “I love the club, I feel good here [...]
Wenger refuses to budge on Chamakh August 4, 2009 ARSENAL manager Arsene Wenger has declared his interest in Marouane Chamakh to be over, insisting he will not be held to ransom by Bordeaux over the Morocco striker. The French champions have rejected a bid of £6m from the Gunners, with president Jean-Louis Triaud demanding closer to £15m despite the 25-year-old entering the final year [...]
Reds agree to sell Alonso to Real for 34m August 4, 2009 LIVERPOOL midfielder Xabi Alonso will today complete his long-awaited move to Real Madrid after the two clubs finally agreed a £34m deal last night. Months of haggling were brought to a close when Liverpool accepted a package thought to be worth £30m up front and a further £4m based on his performance at Real. The [...]
IN THE BRAWN STUFF August 4, 2009 FORMULA ONE team boss Ross Brawn is facing the loss of his driving licence after being charged with speeding. The 54-year-old, whose Brawn GP outfit lead both the drivers’ and constructors’ championships, is accused of driving at 100mph on the A30 in Devon. Brawn did not appear at Plymouth Magistrates’ Court on Monday as he [...]
Racing return is proving pain in the neck for Schumacher August 4, 2009 SEVEN-TIME champion Michael Schumacher has admitted a lingering neck injury is hampering his sensational return to racing. The German, 40, has been coaxed out of retirement by former team Ferrari while Felipe Massa recovers from a fractured skull suffered at last month’s Hungarian Grand Prix. But Schumacher says his training for the European Grand Prix [...]
Players face cocaine clampdown August 4, 2009 RUGBY UNION: Players in England are set to become the first in the world to face out-of-competition tests for cocaine and other recreational drugs. The Rugby Football Union is working on tightening current worldwide legislation, which only allows testing for cocaine on matchdays. It follows former Bath trio Michael Lipman, Alex Crockett and Andrew Higgins’ [...]