Chelsea to tie Cole down as suitors hover May 20, 2009 CHELSEA are poised to offer defender Ashley Cole a new contract worth more than £100,000 per week in order to head off interest from Barcelona. The Spanish giants are thought to be ready to spend £20m on the England left-back, while super-rich Manchester City have also been linked. Cole, 28, already earns in the region [...]
Wenger exit talk is a joke, says Almunia May 19, 2009 ARSENAL goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has dismissed speculation that manager Arsene Wenger and the club’s star players could be set to leave, insisting he and his team-mates routinely laugh off such talk. Rumours that Wenger may end his 13-year reign have escalated sharply following stinging criticism from shareholders, with Real Madrid mooted as the Frenchman’s most [...]
Shearer turns to Sir Bobby to halt slide May 19, 2009 ALAN SHEARER admits he is seeking advice from fellow Newcastle legend Sir Bobby Robson in plotting the club’s Premier League escape route. The Magpies make the do-or-die trip to Aston Villa on Sunday needing a better result than either north-east rivals Hull City or Sunderland to retain their top-flight status. Shearer, 38, is serving his [...]
Ferrari wait on cap injunction verdict May 19, 2009 THE BUDGET-CAP row plaguing F1 will take its latest twist today when French legal authorities announce whether Ferrari’s bid to block the move has succeeded. The Italian team have applied for an injunction against governing body the FIA’s plans for a voluntary £40m cap, which is set to take effect next season. Representatives from both [...]
Sport on TV May 19, 2009 Cricket: Friends Provident Trophy, Warwickshire v Kent, Sky Sports 1, 10.30am. Tennis: Guinot Mary Cohr Masters, Andy Murray v Paul-Henri Mathieu, British Eurosport 2, from 12.30pm. Racing: Lingfield, Kelso At The Races, 2pm; Sedgfield & Worcester, 5.30pm. Football: Uefa Cup final, Werder Bremen v Shakhtar Donesk, ITV4, 7pm (ko 7.45pm). Speedway: British Final 2009, Sky [...]
Wasps in four-player swoop May 19, 2009 RUGBY UNION: Wasps have moved quickly to strengthen their squad for next season with Samoan international winger David Lemi heading a list of four new arrivals to Adams Park under new director of rugby Tony Hanks. Lemi, 27, arrives on a two-year deal from relegated Bristol and teams up with outside centre Ben Jacobs, 26, [...]
Messi blasts Man Utd over Tevez May 19, 2009 FOOTBALL: Barcelona star Lionel Messi has raised the temperature ahead of next week’s Champions League final by blasting Manchester United’s treatment of Carlos Tevez. United look set to let Argentina striker Tevez leave after two years on loan at Old Trafford – a decision that mystifies his international colleague Messi. He said: “I have no [...]
Floyd Jnr sidesteps P4P hopes May 19, 2009 BOXING: Floyd Mayweather Jr insists retaining the pound-for-pound crown is not top of his list of priorities when he makes his eagerly awaited comeback against Juan Manuel Marquez in Las Vegas on 18 July. Mayweather takes on the acclaimed world No2 in a 144lb contest, but insists it is the glory of winning which inspires [...]
England snub Cipriani again May 19, 2009 ENGLAND manager Martin Johnson last night defended his latest snub to Danny Cipriani, after omitting the Wasps fly-half from the squad for the upcoming Tests against Argentina. Cipriani has been left out in favour of the uncapped but in-form Sam Vesty – one of six untried players in a 34-man squad depleted by injury and [...]
Captain Strauss is target for Ashes, admits Ponting May 19, 2009 AUSTRALIA captain Ricky Ponting has begun the mind games ahead of this summer’s Ashes series by admitting his side will target England skipper Andrew Strauss. Strauss struggled to contain the Australian pace attack during the tour Down Under in 2006-07, averaging 24.70 in a series in which England were whitewashed 5-0. But since taking over [...]