MARKET MOVERS August 2, 2011 Transfer activity expected to be triggered as the deals to take Fabregas to Barcelona and Inter’s Sneijder to Old Trafford edge closer to completion SUMMER spending is set for a shot in the arm as two of the close season’s lengthiest sagas edge closer to completion. Barcelona are expected to increase their offer for Arsenal [...]
Pele warns Blues target August 2, 2011 PELE last night warned Chelsea target Neymar against moving to the Premier League because of his concerns over the teenager’s ability to adapt to English football. The blossoming Brazilian, the latest gifted forward to be compared to the legendary No10, yesterday saw a proposed £40m move to Real Madrid collapse. That has opened the door [...]
Analysis: Cost of being a London fan August 2, 2011 FANS in London pay more to watch football than those in the rest of Britain, but the cheapest tickets are not always to be found in the most downmarket clubs, according to research published yesterday. The cheapest ticket at the average Premier League club costs £24.88, and the most expensive £49.63 – but at London’s [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING August 1, 2011 FINANCIAL TIMES SUPER RICH TO GET NEW LONDON ADDRESS A leading European hedge fund is preparing to build one of London’s most expensive housing developments as global investors scramble to gain a foothold in the capital’s resurgent residential market. In a deal completed over the weekend, Orion Capital Managers acquired an acre of prime residential [...]
City sign Aguero July 28, 2011 MANCHESTER CITY’S new record signing Sergio Aguero hopes to fire the FA Cup holders to the Premier League title after he completed his £35m move yesterday. The former Atletico Madrid striker, who has penned a five-year deal, said: “I think we are a team that in the future will be fighting to win major trophies.” Aguero’s Argentine [...]
Villas-Boas to make use of Lampard’s versatility July 27, 2011 CHELSEA boss Andre Villas-Boas insists he has not ditched 4-3-3 despite his tactical experimentation proving a landslide success in yesterday’s 4-0 win over Hong Kong champions Kitchee. Villas-Boas dabbled in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with Frank Lampard in a holding midfield role – and saw the Blues romp to victory in the first of their two [...]
I still know way to goal, says Torres July 26, 2011 CHELSEA striker Fernando Torres insists he’s not suffering from a crisis of confidence and believes the new Premier League season will herald a rapid return to goalscoring form for him. The Spain international has scored just once in competitive action for the west London club since his £50m British record transfer from Liverpool in January. But [...]
Rangers to keep Taarabt July 26, 2011 FOOTBALL: QPR manager Neil Warnock believes Adel Taarabt can be a star of the upcoming Premier League season after the Moroccan’s proposed move to Paris Saint Germain fell through. He said: “You’ve got to have matchwinners in the Premier League and he’s just that.” Rangers are chasing the signing of Southampton winger Jason Puncheon, while former West [...]
Villas-Boas homes in on Argentinian £40m star July 24, 2011 CHELSEA are closing in on the signing of Palermo playmaker Javier Pastore, one of the most sought-after talents in the world, the Italian club said yesterday. The Sicilian side’s vice-president Guglielmo Micciche declared it was “very probable” that Stamford Bridge would be the 22-year-old’s destination. Pastore, who is valued at around £40m, is also thought [...]
Benayoun abused as Chelsea fail to shine under Villas-Boas July 21, 2011 CHELSEA manager Andre Villas-Boas blamed stifling heat after a scrappy 1-0 victory over a Malaysia XI in Kuala Lumpur which was marred by racial abuse of Yossi Benayoun. An own goal from opposition substitute goalkeeper Mohd Izham Tarmizi handed the Blues a late win in the first match of their pre-season tour of Asia. However [...]