Real steal march on Arsenal and United in Benzema war June 28, 2009 THE TRANSFER battle for Arsenal and Manchester United target Karim Benzema has intensified after Real Madrid opened the bidding with a £27m offer. The Lyon and France striker, 21, is a long-standing target of United’s while the Gunners emerged as rivals for his signature at the weekend. But free-spending Real have stolen a march on [...]
FOOTBALL IN BRIEF June 25, 2009 United Costa trial bid rejectedMANCHESTER UNITED’S search for a replacement for Cristiano Ronaldo hit another hitch yesterday when they were refused permission to take Brazilian starlet Douglas Costa on trial. United wanted to see the 18-year-old attacking midfielder train in England for 20 days but his club Gremio rejected the proposal. President Duda Kroeff said: [...]
Football Association touting rights after Setanta’s demise June 24, 2009 THE FOOTBALL Association (FA) and the owners of other sports rights previously held by Setanta are desperately searching for new buyers to fill the payment void left by the collapse of the Irish pay-TV broadcaster. Setanta held the rights to the English and Scottish Premier Leagues, Premier Rugby, PGA golf, FA Cup and England football [...]
Chelsea’s Essien lured by La Liga but Sturridge set to sign June 23, 2009 CHELSEA’S ambitious summer rebuilding plans were dealt another blow yesterday when it emerged midfielder Michael Essien is considering leaving Stamford Bridge. The Blues have already received high-profile snubs in the transfer market this month, with top targets preferring to join Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona. Essien, a key part of Chelsea’s first team, is [...]
Deloitte ends Setanta’s run June 23, 2009 ACCOUNTANCY firm Deloitte was called in yesterday afternoon to act as administrator of Setanta Sport, ending weeks of speculation over the future of the Irish pay-TV broadcaster. “After a huge effort by the Setanta board, management team and its backers, it has not been possible to save the Great Britain (GB) business, which will be [...]
17.5m Johnson snubs Blues in favour of Liverpool move June 22, 2009 ENGLAND defender Glen Johnson is set to complete a £17.5m transfer to Liverpool after rejecting a return to former club Chelsea. Liverpool confirmed last night they had agreed a fee with Portsmouth and personal terms with Johnson, 24, following a three-way chase for his signature. Big-spending Manchester City were also in the running while Chelsea [...]
Owen hot property but frosty on foreign suitors June 22, 2009 NEWCASTLE striker Michael Owen insists he has had no shortage of inquiries from clubs at home and abroad interested in signing him on a free transfer this summer. Owen said yesterday he expects to leave St James’ Park when his contract expires in the next few weeks, and would prefer to join another outfit in [...]
ESPN scores rights for the Premiership June 22, 2009 DISNEY-owned ESPN yesterday scooped up the rights to show 46 games in next season’s Premier League, which were due to have been shown by ailing broadcaster Setanta. The deal marks the first time a broadcaster based outside of the British Isles has won the rights to air the English Premier League in the UK. Sources [...]
Premier club ‘bought’ by Arab investor June 21, 2009 AN UNNAMED Premier League club has been bought out by a member of the ruling family in the United Arab Emirates, a WAM news agency report revealed last night. The report claims Sheikh Ahmed bin Saqr Al Qasimi, chairman of the Ras Al Khaimah Department of Customs and Seaports, has purchased a 60 per cent [...]
BSkyB and ESPN set to carve up Premier League Setanta rights June 21, 2009 BROADCASTERS were last night putting the final touches to bids to acquire the live media rights to the English Premier League which have been revoked from troubled firm Setanta. BskyB and Disney-owned ESPN are expected to carve up the 46 football matches between them after Setanta’s board failed to find a last-ditch solution, putting it [...]