SUMMER SALES June 14, 2009 Green rejects Hammers offerWEST HAM goalkeeper Robert Green has thrown his future at Upton Park into doubt after refusing the club’s latest contract offer. The England stopper still has three years of his current deal to run but the Hammers are keen to commit the 29-year-old to a longer-term deal. Talks are expected to continue [...]
Russian billionaire to rescue Setanta June 14, 2009 SPORTS broadcaster Setanta has been rescued by Russian-American industrialist Len Blavatnik, who has offered to put up £20m in return for a 51 per cent stake in the struggling business. Blavatnik’s company, Access Industries confirmed that it had submitted an offer, which is subject to a “number of pre-conditions”. “Access believes that this proposal would [...]
United agree to let Ronaldo join Real in 80m switch June 11, 2009 ONE of the longest-running transfer sagas of recent years edged close to conclusion yesterday when Manchester United accepted a world record-shattering £80m bid from Real Madrid for Cristiano Ronaldo. United said they gave Real permission to discuss personal terms with Ronaldo, 24, after the Fifa World Player of the Year informed the Old Trafford hierarchy [...]
SUMMER SALES June 11, 2009 Barry: I was honest with VillaMANCHESTER CITY’S Gareth Barry has rejected suggestions he betrayed Aston Villa, insisting he told them he would leave if they failed to reach the Champions League. Barry’s £12m move to City, who finished four places below Villa in the Premier League, raised eyebrows but the England midfielder insists he has [...]
The writing was always on the wall for Setanta June 11, 2009 YOU have to admire the sheer tenacity of Setanta’s founding pair, Michael O’Rourke and Leonard Ryan. A lesser team would have let the floundering business die peacefully by now; these two are determined to keep it on life support until the bitter end. Yesterday, I spoke to several analysts to canvass opinion on the broadcaster’s [...]
Setanta pair hanging on June 10, 2009 SETANTA founders Michael O’Rourke and Leonard Ryan were last night locked in talks to salvage their moribund sports channel. The duo were determined to launch one last audacious bid to save their pay-TV venture by raising the funds to buy out investors Goldman Sachs and Doughty Hanson – who have refused to plough more money [...]
McMahon group plans Newcastle bid June 9, 2009 SINGAPORE-based investment company the Profitable Group has emerged as a leading contender to buy Newcastle United from beleaguered owner Mike Ashley. The company, whose board includes former Liverpool and England midfielder Steve McMahon, is said to want to retain Alan Shearer as manager. The Profitable Group has previously been linked with buying the Magpies, who [...]
Founders of Setanta plan last ditch bid June 9, 2009 SETANTA founders Leonard Ryan and Michael O’Rourke are understood to be locked in talks to table a last-ditch bid that could see them buy out the ailing firm’s other investors, which include Doughty Hanson, Balderton Capital and Goldman Sachs. It is also thought that Setanta has recently offered stakes of up to 30 per cent [...]
West Ham taken over by Icelandic banks as Gudmundsson era ends June 8, 2009 WEST HAM’S new owners CB Holding have reassured fans that manager Gianfranco Zola and assistant Steve Clarke are going nowhere. And the asset management company – made up of several Icelandic banks – insist Zola will be given money to spend this summer. CB Holding acquired the Premier League club yesterday in a takeover estimated [...]
Setanta close to administration June 8, 2009 The board of Irish sports broadcaster Setanta met yesterday, a person familiar with the situation said, following media reports the group was close to going into administration. Sources close to the Premier League said that the people running English football’s top flight would be willing to see the broadcaster go under. The company, which could [...]