Carling Cup first round draw June 16, 2009 FOOTBALL: Football League newcomers Burton Albion have been handed a trip to Championship high-fliers Reading in the first round of next season’s Carling Cup. Fellow promoted side Torquay visit Crystal Palace, while West Brom, relegated from the Premier League last season, visit League Two Bury.
Man Utd and Chelsea face off for 60m star Ribery June 16, 2009 MANCHESTER UNITED and Chelsea are locked in a four-way battle with Europe’s biggest clubs to sign £60m-rated Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, the German club said yesterday. United have bid for the France star as a replacement for Real Madrid-bound Cristiano Ronaldo, while Bayern said they had also received a bid from Chelsea, who are [...]
Ace Gerrard rocks Reds with shock quit threat June 16, 2009 STEVEN GERRARD has rocked England by insisting next summer’s World Cup could be his last after admitting he could retire in 2013. The Liverpool captain will be 33 at the end of his current contract, when he says he wants to call time on his illustrious career as a one-club man. Midfielder Gerrard also admitted [...]
WHAT THE OTHER PAPERS SAY THIS MORNING June 16, 2009 FINANCIAL TIMES NATIONAL EXPRESS IN DEBT TALKSNational Express is in talks with bankers to renegotiate terms on part of its £1.2bn debt amid fears that the bus and rail operator will breach loan conditions in December. The group is expected to pass a key test of whether it is meeting the terms of its debt [...]
Inter target Carvalho may stay at Blues June 15, 2009 CHELSEA defender Ricardo Carvalho insists he still has a future at Stamford Bridge despite being pursued by former boss Jose Mourinho. The Inter Milan boss has made Carvalho and Blues team-mate Deco his two main transfer targets this summer and has instructed club president Massimo Moratti to do what it takes to lure the Portuguese [...]
Premier League issues warning to Setanta over rights payments June 15, 2009 THE Premier League warned yesterday that it will put the rights held by troubled broadcaster Setanta back up for sale if the Irish group does not pay its next instalment due on Friday. The Premier League said that it would terminate the existing agreement “if Setanta does not meet certain contractual requirements of the Premier [...]
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 [...]