Former Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard
will be part of Manchester City’s Premier League squad for the new
season on a six-month loan from MLS expansion team New York City FC.
Manchester
City manager Manuel Pellegrini confirmed the deal on Saturday after the
club’s International Challenge Cup defeat on penalties against
Olympiakos at the University of Minnesota. “From next [this] week, on
Wednesday, he’ll start working with our team,” Pellegrini said.
Blogger news
Sunday, 3 August 2014
Reports: Arsenal will make one last £30m bid for Real Madrid midfielder Khedira
Arsenal will try to sign Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira one more
time before giving up and turning their attentions elsewhere if they
are unsuccessful.
The Germany World Cup winner has 12 months left on his contract with the Champions League holders but he is currently locked in transfer negotiations with the Spanish side and looks like he will leave.
Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea have been heavily linked to the midfielder throughout the transfer window although it had been believed that the former were closer to signing him.
However recently the North London side have been frustrated by Khedira’s wage demands and the deal appears to have stalled.
Now the Mail report that the Gunners will make one more attempt to bring the midfielder in before turning their attention to compatriot Lars Bender.
After the Emirates Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday manager Arsene Wenger hinted that there would be more signings but suggested they would be in the defensive area.
The Germany World Cup winner has 12 months left on his contract with the Champions League holders but he is currently locked in transfer negotiations with the Spanish side and looks like he will leave.
Premier League duo Arsenal and Chelsea have been heavily linked to the midfielder throughout the transfer window although it had been believed that the former were closer to signing him.
However recently the North London side have been frustrated by Khedira’s wage demands and the deal appears to have stalled.
Now the Mail report that the Gunners will make one more attempt to bring the midfielder in before turning their attention to compatriot Lars Bender.
After the Emirates Cup victory over Benfica on Saturday manager Arsene Wenger hinted that there would be more signings but suggested they would be in the defensive area.
Labels:
transfer news
Overreaction Theatre: Sanogo’s celebration fail
Yaya Sanogo, Arsenal’s goalless striker, surprised everyone with his four-goal haul as Arsenal thrashed Benfica 5-1 in the Emirates Cup on Saturday.
The
young Frenchman, who looked shorn of all confidence after joining the
Gunners from Auxerre last summer, seemed to be a completely different
player as he led the line with Joel Campbell. Cue social media explosion.
Of
course this was a pre-season friendly, meaning the pressure which
negatively impacted Sanogo last season was well and truly off. Also,
many of these reactions were tongue-in-cheek. But let’s have a
collective irony bypass and enjoy them at face value…
First up, despite scoring four goals, the player himself was brought back down to earth with this hilarious botched celebration:
Labels:
sports comentary
Alexis, Debuchy and Chambers: How did Arsenal’s new boys do?
Sanchez rates as one of Arsene Wenger's most exciting signings of the past 20 years and a fan-base reared on Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie is desperate for the Chile international, brought to the club from Barcelona
for £32 million, to etch his name into Arsenal history alongside his
predecessors. Sanchez was purchased as a lightning-quick and versatile
forward, who would either perform on the right of the attack as he did
for Barcelona, or through the centre as he more often does for his
national team, and in spells for both Barca and Udinese. Sanchez has
been purchased to add an element of magic and penetration to an Arsenal
attack lacking a true attacking talisman.
The reality:
Having made a bright yet brief debut against Benfica in the central striker's role, Sanchez moved to the right to accommodate Olivier Giroud
and promptly saw the Frenchman waste two of his perceptive passes early
on. Sanchez looked to move the ball quickly and venomously and supplied
the kind of cultured passes that Theo Walcott
cannot. However, with Monaco proving rather more tricky than Benfica,
his enthusiastic first-half contribution produced little in terms of
decisive end product, even if a couple of clever flicks drew gasps from
the crowd.
Arsenal immediately
looked a more dangerous proposition when he moved to a central role at
half-time, with Giroud coming off, as Sanchez sometimes took on the
false nine brief, dropping off the front into deep or wide positions,
and sometimes played on the last shoulder, looking to run in behind. He
also held his own in the air, winning two early aerial battles against
Monaco's centre-backs, and then wasted a fine opportunity as he thrashed
the ball wide from a pass from Santi Cazorla. But that was the best chance to come his way before Chuba Akpom took his place in attack with 16 minutes remaining.
Labels:
sports comentary
MATHIEU DEBUCHY: How did Arsenal’s new boys do?
Meet the new boss, same as the old boss. Bar a notable dip in form in the 2012-13 season, Bacary Sagna
was the very model of consistency for Arsenal and a solid Wenger
consigliere - a man to rely on, a man to to do the dirty work, even if
he spoke at a barely perceptible whisper. To many, his loss to Manchester City and the subsequent recruitment of Debuchy from Newcastle ranks as a minor downgrade. Not that Didier Deschamps would agree, preferring the younger, debonaire Debuchy for France.
Though something has been made of Debuchy's attributes in the air
compared to Sagna, and a cautious few expect an improvement on his
predecessor, most would merely hope the line of succession remains
unbroken in terms of applied consistency, and Debuchy represents more of
the same.
The reality:
Pretty
much what you would expect. Debuchy just makes sense in this Arsenal
team. He slotted in quickly and comfortably and was a solid presence in
the first half. The Frenchman did not demonstrate the dynamism shown by
youngster Hector Bellerin 24 hours previously, but in Lucas Ocampos he
was presented with a dangerous opponent and he also dropped in to help
deal with Falcao on occasion.
In
the second half he executed a successful yet rather inadvisable
bodyswerve in his own box to slip between two Monaco players, but it was
a showy moment otherwise out of keeping with a disciplined performance.
Labels:
sports talk
Manchester United battling Bayern over Di Maria
The Sunday Times reports that United face a new hurdle in signing Argentina's Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid for £55m: interest from Bayern Munich.
FFP rules appear to have ruled PSG out of the bidding, but Bayern "have
asked about the forward’s personal terms… and it is understood that Di
Maria would choose them ahead of United."Surely this is the point that United must start looking at other targets
instead. As good as Di Maria is, there's no chance of him turning his
nose up at a chance to star for a club that is not only in the Champions
League, but has an excellent chance of winning. The possibility of two
European winners' medals in as many years will be far too strong a lure
for Di Maria
Labels:
transfer news
Arsenal go head-to-head with United for Hummels
The Daily Mirror reports
that the German defender is still available for around £30m despite
denials from Borussia Dortmund and claims that, "the Gunners are ready
to challenge Manchester United for the signature of the Germany World Cup winner."
Labels:
transfer news
Pochettino to move for Eto'o
The Sun on Sunday reports that Tottenham are to hijack West Ham's attempts to land Samuel Eto'o. The paper quotes a "friend" of the Cameroon
star saying, "Tottenham have been in contact with Samuel’s agent and
they asked about what his situation is. Talks have been ongoing all week
with West Ham, though, who have made the most serious proposals so far.
But Spurs coming in suddenly has made it far more interesting for
Samuel."What is this, 2008? Eto'o showed beyond any doubt last season that,
while he still has the odd flash, he is well past his sell-by date. That
sort of a deal might work out for goal-shy, striker-deprived,
relegation-battling West Ham, but Tottenham would be crazy not to aim
their sights higher
Labels:
transfer news
Barcelona move in for Vermaelen
The Mirror reports that, "Barcelona have emerged as favourites to land
Arsenal skipper Thomas Vermaelen for £10m," with new Barca coach Luis Enrique believing the 28-year-old to be "perfect for his rebuilding job". Arsenal's Belgian defender has been a target for Manchester United all
summer, but Arsene Wenger would be thrilled to sell to a club who aren't
likely to be duking it out with the Gunners for a Champions League spot
come next May.
Labels:
transfer news
Southampton target Rodwell, but face Napoli battle
The Star reports that the Saints are finally trying to spend some of the
money they've raised in transfers so far this season, and have alighted
on Manchester City's 23-year-old midfielder Jack Rodwell. The problem is that Rafa Benitez has long admired Rodwell as well and wants to take him to Italy. Rodwell has far too much to offer to spend another season trying to
escape the gravitational pull of the City reserves side. It's just a
question of how far south he wants to move - but assuming he doesn't
mind the idea of the dolce vita in Italy, then he'd be crazy to walk
away from an offer by a club enjoying Champions League football this
season.
Labels:
transfer news
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