Atletico Madrid and Monaco Jump Into Mohamed Salah Race

Atletico Madrid and Monaco Jump Into Mohamed Salah Race

Roma are trying to quickly close out a deal with Chelsea for the transfer of Mohamed Salah as Monaco and Atletico Madrid enter the race to further complicate the saga. 

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini met Chelsea officials last night to discuss terms of a deal that will see the Egyptian winger move to the Stadio Olimpico this month.

It has been claimed that Salah has already agreed personal terms with the Giallorossi and is just waiting for the club to reach an agreement with the Blues.

Chelsea have already rejected an initial offer from Roma for Salah, but the Italian giants are confident that they will eventually reach an agreement with the Premier League leaders. 

However, according to Sky Italia, to complicate matters further for Roma, Monaco and Atletico Madrid are also taking a keen interest in Salah and are ready to have their say in the negotiations for the winger.  

Besiktas are ready to sign Salah on a permanent deal this month, but the winger has communicated to Chelsea about his desire to join Roma.

Roma Turn Screw On Chelsea By Demanding Mohamed Salah Agreement Within 48 Hours

Roma Turn Screw On Chelsea By Demanding Mohamed Salah Agreement Within 48 Hours

Roma want to conclude a deal for Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah within the next 48 hours or will turn their attention towards FC Dnipro’s Yevhen Konoplyanka. 

Roma and Chelsea have been locked in furious negotiations over the last few days for Salah and the Blues have already rejected a bid from the Giallorossi.

The Italian club's sporting director Walter Sabatini met Chelsea officials last night to hold a fresh round of talks and is hoping to finally reach an agreement.

Roma know that Salah is also attracting interest from Besiktas, Atletico Madrid and Monaco and though the player has agreed personal terms with the Italians, according to Il Messaggero, they want a deal to be agreed in the next 48 hours. 

The Giallorossi are in a hurry to conclude negotiations over Salah and are ready to look somewhere else if Chelsea continue to play hardball over the winger.  

Roma are turning their attention towards Konoplyanka, whose contract with Dnipro expires in the summer, but the Italian giants feel a deal for the Ukrainian will only happen next summer.

Konoplyanka has also been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United in the past and is believed to be keen on leaving Dnipro

Though they are still confident of reaching an agreement with Chelsea over Salah, Roma are looking at other viable options in the transfer market.
 

Mason signs new Tottenham deal

Mason signs new Tottenham deal

Tottenham midfielder Ryan Mason has signed a new contract which will tie him to the club until 2020.

The 23-year-old has made the breakthrough into the first team at Spurs under manager Mauricio Pochettino this season.

Mason signed for Tottenham as a trainee in 2008 and has spent time on loan at Yeovil, Doncaster, Millwall, Leyton Orient and Swindon.

A statement from Tottenham read: "The club is delighted to announce that Ryan Mason has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract which runs until 2020.

"Our home-grown midfielder netted his first senior goal for us in the League Cup against Nottingham Forest in September last year and hasn't looked back since.

"No less than three days later he was making his Premier League debut at Arsenal and has gone on to establish himself as an important member of our First Team, making 18 appearances so far this season.

"Ryan has also gained extensive experience during loan spells in the Football League previously with Swindon Town, Millwall, Doncaster and Yeovil, clocking up a total of 103 senior appearances in his career to date."

Mason added: “The length of the contract shows a lot of faith in me. Hopefully I can keep progressing. 

"I'm buzzing about it. I'm delighted and I can't wait to crack on now."

De Boer said 'no' to Liverpool

De Boer said 'no' to Liverpool

Ajax manager Frank de Boer says he was flattered to be considered for the Liverpool job two years ago.

De Boer has also revealed he was in the running for the Tottenham job this summer and would consider a move to England in the future.

"Two years ago, I was very honoured that Liverpool asked me if I was interested in the job," De Boer told Sky Sports’ David Tanner.

"There was still was other candidates also. But I just signed a new contract and I said you are too early at this moment.

"Tottenham, last year, I was one of the candidates and in the end they chose Pochettino and all respect to the choice. There were two clubs that I was quite interested in.

"I would like to manage in England but also Germany and the Spanish league because they are the three best leagues in the world, so I would like to get that experience."

Travner makes Reading move

Travner makes Reading move

The 29-year-old has been training with the club for a few weeks and has now penned a contract until the end of the season.

The deal was finalised in December - just prior to Steve Clarke's arrival as manager - but it has taken until now for international clearance to be received after Travner left his previous club Baku in Azerbaijan.

Travner has also played for NK Celje, St Mirren and Ludogorets.

Clarke told the club website: "Jure is an experienced player who has shown enough in training to suggest that he can help the squad between now and the end of the season.

"Due to contractual difficulties at his previous club he didn't play as often as he would have liked and, after a protracted transfer, he now has a chance to show us if he can earn an extended deal here at Reading FC.

Jose : Gerrard was dream target

Jose : Gerrard was dream target

Jose Mourinho says failure to sign Steven Gerrard for Chelsea in 2005 is one of his greatest transfer disappointments.

Mourinho was close to taking Gerrard to Stamford Bridge during his first spell in charge but the former England captain chose to stay at Anfield.

The 34-year-old will leave Liverpool this summer, when he ends a 17-year career in red by joining Los Angeles Galaxy, and ahead of Chelsea’s trip to Anfield in Tuesday’s Capital One Cup semi-final, Mourinho spoke of how he wanted Gerrard as part of a ‘dream’ midfield at the Blues.

"He (Gerrard) is a historical player for Liverpool, a historical player for the Premier League and an opponent I have always admired and respected," Mourinho said.

"We did everything to try (to sign him) and it was almost there. I was dreaming of (Claude) Makelele, Gerrard and (Frank) Lampard in midfield.

"We were playing in a proper triangle without a number 10 and playing Maka in front of the defenders. Me, Mr Abramovich and (former Chelsea chief executive) Peter Kenyon at that time, we dreamed of that.

"His people were open to him joining a top side like Chelsea. But to me personally he never said he would come. Never.

"He (Gerrard) was always a red and I think the decision was right."

Biggest disappointment

Asked if Gerrrard's decision to stay at Liverpool was his biggest disappointment in the transfer market, Mourinho said: "Yes, but I have another one when I was trying Lampard to Inter.

"I was almost there and it didn't happen too. I had a couple of disappointments and that's normal in football."

Gerrard's slip against Chelsea at Anfield last season proved decisive in the title race as it led to Demba Ba’s goal in a 2-0 win for Mourinho's men which paved the way for Manchester City to seize the initiative in the title race.

The error has since become the subject of a song regularly belted out at Stamford Bridge but Mourinho says he wishes the Chelsea fans would not sing it as it shows a clear lack of respect to one of the finest players in Premier League history.

"The song that my fans have I don't like at all," Mourinho said.

"A couple of times it is good fun but to go and go and go, especially with a player like him who deserves respect, I don't think you don't need that.

"We have so many other songs, you don't need that one. I love this quote when he was saying in his life he would never score a goal against Liverpool. I love these words.

"I understand why he was - almost, almost, almost - coming to Chelsea. But he didn't and I respect that a lot."

Villa handed FA fine

Villa handed FA fine

The FA has fined Aston Villa £60,000 and warned them as to their future conduct in the wake of an incident in their game against Leicester on January 10 2015.

Villa admitted failing to ensure its players conducted themselves in an orderly fashion and/or refrained from proactive behaviour following an incident which occurred during added time at the end of the their 1-0 defeat at the King Power Stadium.

United second to Real in rich list

United second to Real in rich list

Manchester United may have had their worst season for two decades last year but they have reclaimed second spot in the list of the world's richest football clubs..

Only European champions Real Madrid stand ahead in terms of income, while Barcelona by contrast are struggling to keep pace financially with their Spanish rivals, United and Bayern Munich.

The Football Money League compiled by Deloitte sees Real established at the top of the tree for the 10th year in succession, with revenues of £459m, while United are on £433m, Bayern £407m and Barcelona £405m.

Manchester City remain in sixth position behind Paris Saint-Germain, with Chelsea and Arsenal sustaining their seventh and eighth places and Liverpool up to ninth.

Wenger: Paulista talks ongoing

Wenger: Paulista talks ongoing

Arsene Wenger has confirmed Arsenal are holding talks with Villarreal over the signing of defender Gabriel Paulista.

The 24-year-old centre-half has a £15m release clause in his contract with the Spanish club.

Wenger refused to confirm if Arsenal are willing to meet that in January, but concedes he is keen to secure the Brazilian.

“The talks are progressing quite well. I don’t think there is need to say much more,” he said. "We are talking at the moment, whether we can find an agreement or not, I don’t know.

“We are slowly progressing, but there is a chance. At the moment we are talking. The 20 million is euros, it’s £15m to transform the amount

“We are ready to pay the price we think right for a good player, no matter what the price is. If we think it’s the right price we will pay.

Arsenal have already signed midfielder Krystian Bielik from Legia Warsaw, although the teenager is not expected to be rushed into the first team.

Wenger said: “He’s just come from Poland, he’s just turned 17, he’s not fit because they had the winter break in Poland. That is quite long, so he’s at the start of getting back to full fitness, he’s not ready for three weeks.”

Although Bielik can play in a defensive role, Wenger insists he will play as a holding midfielder.

”Defensive midfield, without any question,” he replied, when asked on his plans to utilise the Pole.

Pochettino rules out Soldado sale despite Tottenham exit rumor

Pochettino rules out Soldado sale despite Tottenham exit rumor

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino insists that striker Roberto Soldado is not for sale after talk of a January exit to Bayer Leverkusen or Real Sociedad.

Soldado has scored only once in the Premier League this season but has netted twice in Tottenham's Capital One Cup campaign.

Reports on Tuesday morning suggested that Soldado could be sold but Pochettino insists that he wants to keep his squad intact.

"I am happy with him," he said. "I am the same as before. All players are in my plans and (there is not) any news.

"I expect all players to be here because we have ahead a lot of games.

"We are still in four competitions and I think that we need a strong squad to take on all games that we have in the future."

Pushed to confirm Soldado was not for sale, Pochettino retorted: "Any player is (not) for sale. Any player.

Saido Berahino: West Brom striker not for sale, says chairman

West Brom and England Under-21 striker Saido Berahino is not for sale, chairman Jeremy Peace has reiterated.

The 21-year-old, who has scored 14 goals in 26 appearances this season, has been linked with a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool and Tottenham.

In December, West Brom dismissed reports of a £23m move to the Reds for Berahino as an "entire fabrication".

"I said in the autumn that the club had no interest in selling Saido and that remains the case," Peace said. 

"If manager Tony Pulis decides otherwise, Berahino is too important to us to consider trading."

Berahino recently pleaded guilty to drink-driving charges and wasbanned from driving for a year and fined £3,400.

The club chairman, in reaction, added: "I wanted to take this opportunity to clarify the position and the club's thinking to our supporters now that Saido can put this unhappy chapter behind him."

Everton: Kevin Mirallas substituted over injury not penalty miss

Kevin Mirallas was substituted at half-time inEverton's 0-0 draw with West Brom because of injury rather than his penalty miss, Roberto Martinez says.

Left-back Leighton Baines is Everton's regular penalty-taker, but ceded spot-kick duties to Mirallas and the Belgium winger struck the outside of the post.

"Kevin felt his hamstring was getting sensitive. It was a precaution," the Everton boss told BBC Radio 5 live.

"They are not related. The talking point is because we missed it."

Martinez says Baines did not have a problem with Mirallas, who converted from the spot inEverton's penalty shootout defeat by West Ham in the FA Cup last week, taking the kick instead of him.

"Normally Leighton takes the penalties but we have a few players in the squad capable of taking them," Martinez added.

"Leighton was quite happy to let him take it because he felt confident and right in that moment.

"There is no big issue in that. It became an issue because he couldn't find the back of the net."

However England assistant manager Gary Neville, covering the game for Sky Sports, disagreed.

"What he's done there at 0-0, taking it off the major penalty taker, which is what it looks like has happened, is a despicable breach of team spirit," Neville said.

"To go against team orders, you do not do that."

Meanwhile, Gary Brabin has left his role as manager of Conference side Southport to join Everton's coaching staff.

The 44-year-old began a second spell in charge of the Sandgrounders in October 2014 and guided them to the third round of the FA Cup this season, where they were beaten 1-0 by Derby County.

Chelsea Allow Mohamed Salah To Take Decision On Future

Chelsea Allow Mohamed Salah To Take Decision On Future

The Blues were reluctant to agree a loan deal for Salah and were looking to sell the winger this month for a transfer fee of around €16m.

But according to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato, the club are now ready to loan him, as they were failing to attract suitors who would agree to a permanent deal this month.

Roma are not the only club vying for Salah’s signature in the winter transfer window, as Hamburg, Besiktas and another unnamed Premier League team are also in the race.

However, Chelsea have left Salah to make the decision on his future club and the player is expected to communicate his wish after consulting with his family.

Chelsea preparing themselves for Mohamed Salah departure with £26.8m Juan Cuadrado move

CHELSEA could make a move for Manchester United target Juan Cuadrado as they line up a replacement for Mohamed Salah.

Fiorentina winger Cuadrado was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United last summer after impressing for Colombia at the World Cup.

The 26-year-old took himself off the market in October after putting pen to paper on a new lucrative five-year deal.

Manchester City have also been keeping a tab on the player, who has a £26.8m buyout clause.

Reports suggest Jose Mourinho is an admirer of Cuadrado and has already made a tentative enquiry for his services.

It is also thought that Roma are growing increasingly confident of sealing a loan deal for Salah with a view to buying him permanently for £12m.

With Schurrle also tipped to leave Stamford Bridge during this window, it remains to be seen whether Mourinho will try to drive down Cuadrado's asking price

Arsenal interested in Paulista

Arsenal interested in Paulista

Arsenal are interested in signing the Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista – but the Spaniards will only sell in this transfer window if a club meets his buy-out clause of around £15m, according to Sky sources.

Other sources say no deal between the two clubs is imminent.

The player has claimed his agent has been talking with the Gunners, but said: “Whether I go to Arsenal or stay at Villarreal, I won’t lose my head. I’m very calm.

"My head is at Villarreal and I’m very focused. My agent is working on making sure I continue being calm.”

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger said last weekend that signing a defender is his priority this month.

The Brazilian, 24, started his career in his homeland with Vitoria, before moving to Villarreal in August 2013, signing a five-year contract

West Ham enter Fletcher race

West Ham enter Fletcher race

Fletcher, 30, has six months remaining on his deal at United but has struggled for game time under Louis van Gaal and is believed to be ready to consider ending his 19-year association with the club.

After starting the first three league games of the season, he has since largely been restricted to sporadic appearances from the bench, making his last start in the 2-0 FA Cup win at Yeovil earlier this month.

And with more arrivals expected at United, if not this month then in the summer, he is likely to get even fewer first-team opportunities. 

West Brom had a bid to take Fletcher on loan for the rest of the season rejected last week.

A one-club man, the Scotland international has been at Old Trafford since the age of 11 and has made 223 appearances since signing his first professional contract in 2001.

He was diagnosed with chronic bowel disease ulcerative colitis in 2011 and made only one start for United in the final two months of the 2010-11 season.

He appeared just 10 times during the following campaign, confirming in December 2011 he would take an extended break from the game before undergoing surgery in January 2013 and finally returning to action in December that year.

Southampton’s Eljero Elia strikes twice to sink spirited Newcastle

Newcastle United fly to Dubai in search of sunshine on Sunday. It seems entirely typical of their recent luck that the latest weather forecast for the United Arab Emirates suggests they will wake up to heavy rain, thick cloud and highs of only 20C on Monday.

As John Carver is discovering, the best laid plans have developed a nasty habit of unravelling fast for those wearing black and white. Since Alan Pardew’s defection to Crystal Palace prompted Carver’s accession as caretaker, Newcastle have played quite well in patches without actually sealing a win.

This was their third defeat in the four games since Pardew departed. As Carver boards the plane for a mini-break so brief that it ends on Thursday morning, he will surely be fearing his hopes of securing the job until the end of the season are ebbing inexorably away.

An understrength Southampton gained a victory which kept them third – and Ronald Koeman’s Champions League dream very much alive – by acclimatising to the north-east chill with a Friday work out at Sunderland’s training ground.

The bracing North Sea air clearly suited the excellent Eljero Elia who scored both the visitors’ goals on an evening which, wholly characteristically, concluded with Newcastle having a decent-looking penalty appeal for handball discounted in stoppage time.

“This win is better than the one against Manchester United because we have some injuries,” said Koeman. “If, in August, people had said we’d be third in the league now I’d have laughed but I’m very, very happy and very delighted.”

Dubbed “the new Mario Balotelli” following some slightly outlandish behaviour in Germany, Elia is a new face in the Southampton ranks but the Dutch winger, recently arrived on loan from Werder Bremen, has not taken long to find his feet. Sure enough he spoilt Newcastle’s bright start by controlling James Ward-Prowse’s pass before unleashing a right-foot shot far too crisp for even Tim Krul to hold.

But until Elia’s first goal as a Saint, and just before that Graziano Pellé chesting a long ball down impressively to liberate Ward-Prowse, Newcastle had looked quicker and slicker.As the ball squirmed beneath the Holland keeper, the supposed “wild child” swivelled on his heels and raced to the away technical area where Koeman waited, arms outstretched. “Elia’s fast and strong and he’s showing a lot of discipline,” said Koeman. “He’s happy to be at Southampton.”

Then self-doubt began intruding and Carver’s team wobbled. They were lucky not to fall further behind when José Fonte out-leaped Fabricio Coloccini and connected with Ward-Prowse’s free-kick. Fortunately for Coloccini, Fonte headed over the bar.

Florin Gardos lifted the Geordie mood, if only temporarily. The Southampton defender looked mortified as his attempted clearance bounced, bizarrely, off Yoan Gouffran before looping into a net otherwise well protected by Newcastle’s blameless academy graduate Fraser Forster.

Regaining a foothold was one thing but maintaining it proved quite another. With Elia continuing to give the Gallowgate End cause for concern and Moussa Sissoko’s counterattacking advances foundering in the face of Fonte, Carver had problems to ponder.

The quest for solutions became increasingly urgent when Shane Long, fresh off the bench, outjumped Coloccini – worryingly vulnerable these days – to another long ball and nodded down to Elia. After holding off a couple of markers he shot beyond Krul, the ball taking a slight deflection off Daryl Janmaat.

Paper Talk: Real eye de Gea

Paper Talk: Real eye de Gea

the latest headlines as Madrid are linked with a world-record £35m bid for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea

Mohamed salah leaving Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window.

Mohamed salah  leaving Stamford Bridge in the January transfer window.

"He can't leave, I have 20 players today with Didier [Drogba] a bit ill and [Cesar] Azpilicueta injured," the Portuguese said after the Blues's 5-0 win at Swansea City on Saturday.

"I have a very short squad, I need everybody. For Salah to leave someone has to come, and I don't think we are going to let Salah go on loan and then spend some money to bring somebody else in.

"So I don't think so, unless my club comes to me and says Salah goes on loan and we are going to buy a €65m player."

St Etienne place €20m price tag on Zouma

St Etienne place €20m price tag on Zouma

 

French side Saint Etienne have made it clear that star player Kurt Zouma will not be leaving the club this January unless one of the interested sides match their €20 million valuation of the player.
It is believed that Chelsea, Monaco and Inter Milan are weighing up a move on the 19-year-old footballer, who is currently serving a ten-match ban for breaking an opponent’s leg.
Zouma admitted few days ago that he had been contacted by Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, and L’Equipe reports that his agent is trying to engineer a move away from the club for his client.
Nevertheless, Saint Etienne have warned interested sides that the youngster is not for sale in the January transfer window, that is unless their €20 million asking price is matched.
“The Monegasque (AS Monaco) leaders are aware of our position,” Bernard Caiazzo, the president of Saint Etienne Supervisory Board, explained to Eurosport.
“This winter, we have no interest to separate him from us and his sale is out of the question bar a special offer. Zouma will not leave for less than €20 million this winter.”
Despite is fragile age, Zouma has already made a total of 51 Ligue 1 appearances for les Verts, scoring 4 goals in the process.