Friday, November 24, 2006

Chelsea confirm Shaun Wright-Phillips' interest


Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has confirmed that West Ham have asked about winger Shaun Wright-Phillips.

The England man is rumoured to be a £10m target for the Hammers, and Kenyon has confirmed that a call has been made from Upton Park about Wright-Phillips.

He moved to Stamford Bridge from Manchester City for £21m two years ago but has failed to hold down a regular starting place with the Blues.

England boss Steve McClaren has voiced his concerns that he is not playing regular football, with Tottenham's Aaron Lennon overtaking him in the international reckoning.

Kenyon has now confirmed that the Hammers are interested, saying: "We have had some interest from West Ham but not an official offer.

"We are not looking to sell players but if we receive an official offer then we will review the situation, that's what we do as a matter of course.

"The interest came in the context of the pre-takeover period at West Ham in terms of whether there was any possibility of something happening and that funds may be available if the takeover went through.

"Any discussion about figures is purely speculative as there has not been an offer."

If Chelsea make it clear they are willing to sell, West Ham are unlikely to be the only team interested in the diminutive winger.

ITV Football

Anelka Not For Sale - Allardyce


Sam Allardyce has slapped a not-for-sale notice on goal-shy striker Nicolas Anelka.

The French international tackles former club Arsenal on Saturday having so far failed to find the net in Premiership combat for Bolton since his club record £8million arrival from Fenerbahce this summer.

Anelka's lack of goals has led to fevered speculation that his nomadic career may see him quit the Reebok Stadium, with French champions Lyon among the clubs being touted as showing an interest.

But Allardyce insists there has been no contact from Lyon boss Gerard Houllier, or club president Jean-Michel Aulas, whose public acknowledgement of admiration for Anelka has brought a swift rebuke from the Trotters chief.

"If the president of Lyon did say he was interested in Nicolas without speaking to us, then he is out of order," said Allardyce.

"We have had no contact with anyone about Nicolas. Even if we did, the answer would be no."

Allardyce also rebuffed reports linking club skipper Kevin Nolan with Everton, although he did admit he always approaches the mid-season transfer window with some trepidation.

"Transfer windows worry me, especially if it is a big football club who is being linked with my player," he said.

"It is a great difficulty for me because it could end up leading to a fall out with a player who is doing well for us at that particular moment in time.

"But speculation is bound to surface more and more at this time or year and there is very little we can do about it."

Allardyce's dealings in the transfer market have been so prolific down the years Bolton are usually the ones being linked with players.

Former England skipper David Beckham is the latest name to be raised in connection with the north-west outfit, rumours Allardyce dismissed as 'pie in the sky'.

After seeing his side lose five of their last six outings in all competitions, Allardyce has more immediate demands on his attention, especially as champions Chelsea are due at the Reebok four days after Arsene Wenger's men visit.

And he did reveal Anelka's lack of goals was starting to cause a bit of concern around the Reebok given Bolton's poor recent form, which has seen them slump from third to sixth in the Premiership table.

"Nicolas' overall contribution has been very good but because we are not winning matches people are bound to make more of the fact he has not scored," he said.

"It would be a fantastic game for Nicolas to score his first Premiership goal for us against Arsenal," he said.

"But if he gets one it has to be the winner, otherwise it does not mean anything."

Bolton have an impressive recent record against Arsenal. The Lancashire outfit have not been beaten by the Gunners on home soil in the league since 2002 and were 30 seconds away from recording three straight wins against the Londoners last term until Gilberto Silva's last-gasp leveller at Highbury.

More often than not, Bolton's robust approach leads to complaints from Wenger, although Allardyce is happy the words are born solely of bitterness.

"I think we have found the secret of playing against them," he smiled.

"Most Premiership clubs who play the way we do against them get results and hopefully it will work again.

"We will get in amongst them, close them down, get in their faces."

Kevin Davies is bound to be a key figure in Bolton's plans, although, at a time when there is a demand for the divers and cheats to be punished, Allardyce is concerned at the lack of protection for his 'honest' front-man.

"People keep talking about simulation but it doesn't work the other way round," he said.

"Kevin has never simulated anything but he gets over-punished for his physical approach.

"I have pointed that out to (referee's chief) Keith Hackett on many occasions but it doesn't change anything.

"Kevin gets elbowed, tripped and pushed and still stays on his feet but he never gets free-kicks and I have all the DVDs to prove it."

Sporting Life

Chelsea left-back Wayne Bridge has signed a new four-year deal at Stamford Bridge.


Bridge told his club's official website: "I feel as though I'm playing well this season. I believe that I will continue to get opportunities.

"It's been a great week for me and I'm delighted to have signed."

Football Transfers

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Nani Keen on Inter Switch


Manchester United target Nani says he would love to play for Italian giants Inter Milan.

After Sporting crashed to defeat against Internazionale in the penultimate round of Champions League Group B fixtures, the 20-year-old midfielder spoke of a possible move to Inter in January's transfer window.

"It is always very good to know that Inter is interested in me, but I'm very happy at Sporting," he said.

However, he then admitted: "Of course I would like to play for Inter. Who wouldn't?"

The defeat in Milan spelled the end of Sporting's Champions League challenge for another season.

"It was difficult for us," Nani said.

"They started very well, which caused us some difficulties. Congratulations to Inter Milan."

Nani could be, following remarks by Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari in Corriere dello Sport, the long-term successor to Inter midfielder Luis Figo in the international set-up.

"Figo's successor? This is a massive responsibility," Nani said.

"He [Figo] is a great player. I still have to work hard to reach his level."

Meanwhile, Sporting coach Paulo Bento was disappointed to see his side crash out of the Champions League to Hernan Crespo's 36th-minute strike.

Nevertheless, he promised to secure third place in the group and safe passage to the UEFA Cup round of 32 when his side meet Spartak Moscow on December 5.

"We allowed our opponents to play within our midfield, which made us pay a high price for it. We waited to lose a goal to react," Bento said.

"Obviously it's very difficult to come from behind against a team like Inter - we tried but we couldn't. I recognise that we could do better than we did.

"I have to congratulate Inter - they controlled the game and were a fair winner."

"Our performance all over the Champions League can not shame any Sporting Lisbon supporter, but now we have to win our last game to reach a place in UEFA Cup."

Sporting Life

O'Neill ponders Hendrie fate


Martin O'Neill is debating whether to recall midfielder Lee Hendrie from his successful loan spell with Championship outfit Stoke.

The Villa boss is hoping to have Stiliyan Petrov and Gavin McCann back in contention for the home Premiership clash with Middlesbrough on Saturday, but Hendrie remains on stand-by.

The long-serving 29-year-old is proving to be a big success at the Britannia Stadium, but Villa have a 24-hour recall on his services.

O'Neill told the club's official website: "I will have a look at that.

"I'll have a look tomorrow to see whether we have Gavin back, and how Stiliyan Petrov is, and those type of things.

"Not that Lee would be twisting my arm to say that he should be automatically back in the team again when he comes back, don't worry about that.

"But what you wouldn't want is that he is on a run there at the minute, and then to take him back and not have the benefit of those things in maybe 10 or 12 days time.

"All of those things will enter into my head, but I will think about it tomorrow."

ITV Football

Bayer return for Berbatov


Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov is looking forward to a return to his former club when Spurs travel to Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Cup.

Bulgaria international Berbatov spent five years with the German club before making a £10.9million summer switch to England, having helped Bayer reach the Champions League final in 2002.

"If I do score it will be strange, but I'm a professional player and it doesn't matter if they are my friends," Berbatov commented.

"Like usual, you raise your hands to show you have scored.

"I was happy that I was there and now I have a lot of other things to do, the game and the games in the future with Tottenham.

"I'm really happy to be back, but I have a job to do and during the 90 minutes there are no friends."

Leverkusen coach Michael Skibbe was fulsome in his praise of Berbatov ahead of the BayArena showdown, saying: "He's one of the best strikers in the world.

"He's got wonderful technique, is very good with his head, both feet are very fast and all the time he has an eye for players in better positions. He's very special."

Carling

O'Neill Eyes £7 Million Defoe Deal


Aston Villa are reportedly preparing a £7 million swoop for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill is a big fan of the England striker and will make his move during the January transfer window, according to the Daily Mirror.

Defoe has fallen out of favour at White Hart Lane and has managed just two goals this season after falling behind Robbie Keane, Dimitar Berbatov and Mido in Martin Jol's pecking order.

O'Neill is desperate to add a top striker to his Villa squad to help their push for a European place but it remains to be seen whether Spurs would be willing to sell, having reportedly rejected offers for his services in the summer.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with Defoe in the past, but they look set up front after the summer capture of Dutch ace Dirk Kuyt.

Sporting Life