City’s Record Bid
Manchester City’s owners want to sign a “world superstar”
in January’s transfer window, with Kaka and Lionel Messi among
their targets, the Independent said, citing a source it didn’t
name.
City, backed by the Abu Dhabi United Group for Development
and Investment, is prepared to make a world-record bid of more
than 70 million pounds ($103 million) to acquire one of the
sport’s top players, the newspaper said.
Fernando Torres, Carlos Tevez, Cristiano Ronaldo and Samuel
Eto’o have also been considered by the club, which set a British
transfer record when it signed Robinho for as much as 34 million
pounds on Sept. 1, the Independent reported.
It may struggle to persuade AC Milan to sell Kaka or
Barcelona to lose Messi midway through the season, although City
will test their resolve, the newspaper said.
The current record is the 48 million pounds paid by Real
Madrid to Juventus for Zinedine Zidane in 2001.
Santa Cruz Eyes Move
Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz will formally ask for
permission to join Manchester City and regrets signing a new
contract in the off-season, according to the Daily Mail.
City manager Mark Hughes, who was in charge at Blackburn
for four years, had a 12 million-pound bid turned down in August
for the Paraguay international, the newspaper said. City will
now offer 15 million pounds and allow fullback Nedum Onuoha to
move in the opposite direction, the Mail added.
Lyon’s Italy fullback Fabio Grosso, 31, is also a target
for Hughes, the same newspaper said.
Agger Deal Doubt
Talks between Liverpool and center-back Daniel Agger have
broken down after the Danish international demanded his wages be
doubled, the Daily Mirror reported.
Agger has 18 months left on his contract and is seeking a
new one worth 70,000 pounds a week, the newspaper said.
AC Milan is lining up an 8 million-pound offer to take him
to Serie A should the talks remain deadlocked, the report said.
Spanish champion Real Madrid is also interested, the Sun said.
If Liverpool loses Agger it will weigh up an offer for
Madrid’s Gabriel Heinze, the Mirror said. Heinze wanted to join
Liverpool from Manchester United two seasons ago. He settled for
Madrid after United refused to sell him to an English rival.
No Shay for Harry
Newcastle goalkeeper Shay Given says he’s not interested in
a move to Tottenham after reports suggested he’s a possible
replacement for under-fire Heurelho Gomes, the Sun said.
Gomes, who joined Spurs at the start of the season, has
been at fault for several goals. Given believes Tottenham will
stick with the Brazilian, the Sun said.
“I’m sure that when Heurelho Gomes gets his confidence
back he’ll be a very, very good goalkeeper again,” the
newspaper reported Given as saying.
The Mirror reported that Spurs coach Harry Redknapp is
trying to secure England goalkeeper David James. It said
Redknapp would offer his former club Portsmouth 3 million
pounds.
Competition for Belhadj
Portsmouth manager Tony Adams wants to sign on-loan
Algerian left-back Nadir Belhadj, although he faces competition
from Barcelona, the Daily Telegraph said.
Adams has already agreed to a 3.5 million-pound fee with
Lens for Belhadj, 26, to complete a permanent deal in January,
the newspaper said.
Salary Cap
Clubs in the second-tier Championship are considering a
salary cap as they struggle with rising debt, the Guardian said,
citing Derby Chairman Adam Pearson.
“Club boards are under pressure to gain success and that
leads to them paying ridiculous wages,” Pearson told the
Guardian. “It cannot carry on or will end in disaster.”
Brian Mawhinney, the Football League’s chairman, has
previously failed to get enough support for a cap in the
Championship, the newspaper said.
League Two teams already have to limit spending on wages to
60 percent of revenue, though the same policy was abandoned in
League One after only one season, the Guardian added.
Hangeland Stays Loyal
Fulham defender Brede Hangeland, a January transfer target
for Arsenal and Tottenham, wants to stay at Craven Cottage, the
Express reported. The 6-foot-5 Norwegian has helped Fulham to
allow only 11 goals in 14 Premier League matches this season.
Valencia a Villain?
Wigan’s Antonio Valencia could make a January move to Aston
Villa, the Mirror reported.
Villa will face competition from Premier League champion
Manchester United and Liverpool for the Ecuador midfielder, who
could cost 7 million pounds, the report said.
Villa owner Randy Lerner will give coach Martin O’Neill
substantial funds to boost his club’s chances of securing
Champions League soccer next season, the Mirror said.
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