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OWEN WOULD COMMAND STELLAR SALARY

Aston Villa would have to make Michael Owen their highest paid player to have a chance of signing the striker, who is out of contract at Newcastle.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill refused to rule out the possibility of signing Owen this summer when asked about the England international during the January transfer window.

And he is expected to step up his bid to sign the injury-hit player, who was understood to be on a six-figure weekly wage at St James' Park.

Villa would be reluctant to pay that sort of figure for a player whose appearances for the Magpies have been severely restricted.

But they are understood to be willing to make him their top wage earner, ahead of the likes of Ashley Young.

O'Neill has lost the services of Gareth Barry to Manchester City and former captain Martin Laursen through his enforced retirement with a knee problem.

But a signing of the quality of Owen - for all his fitness doubts - would lift some of the doom and gloom amongst sections of Villa fans after Barry's departure.

The likes of Tottenham, Everton and Roma are also being linked with Owen.

O'Neill, when asked in January if he would be interested in signing Owen this summer, said: "We would see. Like everything else, football is evolving all the time.

"That's not to say Michael Owen is not a terrific footballer. What happens in the future, I don't know."

One big carrot for Owen, should Villa firm up their interest, would be being reunited with Emile Heskey, with whom he formed a prolific partnership for Liverpool and England.

Villa striker Emile Heskey admits he would welcome the chance to team up with Owen again.

"I would welcome the opportunity to play with him again," Heskey told BBC Radio Five Live.

"He is a great player and a great asset to have. He has shown that on many occasions."

Meanwhile, John Carew has insisted he is happy to remain at Villa after also being linked with a move to Manchester City.

Carew was Villa's top scorer for the second successive season with 15 goals despite being sidelined for three months with a back problem.

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EHRET AGREES NEW COLOGNE DEAL

Cologne midfielder Fabrice Ehret has extended his contract with the Bundesliga club until 2011.

The 29-year-old became a first-team regular under former coach Christoph Daum last season and, regardless of who is eventually appointed as the club's new boss, Ehret knows that Cologne is the only place for him.

"I am delighted that I will continue playing for Cologne," he said.

"I am very happy in Cologne and want to make my contribution to ensuring the club continues to be successful in the coming years.

"I was glad to win a regular starting berth last season and would like to continue impressing with my performances."

Ehret's contract was due to expire at the end of the month, but general manager Michael Meier claims it was never their intention to let him leave on a free transfer.

"We are very happy to have been able to extend Fabrice Ehret's contract by a further two years," he said on the club's website.

"Fabrice Ehret has shown, particularly last season, that, with his qualities, he is an important component within the team."

Ehret played every game for Cologne last season from December onwards and scored three goals.

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SURMAN 'IN LIMBO' OVER SAINTS STAY

Southampton midfielder Andrew Surman has admitted his future remains far from certain, with Sheffield United reportedly on his trail.

The Blades are believed to have made an undisclosed bid for the 22-year-old and he is unsure of where he will be next season, with Southampton the subject of a takeover bid from the Pinnacle Group.

He told BBC Radio Solent: "I haven't thought about it too much until it actually moves forward. Until the takeover at Saints goes through, then we're in a bit of limbo.

"At this stage I haven't thought any further than going back to Southampton for pre-season on 22 June.

"When a serious bid comes in then that's when you have to review your situation, but we're not at that stage yet."

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FERNANDEZ SET FOR FEYENOORD

Feyenoord are set to seal the signing of right back Dani Fernandez from Arsenal Kiev this week.

Fernandez, who has spent the last 18 months on loan at NEC Nijmegen, has agreed a three-year contract and will undergo a medical in Rotterdam on Wednesday.

"I am happy that we can finally complete this after three months," the player's agent Dmitri Selyuk told De Telegraaf. "This transfer has taken longer than any other in my life."

Fernandez, 26, will be Feyenoord's first new signing of the summer.

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McAVENNIE RELATES TO COYLE

Frank McAvennie can fully appreciate why Owen Coyle would snub Celtic to stay at Burnley.

Coyle was reportedly the Hoops' number one target to succeed Gordon Strachan in the managerial hotseat at Parkhead but left for his summer holiday more than a week ago poised to sign a new two-year contract at Turf Moor.

Despite being a boyhood Celtic fan, it appears the prospect of leading Burnley in their first top-flight season for 33 years has proven greater a lure for Coyle than managing one of the biggest clubs in Europe.

It was ever thus, according to former Parkhead striker McAvennie, who left the club in 1989 to rejoin West Ham.

"Everyone gets so one-sided up here and so blinkered," he said.

"It's a big world out there and the Premier League's the best league in the world.

"Owen's now got into the Premier League. Why would he want to come up here?"

McAvennie spent four years in England - one of them in the Premier League - before returning to Celtic in 1993.

He can see Coyle eventually wanting to take charge of the club but not before he has tested himself against the cream of the English game.

"I played for a year in the Premier League before I came back to Celtic so I'd done what I wanted to do and proved that I was good enough," McAvennie said.

"Owen has beaten Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in the Carling Cup, he beat Tottenham, he's beaten Arsenal.

"There's no reason why he doesn't want to pit his wits against them every week.

"Celtic's a massive club, one of the biggest in the world. But they're not in the biggest league in the world and that's the problem."

West Brom's Tony Mowbray is now the overwhelming favourite to be named Hoops boss, with reports claiming compensation is now the only stumbling block to his appointment.

Celtic have so far refused to confirm whether Mowbray is their number one target, while West Brom have repeatedly insisted no official approach has been made for their manager, who has two years remaining on his Hawthorns contract.

But that has not quelled speculation over the amount of compensation it would take to land the former Hoops defender, with figures ranging from Ł850,000 to Ł2million.

McAvennie, who was a team-mate of Mowbray's at the club in the mid-1990s, backed him to get them playing the kind of football that will have fans' mouths watering again.

McAvennie believes the Baggies were only a regular goalscorer away from staying up and does not see Mowbray having the same problem at Celtic.

He said: "I think Tony will get the ball down. The fans love to see fast-flowing football and I'm looking forward to it.

"But wait until he signs first. Knowing Celtic, it could change by the hour."

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NEW OWNERS WOULD SELL HAMMERS

West Ham's new owners have admitted they will consider offers for the club despite having only just secured a takeover.

CB Holding, an Icelandic holding company made up of banks owed money by the Hammers' previous owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, have a two-year plan for the club as they do not believe current market conditions are favourable for a sale.

However, should any potential buyer come forward - and an American investor who has already had one Ł70million offer turned down is still interested - then they would be prepared to sell.

Georg Andersen, head of corporate communications at the investment bank Straumur which owns 70% of CB Holdings, said: "Every club is for sale at the right price but we honestly believe that with the market as it is right now it will be extremely difficult to find the right value.

"I'm not going to pretend we are going to own the club forever.

"Our plan is to hold onto the club for a couple of years, or maybe four or five years, until we believe we can get an appropriate price."

It is understood the value of CB Holdings takeover is Ł110million, or the amount of money Gudmundsson used to buy the club.

A new chairman, Andrew Bernhardt who is a senior director of Straumur, has been appointed and he has promised security for the club and manager Gianfranco Zola.

Despite the takeover, a degree of uncertainty still surrounds the ownership of the club and Straumur themselves have suffered major problems in the credit crunch and are basically controlled by the Icelandic government. Other Icelandic banks Byr Bank and MP Bank are also shareholders in CB Holding.

Andersen said Straumur were confident of agreeing a compensation deal with creditors and insisted that even if any of CB Holding's shareholders went into liquidation it would not affect West Ham.

"CB Holdings are owned by a number of banks. Hansa [Gudmundsson's company] was owned by one person - there's a huge difference," said Andersen.

"If one of the shareholders of CP Holding went under then the their creditors would simply acquire their shares. The company was created to ring-fence the club."

The Premier League have announced they will study the new ownership structure in detail to ensure all board members pass their fit and proper person's test.

A league spokesman said: "We have asked West Ham United to produce details of their change of ownership. Once we have that information we shall assess it and, if needs be, act accordingly."

The new regime have assured Zola and his assistant Steve Clarke that their jobs are safe and that some funds will be made available for transfers. Chief executive Scott Duxbury will also remain at the club.

Bernhardt said in a statement: "We have one of the best young management partnerships in Gianfranco Zola and Steve Clarke and the team has evolved with a great mix of experience and young players coming through from the academy.

"I can assure fans we will sanction investment in new players, but all within the parameters of sensible budgeting based on revenues generated by West Ham United.

"We have an initial two-year plan which includes improving the infrastructure at the club and we will be getting to work on this as soon as the new board is appointed."

Hammers defender Matthew Upson, one player of whom it had been suggested the club would have to sell, welcomed the news.

Upson said: "The club is in a really crucial position because we had a positive season and it would be really nice to build on that.

"We have got the right man in charge, the manager has done an excellent job and it would be nice to see him given a bit of spending money, the ability to strengthen the squad and to take the team on."

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HUGHES APPOINTED HIBS BOSS

Hibernian have confirmed John Hughes as their new manager.

Hughes has signed a three-year contract after quitting fellow Clydesdale Bank Scottish Premier League side Falkirk.

His assistant Brian Rice is expected to join him at Easter Road when he returns from holiday.

Hibs launched their search for a new manager following Mixu Paatelainen's surprise decision to resign at the end of last month.

"The search for a new manager is always a difficult task and after a very thorough process we were fortunate to have a number of exceptional candidates," Hibs chairman Rod Petrie told www.hibernianfc.co.uk.

"John Hughes was the unanimous choice of the board not for his exploits as a former player, but for his credentials as a manager, his style of football and his potential to bring success to the club on the field of play.

"I am sure too that John will galvanise everyone connected with Hibernian and drive the club forward.

"The board will never lose sight of the requirement for Hibernian FC to be competing for honours and we see John as the ideal candidate to achieve this."

Hughes, 44, spent four years as a player at Hibs but believes it was his management credentials - and not his history with the club - which earned him the job.

"This is a very proud day for me," he told www.hibernianfc.co.uk.

"I am delighted to be the manager of Hibernian. Everyone knows what Hibernian means to me.

"I have so much respect for the club and its supporters that I would not have accepted the job if I did not think that I could make a real difference and be successful.

"It is important to me that the board have identified that it is my managerial ability, and not my history as a Hibernian player, as the reason I have been appointed."

Hughes spent six years at Falkirk, with last season probably the most dramatic of his tenure, securing their SPL survival, runners-up spot in the Scottish Cup and European football for the first time in the club's history.

He added: "I also have great affection for Falkirk FC and would like to thank everyone connected with that club for the fantastic opportunity they gave me to cut my teeth as a manager.

"My future now lies with Hibernian and I believe I will bring innovation and an attractive style of passing football to the club.

"I can't wait to start working with the players and get down to business at the training centre."

Falkirk's board will meet on Tuesday night at the Falkirk Stadium as they begin a search for Hughes' successor.

Chairman Martin Ritchie said: "This will be a very attractive position to many people in football.

"We are now an established SPL side, we have an excellent infrastructure in place to support a new manager, as well as an academy and training facilities which are second to none in Scotland.

"We have our first foray into European competition and our new South Stand to look forward to.

"The new manager will be expected to continue our policies of youth development, the use of the latest sports science techniques and to maintain our attractive style of football.

"This is a great opportunity for both the new manager and for the club as we look forward to the new season."

Speaking on www.falkirkfc.co.uk, managing director George Craig added: "It is imperative that we move quickly to make a new appointment.

"We have several out of contract players and the new manager will want to decide which he wants to keep.

"We need to have the management team in place as soon as possible and the first team squad fully prepared for our first European tie on July 16."

John Hughes Factfile:

1964: Born September 9 in Edinburgh.

1988: Begins professional career as a striker at Berwick Rangers.

1989: November - Joins Swansea.

1990: August - Joins Falkirk, where he converts from a centre-forward to a centre-half. Makes 134 league appearances for the Bairns.

1995: August 7 - Joins Celtic for Ł38,000. Makes 31 league appearances for the Hoops.

1996: November 1 - Joins Hibernian, making 72 league appearances in four and a half years.

2000: May 31 - Joins Ayr United, making 48 league appearances.

2002: June 4 - Returns to Falkirk in a player-coach role.

2003: January 31 - Appointed joint manager alongside Owen Coyle.

May 20 - Takes sole charge after Coyle joins Dundee United as a player-coach.

2005: April 9 - Hughes makes the last of 19 league appearances in the First Division season as Falkirk beat Ross County to seal promotion to the Scottish Premier League.

October 22 - Makes last of 77 league appearances in second spell as a Falkirk player in 3-1 SPL defeat to Dundee United.

2006: May 6 - Falkirk finish 10th in the SPL.

November 7 - Falkirk record shock League Cup quarter-final win at Celtic.

2007: January 30 - Falkirk lose League Cup semi-final 3-0 to Kilmarnock.

May 19 - Falkirk finish seventh in the SPL.

2008: May 17 - Falkirk finish seventh in the SPL.

2009: January 27 - Falkirk lose League Cup semi-final against Rangers 3-0.

April - With Falkirk four points adrift at the foot of the SPL, fans group the Bairns Trust write a letter to the club's board demanding Hughes' resignation. A furious Hughes dismisses the letter as a "nonsense" and later brands those who wrote it as "faceless wonders", calling for action to be taken against them.

May 23 - Falkirk win 1-0 at Inverness on the final day of the SPL season to avoid relegation and send their opponents down. They finish 10th in the table.

May 30 - Falkirk lose Scottish Cup final 1-0 to Rangers. But they still qualify for Europe for the first time in their history. Hughes and Christie distance themselves from speculation regarding the managerial vacancies at Hibs and Aberdeen.

June 5 - Hughes admits he would be "very interested" in replacing Roberto Martinez as Swansea boss.

June 8 - Hughes is confirmed as Hibs manager.

[andyman]

Everton would stink the place out..

Breaking News!!!

Kaka has had a medical with Real Madrid!

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BERBATOV COMMITTED TO UNITED

Dimitar Berbatov's agent has stated that his client will remain playing with Manchester United next season.

There had been some suggestions that the Bulgaria international could leave Old Trafford this summer following an indifferent debut season with The Red Devils.

The Ł30.75m capture mustered just nine Premier League goals for the champions despite making 29 league starts, prompting talk in some quarters the club may part with the former Spurs ace.

However, Berbatov's agent Emil Dantchev has poured cold water on the speculation, stating the club's management is happy for the experienced hit-man to stay.

"Despite speculation that he may leave, I want to declare that Dimitar will play next season in Manchester United," Dantchev told Dnevnik.

"There is no desire from the management for any separation.

"He will stay and we hope that he will win what he missed out on this year."

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Originally posted by andyman
Everton would stink the place out..

Breaking News!!!

Kaka has had a medical with Real Madrid!

We would not we smell off roses

Kaka making a mistake

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ROSSI LEAVES LAZIO

Delio Rossi has left Lazio after four years in charge, despite guiding the Biancoceleste to the Coppa Italia this season.

"For me it's difficult to announce that I have ended my relationship with Lazio after four years," he said.

"It's not an easy decision but one that I thought long and hard about.

"In recent times I have been aware that I was not at the centre of the tactical project of the club.

"I want to thank everyone at the club, especially the players.

"I think I have worked well in the past few years and I leave full of memories, the last one, the Coppa Italia title with almost 70,000 fans celebrating."

Lazio had high expectations going into the season but finished 10th in Serie A.

Rossi has been linked with a move to relegated side Torino this summer.

"I haven't signed anything with another club," he said. "I don't know what I will do but I don't care in which division I coach."

Rossi enjoyed his finest hour with Lazio in 2007 when he guided the team to third in Serie A.

The club began that campaign with an 11-point deduction for their involvement in a match-fixing scandal that rocked Italian football, a punishment later reduced to three points on appeal.

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VERBEEK SET FOR HERACLES RETURN

Heracles Almelo are on the brink of appointing Gertjan Verbeek as their new coach.

Verbeek was in charge between 2001 and 2004 and the club believe "in that time he made an important contribution to the building of the club, both in organisation and on a sporting level".

Gert Heerkes, Heracles' coach last season, had a year left on his contract but was relieved of his post at the end of the season.

"The club offered Heerkes the chance to stay on in another technical role but he turned it down," read a club statement.

"After the settlement of his contract, Heracles Almelo is confident of a swift co-operation with Verbeek.

"With a three-year contract, the club can take a big step forward in the future."

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BA IS NOT FOR SALE - HOPP

Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp has told striker Demba Ba to forget about his dream move to Stuttgart and honour the contract he signed two years ago.

The Senegalese forward has been linked with a move to Stuttgart, who he claims have already approached his agent, but Hopp reinforced the stance taken by Hoffenheim's director of sport Jan Schindelmeiser by ruling out a sale.

"We are not selling Ba and let that be the end of it," he said in the Rhein-Neckar Zeitung newspaper.

"Anybody in the world who signs a contract must stick to it and what he is doing now is simply not on."

The 24-year-old's contract with Hoffenheim expires in 2011, but he is one of Stuttgart's targets to replace Mario Gomez, who is moving to Bayern Munich.

As soon as Ba learned of Stuttgart's interest, he claimed his heart was set on a move.

"(Hoffenheim coach) Ralf Rangnick has told me that he will not let me go. I respect the coach, but he is going to be disappointed," he told the Stuttgarter Zeitung newspaper.

"I hope that we can find a compromise and end this issue quickly.

"Hoffenheim no longer figures in my thoughts. I am looking for a new challenge and Stuttgart would give me the chance to prove myself again."

[andyman]

Great posts Andy! I enjoy reading them..

The thread should always have news, info.. And always on topic!!!

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ETO'O HAPPY AT BARCA - AGENT

Samuel Eto'o would find it hard to turn down an offer that would see his personal earnings increase dramatically but he is not actively looking to leave Barcelona, his agent has confirmed.

The Cameroon striker has been the subject of intense speculation this summer and on Monday morning his representative, Josep Maria Mestalles, held talks with the Blaugrana technical secretary, Txiki Begiristain.

While Manchester City and Inter Milan, among others, are reported to be awaiting developments, Mestalles explained that Eto'o is happy although any major offer would have to be considered.

"We want to stay with Barca, but if a crazy offer comes in and equals the buy-out clause, then the player would earn a lot," he told Sport.

"If before they were offering €5 million and now they offer €15 million, nobody is stupid.

"The player is not going to look to go. He likes it here and there is no better place to live than in Barcelona, but if someone comes in with an offer that improves his salary..."

In Italy there have been reports that Eto'o could be involved in a swap deal with Inter's Zlatan Ibrahimovic worth around €80 million and Mestalles is ruling nothing out.

"We are happy with the club, the relationship is good, but we cannot rule out any possibility," he continued.

"Just like we know, he has a contract and he is a great player.

"Txiki did not say that Pep (Guardiola) does not want him. He has a contract and he wants to stay, but the difference between this year and last year is that they have not said they do not want him.

"The market is better than last year and there are clubs that are interested in him, but we cannot listen to them because that is prohibited.

"The fact that people want you does not mean that you have to leave where you are.

"With two Champions Leagues, three titles and a Copa del Rey along with his performances and goals he does not need to be revalued."

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Originally posted by andyman
Great posts Andy! I enjoy reading them..

The thread should always have news, info.. And always on topic!!!

Yes i have more news coming up

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Jose Baxter will go out on loan from Everton to Burnley.

Burnley will also bring in another England youngster, Victor Moses from Crystal Palace for Ł3 Million

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Man City are planning a double raid on Valencia by offering Ł30m for David Villa and Ł15m for David Silva. Will also offer Liverpool Ł20m for Xabi Alonso.

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Benitez has prepared the following transfers if the current owners stay:

Tuncay (6.5mil) Silva (17mil) Srna (10mil) Sielva (2mil) with Babel, Voronin, Itjande, Leto, Degen, Dossena, Hobbs, Anderson, Pennant and Hyypia leaving, getting back somewhere in the region of Ł20mil.

However, it is more likely that Sheikh Mahommed Maktoun will resume his interest after Hicks & Gillett lowered their asking price. The takeover will clear MORE THAN 50% of the debts Liverpool currently own and they will back Benitez by giving him a Ł70mil transfer budget to compete with the likes of City & Chelsea in the transfer market. It will mean the same players leave, but different ones will be signed:

Sergio Aguero (32mil)
Yuri Zhirkov (15mil)
Aislan (6mil)
Javi Martinez (12mil)
Darijo Srna (10mil)
Luc Castagnois (3mil)
Jesus Fernandez (200k)
Zezinho (2mil)

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Burnley are interested in signing Kazakhstan striker Sergei Ostapenko from FC Aktobe for a fee of around Ł800,000. In addition to this, they will sign Sean St Ledger from Lancashire rivals Preston for Ł2 Million. However, neither of these signings will take place until early July. Also, they will look to bring in Roman Bednář from West Brom for around Ł2.5 Million.

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MFC Rumours:

Out:
Gary O'Neil – 3M – Bolton
Mido – 4M – Wolfsburg
Jeremie Aliadire – 2M – Fulham
Tuncay – 7.5M – Liverpool
Stewart Downing – 11M – Tottenham (January)
Robert Huth – 3.5M – Hamburg
Mohamed Shawky – 500k – Al Ahly
Afonso Alves – 6.5M – Ajax
Mattew Bates – FREE – Sunderland
Ross Turnbull – FREE – Chelsea
Adam Johnson – FREE – Rangers

In:
Marlon Harewood – 1.5M – Aston Villa
Jordi Gomez – 2.5 – Espanyol
Joe Hart – LOAN – Man City
Sean St Ledger – 1M – Preston
Jermaine Beckford – 2.5 – Leeds
Gary Neville – FREE – Man Utd

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Chelsea Out's:
Anelka – Lyon 10m (Benzema will be leaving and they need a backup)
Ferreira – Sporting Lisbon or Porto 5m
Deco – Inter Milan 5m (Inter needs a creative midfielder)
Shevchenko – Dynamo Kiev 5m (He wants to go back to his first club before he retires)
Pizarro – Werder Bremen 10m (He has scored 11 goals in 15 appearances in the league for the German club)

[andyman]

Thanks Andy, more football news is good, well this is a football thread.. I enjoy reading and others enjoy reading, plus everything is on topic! (for the ghosters)

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Out of contract David Noble has agreed terms with Plymouth Argyle. Bristol City are preparing a bid for Alan Gow.

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Barnsley FC!!

Charlie Adam to sign from Rangers for 500k. Also after Adam Hammill for season–long loan from Liverpool as he says he will either play for Liverpool or Barnsley next season. Sam Vokes on way to Oakwell too.