Spurs sign Falque, loan him out to Southampton
Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a permanent deal with Juventus for youngster Iago Falque and have also loaned out him to manager Harry Redknapp’s old club Southampton. Vigo born Falque, a former Barcelona and Madrid youth player, was on loan at White Hart Lane since the summer and the Lilywhites decided to convert it into a permanent deal.
The 21 year old, who has been capped by Spain at various youth levels now joins Nigel Adkins’ Saints, who are hoping to maintain their current momentum in the Championship and seal a return to the Premier League. Southampton at this moment are tied on points with West Ham United at the top of the Championship standings.
Saints boss Nigel Adkins said that he was delighted with the addition of Falque to their ranks at St.Mary’s.
Man Utd legend Scholes comes out of retirement
Manchester United’s legendary midfielder Paul Scholes has temporarily come out of retirement to help the Red Devils with their midfield crisis. United, who have struggled to exert influence in the centre of the park on recent occasions with Darren Fletcher and Tom Cleverly both sidelined, have convinced the 37 year old to pick up his boots again till the end of the 2011/12 season.
Scholes, much like the still active Ryan Giggs, is a one man club and the Salford born medio is set to add to the 466 appearances he made for the club in a glittering career during the 90′s and 2000′s.
Scholes’ last appearance for United was in the Champions League final against Barcelona in May 2011.
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Robin Van Persie- I’m in no hurry to pen new deal
Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie has revealed that he is no hurry to pen a new deal and commit his future to the club. Van Persie, named as Arsenal’s new skipper by Arsene Wenger following the departure of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona earlier this summer, has two years left on his current contract.
Arsenal will be keen for Van Persie to commit his future to the club to avoid a Nasri like situation. The talented French midfielder refused to pen a new deal and the Gunners were forced to sell him to Man City in order to avoid losing him for nothing next summer.
Van Persie had this to say about penning a new deal
Football Transfer Betting: Will Luka Modric at 3/1 sign for Chelsea in the 2012 January Transfer Window...?I do believe you have to look for a right moment to sit down and speak about your own stuff.
It’s not only about me, it’s about the team. We are not talking now because we are so busy – we have games every three or four days.
I still have almost two years left here, so for the moment that’s fine. But I don’t know, we will have to look.
I’m happy with my contract, I’m good. That’s how it is, I can’t say much more. I can’t look into the future.
Neymar to join Real Madrid- report
Reports in Brazil are indicating that Chelsea target Neymar will snub the Blues and sign a contract with Real Madrid later this week. The reports claim that Neymar, hailed as one of the hottest current Brazilian talents, has already passed a medical with Real. However the transfer will not take place immediately but after next year’s Olympic Football tournament, which will take place in London.
Neymar has a £40m buyout clause in his contract and was chased by Chelsea all summer. He was also a target for Real Madrid’s great rivals FC Barcelona, but Los Cules’ lack of funds seems to have gone against them.
Football Transfer Betting: Will Luka Modric at 3/1 sign for Chelsea in the 2012 January Transfer Window...?
Barcelona VP:- We got Cesc on the cheap
Barcelona Vice President Josep Maria Bartomeu has said that the club got Cesc Fabregas really cheap in the current transfer window. Fabregas transferred for £24.5m from Arsenal to Barcelona last month, a fee that could potentially rise to £35m ( 40m euros in the future.
Bartomeu said that Fabregas’ real asking price should have been what Arsenal initially demanded- €60m. He however admitted that Los Cules got their boyhood star cheap because he wanted to return to the Nou Camp and that forced Arsenal to reduce their asking price.
Fabregas has already scored three times for Barcelona since his transfer- in a friendly against Napoli, in the UEFA Super Cup against Porto and in his league debut against Villarreal.
Football Transfer Betting: Will Luka Modric at 3/1 sign for Chelsea in the 2012 January Transfer Window...?
Chelsea to make improved bid for Alvaro Pereira
Chelsea are set to complete the acquisition of Porto’s Alvaro Pereira this week by making an improved offer for the Uruguayan international. Porto have rejected an initial £16.5m bid from Chelsea for the versatile wingback and are holding out for a fee closer to his £26m release clause. However Chelsea are quietly confident of getting their man, with Porto also choosing not to field Pereira in their squad for Friday’s UEFA Super Cup against Barcelona.
Pereira is a versatile player who can play at both left back and left midfield. With Yuri Zhirkov already out of Stamford Bridge and Florent Malouda set to follow him out, Chelsea have identified Pereira as the ideal candidate to shore up the left wing.
Football Transfer Betting: Will Luka Modric at 3/1 sign for Chelsea in the 2012 January Transfer Window...?
Carles Puyol to be out for three weeks
Barcelona defender Carles Puyol is expected to be out for three weeks after sustaining an ankle injury in his side’s 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao.
Puyol had to be stretchered off in the last minute of the game, and is expected to miss Barcelona’s second leg Champions League round of 16 game against Lyon, as well as two La Liga games against Almeria and Malaga.
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga to six points as rivals Real Madrid could only draw 1-1 against local rivals Atletico.
This adds to the defensive woes of the Blaugrana as Eric Abidal and Gabriel Milito are also out. Pep Guardiola will have to do some defensive re shuffling and hope that it works till Puyol recovers from his ankle injury.