Saturday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

City signings set to continue
Manchester City are focusing on moves for David Luiz and James Milner after tying up Yaya Toure on a five-year deal – and they still want a top-class striker.
The Blues are on course to complete a successful summer in the transfer market after £24m new-boy Toure joined David Silva and Jerome Boateng in signing up for next season’s tilt at glory.
That deal brought City’s close-season spending to £60m, and boss Roberto Mancini is not finished yet.
Mancini is hopeful that England midfielder Milner, who is currently on holiday, can be tempted away from Aston Villa once he returns.
City had a £20m bid for the 24-year-old rejected last month, but are optimistic they can seal a deal for less than Villa’s £30m valuation.
And Mancini also wants to push ahead with a move for Benfica's £28m rated versatile Brazilian defender Luiz.
Benfica president Luis Felipe Vieira has hinted that Luiz, 23, can leave - at the right price.
City are also monitoring Fernando Torres and Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko.

Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha chased by Sunderland and Aston Villa
Aston Villa and Sunderland lead the chase for Manchester City utility defender Nedum Onuoha, according to skysports.com.
The 23-year old is understood to be surplus to requirements at Eastlands, after Roberto Mancini signed Hamburg's German defender Jerome Boateng, who is member of Joachim Loew's World Cup squad in South Africa.
Despite this snub, the player is highly-rated after racking up more than 100 Premier League appearances, since graduating from the club's youth academy.
Both Sunderland and Everton are keen to add the ex-England under-21 international to their ranks, and are prepared to spend in the region of £5 million to land him.

KRASIC TO SNUB CITY FOR JUVE
Manchester City target Milos Krasic would prefer to join Italian side Juventus instead of making the move to the Citizens.
Roberto Mancini's men have been busy in the transfer market this season by completing the captures of Yaya Toure and Jerome Boateng while they have also agreed a fee for David Silva and they are still on the lookout for more talent.
Krasic has been one of the players linked with a move to Eastlands however, he has revealed that Juventus would be is ideal destination.
Speaking to Serbian newspaper Blic, CSKA midfielder said: "I have not decided anything, but my greatest desire is Italy, I feel from the heart an attraction to Juventus."
"I have a contract with CSKA, I expressed a desire to leave, I have already had six years at CSKA and I hope that the leadership of the club will understand.
"I cannot insist on my own conditions but I told them only that I want to continue my career in Juventus.
"I know the interest of Manchester City, but with all respect to the club and the coach Roberto Mancini, I would like to continue my career in Turin.
"I don't want, of course, to underestimate the English club, I am just talking about my desire."

City linked with Balotelli
Inter maintain that teenage forward is not for sale
The agent of Mario Balotelli claims that Manchester City have shown an interest in the Inter Milan striker.
Arsenal and Real Madrid, who are now managed by former Inter boss Jose Mourinho, are among a number of European clubs to have been linked with the 19-year-old over the summer.
Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti said at the end of June that he did not want to sell £28million-rated Balotelli, but the Italy Under 21 international has yet to state his commitment and has admitted to being flattered by rumours regarding Arsenal.
However, if Arsene Wenger is planning to make an offer for Balotelli he could struggle to compete with the financial muscle of City and the attraction for the forward of a reunion with Roberto Mancini, the man who gave him his Serie A debut.
Balotelli's representative, Mino Raiola, told Sky Italia: "There is interest from Manchester City, but certainly this is not the only team that thinks seriously about Mario Balotelli.
"I don't want to say that an offer is coming. I'd rather not talk about figures, it is a decision of president Massimo Moratti."
Inter sports director Marco Branca has maintained the party line of Rafa Benitez's club by insisting that Balotelli is not for sale.
Asked about speculation of a €40million (£33m) offer from an unnamed club, Branca told La Gazzetta dello Sport: "He is not for sale so there are no discussions."


WAGS OF THE DAY
http://www.footballfancast.com/football ... ll-i-would

Lazio set £18m Kolarov price-tag
It’s reported that Lazio have set a €22m price-tag for Aleksandar Kolarov, though Manchester City have only offered €18m.
It is well known that the Eastlands side and former Inter manager Roberto Mancini have targeted Kolarov for the summer transfer campaign.
According to Datasport, President Claudio Lotito has decided on a price-tag of €22m – around £18m.
It is a slight discount from the original €25m target, but still above City’s current offer of €18m.
Real Madrid have toned down their interest in the Serbian wide man, but it is almost certain Kolarov will leave Lazio this summer.

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Manchester United Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly prepared to offload Dimitar Berbatov and Anderson to fund the signing of Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema.Daily Mirror

Ashley Cole is desperate to quit Chelsea after England's World Cup disaster, with Real Madrid putting together a package worth £30m for the left-back.
Daily Mirror

Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is also keen to secure the signature of Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, and is willing to offer midfielders Rafael van der Vaart and Fernando Gago in part-exchange. Daily Mirror

Liverpool are reportedly ready to make a move for Japan international midfielder Yashuhito Endo from Gamba Osaka, who impressed for his country at the World Cup in South Africa.

In addition, the Merseysiders have joined Arsenal and Tottenham in the race to sign midfielder Joe Cole, who was recently released by Chelsea. footylatest.com

West Ham have tabled an improved £11.1m offer for Nice striker Loic Remy, and are also maintaining their interest in Santos forward Neymar. Daily Mail

Everton are closing in on a deal for Neftchi Baku's 18-year-old Azerbaijan midfielder Araz Abdullayev. Daily Mail

West Brom have made a late move to sign Cardiff's out-of-contract Wales international midfielder Joe Ledley, who would cost around £750,000 in compensation. Daily Mail

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is ready to sign Rangers and Scotland striker Kris Boyd on a free transfer, who has also been tracked by Birmingham boss Alex McLeish.
(Daily Mirror)

Blackburn Rovers are in pole position to sign out-of-contract Rangers striker Kris Boyd, but manager Sam Allardyce is also monitoring Lyon's Frederic Piquionne and Stoke's James Beattie. (the Sun)

Shota Arveladze's Kayserispor have admitted defeat in their attempt to sign Kris Boyd after the out-of-contract Rangers striker rejected a contract worth £4m over two years. (Daily Mail)

Out-of-contract Rangers striker Kris Boyd will make a decision about his future within 48 hours but will reject offers from Kayserispor and other Turkish clubs. (Daily Record)

Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli, 19, admits he is flattered by rumours he is attracting the interest of Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger. Footylastest.com

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp admits he has spoken to England midfielder Joe Cole and insists there is "a very good chance" of bringing his former West Ham protege to White Hart Lane after he was released by Chelsea. Talk Sport.net

Celtic are waiting to sell winger Aiden McGeady before completing the capture of Liam Lawrence from Stoke City. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER BOLLOX
Following his appointment as Liverpool boss, Roy Hodgson has wasted no time in trying to convince star forward Fernando Torres and captain Steven Gerrard to stay at Anfield. Hodgson has already outlined his vision for the future with Gerrard and is planning a face-to-face meeting with Torres when he returns from the World Cup.Guardian

Reds defender Jamie Carragher is confident both Gerrard and Torres will still be at the club next season. "The aim for the club will be to try and get back in the Champions League," Carragher told talkSPORT. Daily Mirror

Hodgson has also urged Liverpool's bosses to speed up the search for new owners, even though it may cast a shadow over his own future at the club.Daily Mail

Hull midfielder Nick Barmby says he is not retiring from playing after accepting a coaching role under new Tigers boss Nigel Pearson. Daily Mirror

Scotland coach Craig Levein is hoping to find out next week whether Birmingham City midfielder Barry Ferguson will return to international football. (Daily Express)

Glasgow-born Iffy Onoura, the former Huddersfield, Swindon and Gillingham striker, has been named manager of the Ethiopa national team. (Various)

Former England manager Glenn Hoddle, who now runs a training academy in Spain, has a simple coaching cure for failings in the English game - the wall pass. "I re-introduced it at Chelsea," he writes in the Daily Mail. "And use it now as a development tool. Stand in front of a wall and pass the ball with your head up. Feel the weight of the pass, get used to the touch of the ball on your feet. Repeat and repeat again."Daily Mail

[Wooders]

van de vaart and gago for gerrard ? snappeth their handeth off roy

[Niall Quinns Discopants]

van de vaart and gago for gerrard ? snappeth their handeth off roy

If it's true then they should definitely take it. As much of a star as Gerrard is, Gago and Van Der Vaart would give them new midfield and cover for possible loss of Mascherano as well.

Does anyone else think Mascherano is slightly overrated? Very good defensive midfielder for sure but not really 30m pound man imo.

[Wooders]

can't see them letting yaya go for 24 and then buying mascha for 30 myself

[Dameerto]

I don't think he's overrated, he had a good season in general - can be a bit moody though. (Pretty much every price in football these days does my head in though)

[john@staustell]

If Ashers is 'desperate to leave Chelsea' he should be coming here!

[Chinners]

OTHER BOLLOX
West Ham Persist With Neymar, Remy
After having a bid of £12m rejected by Santos, West Ham are set to go back in with an improved offer of £16m for young Brazilian striker Neymar. However, Santos sporting director Luiz Nunez Pedro Conceicao insists that the 18-year-old hotshot is not for sale. They don’t have the funds to make Santos blink (unless they wanted to give up a significant chunk of their transfer budget, if not all of it entirely). (The Mirror)

West Ham have also made an improved bid of £11.1m (13.5m) for Nice striker Loic Remy, according to Sky Sports.
Remy’s a far more realistic target than Neymar, and they might well have a free run at him, as Arsenal and Lyon, who are two of the clubs that have been linked with Remy, have both signed new strikers already. £11m+ might appear to be a lot for a club who didn’t stave off relegation by much last season, but investments have to be made to minimize the chances of that repeating itself.

Sunderland have snapped up a longtime target in Egyptian sensation Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, who arrives from Egyptian side ENPPI on a season-long loan deal that includes an option for a £2m permanent move. The 22-year-old right-sided player has the ability to slot as a defender, a midfielder, or a winger. (FiliGoal)

American midfielder DaMarcus Beasley is reportedly receiving interest from Blackpool, West Brom, and Nottingham Forest. The 28-year-old is available for free after the end of his contract with Rangers.
Beasley is no stranger to English football, having had a loan stint at Manchester City in the 2006/07 season in which he scored four goals in 22 appearances (13 starts). He’s still only 28, and he’s got the quality to succeed at a high level, but it’s all a matter of whether or not he can stay healthy. (Sky Sports)

[Mark (Blue Army)]

I thought we had first refusal on Neymar???