Alvaro Negredo eyes Manchester City exit as Atletico Madrid step up their interest
Striker wants to return to Spain after failing to settle in England
Alvaro Negredo wants to leave Manchester City and return to Spain.
City have insisted the 28-year-old striker is not for sale but it is understood he wants to join Atletico Madrid.
Crowd favourite Negredo nicknamed 'The Beast' scored 23 goals for City last season but was left out of Spain's World Cup squad after drifting out of Manuel Pellegrini's starting XI towards the end of the season.
Negredo joined for an initial £20.6m fee last summer and signed a four year contract on £75,000 per week.
City are reluctant to entertain offers but Atletico believe they can prise Negredo away if they offer £24million and make him Diego Costa's replacement.
Manchester City defender targeted by Juventus
Juventus are plotting a raid on Manchester City for young defender Matija Nastasic, according to reports in Italy.
The Old Lady need defensive cover for the first few months of the new season as experienced Italy international Andrea Barzagli will be sidelined during his recovery from surgery on his Achilles tendon.
As such, Juve are eyeing a loan deal for Nastasic, albeit with an option to turn the deal permanent if he impresses.
Nastasic, 21, featured prominently during his first season at the Etihad following his 2012 switch from Fiorentina but injuries hampered his second season and he managed only 11 Premier League starts last term.
It remains to be seen whether City will sanction his exit, although speculation suggests the Premier League champions are considering using the Serbia international as a makeweight in their bid to land Mehdi Benatia from Roma.
Belgium defender Vincent Kompany is looking forward to meeting some of his Manchester City team-mates in the quarter-final of the World Cup. Kompany writes on Twitter: "What an amazing game Belgium v USA. Looking forward to a great match-up with Manchester City's Argentines Martin Demichelis, Pablo Zabaleta and Sergio Aguero."
Argentina vs Belgium World Cup 2014 preview: Pablo Zabaleta reveals Argentina's plan - 'Give the ball to Lionel Messi'
The Manchester City full-back was responding to criticism of his nation’s over-dependency on the player deemed by many the best in the world. But instead of denying that Argentina are a one-man team, Zabaleta admitted they had been banking on this all along.
Messi collected his fourth successive man of the match award after engineering Tuesday’s late extra-time win over Switzerland, a game in which his team-mates delivered less than ever and Argentina’s “get it to Leo” tactic was even more pronounced. But Zabaleta insisted there was no shame in building an entire game and tournament strategy around one individual.
“We know he is our main player, our captain, the best player in the world,” the 29-year-old said. “This team is playing for him as we know how important Messi is for this team. Every time we recover the ball we try to pass to him as he is the best player we have in the team and he will score goals.”
With the nation only three games away from lifting a third World Cup, it is a little late to expect some of the coach Alex Sabella’s misfiring players to begin delivering now. That means a lot of responsibility being heaped on one man’s shoulders. To compound the burden, Zabaleta said Argentina were obsessed with bloodying the nose of their big local rivals. “We are a neighbour of Brazil; it’s always on our minds we’re competing in this country,” he observed. “You see it in every place we go – so many Argentines, including those who don’t have tickets, watching the World Cup away from the stadiums, in the streets, and I hope we give them happiness: the 40 million Argentines.”
The overwhelming impression from the army of Argentinian supporters here is that getting one over the Brazilians would make this an even sweeter triumph than 1978 at home or 1986 in Mexico.
They are the noisy neighbours; the irritating younger brother of a Brazilian nation which – despite perceptions – is more reserved than the gaucho country across its southern frontier. Some detect a Latin American inferiority complex at play behind all the Argentinian bluster. The Brazilians have the richer football history, after all.
The rivalry has been manifest in many ways, including a fight that broke out between Brazilians and Argentines in one of the corporate hospitality areas after Tuesday’s late 1-0 win over Switzerland. The Argentines are really grating on Brazil now. Their ubiquitous new song Brasil, decime que se siente (“Brazil, tell me how it feels”) was still ringing out in the cafes of Sao Paulo yesterday morning. These brash, noisy Argentines sense momentum building.
This is the weight of responsibility sitting on one diminutive 27-year-old’s shoulders. And Messi’s four man-of-the-match awards have been his response so far.
“That is what we expect from him; always that the best player in the world will make the difference in every game,” added Zabaleta.
The recipe for success may not be as straightforward as all this. Messi requires others on the field to feed off, rather than bulldozing his way through opposition singlehanded, as Diego Maradona always did. Zabaleta said that the comparisons between the past and present talisman were justified. “Messi has been one of the best players in the world for many years and you always expect a lot of things from them, like Maradona many years ago,” he said. There have to be serious doubts about this line of argument, though time will tell.
When you are only two games away from a final the recent past begins to recede and matters far less. What lies ahead – Belgium in Brasilia on Saturday – is all that counts. Zabaleta nodded vigorously to the suggestion that the late nature of Argentina’s wins against Iran and the Swiss have delivered a psychological boost. “Exactly,” he said.
“We know it is always difficult for the other team. You have to play during 90 minutes very well, as if you give [our strikers] space they will kill you for sure.”
Michael Essien could face punishment from the Ghana Football Association after coach Kwesi Appiah claimed the midfielder, 31, refused to warm up before his side's last group game against Portugal. Ghana FA
Argentina legend Diego Maradona has suggested that forward Lionel Messi, 27, is under too much pressure to turn his nation into World Cup winners. Daily Mirror
Belgium midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, believes his side can stop Lionel Messi and beat Argentina when the two teams meet in the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday. Daily Telegraph
Russian MP Vladimir Zhirinovsky has said coach Fabio Capello should appear before parliament and explain why his side performed so badly at the World Cup, going out in the group phase. Guardian
Brazil coach Felipe Scolari has summoned the team's psychologist for a therapy session to help the players deal with the World Cup pressure. Bild
Manchester United have been told they can sign Sporting Lisbon's defensive midfielder William Carvalho, 22, as long as they meet his £37m buyout clause. Daily Express
Everton have rejected an approach from Tottenham for their England international defender John Stones, 20. Sun
Southampton are determined to keep hold of centre-half Dejan Lovren, 24, despite interest from Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal. Daily Express
Former Chelsea striker Samuel Eto'o could stay in the Premier League, with Arsenal and Everton both interested in signing the 33-year-old striker. Talksport
Atletico Madrid defender Filipe Luis, 28, will have to force through a move to Chelsea after talks between the two clubs stalled. Daily Star
Arsenal and Liverpool are set to compete for the signature of Chile and Barcelona striker Alexis Sanchez, with the 25-year-old striker set to cost at least £30m. DSSC
Aston Villa's new assistant manager Roy Keane says he does not deserve his fearsome reputation in the game. Daily Mirror
Harry Redknapp has been arguing with club bosses at Queens Park Rangers, who want to stop him signing 35-year-old Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand. Daily Mirror
Argentina legend Diego Maradona, 53, is to hold talks over becoming the new coach of Venezuela. Guardian
Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is trying to prevent the departure of 26-year-old Argentina midfielder Angel Di Maria, who has been associated with Paris Saint-Germain and Arsenal. Marca
Schalke's 30-year-old Dutch forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has been rumoured to be moving to England next season, says he has not talked to any club about any transfer move. Bild
Bayern Munich are in the running for Fiorentina's 30-year-old Colombian midfielder Juan Cuadrado and Atletico Madrid's 28-year-old Uruguayan defender Diego Godin. Bild
Athletic Bilbao have renewed their interest in Real Sociedad's Antoine Griezmann and could make a summer move for the 23 year-old French midfielder. Marca
Espanyol are hoping 27-year-old goalkeeper Kiko Casilla will stay on at the club despite huge interest from Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid. Marca
Australia forward Tim Cahill has not had much time off after his country's elimination from the World Cup as he is back training with Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls. He writes on Twitter: "WOW today's one of the hottest days of the year. Training done and finishing with an ice bath."
USA winger Alejandro Bedoya: "What an experience it was playing in a World Cup. Thanks America & fans for believing. Blessed to be a part of this team."
Ahead of the France v Germany quarter-final on Friday, French playmaker Karim Benzema tweets former Real Madrid team-mate Mesut Ozil and says: "See you on Friday bro!"
Swansea and Netherlands goalkeeper Michel Vorm on Twitter: "Visited Favela Santa Maria, where my idol Michael Jackson recorded a famous video. Amazing day."
BBC pundit Rio Ferdinand on Twitter: "Bumped into my favourite Nigerian player from World Cup 94. Sunday Oliseh. What a good guy."
USA goalkeeper Tim Howard on Twitter: "I'm proud to suit up with every one of these guys. It's a tremendous honour to represent this country & a ride I'll never forget. Thanks for joining us."
Brazil midfielder Oscar on Twitter: "The whole of Brazil is supporting me and my promise is always to play the best I can for my team."
Goalkeeper Paddy Kenny, 36, has been dropped by Leeds because the club's owner Massimo Cellino hates the fact the goalkeeper is born on 17 May. Cellino believes 17 is an unlucky number. Daily Star
Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor has already begun training for the new Premier League campaign, by practising some new goal celebrations. Metro
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