Category: Section 2 Around the Net

Manchester United’s summer-long courtship of Bayern Munich’s Owen Hargreaves appears to be at an end. United conceded defeat on Tuesday after Bayern resisted the club’s $32 million transfer offer for the England international. Hargreaves agent, Roman Gill, later reiterated to the press that there’s “no chance” of a move happening until February at the earliest. […]

Manchester United legend Roy Keane was in conciliatory mood yesterday as he was unveiled before the media as manager of League Championship club Sunderland. The former United captain apologized for the way he overheated during his time as a player and said that that behavior would not serve him well as manager of a big […]

Middlesbrough, fresh from a 4-0 shalacking at home to Portsmouth on Monday added some new defensive cover today, agreeing to an $11.40 million transfer for Chelsea defender Robert Huth, and a year-long loan spell for Real Madrid defender Jonathan Woodgate. “We have added two international defenders to our squad… and this is a significant coup […]

Following yesterday’s purchase of Mido from AS Roma, Spurs today agreed to fees for Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque and Wigan defender Pascal Chimbonda. Combined, Mido, Malbranque and Chimbonda’s transfer fees amount to about $21 million, a little more than half what Manchester United paid them for Michael Carrick. Tottenham boss Martin Jol will hope the […]

In a last-ditch effort to nab a striker before the transfer window closes tomorrow at 7 PM EST, AC Milan is expected to bid for Chelsea’s Didier Drogba. Milan has made no secret that it is desperate to add another striker to its roster. After being thwarted in their pursuit of first Ronaldo and then […]

Portugal midfielder Maniche has signed a three-year deal with Atletico Madrid, after Dynamo Moscow agreed to sell the 28-year old to the Primera Liga club for $11.5 million. Maniche is the third Dynamo player to move to Atletico Madrid in the offseason, along with Greek Youkas Seitaridis and fellow Portugal international Costinha. Surprisingly, Atletico has […]

Roma looks set to let Egyptian striker Mido make a permanent return to Tottenham’s White Hart Lane after a successful 18-month loan spell with Spurs. Tottenham has now agreed to pay $6.5 million for the 23-year old and will send Brazilian defender Rodrigo Defendi to Roma as part of the transfer. At the end of […]

If anything, Sunday’s 2-0 loss to Aston Villa in Birmingham exposed Newcastle’s wastefulness in front of goal and fragility in defense. Noting this, manager Glenn Roeder says he still wants to add a striker and a central defender before the transfer window closes at midnight on Friday morning. At the back, Roeder has had his […]

The Azzurri will have another chance to prove themselves as world champions next Wednesday when Italy takes on France in a Euro 2008 qualifying match in Paris. Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, one of Italy’s most important players during its World Cup campaign, said, “Everyone will look at us differently. Against France, it will be important […]

You might think that being a great professional player is a prerequisite for being a great manager, but history shows that playing pedigree often has little to do with success in the manager’s chair. The top four managers in the Barclay’s English Premier League (in order of total honors won) are Manchester United’s Sir Alex […]

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was moved to say that Raymond Domenech and France are treating his player, Claude Makelele, like “a slave.” Makelele, who was called up for France’s Euro 2008 qualifiers against Georgia this weekend and Italy next week, now wants to retire from international soccer again, but he never mentioned this until after […]

Spanish winger Joaquin is now officially a Valencia player, completing a $32 million move from Real Betis. The deal was delayed last week by Betis’ majority shareholder Manuel Ruiz de Lopera, who did not want to see its star player as a member of Los Che until after the two teams met for the first […]

Argentina and Brazil travel to England this weekend for a meaningless friendly that will be chock full of world stars. Why? For one reason only, writes Tim Vickery of BBC Sport: these teams are brands with serious star power that command serious cash. Even the rivalry Brazil-Argentina has become its own brand. But it’s a […]

Gabriele Marcotti of The Sunday Times argues that Juventus’ appeal to Italian civil court could be the final straw that forces open a serious issue that needs fleshing out in the global business of soccer. Is the game more a business, subject to all the laws of civil society, or is it more an entertainment […]

Manchester City midfielder Ben Thatcher is now facing possible assault charges after slamming his elbow into the head of Portsmouth’s Pedro Mendes during a 0-0 draw in Manchester on Wednesday. Immediately following the incident, Mendes was rushed to Manchester’s Royal Infirmary; he will continue to undergo medical and neurological supervision for the next seven days. […]

Owen Hargreaves just keeps talking. And Bayern Munich still won’t listen. In fact, this week, the club slapped him with a $30,000 fine for insubordination. But Hargreaves is still talking. In an interview with Bild newspaper on Friday, Hargreaves reiterated his hope that Bayern executives would soften and begin entertaining offers for a possible transfer […]

For the fifth day in a row, Sao Paolo club Corinthians has no idea where Carlos Tevez, its former captain, has disappeared to. The only one speaking on his behalf, it seems, is his agent, Adrian Rucco, who insists that his client is close to securing a move a major Premiership club. “Tevez is very […]

Juventus has taken its appeal to the next level by involving the Lazio TAR regional court, seeking civil damages in excess of 130 million euros (more than $150 million) as well as reinstatement to Italy’s Serie A. While the club says it is not seeking a specific sum, the 130 million “sum serves to convey […]

Milan’s Ronaldo deal is over, the club stated on its Website today. “Milan would like to communicate that negotiations over Ronaldo’s possible transfer should now be considered as definitely over,” the note said. So what went wrong? Real Madrid wanted close to $34 million plus a preferential option to buy Brazilian midfielder Kaka in exchange […]

No team in the Premiership was more in need of a new striker than Newcastle United. The Tyneside club now looks set to get its wish later as Inter Milan striker Obafemi Martins flew this morning to complete a medical exam and finalize a $19 million deal. The 21-year-old striker was expected to be in […]

Despite threats from FIFA and the Italian Football Federation (FIGC), Juventus went ahead with its appeal to a regional Italian court anyway. “We accept the risk” of FIGC sanctions, a Juventus spokesman said. “The priority is the defence of the rights of the shareholders.” Juve’s share price has plummeted since the infamous match-fixing scandal broke […]

Perhaps the only silver lining for Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho following his side’s shock 2-1 loss to Middlesbrough yesterday is a second fine game in a row for left back Wayne Bridge. He’s been particularly effective down the left hand side for the Blues, notching two assists in his first two games. Mourinho can use […]

The Independent says that not even Roy Keane, who takes over as manager of Sunderland in the next 48 hours, could criticize the way Manchester United has started the season. Seven goals in two comprehensive wins leaves United alone at the top of the table after Chelsea lost 2-1 away to Middlesbrough. Yesterday’s 3-0 victory […]

Milan made a $22 million offer for Real Madrid’s three-time World Player of the Year Ronaldo that was later rejected. The bid is thought to be $3 million less than Real’s asking price; Real also wanted Brazilian midfielder Kaka to become part of the negotiations but Milan reiterated the he was not for sale. “This […]

A little last-minute bidding war could be exactly what Jose Antonio Reyes and Arsenal needed. Earlier today, Real’s Madrid rival Atletico lodged in a surprising bid for the Spanish International, who has publicly declared his dissatisfaction with life in North London. After Arsenal turned down a $15 million bid from Real Madrid, Reyes’ first choice, […]