Sports news, commentary and scores with wit and added value. We compare and contrast the best and worst sports reporting in the mainstream press, blogs, TV and online. We love the English Premier League (Arsenal, Liverpool, Spurs, Manchester United and Manchester City) and all things football but we cover cricket, rugby, the Olympics, tennis, golf, F1 and highlights of the sporting year.
A mere three days since signing for Arsenal, the now former Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech has aged rapidly.
This was Cech when he joined the Gunners:
June 30 2015
And this is Petr Cech now:
Of course it’s Sun computer wizardry that has made Cech appear oplder. But if that’s what he’s going to look like at 40, Petr might want to tighten the chin strap on his helmet.
Posted: 2nd, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, Chelsea, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United have sold Robin Van Persie in secret? The Daily Mirror’s lead sports story is that Robin Van Perie has left Manchester United without knowing he’s left Manchester United.
Was his signature on a new contract with a new club forged? Did a stunt double take his medical examination? Or is it that the Mirror is talking balls?
Could be.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 2nd, July 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Time again to catch up with Southampton FC’s Morgan Schneiderlin. According to the Daily Mirror Manchester United have bought the Frenchman for £25million. On June 27, the Mirror reported:
Manchester United have sealed a £25million deal for Morgan Schneiderlin… Schneiderlin will join United from Southampton when the transfer widow opens on Wednesday.
The self-styled “intelligent tabloid” said “Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin to join Red Devils on Wednesday”.
Well, it’s Wednesday. And Schneiderlin remains a Southampton player.
The Sun said:
The Red Devils have beaten off interest from Arsenal to land the French midfielder
The Daily Telegraph agreed, although it said Manchester United had spent £24m on the player who would arrive at Old Trafford “this week”.
But today the Telegraph reports:
Manchester United transfer news: Southampton turn down £20m Morgan Schneiderlin bid – Opening bid for French midfielder falls well short of valuation of £25m for player also courted by Arsenal and Spurs
But Arsenal don’t want him. We know that because the Daily Star said the Gunenrs had “rejected” Schneiderlin. The Daily Express said Schneiderlin had “snubbed” the Gunners. Either way, there was no chance to the player heading to the Emirates. Although the Mirror did report that, er, Arsenal had signed Schneiderlin for £15m.
Such are the facts in the quaqlity Press.
Posted: 1st, July 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: It’s time to talk about Manchester City’s next manager.
Today The Daily Star reports that Man City are looking to sack Manuel Pellegrini and replace the affable Chilean with current Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola.
No, not Diego Siemone, as reported in the, er, Daily Star:
The media really do want Pelligrini out:
March 13, 2015, TalkSport: “Manuel Pellegrini will be sacked this summer if Manchester City fail to land the Premier League title.”
Apr 10 2015, The Independent: Can Man United get Manuel Pellegrini sacked?
April 13, 2015, the Guardian: “Manchester City could sack Pellegrini before end of season”
April 13, 2015, Daily Star: “Patrick Vieira could be made caretaker-boss of Manchester City if the club decide to sack Manuel Pellegrini.”
April 15, 2015, The Times: “Manchester City are not targeting Jürgen Klopp in the event that Manuel Pellegrini is sacked as manager”
May 3, 2015, Mirror: “Manchester City MUST sack Manuel Pellegrini if they want to win the title back next season”
May 9, 2015, The Metro: “Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola ‘agrees to sign for Manchester City’”
May 10, 2015, Daily Express: “Manuel Pellegrini faces the sack as Man City begin complete summer overhaul”
And he’s replaced by…
May 15, 2015, Daily Express: “Chelsea hero Carlo Ancelotti AGREES summer move to Manchester City”
Or not…
Posted: 1st, July 2015 | In: Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Your one-stop shop for all gossip on Manchester United and REal MAdrid targets Sergio Ramos and David De Gea, respsectively.
Mirror: “Manchester United will only increase their bid for Sergio Ramos if Real Madrid agree to do the same for David De Gea.”
United have offered £30m for Ramos, 29. Real have offered just below £20mfor De Gea, 24.
Although United made their offer for Ramos independently of De Gea’s situation, there is an acceptance at Old Trafford that the two deals are likely to have to be merged at some stage and a compromise reached between the clubs.
Why would they be merged?
Marca: “The Ramos goldmine”
Real Madrid are set on Sergio Ramos staying in the fold but, if he did go to United or any other team, the deal would be worth a king’s ransom.
‘Los Blancos’ are still planning to hold onto their vice captain and get contract renewal negotiations back on track, which, as things currently stand, have reached an impasse. The fallout from the wrangling that has been going on over recent months has affected the relationship between Florentino Pérez and Ramos, causing the player to put in a request to leave.
Real Madrid are very clear on their position. If Ramos could not see any other way forward than departure, the decision is that Di María Law would apply.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 1st, July 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Why was Nigel Pearson sacked from his job as manager of Leicester City?
The Sun says the club’s Thai owners “showed him the door over the fallout at the axing of his son”.
They decided to act after booting out James Pearson and two other players last month for making a racist sex tape during a club tour to Thailand.
Is it fair that Pearson should pay for the sins of his ignorant son?
Rory Smith notes:
The man who guided Leicester City to what may be the greatest of the Barclays Premier League’s great escapes might have felt that his remarkable recovery had made him bullet-proof.
Leicester supporters’ club chairman Cliff Ginetta says:
“I’m very shocked. The club are not happy with the way he ran the trip to Thailand.”
Pearson has some form. Last season he took hold of Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur by the throat. He’d allegedly told a fan to “f*** off and die”. Leicester owner Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha sacked him. Then his son Aiyawatt reversed that descions. Pearson was back.
He then did something remarkably stupid and bizarre. Pearson attacked journalist Ian Baker for being an “ostrich” after Leicester’s 3-1 home defeat to Chelsea. At a press confernce Baker had upset Pearson by asking the manager to expand on his own comments that the media were less than supportive of the team. Pearson gave Baker the bird:
Pearson: Are you flexible enough to get your head in the sand? My suspicion would be no.
Baker: Probably not.
Pearson: I can. You can’t. You can’t.
As Giles Smith quipped:
A complex piece of points scoring here by Pearson. Not only was the reporter an ostrich, he wasn’t even flexible enough to be an ostrich. Whereas Pearson wasn’t an ostrich, but at least he was flexible enough to be one.
But Pearson wasn’t sacked for being a one-man Bernie Clifton tribute act. Well, so says the BBC:
BBC Sport’s Pat Murphy has learned the 51-year-old’s sacking was “definitely not a football issue”. Murphy said the Thai owners acted because they were concerned about damage to the club’s reputation, while a Leicester statement said the relationship between Pearson and the board was “no longer viable”.
Says Murphy:
“There is no doubt that the image and the reputation of the club in their homeland of Thailand has been damaged by the behaviour of, among others, the manager’s son James on the ‘goodwill’ tour to Thailand.”
Murphy is not exactly best pals with Pearson. After the ostrich horrorshow, Murphy went to a Leicester City press conference and berated Pearson, who came over as chippy and not at all flexible (via).
PM: Nigel, why can’t you be more specific about the criticisms of your players from the media when on behalf of the media of the Midlands we are a bit baffled by that because we think we have been very supportive of the players this season?
NP: Do you? Okay, that is your opinion.
PM: Can you give us a specific example of the disagreement?
NP: No, I don’t feel I want to get into that sort of an argument with you.
PM: You are generalising about us…
NP: And you generalise about me! There you are.
PM: But I am giving you specific examples, I know how supportive the media have been.
NP: Do you?
PM: Yes, having spoken to a lot of the media this season I can’t get this at all that we are after you.
NP: I didn’t say you were. I said there had been criticisms and I will stick up for my players, and always will.
PM: There will always be elements of criticism when you have been bottom of the league for a certain amount of time, but many, many people have been saying you have been unlucky, that things have not gone your way.
NP: I think you are looking at your side of the argument through rose tinted glasses. That is something that I am not going to get into a discussion with you about today.
PM: It takes two to tango.
NP: It does indeed.
PM: You had a go at one of our reporters in my opinion unfairly.
NP: Well there you are. I think we have come in for some criticism and so have I when I think it is unfair. So there we are.
PM: Surely it comes with the territory?
NP: Well there you are then. Absolutely.
PM: When did it dawn on you to apologise? How soon after did you think, ‘ooh I was out of order there’?
NP: Again, I don’t think that is something I need to answer. I have apologised and I would, had it been a more private thing, I would have apologised one to one, but when it has been in the public domain, the public eye I think it is right to do it the way I have done it, and that is all there is to it.
PM: Did you speak to the owners at any stage?
NP: No.
PM: So it was your decision?
NP: Yes.
PM: There is a bit of a charge sheet developing here this season is there not?
NP: Possibly. Is that why you are here?
PM: One of the reasons I am here today is because every week you won’t do the type of press conference that other Premier League clubs do. If you did do it so it was in different sections then I would be here more often. I don’t see why I have to justify why I am here Nigel.
NP: Fine.
PM: The question stands…
NP: And I don’t see why I have to continue to take your one-sided view of this argument.
PM: You put it in the public domain.
NP: Absolutely, yes, I have.
PM: So the charge sheet, does that not bother you?
NP: Not particularly, no.
PM: You must sit back here and think ‘ooh, I have got a few things wrong this season in public or dealing with supporters etc. It is the worst charge sheet of any Premier League manager so far this season in terms of that kind of behaviour.
NP: Okay.
PM: You are in danger of appearing a bully.
NP: Am I?
PM: Yes. And paranoid.
NP: Paranoid? Okay. Anything else?
PM: Well, someone has to tell you.
NP: Okay, you are telling me?
PM: Hasn’t anyone ever told you that before? Has no one ever taken you to one side and said ‘Nigel, I think you are out of order here’?
NP: If they have then that is my business.
PM: Leicester have got such a good reputation recently in particular. So many people say what a great fightback this is. You could have been Manager of the Month. You still might be Manager of the Month.
NP: I don’t see what the point is. What is your point with that? Are you suggesting my job is to pander to your requirements?
PM: Of course not. What I will say to you is that the football world gets a lot of money from via media these days and gives you a very comfortable living, and you could treat them with a little more respect. Disagree with them by all means. Okay, you have apologised now but it has panned out into a big story, it didn’t need to be a big story. It is a 24/7 story all over 24 hours okay. It is all your doing.
NP: Okay. You have obviously been sent here to put your industry’s case forward.
PM: I don’t think I need to justify my motives but when a fellow reporter gets unfairly criticised byt a manager I will defend that reporter, that is instinct.
NP: Fine, and you are doing.
PM: Just as you would defend a fellow manager.
NP: And I will absolutely always support my players.
PM: I just think you are affecting the reputation of Leicester City by your conduct off the field.
NP: Do you? Okay.
You can’t rule out the role of media is ending Pearson’s Leicester City career. Not that the official club statement mentions any specifics:
“The board of directors recognises the success Nigel has helped to bring to Leicester City during his two spells in charge of the club, particularly during the last three and a half years. However, it has become clear to the club that fundamental differences in perspective exist between us. Regrettably, the club believes that the working relationship between Nigel and the Board is no longer viable.
“Leicester City’s owners, Vichai and Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, and the board of directors would like to place on record their thanks to Nigel for the considerable contribution he has made during his time with the club and wish him well in future.”
No longer viable. Ouch!
Transfer Balls: It’s been a busy week for Morgan Schneiderlin, who has been on his way to Arsenal and Manchester United for what seems like an age. Currently at Southampton, this has been Schneiderlin’s week:
Thursday June 25, Daily Express: “Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs target Morgan Schneiderlin AGREES £24m Southampton exit”
Saturday June 27, The Metro: “Manchester United agree transfer deal to sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin”
Saturday June 27, Daily Express: “Man Utd Transfer News: Schneiderlin Arsenal SNUB”
The Daily Mirror, June 27:
Manchester United have sealed a £25million deal for Morgan Schneiderlin… Schneiderlin will join United from Southampton when the transfer widow opens on Wednesday.
June 28, Daily Star: Man Utd plan to CONFIRM signing of £24m Arsenal target Morgan Schneiderlin TOMORROW”
June 28, Daily Mirror: “Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin to join Red Devils on Wednesday”
Sunday June 28, Daily Telegraph: “Man Utd told to speed up signing of Morgan Schneiderlin – but Van Gaal holding out for Bastian Schweinsteiger”
Sunday June 28, Daily Star: “REVEALED: Why Arsenal let Manchester United sign Morgan Schneiderlin – ARSENAL pulled out of a deal to sign Morgan Schneiderlin as they didn’t consider him value for money.”
Sunday June 28, Sunday Times: “Schweinsteiger tempted by Old Trafford starting place”
June 29, Daily Telegraph: “Southampton and France midfielder expected to complete move to Old Trafford for fee of £24m in coming days”
June 29, Daily Telegraph: “Arsenal… yet to make move for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin”
It could be that Arsenal will still enter the bidding, with Wenger overseeing a budget this summer of around £50 million…
Monday June 29, Telegrapah: “Man Utd transfer news: Morgan Schneiderlin deal should be sealed this week”
Monday, June 29, Manchester Evening News: “Manchester United transfer news: Schneiderlin bid ‘not serious'”
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman has revealed Manchester United are yet to lodge a ‘serious bid’ for Morgan Schneiderlin.
Tuesday June 30, Sky Sports: “Manchester United’s move for Southampton’s Morgan Schneiderlin on hold”
Number of words from Schneiderlin, Manchester United and Arsenal: nil.
Such are the facts…
Posted: 30th, June 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Former Arsenal player Gervinho has managed to achieve what many thought impossible: he has made the princes of Abu Dhabi think his lifestyle too rich, a tad flashy.
Gazzetta dello Sport says Gervinho’s move from Roma to Abu Dhabi’s Al Jazira FC is off.
An unnamed Al Jazira executive has publicly bemoaned the 28-year-old winger’s ‘obscene’ contract demands. It’s claimed the player wanted a personal helicopter, access to his own private beach and unlimited plane travel.
Add that to a reported €13million fee and the package was too rich for the Abu Dhabi locals.
If only he would have stuck at the air-conditioned rain forest, things would have been easy.
More rings than bubbles
West Ham United are moving into the 54,000-seater Olympic Stadium. If you think that’s the end of the Olympic Legacy, you’d be mistaken. The money involved is entirely in keeping with the profligate Olympic spend: the London 2012 Olympic bill came in at £9bn – far higher than the original projected cost of £2.75 billion.
The newlook Olympic stadium has cost the taxpayer a massive £702m. It was supposed to cost £280m. But somehow the fees and build soared – it cost £272m just to alter the place to become a football ground.
Why?
Dan Roan cites one expensive design flaw:
The stadium’s owners, the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC), admits the project is over-budget by around £35m. Putting the largest cantilevered roof in the world on to a superstructure that had not been built to bear that kind of weight was far more complex and expensive than envisaged – the contract was announced initially at £155m, before rising to £189m in October.
Compare that to the £42m required to convert the City of Manchester stadium after the 2002 Commonwealth Games.
Given that it cost a generous £798m for the 90,000-capacity Wembley (the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff cost £121m in 1999), West Ham fans cost more per head than England supporters.
And what does it cost West Ham? Well, the club will make a £15m contribution on top of the £2.5m they will pay annually for a 99-year lease. That looks cheap.
Read the rest of this entry »
Transfer Balls: a round-up of today’s news on Manchester United’s David De Gea, destined for a move to Real Madrid.
How soon does De Gea want to go?
Daily Mirror: “Manchester United transfers: David De Gea wants his future sorted NEXT WEEK”
Daily Express: “Manchester Utd’s David De Gea wants to complete Real Madrid move THIS WEEK”
The Times:
The Spanish club have failed to come close to meeting United’s asking price for the 24-year-old, believing that the £20 million valuation is excessive given that the player has only a year left on his contract and has consistently rebuffed attempts to tie him to a long-term deal at Old Trafford.
Is the fee £30m or £20m?
Is it clear-cut deal, then: money for player?
…the situation is complicated by United’s continuing interest in Sergio Ramos.The Old Trafford club had an offer of £32 million for the Spain centre back rejected lastweek, with Real insisting that they would only countenance selling for somewhere in the region of £60 million. Although Benítez would like to keep a player he regards as one of the most authoritative in his new club’s dressing room, Ramos has informed Real that he wants to leave the Bernabéu for Old Trafford.
Does Ramos really want to leave Madrid?
The Sun:
Ramos has implored his club to let him go to Old Trafford. Ramos, 29, is unhappy that Madrid have failed to offer him improved terms on his current contract. He has made it clear to United that he is not using them just to get a better contract in Spain.
Any word from United manager Louis Van Gaal?
Van Gaal — who grew so angry when asked about De Gea’s future during a telephone interview for a Spanish television station that he hung up…
The IBTimes has more of that conversation:
“Yes [I’m angry with the saga], but I have no problem with it,” Van Gaal said.
“I don’t want to respond to this issue through the media. I’ll talk to my bosses, not the media, but I have no problem.”
Such are the facts.
Posted: 30th, June 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Arsenal have signed Petr Cech. Chelsea fans and hairdressers look away now….
Transfer Balls: Ezequiel Garay and the Arsenal link.
The Metro’s Jamie Anderson (is he real or an SEO-bot?) has news that Garay is on his way to Arsenal. Maybe:
He writes:
Manchester United and Chelsea are apparently keen, but after reports that Arsenal are interested, the Daily Star says the Gunners have now made a £13m opening offer.
Sanderson’s link is to the Daily Star:
Alex Harris writes:
The Daily Express claim Arsenal have made a £13m offer for Zenit St Petersburg central defender Ezequiel Garay.
The Express is the Star’s sister newspaper.
In the Express we hear from Ben Jefferson, who, like Sanderson, might not be real:
He too has a source:
Arsenal want the player to boost their back line ahead of the new season, according to TuttoMercatoWeb.
No link in the Express. But the story on the Italian site runs:
The Italians read about the Garay move in the Daily Telegraph.
Back to the UK, then, to learn:
Finally we get the source of the story:
Arsenal are interested in signing highly-rated Zenit St Petersburg defender Ezequiel Garay, according to reports.
Which reports we are not told. No links. No sources cited. No quotes. No facts. It’s a human centipede of football reporting.
Transfer Balls: The Daily Telegraph says Arsene Wenger and Arsenal have beaten Manchester United to Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal.
They have?
Arturo Vidal, the Juventus midfielder, appears set to join Arsenal this summer after reports in Chile claim the 28-year-old has signed a deal with the north Londoners… despite United’s interest in Vidal, it now looks like the player will join Arsenal who have agreed a £21 million deal for the player, according to Chilean newspaper La Stampa.
The Indepedent cites the same source for its Vidal to Arsenal story:
The only problem with the Tele and Indy’s stories is that La Stampa is not a newspaper in Chile. They speak Spanish there. La Stampa is Italian for ‘The Press”. And there is a newspaper in Italy called La Stampa.
The Daily Mail gets that part of the Vidal story correct. But it fails to link to the story.
And on La Stampa’s website there is no news of the transfer.
But we did find this:
We can’t find that radio interview, and on Feler’s twitter account he makes no tweet about Vidao to Arsenal.. But this tweeter does:
Such are the facts.
Posted: 29th, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Reviews, Sports | Comment
Transfer balls: Is Arturo Vidal to become an Arsenal player?
Daily Star, June 27:
Arsenal AGREE £21m deal to sign Juventus star Arturo Vidal
Daily Express, June 28:
Man Utd ROCKED as Arturo Vidal AGREES personal terms with Arsenal
Daily Mail, June 28:
Arsenal ‘agree deal’ with Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal ahead of £21million move from Juventus as Manchester United miss out
The Sun – June 28:
ARSENAL insist Arturo Vidal is not on their summer shopping list … a high-ranking source at the North London club said last night the 28-year-old was never on the their radar.
Last summer the papers said Vidal had signed for Manchester United.
Such are the facts.
Transfer Balls: Manchester United have bought Morgan Schneiderlin for £25m.
The Daily Mirror reports on June 27:
Manchester United have sealed a £25million deal for Morgan Schneiderlin… Schneiderlin will join United from Southampton when the transfer widow opens on Wednesday.
Manchester United fans should recall that on April 12, one paper announced:
Arsenal news and transfers: Gunners agree deal for Morgan Schneiderlin
The fee was £15m.
The newspaper with that headline was the Daily Mirror.
Posted: 28th, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: it’s been a busy week for Morgan Schneiderlin, the Southampton player reportedly targetted by Arsenal and Manchester United.
Thursday June 25, Daily Express: “Man Utd, Arsenal and Spurs target Morgan Schneiderlin AGREES £24m Southampton exit”
Schneidelin would be anyone’s for £24m. But he wants Champions’ League football, say all reports, so Spurs are out.
Saturday June 27, The Metro: “Manchester United agree transfer deal to sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin”
Done deal. Manchester United have signed the player.
Saturday June 27, Daily Express: “Man Utd Transfer News: Schneiderlin Arsenal SNUB”
Schneiderlin rejected Arsenal.
Saturday June 27, Daily Mail: “Morgan Schneiderlin poised to seal £25m Manchester United switch as Arsenal pull out of running for Southampton midfielder”
Arsenal rejected Schneiderlin.
Sunday June 28, Daily Telegraph: “Man Utd told to speed up signing of Morgan Schneiderlin – but Van Gaal holding out for Bastian Schweinsteiger”
Manchester United have not agreed to sign Schneiderlin.
Sunday June 28, Daily Star: “REVEALED: Why Arsenal let Manchester United sign Morgan Schneiderlin – ARSENAL pulled out of a deal to sign Morgan Schneiderlin as they didn’t consider him value for money.”
Sunday June 28, Sunday Times: “Schweinsteiger tempted by Old Trafford starting place”
Neither Arsenal nor Manchester United are all that into Schneiderlin.
Number of words from the player: zero.
Number of words from Southampton, Arsenal and Manchester United: zero.
Such are the facts.
Posted: 28th, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: The Sun says Manchester United are intersted in Everton’s right back Seamus Coleman. United will offer £20m for him.
The Mirror says Manchester United will offer £15million for Coleman.
The story of Manchester United’s rightback has been a confused one. Coleman is not United’s first choice.
The Daily Express reported on June 5:
“Manchester United AGREE deal with Liverpool target Dani Alves ahead of summer transfer”
That was utter balls. Alves agreed a two-year deal to remain at Barcelona.
Next up was Southampton’s Nathaniel Clyne. The Metro said he had agreed to join Man United:
Jamie Sanderson noted:
“Clyne would likely cost United in excess of £17million.”
Clyne is likely to head to Liverpool for £12.5,
Which brings us to Seamus Coleman, who will be flattered to learn that he is Manchester United’s third choice for right back.
Posted: 28th, June 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea, 24, want to play for Real Madrid.
The Manchester Evening News says United will only sell if the fee supasses the £32.6m deal that took Gianluigi Buffon from Parma to Juventus in 2001. Real have had a £15m offer rejected.
The Sun says United will only sanction De Gea’s sale if Real allow Sergio Ramos to head in the other direction. But Ramos, who has two years left on his contract, says he will stay at Real if he gets more wages. He’s hardly itching to go.
United have made a £30m-plus bid for Ramos. Real rejected it.
The Sun adds:
United are quite prepared to keep David De Gea and let his contract run out next season rather than let Real have him on the cheap.
While the MEN sets the fee that £35m, the Sun says United want £25m-£30m for the Spaniard.
Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: 27th, June 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: The Metro spots the “next Ronaldo”.
Who is he?
Jamie Sanderson tells his readers that the next Cristiano Ronaldo is Yannick Ferreira Carrasco. And Spurs are in for him.
Tottenham have made a £9.9million transfer offer to sign Monaco ace Yannick Ferreira Carrasco, according to reports.
Number of reports linked to: none.
Spurs, who are already believed to be negotiating with Monaco for striker Anthony Martial, have been following Carrasco’s progress closely.
Believed by whom?
The 21-year-old winger has bags of pace and tricks and has been compared to Cristiano Ronaldo in the past.
But we’ve looked and can find not single source other than Sanderson saying that Carrasco is like Ronaldo.
It’s being claimed in some sections that the offer has been rejected, but Tottenham are likely to make a new bid to do business.
In a single story we learn of a bid for player might have happened and that it might have been rejected. Maybe.
Of course Daily Expess readera know this is balls. After all, in May they head in the Express that Carrasco was heading to Arsenal:
And in summer 2014, the Express told us that Carrasco was on his way:
Such are the facts…
Trasnfer Balls: The Sun days Manchester CIty are “close” to paying £60million battle for Juventus and France star Paul Pogba.
With City fans excited the Sun then supplies the facts:
Etihad boss Manuel Pellegrini believes he has beaten off Manchester United, Barcelona and Real Madrid to capture the most sought-after young star in football.
Believes?
And City hope the signing of midfield powerhouse Pogba, 22, from Juventus will be tied up before they make a final move for Liverpool rebel Raheem Sterling.
Hopes?
They believe he will make them a major force in the Champions League and increase their global support.
Ana what does that mean for City’s £50m chase for Liverpool’s Raheem Sterling?
City’s determination to land Pogba means they may hang fire on making another bid for Sterling.
May?
All total balls, then.
And as the Daily Mail puts it:
Paul Pogba ‘very excited’ to join Barcelona
Adding:
Barcelona presidential election candidate Joan Laporta has said that Paul Pogba wants to come to the Catalan club…
Such are the facts…
Posted: 26th, June 2015 | In: Manchester City, Sports | Comment
Transfer Balls: Is Morgan Schneiderlin leaving Southampton for Arsenal, Manchester United or Spurs?
Today’s Sun’ reports that the Frenchman is heading to Old Trafford:
The Sun says:
The Red Devils have beaten off interest from Arsenal to land the French midfielder
On February 2, the Independent told its readers that Morgan was a Arsenal player:
On May 14, the Daily Star agreed that Schneiderlin was a Gunner:
Such are the facts.
Posted: 26th, June 2015 | In: Arsenal, manchester united, Sports | Comment
Pig head’s might fly
Transfer Balls: The Sun says that Barcelona are keen to hire Manchester United “flop” Angel Di Maria. Barcelona will rescue Di Maria from Man United “hell”.
Given that Di Maria played for Barcelona’s deadly rivals Real Madrid this move seems brave and foolish.
However, reading more of Martin Lipton’s “exclusive” we learn that it’s not Barcelona who want Di Maria at the Nou Camp but the Catalan’s Lionel Messi, who wants his Argentina team-mate to join him.
Messi has become the driving force of Barca’s bid to land the British record £59.7million winger — even if United will want their money back and more.
Can it really be true that Di Maria the “flop” is now worth more than £60m?
The Sun’s ‘exclusive’ was reported yesterday in Spain
Lipton then adds that “Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are also interested in the ex-Real Madrid ace.”
How can Di Maria be both an “ace” and a “flop”?
And United would want big money after Real inserted a clause in Di Maria’s transfer contract stipulating £10m be paid to them if he was sold to arch-rivals Barcelona.
So. Not £60m, then. £70m.
Having been told in the Sun that Di Maria “wants out” of Old Trafford, the Daily Mail reports:
Angel di Maria vows to stay at Manchester United despite admitting he is unhappy
Such are the facts.
Posted: 25th, June 2015 | In: manchester united, Sports | Comment
What do we know of Liverpool’s newest player Roberto Firmino Barbosa de Oliveira? Not much.
We know that in January 2011 Bundesliga club Hoffenheim signed Brazilian Firmino for €4m. And he scores around one goal every three games.
While we await the news that Firmino grew up supporting Manchester United, preferred Brookside to EastEnders and enjoys long walks on the beach, writing in the Times, Tony Evans nails it:
So, it is in many ways both inevitable and understandable that the decision to make Firmino the second-most expensive player in the club’s history behind Andy Carroll is greeted with suspicion. When you have a reputation for buying badly, you cannot complain if the idea that you might have bought well does not immediately take hold.
That Firmino is something of an unknown quantity might add mystique to the deal, but beyond the exotic and the YouTube videos that make most players look good, a lack of knowledge leads many to ask how Liverpool could have paid £29 million for a player they do not even know.
All of that, though, remains moot. Beyond the sizeable minority of Bundesliga addicts who have tuned in to watch Hoffenheim games and kept abreast of Firmino’s progress in Germany, it is impossible for the rest of us to pass any kind of judgment on the 23-year-old. All we can do is wait and see.
But journalists at other newspapers feel a need to look like they know about Firmino.
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Transfer Balls: the BBC says Liverpool have signed winger Roberto Firmino, 23, from Hoffenheim for £21m – but the fee could rise to £28m with add ons.
Firmino is Liveprool’s second most expensive signing ever – only Andy Carroll, a £35 million signing from Newcastle United four years ago, has cost Liverpool more.
The Brazilian knows where the net is, scoring 49 times in 153 appearances for Hoffenheim.
But which of the faces above is he?
.
.
.
Answer: B.
Transfer Balls loves The Metro, the free newspaper full of sensation. Take this news story on Paul Pogba, the France player wanted by every top European club with £70 million to spend.
The Metro says that Paris Saint-Germain “look set to land France Paul Pogba [sic] after making Inter Milan a £70m offer”.
Would that be the Paul Pogba who plays for Juventus or a Mr France Paul Pogba who doesn’t?
Spotter: Pies
