Yup Battle of Britain.

Fergie in the dark over Berbatov

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson claims he has no clue what is going on with the club's bid to sign Dimitar Berbatov.

The clock is ticking ahead of the transfer deadline but it is believed a meeting could take place in Monaco between officials from United and Spurs in an attempt to thrash out a solution to the Bulgarian's situation.

Berbatov has made it clear he wants to quit White Hart Lane for Old Trafford but Spurs are holding firm on their asking price, believed to be £30 million.

Ferguson has hinted that the hold-up is at Tottenham's end, with the North Londoners looking to bring their own strikers to the club, as Roman Pavluychenko remains closest to arriving.

Andrei Arshavin and Bordeaux's Fernando Cavenaghi are two of the many other names reportedly in the frame.

"At the last press conference, I said I wasn’t optimistic," said Ferguson.

"I'm less optimistic so we'll carry on.

"I've no idea what's going on.

"It's very hard to get communication with some people in life."

Rafa Benitez has admitted Steven Gerrard could well miss Liverpool’s first big title showdown of the season against Manchester United.

Benitez confirmed after Wednesday’s Champions League triumph over Standard Liege that Gerrard will undergo surgery on a minor groin injury.

The operation will guarantee the talismanic midfielder’s absence from England’s two World Cup 2010 qualifiers in September, as well as Liverpool’s league trip to Aston Villa.

Early indications were that the operation had been timed in such a way that would allow Gerrard to return for the United clash at Anfield on September 13.

However, Benitez admits his skipper may miss out, preferring only to guarantee that Gerrard will be fit for the start of The Reds’ Champions League campaign.

"We decided that Steven would play through the pain against Liege and then have the operation,” Benitez told The Liverpool Echo.

"He may not be fit for the Manchester United game, but he certainly will be okay for the first group stage match next month."

De Guzman move unlikely says agent

Feyenoord star Jonathan de Guzman is unlikely to make a move to The Premier League this summer, his agent has stated.

The 20-year-old midfielder has been linked with both Arsenal and Everton of late, with a switch to either appearing to be on the horizon after the player’s admittance that the prospect of a move to England interested him.

However, Jan de Visser has revealed that he believes the chances of a switch are now slim as the Eredivisie side’s valuation of the Holland international exceeds what his suitors are willing to pay.

“I don’t expect a transfer of Jonathan this summer,” De Visser said.

“The price that Feyenoord ask for him is too much for the interested clubs. And the closer you come to the end of the transfer window, the more expensive he will get.”

Football legend Ronaldo is a target for Manchester City according to Milan's outspoken vice-chairman Adriano Galliani.

Milan released the Brazil international at the end of last season, while the player started to recover from another serious knee ligament rupture.

The 31-year-old is working to become a footballer again, and City, busy in the transfer market since the appointment of Mark Hughes this summer, have emerged as a possible destination for Il Fenomeno.

Galliani has confirmed that City owner Thaksin Shinawatra is keen on making such glamorous signing, despite Ronaldo’s injury and suspected weight problems.

“For sure they want him,” Galliani said about City.

“A Brazilian friend of mine, expert of South American football, is convinced of it.”

City chief executive Garry Cook announced to the fans he would sign a world star, and after missing out on Ronaldinho, the Eastlands outfit could finally bring free agent Ronaldo to The City of Manchester Stadium.

Oh ya..and its Torres back at Atletico Madrid...damn gotta love these draws.

Why was Roma automatically allocated Group A?

Celtic is not makan.

Their home ground is like fortress.

and i've never heard of Aalborg before.

Originally posted by zocoss:

Its a bit weird lah considering the nominees... Goalkeeper I can understand lah but Defender and Midfielder... I thought there were better choices...

Another thing I don't get it is, why was Ronaldo and Messi in the Strikers position when they were midfielders?

 

 

UEFA club goalkeeper of the year: Manuel Almunia (Arsenal), Petr Cech (Chelsea), Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke 04), Jose Reina (Liverpool), Edwin van der Sar (Manchester United).

UEFA club defender of the year: Jamie Carragher (Liverpool), Rio Ferdinand (Manchester United), Carles Puyol (Barcelona), John Terry (Chelsea), Nemanja Vidic (Manchester United).

UEFA club midfielder of the year: Michael Essien (Chelsea), Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal), Steven Gerrard (Liverpool), Frank Lampard (Chelsea), Paul Scholes (Manchester United).

UEFA club forward of the year: Didier Drogba (Chelsea), Lionel Messi (Barcelona), Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United), Wayne Rooney (Manchester United), Fernando Torres (Liverpool).

i thought Rio was a sure win as defender...but oh well.

Originally posted by youyayu:

wads the name of the girl host?

Melanie Winiger? at first i heard vinegar rofl.

Terry looked like he wanna hantum Ronaldo.

Rossi's back! knew he'd come to haunt us!!!

Originally posted by dinky1409:

wat news?!?!

Dong is gong!!!

Guess he didnt make enough sales from jerseys.

Reds confirm Dong exit

Chinese striker Dong Fangzhuo's United contract has been cancelled by mutual consent.

From manutd.com

A football transfer is to be decided by an internet vote of thousands of supporters for the very first time.

Members of myfootballclub.co.uk (MFC), who own Ebbsfleet United, will decide if they should accept a £140,000 offer from an unnamed club for John Akinde.

"It's quite historic," MFC founder Will Brooks told BBC Sport.

"The summer has been full of talk about Gareth Barry and Cristiano Ronaldo, but this transfer allows fans to have a say in whether it is right for the club." <!-- E SF -->

The 30,000 plus members have 48 hours to decide whether they should sell the highly rated 19-year-old striker, who has played fewer than 20 games for Ebbsfleet.

He has already been watched by Chelsea scouts and the club have turned down an offer for Akinde from League One side Peterborough.

The non-league side's manager Liam Daish and board has recommended the striker should be sold to allow him to play at a higher level.

Players who have recently turned professional like Akinde are unlikely to be earning more than £200 a week.

"The fans are legal owners of the club," added Brooks. "Whereas transfers at other clubs are decided by a few board members this decision will be taken by 30,000 board members."

Earlier this year over 20,000 MyFootballClub members, who had each paid £35 to provide a £700,000 takeover pot, took control of Ebbsfleet, to give each fan an equal share in the club.

Since then members have voted on a number of major decisions affecting the club, including the price of season-tickets to watch Ebbsfleet, but this is the first time a transfer will be decided by the team's fans.

MFC's membership now stands at over 30,000 people, with members living in 122 countries.

"It has become very apparent that members are taking the responsibility of ownership very seriously and considering decisions made so far."

In July MFC members helped raised £20,000 to enable Daish to buy striker Michael Gash from Cambridge.

United (from): Van der Sar, Kuszczak, Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, O'Shea, Hargreaves, Anderson, Park, Nani, Scholes, Fletcher, Possebon, Rooney, Tevez, F Da Silva, R Da Silva.

Swedish striker Henrik Larsson is considering offers from three Premier League clubs, Sky Sports News understands.

Larsson returned to hometown club Helsingborgs in 2006 but his contract expires in November and he could now be set for a move back to England.

Helsingborgs are understood to be ready to sell Larsson for a small fee and a number of Premier League sides are interested.

Larsson enjoyed a successful loan spell with Manchester United in 2007 but the English champions are not thought to have made an approach for Larsson.

Aston Villa would also appear to have other targets in mind, ruling out a reunion for Larsson with his former Celtic boss Martin O'Neill.

Larsson won four titles in seven years with Celtic before helping Barcelona to UEFA Champions League glory in a two-year spell at Camp Nou.

Larsson will turn 37 next month and may decide he wants to see out his career in the Premier League.

I wonder whats the odds of us drawing Roma again?

Manchester United have won their bid to prevent Park Ji-sung playing for South Korea in the next round of World Cup qualifiers.

The European champions are still concerned about the winger's fitness as he is back in full training but is still a little way off a first-team comeback.

Huh Jung-moo wanted to call upon his biggest name for the crunch clash with rivals North Korea but has decided to leave him out of the 23-man squad after consultation with United staff.

There had been suggestions that a club versus country row could flare up if Huh wanted to insist on Park's appearance.

The news is a boost to United boss Sir Alex Ferguson who will want the former PSV Eindhoven midfielder treated gently in his rehabilitation after a string of injury problems.

Kim Do-heon, West Brom's promising acquisition, has been handed Park's role but there is no place for Fulham's Seol Ki-hyeon and Wigan target Park Chu-young in the group.

Manchester City have completed the signing of their former winger Shaun Wright-Phillips from Chelsea.

England's Wright-Phillips, 26, has signed a four-year contract at the City of Manchester Stadium having rejoined for an undisclosed fee.

He told the club's website: "Obviously I'm delighted to come back to City and I can't wait to get started again."

Manager Mark Hughes added: "I've always admired Shaun and he's been a target of mine since I came to the club."

Wright-Phillips left City to join Chelsea for £21m in July 2005, but struggled to hold down a regular place in his three years in London.

He made only 43 Premier League starts, scoring four times, as he fell out of England reckoning too.

"To actually secure the deal and bring Shaun back home is a fantastic coup for us," said Hughes.

"I'm sure the supporters will be just as excited as we are to have him back at Manchester City."

In his previous spell at City, Wright-Phillips made 181 appearances and scored 31 times.