Paper Talk
City Football Group, which owns Manchester City, yesterday announce a US$400m (£265m) investment from a Chinese consortium, CMC, which buys it a 13% stake and values CFG at $3bn.
Liverpool have opened discussions with Simon Mignolet over a new contract, offering further evidence of manager Jurgen Klopp’s confidence in the goalkeeper.
Manchester United have entered the race to sign £45m-rated Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
Inter Milan are confident of luring Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic to Italy on a free transfer by offering two-year contract.
Steve Morgan wants up to £40m to sell Wolves.
Reading boss Steve Clarke wants to sign £5m-rated LA Galaxy striker Gyasi Zardes.
West Ham, Stoke and Watford have been told to forget about signing Juventus striker Simone Zaza in January.
Manchester City moved closer to dethroning rivals United in the money stakes after securing a massive new £265million investment from China. the deal hands City extra firepower in their bid to sign superstars such as Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba or Neymar - as well s potential boss Pep Guardiola.
Manchester City are planning to offer fans with tattoos of the current club badge free laser surgery if it is redesigned.
West Ham are worried striker Diafra Sakho could miss the rest of the season as the full scale of his thigh injury emerges.
Hector Bellerin has revealed he was clueless about defending when he joined Arsenal.
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins has revealed he turned down the chance to buy Jamie Vardy for £800,000 in 2012.
Former Manchester United player Paul Parker has branded Louis van Gaal "stubborn and selfish".
Arsenal are considering a move for Crystal Palace midfielder James McArthur as Arsene Wenger’s injury crisis grows.
Manchester City’s chances of luring manager Pep Guardiola and star player Lionel Messi from Barcelona have been boosted by the sale of 13 per cent of the club to Chinese investors.
Manchester United have joined the battle for Borussia Dortmund star Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.
Arsenal have joined the Premier League list of suitors for Bordeaux's Henri Saivet, after scouts from Everton, Tottenham, Aston Villa, Swansea and Bournemouth saw him core in the 2-1 Europa League defeat at Liverpool last week.
Inter Milan manager Roberto Mancini will attempt to sign Chelsea right-back Branislav Ivanovic on a two-year deal.
Kevin Watson is a front-runner to become the next Colchester United manager.
Jack Grealish stayed behind for extra training on Tuesday in a desperate bid to win over Aston Villa new manager Remi Garde.
Barcelona are being pushed to the absolute limit of their finances as they try to keep star players Lionel Messi and Neymar from moving to the Premier League, with Manchester City and Manchester United interested in signing them.
Newcastle striker Ayoze Perez says he will not walk out on the relegation-threatened club to join Spurs.
Arsenal have not given up hope that Alexis Sanchez could return for the Premier League match against Manchester City on Dec 21.
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy is in talks to turn his journey from non-league football to the Premier League into a Hollywood movie.
Jack Grealish is set to miss Aston Villa’s clash with Southampton at the weekend because Remi Garde is not ready to bring him back into his first-team plans.
Arsenal duo Alexis Sanchez and Santi Cazorla will not only miss this weekend’s clash with Sunderland, but the Champions League showdown with Olympiaxos next week too.
Chelsea are confident of beating Tottenham to use Wembley stadium while they redevelop Stamford Bridge into a new 60,000 capacity stadium.
Diego Costa will be recalled to the Chelsea first team against Bournemouth this weekend.
Ander Herrera insists he is happy at Manchester United despite reports to the contrary.
BBC
Manchester City's pursuit of Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola and Barcelona forward Lionel Messi has been boosted by a £265m sale of stake in the club. (Daily Mirror)
But City insist owner Sheikh Mansour will not pull out of club after selling 13% of the holding company to Chinese investors. (Manchester Evening News)
Chelsea's Diego Costa could be heading back to La Liga, with former side Atletico Madrid ready to activate a £28m release clause in the 27-year-old Spanish striker's contract. (Metro)
Barcelona are being pushed to the absolute limit of their finances as they fight to keep Ballon d'Or contenders Messi and Neymar from the clutches of the Premier League. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool have opened discussions with Simon Mignolet over a new contract in further evidence of Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp's confidence in the 27-year-old goalkeeper. (Guardian)
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, 27, says Klopp's passion has helped him get back to his best. (Daily Telegraph)
Klopp has been given the green light to make a move for Borussia Dortmund players by the Bundesliga club's chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke. (Liverpool Echo)
Manchester United have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 26, who is also being watched by Barcelona, Arsenal and Chelsea. (Daily Mirror)
Gary Neville's odds of becoming the next Fulham manager have dropped dramatically, as speculation linking the 40-year-old former Manchester United defender to the role intensifies. (London Evening Standard)
Alberto Moreno's agent says the Liverpool defender, 23, would welcome interest from Real Madrid in January. (Radio 4G via Daily Star)
Manchester United target Arjen Robben, 31, has addressed speculation about his future - insisting he is happy at Bayern Munich. (Manchester Evening News)
Jack Grealish, 20, stayed behind for extra training on Tuesday in a desperate bid to win over new Aston Villa manager Remi Garde. (Daily Mirror)
But Grealish has been told to train with the Villa's Under-21 squad for another week as he continues to face punishment for breaching club discipline. (Daily Telegraph)
West Ham are concerned that striker Diafra Sakho, 25, could miss the rest of the season with a torn thigh muscle. (Sun)
French club Lille want out-of-favour Yoan Gouffran, 29, who will be made available by Newcastle United in January. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce says he is more likely to use the loan market in January than make permanent signings. (Sunderland Echo)
Porto and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 34, has said he is open to a move to Major League Soccer. (AS)
Former Manchester United defender Paul Parker has said manager Louis van Gaal is selfish and is scaring the players at Old Trafford. (Daily Telegraph)
Leicester striker Jamie Vardy, 28, thoroughly deserves his new Premier League record after scoring in 11 successive matches, says team-mate Marc Albrighton, 26. (Leicester Mercury)
Vardy could have been playing this weekend for Leicester's next opponents Swansea - who were offered the chance to sign him from Fleetwood for £800,000 in 2012. (Daily Mail)
And finally
Manchester City are planning to offer tattooed fans free laser surgery if the club badge is redrawn. (Sun)
Furious Roma fans turned up at the club's training base with 50kg of carrots and held up a banner that read: "Enjoy your meal, rabbits." (London Evening Standard)
The president of Mauritania ordered the country's cup final to go to a penalty shootout in the 63rd minute - because he was bored of the match. (Metro)
Leicester forward Jamie Vardy has been having sessions in a cryotherapy chamber - in which temperatures drop to -135°F - in attempt to shake off hip and groin problems for Saturday's trip to Swansea. (Daily Express)
Guardian Rumour Mill
Ian McCourt
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is sitting in his office. Well, it’s not really an office, it’s more of a spare room with a desk that was once nice and tidy but is now replete with moving boxes and suitcases. He has been there for hours now, watching the sky melt from blue to black. The plastic white bin to his left has vomited up one too many balls of paper and now the floor looks like the shoulders of that guy on the tube who suffers from dandruff but has yet to realise it (or bring that suit jacket he wears every single day to the cleaners). Aubameyang is frustrated. He thought he would have this goodbye letter done and dusted within a few minutes and that would give him plenty of time to listen to some Cole Porter and get in the mood for the night’s performance of Kiss Me, Kate at the alien-faced Opernhaus Dortmund – a friend told him Morgan Moody as Fred Graham stole the show. But the letter, like a naked hitchhiker on a naked autobahn, is getting nowhere and the clock is ticking. Tick, tock, tick, tock. The first one starts off, “Dear tram-mates, I wish to inform you …”, but that’s too formal. The next one goes something like, “Hey dudes, I’ve got some bogus news that is as much fun as a Neptune cocktail with a side order of a sand facial …”, but that’s too Australian surfer and he’s sure the lads won’t know what he’s on about. After this third attempt, he loses track of what he wrote. Tick, tock, tick, tock. It’s almost half 6 and he hates being late. He makes one final attempt: “Dear Dortmund, welcome to Dumpsville, population you.” That’s it. Now he can relax and think about the opera and after that he’ll allow himself to think about the move to Manchester United.
Diego Costa is frustrated with life in London. When he first heard he would be joining Chelsea, he thought it would be fun and zany, like that movie Spaceballs. But instead it has been dark and disturbing, like that movie Her. One of the things that he hates the most it that nobody has time to stop and talk. Back in Spain, he would go into the post office and chat for hours about anything and nothing but it’s all rush, rush, rush in London and don’t even consider making eye contact or asking the employees behind the counter what they think of the new Bond movie because you’ll be looked at like a lizard from another planet that has green skin, three eyes, four noses and five ears and rudely pointed in the direction of the exit. And then there is Primark – who do the people need to push and shove and attack his shins with their buggies? Or the queues for restaurants – why don’t these places take bookings? But when his friends ring him from home and ask how he’s getting on, he puts on a brave face and acts like he loves it but they know him too well. They know his heart ain’t in it. They also know he’ll be happier when he’s back in Madrid and back in the colours of Atlético.
In the sun-facing corner of Alberto Moreno’s living room rests the rocking chair he bought from an antique shop on Mentmore Terrace during a summer trip to London Fields. Each afternoon, after training, Alberto takes the phone off the hook, closes the blinds and straps himself into the chair, where he rocks back and forth until his mind and body are free of earthy distraction. It’s in this situation that he has his most lucid dreams. A few days ago, Samuel Beckett’s crevice-ridden face came to him and said: “He told me to tell you he won’t come this evening but surely tomorrow.” Alberto didn’t quite get what he meant and shared it with his team-mates but they were just as bemused as he was. In his last dream, it was the smooth-faced Florentino Pérez who appeared, urging him to join Real Madrid. When he awoke, he realised the sense behind the words but when his team-mates asked him if he ever figured out what it all meant, he just said no and dipped his head into his boot bag so they couldn’t see him smile.
Yoan Gouffran has bounded into the Newcastle dressing-room and proudly announced to the squad that he has a joke that is sure brighten up their cold, December morning. He beams and looks around but only one or two of his team-mates bother to pay him any attention. Most just carry on reading the paper or playing Yatzi on their phone. “I’ve deleted the phone numbers of all the Germans I know from my mobile phone,” he shouts, “now it’s Hans free.” He laughs loud but no one else does and from the corner of his eye, he’s sure he can see some tumbleweed meander across the floor. He sits down in his spot, dejected as a rejected teenager. “I spent hours yesterday Googling jokes and I don’t even get so much as a sniff from them,” he thinks to himself, as his blood begins to boil. “Maybe, my agent was right, maybe Lille is the best place for me.”
Stuff.NZ
Waiuku College footballer recruited for West Ham United
BRIAR HUBBARD
Footballer Lewis Tiller has been selected to play for the famous West Ham United under-18 squad in London next year.
A Waiuku College footballer is on the cusp of playing professionally after he was selected to play for West Ham United's under-18 side.
The 17-year-old, who has been described as a young Xavi of FC Barcelona by one of English Premier League side West Ham's talent scouts, said he could not believe how quickly everything has unfolded.
Tiller was the only player to be selected for the team from trials throughout Australasia. He will head to London in February to play for the under-18 squad, and in April will travel to Australia to take part in a West Ham tournament week.
"I'm really nervous, I haven't left New Zealand before. It'll be a huge experience to meet new players and compete against them," he said.
"I really like it, it's a big step for me and I'm really enjoying it, it's happening really fast and we will see where it leads."
The teenager moved from Dannevirke to Papakura a year-and-a-half ago, to live with his father Deane Sutherland in a bid to pursue his sporting dreams.
Sutherland said he had underestimated his son's skills.
"Coming up from Dannevirke was the biggest thing, he was really off the radar. I had no idea how good at football he was. People are saying 'where's this boy from?'"
He added it was going to be a tough few months for Tiller, who will likely be a holding midfielder for the squad.
"The players are going to be of a high calibre. It's not going to be easy, it's going to be very hard and competitive but that's what brings out the best in a player."
Sutherland said the talent scout for West Ham, Stuart Prossor, was excited about Tiller's potential.
"He was impressed with Lewis because he was the only one in the team who chased down a lost cause. He'll chase it to the edge of the world and he moves forward with pace and has high ball distribution.
"He likens his skill and ability to a young Xavi."
Tiller hoped playing for the side would be the break he has always wanted.
"I do really want to become a professional player...I really love the game."
OS
Belic eager for Exeter chance
Luka Belic is planning to continue his march towards full fitness and top form by inspiring the Development Squad to Barclays U21 Premier League Cup victory at Exeter City on Wednesday.
The Serbian youngster returned to action in Monday’s 1-0 Barclays U21 Premier League Division Two win at Swansea City, following a frustrating period out injured.
Serbia U19 international forward Belic, who joined West Ham United in September after emerging at OFK Beograd in his homeland, says the best is yet to come following an encouraging comeback display in South Wales.
“It was frustrating to get injured, of course, so am happy to be making my recovery,” said the 19-year-old. “It was good to get as many minutes as I did on Monday, but the most important thing is always the team winning games.
“I’d say I’m about 60% to what my full capacity is and you have to play consistently at this level because the standard is very high.”
Monday’s victory represented the third in succession for Terry Westley’s side, who are latterly being rewarded for their performances with points after a challenging start to the 2015/16 campaign.
“It was a great team performance, we had to work very hard. It was a tough away game, and the most important thing was the team showed great character, that’s why we won.
“We played very well individually and collectively. The first half we had to stick together. They were a little bit better but we stuck together. Looking around the locker room you could feel that we were going to win, we had a confidence that comes from winning our other recent matches.”
Despite his recent frustrations, the youngest player ever to appear in the Serbian top flight – at the age of just 16 years and seven days in April 2012 – is enjoying being part of things with the Hammers.
Next up for the Development Squad is Wednesday’s trip to St James Park and a Barclays U21 Premier League Cup Round of 32 clash with Exeter – a game Belic is eager to be involved in.
“For me personally, I have been injured, which has been frustrating,” he admitted. “You come to a new club, you want to impress straight away but my game time has been limited.
“I’m also not used to this wind! But that’s what it is like when you’re getting used to a new country, new conditions so it’s fine.
“We have a create chemistry in the squad, a lot of good players, I didn’t realise how good the standard was really going to be. It’s nice that West Ham has so many talented players, and I have made a lot of friends very quickly.”
Kick-off in Wednesday’s tie in Devon is at 7pm. For South West-based Hammers heading along, tickets are priced at £8 for Adults, £4 for Over-62s and £2 for Under-16s. All entry is through the Main Stand turnstiles.
The winners will host Colchester United or Fulham in the Round of 16.
C&H
Furious Irons response to Chinese takeover theory
BBC reporter Dan Roan has suggested that the Hammers are facing a takeover from cash rich Chinese.
In a tweet – as a deal for 13 per cent of Manchester City was being completed with Chinese businessmen – Roan, who headed the dreadful BBC ‘investigation’ into West Ham’s deal for the Olympic Stadium, tweeted that West Ham could face a Chinese takeover.
He tweeted: “Some suspect the one Chinese would really like is West Ham (Olympic Stadium, already own nearby land). Not for sale apparently, let’s see”
But that was met with a furious response from one of ClaretandHigh’s top level sources who rounded on Roan in a big way.
He snarled: “Lets see who is right in 5 years ! We have no desire or intention of selling West Ham United.”
“In the last 6 months, David Sullivan has moved all his 51% share holding into his personal name so they are exempt from death duties (as West Ham United is a trading company).
IS THIS THE ACTION OF SOMEBODY LOOKING TO SELL THE CLUB ?”
