Celtic land Kamara in deadline day swoop

February 1, 2010


Celtic have signed Senegal striker Diomansy Kamara on loan from Fulham in a move that casts further doubt on the future of the Hoops’ Australian forward Scott McDonald.

As well as bringing in Kamara, Celtic announced on Monday that they had done a permanent deal to bring Motherwell’s teenage winger Paul Slane to Parkhead.

Manager Tony Mowbray was also hoping to tie up a transfer deadline day deal to take Holland international left-back Edson Braafheid on loan from Bayern Munich in order to fill the gap created by Danny Fox’s move to Burnley.

Kamara’s arrival follows last week’s capture of Denmark striker Morten Rasmussen and will inevitably intensify fears among Celtic fans that the club are preparing to cash in on McDonald, despite assurances to the contrary from Mowbray.

The Australian is currently sidelined by a hernia but that has not prevented enquiries about his availability from struggling English Premier League clubs Wigan and West Ham, as well as Championship outfit Middlesbrough, now managed by former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan.

Kamara, 29, has scored three goals this season in 13 appearances for Fulham, five of which came from the bench. He told Celtic’s website that he was looking to make the loan move permanent.

“Celtic is a magnificent football club,” he said. “I will be looking to do my very best to contribute and bring the supporters success and hopefully enjoy a long future with the club.”

The amount of the transfer paid for Slane was not disclosed but, with the player out of contract at the end of the season, Motherwell were not in a strong negotiating position.

Well chairman John Boyle admitted he had been disappointed by Slane’s refusal to sign a long-term contract at the club that fostered his talent.

“Paul has been at the club for six years and we have financed his development and nurtured his talent, culminating in his senior debut at the end of last season,” Boyle said.

“We have also stuck by and supported him over those years through both personal issues and injury and felt we were due some degree of loyalty for our efforts. Sadly, he has chosen to refuse our offers and move on to Celtic.”

Adding to Motherwell’s sense of grievance is the fact that Celtic were made aware of the player’s potential by their youth academy chief Chris McCart, who previously performed the same role at Fir Park.

GLASGOW (AFP)

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Van Persie targets April return

January 19, 2010


Robin van Persie is expected to return for Arsenal in April. The Holland international sustained an ankle injury during an international friendly against Italy on November.

Van Persie is doing as well as can be expected in his recovery from surgery on ligament damage.

Last month, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger predicted that the Dutch striker would be out for “virtually the rest of the season”. That is still the case even though the 26-year-old is making steady progress in his rehabilitation.

“He has come back (to the training ground) and is doing as well as you can at that stage,” said Wenger on the club’s official website.

“He is out of his boot and walks normally but he thinks he will be playing mid-April.”

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Birmingham ready ambitious bid for Babel

January 6, 2010


Birmingham City are ready to make an ambitious bid for Liverpool winger Ryan Babel. Reds boss Rafa Benitez is desperate to find a new club for the Holland international as he tries to raise funds for his January transfer plans.

The Sunday Express says Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is willing to offer £11 million to bring Babel to St Andrews.

Stoke City have also been linked with Babel this week. Stoke manager Tony Pulis is said to be a fan of Babel, who can give Stoke a huge boost in their battle for survival in the Premier League.

Babel moved to Liverpool from Ajax and was tipped to become a Premier League star. However, the Dutch striker did not live up to the hype and it seems that his days at Anfield are numbered.

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Inter: Sneijder back for Juventus clash

December 1, 2009


Wesley Sneijder had to pull out of Inter Milan’s last games but is expected to return for this weekend’s top match against Juventus.

Sneijder was part of the squad that travelled to the Camp Nou to face Barcelona for the Champions League (2-0 loss) but eventually wasn’t fit enough to play against the Catalan side. Afterwards, Inter boss Jose Mourinho declared that his team missed Sneijder’s input dearly. The Holland international also pulled out of last weekend’s match against Fiorentina (1-0 win).

Mourinho and Sneijder aimed for a comeback in the much anticipated Derby d’Italia against Juventus on December 5. The Nerazzurri’s medical staff stated that this isn’t a risky gamble. “Everything is on schedulte. Nothing is final, but the chance that Sneijder will play against Juventus on Saturday is very big.” Three days after the match against Juventus, Inter takes on Rubin Kazan in a crucial Champions League match.

Ricardo Quaresma will miss both games. The Portugese winger will be out of action for at least a fortnight after injuring his right knee against Fiorentina on the weekend.

The 26-year-old suffered a straining of his ligament in his knee, but will not require surgery.

Paul Haring

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Reina “one of the best in the world” says Benitez

November 30, 2009


Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez labelled Jose Reina “one of the best keepers in the world” after the Spain international inspired his side to victory in the Merseyside derby.

With Liverpool leading 1-0, Reina produced a stunning stop to claw away Tim Cahill’s header before denying Marouane Fellaini with the follow up.

It was a key moment in the game, Kuyt going on to double his side’s lead soon afterwards, as Liverpool bounced back from their premature exit from the Champions League.

“We have seen that he is a top class keeper,” said Benitez, after his side climbed into fifth spot in the table.

“When we signed him we knew that we were getting a very good keeper. For me he is one of the best in the world.”

Dirk Kuyt also praised Reina as Liverpool recorded their first clean sheet victory away from home in the Premier League since last season.

“He is one of the best in the world,” said the Holland international. “He really helped us out today.”

When Liverpool beat Manchester United last month, Liverpool followed it up with a double defeat in London. After crashing out of the Carling Cup at Arsenal, Benitez’s side then lost at Fulham.

Benitez is now urging his players to learn from that and use their latest victory as a springboard to kick on.

“It’s always important win games in a row,” added Benitez.

“We have some days to go before we go to Blackburn so we will prepare like we always do.

“This was a really important win for us because this was always going to be a difficult game.

“We are higher in the table now, everyone is happier and we’ll see if we can go on from here.”

Everton manager David Moyes thought his side deserved more from the game.

Diniyar Bilyaletdinov spurned a glorious chance to make it 1-1 in the first half before Reina’s heroics in the second half.

Everton are just three points above the relegation zone after their third straight Premier League defeat.

“My players worked extremely hard and deserved more than they got,” said Moyes, whose side visit Greece to face AEK Athens in the Europa League on Wednesday.

“Liverpool had one chance in the first half and in the main we kept them quiet.”

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

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Benitez wants Babel to explain outburst

November 26, 2009


Ryan Babel will be hauled into Rafael Benitez’s office today to explain his critical attitude towards his manager at Liverpool. On Tuesday, the Dutch winger said Benitez is not keeping his promises.

Babel is in his third season with Liverpool but is still yet to claim a regular starting spot in Benitez’s first-choice XI. The Holland international blames the lack of chances he’s got at Anfield. “Isn’t it unbelievable that in my first year I got chosen as Talent of the Year? And a season later I hardly play and without getting a proper chance,” Babel asks himself.

Benitez is not amused with Babel’s comments and wants to know why he went to the press. “I have got to talk to the player and I will see what his explanation is,” the Spanish coach told the Liverpool Echo. Babel missed Tuesday’s match against Debrecen (0-1 win) with an ankle injury.

Paul Haring

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Liverpool and City inflict mutual damage

November 22, 2009


Liverpool’s stuttering season continued as they were held to a 2-2 draw by Manchester City that did little for either club’s hopes of finishing the season in the top four.

Martin Skrtel’s first goal for the club gave Rafa Benitez’s side a 50th-minute lead before two goals in the space of seven minutes put City in the driving seat.

Emmanuel Adebayor levelled for City before Stephen Ireland put the visitors within sight of their first win at the venue for six years.

But 13 minutes from time, substitute Yossi Benayoun rescued Benitez’s team from a home defeat.

Liverpool have now won just once in 10 outings and taken just five points from the last 18 available while City have drawn their last six league games.

Already missing Fernando Torres and Glen Johnson, Liverpool lost Daniel Agger and Ryan Babel to injury ahead of Tuesday’s must-win Champions League away game with Debrecen in Hungary.

Denmark defender Agger, who was replaced by Greece international Sotirios Kyrgiakos, was stretchered off suffering concussion and clutching a head wound which required stitches after a clash of heads with Kolo Toure in the fifth minute.

Eight minutes later Babel collided with his skipper Steven Gerrard on the edge of the City penalty area.

While Gerrard was quickly up on his feet, Babel had to go off for treatment for a jarred ankle. But the Holland international lasted just a few moments after coming back on before he was replaced by Benayoun.

Those stoppages disrupted the flow of the game after both teams had carved out chances during a bright start.

Shay Given quickly put his heartbreaking experience in Ireland’s World Cup play-off against France behind him, producing a fine stop to keep out Skrtel’s fifth minute header.

Six minutes later, City almost broke the deadlock with the hosts down to ten men following Agger’s early exit.

With the Liverpool defence in total chaos, Gareth Barry was allowed a free header which Jose Reina did well to claw away.

The rest of the first half was a dull affair. Liverpool, clearly unsettled after losing two players, struggled to penetrate a well marshalled City defence while the visitors offered very little attacking threat.

Jamie Carragher was booked for a 17th minute foul on his former Anfield team-mate Craig Bellamy but the game lacked passion.

Fortunately the second half was action-packed from the moment that Skrtel gave the patched-up hosts a 49th minute lead.

After Pablo Zabaleta had stopped David Ngog’s progress on the left, Gerrard whipped in a delightful free-kick which Skrtel volleyed in after getting in front of Adebayor.

City boss Mark Hughes responded by throwing on 25-million-pound striker Carlos Tevez in place of Barry.

And the switch worked as the Argentina substitute inspired his side’s recovery which started with Adebayor’s 69th-minute equaliser.

Liverpool paid the price for sitting back on their lead as Bellamy won a corner which he whipped in for Adebayor to send a powerful downward header bouncing beyond Reina and into the net.

City were dominating by this staged and deservedly took the lead through man-of-the-match Ireland, who finished off a low cross from Shaun Wright-Phillips with the outside of his boot.

It lasted just over a minute however. A cross from Ngog took a deflection and Benayoun was on hand to tap in the equaliser.

LIVERPOOL (AFP)

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Everton land Heitinga, Spurs sign Kranjcar on deadline day

September 1, 2009


Everton signed Dutch defender Johnny Heitinga from Atletico Madrid for six million pounds (6.8 million euros) just before the transfer window shut on Tuesday.

Heitinga agreed a five-year contract with the Premier League club and the move was announced in the final hour before the 1600GMT deadline.

The 25-year-old follows French defender Sylvain Distin to Goodison Park as Toffees boss David Moyes strengthens his back-four after Joleon Lescott’s move to Manchester City.

Atletico could eventually receive seven million pounds (7.8 million euros) for the Holland international due to clauses in the terms of the deal.

On a relatively low-key transfer deadline day, Tottenham swooped for Portsmouth’s Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp moved for Kranjcar, who cost a reported 2.5 million pounds (2.8 million euros), after Croatian playmaker Luka Modric suffered a broken leg, which will keep him out for six weeks, against Birmingham on Saturday.

Aston Villa spent five million pounds (5.8 million euros) to sign Wales defender James Collins from West Ham.

Collins put pen to paper on a four-year contract and could make his debut against local rivals Birmingham on September 13.

“It’s been a mad 24 hours since coming up here but I’m delighted to have it all sorted. It’s a fantastic setting. I just can’t wait to get cracking now,” Collins said.

“Aston Villa is a massive club so, after coming here looking around the place it didn’t take a lot of persuading on my part.”

Portsmouth boss Paul Hart made a triple swoop for Watford centre-back Mike Williamson, Manchester City defender Tal Ben Haim and Benfica midfielder Hassan Yebda.

Israel international Ben Haim agreed a four-year contract and his free transfer will be rubber-stamped once he has been given a work permit.

The 27-year-old joins a team who are bottom of the Premier League after four successive defeats but he is determined to help them climb out of the relegation zone.

“It is a big challenge because after four games we have no points but I am ready for the challenge,” Ben Haim said.

Hart could pair Ben Haim with Williamson, who cost three million pounds (3.8 million euros) from Championship club Watford and agreed a four-year contract.

“He’s a young, hungry centre-half, a big lad who is uncompromising and does the basics first,” Hart said of Williamson.

Hart also landed Yebda from Portuguese club Benfica. The 25-year-old French-born Algerian has moved to Fratton Park on a season-long loan.

Elsewhere, Stoke City signed defender Danny Collins from Sunderland for 2.75 million pounds (3.1 million euros), although the fee for the 29-year-old could rise to 3.5 million pounds (3.9 million euros)

Bolton bolstered their forward line by signing Croatia striker Ivan Klasnic, 29, on a one-year loan from French club Nantes.

Wanderers boss Gary Megson said: “His goalscoring record is very good and he has an excellent pedigree at international level with Croatia and domestically in Europe.”

Birmingham signed Finland midfielder Teemu Tainio, 29, on loan from Sunderland for the rest of the season.

Hull boss Phil Brown increased his defensive options by landing Senegal centre-back Ibrahima Sonko, 28, on a season-long loan from Stoke.

LONDON (AFP)

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Torres back on song as Liverpool crush Stoke

August 20, 2009


Fernando Torres stole the show as Liverpool got their season up and running with a 4-0 victory over Stoke at Anfield on Wednesday.

Having lost their opening game at Tottenham 2-1, Rafael Benitez’s side were under pressure to overcome a team they twice failed to beat last season.

Spain international Torres gave his side the perfect start by notching his first goal of the campaign in the fourth minute before Glen Johnson marked his home debut by making it 2-0 on the stroke of half-time.

Holland international Dirk Kuyt increased Liverpool’s lead in the 78th minute and David Ngog put the seal on an impressive display in stoppage time.

Liverpool could not score against Stoke in 180 minutes of action last season, but it took just four minutes to unlock the Potters defence this time.

Benitez’s side did not lose a game when Steven Gerrard and Torres started together last season. The trouble was the pair did not appear in the same line up often enough due to injury.

They combined to unlock the visitors defence as Liverpool responded to Benitez’s demands for a much improved performance following the disappointing setback at Tottenham.

Torres, scorer of 14 Premier League goals last term, was afforded far too much space inside the Stoke penalty area and tucked Gerrard’s bobbling low cross beyond keeper Thomas Sorensen.

Stoke have not won at Anfield for 50 years yet they must fancied their chances of putting the record straight when they saw the Liverpool teamsheet.

With Daniel Agger absent due to a back problem, Benitez gave 18-year-old Daniel Ayala his senior debut alongside Jamie Carragher at the heart of the defence after Martin Skrtel failed to recover from a cracked jaw he suffered at Tottenham.

Yet the 6ft 3in Spanish teenager, a former Seville youth player, did not let his side down as he produced a mature performance which will have encouraged his manager.

What will not have pleased Benitez was the way his side struggled to kill off the contest despite creating a string of chances.

Emiliano Insua spurned a glorious chance to double the lead in the 22nd minute, the unmarked Argentina defender wastefully firing into the side netting following Torres’s powerful run and cross.

Torres was by far the most threatening player on the pitch. Commitments with Spain in the Confederations Cup meant he was playing up to the end of June yet he looked anything but jaded as he caused the Potters defence constant problems.

Another powerful run at the end of the first half by Torres resulted in a corner from which his side doubled the lead.

Gerrard’s inswinging kick was met by the unmarked Kuyt and although his header was blocked on the line by James Beattie, Johnson was well positioned to smash home from inside the six-yard area.

Despite their high-tempo end to the half, Liverpool were guilty of some slack defending at the start of the second half.

Jose Riena, who had been virtually redundant in the opening 45 minutes, produced a flying save to deny Rory Delap’s powerfully struck effort in the 48th minute.

Then Johnson came to his side’s rescue when he hacked a dangerous cross away as Stoke players lined up to pounce.

Johnson was proving value for money and was unfortunate not to score a second goal on the hour mark, Sorensen just doing enough to keep out his low effort.

Liverpool’s night was complete when Kuyt scored from close range after good work by the industrious Gerrard before substitute Ngog made it 4-0 with virtually the last kick.

LIVERPOOL (AFP)

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Bellamy signs for Man City

January 20, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – West Ham striker Craig Bellamy completed his reported 14 million pound (15m euros) move to Manchester City on a four-and-a-half year contract after passing a medical on Monday.

The much-travelled Wales forward had demanded a transfer to Tottenham on Friday after rejecting the offer of a new contract, but the Hammers were unwilling to sell to their London rivals.

City, who had already had three separate bids for Bellamy turned down, are the 29-year-old’s eighth club.

He is expected to make his debut at home for his big spending new Abu Dhabi employers against one of his former sides, Newcastle, on January 28.

City manager Mark Hughes, who managed his latest signing at Blackburn, told the club’s website: "I am delighted to be working with Craig once more.

"He is an outstanding player who provides us with qualities that we are slightly lacking.

"He has blistering pace, has bags of of enthusiasm and has a superb attitude to training. He will be a great addition to the squad."

Bellamy, who was thought to have preferred a move to Spurs, is due to join his City teammates at a training camp in Tenerife.

He could be soon joined by Holland international midfielder Nigel de Jong after Hamburg agreed a fee with City.

And whether Brazilian star Kaka also moves to Manchester on a world record transfer could be largely dependant on the outcome of talks between a City delegation led by chief executive Garry Cook and officials from AC Milan.

Bellamy was left out of the West Ham squad which defeated Fulham 3-1 on Sunday, with manager Gianfranco Zola stating the player was "not in the right frame of mind".

Hughes knows Bellamy well, both with Wales and at Blackburn, and has never had a problem with the player’s fiery temperament.

Bellamy joined West Ham from Liverpool last season having also previously played at Norwich, Coventry, Newcastle, Celtic and Blackburn and has 16 goals in 54 appearances for Wales.

Zola has said he would use the money from selling Bellamy to strengthen a squad that has risen to eighth place in the Premier League.

Written by: AFP

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