Arsenal teen star Wilshere joins Bolton on loan

January 30, 2010

Highly-regarded Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on Friday joined fellow Premier League side Bolton on loan until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old, who has made seven Arsenal first-team appearances this season, is expected to go straight into the squad for Saturday’s match with Liverpool at Anfield.

Bolton manager Owen Coyle told www.bwfc.co.uk: “Jack is a talented, young, hungry player who I think has got a bright future ahead of him. He has got an abundance of quality and he will enhance our squad.”

Wilshere, who has represented England at all youth levels including Under-21, became Arsenal’s youngest ever league player at 16 years and 256 days when he made his debut as a substitute at Blackburn in September 2008.

PARIS (AFP)

Tags: abundance, anfield, arsenal, blackburn, bright future, bwfc, debut, England, fellow, Jack, Jack Wilshere, Liverpool, Owen Coyle, PARIS, premier league, team appearances, teen star, youth levels

Wanderers sign Weiss from City

January 25, 2010

Bolton Wanderers announced Monday that midfielder Vladimir Weiss would join them on loan from Premier League rivals Manchester City until the end of the season.

Slovakia international Weiss becomes Owen Coyle’s first signing for the club since the manager’s controversial move from Burnley – who Bolton play in a Lancashire top-flight derby on Tuesday.

Weiss, 20, recently signed a new contract with City but has only made four first team appearances this season, scoring against Arsenal in City’s 3-0 League Cup quarter-final victory.

But with opportunities restricted at Eastlands, Weiss has made the short journey from Manchester to Bolton in a bid to get more game time and so boost his chances of being a member of Slovakia’s squad at this year’s World Cup finals in South Africa.

“Vladimir is an exciting young player who adds further options to our squad and can help to get the fans out of their seats,” Coyle told www.bwfc.co.uk.

“The fact that he has a chance of going to this year’s World Cup shows just how much ability he possesses.”

BOLTON, England (AFP)

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Liverpool offload Itandje to Greek club Kavala

September 1, 2009

Liverpool goalkeeper Charles Itandje completed a loan move to Greek club Kavala FC on Monday.

Itandje arrived at Anfield two years ago, but has only made seven first-team appearances and the Frenchman will spend the rest of the season in Greece.

The 26-year-old was involved in a controversy in April when television pictures showed him laughing during a memorial service at Anfield to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Hillsborough tragedy.

Ninety-six Liverpool fans died during crushes on terracing at the Leppings Lane end of Sheffield Wednesday’s Hillsborough stadium during a 1989 FA Cup semi-final against Nottingham Forest.

Itandje later apologised after being suspended for 14 days and fined two weeks wages but his exit has seemed inevitable ever since.

LIVERPOOL, England (AFP)

Tags: 20th anniversary, charles itandje, controversy, England, FA Cup, frenchman, greece, hillsborough tragedy, kavala, Leppings Lane, Liverpool, liverpool fans, liverpool goalkeeper, ninety six, Nottingham, Sheffield, team appearances, terracing, wages

Tosic back with a bang for Serbia, can he break through at United?

August 13, 2009

Serbia winger Zoran Tosic has boosted his chances of playing more first team football for club and country after scoring his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over South Africa in Pretoria.

The 22-year old has made only a couple of competitive first team appearances for Manchester United since his move from Serbian champions Partizan Belgrade in January and was consequently dropped by Serbia coach Radomir Antic for their 2010 World Cup qualifiers.

But Tosic’s inspired performance and two goals after he came on as a substitute against the South Africans must have delighted Antic and given United manager Sir Alex Ferguson something to think about too.

With a vital qualifier against France coming up on September 9, the rejuvenated Tosic has added the much-needed depth to Serbia’s squad as they aim to qualify for the finals for the first time as an independent nation.

Ferguson, on the other hand, should also welcome the extra option at hand on the left wing, especially after Nani dislocated his shoulder in United’s Community Shield clash with Chelsea on Sunday.

Tosic may not break into United’s first team just yet, but a good pre-season tour in Asia and the blistering performance against the World Cup hosts will certainly give him hope that he will not end up as surplus to requirements at Old Trafford.

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Cattermole agrees Sunderland move

August 12, 2009

Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole has agreed a six-million-pound (9.9 million dollar) move to Premier League rivals Sunderland.

The 21-year-old agreed a four-year deal and will make his debut in Saturday’s Premier League opener against Bolton.

The former Middlesbrough youth team player, signed by former Latics boss Steve Bruce for Wigan in a 3.5-million-pound deal in July 2008, becomes Sunderland’s fifth signing of the summer after Darren Bent, Lorik Cana, Fraizer Campbell and Paulo Da Silva.

Wigan manager Roberto Martinez said he was disappointed to lose the services of the England Under-21 international.

“The fee is a good one,” said Martinez. “It is far more than the club paid for him last year and the third-highest in Wigan Athletic history.

“The initial offer from Sunderland was unacceptable as we said at the time, but they have now matched our valuation.

“The speculation about Lee has refused to go away over the last few weeks and this has been very unsettling for him and for our players.

“It became clear over the past days having spoken to Lee that he wanted to leave and it is very disruptive to the group when a player is clearly unhappy.

“My number one priority has to be the good of the club and it left me with a decision to make, I therefore agreed to the move for the good of the players we have at the club and who want to remain with us and help us progress to the next level.”

Cattermole made 69 first-team appearances for Middlesbrough and featured in 33 Premier League games in his single season at Wigan.

SUNDERLAND (AFP)

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Ramsey pens new Gunners deal

July 2, 2009

Wales International Aaron Ramsey has agreed a new long-term contract with Arsenal.

The 18-year-old has made 22 first team appearances for the Gunners since signing from Cardiff City last summer.

And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has been quick to reward Ramsey’s progress so far.

He said: “Aaron made a very good contribution in his first season and he showed that he is a very intelligent player with great quality.

“He is still only 18 and we are really looking forward to seeing him develop with us in the forthcoming years.”

Ramsey arrived at Emirates Stadium from Cardiff City last summer in what was understood to be a £5million deal.

Written by: Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: 18 year old, Aaron, Aaron Ramsey, arsenal, arsenal manager arsene wenger, Arsene, cardiff city, emirates, Emirates Stadium, English Premier League, gunners, intelligent player, rajput, ramsey, team appearances, term contract, Wales

Fabianski signs new long-term Arsenal contract

June 13, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Arsenal goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski signed a new long-term contract with the Premier League club on Friday.

Fabianski is currently the back-up to first-choice keeper Manuel Almunia, but Gunners boss Arsene Wenger believes the Pole has a bright future at the Emirates Stadium.

The 24-year-old, who signed from Legia Warsaw in 2007, made 18 first-team appearances in all competitions last term and kept nine clean sheets.

Fabianski told the club’s official website: “This a big motivation for me to keep working hard and shows that the club believes in me.

“I’ll be doing everything I can to repay that belief by helping Arsenal to win trophies in the coming years.”

Wenger added: “I rate Lukasz highly and I am very pleased that he has committed his future to the club.

“I believe he is a top competitor, he’s intelligent and reads the game very well and has all the ingredients to be successful in his position.”

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Kanu hopes to extend Portsmouth stay

May 23, 2009

PORTSMOUTH (AFP) – Nigeria forward Kanu admits he is ready to extend his stay with Premier League club Portsmouth for another season.

Kanu, 32, is out of contract at the end of the season, but maintains he is entitled to a new one under the terms of the contract which stipulates he must make a certain number of first-team appearances during the campaign.

Kanu, who scored the winner in last season’s FA Cup final against Cardiff, has made only five starts this season, but he has made 24 appearances in all competitions and that would be enough to trigger a new deal according to the former Arsenal star.

“Yes, I’m qualified for another contract. That is what it says in this present contract and hopefully I will be here next year because that is what I want,” Kanu said.

“I love being at the club, playing for the team and playing for the supporters who are the best there is. It is in my hands whether to stay here and I hope that is what will happen.”

Kanu’s agent and lawyer Samuel Okoronkwo added: “It would not be ethical for me to discuss it but you can take it from me that Kanu is still a Portsmouth player.”

Tags: arsenal, cardiff, competitions, English Premier League, fa cup final, kanu, lawyer, new deal, nigeria, okoronkwo, Portsmouth, premier league, Samuel Okoronkwo, team appearances

Tevez ´leaving United´, to stay in England

May 10, 2009

LONDON (AFP) – Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez has reaffirmed his wish to leave Manchester United at the end of the season because he feels unwanted and unappreciated at the club.

Tevez has in recent months complained about limited first team opportunities with United, for whom he scored 19 goals in 39 appearances as they won the Premier League and Champions League last season, and hinted last month he was ready to leave Old Trafford.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson responded by saying he was optimistic of holding on to the on-loan Argentinian striker when his contract expires this summer.

However Tevez says he is growing increasingly frustrated with United, claiming a lack of first team appearances has affected his confidence.

He said he is ready to move to another English Premier League club even if it meant a drop in wages.

“It is goodbye,” he told The Sunday Telegraph.

“I respect the fans and it has been a great two years. Obviously in the last year my participation on the pitch has been less but that has been the choice of the coach, not my choice.

“I have given everything I possibly can to the shirt of Manchester (United) and I’m grateful to the fans. But I’m leaving and I do so with my head held high.”

The complicated background to Tevez’s contract status means the former West Ham forward is only on loan at Old Trafford and is a free agent at season’s end with the ability to walk out on United.

Iranian businessman Kia Joorabchian’s company MSI own Tevez’s registration. Joorchabian claimed Sunday he had received an offer of 40 million pounds from a foreign club for Tevez.

The Argentinian refuted claims that he has tried to hold the club to ransom by asking for more money, and insists he is not angling for a move abroad.

“My daughter, Florencia, is four and is learning English, speaking English – it’s better than mine – and my wife Vanesa is also happy here,” added Tevez.

“We like living here and want to stay here.”

But Tevez said the frustration of being dropped time and again while scoring goals and playing well for United has forced him to look elsewhere.

He added: “This season I scored four goals against Blackburn in the Carling Cup and then got dropped, I came on and scored against Porto in the quarter-final (of the Champions League) and then got dropped for the away leg.

“I scored two against Fulham and got dropped. Whether I come on the pitch and play well or whether I come on and play OK, I know I am going to get dropped.

“That creates a bad feeling for me.”

Tevez’s latest outburst is likely to alert United’s Premier League rivals to his availability – all of whom are likely to be watching the situation closely.