Real Madrid strike Canales deal

January 23, 2010

Real Madrid look to have won the race to sign Racing Santander’s Sergio Canales.

Sergio’ father and agent, Angel Canales, has claimed his son has agreed a five-year contract to join the Madrid giants .

The Racing teenager has shot to prominence over recent weeks, with a number of eye-catching displays drawing admiring glances from Europe’s top clubs.

At just 18-years-old the talented playmaker has become one of the continent’s hottest properties.

Such interest has made it virtually impossible for Racing to convince the youngster than his long-term future lies at El Sardinero.

They could, however, benefit from the agreement reported to have been struck with capital giants Real.

Racing are set to receive €6 million compensation from los Blancos for a player who would be out of contract in the summer.

And Real are also believed to have agreed to send the youngster back to Racing on loan for the next two seasons, with regular first-team football needed to help aid his development.

Chelsea, Barcelona and Manchester City were all reported to have been chasing Canales’ signature during the January transfer window but, while they were prepared to offer a better financial package to player and club, the Spain Under 19 international feels a move to Madrid is the best choice for his career.

“The decision was Sergio’s and he thinks that Real offer the best option in a sporting sense,” said Angel Canales.

Tags: 18 years, 6 million, admiring glances, angel canales, Barcelona, best choice, CHELSEA, Europe, giants, los blancos, MADRID, manchester city, playmaker, prominence, racing santander, santander, Sergio, Sergio Canales, signature, Spain, team football, teenager, top clubs, two seasons, youngster

United nearly man Ljajic signs for Fiorentina

January 14, 2010

Serbia’s promising midfielder Adem Ljajic has signed for Fiorentina, the Italian club said on its website on Wednesday.

The teenager still needs to pass a medical to complete his move from Partizan Belgrade for a reported eight million euros, according to the Belgrade daily Press.

Ljajic, 18, came close to joining English champions Manchester United before the Red Devils pulled out of a deal last year.

Considered one of the most talented youngsters in Serbian football, Ljajic previously refused several offers from clubs in Russia.

A year ago, Ljajic was unveiled by Manchester United alongside countryman Zoran Tosic.

However, while Tosic joined United immediately, Ljajic was too young to do so and United stated that he would be loaned back to Partizan and would join in January 2010, by which time he would have turned 18.

However, last month United announced that they had passed up their option on the playmaker due to problems in securing a work permit.

ROME (AFP)

Tags: Belgrade, countryman, Devils, english champions, italian club, Ljajic, Manchester, manchester united, playmaker, red devils, ROME, russia, serbia, serbian, signs, talented youngsters, teenager, work permit

Wunderkind Kroos to return to Bayern next season

November 28, 2009

Rising German football star Toni Kroos will return to Bayern Munich next season after being loaned to Bayer Leverkusen since January, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Friday.

“Toni will return to Bayern and will become an important player for the club,” said Rummenigge.

Leverkusen had hoped to hold on to the teenager, who is under contract with Bayern until June 2010.

The 19-year-old was voted player of the tournament at the Under-17 World Cup in 2007, but had failed to regularly break into the Bayern first-team.

He joined Leverkusen to get more play as his game was limited at Bayern with the presence of Miroslav Klose, Luca Toni and Lukas Podolski.

Kroos played 19 times for Bayern between 2007 and 2009.

He has played 23 games for Leverkusen, scoring four goals.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP)

Tags: 19 year old, bayer leverkusen, Bayern, club chairman, football star, game, games, german football, Germany, karl heinz, karl heinz rummenigge, klose, LEVERKUSEN, Lukas, Lukas Podolski, miroslav klose, Munich, munich germany, presence, teenager, Toni, toni kroos, World Cup, wunderkind

Cruyff to coach Catalonia side

November 3, 2009

Former Holland and Barcelona star Johan Cruyff is to take over as coach of the Catalonia regional team in Spain, the Catalonia Football Federation said Monday.

It said Cruyff would be officially unveiled on November 9 in the Catalan capital of Barcelona.

The Catalonia team is not affiliated with either FIFA or UEFA, but does play international and regional friendly matches.

Cruyff, 62, a three-time European footballer of the year, started his career as a teenager at Ajax before going on to enjoy huge success with Barcelona, as a coach and a player, and with the Dutch national side.

MADRID (AFP)

Tags: Barcelona, coach, dutch national side, european footballer of the year, FIFA, football federation, Holland, johan cruyff, MADRID, regional team, Spain, teenager, uefa

Abgonlahor determined to grab World Cup chance

October 7, 2009

Gabriel Agbonlahor could be about to find out if he got the biggest call of his career right.

As a teenager, the Aston Villa striker had the option of playing international football for either Nigeria, the land of his doctor father, or Scotland, from where his mother hails.

Instead, he backed himself to make the grade with England and now he finds himself vowing to grab his chance to force his way into Fabio Capello’s World Cup plans.

Agbonlahor has been in superb form this season after undergoing an upper-body strengthening regime and, after five goals in as many games, has been rewarded with a call up to Capello’s squad for the upcoming qualifiers in the Ukraine and at home to Belarus.

The matches are effectively irrevelant for England, who have already booked their place in South Africa after eight straight wins in their group. But, for fringe players like Agbonlahor, the stakes are extremely high with Capello facing tough decisions on who to include as back-up strikers for his first-choice forward combination of Wayne Rooney and Emile Heskey.

Agbonlahor last played for England in a defeat in Spain in February.

And the 22-year-old admitted the intervening months have been tough.

“The England recall means a lot to me,” he confided. “I’ve been disappointed I’ve not made the last two squads so I’m happy to get back in.

“Just to get in front of someone like (Sunderland striker) Darren Bent, who has scored seven goals, means he (Capello) is appreciating what I’m doing at the moment.

“I just have to try to keep it up and stay in the squad. I knew that if I got back to my best I was in with a chance of getting in there.

“The manager has given me a chance so hopefully I can reward him if I get an opportunity to play in either of the two games coming up.”

England will face Brazil in Qatar next month and then play a friendly in February before Capello announces his provisional squad for the finals.

Agbonlahor may have a few World Cups ahead of him, but he is desperate to be involved this time around.

“If the likes of Wayne Rooney or first choice strikers were to get injured in the World Cup, the manager wants to know who can replace them.

“I think that is what he is looking at now. Hopefully I will get my chance in the next two games and show him I can do the business.

“I’ll do my best to try and impress him in training and try to get on in the games.

“I think I am getting better game by game but I have to try to continue that. I think I’ve been improving every year and I’m always looking to improve even further.”

Agbonlahor has thrived at Villa whether he has been used in a wide role or at the tip of a 4-5-1 formation and his goal return – 10, 11 and 13 in the last three seasons – has steadily improved.

“For a striker, it’s all about goals,” he said. “Even if you are working hard in other areas, you are judged by how many goals you score.

“At the moment things are going well for me, my confidence is high and I’m certainly not complaining about scoring in five successive games!

“But I always try to keep my feet on the ground because I know there will be times during the season when I am not scoring. That’s when you have to get your head down and work at things.”

Capello has called up goalkeeper Joe Hart and centreback Gary Cahill after losing Paul Robinson (hip) and defender Joleon Lescott (calf) to injury.

For Hart, currently on loan at Birmingham from Manchester City, the call-up represents a chance to force his way into contention for a trip to the World Cup finals in South Africa next year.

He joins fellow keepers Portsmouth’s David James and West Ham’s Robert Green in a squad from which Ben Foster was conspicuously absent.

Foster’s omission has been put down to a chest injury but the Manchester United man was not asked to report for an examination by the England medical staff, suggesting Capello had decided to drop him anyway following a string of high-profile errors in recent matches for his club.

Bolton’s Cahill travelled to Kazakhstan with Capello’s squad in June but has yet to make his England debut.

LONDON (AFP)

Tags: aston villa, brazil, decisions, Emile Heskey, fabio capello, gabriel agbonlahor, nigeria, regime, South Africa, striker, strikers, Sunderland, teenager, two games, wayne rooney, World Cup

Le Havre threatened by Man United with action

September 7, 2009

Premier League giants Manchester United have warned Le Havre on Monday that action could be taken against the French club, if it continues to claim financial inducements were paid to the family of a teenager signed by the Old Trafford club.

Le Havre’s president Jean-Pierre Louvel had claimed that the Red Devils offered 16-year-old midfielder Paul Pogba’s parents cash and a house to join them.

United said it will rigorously defend any complaint by Le Havre to FIFA, which last week banned Chelsea from signing any players until Jan. 2011 for encouraging French striker Gael Kakuta to break his contract with Lens to join them.

Le Havre accused United of stealing Pogba, who has captained the national team at under-16 level, when he left the club in July.

Louvel said his parents were each offered €100,000 as well as a house in Manchester for them to live in.

“United has today written to Le Havre AC to put it on notice that action will be taken if such allegations are repeated in relation to the transfer of Paul Pogba,” United said in a statement. “Manchester United is entirely satisfied that the transfer of Paul Pogba has been conducted in accordance with the regulations set down by the world governing body, FIFA.

“Manchester United is ready to defend any claim brought against it by Le Havre at FIFA.”

United stressed that the documentation relating to the player’s registration with the club have already been fully ratified by The Football Association and the Premier League.

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: allegations, body fifa, CHELSEA, football association, french club, giants, inducements, jean pierre, kakuta, Le Havre, man united, Manchester, manchester united, parents, Paul Pogba, premier league, red devils, striker, teenager, world governing body

Pique keen on Fabregas swoop

September 4, 2009

Barcelona defender Gerard Pique hopes Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas will join the Catalonia giants next summer.

Fabregas left Barca as a teenager for the Gunners in 2003 and is now the Premier League club’s captain.

Speculation has often suggested he could seal a move back to La Liga, but the Spain international has regularly dismissed the claims.

Recent reports, however, have alleged that Fabregas could leave the Emirates Stadium for Barca in 2010.

Barca already boast the likes of Andres Iniesta and Xavi, and Pique feels the addition of Fabregas would make the European champions an even stronger outfit.

“The arrival of Cesc Fabregas at Barcelona next season would be very positive,” he told Onda Cero Radio.

“I am a lover of the game and with Cesc playing in our midfield we would be even more of a world-class side.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Andres Iniesta, arsenal, barca, Barcelona, captain. Speculation, catalonia, emirates, Emirates Stadium, european champions, fabregas, gerard pique, giants, gunners, keen, midfield, premier league, radio, Spain, swoop, teenager, xavi

Teenager leaders Norway past Iceland

August 28, 2009

Norway did what they needed to do to beat Iceland 1-0 and remain alive at the UEFA Women’s Championship 2009 in Finland.

The only goal of the match, played at Lahti Stadium, was scored just before the half time whistle and it was teenager Cecilie Pedersen to break the deadlock.

The 18-year-old appeared in Norway’s starting line-up for the first time and returned the favor by scoring a crucial goal. Pedersen beat two defenders and then beat keeper Helgadottir for what turned out to be the winning goal.

Iceland had actually been the better side in the first half and almost went ahead early on, but Dora Maria Larusdottir’s effort came back from the fast post.

Norway now need to beat France in their final group game to ensure finishing in second place, although a draw may be enough to qualify as one of the two best numbers three.

Jonathan Roorda

Tags: 18 year old, Cecilie Pedersen, deadlock, dora maria, Dora Maria Larusdottir, final group, Finland, France, half time, Lahti Stadium, Norway, pedersen, teenager, uefa, whistle

Reds close in on Czech star

August 26, 2009

European giants Liverpool are set to bring in Jakub Sokolik from Banik Ostrava, according to the defender’s agent.

The teenager, who turns 16 on Friday, is understood to be on his way to Merseyside to hold talks over a possible contract with the Premier League giants.

Sokolik’s representative Pavel Zika expects the move to go through in the very near future.

“It is a regular transfer on the basis of an agreement between two clubs,” Zika tolf CTK.

“During the next few days we should finalise the deal.”

Sokolik has played for Czech Republic at Under 16 level and is regarded as an exciting prospect for the future.

Liverpool have been tracking his progress for some time and Banik general manager Werner Licka is not surprised Rafa Benitez’s men have stepped up their interest.

Licka said: “On the club level we are basically agreed with Liverpool, but it is not concluded yet because Jakub is travelling to Liverpool to discuss the terms of the contract.

“It is no coincidence that they have chosen him. He has a great potential to gain ground there.

“He knows what he wants and he is all right in the head. Personally, I am no big fan of transfers of such young players to foreign leagues but, on the other hand, the interest of Liverpool is a huge reward for our work.”

Banik chairman Tomas Trucha added: “If he reaches the first team just once, then it would make the transfer one of the biggest in Banik’s club history.”

Abhimanyu Rajput

Tags: Benitez, coincidence, czech republic, few days, giants, great potential, licka, Liverpool, Merseyside, ostrava, Pavel, Pavel Zika, premier league, reds, sokolik, teenager, Tomas Trucha, werner, Werner Licka

Soumare set for Boulogne switch

August 26, 2009

Major League Football side Chicago Fire’s player Bakary Soumare is set to move to Boulogne-sur-Mer, the Ligue 1 club said.

And the player has also agreed a four-year contract, the club said on its Web site Monday.

The 24-year-old Mali defender was named to the MLS’ Best IX last year but was fined an undisclosed amount following a halftime altercation with coach Denis Hamlett during a 3-2 loss at Houston on Aug. 9.

He didn’t return to the team after the incident.

Soumare was born in Mali before moving to France as a youth and later moved to New York City as a teenager. He was drafted by Chicago in 2007 after just one year playing at the University of Virginia.

Promoted to Ligue 1 last season, Boulogne-sur-Mer is currently seventh with two wins and a loss, three points behind title holder and leader Bordeaux.

Abhimanyu Rajput