Mancini Would Welcome Chelsea Job - Agent

*

Roberto Mancini's agent Maurizio De Giorgis has revealed that there has been no contact from Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea, who have both been linked with the former Inter Milan boss in recent reports, but did admit that Mancini would welcome the opportunity to take charge at Stamford Bridge.

After a disastrous sequence of results that sees City just two-points off the drop-zone and knocked out of the FA Cup last week 3-0 by Championship club Nottingham Forest at the Eastlands Stadium. The ADUG are reportedly ready to axe Hughes and replace him with former Italian International Mancini after just 20 league games in charge of a Blues team, which has blown more cold than hot in recent weeks.

Chelsea have also been linked with Mancini, who has been staying in London to learn English, with the Italian open to managing in the Premier League. Blues boss Luiz Felipe Scolari has come under fire at Stamford Bridge recently, with Sunday’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford fuelling speculation that the Brazilian like Hughes could be heading for an exit from the West London club in his first season in charge.

However, De Giorgis insists that, no approach, for Mancini has been made by either club and dismissed reports that the former San Siro chief had met with officials from City recently.

De Giorgis told Goal.com: “I would know everything and I can tell you with certainty no club has come forward for Mancini.

“We have not had any contact with Chelsea, Manchester City or any other English club for that matter.

“For now no one has been in touch and therefore all this news is unfounded.

“We were not in England last week. In the past we have been because Mancini has been studying English.

“I can tell you for sure Mancini is in Italy at the moment. He has been for quite some time.

“It's impossible he was seen in another place by other people. These reports are untrue.”

De Giorgis did concede that if Chelsea were to come calling then he would be more than happy to talk to the Premiership side.

“I certainly hope they [Chelsea] come forward but, like I said, nothing so far,” added De Giorgis.

“If they call, then we will answer them, obviously.”

44-year-old Mancini was sacked by Inter last summer and replaced with former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, despite winning three consecutive Scudetti, with the Nerazzurri and the Coppa Italia and the Supercoppa Italiana in 2005 and 2006.

Arsenal, Spurs & City In Hunt For Veloso?

*

Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso looks destined for a switch to the Premier League, with Arsenal along with Tottenham Hotspur heavily linked to the Portuguese International last summer.

22-year-old Veloso had reportedly been close to signing for Spurs at the end of last summer, with Gunners manager Arsene Wenger also keen to add the holding midfielder to his squad at the Emirates Stadium. Although no move to the Premiership materialised in the summer, Veloso is understood to have fallen out with Sporting coach Paulo Bento, which has fuelled speculation that the midfielder will leave the Leoes.

This will also interest Manchester City, who are eager to add an anchorman to the midfield at the Eastlands and could see Veloso as a better option than West Ham United’s Scott Parker. Arsenal’s need for Veloso has also become greater due to the injury to captain Cesc Fabregas, who will be on the sidelines at the North London club for three-months, with a knee ligament injury.

Spurs are also believed to want to shore up the midfield at White Hart Lane so that manager Harry Redknapp can play Luka Modric in the middle and give the Croatian schemer more licence to get forward. Veloso is also left-footed, which make the Sporting player even more appealing as Redknapp also looks to add balance to the midfield.



Veloso has come through the youth ranks at Sporting and has made over 50 league appearances since making his debut in 2006 at the Estadio Jose Alvalade, with the Portuguese side valuing the midfielder at anywhere up to £20million.

AC Milan, Newcastle United, Juventus, Everton and Manchester United have all been linked with Veloso in the past, with it remaining to be seen if the talented young midfielder will indeed end up in the Premier League.

Chelsea Beat Arsenal & City To Turkish Prodigy

*

Chelsea, have beaten Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester City to the signature of Turkish starlet Abdulkadir Kayali at MKE Ankaragucu, according to sources in Turkey.

The Gunners along with City are understood to have made offers to bring 17-year-old Kayali to the Premiership, but the midfielder has chosen to continue his football education at Stamford Bridge under the guidance of former Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari. Rather, than the Eastlands or Emirates Stadium, where both Mark Hughes and Arsene Wenger were keen to attract the Turkish Under-17 International.

It is understood that a fee of £1.5million has been agreed between Ankaragucu and Chelsea and that Kayali has signed a five-year deal at the West London club, with the youngster due to join the Blues next month when he turns 18.

City To Swoop For Arsenal Legend Henry?

*

Manchester City, are considering a bid to bring Arsenal legend Thierry Henry back to the Premier League from La Liga giants Barcelona, according to the Daily Mail.

31-year-old Henry, who left the Emirates Stadium for the Nou Camp in 2007 as the Gunners record goal-scorer, with 226 in 369 appearances in all competitions for the North London club had been linked with a move to City’s rivals, Premiership Champions Manchester United in the summer.

However, United chose to sign Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham Hotspur and French International Henry remained at the Blaugrana, where after a slow start in his debut season in La Liga he is now a pivotal figure in Pep Guardiola’s team, who are currently top of La Liga.

Henry, who scored a hat-trick at the weekend in the 4-0 destruction of Valencia is understood to be open to a return to England, with City backed by the wealth of owner’s the ADUG prepared offer the striker a mega-deal in personal terms in order to lure the forward to the Eastlands.

While, Barca will be reluctant to let Henry leave the Catalan club it is understood that Henry is unhappy at the racist taunts himself and Cameroon International Samuel Eto’o suffer in away games and this could be enough to see the former AS Monaco striker quit the Nou Camp and return to England, with City.

Chamakh Keen On City Move, But Would Prefer Arsenal Or Spurs - Watch Him In Action

*

Moroccan International Marouane Chamakh has revealed that he is interested in joining Premier League club Manchester City, but sees the potential move only as a stepping-stone to signing for a bigger club in the Premiership, with the striker stating recently that he would favour a move to either Arsenal or Tottenham Hotspur.

24-year-old Chamakh has been at Bordeaux since 2001, with the Moroccan making his senior debut for the French side in 2002 and has made 165 league appearances during his time at Bordeaux. The French-born striker made his debut for Morocco in 2003 and has 12 goals in 34 caps for his country.

Chamakh told setanta.com: “Of course I am interested in Manchester City and hopefully, one day, I will end up playing in England.

“Pascal Chimbonda opened the doors to French League players by moving to a relatively modest team before joining a bigger club, Tottenham, and I could follow his example.

“A foreign player can learn by playing for a mid-table team, because you always need to adapt, and then aim higher.

“I have been told that moving to England is a culture shock, but as far as I am concerned, I am not from a French culture and made it here so, to my mind, I can adapt.”

However, while he is interested in a switch to the Eastlands Stadium the Moroccan would prefer to ply his trade at either the Emirates Stadium or White Hart Lane, with the forward claiming that a move to Spurs would be “magnificent”, while revealing that he also “really liked” the Gunners.

“I will reach the end of my contract in 2010. I haven't met any officials yet. I am open to Bordeaux or anything else,” he told L'Equipe recently.

“In principle, I will not leave for another French club. My objective if I have to leave Les Girondins is to go abroad, preferably to England.

“Let's wait for the end of the current season to see if we will play in the Champions League and if the coach (Laurent Blanc) will stay.

“A London club is always exciting. I really like Arsenal, but a club like Tottenham would be magnificent for me too. It all depends on the circumstances.”

Milan Dismiss Link With Arsenal's Gallas

• 
  

Serie A giants AC Milan have moved quickly to quell reports that they are preparing to launch a January bid for Arsenal defender William Gallas.

31-year-old Gallas’ future at the Emirates Stadium has become shrouded in doubt after being stripped of the captaincy at the Gunners by manager Arsene Wenger after comments the French International made to the media last week.

Gallas was subsequently dropped from the Arsenal team that lost 3-0 to Manchester City at the Eastlands Stadium in the Premier League last Saturday. However, Gallas was restored to the starting line-up for Arsenal’s 1-0 Champions League win against Dynamo Kiev on Tuesday and was praised by his performance by Wenger.

The Frenchman’s agent has already declared that Gallas does not wish to leave the North London club, with reports recently linking the defender with a move back to France.

Reports earlier on Wednesday have linked the Rossoneri with a January bid to take Gallas to the San Siro, but Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has rejected the reports and insisted that there will be no new arrivals at Milan in January. Instead Galliani declared that Milan’s focus is on their UEFA Cup clash with Premiership club Portsmouth on Thursday and continuing their recent form in Europe is what mattered most.

“Gallas? We won't be making any signings in January and we are only thinking about tomorrow's Uefa Cup clash,” Galliani claimed on Datasport.it.

“What matters now is that we continue our form in Europe after picking up six points in the last two games,” he added.

“There will be changes in the team tomorrow night, but every player in our squad is important and so I don't think we will struggle on the pitch.”

Man City Plan £6million Raid For Tiger Turner?

Manchester City are planning a £6million raid on Premier League debutantes Hull City when the transfer window reopens in January, with defender Michael Turner the target for City, according to The Mirror.

While the Tigers have been the surprise package of the Premiership this season. Turner has been putting in solid performances for the Yorkshire club this campaign and has been an ever-present for Hull, who are 6th in the league.

Turner’s form has alerted City boss Mark Hughes, who is expected reinforce a leaky defence at the Eastlands Stadium in January, with a £6million offer to lure Turner away from the KC Stadium being mooted.

25-year-old Turner, who joined Hull from Brentford in 2006 for just £350,000 has been a sensation under Tigers boss Phil Brown and has even been tipped for a call-up to Fabio Capello’s England squad.

However, Turner signed a new three-year deal at the KC Stadium in April and any move by City to prise Turner away is likely to be resisted fiercely by Brown, despite the huge profit that could be made on the former, Charlton Athletic defender.

Toure To City, Gallas To Anyone, £6million Upson Back To Arsenal As Wenger Rings The Changes

• 
  

Following the events at Arsenal this week and the Gunners 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the Eastlands Stadium on Saturday, which leaves the North London club 10 points off the pace in the Premier League. Speculation is rife that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will make wholesale changes at the Emirates in January, when the transfer window opens.

French International William Gallas (above) is almost a certainty to leave Arsenal in January after his outburst about rifts and unrest within the corridors of the Emirates Stadium. Gallas has been stripped of the captaincy, suspended by the Premiership club and been told he can leave the Gunners by Wenger, according to reports. With a return to one of the big clubs in France his most likely destination.

Other reports on Sunday have linked Manchester City with a move for Arsenal’s Ivory Coast International Kolo Toure, with City boss Mark Hughes keen to bolster a leaky defence at the Eastlands, despite keeping a clean sheet against the Gunners on Saturday.

Toure the vice-captain at Arsenal would have been favourite to take over from outcast Gallas, but it is understood Wenger has concerns over the defender’s fitness and will opt for Cesc Fabregas instead. Toure has also not been an automatic choice for the North London club this campaign when fit and this lack of backing from Wenger could pave the way for a January move to Man City and end his six-year stay at Arsenal.

With regards to players coming to Arsenal in January, Matthew Upson at West Ham United is said to be a £6million target for Wenger, who sold the player to Birmingham City in 2003 after Upson failed to make the grade with the Gunners after six-years at the club, according to the Sunday Express.

Wenger has always maintained an admiration for Upson, who has forced his way back into the England manager Fabio Capello’s thoughts and put in a superb performance for England in their 2-1 win against Germany in Berlin on Wednesday. So if as expected Gallas departs from Arsenal in January then a move for Upson could materialise as Wenger would need to replace the French International at the Emirates.

Ajax Seeking Replacement For Arsenal, Man City & Real Target Huntelaar

• 
  

Ajax chief Danny Blind has revealed that the Dutch club are actively seeking a replacement for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who is expected to leave the Amsterdam Arena in January, with La Liga Champions Real Madrid or Premier League sides Arsenal and Manchester City the likely destination.

25-year-old Huntelaar has been heavily linked with a move to the Gunners or Los Merengues in Spain, with the prolific striker yet to sign a new deal at the Eredivisie club, which has prompted Blind to start the search for Huntelaar’s replacement. Gronigen striker Markus Berg is thought to be one of the potential targets.

"He is one of but a number of foreign attackers we are intensively following,” admitted Blind.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has been an admirer of Huntelaar since the striker featured in Dennis Bergkamp’s testimonial for the Gunners, scoring the first goal at their new Emirates Stadium.

While Real coach Bernd Schuster will make every attempt to land Huntelaar after losing striker Ruud van Nistelrooy to injury for the rest of the season and sees Nistelrooy’s countryman as an ideal replacement.

Another destination for Huntelaar could be Manchester City, who reportedly had an offer of €40million turned down by the Dutch side in a deadline day attempt to lure Huntelaar to the Eastlands Stadium.

Huntelaar has been at Ajax since his move from SC heerenveen in 2005 and has scored an incredible 75 goals in 90 league appearances during his time at the Amsterdam Arena, making the striker one of the hottest properties in Europe.

Man City v Arsenal Premiership Preview: Schmeichel In For Hart For City – Fabregas Suspended & Walcott Injured For Gunners

• 
  

Manchester City play, Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal in the Premier League at the Eastlands Stadium on Saturday.

Mark Hughes will be hoping his City side can capitalise on Arsenal’s up and down form this season in the Premiership. However, the Blues have also been inconsistent and go into this clash with the Gunners with only a point from their last four games in the Premier League after halting a run of three straight defeats last weekend in the 2-2 draw with Hull City at the KC Stadium. This slide in form sees City in 12th place in the table, but only a point off the relegation zone.

Gunners boss Wenger will be looking for his young Arsenal side to bounce straight back after losing 2-0 to Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium last week after beating European Champions Manchester United the week before. However, Arsenal are still 4th
points if they are to close the nine-point gap on Chelsea and Liverpool at the top of the table.

City are unable to call on Martin Petrov (knee), Valeri Bojinov (calf), Michael Johnson (groin) or Daniel Sturridge (ankle) for the visit of the Gunners. Kasper Schmeichel is set to replace Joe Hart in goal for the Blues, with Hart ruled out for a month with an ankle injury.

Arsenal will be without long-term injury Tomas Rosicky (hamstring) along with defender Bacary Sagna (ankle). While Wenger will also be ruing the loss of Theo Walcott, who will be out for three months after dislocating his shoulder on International duty with England.

Wenger has also revealed that Kolo Toure is a major doubt and that he is yet to assess the fitness of Emmanuel Adebayor and Carlos Vela after the midweek International’s.

Wenger told Arsenal TV Online: “Kolo Toure is a major doubt. He got an injury on his calf with Ivory Coast. But apart from him and Adebayor, who flies in tonight and I have not spoken to, everybody is OK.

“I will need everybody on board. We only get back Carlos Vela tomorrow morning, maybe the afternoon. So when he lands we will have to transfer him to Manchester.”

Spanish International Cesc Fabregas is suspended, but Wenger has Robin van Persie back from suspension, with Emmanuel Eboue expected to shake off a knne injury in time for the trip to the Eastlands.

Manchester City: (from) Schmeichel, Richards, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Elano, Vassell, Jo, Garrido, Mills, Fernandes, Calcedo, Hamann, Dunne, Evans, Castillo, Ben Haim, Benjani, Etuhu, Kompany, Logan, Glauber

Arsenal: (from) Almunia, Diaby, Toure, Nasri, Gallas, van Persie, Vela, Denilson, Ramsey, Song, Silvestre, Wilshere, Djourou, Fabianski, Clichy, Mannone, Adebayor, Bendtner, Eboue, Bischoff, Coquelin, Fonte, Gibbs, Hoyte, Lansbury, Merida, Randall, Simpson

Hull v Man City Premiership Preview: Geovanni Set To Face Former Club For Tigers – Dunne & Fernandes Suspended For City

• 
  

Hull City, play Mark Hughes’ Manchester City at the KC Stadium on Sunday in the Premier League.

Tigers boss Phil Brown will be hoping his Hull side can get back to winning ways after losing their last three Premier League matches to Chelsea, Manchester United and Bolton Wanderers. However, Hull are still 6th in the Premiership and are still the surprise package of the season, with Brown hoping his Tigers can collect all three points against a City side that are poor away from the Eastlands.

Mark Hughes’ team have only won once on their travels this campaign a 3-0 win at the Stadium of Light against Sunderland in August and go into this clash with Premier League debutantes Hull on the back of a home defeat to Tottenham Hotspur last Sunday. City’s in and out form has seen them slip to 13th in the Premiership, with Hughes hoping his side can start to pick up points on the road to realise a lofty aim of a top-four finish this term.

The Tigers will be without Craig Fagan (broken leg) and Anthony Gardner (thigh) for the visit of City, with Brazilian Geovanni, Marlon King and Daniel Cousin expected to spearhead a three-pronged attack for the Tigers.

Man City are without Martin Petrov (knee), Valeri Bojinov (calf) and Michael Johnson (groin) for the trip to the KC Stadium. While, Richard Dunne and Gelson Fernandes will miss the clash through suspension after being sent off against Spurs.

Hull City: (from) Myhill, Doyle, Dawson, Ahsbee, Turner, Barmby, Windass, Geovanni, Hughes, Duke, France, Garcia, Mendy, Halmosi, McShane, Folan, Boateng, Marney, King, Zayatte, Cousin, Warner, Featherstone, Atkinson, Stelios

Manchester City: (from) Hart, Richards, Ball, Onuoha, Zabaleta, Ireland, Wright-Phillips, Robinho, Elano, Vassell, Jo, Garrido, Schmeichel, Mills, Calcedo, Hamann, Evans, Castillo, Ben Haim, Benjani, Sturridge, Etuhu, Logan, Kompany, Glauber

Hull To Beat Everton & Blackburn To Dutch Under-21 International?

Premier League debutantes Hull City are the favourites ahead of Blackburn Rovers and Everton to sign Dutch Under-21 International Eljero Elia of FC Twente after his agent Sjaron Vink revealed there had been interest from the Premiership and singled out the Yorkshire side for their progression in recent years.

The Tigers along with the Toffees and Blackburn are believed to have watched 21-year-old Elia in former England manager Steve McClaren’s Twente side that played Man City in the UEFA Cup last Thursday at the Eastlands Stadium, with Hull manager Phil Brown understood to have been there in person to run the rule over Elia.

However, Vink has conceded that there has been no official contact from any Premier League club including the Tigers.

“I know that there has been some interest in Eljero but we have not heard anything from Hull City,” Vink told setantasports.com.

“It is a dream of every Dutch player to move to England but whether that is now or in the future, I cannot say.

“In Holland we have of course heard about Hull, and the way they have progressed through the leagues very quickly.”

Elia, who joined Twente from ADO Den Haag in 2007 had attracted attention from La Liga side Valencia in the summer, but opted against a move to the Mestalla and revealed a desire to ply his trade in the Premiership.

McClaren has used Elia on the wing this season, but the player can play as a secondary striker and has more than two-years to run on his present deal at the Grolsh Veste, but it is understood that Twente will not stand in the players way should the Premier League beckon in January, with the KC Stadium the likely destination.

Man City Set To Join Spurs In January Race For Diarra?

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is set to make a £10million offer for Tottenham Hotspur transfer target, Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra in January. City are also ready to offer the French International, a staggering £85,00-a-week in order to beat off any rival offer by the North London club, according to The Mirror.

23-year-old Diarra has only been at Pompey since his transfer from Arsenal in January and is under contract at Fratton Park until 2011, but it is understood that new manager Tony Adams will have to sell players in when the transfer window reopens in January after taking over from Harry Redknapp at the South coast side.

New Spurs boss Redknapp has also been linked with a move for Diarra in January, with Tottenham lacking a midfield general at White Hart Lane since the departure of Michael Carrick to Premier League Champions Manchester United in 2006. Tottenham are also understood to have had an offer for the Frenchman turned down during the summer, while Redknapp was still in charge at Portsmouth.

Although Tottenham still remain favourites to sign Diarra due to Redknapp’s, existing relationship with the midfielder. City are in a position to offer the former Chelsea player far more in the way of personal terms now that the Manchester club are being bankrolled by the ADUG. Which could see Diarra opt for the Eastlands Stadium rather than a reunion with Redknapp at White Hart Lane.