PSV Have Loan Move For Alex Rejected By Chelsea

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Dutch Eredivisie Champions PSV Eindhoven have confirmed that Premier League club Chelsea have rejected their request to take their former defender Alex back on loan to the Philips Stadion.

26-year-old Alex has become unsettled at Stamford Bridge in recent weeks, with the Brazilian International handing in a shock transfer earlier in the week to Blues manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Former Santos player Alex, who spent three seasons on loan at PSV from the Premiership club between 2004-2007, is unhappy at being left out by Scolari, with the Chelsea manager preferring Branislav Ivanovic in the absence of the injured Ricardo Carvalho.

PSV director Jan Reker has now revealed that the Dutch side did approach Chelsea about the possibility of taken Alex back on loan at PSV, but was tiold that the Brazilian will not be leavinf the Blues under any circumstances.

“We contacted Chelsea, but the answer was clear: they don't want to let him go under any circumstances,” Reker told Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

Alex has been at Chelsea since joining from Santos in 2004, but was immediately loaned out to PSV due to a joint contract with the Dutch club, with a clause that Chelsea could sign the Brazilian at any time for €1million. An option they took in 2007.

Keane: "Some Players Would Be Crying, But I'm Too Strong For That"

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Liverpool’s summer signing from Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur Robbie Keane, has claimed that he “will score a lot of goals” for the Reds, despite recent reports linking the Republic of Ireland International with a return to Spurs in January.

28-year-old Keane arrived at Anfield from White Hart Lane in a deal worth £20million, but has been misfiring since joining the Merseyside club, with the former Inter Milan player only managing to find the net twice in 15 Premiership matches for Rafa Benitez’s side so far this season.

Keane was an unused substitute for the 3-1 win against Blackburn Rovers on Saturday, which fuelled speculation that the Irishman was due foe a short stay on Merseyside, with Tottenham linked with a January move to bring Keane back to North London.

This led to Benitez, having to tell Keane that he would not be sold in January and that the striker had a future at Anfield, but just needed more time to settle in. Keane, who was restored to the starting line-up for the 3-1 win over PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Tuesday has also claimed that he wishes to remain at Liverpool and has vowed to repay Benitez’s faith in him by scoring lots of goals for the Reds.

Keane said of his performance against the Eredivisie Champions: “I am happy with my own performance, I was delighted to play in a position that I like, just off the striker.

“It meant that I was always involved, and I got an assist with the third goal. Yes, I like scoring, but I always like helping others get their goals too.

“My confidence has not been affected by things that have been said about me, things like that never get me down.

“I am confident that I will score a lot of goals for this club, I am not worried about the way things have gone, there is a lot more to come from me.

“Some players would let their heads go down and they would be crying, but I am too strong for that.

“I have only been here a few months, and it takes time to settle, so it is too early to judge me now.

“I am always confident in own ability, I have scored a lot of goals in the past, and that ability doesn't go away just like that.

“But I accept that at club like Liverpool, as a striker you are judged on the goals you score. I love scoring goals, but I also love being involved.

“I am just as pleased with assists so I will carry on doing that and it will be fine.”

Arsenal Planning January Swoop For Dutch Pair?

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Arsenal are tracking two players at former England manager Steve McClaren’s Eredivisie side FC Twente, with winger Eljero Elia along with defender Douglas (below) both reportedly on the radar of Gunners boss Arsene Wenger.

21-year-old Elia is also a target for Arsenal’s Premier League rivals Hull City, Blackburn Rovers and Everton, with the Tigers along with the Toffees and Blackburn believed to have watched Elia in action for Twente against Manchester City in the UEFA Cup recently at the Eastlands Stadium. Wenger is believed to have been at the European clash to run the rule over Elia personally.

Arsenal’s chief scout Steve Rowley is also understood to have watched Elia play for Twente against SC Heerenveen in the Eredivisie recently, with the young Dutchman putting in an electric performance.

Wenger is also believed to be interested in Twente’s Brazilian defender Douglas, with the Frenchman seeing the 20-year-old as a good prospect for the future at the Emirates Stadium.

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 one day. While, Douglas has been at the Dutch side since his transfer from Joinville EC also in 2007.

Newcastle To Go Double Dutch In January

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Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear is ready to go double Dutch in the January transfer window, with the Magpies boss revealing that his main targets to bring to St James’ Park next month all ply their trade in the Eredivisie.

61-year-old Kinnear, who has just signed a six-month extension at the Premier League club after replacing Kevin Keegan in September has insisted that any players arriving at the Toon in January must be proven and better than the players he already has at his disposal.

Kinnear told The Sun: “The players we are looking at now have got to be proven. We don’t want to chance our arm with 'maybes'.

“They are all playing in Holland and I believe that whoever I have identified will be better than we have got.”

Recent reports suggest that Ajax left-back Urby Emanuelson (see video) is on Kinnear’s list along with Tim de Cler, who plays for Feyenoord and is also a left-sided player. With Kinnear identifying the Magpies left side as a weakness and is keen to add a naturally left-sided defender to the Squad at Newcastle.

22-year-old Emanuelson is a product of the famous youth academy at the Amsterdam Arena and has made 91 appearances for Ajax in the Eredivisie since making his senior debut in 2005. Emanuelson has been capped by Holland 11 times, but despite playing a major part in the EURO 2008 qualifier’s for the Dutch did not make the final squad that participated in last summers tournament that was co-hosted by Austria and Switzerland.

30-year-old De Cler is also a Dutch International and has been at Feyenoord since joining from AZ Alkmaar in 2007 and has made 32 league appearances for De club van het volk.

Redknapp To Let Kids Earn Their Spurs Against NEC

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp has revealed that the UEFA Cup is not a priority for Spurs, with the former Portsmouth boss instead insisting that the Premier League is most important to the North London club.

Spurs are due to face Eredivisie side NEC Nijmegen in the UEFA Cup on Thursday, with Redknapp set to include youngsters John Bostock (left), Yaser Kasim, Adam Smith, Ryan Mason and and John Obika in the Tottenham squad to face the Dutch side.

Redknapp will rest more senior members of the Spurs squad ahead of the Premiership clash with Everton at White Hart Lane on Sunday, with Redknapp insisting it is important to keep Tottenham’s recent run going due to the tight situation in the Premier League this season.

“We have to be honest, the league is what is most important to us,” Redknapp said.

“We have to keep the run going because the league is so tight. We've had a great run and we're still down there."

Loan signing from Manchester United, Fraizer Campbell could be in line to start for Spurs due to Russian International Roman Pavlyuchenko being cup-tied along with defender Vedran Corluka.

Arsenal To Swoop For Hull, Blackburn & Everton Target?

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Arsenal are being linked with a swoop for Hull City, Blackburn Rovers and Everton target Eljero Elia at Eredivisie side FC Twente, who are managed by former England boss Steve McClaren.

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 recently at the Eastlands Stadium. Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is believed to have been at the European clash to run the rule over Elia personally.

It seems that the North London club are preparing to make a move for 21-year-old Elia in January, with De Telegraaf claiming that Gunners chief scout Steve Rowley was in Holland at the weekend to see Elia turn in an electric performance in the 6-0 rout of SC Heerenveen. (see video)

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 one day.

McClaren has used Elia on the wing this season, but the player can play as a secondary striker and has scored 6 goals in 43 appearances for the Reds. Elia still 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.

Hull, Man City, Blackburn & Everton Target Elia To Give "100%"

Young Dutch star Eljero Elia has claimed that he will continue to give “100%” for Eredivisie side FC Twente, despite reports linking the striker with a move to the Premier League in January, with Manchester City, Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Hull City all said to be interested in bringing Elia to England.

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 recently at the Eastlands Stadium.

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 scored 6 goals in 43 appearances for the Reds. Elia still 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.

However, Elia insists that he will continue to concentrate on playing football for McLaren’s side, but concedes that he has “ambitions” like any other player.

“I allow my agent to handle all these things and I concentrate on football,” he told Sportweek.

“I will give 100% for FC Twente for as long as I play for them.

“Of course I have ambitions, like every other player, but while there is nothing concrete I cannot say anything about it.”

City Boss Hughes Tells Elano To Stop Feeling Blue

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has revealed that Brazilian International Elano’s comments about being unhappy at being left on the bench recently have been dealt with internally, with the former Blackburn Rovers boss reminding the playmaker that he has actually had a lot of playing time at the Eastlands Stadium this season.

27-year-old Elano had voiced his discontent to the media about being left on the bench for the UEFA Cup clash with Eredivisie side FC Twente and then again for the 2-1 Premier League defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at the Eastlands on Sunday.

Elano felt the need to make his opinion heard through the press, despite starting 8 out of City’s 12 Premiership games this campaign. Which has not endeared the former Shakhtar Donetsk player to Hughes, who insists Elano went about it in the wrong way.

“I had to remind Elano he actually has played quite often this year,” said Hughes.

“It was an internal matter and has been dealt with, so we draw a line over it and we move on.

“The mistake Elano made is that he went the wrong way about it. I always say my door is open, you can knock on my door and we'll discuss it. He just took and chose the wrong option.”

Hull, Everton, Blackburn & Man City In January Race For Elia?

Premier League debutantes Hull City along with Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Manchester City are set for a January race for the signature of Dutch Under-21 International Eljero Elia at Eredivisie side FC Twente, according to skysports.com.

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.

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 scored 6 goals in 43 appearances for the Reds. Elia still 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.