Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool Warned Off Inter Prodigy

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Premier League clubs Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea have been warned off Italian Under-21 International Striker Mario Balotelli, with Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti insisting that the youngster will not be leaving the San Siro when the transfer window reopens in January.

18-year-old Balotelli, who was born to a Ghanaian family before being put up for adoption, passed up the opportunity to play for Ghana in the summer after receiving a call-up to the national squad.



The Nerazzurri striker is highly thought of in Italy, and was made an Italian citizen on his 18th birthday in August, with Pierluigi Casiraghi the Italy under-21 coach already handing Balotelli 4 caps, which has seen the Inter Milan starlet score three times.

Balotelli is valued at £19million by Inter and is understood to currently earn £1.1million-a-year at Jose Mourinho’s side, with it also believed that Balotelli is eager to remain at the Italian Champions.

However, Moratti has stated that Balotelli will not be sold, despite not being a regular starter under Jose Mourinho, with reports in Italy suggesting that the young striker could be sent out on loan next month to gain valuable first team experience.

“Someone will certainly depart,” he is quoted as saying in Tuttosport on Thursday.

“but I can assure you that Balotelli will not move.”

Spurs Planning Sensational Swoop For Arsenal's Gallas?

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is considering a sensational swoop for defender William Gallas from North London rivals Arsenal, when the transfer window reopens in January, according to The Mirror.

Since ‘Gallasgate’, French International Gallas’ future at the Emirates Stadium has been shrouded in doubt, with clubs in France and Italy being linked with a move for the Gunners defender.

While, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has publicly declared that 31-year-old Gallas still has a future at the Premier League side, despite stripping the defender of the captains armband. It is understood that Gallas could still be shown the door at the Emirates come January, with Spurs now linked with a move for the Frenchman.

Former Portsmouth chief Redknapp is now believed to be weighing up an offer to bring Gallas to White Hart Lane in January. This would make the Frenchman the first player to make a direct switch between the two bitter rivals since Sol Campbell left Tottenham controversially in 2001 for Arsenal.

However, should Spurs decide to try and lure the former Chelsea player to White Hart Lane in January. They are sure to face competition from Ligue 1 club Paris St Germain along with Serie A giants Juventus, who are both also reportedly keen on Gallas.

Newcastle Boss Kinnear Slams "Disrespectful" Trapattoni

Newcastle United manager Joe Kinnear has claimed that Republic of Ireland boss Giovanni Trapattoni has been “disrespectful” to the Magpies after recommending goalkeeper Shay Given to clubs in his homeland of Italy.

Trapattoni revealed earlier this week that he had told two or three Serie A sides that Given would be a good proposition for Italian football and that they could do a lot worse than try to tempt the Irish shot stopper away from St James’ Park.

This has not gone down well with Kinnear, who has already warned off Tottenham Hotspur boss Harry Redknapp from Given recently. With Kinnear claiming that Given, who has been at the Premier League club since 1997 is happy at the Toon and would be the last player he would want to lose.

Kinnear told The Independent: "It is disrespectful to the club. Shay has got two-and-a-half years left here, a long contract and he is very happy here.

“He is a big voice in the dressing room and a top-class goalkeeper. He's the last person we'd want to lose.

“What was my reaction? Something like he is a very good judge of a goalkeeper. Maybe he was trying to get on Shay Given's good side.”

Janko Cool On Premier League Move - Spurs, Boro, Everton & Hull Linked

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Austrian International Marc Janko has played down reports linking the tall striker with a move to the Premier League, with the Red Bull Salzburg forward linked with Tottenham Hotspur, Hull City, Everton and Middlesbrough along with Serie A team AS Roma.

25-year-old Janko has been in fine form this campaign in the Austrian Bundesliga and has scored 20 goals in just 16 games, which has attracted interest from the Premiership as well as Italy and Germany, with Hertha Berlin linked with a move for Janko also.

Some reports have suggested that Janko could buy out his contract at the Red Bull Arena, but the Austrian press suggests that this is unlikely to happen, with the striker, who has been valued at anywhere between £4-8million insisting that for the present his main objective is to carry on scoring goals at the Die Bullen.

"For the moment, scoring goals is a lot easier than responding to all the questions and rumours about whether I will move and to which club," Janko told Kleine Zeitung.

“I must feel good to play well. In Salzburg, the environment is the best.

“(If I move) it will be based on sporting reasons, financial reasons and, above all, on how well I play.”