City Tracking Buffon Alternative?

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Manchester City have widened their search for a new goalkeeper at the Premier League club, with it believed that scouts from City were in Spain at the weekend to run the rule over Villarreal keeper Diego Lopez.

27-year-old Lopez has been at Villarreal since joining from La Liga giants Real Madrid in 2007 after failing to dislodge Spain and Los Blancos No1 Iker Casillas from between the posts at the Bernabeu.



City have been strongly linked with a move to bring Italian International Gianluigi Buffon from Juventus to the Eastlands Stadium, with a big-money move being mooted for the Azzurri stopper in January. However, Juve have rejected any talk of Buffon leaving La Vecchia Signora, which has led the Premiership club to Lopez.

Lopez, who is regarded as one of the top keepers in La Liga and is valued at around £28million, has also attracted the attention of several other clubs. Although no firm offer has been made for El Submarino Amarillio keeper, who is under contract at the Estadio El Madrigal until 2014.

City scouts were understood to have watched Lopez in the 2-1 defeat to Primera Division leaders Barcelona over the weekend, with it remaining to be seen if Man City will follow up their interest with an offer for the Spaniard when the transfer window reopens in January.

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

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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.

Liverpool Boss Benitez: "Torres Has To Improve"

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Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has told his Reds squad that everyone including Spanish International Fernando Torres will have to compete for a place in the first team at the Merseyside club.

The former Valencia coach has been playing a more settled team of late in the Premier League, with Benitez seeming to have ditched the rotation policy the Spaniard had become renowned for. This reluctance to change a winning side resulted in Benitez only giving EURO 2008 Winner Torres a place on the bench in their 2-0 win in the Premiership against Bolton Wanderers at the Reebok Stadium on Saturday.

Although last seasons top-scorer for Liverpool Torres came on as a second half substitute against the Trotters, Benitez insists that the former Atletico Madrid striker has to improve and compete like everyone else for a place in the Anfield side.

“The players have to compete for their positions in the side, be it Torres or anyone else,” Benitez said.

“Torres has to improve, if he does and he is fit then I will decide what to do, although I expect to be criticised.

“I did not have to explain to Fernando why he was not playing, it was very clear. The team had been playing well and he has to compete for his position.

“He played well when he came on, but then other players who come on as substitute also did well, not just him.

“That is the key if you want to have a winning mentality and a winning squad."

Torres, who has just returned from injury for Liverpool has been called up by Spain for their International friendly against Chile on Wednesday, but Benitez had bemoaned the Spanish call-up for Torres, who is lacking match fitness and revealed that he has asked the Spanish coaching staff not to take any chances with his talisman.

“Torres will join up with Spain. I am not happy, but I cannot do anything about it. We are talking to international managers and asking them to protect our players,” he added.

“We have asked that the Spanish set-up does not take any chances, that they protect the player.”

Spurs Weigh Up January Bid For Barca Prodigy?

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly weighing up a bid for Barcelona prodigy Gai Assulin when the transfer window reopens in January after reports in Spain have suggested that the Israeli International is ready to quit the Nou Camp.

17-year-old Assulin is believed to be frustrated at his progression at Barca, with passport problems preventing the Israeli from following Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola from the B Team at the Catalan club into the senior side at the Nou Camp.

Assulin has a £15million buyout clause inserted in the three-year deal he signed this summer with the Blaugrana, but signed the deal on the presumption that he would be part of the Barca senior set-up this season and should be allowed to leave the La Liga giants for considerably less in January.

The attacking-midfielder’s situation at Barcelona has alerted new Spurs boss Harry Redknapp, who is understood to be considering a January move to bring Assulin to White Hart Lane.

Assulin has been at the La Liga side since 2003, with the young starlet coming through the Barca youth set-up to score 10 goals in 28 appearances for Barcelona Atletic last season in helping them win the league title. With his performances attracting the interest of Arsenal, Man United and AC Milan this summer, who could decide to reignite their interest in the midfielder. Assulin has played once for the Barca first-team when he came on a a substitute in the semi-final of the Copa Catalunya against Girona in September 2007.

However, despite the interest of several of Europe’s top sides, Spurs could hold the key, with Assulin sharing the same agent as former team-mate and friend Giovanni Dos Santos, Pini Zahavi, who was behind the transfer of Giovanni to the North London club this summer from Barca.