Spurs Villa & Arsenal On Standby As N'Zogbia Seeks Way Out Of Toon

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Premier League trio Tottenham Hotspur, Arsenal and Aston Villa will all be on alert after Newcastle United player Charles N’Zogbia revealed that he is ready to quit the Magpies.

22-year-old N’Zogbia has been heavily tipped to leave St James’ Park this month, with Spurs along with the Gunners and Martin O’Neill’s Villans side all reportedly interested in the French Under-21 International.

While Arsenal’s interest in the versatile left-sided player seems to have cooled. Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is well documented as looking for a solution to the problem on the left at White Hart Lane and sees N’Zogbia as a viable alternative to Stewart Downing, who looks set to remain at Middlesbrough.

Villa are also looking for a player with pace at left-back, with recent reports suggesting that O’Neill is ready to offer Villa misfit Nicky Shorey to Newcastle in a straight player swap.

Toon boss Joe Kinnear has always stated that none of Newcastle’s top players will be leaving in January, but is unlikely to keep N’Zogbia, who is determined to leave St James’ Park after four-and-a-half years.

N’Zogbia told www.lyoncapitale.fr: “There have been some changes at Newcastle recently. I have experienced six different managers in four years, and it is too much.

“Every season is getting worse and worse despite the lofty goals of the club. I therefore decided to leave, to try to find better exposure."

Ligue 1 Champions Lyon are also said to be interested in N’Zogbia, with the former Le Havre player conceding that his future ultimately depended on whether Newcastle are prepared to sell as he is under contract at the North East club until 2012.

“It is for the club to decide,” he added in L'Equipe.

“If Newcastle decide to keep me, I will stay. I will have no choice.

“I am waiting. They (Lyon) may actually have contacted my agent, but I did not get feedback.

“What is certain is that Lyon is a good club. Whether they really want me remains to be seen.”

Villa To Offer N'Zogbia Route Out Of Toon?

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Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is to step up his efforts to sign Charles N’Zogbia from Premier League rivals Newcastle United and is ready to offer Nicky Shorey as part of the deal in order to land the Frenchman.

Magpies boss Joe Kinnear has insisted that N’Zogbia will not be allowed to leave St James’ Park in January, with Tottenham Hotspur also reportedly interested in the versatile left-sided player, who is keen on a move away from the Premiership side.

Despite not wanting N’Zogbia to leave, Kinnear is an admirer of England International Shorey, who has fallen out of favour at Villa Park since his £3.5million switch from Championship club Reading in the summer. With a straight swap deal between the Toon and the Villans being mooted for the pair.

22-year-old N’Zogbia had expressed a desire to play for Arsenal recently, but Gunners manager Arsene Wenger has ruled out the possibility of the former Le Havre player arriving at the Emirates Stadium this month.

Spurs boss Harry Redknapp is also a fan of N’Zogbia and the Frenchman’s versatility makes the player an attractive proposition for Redknapp, who is keen to add balance to the left-hand side of the squad at White Hart Lane.

However, with Kinnear interested in 27-year-old Shorey and N’Zogbia desperate for a move away from the North East a swap involving the pair is the most likely outcome. If the two clubs can broker a deal that would see all parties happy.

Spurs Set To Sign Polish International Keeper?

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Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is set to make Polish International goalkeeper Sebastian Przyrowski his second signing of the transfer window after securing the return to Spurs of Jermain Defoe from Portsmouth earlier this week.

Redknapp has been linked with a host of keepers since he left Pompey for Spurs last October, with Wayne Hennessey at Wolves, Newcastle United’s Shay Given and Robert Green at West Ham amongst those on the Redknapp radar.

However, 27-year-old Przyrowski, who plays for Polonia Warsaw is set to be the keeper that will provide competition for Brazilian Heurelho Gomes at White Hart Lane, with Redknapp not convinced by Cesar Sanchez or Ben Alnwick as an understudy to the former PSV Eindhoven stopper at the Premier League club.



Despite being out for two-years with a career-threatening injury before going back to Warsaw in 2008, Przyrowski is to undergo a medical for the Premiership club, which is expected to be a formality, with the Pole expected to complete a £1million move in the next few days.

Przyrowski has been capped five time for Poland and had just made his breakthrough into the National side before his injury and is highly thought of in his homeland, with his impending arrival sure to cast doubt over the future of Cesar, who has been linked with a move to La Liga side Valencia.

Hughes Heading For Eastlands Exit As City Move For Mancini?

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Former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is believed to have held talks with Manchester City after reports in England and Italy claim the Italian has met with officials from the Premier League club.

44-year-old Mancini, who finished his playing career with Leicester City in 2001 is in line to take over from City manager Mark Hughes at the Eastlands Stadium and has allegedly been spotted in a restaurant near his Umbrian home meeting with representatives from City. City’s owners the ADUG want Mancini, who was replaced at the Nerazzurri by Jose Mourinho after winning three consecutive Serie A titles at Inter to bring an international pedigree to the Premier League side.

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. The ADUG are reportedly ready to axe Hughes and replace him with the former Italian International after just 20 league games in charge of a Blues team, which has blown more cold than hot in recent weeks.

Mancini is said to have been living in London for the past few months to learn the language, with the former Sampdoria and Lazio striker keen to work in the Premier League. The Italian was also believed to have been in the running for the jobs at Chelsea, Newcastle and West Ham United last year.

As well as the three Scudetti Mancini won with Milan in his four-years at the San Siro, he also won the Coppa Italia in 2005 and 2006, along the Supercoppa Italiana in the same seasons. With the ADUG seeing Mancini as the right man to realise their ambitions, when they took over at the Eastlands last summer and lead City into the Champions League.

Spurs Weigh Up £8million Offer For Former Arsenal & Newcastle Target?

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly weighing up an £8million offer for former Arsenal target Gokhan Inler at Serie A side Udinese, with Spurs manager Harry Redknapp keen to add a defensive midfielder to the squad at White Hart lane this month.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger revealed recently that Inler had been a target for the Premier League club last summer, but insisted that Inler was no longer on his radar and that Arsenal would not be reigniting their interest in bringing the Swiss International to the Emirates Stadium.



24-year-old Inler has been at Udinese since joining from FC Zurich in 2007 and has made 43 appearances for the Italian side during his time at the Stadio Friuli. Inler also has 23 caps for Switzerland since making his debut in 2006 and was one of their stars at EURO 2008 last summer.

Redknapp is understood to be willing to offer £8million for Inler as the former Portsmouth boss searches for an out-and-out defensive midfielder to play alongside playmaker Luka Modric in the centre of the Tottenham midfield.

Inler had also been linked with Spurs’ Premiership rivals Newcastle United last summer, but like Arsenal the Magpies interest in the Swiss player seems to have cooled, leaving the path clear for Tottenham to make their move.

8 Premier League Clubs In Hunt For Belgian Star?

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Belgian International Steven Defour put a host of Premier League clubs on alert after the midfielder claimed he is ready to leave Standard Liege, with Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, Blackburn Rovers, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Newcastle United and Portsmouth all interested in the young starlet.

20-year-old Defour joined Standard from Genk in 2006 and has already made nearly 100 appearances for the Belgian Champions, who he led to their first title in 25-years last season, with the midfielder now claiming he has achieved all he can with the Belgian club and is ready to take the next upward step in his career.

Defour admitted, “I have achieved what I wanted to achieve with Standard.

“Maybe it is best for my career to make an upward step. I feel the time is right for me to move on.”



Although Defour has been a rising star of Belgian football for the past two seasons and already has 18 caps for the national side. It was the midfielder’s performances in Europe against Liverpool and Everton that have attracted the clutch of Premiership clubs to the youngster.

However, Standard are understood to be not willing to let Defour leave the Stade Maurice Dufrasne on the cheap, with the midfielder valued in the region of £8million. This price could easily escalate though, should a bidding war break out from the interested English clubs.

Standard can hold out for a high price for Defour, who won the Golden Shoe award in 2007 for most outstanding player in the Jupiler League as the midfielder is contracted to Les Rouches until 2013.

Villa along with the Gunners, Spurs, Magpies, Boro, Pompey and Blackburn are all understood to have had Defour watched recently, with a move to the Premier League almost certain the only uncertainty is which club the young star will join.

FA Cup Draw: Man United v Spurs - Liverpool v Everton - Kettering v Fulham.....

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Tottenham Hotspur are due to face Manchester United in the FA Cup fourth round at Old Trafford if United overcome Championship side Southampton in their third round clash.

The Red Devils and Spurs are both destined to meet at Wembley in the Carling Cup if they can overcome Derby County and Burnley respectively in their forthcoming semi-finals.

The only other, all Premier League fourth round tie pairs Liverpool and Everton together in a Merseyside derby at Anfield. Arsenal, have been drawn away to Cardiff City, while Fulham are away at non-league club Kettering Town. West Ham United must travel to Victoria Park to face League 1 side Hartlepool, who knocked Premiership club Stoke City out in the last round.

All fourth round FA Cup ties are to be played over the weekend of January 24-25th.

Full FA Cup Fourth Round Draw

Birmingham/Wolves v Middlesbrough

Cardiff v Arsenal

Chelsea/Southend v Ipswich

Cheltenham/Doncaster v Aston Villa

Derby v Nottm Forest

Hartlepool v West Ham United

Hull City/Newcastle v Millwall/Crewe

Kettering v Fulham

Leyton Orient/Sheff Utd v Charlton/Norwich

Liverpool v Everton

Portsmouth/Bristol City v Histon/Swansea

Southampton/Manchester Utd v Tottenham Hotspur

Sunderland v Blyth/Blackburn

Torquay v Coventry

Watford v Leicester/Crystal Palace

West Bromwich Albion/Peterborough v QPR/Burnley

City On Brink Of £32million Deal For Premiership Trio

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Manchester City are reportedly on the verge of luring Blackburn Rovers striker Roque Santa Cruz along with West Ham United pair Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker to the Eastlands Stadium for a combined fee of £32million, according to The Sun.

City have been heavily linked with all three players in recent weeks, with manager Mark Hughes keen to bolster the squad at City after an indifferent start to the Premier League season, which has seen the Citizens falter in the last couple of months after a bright start to the Premiership campaign.

27-year-old Santa Cruz is understood to be on the brink of a move away from Rovers to City, with the Paraguayan International keen on a reunion with Hughes, who brought him to the Premier League last season from Bayern Munich, while in charge at Ewood Park. A fee in the region of £15million is being mooted for the striker that cost Blackburn just £3.5million in 2007.

Hammers pair Bellamy and Parker are also said to be open to a move away from Upton Park to Man City, with it believed that the pair will move North for a combined fee of £17million. With West Ham already conceding that they are ready to listen to offers for any of their players at the East London club.

The Sun claims that the trio will all complete moves to City by the end of next week as Hughes looks to add quality to the squad at the Eastlands, having already agreed a fee of £12million for left-back Wayne Bridge from Chelsea.

However, City are not likely to finish their spending in January should the three join the North West club, with Arsenal defender Kolo Toure at Arsenal also reportedly a target for Hughes along with another West Ham Player, England International Matthew Upson and Republic of Ireland goalkeeper Shay Given at Newcastle United.

Spurs To Make £5million January Swoop For Hennessey?

Despite new Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp publicly backing under fire goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes earlier this week, Spurs continue to be linked with January moves for alternatives. The latest to be linked is Wolverhampton Wanderers keeper Wayne Hennessey, according to The Sun.

Tottenham have already been linked with Ben Foster at Manchester United, Robert Green at West Ham along with Shay Given at Newcastle United, who Redknapp has declared an interest in. Should the Republic of Ireland International become available.

Now the Sun claims that Spurs are lining up a £5million bid for Welsh International Hennessey, with the 21-year-old Wolves Player of the Year top of Redknapp’s list to replace summer signing from PSV Eindhoven Gomes.

Hennessey has been at Wolves since 2006 and has made 58 league appearances during his time at the Molineux Stadium. Hennessey has 15 caps for Wales and was named in the 2007/08 PFA Championship Team of the Year.

However, Wolves boss Mick McCarthy will be reluctant to let Hennessey leave for White Hart Lane should Spurs come calling and with Wolves top of the Championship will tell Hennessey that he could realise any Premier League ambitions with Wolves.

Kinnear Warns Spurs Boss Redknapp Off Given, But Will That Be Enough?

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Since his arrival at Tottenham Hotspur as manager from Portsmouth, Harry Redknapp has been linked with a number of goalkeepers, with the former Pompey boss not convinced about error prone Brazilian International Heurelho Gomes.

Newcastle United’s keeper Shay Given along with Robert Green at West Ham United and Premier League Champions Manchester United’s Ben Foster have all been linked with Spurs, with Redknapp revealing that he would be interested in bringing Republic of Ireland International Given to White Hart Lane. Should he become available.

However, Magpies manager Joe Kinnear has declared that Given will not be allowed to leave St James’ Park should Spurs come calling in January, with Kinnear eager to keep Given, who is an integral part of the United team in the North East.

Kinnear, who used to play for Tottenham has even claimed that it would not be worth Redknapp’s time to even make the call to Newcastle, with Kinnear adamant that Given will stay at St James’ Park.

“I can save Harry the time and money and tell him not to bother even picking up the telephone, because there is no way Shay Given will be leaving this club,” Kinnear told the Newcastle Evening Chronicle.

“We want to build up Newcastle United and get good players in, not good players out.

“And why would he want to go to Spurs? This is a bigger club than Spurs.”

Recent reports however, suggest that the decision might not be down to the Newcastle boss alone, with it understood that Magpies owner Mike Ashley is keen to sell any assets at the North East club before he sells the club itself and a source close to Given recently revealing that the Irishman could leave Newcastle in order to win trophies.

A close friend of Given said: “Shay is widely regarded as one, if not the best, goalkeeper in the Premier League.

“Yet he has nothing to show for his ability as he has not won a major trophy in his entire career.

“He has always stated he is happy at Newcastle but the simple fact of the matter is he wants to win things. Although it will hurt him to do so, he is ready to leave Newcastle to achieve that.

“And he would be more than happy to go to a club like Tottenham where the club's potential under Harry is clearly enormous.”

So whether Kinnear can hold on to Given, who has been at Newcastle since 1997 remains to be seen as Given could choose to leave for Spurs if he feels his chances of collecting silverware are greater in North London.

Man United Set To Beat Arsenal, Chelsea, Newcastle, Bolton & West Brom To £5million Delph?

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Manchester United are set to land teenage sensation Fabian Delph from Leeds United, with the Premier League Champions claimed to have beaten off Arsenal for the signature of the youngster, who has also attracted interest from West Bromwich Albion, Bolton Wanderers, Newcastle United and Chelsea.

Recent reports have suggested that Delph was to leave Elland Road for the Emirates Stadium in January, with the Gunners to loan the midfielder back to the Yorkshire side until the end of the season.

However, an insider at the Red Devils has claimed that Delph will be arriving at Old Trafford in January in a deal worth around £5million, with United boss Sir Alex Ferguson moving quickly to land the left-sided player after losing out to Arsenal on Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey.

A United insider said: “It’s as certain as it gets that Fabian will be a Red in January. It’s a done deal.”

18-year-old Delph has been at Leeds since 2001 and has scored 3 goals in 16 league appearances for the Whites, with the midfielder also being capped by England at Under-19 level this year.