Arsenal to make audacious move for Schalke starlet Draxler

After failing to land their main targets the Gunners will make a desperate bid to tempt the Bundesliga club into parting company with one of German football's brightest talents.

Draxler

Arsenal have turned their attention to Schalke wonderkid Julian Draxler as they attempt to salvage a botched transfer window, Goal can reveal.

The Gunners have made an enquiry for the attacking midfielder after struggling to land some of their top targets.

Schalke value Draxler, who has earned six Germany caps at the age of 19 and is widely regarded as one the hottest emerging players in Europe, at the £40 million mark.

It is the latest in a string of increasingly scattergun moves by Arsene Wenger for marquee talent in the final stages of what has been a frustrating summer of activity for the club.

Arsenal have moved for Draxler amid growing doubts about whether they can capture Angel Di Maria from Real Madrid before Monday night's deadline.

Real have indicated they are willing to accept Arsenal's £25.6m bid for the Argentine but the deal has stalled due to Tottenham delaying Gareth Bale's world-record transfer to Real Madrid.

There are also doubts about whether Di Maria is willing to swap the Spanish giants for north London even though he could be the odd one out of the attacking misfielders available to manager Carlo Ancelotti this season.

The offer for Di Maria remains on the table but the Londoners are wary of waiting too long to capture the former Benfica man and risk failing to land any big-name stars.

Arsenal remain in the hunt for Wayne Rooney but have all but abandoned hope of signing other targets Luis Suarez or Karim Benzema.

Wenger also wants to add a midfielder - a second bid for Yohan Cabaye is still a possibility - and a goalkeeper, with Asmir Begovic the No.1 target.
Goal.com

De Rossi rejects Manchester United move

The Serie A club were willing to negotiate a sale after the Red Devils made overtures but coach Rudi Garcia confirms that the midfielder is set to stay for the season.

De Rossi

Daniele De Rossi has rejected the chance to move to Manchester United, Goal understands.

The Premier League champions indicated this week to Roma that they were willing to pay £10 million for the experienced Italy international.

Goal has learned that the Serie A club were willing to negotiate De Rossi's sale after lining up Cagliari midfielder Radja Nainggolan as a replacement but, after lengthy consideration, the Giallorossi star has turned down the opportunity to join David Moyes's team.
"De Rossi is a Roma legend and wants to play for Roma," coach Rudi Garcia told the press of the midfielder's decision.

"We said that, after a certain point in the summer, he'd no longer be for sale [and] he is a man of his word. That date has passed and he will be with us for the entire season."

The 30-year-old has been assured by Garcia that he will have more first-team chances after slipping down the pecking order at Roma last season.

Nevertheless, influential sporting director Walter Sabatini would have recommended selling De Rossi in order to recruit Nainggolan.

It is another blow for United as they attempt to reinforce their midfield before Monday's deadline.

Moyes has already failed in bids to land Spanish pair Cesc Fabregas and Thiago before having offers rejected for Marouane Fellaini and Athletic Bilbao's Ander Herrera.

United are expected to table improved offers for Fellaini and Herrera after missing out on De Rossi.
Goal.com

Arsenal are reportedly preparing to launch a £70million raid on Real Madrid for Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria.

Karim Benzema

 Arsenal have been linked with a number of top names in recent weeks but only young striker Yaya Sanogo and Mathieu Flamini have arrived at Emirates Stadium so far this summer.

Mesut Ozil

The transfer window closes on Monday night at 23:00 BST and manager Arsene Wenger has said he remains optimistic about Arsenal's chances of strengthening their squad before the transfer deadline, and according to the Daily Mail, the Gunners are ready to splash the cash for Benzema, Ozil and Di Maria in the next 48 hours.

Di Maria

Arsenal are said to have opened talks with Real officials over the triple swoop, with the Spanish giants thought to be ready to offload several of their players - but only once Gareth Bale's £80m move from Tottenham is finalised, which may not be until Monday.

Bale has already agreed personal terms on a six-year deal with Los Blancos, but as of Saturday afternoon, the big-money transfer was yet to be completed.

Wenger has in recent days failed with a £10million bid for Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, and has also confirmed his interest in Chelsea playmaker Juan Mata.

And while the Frenchman is adamant he will not dissapoint fans in the transfer market, he has refused to be drawn on specific targets ahead of Monday night's transfer deadline.

"I will not give you any names because I think it would be unfair for the players and create some wrong hopes," Wenger told reporters.

"You can see that many of the disputes you have all over the country are because managers speak about players. In our job it's just - be discrete and try to make things happen, that's what we try to do.

"We have not a fixed number [of targets], I just think we are a bit short at the moment. The most important thing is to focus on the quality of the squad we have and to play the football we want to play.

"You can come back to me and say 'yes, but you don't make things happen' but still most important is what happens on the football pitch. The rest? We work very hard on it."

"I still am optimistic and I hope I will not disappoint you."

CrunchSports

Chelsea v Bayern: Why Guardiola gets under Mourinho's skin

Morinho vs. Guardiola

If there is one person in football that gets under Jose Mourinho's skin like no other, it's Pep Guardiola. Much has been written about how the Portuguese coach chipped away at the Barcelona manager in recent years, but it works in reverse, too. We only had to wait minutes into Mourinho's pre-Super Cup press conference yesterday for evidence, with the Chelsea manager berating a journalist for daring to suggest that he struggles to beat Guardiola's teams. The journalist was wrong, he insisted.

In reality, he was right. Seven wins, five draws and three losses. There stands Guardiola's record against Mourinho. He knows that, of course. A coach as meticulous as Mourinho will not be unaware of his record against a major rival, especially if that rival is Guardiola. Because Guardiola is a rival like no other.

Their relationship is one that spans decades, and has twisted and turned in different directions as the years roll on. A timely dip back into history by Twitter user Futbolero a few months ago revealed just how highly Mou rated Pep as a player when they worked together at Barcelona:

“With the ball, Guardiola is incredible, one of the best in the world. There is something fundamental: Pep always wants, and always knows what he wants”. So said Mourinho to Mundo Deportivo in 1996. The unnamed 'thing' that Pep wants is presumed to be the ball, an obsession that has continued long into Guardiola's coaching career. But that's not all. In the same piece, Mourinho goes on to make a revelation that is striking in hindsight:

“I'm an admirer of [Johan] Cruyff”.

These days it's hard to see how Jose Mourinho, the man (rightly or wrongly) said to define 'anti-football', could be a self-confessed admirer of Johan Cruyff. But there it is, straight from the horse's mouth. That, in itself, further explains why Guardiola has proven to be such an irritant for Mourinho in recent years. Because Pep took the job Mourinho wanted more than any other. The job at the club that Cruyff built.

Thanks to Graham Hunter's exceptional book, Barça, it is now well documented that Jose Mourinho was being interviewed for the Barcelona position in early 2008. While, in the end, he didn't get the gig, the stumbling block was never his style of football. Then director of football Txiki Begiristain was more than convinced that Mourinho could adapt his football to Barcelona. Considering he was an admirer of Cruyff's philosophy in his early days as a coach, that's no surprise. Our formative years shape our later thinking, after all.

But of course, Mourinho didn't pass the final test. Guardiola did. Dreams of returning as Barcelona's triumphant 'home-grown' coach were dashed for the Portuguese. Any opportunity to show the world that he could play possession-based football just as well as anybody else was denied, too. Instead, Mourinho was forced to stand back and watch as the club where he had learned his trade flourished under one of the players he had been dealing out orders to only a decade earlier. That must have hurt. 'Today, tomorrow, and forever, with Barcelona in my heart', Mourinho told onlookers gathered at Plaça Sant Jaume in 1997. Forever lasted until 2008, when Barcelona broke his heart and ensured that Guardiola stayed at the forefront of his mind.

The fallout that ensued, first between Pep's Barcelona and Mourinho's Inter, then his Madrid, is common knowledge. Mourinho won his second Champions League at Barcelona's expense, but that pleasure didn't last long, with Guardiola adding his own second European Cup as a coach only a year later, eliminating Mou's Madrid in the process.

Even when Guardiola left Barcelona in 2012, Mourinho couldn't escape his shadow. As some of football's biggest jobs became available, Pep's name was omnipresent at the top of the list, with Mourinho lagging behind. In a way it was understandable; Mou's Madrid were beginning to fall apart, with internal turmoil caused by his 'with me or against me' mentality seeping into their performances. It was a reminder of his scorched earth policy that is believed to have proven dissuasive for some of the clubs considering him as their next manager. Some clubs didn't even consider him at all, if you believe Uli Hoeness. "Guardiola and Mourinho had an interesting battle in Spain over some seasons," he recently noted, "but our coach left his adversary miles behind." Hoeness would say that, of course, but in terms of not only the trophies won, but the image he left behind to his potential employers, Guardiola did come off the better of the two.

And so, sooner than we may have expected, here we are. Chelsea against Bayern. The teams have changed, but it's still Mourinho against Guardiola, a one-off opportunity to remind the world of just who the special one really is, and at the expense of the man that has stolen much of his thunder. Mourinho may be keen to play down the importance of his rivalry with the Catalan, but make no mistake about it, this game is more than just a meeting of two of Europe's elite. It's personal.

TalkSport

Bayern Munich defeat Chelsea on penalties in Uefa Super Cup

• Bayern Munich 2-2 Chelsea (aet; Bayern win 5-4 on pens)

• Ribéry 47 Martínez 120; Torres 8, Hazard 93

Franck Ribéry lifts the Super Cup trophy after Bayern Munich's victory over Chelsea on penalties

It came down to penalties, just as it had in the Champions League final a couple of seasons ago, only this time there was no happy sense of déjà vu for Chelsea and the players in blue were on their knees rather than dancing round the pitch and pretending to drink from the trophy.

They have made an art form of winning these occasions, sometimes against all the odds, and they can take great dignity from defeat considering the backs-to-the-wall operation they put up against formidable opponents. Javi Martínez's equaliser to take the game to penalties arrived, cruelly, in the final seconds of stoppage time at the end of the additional 30 minutes. The difference this time, unlike in Munich, was that Bayern's penalty-taking was flawless.

David Alaba, Toni Kroos, Philipp Lahm, Franck Ribéry and Xherdan Shaqiri all beat Petr Cech on a bittersweet night for the Chelsea goalkeeper in which he was at fault for Bayern's first equaliser but then produced a series of stunning saves during the late, unremitting onslaught.

David Luiz, Oscar and Frank Lampard all finished their penalties with great confidence. Ashley Cole's somehow crept in after striking the inside of the post and flashing across the goalline, and then it was Romelu Lukaku's turn. His effort was not struck with great conviction and Manuel Neuer dived to his left to win the first trophy of Pep Guardiola's reign at Bayern. José Mourinho will have to wait a little longer for the first of his second spell at Chelsea.

Mourinho will not enjoy losing out to his old adversary and there was something agonising about the way Javi Martínez denied Chelsea just at the point of the match when it was looking like another success story for the durability that has become the team's trademark in Europe.

The Europa League winners had lost Ramires to a red card four minutes before the game went into extra-time and, at that stage, a lesser team would have crumpled. Chelsea simply shook their heads clear and braced themselves for a siege. Eden Hazard put them into a 2-1 lead, in a rare breakaway three minutes into the first period, and the drama was unrelenting as Bayern pinned them back in search of an equaliser.

Once again we saw this great Bayern team trying desperately to navigate a way past a goalkeeper and defence operating with a thou-shall-not-pass mentality. On the sidelines Mourinho could be seen furiously gesturing towards the Chelsea supporters to turn up the volume.

In the opposite dugout it was rare to see Guardiola so animated, kicking the advertising boards, screaming to the skies. This might not be the competition they crave the most but both teams gave everything. It was an epic night and, by the end, it was difficult not to feel for Chelsea even if, on the balance of play, Bayern deserved their glory.

The huge banner showing off the five trophies Bayern accumulated last season needs to be updated now. "Oana Basst No Nei," read the accompanying message from Bavaria. Translation: "Room for one more."

Yet amid all the late drama it was also true that Chelsea could have won the match in more orthodox fashion. They had taken the lead through Fernando Torres's crisp right-foot finish, confidently putting away Andre Schürrle's eighth-minute cross. Brilliant as Cech was, he will be aggrieved by the soft way he let Ribéry's shot beat him three minutes into the second half.

Ramires saw red for a foul on Mario Götze, having already been booked for a challenge on Ribéry, but Chelsea could still have spared themselves extra-time. Branislav Ivanovic turned a late header against the crossbar and David Luiz had an even better opportunity shortly afterwards.

If Bayern did have a weakness, it was in defence, as demonstrated by the way they opened up for Hazard to come in from the left, step inside Lahm and Jérôme Boateng and lash a shot past an obliging Neuer. Chelsea had to defend with great togetherness and try to catch refined opponents on the counter-attack. Most of all it was a night for their defenders to excel. Cole, once again, rose to the big occasion. David Luiz showed why Chelsea have repelled Barcelona's advances. Gary Cahill epitomised their efforts with two saving tackles to block near-certain goals for Thomas Müller in the first half, then Shaqiri towards the end of extra-time. Cech's night was undermined by his slow reflexes for Ribéry's goal. That apart, however, this was a marvellous performance from the goalkeeper.

Mourinho will also reflect on the chance Oscar spurned, clean through after Dante's mistake, with the score at 1-1. For long spells, though, Bayern demonstrated why they are such feared opponents. Ribéry, in particular, was irrepressible. They also had three substitutes in Javi Martínez, Shaqiri and Götze who were able to influence the game. Javi Martínez is not a bad player to bring off the bench. Twice denied by Cech, he finally got the better of him from Dante's lay-off in a crowded penalty area.

After that it was a display of exceptional accuracy from 12 yards until we reached the point when Shaqiri had made it 5-4. John Terry had come on in extra-time to add another defender to an already desperate rearguard action. But he declined the opportunity to take one of the spot-kicks. Instead it was left to Lukaku and the striker finished the night with his head in his hands.

The Guardian

Come and get me! Arsenal and United put on transfer alert as £56m forward Kaka wants out of Real

Wanting out: Kaka wants to leave Real Madrid

Brazilian star Kaka has revealed that he wants to leave Real Madrid. 

Kaka joined Madrid from AC Milan in a world-record £56million deal in the summer of 2009 but has failed to live up to expectations at the Bernabeu, scoring only twenty-nine goals in four seasons at the club. 

The 31-year-old has made 120 appearances for the Spanish side - at a cost of £466,666 per game - and was often overlooked by Jose Mourinho last season, with the likes of Mesut Ozil and Luka Modric being preferred.

Further competition has been added to the Madrid squad this summer, with Isco joining from Malaga and Gareth Bale's £86million move to the Spanish capital looking imminent. 

And Kaka admits it may be time to move on, telling AS: 'I am feeling very good physically but the club know that I would like to find a solution to my situation. Things are difficult for me here, there is increasingly less room for me.  I am ready every day to train and work but this is not to say that I am happy.' 

'The club know that I would like to go and that I would like them to help me find a way out. [Carlo] Ancelotti knows, Florentino [Perez] knows, everyone at the club knows and I hope that between now and Monday a solution is found.'

Kaka, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2007, has also fallen out of favour with the Brazil national team and was not picked for the Confederations Cup this summer.

At this stage, it would appear unlikely that he will make Phil Scolari's World Cup squad next summer.

Kaka came close to joining Manchester City in 2009, while he has been linked with loan moves to Arsenal and Manchester United in recent times - and Kaka admits that any move would have to be to a European side, with the player understood to be keen on a return to Milan.

He added: 'I cannot go to Brazil because the transfer market is closed there, the destination would have to be in Europe. 

'I believe it is in the best interests of myself and the club that I leave in an amicable way, it is the right time to go. I don't want to talk about others clubs because I have none at this stage.'

DailyMail

BAYERN'S RIBERY EASILY WINS UEFA BEST PLAYER IN EUROPE AWARD

Frank Ribery

MONACO -- Bayern Munich and France midfielder Franck Ribery won the UEFA Best Player in Europe award for the 2012-2013 season on Thursday, beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo by a big margin.

Ribery earned 36 votes in the poll of journalists from across Europe -- 23 more than four-time reigning world player of the year Messi. Real Madrid forward Ronaldo won three votes.

"It's a very special moment to be standing here this evening," Ribery said after receiving the award following the draw for the group stage of the Champions League in Monaco.

The 30-year-old Ribery was instrumental to Bayern Munich's incredible season in which the team won the Champions League, Bundesliga and German Cup.

"This distinction rewards Franck for the magnificent season he had with his club and above all underlines his magnificent talent which allows him to be considered among the best players in the world," French Football Federation President Noel Le Graet said. "Everyone in French football is very proud, and are with me in congratulating him."

The three-man shortlist was selected by a panel of 53 journalists drawn from each of UEFA's member nations. The same journalists then voted for the winner.

UEFA created the award after France Football magazine combined its traditional European accolade with FIFA's world player prize. Messi won the inaugural prize in 2011 but was beaten by Barcelona teammate Andres Iniesta last year.

It is the third consecutive year that Messi and Ronaldo have been on the shortlist.

TSN

Kevin-Prince Boateng moves to Schalke from AC Milan

4-year deal for Ghanaian midfielder.

Kevin-Prince Boateng scored 10 goals in 74 league games for Milan after joining in 2010

Schalke has signed Ghana midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng from AC Milan.

The Italian side confirmed the deal on its website Friday, when Schalke presented the player at a news conference.

"I am very happy to be home in Germany, in the best league in the world," Boateng said.

Schalke general manager Horst Heldt said the club had signed the 26-year-old Boateng to a four-year deal.

"He is a player of extraordinary quality and a leading personality," Heldt said.

Heldt said it was easy to convince Boateng to switch to the Gelsenkirchen-based club — the difficulty was in convincing Milan to sell him.

Boateng scored twice as Milan qualified for the Champions League with a 3-0 win over PSV Eindhoven on Wednesday. Under UEFA rules, he remains eligible to play for Schalke in the competition proper.

While he was a key player in Milan's midfield, Boateng had a rocky time in Italy. In January, he was subjected to racist chants during a friendly with lower-division club Pro Patria, and he responded by walking off the field followed by the rest of his teammates.

Boateng scored 10 goals in 74 league games for Milan since joining in 2010. He previously played for English clubs Tottenham and Portsmouth, as well as Borussia Dortmund and Hertha Berlin.

He represented Germany at youth level but opted to play for the country of father ahead of the 2010 World Cup.

"He has a lot of international experience and will greatly help our team," Schalke coach Jens Keller said.

CBC

European Super Cup - Matchpack: Bayern Munich v Chelsea

Team news, manager quotes and a preview video ahead of the European Super Cup clash between Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Eurosport - guardiola - mourinho

TEAM NEWS

Bayern playmaker Bastian Schweinsteiger has travelled to Prague but faces a race against time to recover from the ankle injury he sustained in the 1-1 Bundesliga draw at Freiburg on Tuesday. Holding midfielder Javi Martinez is also in the squad despite having had an abdominal injury. Thiago Alcantra is out for seven weeks with an ankle problem, while Holger Badstuber is a long-term absentee (knee).

Chelsea can call on Brazil defender David Luiz for the first time this season following a hamstring injury while Spain playmaker Juan Mata could come back into the side after being left on the bench for the goalless Premier League draw at Old Trafford. Chelsea's new signings from Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala - Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o and Brazil midfielder Willian - are not in the 26-man squad.

MANAGER QUOTES

Pep Guardiola: "Mourinho is always very, very good ... with quick counter attacks ... he is a master at that and everybody knows he is an excellent, excellent trainer. Bastian is better but we are going to check and evaluate his ankle. In the morning I will speak with the doctors and we will decide. Hopefully he will play."

Jose Mourinho: "It’s not about me and Pep. It's about Chelsea and it's about Bayern Munich. It's about a Super Cup where the European champion is playing against the Europa League champion. Pep is not European champion and I'm not Europa League champion. We just coach now the European champion and the Europa League champion. This is not about us. It's about Chelsea and Bayern."

MATCH FACTS

Chelsea have faced Bayern three times in European competition, all in the Champions League.

The most famous of these matches was the 2012 final, when Chelsea won on penalties after a 1-1 draw.

The other time also saw Chelsea come out on top, winning 6-5 on aggregate over two legs in the 2004-05 quarter-final.

The first match at Stamford Bridge ended 4-2 to Chelsea, with Bayern winning the second leg 3-2.

Bayern won 46 of their 54 games in all competitions last season; they have won four out of six this campaign.

Chelsea ended 2012-13 a season-best 10 games unbeaten and have extended that sequence to 13 this term with victories at home to promoted Hull City (2-0) and Aston Villa (2-1), and a 0-0 draw at Manchester United.

Mourinho is now unbeaten at Stamford Bridge in 62 Premier League fixtures.

Frank Lampard was involved on his club's opening day of the Premier League season for a record 18th occasion, scoring in the 2-0 win against Hull.

Eurosport

Arsene's £70m Madrid swoop: Race against time to land Benzema, Di Maria and Ozil

Karim Benzema

 Arsenal want to blow their entire £70million
transfer budget on Real Madrid trio Karim Benzema, Mesut Ozil and Angel Di Maria as they bid to rescue a botched transfer window.

Arsenal – whose need for reinforcements became desperate yesterday when they were handed a very tough Champions League draw – have opened talks with Real chiefs over the triple swoop and received encouragement.

Di Maria

Despite all three players insisting they want to stay at the Bernabeu, Real will listen to offers for the trio as they look to balance the books after committing £86million to signing Gareth Bale from Tottenham.

Securing a deal for long-term target Benzema is Wenger’s priority, such is his desire to capture a world-class centre forward. 

The Gunners are working frantically on a deal that could see all three arrive at the Emirates by the transfer deadline on Monday.

Arsenal confirmed the re-signing of midfielder Mathieu Flamini on a free transfer and have also been offered former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou.

Mesut Ozil

However, there are fears within the corridors of power at the Emirates that they will not be able to land any of the high- profile targets before Monday’s deadline — a possibility that will anger supporters. A summer that promised so much has produced very little and manager Arsene Wenger is facing a make-or-break four days.

With the deadline fast approaching there is concern that Arsenal will run out of time to complete the Real deals, particularly with the Madrid club highly reluctant to sell before Gareth Bale’s move is ratified.

Wenger also remains interested in Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye and Valencia keeper Vicente Guaita.

His need to sign at least one forward heightened yesterday after Germany’s Lukas Podolski was ruled out for up to 10 weeks with a hamstring injury. Lukas Podolski was carried off in Tuesday’s 2-0 Champions League win over Fenerbahce with a hamstring strain.

The club’s medical team initially thought the former Cologne frontman would miss around five weeks. But Wenger has confirmed the injury is worse than first feared, with Podolski now set to miss more than two months.

There was better news on the injury front for Aaron Ramsey and Jack Wilshere, who have both been passed fit for Sunday’s clash against bitter rivals Spurs.

Ramsey (groin) and Wilshere (ankle) were doubts for the North London derby, but have now been passed fit.

Likewise, Flamini is also in contention to make his second Arsenal debut against Andre Villas-Boas’s side this weekend after completing his move.

Flamini, who has been training with Arsenal since his release by AC Milan, and his representative Darren Dein held talks at the club’s London Colney HQ on Monday to finalise a contract.

The French midfielder has signed a three-year deal worth around £40,000 a week.

Flamini’s versatility was key in Wenger’s decision to bring him back to the Emirates after he left on a free transfer in 2008. He can play anywhere across the midfield and also be used as a back-up full back.

Meanwhile, Real vice-president Fernando Fernandez Tapias has accused Tottenham of ‘dragging their feet’ over the Bale deal amid the embarrassing possibility that they will have to dismantle the stage they erected at the start of the week if Bale (right) does not sign in the next 48 hours. 

Real have a match on Sunday and the stage currently blocks the view of the pitch from the directors’ box.

Speaking ahead of the club’s friendly in Coruna, Tapias said: ‘He (Bale) is not here, because there are problems there (in London). 

‘We thought Bale was going to be with us by now but for the moment he is still not in Madrid.’

Madrid wanted Bale to play a part in Sunday’s lucrative lunchtime kick-off against Athletic Bilbao but Tottenham’s insistence on making Real Madrid wait until their transfer business has been completed now endangers that possibility and the player may have to be presented on Monday or even after the international break. 

Real Madrid agreed to allow Tottenham to complete their summer business before sealing the Bale deal but did not imagine this would push the conclusion back towards deadline day. If Bale does not make his home debut on Sunday, he will not play in front of Madrid fans for another three weeks.

If he signs at the start of next week he will leave for international duty immediately and will not be able to play his first game until September 14 away to Villarreal.

He would not be able to train with the rest of his team-mates until September 11 and coach Carlo Ancelotti is concerned that having missed an entire pre-season with the club, and only played in one of Tottenham’s summer friendlies, it could be a month before the player is properly integrated into his side.

Madrid have suggested markers have been moved during the course of negotiations and Tapias said of the last-minute glitches: ‘We are going to wait and see what  happens. Sometimes it is yes, sometimes it is no. They are dragging their feet. 

‘I don’t doubt the value of the player but Real Madrid (already) has a great team.’

DailyMail

Liga - Kaka tells Real Madrid to sell him before Monday

Kaka has told Real Madrid he wants to leave the club before Monday's transfer deadline.

 Real Madrid's Kaka

The Brazilian scored twice for Real in a 4-0 friendly win at Deportivo La Coruna on Thursday night but said after the match he was hoping for a quick move away from the club.

"I want to leave. I think it’s the best thing for me and for the club. I'm trying to solve it before Monday” said Kaka.

The 31-year-old joined Real Madrid from AC Milan in 2009 for a then world record fee of £56m.

However, injuries have hampered his time in Spain and he has struggled to claim a regular starting place over the last few seasons.

A return to Milan seems the most likely option with the Italian giants long having talked of their desire to bring the player back to the San Siro.

He has also been linked with moves back to Brazil and also to the MLS.

Eurosport

(H)Ard Task!

United go to Dixon Park Ballyclare to take on newly-promoted Ards in the Dankse premiership, tomorrow night, kick-off 19-45. We apologise for the pun in our title, in truth we couldn't resist it, we are less than sane. But readers of this column know that already, we attend the vast majority of matches when United are playing, never mind the opposition and not paying no never mind to what match is on the TV, so we must be mad, but we don't personally think so. As far as we know we haven't any injury worries but in an interview with the Ballymena Times reporter Stephen Alexander, Spike hinted that we could have some niggling injuries, hope you appreciate the 'plug' Stephen? If we have a clean bill of health we expect Spike to play the same starting line-up as last Saturday, in spite of the performance of Neal Lowry, who had to be substituted at halftime, he believes in picking the same team as won last time.

We had some fierce battles with Ards in the past and after 3 straight league defeats, they returned to winning ways in midweek and will want to build on that result and put one over on the Sky Blues, as they did many times in the past. But if we give a professional performance, as we have done in our last two premiership games, victory will surely be ours. We seem to have got the balance of the team right, Mario up front ably supported by Ally and hopefully Lowry. Thommo, Jenks and Alan D starting to gel in midfield and a back four of Tony, Marky, Johnny and Steely, ably backed by Dwayne in goals. But this is no time to rest on our laurels, we need the same conscious effort as we have shown in our last two matches tomorrow night, or we will end with egg on our faces. I'm sure the local Ballyclarians will welcome us with open arms as usual (joke), but we need to be prepared for that and use their negativity against us in our favour.

Ards have a least one player in their ranks who has played for United, diminutive striker Paul McDowell and although Paul didn't exactly set the Showgrounds alight with his goals when a Sky Blue, he will be need to be watched closely by Marky and Johnny. There were rumours that speedy winger, William Bingham, who was on United's books last season and played in the Shield final, had signed for the nomadic Ards, but he's not listed on their player panel on the official web-site of the Dankse Premiership. That's not to say that he isn't an Ards player and will feature against us tomorrow night, for we know only too well the shortcomings of the IFA, sorry we meant NIFL, different name but bunglers nonetheless. Hows does the old song go, 'for we only know, there's going to be a match and Ballymena United will be there' and we will be there at Dixon Park Ballyclare, so come on Sky Blues, lets shag those County Downers!

Ribery confident of beating Messi & Ronaldo to Best Player in Europe award

Frank Ribery

The Frenchman believes there are few who can boast a better 2012-13 season than him and is confident his side can beat Chelsea in the European Supercup

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is optimistic about his chances of beating Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to Uefa's Best Player in Europe award.

The France international played a key role in Bayern's historic treble win last season and he believes there are few who would deny him the prestigious individual prize, currently held by Barcelona's Andres Iniesta. 

"Last season was perfect, so my chances of winning Uefa's Best Player in Europe Award are certainly good," Ribery told the official Bundesliga website.

"I was consistent. I've done everything I can. I'm tense, but also relaxed. There are not many people out there who would deny me the prize."

Ribery then looked ahead to Friday's European Supercup match against Chelsea and stressed that Bayern are determined to help head coach Pep Guardiola emerge victorious against his nemesis Jose Mourinho.

"It's right that it's a feisty meeting for the coaches. We are there to help our coach so that it's a pleasant experience for him. 

"We will give him our all and I'm confident it will happen."

Goal.com

Arsenal wait on €30 million Di Maria bid

Di Maria

The Gunners have tabled a formal offer for the Argentina winger after securing Champions League qualification but Real refuse to sanction any outgoings until Gareth Bale is signed.
Arsenal are waiting to hear if a €30 million bid for Angel Di Maria has been accepted as Real Madrid refuse to sanction any outgoings until Gareth Bale’s signing has been confirmed.

The Gunners tabled a formal offer for Di Maria after securing qualification for the group stages of the Champions League on Tuesday night.

Madrid indicated during a week of discussions with Arsenal that they are willing to off-load the Argentine winger as they prepare to trim costs and free up space in the team for Bale.

But the bid has not yet been accepted and the Londoners will not be given the green light to hold personal talks with Di Maria until Real’s €100m world-record signing of Bale is finally secured.

Arsenal will have to persuade the 25-year-old Argentina winger to cut his ties with the Spanish giants and also see off competition for his signature from Galatasaray.

Di Maria’s public stance is that he wants to fight for his place in Carlo Ancelotti’s team although his position might change when Bale arrives.

Speaking to the Spanish press after setting up the winning goal for Karim Benzema in Monday’s 1-0 win at Granada, Di Maria said: "I understand the club are strengthening and they are precise in what they do. But I signed a contract until 2018 a year ago and my desire is to stay in the Bernabeu.”

Ultimately, Arsenal’s chances of capturing the player may depend upon Real’s desire to raise more money from sales, in which case they may encourage one of their attacking players to leave.

With Isco and Mesut Ozil both starting the new season in the team and taking up two of the three positions behind the centre-forward, Di Maria looks the odd man out for the Spaniards.

One player who is unlikely to swap the Bernabeu for Emirates Stadium is Benzema, who was also the subject of an enquiry from Arsenal last week.

As reported by Goal, Real chiefs told the Londoners they will not sell the French striker unless they first secure a replacement and, with only five days of the window remaining, the chain of transfers is seemingly too complex for Arsene Wenger to land him.

However, the move for Di Maria is now quite advanced and Wenger has also not given up hope of signing a marquee striker, with an audacious bid expected imminently for Wayne Rooney.

Chelsea have abandoned their pursuit of the Manchester United forward as they close in on the signing of Samuel Eto’o but Arsenal have privately been encouragement that the Premier League champions could be willing to sell them Rooney.

Wenger has not spend a penny on transfer fees this summer, with Yaya Sanogo and ex-Gunner Mathieu Flamini both free signings. Flamini signed a two-year, £50,000-a-week contract after reaching an agreement with the club following a final round of talks on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Aaron Ramsey is struggling to be fit for Arsenal's marquee Premier League clash against Tottenham on Sunday.

The midfielder, who has begun the new season in outstanding form, picked up a groin injury on Tuesday night, when he scored both goals in his team's 2-0 second-leg Champions League win over Fenerbahce, and is doubtful for the weekend visit of Spurs.

Goal.com

CONFIRMED: Chelsea sign Samuel Eto'o on a one year deal

CHELSEA have confirmed the signing of Cameroon striker Samuel Eto'o on a one year deal from Anzhi Makhachkala.

Samuel Eto'o has joined Chelsea

Whilst exact details of the move have not been revealed it is thought that Chelsea agreed a fee of £4m with Anzhi with Eto'o earning about £6m for the season.

Speaking after finalising the deal Eto'o said: "I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible.

"It wasn't a hard decision. I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it."

Eto'o was last night seen at London's St Pancras station with his agent Pini Zahav, ahead of his medical at Stamford Bridge today.

The 32-year-old arrived on train from Paris, and is expected to take a large pay-cut to join Chelsea.

Reports in Spain suggest Eto'o turned down interest from former club Inter Milan and Tottenham to reunite with Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge, although Spurs have denied being linked with the marksman.

Express Sport understands Mourinho will splash out £45m on Eto'o, Porto winger Christian Atsu and Willian, after being snubbed by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Eto'o will cost Chelsea a combined £10m for his year in West London, while Atsu is valued at £3.5m with Willian worth £32m.

This late flurry of incoming transfers at the Blues will take Mourinho's summer spending to £64m, adding to the captures of Andre Schurrle, Marco van Ginkel and Mark Schwarzer.

The Express

Mario who? How Borussia Dortmund have shrugged off the loss of Goetze

Borussia Dortmund appear to have shrugged off the departure of Mario Goetze as last season's runners-up go into Sunday's encounter against Eintracht Frankfurt full of confidence and in search of a fourth league win in as many matches.

Mario Goetze

Goetze, a product of Dortmund's youth system and one of the most gifted youngsters in Germany, joined Bayern Munich for 37 million euros in the off-season but coach Juergen Klopp is convinced his team, dubbed "the young wild ones", has lost none of its quality.

Dortmund's perfect start to the new campaign represents a vindication of Klopp's assessment with several youngsters stepping up to the plate as the Ruhr Valley club seeks to take the fight to Bayern for Bundesliga honours.

Teenager Marvin Ducksch and 21-year-old Jonas Hofmann have quickly made a name for themselves with scintillating appearances, supplemented by goals in the German Cup and league respectively.

Erik Durm, also 21, saw his contract extended to 2017 this week as Dortmund continues to build a solid foundation for the future.

"One can say that there is a chance the team will play even better," Klopp told reporters earlier this week.

"Mario's transfer has not had a negative impact on us. It would have been nice if it had not happened but from a sporting point of view, his loss is already irrelevant."

The comments regarding one of the most highly regarded players in Europe could be considered bold but Klopp's reign at Dortmund has never been conventional.

He spent 50 million euros on transfers in the close season, boosted by the revenues from Goetze's departure, and early signs indicate his purchases were astute.

Gabon international Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang struck a hat-trick on his Bundesliga debut while Armenian international Henrikh Mkhitaryan has settled well in his attacking midfield role.

Greece international Sokratis Papastathopoulos is also a valued addition to the defence as Klopp's swashbuckling style left them exposed a little too often last season.

"We have a very good squad," Klopp said. "Now it is up to us to make our fans forget last season and Mario."

So far Dortmund, who also finished runners up in the Champions League last season, have delivered on their promises.

Even leading striker Robert Lewandowski, who saw his transfer to Bayern blocked, has settled his differences with the club and is starting to hit the target.

It was his goal that saw them edge past Werder Bremen last week. Frankfurt, however, will be equally difficult to break down with Dortmund unable to call on the services of influential midfielder Ilkay Guendogan because of a back injury.

After two defeats, including a 6-1 demolition by promoted Hertha Berlin in their season opener, Frankfurt finally picked up some points last week with a 2-0 win over Eintracht Braunschweig.

However, Thursday's Europa League playoff round second leg tie against Azeri side Garabagh Agdam could be seen as a hindrance, although Frankfurt already hold a 2-0 lead and will be hoping to rest a few players ahead of Sunday's encounter.

They will likely be without forward Srdjan Lakic, who is still recovering from a back problem, while captain Pirmin Schwegler remains short of form after returning from a long injury absence.

"It will be very, very tight for Lakic," Frankfurt coach Armin Veh said. "Schwegler is looking better. He is making a good impression."

Eurosports

Roberto Martinez calls for changes to transfer window as Manchester United continue to chase Everton duo Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has branded the current transfer window as a “footballing circus” and called for the authorities to make changes to it.

Marouane Fellaini and Leighton Baines

With four days remaining before the window closes, Martinez finds himself in the uncomfortable situation of awaiting bids for two of his key men - Leighton Baines and Marouane Fellaini - from Manchester United.

Martinez has sidestepped questions after it was revealed Baines had pleaded with the Merseyside outfit to let him leave Goodison Park.

Should Baines and particularly Fellaini eventually join United, it would almost certainly trigger a chain of transfers, that would include an Everton bid for Wigan's James McCarthy.

Given his side are now four games into the new season, Martinez finds the situation deeply unsatisfactory.

"I am sure the authorities will look at it and do something about it because it is becoming a bit of a footballing circus and it is not helping anyone," said Martinez.

"It is not just for Everton. It happens at every football club up and down the country, not just the ones who are fighting to win the title or avoid relegation.

"Unfortunately it is the reality of the game. I do feel a bit worried about it. It is not getting easier and it is not getting better."

Knowing Everton are hardly in a position to resist a bid from United should it reach the levels his club require, Martinez has to have contingency plans in place, and his philosophy is simple.

"You always need to make sure when the window closes, the squad is stronger than it was when you started," he said.

"That doesn't mean you will never lose players. It means you need to be prepared for any situation.

"That is what we are focusing on for the next four days in the window.

"There is a lot of speculation and stories, but once you have important games to prepare for, it is a bit of a farcical position that goes against the values we are trying to present in the Premier League."

Meanwhile, Martinez confirmed midfielder Darron Gibson would return to training this week after recovering from a knee injury.

However, the Republic of Ireland international is unlikely to be involved at Cardiff on Saturday.

The Independent