Italian Super Cup Preview: AC Milan vs Inter Milan

Serie A champions AC Milan and crosstown rivals Inter Milan clash in Beijing on Saturday for the Italian Super Cup in the first official game of the season.

Chinese fans gave both sides a warm welcome this week and look forward to filling the Bird's nest stadium, which hosted the game in 2009 as well when Lazio beat Inter 2-1.

Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri still upbeat after winning the scudetto on his first season with the Rossoneri, ending a five-title run by Inter, who won the Italian Cup.

'I have no worries,' he said. 'We are at the start of the season. This is our third game (after two friendlies) and our form cannot be the best.

'But the game is very important, both for the trophy and because it is a derby. We have worked well in the past two weeks, but it will be important to have the right concentration.

'It will be very hot, with much humidity, therefore, beside the legs, we will also need our head.'

Swedish star Zlatan Ibrahimovic appears to be already in good form and is again set to be Allegri's mainstay up front, wile Brazilians Pato and Robinho are gradually recovering from Copa America duties in July.

Also back from the tournament won by Uruguay is Inter veteran captain Javier Zanetti, who will have to fill in for the injured Japanese midfielder Yuto Nagatomo.

New coach Gian Piero Gasperini had originally planned a slow-paced summer camp for the Argentine, but is now forced to rely on his experience.

Zanetti, who turns 38 next week, has played more than 750 games with Inter since his arrival in 1995.

'Obviously, faced by necessity, you change the programs and we did it without problems,' Zanetti said.

Giampaolo Pazzini and Cameroon's Samuel Eto'o are geared for their second season together, but the game could be the last with the Nerazzurri for Dutch midfield mainstay Wesley Sneijder, who seems set to leave for Manchester United.

'I have no crystal ball, but we are here to try to win,' Gasperini said. 'Inter want to take home (from Beijing) that cup they failed to win two years ago. Then, playing with Milan is an added reason of prestige.'

Inter and Milan are level as top winners, each having lifted the Super Cup five times.

Independiente Sign Barcelona Defender Gabriel Milito

Barcelona has announced they have dispensed with the services of centre-back Gabriel Milito, who has gone on to sign for Independiente.

The Argentina international has been allowed to look for a new club, despite having one more year on his contract with the La Liga champions.

The 30-year-old has accepted a massive pay-cut to be able to return to Independiente, where he played from 1997 to 2003, as he wishes to be closer to his children.

"I am very happy to be able to return to my country and my home. I felt the necessity to return to Independiente. We got together and talked about this possibility, and finally it could be completed," he said at his official unveiling.

"Today is a very special and emotional day for me, I left the club eight years ago and the truth is that I always dreamed of returning, so this is a dream come true. I hope this stint will be as good as my first one."

According to a report in Ole, Milito, who made 75 appearances for Barcelona during his time at the club, has signed a three-year contract with the Argentines.

Man City Sign Goalkeeper Pantilimon

Romania goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon became Manchester City's fourth signing of the close-season when the 24-year-old joined from Poli Timisoara, the Premier League club said.

Pantilimon will act as cover to England goalkeeper Joe Hart after Shay Given joined Aston Villa.

Coach Roberto Mancini has been following Pantilimon since he impressed against City in two Europa League meetings last season and beat off reported competition from Inter Milan and Arsenal to sign him.

City, who make their debut in the Champion League after finishing third last season, have also signed Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy, Argentina striker Sergio Aguero from Atletico Madrid and defender Stefan Savic from Partizan Belgrade.

Bougherra Heading For Qatar

Rangers manager Ally McCoist has confirmed that a fee has been agreed with Qatar side Lekhwiya for Madjid Bougherra.

Rangers have accepted an offer of £1.7million for Algeria defender Bougherra and a transfer now appears imminent.

McCoist said: "A fee has been agreed with the Qatar club in the region of £1.7 million. There are just bits and pieces to be tied up there. I think that deal is just about done. He won't be playing against Chelsea tomorrow."

Rangers completed the signing of Kyle Bartley on a second loan spell from Arsenal on Thursday and McCoist revealed that fresh bids were submitted earlier in the week for Roland Juhasz at Anderlecht and ADO Den Haag's Wesley Verhoek.

He said: "There is a bid in for Verhoek which went in on Tuesday or Wednesday, as there is for Juhasz. We've not heard from either club yet."

Aston Villa Plan £5m Bid To Sign Man City Star

Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish will enter the race to sign Man City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips as he looks to make further additions to his Villa Park squad.

Having lost Ashley Young and Stewart Downing to Man United and Liverpool respectively McLeish is looking to bring in the 29 year old England international to help boost his attacking options and having recently purchased Charles N’Zogbia to fill one of wide slots the Scot is now hoping to snap up Wright-Phillips to fill the other.

Roberto Mancini appears ready to sell the former Chelsea man and have given permission to the player to enter talks with prospective buyers. The likes of Sunderland, Wigan and Bolton are said to be interested but a move to Aston Villa may trump moves by the Premier League trio.

Wright-Phillips has been in good pre-season form, netting three times, but seems likely to leave the Etihad Stadium this summer. The Londoner is in his second spell at Man City and has notched up over 250 appearances for the club.

Man City are thought to be looking for a fee in the region of £5m for the player who rejoined the club in August 2008 and has just one year left on his current contract, it’s a fee that McLeish will be more than able to stump up having garnered over £35m from player sales this summer.

Juventus Make Elia Bid

Juventus has made an offer to Hamburg for Eljero Elia, the midfielder’s representative has stated.

The Old Lady was again paired with the Dutchman yesterday, a year after initially being associated with his services.

“Juventus have already made a bid,” Frank Schouten told Itasportpress. “And in the last few days I have spoken to Fabio Paratici.

“If an economical agreement can be found then Elia will be playing in Serie A.”

Paratici assists Juventus director general Beppe Marotta in transfer matters.

The German club valued the player at around €15m a year ago, but he may be available for closer to €10m this time around.

Elia is being targeted to fill the hole on the left side of midfield in new Coach Antonio Conte’s 4-4-2.

The 24-year-old joined Hamburg in the summer of 2009 from Dutch club Twente at a cost of around €9m.

He’s scored eight goals in 58 games for the Bundesliga outfit in all competitions.

Chelsea Eye £12m Swoop For Ajax Midfield Ace

Chelsea could look to solve their midfield problem with a move for Ajax defensive midfielder Vurnon Anita.

Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas is looking to bolster his midfield options ahead of the new season, particularly with Michael Essien set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

The situation has become a concern for the Portuguese after missing out on Javier Pastore to PSG, whilst Tottenham continue to play hard-ball over the sale of Luka Modric.

He will now move for promising Dutch youngster Vurnon Anita, whose impressive displays last season saw a number of top European clubs stand up and take notice.

The 22-year-old penned a new two-year deal at Ajax in May that includes a £12m release clause.

Anitas previous deal was due to expire next summer and was previously linked with a move to Liverpool and Arsenal for as little as £6million.

But Chelsea are believed to have stolen a march on their rivals and are eager to tie up a deal within the next 10 days, as Villas-Boas looks to make his first major signing as boss.

Anita, a youth product at the Eredivisie club, made his Ajax debut in March 2006 before establishing himself as a regular in the side at the start of the 2009/10 campaign.

His three league goals for the club have all come this season, helping the Godenzonen to their first title triumph in seven years.

Nasri Poised To Make £20m Man City Move

Arsenal resistance has broken and they are ready to sell Samir Nasri this summer - with Manchester City poised to make a £20m move.

Nasri has a year left on his contract at the Emirates and has told Arsenal chiefs he has no intention of signing a new deal.

It has raised the possibility of the talented Frenchman leaving Arsenal for nothing next year.

Nasri is ready to run his contract down in order to bag a hefty signing on fee next summer and Arsene Wenger was said to be willing to let him go for nothing.

But it appears the Arsenal manager has had a change of heart and will decide to flog Nasri this summer in order to get a transfer fee back for him.

Manchester United approached Arsenal earlier this summer but was met with a flat-out 'no' while City has monitored developments closely.

United's pursuit of Wesley Sneijder appears to have ended any move for Nasri but rivals City remain keen.

Roberto Mancini is set to make a £20m bid for the 24-year-old this week and Arsenal are ready to listen to the offer as they prepare for Nasri's exit.

Fernando Llorente Set For Talks With Spurs

Spurs will open talks with Athletic Bilbao over a move for striker Fernando Llorente when the Spanish club visits White Hart Lane for a friendly this weekend.

Manager Harry Redknapp is understood to have been in contact with Bilbao officials but will wait until the Spanish side settles in London to do business.

Spurs' first choice target Mirko Vucinic snubbed the club by opting for Juventus earlier in the week and time is fast running out for Tottenham to secure a top-class goalscorer before the start of the season.

The north London side could face a tough fight to sign 26 year-old Llorente, however, and while he's currently valued at £17.5million that figure could increase significantly.

Spurs showed their transfer limitations when they failed to meet the £28million asking price for Villarreal's Giuseppe Rossi, but Redknapp may squeeze £25million out of chairman Daniel Levy should Llorente impress in the pre-season match.

After joining Bilbao at the age of 11, Llorente is well overdue a move and the bright lights of the Premier League offer him the the perfect platform to develop his career.

The 6ft 5in forward didn't quite get the return he was looking for last season netting 19 goals in 38 appearances, but with an adequate supply from midfield Llorente could flourish for Spurs.

Liverpool Plan Surprise Move For £20m Playmaker

Liverpool is ready to leapfrog Arsenal in the queue to sign Lille’s coveted playmaker Eden Hazard.

The 20-year-old was instrumental in Lille’s historic title win last campaign – their first since 1954 – and he has been courted by several Premier League clubs over the past 12 months.

Chelsea had a bid rejected for him in January though Arsenal were now believed to be in the box seat due to their cordial relations with the French club fostered during their successful negotiations over the transfer of Gervinho.

While the Gunners are happy to meet the asking price of £20m they will only do so with the proceeds of any possible sale of Samir Nasri or Cesc Fabregas.

This has left a window of opportunity for the Merseyside club to swoop though they themselves need to sell before they can buy having spent over £100m on players already this year.

Arsenal Turn To Bundesliga For Fabregas Replacement

Although it is widely reported that the most recent Barcelona bid for Cesc Fabregas was rejected, Arsenal are still expecting him to be sold before the end of the summer transfer window.

Arsene Wenger is reportedly already scouring the market for his replacement, and is contemplating a bid for Shinji Kagawa of Borussia Dortmund - who was linked with a Manchester United move last season.

The Japanese attacking midfielder scored 8 times in 18 league games for the eventual champions last season, before a metatarsal injury ruled him out for the second half of the season.

Fabregas scored 19 goals in 36 appearances in the 2009-10 season, but persistent hamstring troubles meant he was unable to put together a similarly prolific run of form last season.

Kagawa is far more of a direct player than Fabregas, but he could still offer the midfield goal threat that no Arsenal player currently offers.

Tough Draw For Arsenal In Champions League Play-Off

Arsenal have been handed a Champions League play-off tie against Italian side Udinese.

Arsene Wenger's men collapsed at the end of the last Barclays Premier League season to finish fourth and so face a qualifying tie to secure safe passage to the lucrative group stages for a 14th season.

The Gunners were seeded for the draw in Nyon, and will face a two-legged fixture over August 16/17 and 23/24, which is sandwiched between some tough Barclays Premier League games against Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester United.

Even though Arsenal were one of the seeds, there was no fixture weighting, meaning the Gunners will play the first leg at Emirates Stadium.

Wenger, though, must serve a one-match touchline ban following UEFA disciplinary action in the wake of last season's second-round exit to Barcelona in the Nou Camp, after being charged with "inappropriate language" directed towards referee official Massimo Busacca.

The Swiss official had controversially shown Robin van Persie a second yellow card for shooting at goal just one second after he had blown the whistle for offside - the Dutch striker claimed he had not heard it due to the noise of the 95,000-plus crowd.

The 10-men of Arsenal, who had beaten Barcelona in the first leg, went on to lose 3-1 to crash out of Europe.

Midfielder Samir Nasri was also sanctioned by UEFA for his outburst at Busacca, and will not be available, nor will van Persie, whose suspension was carried over into Arsenal's next European tie.

Other Play-Off Round Draw:

Wisla Krakow v Apoel FC

Maccabi Haifa v Genk

Dinamo Zagreb v Malmo

FC Copenhagen v Viktoria Plzen

BATE Borisov v Sturm Graz

Odense v Villarreal

FC Twente v Benfica

Bayern Munich v FC Zurich

Lyon v Rubin Kazan