Bridge Set For Loan Move

Manchester City will make former England defender Wayne Bridge available on loan to Championship clubs.

Bridge, 31, does not feature in manager Roberto Mancini's plans but remains a City player after no prospective move materialized before the transfer deadline on August 31.

Bridge spent the second half of last season on loan at West Ham and another temporary move is still a possibility with a loan window for Football League clubs now open.

"I think that it is better for him if we can find a good solution in the Championship,'' Mancini said ahead of Saturday's Premier League game against Wigan.

Another player down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium is defender Nedum Onuoha. The 24-year-old spent last season on loan at Sunderland but a proposed move to Everton for this term collapsed last week.

Onuoha could still have a role to play in terms of helping City meet minimum homegrown player regulations but the player is still likely to move on sooner or later.

"Onouha will stay with us because he is homegrown but he knows it is difficult for him to play often," Mancini said. "We may find a good solution for him in the next two or three months, or in January maybe."

Athletic Bilbao's Fernando Llorente Confirms Tottenham Interest

Athletic Bilbao star Fernando Llorente has confirmed that Tottenham expressed an interest in his services.

The Spain international was reported to be on Spurs' wishlist during the summer transfer window as the Premier League side was looking to add to its attacking resources.

And Llorente, who broke into Athletic's first team in 2005, has confirmed Tottenham's approach but revealed he had no interest in a move to England.

"I know there was interest from Tottenham, but never at any moment did I want to leave Athletic," he said, according to AS.

The 26-year-old, who netted 19 goals in all competitions last season, said he is optimistic regarding his contract extension.

Manchester United And Man City In Transfer Battle for Serie A Winger

Manchester United have reportedly ‘made contact’ with Uruguayan winger Gaston Ramirez’s representatives over a move from Bologna.

Media sources in the Italian city claim the Red Devils have been joined by ‘noisy neighbours’ Manchester City in their pursuit of the player, with the pair keen on bringing Ramirez to England at the next available opportunity.

Any issue in relation to a work permit is also not thought to be an issue, given the player’s increased involvement with his country at international level. The 20 year-old helped Uruguay win the Copa America in the summer.

Arsenal Hope To Beat Chelsea To Barcelona Transfer

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is desperate to land Gerard Deulofeu – who is being compared to striker Lionel Messi – before he turns 18 next year.

Players in La Liga are only allowed to sign professional contacts at 18 – which means the Gunners can sign Deulofeu for just £3m.

Chelsea are also interested in signing teenage prodigy Gerard Deulofeu, and have already raided Barcelona this summer with their capture of Oriol Romeu.

However, Arsenal are believed to be substantial favourites due to their favourable record in developing promising Barcelona young talent.

In addition, what the club’s fans would make of yet another player coming in with Barcelona DNA remains to be seen!

Barca too are aiming to protect themselves from paying out an extraordinary sum for a player should they lose them young.

They are insisting on a buyback clause in all transfers – including that of Bojan to AS Roma and Romeu to Chelsea.

While Deulofeu is a great young talent, signing him could prove costly should he develop well and be bought back before he can have a true impact – making the transfer more of an expensive loan.

In addition, two appearances in the league already for Deulofeu could see him elect to stay at Camp Nou.

Raul Meireles Explains Switch from Liverpool to Chelsea

Chelsea new-boy Raul Meireles insists he never wanted to leave Liverpool but says the chance to work with Andre Villas-Boas was too good to turn down.

The Portugal midfielder swapped Anfield for Stamford Bridge in a £12m deadline-day move, reuniting him with former Porto boss Villas-Boas.

"I knew that I didn't want to leave Liverpool," he told chelseafc.co.uk.

"[But] when I knew that Chelsea and Andre wanted me, it convinced me. It is only because he wanted me."

Meireles, 28, only arrived at Liverpool in the summer of 2010 in a £11.5m deal.

But, after 35 appearances and five goals, he decided to join up again with the new Chelsea coach, with whom he worked briefly during his time at FC Porto.

The move was a surprise when it went through on the last day of the transfer window, following the Blues' summer-long pursuit of Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric.

Meireles said: "It was strange because I knew of the interest of Chelsea - and the interest of the coach. It was a pleasure to come to this club but it was strange because it was on the last day.

"People think I wanted to leave and it is only because Chelsea wanted me. For Andre to want me, that is why I wanted to go."

Meireles has vowed to make his mark at Stamford Bridge, just as he did at Liverpool after a slow start to his Reds career last season.

He said: "I like to play in midfield but for me it is more important that I play and I help the team. If the coach wants to put me in another place, I want to do my job and do my job well."

Everton Fans Plan Protest March Against Club's Direction

Everton fans' group The Blue Union is to hold what it calls a "peaceful protest march" against the direction of the club at Goodison Park on Saturday.

The Blue Union, who feel Everton are stagnating under chairman Bill Kenwright, hope hundreds fans will take part before the game with Aston Villa.

"This is not a personal attack on Kenwright as our detractors claim," spokesman Joe Jennings told BBC Sport.

"We are protesting about the reasons we are unable to invest in the team."

Merseyside Police have granted permission for the march, which will start near the ground at 1400 BST and finish at the directors' entrance.

Everton sold Mikel Arteta and Jermaine Beckford to Arsenal and Leicester for a combined £14m on deadline day at the end of August but boss David Moyes made only three loan signings over the summer.

Kenwright has often stated his desire to bring new investors into the club and admitted last month that the Toffees could not borrow any more money, while the £9m they raised from the sale of their former training ground at Bellefield had gone straight to the bank.

The Blue Union say the group's aim is not to force Kenwright to leave but want the sale of the club to be taken out of his control.

In a statement announcing the protest, the group's members said they wanted to see Everton "appoint a fully autonomous group of professional individuals who can effectively develop and implement a strategy that will identify and sell the club to a buyer who can demonstrate an ability and a genuine desire to take the club forward on both a commercial and football level."

The Blue Union is a coalition of Everton supporters groups and independent websites, including Evertonians for Change, Keeping Everton in Our City, The People's Group and SOS1878.co.uk, who are concerned at the lack of investment in the club.

More than 400 fans attended its inaugral public meeting last weekend, when the plans for the march were laid.

Jennings, an officer of The Blue Union and editor of the SOS1878.co.uk fansite, added: "We hope as many like-minded Evertonians take the opportunity on Saturday to convey their unhappiness at the current situation.

"The Blue Union wish to tackle the issues not the individuals. It would be wrong to say we are simply protesting about the lack of investment in the team. No Evertonian wants the club to spend money they have not got.

"In any case, the club are in no position to do so because the current board have disposed of all the tangible assets. We're now disposing of the only assets which are left, the intangibles, the players.

"Evertonians want strong leadership and a strong board with a strong business plan."

Andrey Arshavin Could Leave North London And Return To Russia

Cash-rich Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala has not given up in their pursuit of Arsenal midfielder Andrey Arshavin according to insidefutbol.com.

The 30-year-old playmaker has been tracked by the club all summer, and having strengthened their playing ranks with the likes of Roberto Carlos, Yuri Zhirkov and Samuel Eto'o - they retain hope of convincing Arshavin to return to his homeland.

Amid speculation surrounding his future, the Gunners midfielder stated his intention to remain at the Emirates Stadium, and fight for his place in the Arsenal side, following the high-profile departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri from Arsene Wenger's squad.

However, with Anzhi prepared to pay up to €17million to tempt Arsenal into selling Arshavin, a deal could be back on for the former Zenit St. Petersburg player - who could look differently upon his future in north London, if the club were to accept the bid.

Arshavin recently spoke of his anger at the sale of former Gunners teammates Fabregas and Nasri, calling into question Arsenal's desire to continue challenging for trophies if they are open to selling their best players.

But having strengthened with the addition of five deadline day signings, Wenger looks to have temporarily alleviated the mounting pressure, as he looks to restore the club's fledgling campaign, and get Arsenal's title tilt back on track.

Chelsea Stars To Be Allowed To Leave Club

Chelsea will let youngsters Josh McEachran and Romelu Lukaku to leave the club on loan if they do not play enough games this year, according to the Sun.

Andre Vilas-Boas is keen to see the duo harness their potential but is worried that a lack of first team football could hamper their development.

Such is the strength of Chelsea's first team it would appear that the pair face a tough time to force themselves into the reckoning for a starting berth and so if they fail to break through this year they will be allowed to go out on loan to gain some vital first team experience.

Wigan boss Roberto Martinez approached Chelsea about the possibility of taking McEachran on loan during the summer, whilst a move to Stoke for Lukaku was ruined by Premier League rules preventing a player from joining two clubs within the same transfer window.

Both players are expected to be on Chelsea's bench for their trip to Sunderland this weekend, but if they have not progressed to the starting line up by the turn of the year they will be allowed to spend the rest of the season at another Premier League team.

Several Championship clubs have asked Chelsea about the availability of the duo for when the loan window reopens tomorrow, but the Stamford Bridge outfit will only be willing to let them go to a top flight team.

Lukaku is not eligible to play in the Champions League for Chelsea this season as he was left out of the Blues' squad.

Tottenham Plan January Bid For Dutch International Goal Machine

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp will reportedly look to lure Schalke striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar to White Hart Lane in January as he looks to improve the club’s attacking options. The Dutch international has made an astonishing start to the season, netting 12 goals from six games in all competitions for his Bundesliga side.

Redknapp had hoped to bring in a new striker during the summer transfer window but failed in his attempts to land a number of big name players and had to settle for snapping up Man City’s Emmanuel Adebayor on a season long loan deal. However the North London club offloaded two of their striking quartet with Robbie Keane and Peter Crouch leaving for LA Galaxy and Stoke City respectively, leaving Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko sharing the attacking load with the Togo international.

Schalke reportedly had a number of approaches for a player they value at around €25m (£21.8m) and Tottenham will reportedly be able to make such a bid having offloaded a number of players during the summer whilst not using much of the funds from the sales of the aforementioned Keane and Crouch as well as the money raised from the departures of Jamie O’Hara, Wilson Palacios and Alan Hutton as well as loaning out Jermaine Jenas and David Bentley.

Huntelaar had an up and down time of it at both Real Madrid and AC Milan where he fell foul to change of managers at both the Bernabeu and the San Siro. In his first season in Germany he got back into gear, scoring 13 goals and forming a solid partnership with Spanish legend Raul. This term he has been scoring goals for fun and is also the top scorer in Euro 2012 qualifying with ten goals from seven matches.

The Dutchman is a lethal predatory finisher on his day and would be more amenable to a Premier League move if Schalke once again struggle to make an impact in the Bundesliga after last term managing a poor 14th place finish.

Inter Milan Join Liverpool & Spurs In Chase For Brazilian Starlet

Tottenham and Liverpool will face a fight with Inter Milan for Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas.

The attacking midfielder – no relation to Liverpool’s current midfield anchorman – has been impressing a host of European teams with his performances in the Brazilian top-flight and has now caught Inter’s eye.

The 19-year-old has also been monitored by Liverpool and Tottenham but Kenny Dalglish’s side would have an advantage over Spurs as namesake Lucas Leiva is often his room-mate on international trips.

Inter are lining up a £15m bid but Sao Paulo are reluctant to sell as the teenager is only in his second full season with the first-team.

Barcelona Tracking Tottenham Target Leandro

Tottenham target Leandro Damiao has emerged as a transfer interest for Barcelona.

Although the European summer transfer window has closed, the Champions League holders are reportedly planning a £15m move for the Brazil striker in the next window.

The 22-year-old currently plays for Internacional in the Brazilian Serie A but is understood to be interested in moving to a top European team to cement his place in the Brazil team amid much competition.

The striker may have forced up his valuation with the winning goal in the international friendly between the Samba Stars and Ghana at Fulham’s Craven Cottage home on Monday night.

Tottenham cooled their interest in the forward when the chance to sign Emmanuel Adebayor on loan arose and Arsenal were also linked with the powerful frontman.

Milan Move Possible For Amauri

One of the agents representing Juventus’ Amauri has opened the door for a possible January move to Milan.

The forward has been paired with the Rossoneri over the last few days after Juventus failed to move him on in the summer.

“Let’s leave this until January, but there was a conversation with Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani,” Ernesto Bronzetti told Odeon TV.

“If a few things fall into place then, at that stage, Amauri could be a source of interest.”

The Brazilian-born Italian international frustrated Juventus officials over the summer after he refused to leave the club.

The Bianconeri were keen to see him go given that he earns almost €4m a season and has less than a year left on his contract.

“Marseille offered him a deal, but it was worth around €7m over three seasons,” Bronzetti continued.

“This season he’ll get €3.8m from just Juventus.

“There was interest too from Genoa, Palermo, Fiorentina and Parma, but they couldn’t handle his salary.

“Amauri also took the decision to stay for family reasons.”

Bayern Munich To Move For Fernando Llorente In January

Bayern Munich are set to revisit their attempts to sign Athletic Bilbao striker Fernando Llorente, with the German club set to make a bid in January according to Cadena Ser.

The Spain international forward has matured at San Mames over the last number of seasons, and attracted interest from a number of leading European teams in the latest transfer window.

The Bundesliga outfit was one of the 26-year-old's suitors, and reports in the Spanish media indicate that Jupp Heynckes' is set to try to lure the hitman to Bavaria in January. The Bavarians are currently short of options in attack behind Mario Gomez, with Ivica Olic sidelined with a troublesome injury and Nils Petersen yet to prove himself in the Bundesliga.

Bilbao parted company with Joaquin Caparros at the end of the 2010-11 campaign, despite the Basque team qualifying for Europe, and Llorente is said to be unsettled by the appointment of Marcelo Bielsa as his replacement.

The 17-times capped man topped the scoring charts for the Lions last term, netting 18 goals in 38 games.

Newcastle Boss Makes Check On United Starlet Target

Alan Pardew was in attendance at St Jakob Park to watch Switzerland defeat Bulgaria on Tuesday night, as reported Manchester United target Xherdan Shaqiri stole the show.

The Swiss starlet netted a hat-trick as his side triumphed 3-1 in Basel, with Pardew sufficiently impressed by his exploits, reports the Chronicle.

The Newcastle boss was also said to be keeping tabs on long-term target Eren Derdiyok, who has been tracked by the Toon for a number of months.

Derdiyok has scored 18 goals in 65 Bundesliga appearances for Bayer Leverkusen, and could provide Newcastle with the added firepower they need.

Shaqiri, meanwhile, has been linked with a move to Old Trafford for a number of months after a number of impressive displays for club and country.

The 19-year-old will have an opportunity to prove his worth to Sir Alex Ferguson after United were pitted against Basel in the group stages of this season's Champions League.

United host the Swiss outfit in the first encounter between the two on September 27.

Dortmund Starlet Keen On Premier League Switch

Borussia Dortmund centre back Neven Subotic has put some of England's top clubs on red alert after he claimed that he would love to move to the Premier League.

The imposing defender was an integral part of the Dortmund side that won the German Bundesliga last year, and has been linked with a move away from the club all summer.

Subotic's performance have drawn attention from the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United but after they all signed defenders this summer it remains unclear as to whether they would still be interested in the Serbian international, should he be made available by the German champions.

The 22 year old also claimed that he would only leave Dortmund for the Premier League, quashing rumours he might be set to join German giants Bayern Munich.

He told German newspaper Bild: "I have no reason to go away from here. I feel good and this is a great city.

I could never go to another club in Germany and, if I was to leave here, I would only consider a powerful club in England.

Barcelona Keeping Tabs On Porto's Juan Manuel Iturbe

Barcelona is closely monitoring the progress of young attacker Juan Manuel Iturbe, currently under contract with Porto, AS reports.

The 18-year-old forward joined the Portuguese champions from Cerro Porteno earlier this summer, but has yet to make his official debut for his new side.

Nevertheless, he is considered to be one of the most exciting youngsters around and has already caught the attention of Barcelona due to his performances for Argentina at the Fifa Under-20 World Cup in Colombia in August.

Although Barcelona have no intention of signing Iturbe imminently, the Catalans' sporting director, Andoni Zubizarreta, has allegedly held an informal meeting with Gustavo Mascardi, who holds 40 per cent of Iturbe's rights, to make him aware of Barca's interest.

Iturbe has a contract with the Europa League holders until the summer of 2016.

Arsenal And Chelsea Battle For Barcelona Forward

Spanish giants and current European champions Barcelona are desperately trying to fend off interest from across Europe in the latest prospect to come through their highly regarded La Masia academy, forward Gerard Deulofeu, according to talkSPORT.

The player has been likened to Lionel Messi by the academy's coaches, leading to interest from several clubs, but Arsenal and Chelsea are said to be at the front of the queue.

Deulofeu is in fact so highly rated by those at Barca that he has been pencilled in to make his debut for the club this season, despite only being 17 years old.

However it is this young age which could be a problem for Barcelona, as he is not allowed to sign a professional deal until he is 18 years old.

Arsenal of course already knows how to poach young players from the Barca set-up, having taken advantage of these contractual issues when they signed Cesc Fabregas in 2003, when he was 16.

The young player, who was apparently watched by Arsenal chief scout Steve Rowley at the Under-19 Championship this summer, could be snapped up for as little as £3m due to a buyout clause in his current deal with Barcelona.

The Catalan giants are keen to keep the player, however, and are said to already be working on terms for his professional contract.

Spurs Striker Set For January Premier League Switch

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is thought to be desperate to land Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko and will make a fresh approach in the winter transfer window, according to the People.

The Black Cats boss failed to secure a deal for the Russian forward when Spurs pulled out of the deal in the final hours of the transfer window and instead brought in Nicklas Bendtner on-loan.

Tottenham were forced to withdraw from negotiations as Peter Crouch had sealed a £10m move to Stoke and they could not find a suitable replacement at such short notice.

However, Bruce was left encouraged by Pavlyuchenko's interest in moving to the Stadium of Light and is keen to reopen negotiations in January.

Much of that will depend on the success of Tottenham's strikers and, in particular, Emmanuel Adebayor who arrived at White Hart Lane this summer on-loan from Manchester City.

Santos President Admits Barca Leading Race For Neymar

Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira has admitted that Barcelona have gained the upper hand in the race for Neymar.

The Brazilian hotshot was widely tipped to join Real Madrid, but it looks as though he could move to Barcelona instead.

“It’s true that Barcelona have contacted Neymar, we are in contact with Sandro Rossel and I think, at this moment, he is closer to Barcelona than Real Madrid,” Santos president Luis Alvaro de Oliveira told RAC 1.

The player himself also confirmed that he has been contacted by the Spanish giants.

“Real Madrid and Barcelona have come calling for me. Both clubs want me, I can confirm it, but I have not reached an agreement with any of them,” Neymar told AS.

“The interest from Spain’s big two makes it that my confidence is very high because I am being followed by two big clubs like these.”

Juventus Targets Benfica's Joan Capdevila

Juventus is weighing up a move for Benfica left-back Joan Capdevila, according to a report in ilsussidiario.net.

The Spain international joined Benfica in the summer on a free transfer as a potential replacement for Fabio Coentrao, who left for Real Madrid, but he has found himself behind Emerson in the pecking order at the Portuguese club.

Capdevila has been omitted from Benfica's squad for the Champions League group phase, with the 33-year-old's agent airing his client's disappointment with the decision.

Napoli has been mooted as an interested party and it is now suggested that Juventus has joined the race for the former Villarreal player.

The Turin-based outfit is reportedly looking for a new left-sided defender after loaning Reto Ziegler out to Fenerbahce earlier in the month.

The Spanish veteran, who has so far only made one official appearance for Benfica, has a 20 million euros release clause attached to his contract.

Giuseppe Rossi Refuses To Rule Out Napoli Move

Giuseppe Rossi's future is not strictly confined to Villarreal, as his agent Federico Pastorello will not close the door on a move to Napoli.

The 24-year-old Italy international, who could feature in Tuesday night's Euro 2012 qualifier against Slovenia, was linked with a summer exit from the Spanish club.

A move to Barcelona never took flight despite talks with the club, while interest from Napoli, AC Milan, Juventus and Inter fizzled out as he stayed at the Madrigal.

Napoli has already expressed their desire to sign Rossi in future with president Aurelio De Laurentiis recently admitting a move could be possible.

And Pastorello is not totally against the idea.

"It is nice to hear that Napoli want Rossi, but for the moment there are no chances that any deal can take place," the agent told Radio Kiss Kiss.

"However, like we always say in football, never say never."

Napoli takes on Cesena on Saturday night, while Villarreal hope to recover from their 5-0 thrashing against Barcelona with a home game against Sevilla.

Eriksen Keen On Spanish Move

Highly-rated Ajax starlet Christian Eriksen has revealed he would be interested in joining a Spanish side in the future.

The Danish midfielder was thought to be on Manchester City's radar this summer but it appears the Primera Liga would be his preferred destination.

The 19-year-old, who is under contract in Amsterdam until 2014, insists he is in no hurry to leave the Eredivisie champions but admits his game would be well suited to Spain.

"With my style of play, there is no doubt that Spain would be ideal for me," Eriksen told Voetbal International.

"But I'm still not transferring. My priority is to play football and at Ajax I play in the championship and I will play in the Champions League.

"It may take two or three years before I move to Spain. I'm in no hurry to go until I'm ready to go. "

Eriksen admits he took a course to try and learn Spanish but has already given it up.

The Dane added: "It was pretty demanding, since it was learning Spanish from Dutch."

Reds Exploring Uruguay Link

Liverpool is to explore the possibility of tapping into Uruguay's emerging talent, with two internationals from the South American nation now on their books.

The Reds snapped up promising defender Sebastian Coates during the summer transfer window and he will link up with countryman Luis Suarez at Anfield.

Coates was signed from Nacional, the same club that helped to launch Suarez's career before he went on to make a name for himself at Dutch giants Ajax.

Nacional are the most successful club in Uruguayan football and Liverpool believe a partnership between the two sides could be beneficial to all concerned.

Director of football Damien Comolli is keen to look into the issue and admits discussions have been opened regarding a possible cross-continent understanding.

"I've got to thank the people from Nacional, the directors and their chairman because they have been very helpful," the Frenchman told Liverpool's official website.

"They tried to help the player (Coates) complete his will, which was to come here.

"They tried to find a solution for us to make it happen. We now have strong links with them because both Luis Suarez and Sebastian Coates have come from this club and been developed by their academy.

"We are talking about a partnership with them that we would like to create over the next three, four or five years, to see if there is more talent coming through.

"Maybe we can help them to develop their standards and in turn have the ability to bring those young players here.

"During the Copa America they had 14 players out of the 23 who had at some point played at Nacional or were developed by Nacional. That is a fantastic record for their academy."

Comolli added: "It is very interesting for us

"We already have a strong link with South America through Lucas (Leiva), Maxi (Rodriguez) and Luis.

"Since it's been a success with Luis - and I'm sure it will be for Sebastian - why don't we try to make it an even bigger success by bringing in other players from Nacional?"

Fergie Rubbishes Barca Talk

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Barcelona is not the greatest team of all time and does not think there is 'any sense' in trying to compare them with great teams from the past.

Barcelona beat United in the Champions League final back in May to claim their third European crown in six years.

Pep Guardiola's men have also won La Liga three years in a row and that dominance both in Europe and domestically have led to many calling them one of the greatest sides of all time.

When quizzed on the issue Ferguson agreed that Barca were a world-class team but were only good enough to rank alongside famous sides of the past.

"It's certainly among the best sides of all time. But so was the Milan side with Franco Baresi, (Carlo) Ancelotti, (Roberto) Donadoni and the Dutch players," Ferguson told Corriere dello Sport

"There's a short memory in football. Now everyone says Barcelona is a fantastic squad, but at the time they said the same thing about Milan.

"I don't think there's any sense in asking which is the best team of all time. The important thing is to remember that a certain squad was special.

"That makes me think of the Dutch squads in the 70s, Bayern and Celtic, which beat Inter in the European Cup in 1967. That was a squad in which the players were born within a 25-kilometre radius."

Fergie Wary Of Chelsea

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists Chelsea remain a "big threat" for the Premier League title this season.

United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen had branded Chelsea's squad 'too old' to provide any real competition for the title this season.

However, Ferguson is not of the same thinking and believes Chelsea will be up there challenging as he has a lot of respect for their experienced squad.

"They have tremendous experience with the likes of Frank Lampard, Didier Drogba, Petr Cech, John Terry, Alex, Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres - there aren't any young kids in that team," Ferguson told Inside United.

"But they don't have 36 or 37-year-olds like Ryan Giggs. Lampard and Drogba are 33, Anelka is 32 - not dissimilar to (Michael) Carrick and Rio Ferdinand, and we wouldn't be saying they are dead and buried, would we? So why should they be?

"They'll still be a big threat and we expect them to challenge."

Ferguson will lock horns with new Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas for the first time later this month and Ferguson admits he does not know a great deal about the young Portuguese tactician.

"He has a different set-up there to me, but I'm sure he'll get plenty of advice from others and he'll do fine. I don't know much about him," added Ferguson.

"He's a young man and it's a big step coming into the Premier League from the Portuguese championship, but given time and support anything is possible."

Arsenal Considering New Move For Thiago Alcantara

Arsenal is contemplating a move for Barcelona midfielder Thiago Alcantara when the transfer window reopens in January, it has been claimed.

According to Spanish radio network Cadena SER, the north London club is keen to bring the 20-year-old to the Emirates Stadium in the new year, but may leave a bid until next summer.

Thiago is regarded as one of the most exciting prospects in Spanish football, and made his senior debut for La Roja in August, having starred for Spain's under-21s in a triumphant European Championships campaign.

The young playmaker has been linked with a move to Arsenal for some time and, after the departures of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasir, Arsene Wenger may be encouraged to formalize his interest.

The Arsenal boss did, however, make moves to ensure the loss of the midfield duo did not prove to be a complete catastrophe, with Mikel Arteta and Yossi Benayoun both signing for the Gunners on deadline day.

Both players will be in line to make their Arsenal debuts against Swansea on Saturday, as will Per Mertesacker, Andre Santos and Park Chu-Young.

Manchester United Monitoring Everton Midfielder Ross Barkley

Manchester United is reportedly monitoring Everton teenager Ross Barkley, as the midfielder begins to make his mark on David Moyes' first team.

According to The People, the Barclays Premier League champion has been keeping tabs Barkley, who has impressed on his two league outings for the Toffees so far this season.

Sir Alex Ferguson, it has been claimed, is a huge admirer of the 17-year-old, who is regarded as Everton's brightest prospect since the emergence of Wayne Rooney.

The United striker moved to Old Trafford two years after breaking into the senior side at Goodison Park and, it would seem, Barkley could eventually follow suit.

United has been making a concerted effort to invest in youth of late, with the signings of Chris Smalling and, latterly, Phil Jones and David De Gea ushering a new era at the club.

And, with Ferguson also putting his faith in the likes of Tom Cleverley and Danny Welbeck, Barkley would thrive should he eventually join United.

Barkley, who won the UEFA European Under-17 Football Championship with England last year, has been hailed by former Arsenal defender Martin Keown as "one of the best players we'll ever see in this country."

Newcastle Could Bid For Nedum Onuoha In January

Newcastle has identified Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha as potential January acquisition, it has been claimed.

According to the Sunday Sun, Magpies scouts have been told to find a capable right-back that could join the club in the new year, and Onuoha has been shortlisted.

The 24-year-old spent last season on loan with Sunderland, where he scored a stunning solo goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge in a shock 3-0 win for the Black Cats.

And it would appear that Newcastle were sufficiently impressed with the exploits of the Onuoha during his previous stint in the north-east, and may now try to bring him to St James' Park when the transfer window reopens.

Newcastle will be under intense pressure to spend big in January, having failed to sufficiently invest the money made from the sale of Andy Carroll.

The 21-year-old left Newcastle for Liverpool last winter, but Alan Pardew was unable to use the vast majority of the £35 million received on new players.

Gyan Quiet On Galatasaray

Asamoah Gyan has refused to be drawn on reports that Galatasaray are looking to sign him.

The Ghana superstar was linked with a move on transfer deadline day, as Tottenham and Marseille reportedly expressed an interest, but nothing materialized.

But because the transfer market remains open in Turkey until Monday evening, any player in theory could still leave the Premier League to play there.

And Galatasaray are understood to be interested in the 25-year-old who joined Sunderland just over 12 months ago.

Speaking exclusively to skysports.com, Gyan insists that he is not thinking about a move as he is with Ghana in London ahead of their friendly clash with Brazil on Monday evening.

Asked about Galatasaray's interest, he said: "I heard the news like everyone, before I came to England, there was a transfer bid from a Turkish club and I choose to come here.

"I am flattered by their interest but like I said it is up to Sunderland.

"I am at Sunderland, if they accept a bid from any club, I will have to speak to that club, as you know I am preparing for a game against Brazil and not thinking about any transfer."

Rodwell Targets Regular Spot

Jack Rodwell says he hopes the departure of Mikel Arteta will finally signal his chance to become a regular in the Toffees' line-up.

Injuries have plagued the talented youngster in recent years and he has found opportunities in his favoured central midfield role hard to come by.

However, with the departure of the Spaniard to Arsenal, there is now a free spot in the Everton engine room and Rodwell is looking to take his opportunity with both hands.

"It's a good opportunity for him so we all wish him the best" Rodwell told the Liverpool Echo.

"But I'm ready to step up and fill his boots. I'm ready now" he said. "I feel fit, I feel sharp and focused. I believe this is the season for me.

Newcastle Plan January Move For Croatian Hotshot

Newcastle will reportedly reignite their interest in Rangers striker Nikica Jelavic when the transfer window reopens in January.

According to The People, the Magpies made an enquiry during the summer regarding the availability of the Croatian forward, and will return to the Glasgow club again in the new year.

Rangers rejected a formal offer for Jelavic from Leicester City on deadline day, and are reluctant to let the 26-year-old leave Ibrox.

However, Newcastle are likely to test the resolve of the Scottish giants come the winter window, as Alan Pardew still seeks a long-term replacement for Andy Carroll.

Newcastle tried desperately to bring another goalscorer to St James' Park before the transfer deadline, and was credited with bids for Papiss Demba Cisse and Bryan Ruiz.

However, their attempts proved fruitless, and Pardew will have to make do with Demba Ba, Leon Best and Shola Ameobi until January.

PSG Eye Barcelona's Abidal

Paris Saint-Germain has made an offer for Barcelona's France defender Eric Abidal, who is negotiating a contract renewal with the Spanish champions, a Spanish sports newspaper said on Monday.

"Eric Abidal has received a very interesting offer to join Paris Saint-Germain," the Barcelona-based daily Sport said.

"The French club would give him a three-year contract, which could lead the French player to question his future at Barcelona."

Barcelona have offered Abidal a one-year renewal of his contract with a further year negotiable, but the player wants a fixed two-year deal, Sport said.

The 32-year-old left-back was in the form of his life last season before a tumour was discovered on his liver in March.

However, after undergoing surgery he made a rapid recovery, and after returning to action on May 3 he also appeared in Barca's Champions League final win over Manchester United at Wembley.

PSG have embarked upon an ambitious recruitment program since being taken over by Qatar Sports Investments (QSI) in May.

The club signed Abidal's France teammates Kevin Gameiro, Blaise Matuidi and Jeremy Menez over the summer and also broke the French transfer record by signing Javier Pastore from Palermo for 42 million euros ($59.4m).

Fenerbahce & Everton Agree Joseph Yobo Loan Extension

Fenerbahce has reached an agreement to extend the loan deal of Everton defender Joseph Yobo for a second season, according to Ntvspor.

The Nigeria international spent the last campaign on loan at the Turkish giants, playing an important role as the club clinched the league title.

It is believed Yobo will earn around £2 million in his second year at the Istanbul outfit, who were eager to hold on to the African centre-back after selling Diego Lugano to Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Yobo, who joined Everton from Marseille in 2002, is set to become Fenerbahce's latest defensive reinforcement, following in the footsteps on Juventus' Reto Ziegler, who also moved on loan.

Fabio Capello Warns Andy Carroll About His Lifestyle

England manager Fabio Capello has warned Andy Carroll he needs to "be careful" about his lifestyle.

The Liverpool striker, who failed to make the bench against Bulgaria on Friday, was pictured in the summer partying on holiday in Barbados.

Capello said: "I don't know anything about his lifestyle. It is a private problem that I never spoke about.

"But if he wants to be a good player and a good sportsman, he needs to drink less than the others."

Carroll, 22, scored his first senior international goal against Ghana at Wembley in March, but has since missed the Euro 2012 qualifier against Switzerland and the European Under-21 Championships because of injury.

He is unlikely to start against Wales at Wembley on Tuesday following England's 3-0 win in Sofia.

But Capello still sees the Gateshead-born frontman as a vital part of his squad.

He said: "He is not at the top of his form at the moment but he was fantastic in the last two training sessions.

"I was really happy with him and told him he needs to do the same when he goes back to Liverpool.

"He will be a really important player for Liverpool, and for us.