Copa America 2011: Uruguay 3 - 0 Paraguay

Diego Forlan scored twice as Uruguay clinched a record 15th Copa America title with a comfortable win over Paraguay in Buenos Aires.

The Paraguayans reached the final without winning a single match in normal time but their fortune ran out against a Uruguay side who were vastly superior.

Luis Suarez put la celeste ahead after 12 minutes and Forlan doubled the lead 30 minutes later. Atletico Madrid striker Forlan then added a late third to tie Hector Scarone as Uruguay's leading goalscorer with 31.

Uruguay bossed the first half with the pace and movement of Forlan and Suarez proving particularly troublesome for Paraguay's overworked defence.

Oscar Tabarez's men bristled with intent from the off and could have gone ahead inside two minutes.

Suarez battled his way past two defenders and his scuffed shot was goalbound before Paraguay goalkeeper Justo Villar managed to smother it behind.

From the resulting Forlan corner, Diego Lugano powered a header on goal which was superbly parried by Villar, with the follow-up from Lugano blocked by the arm of Nestor Ortigoza on the line.

Paraguay's defence had been the foundation for their run to the final but it was breached for the first time in six hours after 12 minutes.

The ball fell fortuitously to Suarez in the area and the Liverpool striker turned smartly before clipping in a shot which beat Villar via Dario Veron's leg and the left-hand post.

Paraguay almost conceded again shortly after the half-hour mark when Suarez put Forlan through but Villar made an important block with his legs.

Suarez then turned the hapless Veron and lashed a shot into the side-netting before picking out strike partner Forlan, whose volley was easy for Villar.

Uruguay were dominating all over the field and they got the second goal their opening-half display deserved three minutes before the break when Egidio Arevalo dispossessed Ortigoza before playing in Forlan and his powerful drive easily beat Villar for his first goal in 13 internationals.

Ortigoza almost redeemed himself nine minutes into the second period when his scooped pass found Nelson Haedo Valdez and his volley produced a wonderful save from Fernando Muslera, the keeper tipping the ball onto the bar.

Paraguay wasted another route back into the contest after 62 minutes when midfielder Cristian Riveros failed to connect with Ivan Piris' cross at the near post after attempting an unnecessary back-heel.

The Paraguay rally eventually petered out and Uruguay could have added a third with 16 minutes to go, Edinson Cavani picking out fellow substitute Sebastian Eguren, whose deflected effort was superbly saved by Villar.

But Tabarez's men did have the final say with a wonderful third in the final minute. Cavani swept a cross-field pass to Suarez, whose cushioned header was perfect for Forlan to run on to and slot past the advancing Villar.

PSG Signs Three Players To Spur Title Ambitions

Paris Saint-Germain signed France internationals Jeremy Menez from Roma and Blaise Matuidi from Saint-Etienne plus Serbia defender Milan Bisevac from Valenciennes on Monday in a bid to spur its ambitions in the French league and on the European stage.

Attacking midfielder Menez, holding midfielder Matuidi and center back Bisevac all signed three-year deals. Their moves follow the appointment of former Inter Milan coach Leonardo as sporting director two weeks ago.

Before Leonardo's arrival, PSG had already signed goalkeeper Nicolas Douchez from Rennes and striker Kevin Gameiro from Lorient.

PSG finished in fourth place in the French league last season, missing out on a Champions League playoff spot but qualifying for the Europa League.

Menez signed for a reported fee of €8 million ($11.5 million) plus a €1 million bonus if PSG qualifies for the Champions League while the move for Matuidi was reportedly priced at €7.5 million ($10.8 million) with the fee rising to as much as €10 million based on incentives.

Bisevac was passing a physical when Menez and Matuidi were introduced to the media.

Bisevac has reportedly signed for a €3.5 million fee that could reach €4 million with incentives.

Menez will replace winger Ludovic Giuly whose contract was not renewed by PSG.

"For any player, PSG is a special club,'' Menez said.”When I was little I came to the Parc des Princes to watch Ronaldinho. It was a great thrill for me.''

"PSG wants to build a great team and go as far as possible in the Champions League. That fits my career plans.''

The 24-year-old midfielder has struggled for consistent playing time at Roma under successive coaches Luciano Spalletti, Claudio Ranieri and Vincenzo Montella.

Menez was tipped as a great prospect after signing a professional contract with Sochaux at the age of 16 but since then he has never really fulfilled his potential.

Matuidi will replace Claude Makelele, who retired this summer. Matuidi has been compared throughout his career to the former Real Madrid and Chelsea midfielder.

"Paris will help me be on the front stage for a spot in the France team,'' Matuidi said.”There's Euro 2012 at the end of the season and that means something to me and for my future in the France team.''

Bisevac is a 27-year-old Serbia international and was the cornerstone of the Valenciennes defense last season.

PSG is currently competing with Chelsea to get Palermo playmaker Javier Pastore. The Argentine midfielder would be the first major star to play at PSG since Ronaldinho.

Galatasaray To Make £14m Move For Arsenal Star

Galatasaray will make a £14million summer bid for Arsenal winger Andrey Arshavin as the Gunners risk losing more stars.

The 30-year-old was being prepared to be sold at the start of the transfer window but doubts over captain Cesc Fabregas and midfielder Samir Nasri’s futures put those plans on hold.

The Russian international was a target of Zenit St Petersburg but they did not back up their interest with a sold bid.

Arshavin, despite bagging six goals and 11 assists, did not have his best season and a number of Arsenal fans grew frustrated at his level of performance.

He only has one year left on his current deal and boss Arsene Wenger would let him go as long as he could find a replacement, according to The Times.

The Frenchman has already signed Gervinho from Lille but the Ivorian prefers playing on the right rather than the left, where Arshavin and Nasri tend to play.

A move for Eden Hazard could be tabled, while Wenger may also bid for Southampton youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Valencia playmaker Juan Mata is also on the Gunners radar but the Spaniard does not want to leave the club.

Wigan Keen On Valdez

Skysports.com understands that Wigan are showing a strong interest in Paraguay international Nelson Valdez.

Valdez currently plies his trade with Hercules in Spain but his future appears uncertain following their relegation from the Primera Liga.

Getafe has been linked with a move for the 27-year-old, who has previously expressed a desire to remain in Spain.

A number of other clubs are thought to be tracking his progress and there is understood to be considerable English interest in the striker, but it is the Latics who are the first to step up their pursuit.

Roberto Martinez will be keen to bolster his attacking options before the end of the transfer window after only narrowly avoiding relegation last season, and especially with Charles N'Zogbia set to depart after a £9.5million fee was agreed with Aston Villa.

Aston Villa Agree Fee For Charles N'Zogbia

Aston Villa is set to sign Wigan winger Charles N'Zogbia in a £9.5 million deal.

It is understood a fee for the former Newcastle player has finally been agreed between the two clubs, although no official confirmation of the deal has been made yet.

It is believed a compromise deal has been struck after Wigan rejected Villa's initial offer of £9m.

N'Zogbia, who has a year left on his Wigan deal, is expected to hold talks over personal terms and undergo a medical in the next 24 hours once the deal has been officially rubber-stamped between the clubs.

New Villa manager Alex McLeish has been keen to bring in a new wide player after the sale of Ashley Young and Stewart Downing to Manchester United and Liverpool respectively.

It is a case of second time lucky for Scot McLeish who 12 months ago thought he had signed N'Zogbia when in charge of Birmingham, only for the deal to collapse at the 11th hour after City failed to agree personal terms with the player.

N'Zogbia will be reunited with his former Newcastle team-mate Shay Given, who last week became McLeish's first signing of the summer in a £3.5m move from Manchester City.

The Frenchman is likely to have to wait to join up with Villa's first-team squad as they are currently on a pre-season tour of Hong Kong and he does not have the required work visa.

Fulham Complete £3.5m Deal For Palermo Youngster

Fulham have completed a £3.5million deal for Palermo youngster Pajtim Kasami, according to reports in Italy.

The Swiss midfielder was formerly on Liverpool's books and has caught the eye of new Craven Cottage boss Martin Jol, who has given the green light to the deal.

And Gazzetta dello Sport claims the move has been completed and will be formally announced later this week.

The 19-year-old didn't make a single appearance for Liverpool but has impressed at Palermo over the last year to seemingly seal his move to the Premier League.

Eboue Agrees Terms With Galatasaray

Emmanuel Eboue has agreed personal terms with Galatasaray and is now destined to leave Arsenal in a deal worth around £4m.

Eboue was a cult hero at the Emirates during his time as an Arsenal player but Arsene Wenger is keen on reinvigorating his squad this summer and the Ivorian is a casualty.

The 28-year-old spent six years in north London but never managed to hold down a regular first team place.

His career at Arsenal reached its nadir in 2008 when he was booed by sections of the home support during a match against Wigan.

Wenger later admitted Eboue's poor performance and subsequent barracking from the stands forced him to substitute the hapless star, having brought him on as a sub earlier in the game.

Eboue managed to win the fans over but he is now heading to Turkey after Galatasaray had a bid accepted.

Rangers Seal Deal For Romanian International Dorin Goian

The Rangers manager, Ally McCoist, has confirmed that the club has agreed a fee with Palermo for the defender Dorin Goian.

The Romania international is having a medical in Glasgow and could complete his move to the Scottish champions on Monday afternoon.

McCoist said: "He's in town and we are hopeful that the final bits and pieces can be settled and he can officially become a Rangers player.

"A fee has been agreed and the personal terms are just about agreed as well. It's just one or two other things but we are hopeful it will be done in the next few hours and we can finalize the deal."

Arsenal Ready To Hijack West Brom's Deal For Shot-Stopper

Arsenal could hijack West Brom’s deal to take Birmingham City goalkeeper Ben Foster on a season-long loan.

The 28-year-old only joined the St Andrews club from Manchester United last summer and impressed last season despite seeing his side relegated to the Championship.

But Birmingham are now keen to get the former England stopper off the wage bill and Albion are front runners to sign the stopper on loan with a view to making the deal permanent in 12 months time.

But the Baggies could face late competition from Arsenal, who are prepared splash the cash having seen goalkeeping errors contribute to another season without silverware as the clubs six year trophy drought continued.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is said to be looking for competition for Polish 'keepers Wojciech Szczesny and Lukasz Fabianski, and he is considering a £6m cash offer to snare Foster.

Supporters have grown frustrated with Wenger’s reluctance to bring in a proven stopper in recent seasons and the acquisition of Foster, who called time on his England career last season, could quell unrest.

It would be a major blow to Baggies boss Roy Hodgson, who had lined up by the Birmingham keeper to replace Scott Carson.

Former Liverpool and Leeds star Carson, 25, was sold to the Turkish club Bursaspor earlier this month for an undisclosed fee.

Newcastle In Move For £7m Rated Paris Saint-Germain Striker

Newcastle United and Paris Saint-Germain have agreed a £7m fee for Turkish striker Mevlut Erdinc but it unsure whether the player will agree to leave France.

PSG have been the talk of the tabloids recently following the investment from the Qatar Investment Authority and the French club has been linked with the likes of Adel Taarabt and Javier Pastore.

Meanwhile Newcastle have let their captain Kevin Nolan move to West Ham United and are struggling to keep hold of Jose Enrique, Jona Gutierrez and Alan Smith.

With all that in mind it’s easy to understand why Erdinc – a man who scored nine goals in 34 appearances for the club last season – is eager to remain at the French club.

Having moved to PSG from Ligue 1 side Sochaux for £8m in the summer of 2009, PSG are willing to take a £1m hit on Erdinc despite the Turkish forward scoring 28 goals in 70 appearances for the club.

It may be because Erdinc hasn’t lived up to the expectations of his first season in which he managed to net 19 times in 36 games, and sporting director of PSG Leonardo will be keen to add plenty of attacking flair to the squad with his new found riches.

Newcastle have sent a delegation out to Paris to talk with Erdnic while Alan Pardew and his squad are in the United States on a pre-season tour, but with Erdnic prepared to stay at PSG you would think that Pardew will have a big role to play in the negotiations.

Plenty of players inside the Newcastle squad have already voiced their displeasure at the direction the club has taken in this transfer window, Enrique is the latest with his comments today, but this move may reassure some of the higher profile names in the squad.

Chelsea Plot £15m Bid For France Midfield Ace

Yann M'Vila has emerged as a transfer target for Chelsea, as Andre Villas-Boas seeks a replacement for the injured Michael Essien.

The Ghanaian has been ruled out for up to six months with a knee injury and several potential signings have been mooted to act as cover, including West Hams Scott Parker and Marseilles Lucho Gonzalez.

But Chelsea boss Villas-Boas has now turned his attention to highly-rated Rennes midfielder M'Vila, reports the People.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in the 21-year-old, but no formal offers have been made to the French club.

Rennes has previously stated the France international was not for sale, but Chelsea will now test the water with a £15 million bid.

Villas-Boas views M'Vila as someone who can immediately slot into the team and is also a good long-term prospect.

Rennes is likely to reject the initial bid for their prized asset and hold out for a bigger fee in the region of £18 million.

Manchester United could emerge as Chelsea’s main competition for the youngster with Sir Alex Ferguson considering forking out for a new midfielder despite publicly insisting that his summer spending looked to be over.

Manchester City's Mario Balotelli Hauled Off In Friendly

Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli was taken off early in a friendly at LA Galaxy after his manager thought he was failing to take the match seriously.

The 20-year-old was clear on goal but, instead of shooting, opted to drag the ball back before backheeling it wide.

"I hope this is a lesson," said boss Roberto Mancini, who denied Balotelli may have thought that he was offside.

"If you [Balotelli] are serious, you can play 90 minutes. If not, you can come and sit by me on the bench."

City earned a third victory on their pre-season tour of the United States, winning the game 7-6 on penalties after it had finished 1-1, but the match was overshadowed by Balotelli's actions, which prompted jeers from the crowd at the Home Depot Center.

Mancini argued with Balotelli as the forward, who prior to being hauled off had scored a penalty, left the pitch.

Balotelli threw his water bottle to the floor after eventually sitting in the dug-out, though he did not appear to watch the second half.

"In football you always need to be professional, always serious and in this moment he wasn't professional," added Mancini.

"He needs to understand his behaviour has to be good in every game - not just in a final or a semi-final but every game.

"He knows he made a mistake. Football should always be serious and if you have a chance to score, you should score.

"Mario is young, I want to help him and that is the end of it. To take him off after 30 minutes is enough punishment. It won't have been easy for him but it has to be a lesson."

When asked what Balotelli said to him as they exchanged words on the side of the pitch, Mancini said: "It was in Italian. In English I would find it difficult to give you the translation. But Mario is streetwise, he knows he was not offside."

It is not the first time that former Inter forward Balotelli has been in trouble with Mancini, who was also his boss at the Serie A club.

The striker inflamed several Manchester United players after he taunted the crowd following City's FA Cup semi-final win last April.

And he was also involved in a prank where he threw a dart at a City youth team player last March.

Balotelli joined City for £24m from Inter last August, but his season was interrupted by injury and suspension. He scored 10 goals in 28 appearances but received 11 yellow cards and was sent off twice.

Dider Deschamps Wants Solution To Lucho Gonzalez Transfer Saga

Olympique de Marseille boss Didier Deschamps wants a solution regarding the future of Lucho Gonzalez, who has been continually linked with a move away from the Ligue 1 club.

The 30-year-old moved to the French side from Porto in 2009 for a fee of €24 million, after four years at Estadio do Dragao, and despite the former River Plate man having two years left on his contract, OM chairman Jean-Claude Dassier confirmed that the player wanted to leave for pastures new.

The Argentine has been associated with moves to the likes of Everton, AC Milan, Roma and Malaga, with Marseille valuing the player at €10m, and Deschamps commented to Canal + that he wants an end to the saga.

"This can't become the series of the summer. As it stands, we're on standby. We have to find a solution. Today, the conditions for him leaving are not sorted."

Wolfsburg Capture Russ

Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath was delighted after completing the signing of Eintracht Frankfurt defender Marko Russ for £2.7million.

The 25-year-old Germany youth international has signed a three-year contract with his new employers and will immediately challenge for a first-team place.

Russ opted to leave the club after they were relegated from the Bundesliga, breaking his 15-year association with the club.

Magath told the official Wolfsburg website: "I was always told right from the start that we would be out to sign a centre-back.

"I am delighted the deal to bring in Marco has finally worked."

Russ had become the talisman of the team having joined the club as a fresh faced 10-year-old and worked his way through the various youth teams.

Frankfurt had been desperate to retain his services after a career that has spanned 159 matches since making his debut in 2005.

But the size of the fee and the player's desire to return to top-flight football forced a reluctant sale.

Their general manager, Bruno Hubner, told the club's official website: "We absolutely regret seeing Marco Russ leave our club. He was a key player of our first-team line-up.

"However, we all knew we had to accept those offers after our relegation."

Santos Won't Sell Neymar

Santos maintains that they will not sell star striker Neymar to Real Madrid this summer.

Real boss Jose Mourinho wants a new forward and has been repeatedly credited with an interest in activating the 19-year-old's €45million (£39.6m) contract release clause.

It has been reported that Santos president Luis Alvaro Ribeiro has met with Real counterpart Florentino Perez in Paris to discuss the transfer.

But Ribeiro is quoted as saying by Intereconomia TV: "There was no meeting in Paris. That was already denied by other members of the board of Santos.

"They (reports) also said that I was in Barcelona to negotiate for Neymar. People have a very fertile imagination."

European champions Barcelona have been linked with Neymar, who is under contract until 2015, as have wealthy Premier League clubs Manchester City and Chelsea.

The Brazil international's agent claims that all that remains is for his client to make a decision on when he will leave, because he is said to want to play in December's Club World Cup, where he could face Barcelona.

Ribeiro added: "We have no interest in selling Neymar. Real Madrid might be willing to pay the buyout clause, but it all depends on the player.

"We are sure of his will to be world champion with Santos. We hope to fulfil his contract here."

Chelsea Tempt Tottenham With £39m Player Plus Cash Offer For Luka Modric

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is poised to test Spurs’ resolve to keep Luka Modric by offering them £27million AND Daniel Sturridge.

But Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will be reluctant to flog the Croatian playmaker, 25, because he fears he may then lose Gareth Bale too.

The Stamford Bridge side has already made a £22m bid for Modric but will up the cash offer and throw in striker Sturridge, 21, as part of a new deal.

Harry Redknapp’s recent attempts to appease Luka Modric in recent pre-season friendlies by naming the Croatian midfielder as captain are not likely to have made the 25 year old change his mind about wanting a move to Chelsea so with that in mind this latest offer may well tempt the North London side into selling the want-away star.

Tottenham boss Redknapp stated that an offer of £35m would not be enough to land Modric but this latest offer is arguably worth nearer to £40m and would help resolve the White Hart Lane club’s striking problems at the same time.

Daniel Sturridge showed last season during his loan spell at Bolton that he is ready to make an impact in Premier League football. The England Under 21 international netted an impressive eight goals in 12 games whilst at the Reebok Stadium and knows that he is unlikely to garner regular first team football under new Blues boss Andre Villas-Boas.

The Portuguese manager has the likes of Didier Drogba, Nicolas Anelka, Fernando Torres and arguably Salomon Kalou, all ahead of Sturridge and is also linked with moves to bring either Hulk or Radamel Falcao from his former club, FC Porto.

Therefore a short move from West to North London may appeal to Sturridge and could help boost Redknapp’s attacking options. Tottenham’s quartet of Robbie Keane, Jermain Defoe, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Peter Crouch all struggled in Premier League action last term with their collective total of domestic league goals being less that Defoe’s personal total from the season before.

This has led to Redknapp making approaches, unsuccessful ones, for strikers across Europe in a bid to help resolve the problem.

Whilst Tottenham won’t want to sell Modric there may come a point where they realise that keeping a player who doesn’t want to play for the team may backfire and have an effect on the team’s morale. There is of course the fear that if Redknapp does sell, that other big name players, like Gareth Bale and Rafael Van der Vaart, may also push for a move, again this may be a risk the club has no choice other than to make.

Add to that the fact that Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has stated that Redknapp must sell before he can buy and the weight may fall towards the club feeling a sale to Chelsea makes the most sense.

Redknapp is also looking to sell a number of squad players to help provide funds for new acquisitions and the likes of Robbie Keane, David Bentley, Niko Kranjcar, Giovani dos Santos, Alan Hutton and Wilson Palacios may all be sacrificed for the greater good of the White Hart Lane side.

Arsenal Set To Improve Bid For Phil Jagielka

Arsenal is reportedly ready to up their bid to land Everton defender Phil Jagielka to £12 million.

The Gunners conceded the highest number of goals among the top four in the Premier League last season, and questions were asked of the club's defence throughout the course of the campaign.

The north London club has been linked with a number of players with Premier League experience to bolster a defence that has also been depleted this summer by the departure of left-back Gael Clichy to Manchester City.

Arsenal reportedly had a £10m bid for Jagielka turned down by the Toffees last week, but now The Express claims that the bid will be increased by another £2m this week.

It is believed that Everton would agree to sell Jagielka if they receive an offer of £17m for the former Sheffield United central defender.

Bolton To Make Surprise £4m Swoop For Liverpool Striker

Bolton boss Owen Coyle is ready to swoop for Liverpool striker David Ngog in a surprise £4million raid.

Coyle wants Ngog to give his attack new pace and fire and hopes to do a deal with Kop chief Kenny Dalglish after the pacy forward turned down a move to Sunderland.

The flying Frenchman did not fancy being part of the Jordan Henderson deal, saying he wanted to stay at Anfield.

But although the 22-year-old has played and scored in pre-season games, he knows he is on his way out of Merseyside.

Coyle thinks Ngog would be an ideal addition especially as he may be quicker to answer his call than Barcelona’s Spanish under-21 attacker Jeffren Suarez.

Liverpool Keen On Winger Aiden McGeady

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish is considering a move to sign Spartak Moscow attacker Aiden McGeady as he looks to bring in another winger to Anfield. The former Celtic star has been a relative success in Russia since his move from Parkhead last August but may well be tempted by a move to the Premier League side.

Having brought in Stewart Downing to fill the left wing slot Dalglish has started to look at potential players to fill the right wing berth that has in the main been filled by Dutch international Dirk Kuyt, very much a makeshift option following his conversion by Rafa Benitez from his more familiar striking role.

Liverpool have spent over £100m on new additions in 2011, with the club’s new owners funding moves to bring Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll in January and Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam, Doni and Downing this summer. Dalglish is thought to be keen on bringing in even more natural width to help provide the ammunition for his strike-force.

McGeady spent seven seasons in the Celtic’s first team, notching up over 250 appearances for the Bhoys before he completed a £9.5m move to Moscow. The Glasgow born Irish international has also collected 40 international caps and is a regular in Giovanni Trapattoni’s national team set-up.

Any move to capture McGeady would clearly require a fee well in excess of that paid by Spartak Moscow and it seems that Liverpool’s owners Fenway Sports Group, seem more than content to fund Dalglish’s transfer targets. The 25 year old is able to play on either wing and as a second striker.

To help balance the books it is thought that Liverpool are looking to offload a number of their squad players, Paul Konchesky having already left for Leicester City, and the likes of Milan Jovanovic, Alberto Aquilani, Christian Poulsen, Joe Cole and Raul Meireles strongly linked with moves away from Anfield.

PSG Join Pastore Chase

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has now claimed that Paris Saint Germain is in contention to buy Javier Pastore along with Chelsea, whilst he also says Real Madrid could make an offer.

Zamparini, who seems to comment every 24 hours on the situation of his star man, said on Saturday that the race was likely to be between Chelsea, Manchester Cityand Roma.

His vice-president, Guglielmo Micciche, stated on Sunday that Pastore was 'very probably' joining Chelsea.

Zamparini now claims that there are other offers and one is from PSG.

"There are three or four important proposals," said Zamparini.

"We'll exchange opinions, then go to France and England for negotiations. The interested clubs are Paris Saint Germain, Chelsea and also something in Spain, but that depends on who Real Madridmanage to sell.

"The newspapers make it look as if everyone is in the running, but I hope he won't stay in Serie A. That way he won't have to face us as an opponent.

"The club that comes to us with a serious offer will take him."

Palermo has also been linked with Pastore's young brother, Juan Manuel, as a possible replacement.