Liverpool reportedly set to launch a €11.5 million bid to bring in Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur target Rafael van der Vaart to Anfield. According to a report in Sport, Rafael Benitez is on the verge of offering Real Madrid €11.5m for the highly-rated midfielder, the dutch national team captain, although many reports have claimed that he has little or no money left to spend over the next two weeks.
The Dutchman has been constantly linked to a host of clubs throughout Europe this summer as a second Galactico era rises in the Spanish capital. The recent comments by the 26-year-old, stating that he would not be joining another Spanish club, led to him being linked with a move to the Premier League, and a chance to play in the Champions League with the Reds' shirt may be difficult to pass.
A Victory For Hughes on Nou Camp Return and lose for Ibra on his debut
The richest club in the world beaten the Catalan giants to announce their arrival on the big stage. Manchester City secured a 1-0 victory over European champions Barcelona in the Joan Gamper Trophy at Camp Nou tonight thanks to a first half strike from Martin Petrov.
The home side started with a largely experimental side while City were without Robinho and new signing Emanuel Adebayor. Debutant Zlatan Ibrahimovic had to wait until half time to make his debut and he had chances late on to give Barca a draw or even a win. While the blaugrana dominated a tepid opening half it was Mark Hughes men who struck just before the half hour with what was to be the only goal of the game.
Stephen Ireland lead a counter attack and played a long ball forward to Petrov who finished coolly past the advancing Pinto from just inside the 18 yard box to put the Citizens in front. Barca should have lead themselves moments earlier when Bojan skied his effort over after Shay Given had saved from Jeffren.
Then, coach Pep Guardiola made a host of changes at half-time including the introduction of Ibrahimovic who replaced Bojan. Substitutes Tiago, Messi and Ibra upped the tempo as the Catalan outfit went in search of an equaliser. A fortunate for City, Given saved smartly with his feet from Ibrahimovic after 73 minutes and the Irish custodian was on hand again in the dying minutes to spoil the Swede's party after neat foot work from Lionel Messi. The former Inter striker combined with Tiago once more but failed to connect when he had the goal at his mercy from about seven yards and City cleared in the ensuing scramble.
Despite a stoppage time effort from Messi hittting the upright City emerged victorious to claim the Joan Gamper Trophy, becoming only the third team in 20 years to beat Barcelona in the annual pre-season fixture.
Match Report
Barcelona 0-1 Manchester City
0-1 Martin Petrov 28'
FC Barcelona:Pinto, Montoya (Alves 45), Fontas (Henry 63), Puyol (Bartra 31) (Pique 63), Maxwell (Muniesa, 63), Touré (Tiago 45) Busquets ( Keita 45), Gudjohnsen (Jonathan, 45), Pedro (Messi 45), Bojan (Ibrahimovic 45) and Jeffren (Gai Assulin, 54).
Manchester City:Given, Onuoha, Kolo Touré (Ben-Haim 45), Dunne, Zabaleta (Garrido 65), Weiss, Ireland, Barry (Etuhu 70), Wright-Phillips (Trippier 80) , Petrov, Tevez (Bellamy 65).
Sky reported that Inter and Real Madrid have finally come to an agreement regarding Wesley Sneijder, that will see the player join the Nerazzurri for €15 million tagprice.
Sneijder had previously stated that he would prefer to remain with the Spanish giants, but he considered that a move to Italy was a "nice option".
Further evidence of the deal were reports that sporting director Jorge Valdano had flown to Dortmund to discuss the transfer with the 25-year-old. Also, Sneijder did not participate in the 5-0 friendly victory over Borussia Dortmund, sitting on the bench in civilian clothing. If a deal was indeed finally struck - an announcement should be made in the near future - ending Inter's lengthy search for a creative force in the centre of the pitch.
Celtic welcomed Arsenal to Glasgow with the huge prize of Champions League qualification at stake in a crucial tie for both sides. Tony Mowbray made changes for the game bringing in Georgios Samaras up front whilst the Gunners, unsurprisingly, kept faith with the same XI that thrashed Everton at the weekend.
The first half was as frenetic and hard-fought as most had predicted before kick-off with both sides looking confident in possession. Yet ultimately goalscoring chances were thin on the ground although Arsenal did have the ball in the net after just 12 minutes.
Some smart and incisive passing between Andrey Arshavin and Cesc Fabregas worked the ball into the Celtic area where Robin van Persie’s shot was blocked. However, the ball fell directly into Arshavin’s path who finished past Artur Boruc only to be denied, correctly, by the assistant referee’s offside flag.
There was a sense that Arsenal were slowly warming to their task but Celtic had chances of their own and mid-way through the first half with a great break that almost reaped rewards. Aiden McGeady was the man to instigate the danger, breaking at pace down the left before crossing for Brown in the box. However, the midfielder was to be denied by a superb challenge by Thomas Vermaelen who ran virtually the length of the pitch to make a saving tackle. Brown went one closer shortly afterwards, forcing Almunia into making his first stop of the game. A good run by Hinkel saw him cross for Maloney but his shot was blocked. Instead, the ball fell to Brown who fired straight at a diving Almunia.
Atletico Madrid have declared that Sergio Aguero will not be leaving the club this summer. Coach Abel Resino and president Enrique Cerezo both stating that the player is staying with capital city outfit. The Argentinian striker has been linked with move to Chelsea, Inter, Manchester United and AC Milan for months. But those rumours have not gone down well inside the Atletico camp though as Resino and Cerezo have both now told the media that Aguero will be staying with them for the new campaign.
"Aguero travelled with us [to Athens] to play and there is no chance of a sale," Resino was quoted as saying by AS.
"This rubbishes all the rumours that have been in the newspapers."
Atletico are preparing to play in the Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos and Cerezo was equally dismissive of any interested clubs.
"We have not received an offer from Chelsea," he stated.
"This story happens each summer but our answer is always the same - Sergio will stay with us."
Inter president Massimo Moratti has moved a step closer to signing Real Madrid's Wesley Sneijder, according to La Gazzetta dello Sport, after los Merengues have now lowered their demands.
Previously Inter were facing up to a €20 million outlay on Sneijder, but Real president Florentino Perez has reportedly allowed the 25-year-old's price-tag to drop to €15m. The decrease has been sanctioned in order to persuade Inter that they are able to take Sneijder on a permanent basis, rather than sign him on loan for the first year.
In addition, los Merengues will allow the €15m fee for the former Ajax man to be paid in three instalments.
Real Madrid Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has now made it clear that he will certainly not leave Real Madrid for another Spanish team.
"The night that head coach Manuel Pellegrini told me that I was no longer needed was a dreadful evening. I never expected that and I was really disappointed," was Van der Vaart quoted as saying by Dutch sports weeklySportweek.
"Joining Real in the summer of 2008 was like a dream come true for me. I wouldn't have want to miss it, even though things never got going as I expected. I'm not a quitter, but my situation at the club leaves me no other choice but to move on.
"I'm not too happy with the way Madrid is treating me, but that's football. A player doesn't exactly have a choice when a club decides that you're surplus to requirements. Ending up at the club of your choice pretty much is a luxury.
"I don't want to join a club that snaps me up just because I'm a cheap transfer target. I want to be important again at my new club. The World Championships are coming up and I need to be ready.
"Joining another club in Spain isn't an option for me. Every club is a step back when you've played for Real Madrid. Even teams such as Valencia and Barcelona. I want to enjoy playing football again and I want to do so outside Spain."
