Wesley Sneijder refuses to rule out possible £35m transfer from Inter Milan to Manchester United

Wesley Sneijder has opened the door to a move to Manchester United, refusing to guarantee he would remain at Inter Milan beyond the close of the transfer window.

He also admitted that “there is a chance” he could complete a £35million switch to Old Trafford.

Both United and Inter confirmed over the weekend that the Dutchman is Sir Alex Ferguson’s preferred heir to Paul Scholes, with the Scot quoted as saying “he must accept our offer” if he wishes to join the club and suggesting Manchester United “were done talking”.

His counterpart, Gianpiero Gasperini, admitted yesterday that “there has been an offer” but insisted negotiations had yet to take place with Inter.

Sneijder’s comments will do little to discourage mounting speculation that he would welcome a move away from his current club.

Asked if he would be happy to remain in Milan for the rest of the season, the Dutch international answered evasively: “I am always happy.”

He responded equally enigmatically when asked whether a move to United is possible, saying: “There is always a chance something will happen, but we will see.” He added: “Would I like to play in England? I have played in many big competitions, in Holland, Spain and now Italy.

“There is always speculation. I have played at the top level for almost 10 years and there has always been speculation, but it is just that.” 

United in recent weeks appear to have hardened in their stance towards Sneijder – one of three potential replacements for Scholes, together with Luka Modric and Samir Nasri – given the cost of signing a player who, at 27, has a much-reduced re-sale value.

Along with Inter’s premium valuation of the player, Sneijder has made it clear he will not take a pay cut to his current £190,000-a-week wages in Italy.

“When we get back from tour, we will be in to the office and we will sit down and assess it with Sir Alex [Ferguson] and his coaches,” said United’s chief executive, David Gill, who will meet the Scot this morning in an attempt to map out the club’s strategy for the final month of the transfer window.

“I don’t want to talk about specifics, but it’s clear to say that in order to get into the United team you have to be a top-class player and those are the sort of players that we want.

“There are not many around and, if they are around, they may not be available, partly because of the contractual situation for themselves or the views of the club.

“The important point to say is that you never know what will happen. I’ve been around long enough to know that things can change quite quickly in football.”

'What is going to happen we will see but I am a happy guy. But there is always speculation, every year. I am happy to train and play my games. Whatever happens after that, we will see.'

He added in comments quoted on The Sun's website: 'There is always a chance something will happen but we will see.'

via telegraph.co.uk

England dominate as Ian Bell reprieved after run out

Ian Bell was handed a dramatic reprieve in an innings of 159 as England moved into a dominant position in the second Test against India.

Bell's innings - and fifties from Kevin Pietersen, Eoin Morgan and Matt Prior - helped the hosts pummel an extraordinary 417 runs on the third day, reaching 441-6 to lead by 374.

But the day is more likely to be remembered for the remarkable drama which unfolded in the moments leading up to the tea interval.

Believing that a Morgan shot had gone for four; Bell (on 137) abandoned his crease and was chatting to his batting partner when Abhinav Mukund took the bails off.

India have been smashed out of the game and it will take a supreme effort for them to save it, let alone win it

As the England pair headed for the pavilion, India appealed for a run out which was upheld by the umpires after TV replays.

With the crowd shouting their displeasure at the decision, the two teams held talks during the interval and India Captain Mahendra Dhoni sportingly agreed to withdraw the appeal.

The sight of Bell running out after tea was greeted with cheers and applause, but the stand-in number three looked a touch subdued after being reinstated, scoring just 22 more runs before he was caught at slip off Yuvraj Singh.

As he left the field, he shook hands with several of the India players, underlining England's appreciation for Dhoni's gesture.

Following Bell's dismissal, England lost Morgan and Jonathan Trott - batting down the order because of a shoulder injury - to the new ball. 

But any suggestion that the momentum might be swinging back India's way was dismissed out of hand in a brilliant unbroken partnership of 102 between Prior and Tim Bresnan (47 not out).

Prior tore into the India attack, hammering 64 off 55 balls to leave the hosts in prime position to go on and win the game, and take a 2-0 lead in the four-match series.

With England in a position of such supremacy, it would be easy to forget that they began the day on 24-1 - still 43 runs adrift of India.

They also lost Andrew Strauss early on, the England skipper's tentative prod at Ishant Sharma taken by Dhoni behind the stumps.

Strauss has still not scored a fifty in eight Test innings this summer and with his injured left-arm nemesis Zaheer Khan set to return to the India side at Edgbaston there is plenty of hard work ahead.

Ian Bell has now scored a century against all the other eight current Test-playing nations. Only four players have scored one against nine, when Zimbabwe were still in the fold: Gary Kirsten, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Marvan Atapattu

Bell, in contrast, looked in superb touch as he motored to fifty off 72 balls with successive fours off Sharma. Pietersen made a much more watchful start to his innings, taking 52 balls before finding the boundary with a paddle-sweep off Harbhajan Singh.

Lunch seemed to induce a change of mindset, with Pietersen opening his shoulders and smashing Sharma for three fours in an over and getting to a half-century off 98 balls.

Bell played and missed at the first ball after the interval but was soon back into rhythm as he brought up his 15th Test hundred to complete a set against all eight Test-playing nations.

Pietersen made 63, but after appearing to get distracted by someone moving behind the bowler's arm, he took a swipe at Sreesanth and was caught behind.

Morgan batted positively from the outset, striking eight fours and a six as he and Bell took England's lead well past the 250 mark.

Their partnership of 104 - punctuated by Bell's astonishing reprieve - could yet turn out to be the decisive in the outcome of the match.
via bbc.co.uk

£85m Aguero! Man City complete amazing deal to land Argentina striker

Sergio Aguero will become the most expensive player in Manchester City's history.

City have agreed a deal of £35million plus add-ons with Atletico Madrid, believed to take the fee up to £38m, for the Argentina striker. In handing him a five-year contract worth close to £200,000 per week, the package to land him could reach more than £85m.

The 23-year-old, who will wear No 16 for City, flew into Manchester on Wednesday morning after cutting short a family holiday in his homeland.

He underwent a three-hour medical before agreeing personal terms at the Etihad Stadium, where he was greeted by hundreds of jubilant supporters and spent time signing autographs.

While the club have yet to announce anything, the player himself said the deal was done on his Twitter account last night. 'I'm already a City player,' he wrote. 'Happy to be in this club and this city. Thank you all for the welcome and the reception!'

Yet while Aguero is preparing to embark on a new career in the Barclays Premier League - a decision will be made in the next 24 hours as to whether he is included in the squad who are travelling to Dublin for a friendly tournament - club captain Carlos Tevez is edging closer to joining Inter Milan.

As yet, there has been no official contact between the clubs but there were suggestions last night that a deal could be possible. City's stance on the 27-year-old has not altered in that they will not let him join another European club for less than £50m.

Aguero would be a ready-made replacement for want away Tevez and he could find himself thrust into the fray straight away in Dublin on Friday. 

City announced a 28-man travelling party on their official website that included strikers Edin Dzeko and Mario Balotelli for the tournament that will see them come up against Inter and Celtic.

But there were only 27 names on the published list, with the section of strikers completed with the words 'plus one other'.

The signing of Aguero shows where City are in the game - 11 years ago this week they were overjoyed to be signing George Weah on a free transfer - and his addition will delight manager Roberto Mancini. 

However, Aguero departed the Vicente Calderon Stadium after five years at the club with a stinging rebuke from Atletico manager Gregorio Manzano ringing in his ears. He said: 'Kun (Aguero) could easily have handled this more professionally, more carefully, with more humanity and a bit more class.

'I had to tell all my players to ignore these unnecessary goings on to focus on our UEFA (Europe League) qualifying tie, but it would have been decent of Kun to stop and think about what was important to the club and reconsider his actions.'

via bbc.co.uk

Jonah Lomu criticises new all-black England kit

New Zealand legend Jonah Lomu has criticized England's decision to use an all-black away kit at the World Cup.

England's new change strip - the same color as New Zealand's 127-year-old All Black jersey - will be worn in the game against Argentina on 10 September.

"For me, in some ways you are just disrespecting the legacy of past players," Lomu told BBC Sport.

"The All Blacks are synonymous with being in all black and England the white shirt they have."

Martin Johnson's side will revert to white for their other group games against Georgia, Romania and Scotland.

But should there be a further clash in later rounds, the black kit could return.

Hosts New Zealand has said they have no qualms with England wearing it, but Lomu is less comfortable.

"I will find it difficult to watch England in a different shirt," stated the 36-year-old, who scored 37 tries in 63 appearances for the All Blacks before retiring in 2007.

"I am one of those people who was brought up on the history of rugby, watching the great players of the past who have worn the England shirt and also the All Blacks'.

"I will find it pretty weird to look across the paddock and see them run out not wearing that famous white uniform."

The All Blacks have not won the World Cup since it was first staged - in New Zealand and Australia in 1987 - but they will enter the 9 September-23 October tournament as favorites.

"It is theirs to lose," Lomu suggested. "It is on their home ground, they know the grounds better than any other team, and they will have their fans there and the support around them from their own families."

Lomu added that the biggest threats to the title contenders would be the Pacific Island nations and identified Ireland as a potential dark horse.

via bbc.co.uk

One year to go-London celebrates 2012 Olympics

With exactly one year to go until the opening ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games, organizers confirm that preparations for the Games are on track and London’s vision to host Olympic and Paralympics Games that inspire the world and acts as a catalyst for lasting change, is set to become reality.

Offering Londoners a small taste of the atmosphere the Games will bring to the city in the summer of 2012, the President of the International Olympic Committee Jacques Rogge will today join organizers and formally invite the athletes of the world to the Games next summer and unveil the Olympic medals at an event in London’s Trafalgar Square.

The Games next year will mark the end of a decade-long project, with London winning the bid in 2005 based on a vision to stage Games which would have athletes at its heart, inspire young people to choose sport, showcase iconic London and be a catalyst for transformation and lasting change. With just 365 days to go, London is on track to deliver on its promises, host spectacular Olympic and Paralympics Games and lay the foundations for significant social, sporting and economic legacies.

London’s progress in the last six years has been closely monitored and endorsed by the International Olympic Committee and construction of the Olympic Park, undertaken by the Olympic Delivery Authority, is now 88% complete. More than 3.5 million tickets have been sold so far, setting the scene for full venues at Games time and a sensational atmosphere for competing athletes.  

A quarter of a million people have applied to volunteer and interviews are now taking place to fill up to 70,000 roles. London 2012’s mascots Wenlock and Mandeville have been unveiled to the world, the Olympic sport schedule published, design of the Olympic Torch finalized, the initial route of the Olympic Torch Relay announced and London was given a snapshot of what it feels like to be an Olympic Host City when the giant Olympic rings were unveiled at St Pancras International station earlier this year. 

Driving this extraordinary progress is British business. The newly constructed Olympic Park is a spectacular showcase for the very best in British design, engineering, creativity and security. A large swathe of east London has been regenerated, with the skyline forever changed by removing electricity pylons. In their place stand iconic sporting arena, a new housing development which will house the world’s athletes during the Games, and a brand new urban park which, after the Games, will become part of a brand new community in east London, delivering on the promise that the London Games would be the catalyst for lasting change in the area.

Transport links have been improved, waterways cleaned and communities reconnected and renewed. More than £6bn worth of contracts has been awarded to make this happen – 98% of them going to UK based firms. Many British firms have joined global companies in becoming sponsors of London 2012, providing nearly £700m towards the staging of the Games and helping deliver activation programmers which provide opportunities for current and aspiring athletes, as well as boosting sport participation across the UK.

The London 2012 Games will extend well beyond the host city and reflect the worldwide appeal of the Olympic movement. A key part of London’s bid commitments in Singapore in 2005 to inspire young people to choose sport, was the creation of the International Inspiration global sports development programmed which, a year out from the Games, has already reached its target of 12 million young people now benefiting from organized sport in developing countries.

Teams from around the world are also confirming pre-Games training camps around the UK where they will be based in the run up to the Games. Over 80 agreements have been signed with facilities around the UK. These agreements will create excitement, investment and interest in communities as world class athletes prepare for competition.

With just twelve months before the Games begin, the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games (LOCOG) alongside its partners and stakeholders will now begin a sustained period of construction of its own. Venues will be turned into Olympic and Paralympics sporting theatres, a 17,000 seat hockey arena must be built, seating for the BMX track installed, two restaurants, a hospitality centre, sponsor pavilions and superstores constructed. Catering outlets and a range of spectator facilities must be installed.

LOCOG will also be creating temporary venues around London – ExCeL will host five separate arenas, Greenwich Park will provide a spectacular backdrop to Equestrian events and a temporary stadium must be constructed at Horse Guards Parade for the Beach Volleyball competition. Venue plans reflect the bid commitment that venues would only be built if there was a legacy purpose after the Games had gone.

LOCOG has already begun the process of testing venues and between now and 2012, will hold 42 test events in 26 venues, working with partners to test venues, technology and teams to prepare for the events in 2012 itself when 15,000 athletes from over 200 countries will compete in the Olympic and Paralympics Games for 4,400 medals. With them will be nearly 10,000 team officials, more than 4,000 representatives and officials from the 26 Olympic and 20 Paralympics sports and over 20,000 accredited media will be in London reporting on the Games, with a similar number of unaccredited media expected. LOCOG is set to award more than £700m worth of contracts, including purchasing more than 900,000 pieces of sporting equipment, as well as providing all catering with more than 14 million meals expected to be served and in-venue security.

Chairman of the London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games (LOCOG), Sebastian Coe said: “With a year to go we are inviting the athletes, spectators and visitors from around the world to come to the UK next summer – it’s ‘London Calling’.  Waiting for them will be a spectacular festival of sport and culture in the world’s greatest city, which will be more magical and vibrant than ever. There is much to do in the next twelve months, but we can take huge comfort in the progress that has been made so far.  We are absolutely on track and determined to stage Olympic and Paralympics Games which will deliver on the promises we made in Singapore, inspire the athletes and make the nation proud.”

IOC President Jacques Rogge said: ‘One year to go is a special time for any host nation. It is the moment when the International Olympic Committee invites the National Olympic Committees and their athletes to attend the Games, when Olympic dreams start to come into focus, and when the world turns its attention in earnest to the city that will welcome it in only 365 days’ time.

'London has come a long way since its election in 2005 in Singapore and the 2012 team and its partners are to be congratulated for their work. London 2012 is now ideally placed not just to deliver top level Olympic competition but also to leave a great legacy to the British people. I wish London well as it enters its final year of preparations and testing and I am confident that next summer this great city will once again do the Olympic movement proud.’

The Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “With the London Games just a year away this ceremony marks the most important milestone to date on the journey to the London Games. We will be looking forward to next summer with great excitement. Our venues are nearly all complete and our preparations to ensure all our visitors can experience the Games wherever they are in the capital are well advanced. With a year to go we can safely say we are ready to welcome the world.”

Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, Jeremy Hunt said: ‘As we celebrate this milestone in our countdown to the 2012 Games, it is well worth noting the success we have achieved so far in this enormous project.  It’s on time and on budget, the majority of venues are built and testing is well underway. In all, it is a showcase of the best of British construction, creativity, teamwork and achievement.  As we look ahead to July next year, I want to welcome the world to London and the UK.  We are a vibrant and diverse country, rich with history and culture. One needs look no further than the Olympic Park to see that.’

BOA Chairman Lord Moynihan, said: ‘With one year to go to the Olympic Games all 2012 Olympic hopefuls in the United Kingdom are focused on one thing: Olympic qualification. No one should underestimate just how challenging it will be simply to qualify for Team GB. Across all of our summer sports, the talent and depth is unprecedented.

'Our aspiration for Team GB in London 2012 is therefore to win more medals across more sports than in Beijing 2008. Knowing full well that we have gone from being the hunters to being the hunted, no detail is being overlooked and absolutely nothing is being left to chance. For London 2012, the 550 athletes competing across 26 sports will be the best prepared, best supported British Olympic Team in history. We are there for the athletes and no stone will be left unturned in our support to the athletes.’

ODA Chairman John Armitt said: ‘With 6 main venues complete and 90% of construction work finished, the 1 year to go stage is the latest milestone in one of Europe’s biggest construction projects being delivered on time and within budget. A project of this scale and complexity has not been seen in the UK for generations. An area the size of Hyde Park needed to be cleaned and cleared of decades of industrial contamination before construction work could even start.

'Millions of tones of soil were cleaned and over 200 buildings demolished. In their place are new world-class sports venues and new housing, thousands of new trees and plants, cleaned and widened waterways, and a new backbone of bridges, roads and utilities infrastructure. All delivered on time and budget. This is a ringing endorsement of the ability of this country to successfully deliver major projects and a testament to the expertise of the tens of thousands of workers and UK businesses who have worked on the Olympic Park over the last five years. With the main Olympic Park venues ready a year before the Games as planned, we are ready to handover to Seb Coe’s Organizing Committee who are on track to stage great Games in 2012.’

London is also on track to deliver a significant and tangible legacy with more opportunities for people to play sport in better facilities. The city will be left with world class sporting facilities and significant investment by both the Government and Mayor of London will see more young people participating in sport, more coaches and a better sporting infrastructure. The London 2012 Inspire programmed has seen 450 new sporting initiatives across every nation and region of the UK. New standards of sustainability have been adopted across the construction of the Olympic Park, which are now becoming industry standard. 

LOCOG is also committed to making sure that the London 2012 Games will be the most accessible possible and that everyone has the opportunity to be involved with the Games. Specific innovations include the Ticket care programmed which allowed disabled people to apply for a free additional carer or Personal Assistant ticket if they were successful in their ticketing application, accessibility improvements to London along the River Walk which are giving disabled visitors the opportunity to enjoy an enhanced City experience while they are here for the Games, and a dedicated web page, www.london2012.com/accessibility, which provides disabled people with the information for a wide range of topics including transport, Blue Badge parking at London 2012 venues and accommodation.

via bbc.co.uk