Daniele De Rossi has stated that he wants to stay at Roma and has no interest in moving to Manchester City.
The Italy international is a long-term target for Citizens boss Roberto Mancini, with the Premier League champions eager to add the midfielder to their squad this summer.
However, despite rumours of a big-money move by City, De Rossi has committed to the Serie A outfit.
“I’m staying for this team, for the affection of the fans, because I am a Roman and because I believe in this project,” he told Italian reporters, translated to English by The Guardian.
“I’m happy here. I feel good here. I haven’t asked anyone to leave. What I promise is that the day I want to leave Roma to win the Champions League or to earn more money, I’ll say so publicly.”
The news will be another blow to City in their blunt transfer period this summer.
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The old adage that the league normally sorts itself out after ten games is one which usually stands up to close inspection and certainly does so this season, but with Liverpool languishing down in 12th under new manager Brendan Rodgers, there are legitimate reasons for the club’s fans to be concerned. Should results fail to live up to expectations and the side continue to flounder inconsistently, how long until patience begins to wear thin about the man at the helm’s vision?
Firstly, let me just say that I find all the talk involving the word ‘philosophy’ absolutely farcical. It seems along the way, in an attempt to make yourself sound more intelligent, that this word has been confused with ‘style’. Liverpool have a clearly defined style, there’s no doubt about that, but let’s not pretend it encompasses more than one principle, which is keeping hold of the ball and using possession as both a means of attack and defence.
Capitalism, Anarchism, Darwinism, these are philosophies, these are schools of thought cultivated over years of work, debate and ideas. Passing a football well, something most teams would aim to do given they have the right resources and players available, most certainly is not.
There’s also the fact that Rodgers has shown a worrying lack of flexibility in adapting to new players. His two summer purchases of Joe Allen and Fabio Borini were both targeted because they were familiar with the new manager’s style of play and methods, with the thinking being that it would take them less time than usually associated with a new player to settle into fresh surroundings. It’s proved the case with Allen, who has been superb thus far, but for Borini, the jury is still well and truly out over whether he’s up to the task.
This also applies to the players that Rodgers has marginalised at the club and shipped out. Andy Carroll was allowed to depart simply because he’s incapable of playing the sweeping, counter-attacking, one-touch football the club has adopted. Meanwhile, Stewart Downing and Jordan Henderson have been reduced to Europa League outings for the most part on occasions when the squad is rotated.
This hasn’t stopped Rodgers from complaining of a ‘thin’ squad repeatedly, but when you alienate some of the only senior players that you have, then it’s no wonder that results have been erratic. Is a new manager’s job not to solve problems, particularly in light of the club’s reduced budget and belt-tightening? At every turn so far, Rodgers has taken the easy option out. To paraphrase a well-known saying, it really is his way or the highway.
It sounds as if he’s already pleading for more time too, hailing the Newcastle draw as a dominant performance and stating last week: “I have signed a three-year deal here and the process will go on beyond that. Hopefully I can be here to keep building it. I am loving every minute here. I came for the challenge, but it is easier said than done. I just look at the stats over the last three years and it has been going the other way. Our job was to spin that around and, through a lot of hard work, get us on an upward spiral.”
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He’s argued that there’s ‘no quick fix’ and while I wouldn’t disagree, for the club has lacked stability for quite some time at every level which has only served to hasten the downward spiral that Rodgers talked about, the side wasn’t that bad last term under Kenny Dalglish.
It was unquestionably a cup side, capable of beating anyone on their day in the league and they did reach the FA Cup and Carling Cup finals, going on to win one with largely the same side. Ask yourself this, could you see the team doing that this season under Rodgers?
This is not to cast a wistful look back at Dalglish’s time in charge, because it became clear by the end of the campaign that the players had long since checked out mentally and gone on their holidays and some of the performances down the back straight were embarrassing, but they looked far more fluid, dangerous and intuitive going forward earlier on than anything we’ve seen so far this term.
Liverpool fans are often mocked for being paranoid and have an almost irrational sense of loyalty towards their club, rejecting even the faintest whiff of reasoned criticism. Of course, it’s a parody for the most part and there’s been a distinct lack of pressure placed on Rodgers so far from the fans. It seems they are willing to be patient for now just so long as it looks as if progress is being made.
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Integrating young players such as the exciting crop of Andre Wisdom, Raheem Sterling and Suso into the starting eleven is the sort of move that the fans want to see and it’s a commendable approach which has bought him time, but should the club finish in the bottom half of the table by the end of the season, something not out of the realms of possibility at the moment, then where do the club go next?
That in itself is the real crux of the issue here – just how long to you give Rodgers to implement his ideas on the squad if results aren’t improving on a consistent enough basis? Is one season enough? Two? Three? Most managers get a honeymoon period, and Rodgers has made all the right noises about the culture and tradition of the club which means he’s well-liked by most, but when that gives way, is the football really all that much better than what they were capable of producing under Dalglish? The fact that these questions have been glossed over so far remains troubling and provides food for thought in the future.
Steve Clarke has indicated that star loanee from Chelsea Romelu Lukaku wishes to stay with West Brom.
Since joining the Baggies, Lukaku, who was an £18 million signing for Chelsea has started just three matches. However, he has managed three goals in those appearances and it is thought that he will play against Southampton tonight.
Though Chelsea are able to take back the 19-year-old in January’s transfer window, Clarke has insisted that Lukaku feels happy with West Brom and is wanting to continue improving his game at the Hawthorns.
“I haven’t spoken to Chelsea about what might happen but I speak to Lukaku and I know he’s happy. He’s in a better place now than he was when he came to us because he has played matches in the Premier League and has been a handful,” Clarke said.
“Lukaku has shown everybody that he’s a big talent and one for the future. He’s raw, he works hard on the training ground and he wants to be better.”
The Baggies play Southampton in a home match tonight, and Clarke has warned his team to be wary of the side.
“Nigel has had two successive promotions and done a great job for the club. They are a team we will treat with 100 per cent respect. We expect a really difficult game. Nigel’s teams always like to pass the ball. They are dangerous, can create chances and score goals,” he added.
West Brom are waiting on tests to see whether Shane Long and Claudio Yacob will be fit for tonight’s match. However, Chris Brunt and Billy Jones are now available to play.
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Martin O’Neill has demanded that his captain, Lee Cattermole, improves his discipline after a fifth red card as a Sunderland player.
The 24 year old’s moment of madness over-shadowed the Black Cats 2-0 away win over the MK Dons and places the former Wigan Athletic midfielder in danger of losing both his starting position and the armband.
O’Neill told ITV Football: “I have had a wee bit more time to reflect on it, and certainly Lee has as well – he’s got most of the month.
“He is obviously very, very sorry, but ‘sorry’ doesn’t help us now, not only over that particular game itself, which we could have lost, but the games coming up now.
“We will see, but again, there are many qualities to him for one so young as a captain of the team. But you just can’t be stepping over the mark like that. He does so many good things for us, both as a player and a captain as well.
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“But you can’t be that rash, you can occasionally, but you have to learn, and more so than ever before now.”
Stoke manager Tony Pulis insists the club’s board are still right behind him despite their recent run of poor form.
The Potters have won just once in 13 games and their defeat at home to fellow strugglers Aston Villa last weekend saw them drop to within four points of the bottom three.
That has led to speculation regarding the future of boss Pulis, despite the great strides the club have made since he took over in 2006 with the Potters in the lower reaches of the Championship.
The 55-year-old admits that his past achievements will count for nothing if the current side continue to tumble down the table.
However, the former Gillingham boss insists he still has the confidence of the club’s chairman, Peter Coates, and is determined to steer the side away from danger.
“You get no grace for what you have achieved, people look at what you are doing now, and what we are doing now isn’t what we have done in recent years,” said Pulis.
“People question things when things aren’t going well. I am fortunate to have a family in charge of the club who are fantastic.
“This week the chairman has been down and had a chat with the lads. He’s a top man, and we are fortunate to have him here.
“The time has come for us to win a couple of games and put this right. Then we will look at what went wrong at the end of the season.
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“Things aren’t going for us at the moment, but when that happens you have to work even harder, and that is what we are doing.”
Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder seems certain to leave Italy in the January transfer window after his wife spoke about emigrating on the local press.
Yolanthe Sneijder-Cabau is a popular personality on Italian television but she may have given too much away in her latest media appearance.
Dutch midfielder Sneijder has been in a contract dispute with Inter for months now and was dropped from the side because of it this season.
With the Dutchman refusing to take a pay cut and being told he can have Christmas off, it does appear that he has played his last game in the blue and black.
Manchester United and Sir Alex Ferguson have been long time admirers of the talented midfielder and are rumoured to have made contact over a January move.
European heavyweights PSG could all also be interested in Sneijder, who at 28 years old still has plenty to offer any club in the world.
The Dutchman’s wife let slip about her and her family emigrating and indicated she wanted to find a nice place (which could rule out Manchester United).
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“We are about to emigrate,” Sneijder-Cabau told De Telegraaf as reported by Sky Sports.
“It should happen in early January and we are looking for a nice place for our family.”
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is not thinking about leaving the Gunners and has instead made a move for his first summer signing in the shape of Torino defender Angelo Ogbonna, according to the Metro.
The Italian international centre back is highly rated and the North London side will have to fight off interest from Juventus, AC Milan and Fiorentina.
Liverpool were also rumoured to have been scouting the 24 year old who is expected to go on and become a top defender.
Champions League football will be key for Arsenal if they are to get their man and so Ogbonna is expected to wait until the end of the season before making a decision on his future.
The Turin club want at least £17million for their main man and so the Italian clubs have quietened their interest leaving Arsenal as the favourites to snap him up.
Wenger has a large budget to spend in the summer to finally get Arsenal back in the title race for next season.
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Fulham and Sunderland are monitoring the situation of Rayo Vallecano star Leo Baptistao, according to reports from talkSPORT.
The Brazilian has been given the responsibility of replacing Swansea midfielder Michu at the Spanish club and has, so far, been impressive.
His six league goals already this season have seen him talked about as one of the rising stars in La Liga and are believed to have attracted the attention of Atletico Madrid as well as the Premier League duo.
The 20-year-old is under contract until 2015, but there is believed to be a clause in the deal that would allow him to leave for as little as £6.5m. However, Rayo may accept less than this due to financial difficulties.
Atletico are convinced that they can lure the South American away from the club, but Fulham and Sunderland are thought to be watching developments closely.
Both could make moves next month in a bid to aid their respective domestic campaigns.
Baptistao joined Rayo at just 16-years-of-age from Portuguesa Santista is his homeland.
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After impressing in the club’s ‘B’ team, he found himself promoted to the senior squad, following Michu’s move during the summer.
Due to operating in a similar role, Baptistao has been likened to the Spaniard who has made a stunning start to life in English football.
The transfer window is now done and dusted until January and for some teams, it was far more successful than others. Certain sides completed their business early, signed the players they wanted and generally enjoyed a decent summer. For others, it’s been nothing but months of frustration, ending in a frantic rush to change their fortunes in this particular transfer window.
As per usual, Tottenham spent August the 31st lighting up deadline day with their traditional scramble to beat the deadline. This year, they just failed to sign Portuguese midfielder Joao Moutinho, but will certainly feel happier with their lot than Liverpool fans who look rather short in the striking department. One thing though. Why don’t teams just follow Sir Alex Ferguson’s example and finish their dealings before the season begins? His new signing seems to have bedded in fairly well…We take a look at the 15 real losers of the transfer window this time around.
Click on Dimitar Berbatov to unveil the 15
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Maybe this is a case of a footballer getting exactly what they deserve—and not because he’s a bad person. David Bentley seemed to make poor decision after poor decision in his career, with recent injuries really bringing him to his knees. He has now been banished, seemingly, to one of the far corners of European football, with very little left of the promising player we once knew.
It said a lot when Bentley couldn’t find his way into a Birmingham side who were relegated in the season he went on loan with them. It was also incredibly disappointing that he had his spell with West Ham cut short by injury, but maybe we should be looking at the level of clubs that were interested in him.
This is a player who once scored a hat trick against Manchester United, was compared favourably to David Beckham, and cost Tottenham a fee around £17 million in 2008. You wouldn’t think that now when you look at his recent years, but his career has spiralled downwards and is very close to becoming irrelevant. Who can speak about Rostov in Russia with any great confidence? A club who aren’t competing for league titles or even European competition, but maybe it’s good that the player has put all that aside and is just intent on getting back on course.
The lure of Russian money isn’t there, nor is the chance of playing to large crowds usually associated with top European football. But is David Bentley’s case even remotely similar to what we saw with Joe Cole last summer? Both previously hailed as great internationals for their country, but both of whom fell heavily out of favour at their parent clubs. It said something about Joe Cole when he ended up at Lille in France. No disrespect to the then reigning French champions, but a title-winner at Chelsea, an England international and Liverpool star (at least that’s what his wages suggested) should maybe have landed a little higher.
Cole proved to have a good spell while in France, perhaps opening that door a little further for English players to explore leagues beyond their comfort zone. Russian football, like all the other empires under construction around the world, are looking at leagues like the Premier League for the next big opportunity. And while there’s no certainty what will happen with Bentley at Rostov, he’s definitely fallen into a minority who are willing to go abroad for the good of their career.
David Beckham, Michael Owen and Steve McManaman are different cases, because who would turn down Real Madrid if they came calling?
David Bentley surely would not have expected his career to pan out this way. Coming through the Arsenal academy, he already seemed too big for his boots before firmly establishing himself as a Premier League footballer. His attitude to the senior players sometimes bordered on the embarrassing, while his decision to pull out of the England U21 squad in 2007 also heaped the pressure and bad feeling on the player.
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He spoke so highly of Spurs when he joined the club, and maybe he could have been an integral member of the first-team even now. But there were mistakes, notably his lack of ability to really take his chances, and lets not forget the ice bucket incident with Harry Redknapp during that interview.
Nothing spectacular will come from this move to Russia. He may get back to full fitness and find a good home in a team for the next four-months or so. But if not, then it’s as good as over for him, at least in top-flight football. Not too many will be paying attention, and he certainly won’t force the sales of Rostov shirts in England, but this is really make or break for Bentley. A chance to get his career back on the right path or a confirmation of what we’ve all known for a good few years.