Chelsea boss Mourinho plans to play to Torres' strengths

The former Liverpool striker has struggled to match his form at Anfield since joining the Blues in a £50m move in 2011, but Mourinho believes that he can finally get the best out of the Spanish international. Torres’ form appeared to pick up under the tutelage of last season’s interim manager Rafael Benitez, and Mourinho believes that momentum can continue into the new season and Torres can be fully unleashed and realise his potential. Mourinho, who returned to Stamford Bridge this summer after departing Real Madrid, said: “I don't know if it's confidence, I feel the guy is highly motivated, he works very hard. “I think some of the work we do with the team in terms of attack suits his qualities. We are here to support him. Usually when he is clear, he scores that goal - but he has missed (recently). We know that this is Torres' game. “When we see Torres with his back to goal, surrounded by two or three opponents, we know that he is not going to produce a piece of magic. We want the team not to learn how to play with him, but to improve how to play with him. He is working very hard in training, we are happy with him. “His game is impossible to remodel. But we want to adapt the team and teach the team how to use his best qualities. He is not a kid anymore. He is at an age where it is difficult to change his play. He is what he is and he is very good with the qualities he's got. So we need to learn and support his game.” Torres has scored 15 goals in 82 appearances since moving to London, and this form has seen him earn criticism from various quarters, especially considering his impressive strike rate of 65 goals in 102 games while at Liverpool. He has also netted 36 goals in 106 appearances for the Spanish national team, having also represented his country at every youth level from U-15 upwards.

Manchester United do the right thing and apologise to Everton

Manchester United are going out of their way to apologise to Everton as the Daily Mirror reports that the Premier League champions sent a written letter of apology to the Merseyside club for the manner in which they hired the Toffees’ former coach David Moyes. Moyes was contacted three weeks before the end of the season to fill the huge seat which Sir Alex vacated in the summer, an offer which the Glasgow born Scot accepted. In fact Moyes claimed that the Red Devils had contacted him regarding Ferguson’s succession months before. Everton chiefs are still furious about that and were on the verge of complaining to the Premier League authorities but the letter may dilute the entire situation. Meanwhile, all this tension between two of the biggest clubs in England has led Everton to block Manchester United’s attempt to sign Everton left-back Leighton Baines. United had initially made a bid of £12m for the Englishman, who has made a total of 246 appearances for the Goodison Park outfit, but the Toffees rejected the offer. Though United were believed to follow up immediately, no such offer arrived once Everton’s rage over the whole Moyes’ situation became public. Now it is understood that should Moyes still desire to reunite with his former player, the Old Trafford outfit will have to make a monumental bid for the 28 year old. The apology letter is believed to be the first step taken by United in an attempt to patch things up with Everton in order to facilitate Baines’ transfer.

Arsenal legend urges Luis Suarez to remain at Liverpool for at least one more season

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has given a very realistic interview today to BBC Sport regarding his club’s pursuit of Luis Suarez. While Wright stops short of speculating whether Arsenal will be successful in their chase, he did have advice for both parties on the matter. Arsenal’s one time record goal scorer shared he was delighted that the club were linked to the Uruguayan striker and said, ‘I’d welcome him at Arsenal with open arms.’ However, he did quickly add that if he was one of the many people advising Suarez on the move then he wouldn’t recommend joining the Gunners. Wright shared, ‘If I was Suarez, when you look at everything, it does seem strange he would want to go to Arsenal. I would give Liverpool another season.’ The outspoken striker shared the opinion of the majority of the Arsenal fans that it was about time the Gunners went after top class talent. Wright added, ‘Arsenal finally realise they’ve got to get up there with the big boys otherwise they will be left behind.’ Wright in fact questioned Arsene Wenger’s wisdom in not spending more money this summer and declared that the Gunners need to do a lot more than just bring in one new player of Suarez’s quality.

Liverpool captain wants CL football again

Long-time Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard spoke out regarding his desire to win more trophies and get Liverpool back into the Champions League. The English international, who is now also captain of England, saw his Reds finish seventh last year, behind Merseyside rivals Everton and outside of a Champions League position. “While I’ve still got a couple of years left – and maybe a few more who knows – I have to make the most of it. And that is about adding more medals to what I already have and to leave this club in the Champions League. That is the challenge for me personally,” Gerrard said, according to talkSPORT. “It is not the same club (I joined) because we are not in the Champions League, so it becomes an awful lot more difficult to attract the top players.” While Liverpool may not be in the Champions League this season, Gerrard went on to discuss the club’s recent tour abroad and the popularity of Liverpool, noting that the club can still attract players of high quality even without a Champions League berth this year. “I think the club’s history and size – we’ve just been on a tour which has seen us play in front of nearly a quarter of a million people in 10 days – means the pull is still here,” Gerrard continued, according to talkSPORT. “We need to break back into the top four to get back the pull we had four or five years ago when we were comfortably in the Champions League year in, year out and challenging to win it.” Gerrard clamors for Suarez to stay Gerrard also discussed the potential transfer of Suarez to Arsenal and how without Suarez, the Reds may not be able to challenge for a Champions League berth. “I think everyone knows how highly I rate him and how much I want him to stay, and what we can achieve this season basically depends on whether he stays or goes, I believe,” Gerrard said, according to talkSPORT. Suarez was a critical player for Liverpool last year, scoring 23 goals in 33 appearances for the Reds. He still has to complete the last six games of his ten match ban for biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic before returning to play for a club, no matter which club he is with. Gerrard will play in his testimonial match today against Olympiakos at Anfield. The 33 year old scored a phenomenal goal against the Greek side during Liverpool’s run to a Champions League victory in 2005. Gerrard came up through the youth academy at Liverpool before becoming captain and leader of the squad in October of 2003.

Barcelona fan invades pitch to hug Neymar

The match was arranged as part of the deal that brought Neymar to Spain this summer – and although the Brazilian forward didn’t find the scoresheet, he still impressed alongside four-time World Player of the Year Lionel Messi. It was a bit of a rout, with Barca enjoying a preseason run-out before the new season. And one of the funnier moments took place as Santos lined up to kick-off again after another Barca goal. A Barca fan runs across the pitch, stewards and security staff in tow, and heads straight for Neymar. Before he can get there though, he’s wrestled to the ground and escorted off the pitch. Neymar sees the funny side of it at least, and Cesc Fabregas cracks a smile.

Bale bids mates goodbye

London - Tottenham take on Monaco on Saturday without Gareth Bale, who misses the pre-season friendly in the Principality through injury ahead of a likely defining week for his forecast world record transfer to Real Madrid. The Wales superstar bid "an emotional farewell" to his teammates in London on Friday, autographing their shirts before they left for Monte Carlo, according to a report in The Sun. The Spurs forward sits out Saturday evening's match, and may also miss Wales' friendly against Ireland in Cardiff on August 14, with a minor hamstring problem. As Bale works on his fitness Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will sit down for his first face-to-face talks with his Real Madrid counterpart Florentino Perez in Miami next week, possibly on Wednesday, The Times suggested. Real are in Florida where Levy has a holiday home for a pre-season warm-up. They are keen to see Bale at the Bernabeu ahead of their opening league game against Real Betis on August 18. The 24-year-old is set to become the most expensive player of all time, an honour currently held by Cristiano Ronaldo who moved from Manchester United to Real for £82 million in 2009. Levy is reportedly holding out for a transfer fee in excess of £105 million while Real are looking to strike a deal at around £85 million with a makeweight, possibly Fabio Coentrao, thrown in. On Friday, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger claimed Bale's proposed mega transfer made a mockery of UEFA's Financial Fair Play rules. "It makes a joke of it. "It's quite amazing that in the year where the Financial Fair Play comes in, the football world has gone completely crazy," the Frenchman said. "You wonder what kind of impact and effect it has on the football world. "It looks like it has made everybody worse than before."

Liverpool Join Everton in Race for £8m-Rated Brazilian

Merseyside duo will battle it out to see who can land the coveted left back next season. Liverpool are set to go head to head with Everton in the race to sign highly rated Granada defender Guilherme Siqueira this summer, according to reports in the Daily Star. The Merseyside giants have been trying to find a left back all summer long that can act as competition for current left-sided full back Jose Enrique at Anfield next season. However, now it appears as though Reds head coach Brendan Rodgers is set to make a move for Brazilian Siqueira, who has been at Liga minnows Granada for the past two years, having originally signed for the Spanish outfit from Serie A side Udinese on a four-year deal in June 2011. And in the intervening two -year period, the 27-year-old has appeared in 70 league matches for Granada, finding the back of the net on an impressive 12 occasions from his left-back berth. But Rodgers and Liverpool know that they will face stiff competition for the full back’s signature though this summer from not just city-rivals Everton, who have also reportedly been keeping close tabs on Siqueira, but also from the likes of Spanish giants Real Madrid and Turkish champions Galatasaray. Siqueira has a contract with Granada that runs until June 2017, with a buyout clause in that deal worth £21 million, although it is understood that his club would be willing to listen to offers in the region of £8m for their player.

QPR's Redknapp to raid former club Spurs for another Defoe reunion

Redknapp, 66, wants to bring the England striker to Loftus Road in a move which will see him working with Defoe at a fourth different club. The pair first worked together at West Ham, and reunited at Portsmouth before Redknapp took Defoe back to Spurs for a second spell after taking over at White Hart Lane in 2008. Redknapp’s predecessor at QPR, Mark Hughes, also has Defoe on his radar, and wants to take the striker to Stoke to reunite him with former Portsmouth and Tottenham strike partner Peter Crouch – so it would appear a reunion in some form is definitely in Defoe’s immediate future. Redknapp admitted that he wants to forge a team that will set the Championship alight next season following QPR’s relegation from the Premier League. He said: “I am going to put together a team that will excite people. “I am trying to bring players in who will blow people’s minds. I have got the backing of the board to do that, and we are moving on from last season.”

Chelsea set to beat off stiff competition for young teenage striker

The Daily Mail reports that Chelsea have beaten off stiff competition from Manchester City and Everton to sign 18 year old Croatian youth international Stipe Perica from local club NK Zadar. Perica, a striker, is already a first team regular with his side and reached double digits in goals scored last season. He was also part of the Croatian team at Under-20 World Cup in Turkey this summer and is believed to be quite a talent. At 6 feet 3 inches tall, Perica is already quite the physical specimen, and will only getting stronger as he grows older, making him an ideal target man for the Premier League. Chelsea have no immediate need for the 18 year old striker, and it is widely expected that he will shipped off on loan on his arrival at Stamford Bridge. Perica’s signing continues the new trend at Chelsea of signing exceptional young talent, even if it means having to pay a premium for it just now as a large number of these future superstars will no doubt develop into world class players with the right grooming.

Tottenham on the verge of completing yet another decent signing

Tottenham’s summer of spending looks set to continue unabated with Spurs taking every opportunity to improve their squad in the best possible manner. After signing a versatile midfield sensation, a young enthusiastic winger and top quality striker, the one area that Andre Villas-Boas needed to improve next was his defence, and the Portuguese tactician has wasted little time in lining up Romanian youngster Vlad Chiriches as his next summer target. AVB has already splashed around close to 50 million pounds this summer, and the signing of Chiriches from Steaua Bucharest is expected to put Spurs back another £7 million.After news yesterday that Steaua had pulled out of the transfer following a tirade from the club’s owner, the Metro quotes the player’s agent this morning declaring that Spurs have come back to the club with a revised offer to push the sale through faster. Chiriches’ agent Ioan Becali said, ‘[Roma] have not raised their offer of £5.7m. Tottenham, however, are now up to £7m and have taken the player.’ 23 year old Chiriches is expected to travel to North London next week to complete his medical and agree personal terms.

Liverpool pursuit of young winger ends in failure

Liverpool’s pursuit of Barcelona winger Cristian Tello has ended in failure after the Spanish Champions reported today that the 21 year old has agreed terms to a 2 year contract extension with the club. The short term nature of the contract and the presence of a 25 million euro release clause means that Liverpool could still chase the player some time in the future, but by agreeing a deal for now it appears that Tello has decided that he wishes to spend his immediate future at the Camp Nou where he tries to earn himself a regular starting spot in Barcelona’s star studded line-up where Chilean sensation Alexis Sanchez and former Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas aren’t guaranteed a starting berth. Tello has been with the Barca senior side for a little over a season now. After making his debut in the Copa del Rey in 2011, the youngster got a run in the first team last season, notching up a very decent 34 appearances, though a large number of those came against lesser teams and from the subs benches. Tello also weighed in with a decent 8 goals.

Bent’s arrival to hand Fulham the advantage in Newcastle head-to-head

Newcastle’s decision to scan the transfer market for other forward options, having struck out on a deal for unwanted Aston Villa front man Darren Bent, only heightens Fulham’s chances to topple the north west outfit in their divisional match bet this season. That’s because Fulham themselves have set their hearts on reuniting their manager, Martin Jol, with the forward he worked briefly with at Tottenham in 2007. And with Bent’s style of play a perfect fit for The Cottagers, backing their 2.20 price to finish the coming season ahead of Alan Pardew’s French Army seems wise. Having spent most of last season picking bench splinters out of his backside, Bent will be gasping to return to regular first-team action and Fulham look like perfect candidates to scratch that itch. They’ll likely reap the rewards of the player’s determination to prove he’s still a threat and a frontline partnership of Dimitar Berbatov and Bent is a dizzying thought for Fulham fans. While the pair didn’t particularly fire together in their few games up front for Spurs, in theory they’re a match made in goalscoring heaven. While Berbatov drops deep to receive the ball to his creatively gifted feet, Bent can lurk higher up the pitch waiting to pounce on balls threaded in behind the defence. Meanwhile Newcastle, who are 1.60 shots to finish higher than Fulham, are intent on replenishing their already swollen stocks with yet more French talent in the form of Bafetimbi Gomis and will have to wait while their foreign imports to adjust to a new league. Add in the Geordie outfit’s state of cataclysmic disarray off the field – the unwanted return of Joe Kinnear as Director of Football, Alan Pardew’s constantly scrutinised job security and Papiss Cisse’s Wonga gripes – and it seems that Newcastle have been doing anything but preparing for their on field duties, themselves in need of drastic improvement following a 2013 campaign spent battling relegation. So for Bent, and bwin customers, siding with Fulham can be the only option.

Brighton's Will Buckley admits sadness at seeing Gus Poyet leave

Poyet left in rather acrimonious circumstances after being initially suspended in May, and the Uruguayan was eventually replaced by Oscar Garcia, who took his first job in English football. Buckley admitted that the players had grown close to Poyet, but must now look to the future under the stewardship of the new manager. "I owe him [Poyet] massively to my career and a few of the other players do to," Buckley told Sky Sports News. "But that's football these days. New managers come in seemingly every season, and hopefully Oscar will get a good crack of the whip. "Obviously you get close to a manager. All the lads were. It's a sad thing that he went. "But we can't let it affect us. We've got to look forward and move on." Brighton were knocked out of the Championship playoffs by Crystal Palace last season, who went on to gain promotion by beating Watford at Wembley.

Arsène Wenger: Jack Wilshere is now ‘completely available’ for Arsenal

The 21-year-old midfielder missed the whole of the 2011-12 campaign through injury and underwent a minor operation at the end of last season to remove a metal support pin from his ankle. But Wenger has confirmed that the England international is approaching full fitness ahead of this weekend’s pre-season tournament in north London. “We have a few individual cases like [Santi] Cazorla, who’s coming later and Jack Wilshere who’s not quite 100 per cent yet,” said Wenger. “[But] I consider Wilshere now to be completely available and part of the team.” Wenger also expressed his satisfaction at how Arsenal’s preparations for the new season have unfolded so far following their tour of Asia. He continued: “The tour was quite intense physically, especially our two games in Japan. We had a week to recover from being jetlagged and to work as well. But physically we should be alright. “Considering that the season starts in three weeks I think that we are at a reasonable level, especially because we have no big injuries. When you go on a tour like that for 17 days, it’s a bit of a risk and the good news is that everybody is quite fit.” And asked about the Emirates Cup, which did not take place last year due to the London 2012 Olympics, Wenger added: “I’m very happy because it’s an event I love, for different reasons. It’s the first time we can play in front of our fans in a very relaxed environment. “For me, it’s also a good opportunity to give competition to every single player. In two days, everybody could get 90 minutes and that’s important.

Soldado's set to seal Spurs deal

The north London club's need for attacking reinforcements is well documented, as is their desire to bring in the 28-year-old Spain international. Spurs boss Andre Villas-Boas recently confirmed an interest in Soldado, and a deal is believed to be edging ever closer. Valencia president Amadeo Salvo last week warned Tottenham that they will have to meet the €30m (£26million) buy-out clause if they are to prise him away from the Mestalla. Salvo said at the time that the Primera Division club had no intention of selling Soldado, but now appear resigned to losing him. "The agreement with Tottenham is total," said Salvo. "A problem has arisen with the (player's) agents," he added. "(If it is resolved) he will go." Soldado joined Valencia from Getafe three years ago and scored 24 goals in La Liga last season. Meanwhile, Tottenham defender Steven Caulker has completed his move to Cardiff for what is believed to be a club record fee. The 21-year-old England international underwent a medical this afternoon and signed a four-year deal with the club.

Lazio Captain Banned For Match-Fixing

A 54-month ban had been recommended by the disciplinary commission of the FIGC (Italian Football League) but this was reduced to six months. The games in question go back to May 2011 when Lazio beat Genoa and Leece by the same 4-2 scoreline, just eight days apart. Lazio will face a 40,000 euros fine, whilst Leece were fined 20,000 euros, despite the prosecutor requesting a six-point deduction for the former. All three clubs were involved in the case with Alessandro Zamperini, Stefano Ferrario and Mario Cassano being handed bans as announced in a FIGC press release. Zamperini has received a two year ban, Lecce defender Ferrario six months and Cassano four months. Mauri has played over 200 games for Lazio since he joined in 2006 having been made captain last year. He will now miss the majority of the season, including the start of Lazio’s Europa League campaign as they attempt to improve on reaching the quarter-final last season.

Fulham make fresh bid for Aston Villa's Darren Bent

Villa boss Paul Lambert is keen to offload the 29-year-old, who is also a target for Newcastle United, and wants at least £6m for the striker. The Cottagers initial offer of £4m was considered to low, however Martin Jol is hoping he can convince Lambert to part with Bent for less than the asking price. Bent's transfer away from the Midlands would represent a huge financial loss for Villa, who paid Sunderland £24m for the former Ipswich Town player only two years ago.

Ferdinand Ready To Battle Youngsters For Man Utd Place

Ferdinand is the oldest of United's first-team defenders at 34 years old ,with Nemanja Vidic the other experienced player and Jonny Evans, Chris Smalling and Phil Jones all pressing for places at the heart of the Red Devils' defence. . However, Ferdinand established himself as the first choice last season, making 34 appearances and being voted a member of the PFA Team of the Year. While Ferdinand expects a challenge to stay in the side, he is determined not to make way. "It was the same last season," he told ESPN. "There is a great history and it is part of the club with young players coming through and establishing themselves and I am all for that, but I want to play games. "I want to play for Man United and the young lads are going to have to fight to get in the team just like I did when I was a kid. "Now it is roles reversed but it is obvious if you want to win things you have to have rivalry within the squad and it is done the right way here - whoever gets the shirt is supported by everyone." The former England captain made 34 appearance last season for the Premier League champions scoring his only goal against Swansea in Sir Alex Ferguson's last game at Old Trafford.

Liverpool transfer news: Costa "signed by Monday"

Liverpool have made a £21 million bid for Costa, which is believed to have triggered a release clause in the player's contract with Atletico. Following the protracted summer deal that saw Brazilian international midfielder Paulinho move from Corinthians to Totenham Hotspur, concerns had been raised Liverpool could be the next Premier League side to be delayed in their pursuit of a transfer target. Paulinho's switch to Spurs switch is understood to have been slowed by complications related to third-party ownership of the player's economic rights. The sale of third-party ownership in players is common practice in Spanish, Portugese and south American football as a means to raise funds without losing talent. It has since emerged however, that Costa's rights were purchased in their entirety by Atletico, in a 2010 deal with Portugese side Braga. A SportsDirect News source with expert knowledge of the situation told us this would likely see the transfer pushed through with little problem: The source said: “The normal time frame for these things is two to five days. “If a deal has been agreed between the two sides, then the player would fly probably tomorrow to discuss terms. “Then, on Monday, as Sunday is not a business day, the club has to request an International Transfer Certificate (ITC), which Liverpool have to obtain from Atletico via the Spanish and English football associations. “The club will transfer the funds agreed and on receipt of the ITC the player will be eligible to play.” Liverpool are yet to confirm or deny the reports.

Arsenal fans should not and will not be surprised at their lack of progress in the transfer market so far this summer.

Men, even when they aspire to change, rarely make a complete overhaul of themselves and instinctively find themselves heading back into their comfort zone. Florentino Perez suffers from it – the Real Madrid president is now on a pursuit of Gareth Bale with the exorbitance that echoes the failed galacticos project. A project he seemed to have foregone when he invested in youth with the signings of Isco and Asier Illaramendi. Pep Guardiola also seemed to have suffered it – promising to adapt to Bayern Munich and not turn it into Barcelona, then purchasing Thiago Alcantara, sticking Javi Martinez at center back and re-igniting his obsession for possession. And – to what has caused a dividing of opinions among Arsenal fans and football fans alike – it is what Arsene Wenger is suffering from. The frugal spender, cautious and willing to push for a bargain has refused to change. For the time being at least. At the time of writing, the only signing Arsenal have made is for the young French striker Yaya Sanogo. He was on a free from AJ Auxerre. This is despite the Arsenal board claiming that there is a treasure chest of money at Wenger’s disposal. Indeed, that has been evident by the players who have been targeted – Wayne Rooney, Gonzalo Higuain and Luis Suarez. But while the Rooney option has looked far from ever materialising, the pursuit of Higuain set about the motion that would culminate in bids for Suarez. Already having agreed personal terms with the Argentine, a complication as to his image rights meant that the deal would become more expensive than ordinarily envisioned. It is why Wenger abandoned it and put his pursuit firmly in Suarez. Logically, it makes sense – instead of paying an amount for a player who would be making his Premier League debut, why not invest the same amount in a player who is a proven Premier League goal scorer? And even though it was misplaced belief that the odd 40 million pounds would be enough, it is in the negotiations that Wenger’s true colours have shone. Wenger, even in these circumstances is hesitant to pay more than what he values a player to be. It is the principle upon which he has worked with. Never paying exorbitantly for a player and only looking for the right price. In return, he has made economic profits. The practice has translated into buy cheap, sell expensive. The profits made on Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure, Samir Nasri, Robin Van Persie et al will attest to that. In the same light, the principle has dictated buying young, so as to sell later on when players are at their peak, and thus commanding higher transfer fees. But while all this has made for profit on the balance sheet, it has not done the same on the football pitch. Indeed, the climate in which he finds himself is not overly conducive for such practices. With the cash kings of Manchester City and Chelsea around and while Manchester United operate on a more balanced pedestal, Wenger will have to tweak his ideal somewhat. It is probably what he did last season, for in the Wenger era, signing players of Santi Cazorla’s age has been a rarity. Then again, so does the 40 million plus bid for Suarez. It would smash Wenger’s (and Arsenal’s) transfer record. But his reluctance to fully compromise may mean the deal stumbles. Having money is one thing; using it is another. All indications point to the fact that Arsenal have it and are willing to spend – with Arsene Wenger though, things are a bit different. Because Wenger is a man of principle, and men of principle are ideally stubborn to the point of being quixotic. If it does not fit his ideal, Wenger will be fundamentalist and will thus reject it. He will wait for the perfect deal. Even in conditions that demand change, Wenger remains a pillar of difference. Then again, Wenger’s legacy will forever be his theory rather than his practice. His perceived model rather than his actual achievements. It should be no surprise that even now he is refusing to change --- all Arsenal can hope for is that his method eventually justifies his madness.

Liverpool Target Inks Suprising Contract Extension at Barcelona

FC Barcelona captured arguably the most sought after transfer target of the summer back on May 27th when the club signed 21-year-old Brazilian winger, Neymar, to a five-year contract. On Thursday, Barcelona announced via its website that the club has inked another winger, Cristian Tello, to a contract extension, which will keep the Spaniard at Camp Nou through June 2018. While the extension makes sense for the club, which upped Tello’s buyout clause from 10 million euros to 25 million euros, it was a rather surprising signing when looking at it from the perspective of Tello. Since joining the Barcelona first team in 2011, Tello has appeared in just 37 matches and has scored 10 goals. The majority of his appearances have come as a substitute and with the recent signing of Neymar, who plays the same left wing position as Tello; one must question the youngsters thought process. At 21-years-old, the most important thing right now is getting match time, but competing for such time against the likes of Neymar, Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez, and Andres Iniesta is not the way to get it. The signing of Neymar even caused long time Barcelona winger and Spanish international, David Villa, to leave for Atletico Madrid earlier in July with the idea that match time would soon become scarce. Now, there is something to be said for playing at one of the world’s biggest clubs and having the confidence to believe you can ultimately get better and compete, but as such a young player it may have been more beneficial to go elsewhere for more money and more playing time. Reports over the last month or so indicated interest in Tello from the likes of Liverpool, Schalke, and Borussia Dortmund, but the speedy winger seemed steadfast in his desire to stay at Camp Nou. With the extension, Barcelona has made a great move; signing a young, promising player, who wants to be at the club and can help the team off the bench. By increasing Tello’s buyout clause, the club has also guaranteed to cash out further if another team wants the winger badly enough. While it seems a win-win situation for Barcelona however, Tello himself may be in a different position. On the depth chart, Tello sits behind some of the best players in the world and may have trouble exceeding, let alone matching, the playing time he enjoyed over the past two seasons. With all that being said, the contract extension of Cristian Tello at Barcelona must be considered a rather puzzling surprise, at least from Tello’s point of view.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger confirms Thomas Vermaelen is out for a further six weeks with injury

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has confirmed that captain Thomas Vermaelen will miss the start of the season. The Belgian defender aggravated a back problem on the club's tour of Asia and is likely to be out for a further six weeks, said the Gunners boss. Wenger did, though, reveal left-back Nacho Monreal could return sooner than though and will start training on Monday after also having a back problem. "Vermaelen is out for six more weeks, Monreal will start training on Monday," Wenger told reporters ahead of the Emirates Cup this weekend. Wenger had already confirmed that Vermaelen would keep the Gunners' captain's arm band despite missing the start of the season. Arsenal will take on Napoli on Saturday in the Emirates Cup - and face Gonzalo Higuain after the Real Madrid man turned down the Gunners for the Serie A side. "The tour (of Asia) was quite intense. Our games in Japan were difficult physically," Wenger added. "The good news is that everybody is quite fit. During this weekend you will see Sanogo and Cazorla. I consider Wilshere to be completely available."

Ancelotti: Modric not for sale

United were linked with Modric prior to his move to Madrid from Spurs last summer and have been tentatively linked with the Croatian midfielder in recent weeks. Modric endured a difficult season in La Liga last time out and speculation in Spain had suggested Real could be open to a sale, but Ancelotti insists the 27-year-old will not be leaving the Bernabeu. "It is not true that Luka will leave. All the players are very happy to be here and working well," said the Italian. "We have not spoken about any player leaving; it's not true Modric will leave." Modric had also been mentioned as a potential make-weight in a deal for Tottenham's Gareth Bale, but Ancelotti seems keen to insist that he has no intention of allowing the player leave.

Napoli: Benitez era promises much

After having battled their way to a second place finish last year, changes seemed almost inevitable at Napoli. The sale of Cavani was a blow, but the money has been invested wisely, meaning Napoli have a deep squad with a very real chance of winning Serie A. Cavani was Mr. Napoli for all three of his seasons at the club, although his fee rising to just €17 million. However, the Uruguayan’s blistering pace, energy, and unique yet accurate finishing made him the talk of European football at times. Napoli’s impressive 2011/12 Champions League campaign gave foreign clubs their best glimpse yet of what Cavani could do, with help from Ezequiel Lavezzi, Juan Zuniga, Marek Hamsik, Goran Pandev and others. Champions league football did not return to Naples for the 2012/13 season, as they finished fifth in Serie A, and despite winning the Coppa Italia, rumours began to circulate over the future of the club’s key players. Having already suffered deep financial turmoil and troubles in previous years, Napoli’s owners knew they could not be reckless or overly ambitious, forcing the club to make tough decisions. Lavezzi left for PSG in the summer of 2012, and many expected Cavani to leave then. However, he remained, and proved once more that he was one of the World’s very finest strikers. Cavani’s thoroughly destructive performance against FC Dnipro of the Ukraine in the Europa league in which he scored all four goals in a 4-2 victory was essentially a one match highlight reel of the electrifying Uruguayan. Cavani finished the season with a staggering 38 goals in 43 matches in all competitions, making a move seem almost certain. Yet again, it was PSG who bought one of Napoli’s stalwarts, with the fee being around €64 million, almost four times the fee spent on Cavani in the first place. Many have begun questioning Napoli’s potential in the Champions league and Serie A without their talisman, but the signings made, as well as the arrival of Rafael Benitez means Napoli could change from being a tricky team to beat with a few in demand players to being a genuine and consistent, European powerhouse. Napoli’s most notable coup this summer has been Gonzalo Higuain, the Argentine who spent six years at the mighty Real Madrid, but never really reached the heights of certain previous Madrid strikers. Still, the length of Higuain’s stint at Los Meringues and his goal record 122 goals in 246 games proves that he is a world class signing, and could well be one of Serie A’s elite strikers. Just like they did when Cavani was scoring goals for fun, Napoli have plenty of creativity in their squad, with Hamsik, Insigne, and another man signed from Madrid this summer, the technically gifted Jose Callejón, who never quite got enough games for Madrid to really impress. He will be hungry to show why he was touted as a future star in his younger days. Napoli have a fantastic mix of experience, youth and players at their supposed peak age of mid 20s, as exemplified by their array of defenders. Speaking of experience, Spanish goalkeeper Pepe Reina has joined on loan from Liverpool, and despite being prone to the odd error or erratic move, he is a top quality shot stopper, and his presence around the dressing room will make the Napoli squad even more United, as Reina will be reunited with former manager Rafael Benitez. Reina, Maggio, Cannavaro, another ex-Madrid man Raul Albiol and Juan Zuniga makes for a very strong and idyllic back line, suitable for both Italian and European competition. The addition of tricky Belgian winger Dries Mertens from PSV Eindhoven gives Napoli yet more width and creativity, giving an insight into how Benitez will want his team to set up, with either width, central creativity, or both. Rafael Benitez has long been an advocate of the lone striker, as shown by his use of Samuel Et’to at Inter, Fernando Torres at both Chelsea and Liverpool, Djibril Cisse at Liverpool, and a fair few others. It seems unfair to leave out any of Hamsik, Insigne, Callejón, Pandev and Mertens, but at least two of them will probably find themselves on the bench, for the key games at least. I expect Napoli to utilise either a 4-5-1 or a 4-2-3-1 formation for the most part this season. Rafael Benitez has used both of these formations in the past, and both of them allow for the creative prowess of Hamsik, Callejón and the others to be the ace in Napoli’s metaphorical pack of cards. With the 4-5-1 or maybe 4-4-1-1 option, I expect to see Mertens in the team alongside Callejón in “the hole” behind Gonzalo Higuain, with Hamsik, Insigne or Pandev taking the final place. However, with Juan Zuniga, one of the most attacking left backs in the game, being likely to be selected regularly, Benitez may decide against another attacking wide man on the left. If the 4-2-3-1 is used, the intelligent Behrami and the energetic Inler will have to hold in central midfield even more, while Hamsik, Callejón and likely Insigne attack. Whichever formation Benitez uses, he has the almost ideal squad to tinker with. The amount of both central and wide creativity means injuries shouldn’t affect the team’s ability to cause defensive problems for their opponents. The illustrious and experienced defensive line given earlier could make Napoli one of the steeliest defences in Europe, as Benitez often does. The potential of this team is unquestionably high with hungry, determined players galore, ready to unleash themselves on both Serie A and Europe, with Juventus’ crown being the aim for the ever passionate Napoli fans.

Real in talks to seal Bale deal, Ancelotti admits

Real Madrid are in talks to buy Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Gareth Bale, coach Carlo Ancelotti confirmed, amid widespread speculation that the Wales international is poised to move to Spain for a world record fee. "It is difficult to talk about Bale because at the moment he is not a Real Madrid player," Ancelotti told a news conference at Real's training camp in Los Angeles. "I believe the club is in talks to find a solution and we will see what happens," said the Italian, adding that he had not spoken to the forward. "I am not used to talking about players who are not in my team and it would not be right to do so." According to media reports in Spain and England, Real are leading the chase for Bale and are prepared to offer Spurs what would be a world-record fee of £85 million (HK$1 billion) for the 24-year-old. It would eclipse the fee of around £80 million (HK$944 million) the world's richest club by income agreed to pay Manchester United for Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009. Bale left Tottenham Hotspur's training ground on Wednesday after reportedly telling manager Andre Villas-Boas of his desire to join Real, Sky Sports in Britain reported. Bale spent around five hours at the club's training base, during which time he is said to have informed Villas-Boas of his intentions. Meanwhile, Tottenham said a deal has been reached with Valencia to sign striker Roberto Soldado. The 28-year-old Soldado scored 80 goals in 146 appearances for Valencia

Liverpool lodge $32 milion for Diego Costa

Drum up those Luis Suarez speculations, there’s been an indirect yet significant development. It would seem that manager Brendan Rodgers is picking his targets carefully, since Anfield hasn’t exactly been at the forefront of many transfer rumors outside of Suarez this summer. It also would seem he has found someone he really, really likes. The Guardian (and many others) are reporting that Liverpool have submitted a €25 million ($32.5 million) bid for Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa. With Luis Suarez very possibly on the way out as his transfer saga continues, Costa would represent a hand-picked and very capable replacement. Rodgers has been coerced by the media to give the public a lot of information (I use that word with extreme caution) about the situation surrounding Suarez, although not all of it is entirely…well…believable. Rodgers’ claim that Suarez is “happy” at Anfield could behind the scenes be fueling some movement. The swoop for Costa would work very well for both parties, it would seem. Liverpool would obviously gain leverage on Suarez and a replacement for if he were in fact to depart, and a talented one at that. For Costa, the move would make him the leading number 9 at Liverpool – at least given the amount bid for his services – and would represent a chance for him to firmly remove himself from Radamel Falcao’s shadow. Primarily a winger at Atletico, Costa is certainly capable of playing up front. Costa’s had to play second-fiddle to Falcao since his move to Atletico in 2010, even being forced out on loan to Rayo Vallecano for half of the 2011/12 season. While Liverpool aren’t exactly the biggest stage in England anymore, they certainly represent an opportunity for Costa to really step into the spotlight on his own. The 24-year-old scored 10 La Liga goals and assisted 12 others last season in 31 appearances (24 starts), and banged in 20 total in all competitions mostly playing on the left wing. Falcao’s departure for Monaco seemed to have opened up the front for Costa to slide into, but Atletico purchased David Villa from Barcelona, so that door quickly shut. The biggest knock to Costa’s talents is his discipline, but a chance of scenery could quell that part of his game. It remains to be seen whether Costa’s arrival would see him slide up front if Suarez goes, or if new boy Iago Aspas would take the number 9 role, but the chance for the Brazilian is there. The Reds have also purchased left winger Luis Alberto from Sevilla, so Costa would certainly have competition at either position.