Transfer Rumors - Wise Cracks

Transfer Rumor - Besiktas confirm talks with Spurs over ‘dream signing’ Emmanuel Adebayor




Footybozz response - Spurs should quickly sell before Besiktas wakes up from their dream. It should be a horror awakening if they do buy Adebayor



Transfer Rumor -Manchester City are ready to listen to offers for Brazilian right-back Maicon. The 31-year-old is behind Pablo Zabaleta and Micah Richards in the Etihad pecking order.

Footybozz response - Crickets. Who wants to buy an old tired right-back that his career ended over two years ago when Gareth Bale ran him rugged during the Champion League rounds? Me thinks City will have a better chance giving him away to a Brazilian club or the MLS (Major League Soccer, for those who may not know there's a league in the US)


Transfer Rumor - Newcastle United look set to pull out of the race to sign Wigan Athletic striker Arouna Kone, 29, because he does not fit into the Magpies' "blueprint".

Footybozz response - Struggling to understand why the club that specializes in buying  African players on the cheap and selling them for a profit does not think Arouna Kone does not fit their "blueprint". He's cheap and African, what other criteria are they looking at?

Mourinho and AVB interested in Brazilian Hulk (courtesy of Daily Express)

Jose Mourinho and his Protege, Andres Villa-Boas are set to battle it out for the services of Hulk.

The 26-year-old has been followed closely in the past couple of months by Chelsea, with Jose Mourinho being reportedly told he had the backing of owner Roman Abramovich to make a£40m bid for his services.

Spurs as well are looking to make attacking reinforcements, and have already received a £6m bid from Besiktas for Emmanuel Adebayor.

Though Hulk's salary could provide a road block to negotiations, he has not ruled out the possibility of a move to the Premier League.

Ryan Giggs And Phil Neville Appointed As Man Utd First-Team Coaches (Courtesy of Who Ate All the Pie)

Manchester United have confirmed that both Ryan Giggs and Phil Neville have been appointed as first-team coaches with immediate effect, with Ol’ Grandpa Giggs, now nearly 40 and somehow still alive, set to play on in a player-coach next season.

Giggs, who is in the process of completing his UEFA Pro License and has long been touted as a future United manager, told the Guardian: ”It’s no secret that I have been taking my qualifications and I see this as the first step in my future career. I’m really looking forward to working alongside David [Moyes] and the team.”

Moyes added: “I’m delighted that Ryan has accepted the chance to become player coach. His success and ability to adapt his game over a number of years gives him an unrivalled perspective on the modern game. His career is an example to any aspiring young player and I’m sure that both he and the players will benefit from his new role.”

As for Chopper Nev, the 36-year-old “Class of ’92″ alumni defender who retired a month or so ago is yet to be officially sworn in, but he was seen emerging from Carrington yesterday following talks with the top brass and is expected to officially join Moyes’ ever growing group of ex-Everton coaching acolytes (which now numbers Chris Woods, Steve Round, Robbie Cooke and Jimmy Lumsden) at United as a first-team coach in the next few days.

Transfer Latest - Nicolas Anelka returns to the Premier League

Like a cat with nine lives, 34 years old Nicolas Anelka is back in the Premier League. The nomadic Frenchmen signed a one year deal with West Bromwich Albion, his sixth Premier League club in his near 17 years professional career.

After moving from PSG as a promising youth player, Anelka started his English journey with Arsenal. From title success with Arsene Wenger’s Arsenal, to a megabucks deal with Real Madrid, to PSG again, then Liverpool, Man City, Fenerbahce, Bolton, Chelsea, Shanghai Shenhua and most recently, Juventus, Anelka has become one of football's most journeyed players.

Liverpool rising

The foreigners are coming! Yep, they should. The whole buy British thing didn't quite work out, so enter Iago Aspas, Luis Alberto with January transfer whizkid, Coutinho (in picture). In Suarez, Sturridge, Sterling, Borini and Downing, they have a legitimate squad of fast and skillful players to start the season. Let the preseason party begin!

Premier League Pre-Season Ranking

Pre-Season Ranking: Top 5

• #1. Chelsea - with the return of the Special One and the re-instatement of the old guard led by John Terry and Frank Lampard, Chelsea fans expect to be leading the charge this season. They will need to address their striking problem with Torres and Ba shooting blanks most of the way last season. Lukaku may be the dark horse if their troubles continue, Jose is not shy when it comes to making changes.

• #2. Manchester United. It really doesn't matter if they lose Wayne Rooney or not, he's no longer that relevant to the club's standing. They are ranked #2 simply because they've lost that one advantage that ensured success - Sir Alex. Having RVP should be good enough for second place.

• #3. Manchester City. Manuel Pellegrini, Jesus Navas and Fernandinho will not be enough to pushed City back to the title. On the contrary, look for them to fall back one step from last year as the new manager adjusts to his new environments.

• #4. Arsenal. Every year, the 'Doctore' Arsene Wenger finds a way to prove that Arsenal has not lost it's biggest asset - himself. This year will not be different. The Professor will find a way to stay in contention. For once, it doesn't look like he would be losing any major players, so that should bode well for player morale and fan confidence

• #5. Liverpool. Liverpool looked very good in the second half of last season with the addition of Daniel Sturridge and Phillip Coutinho. Brendan Rogers, has also done well to add to that with Spaniards Luis Alberto and Iago Aspas. With or without Suarez, Liverpool will come within distance of Champions League this season. Not good enough for 4th, but 5th is certainly achievable.

Pre-Season Ranking: Top 6

• #1. Manchester City. Why? Very simple: the same team that won last year is still impact, plus the have Carlos Tevez drama-free (so far). Key players that are making Man City the team to beat - Yaya Toure, David Silva, Carlos Tevez, Balotelli, Vincent Kompany and Joe Hart. As long as these mentioned players are wearing the sky blue colors, Man City are favored to repeat.

• #2. Manchester United. Until last night, I had Manchester United ranked third behind a resurgent Chelsea. However, after factoring the Robin Van Persie coup, it's a Manchester affair once again.

• #3. Chelsea. The Blues fans will have a lot to say about the top 2 snub, but moving from 6th to 3rd will still be a huge achievement for the Champions League winners. Make no mistake about it, this ball club has the potentials to challenge the Manchester teams for the crown this year. Investments in Oscar, Hazard, Marin to complement a liberated Torres, Mata and Ramirez is no joke. This season promises to see the return of Chelsea to the top 3

• #4. Arsenal. Every year, the 'Doctore' Arsene Wenger finds a way to prove that Arsenal has not lost it's biggest asset - himself. This year will be no different. The Professor will find a way to stay in contention. For once, he has bought well and early in the transfer market. This gives his team the advantage of being the most molded coming into the season.

• #5. Liverpool. Every new signing at Liverpool these days is greeted with relief and hope, regardless of the talent level - Brendan Rogers, Fabio Borini and Joe Allen (who?). That's how low my darling club has fallen. Nonetheless, they still have a fit-looking Steven Gerrard, an ever hungry Luis Suarez and a solid backline in Agger (if he stays), Skrtel, Johnson, Enrique and Reina. Not good enough for 4th, but they will come close. Still a work in progress.

• #6. Newcastle. Yes, I'm picking them over Tottenham. Without Luka Modric and Emmanuel Adebayor, Andres Villa Boas will not match Harry Redknapp's success at Spurs. His recent handling of the Modric affair and his very loose press comments shows he hasn't grown up from the Chelsea experience. Back to Newcastle - two words: French Connection!