Showing posts with label Xabi Alonso. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Xabi Alonso. Show all posts

Monday, December 31, 2012

Monday's round up of the top transfer stories

- Xabi Alonso has admitted he could return to the Premier League as his ongoing contract talks remain clouded in uncertainty at Real Madrid.



- Crystal Palace will reject Manchester United's opening offer of £8million for star winger Wilfried Zaha, according to Dailymail.



- Mathieu Debuchy's transfer to Newcastle will finally happen once they settle on bonus fees with Lille.



- Liverpool face competition from Manchester City, Everton and Southampton for Birmingham goalkeeper Jack Butland.



- Chelsea are confident of winning the race to sign Atletico Madrid striker Radamel Falcao, according to the Sunday Mirror.



- Chelsea's Frank Lampard says there is no sign of a contract extension at Stamford Bridge despite his good form.



- Theo Walcott, who has been linked with the likes of Chelsea and Manchester United, says his Arsenal future "will be sorted soon".



- Arsenal boss is ready to raid Southampton for another of their talented ­youngsters as he looks to tie up a January deal for teenage left-back Luke Shaw.



- Everton and Southampton have targeted Italian defender Davide Astori ahead of the opening of the January transfer window.



- Everton defender Seamus Coleman has signed a new five-and-a-half-year contract with the club.



- Eintracht Frankfurt want Everton midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger.



- Roberto Mancini admits he might be forced to consider signing some new players in the January transfer window.



- And believes Mario Balotelli will stay at Manchester City as he has a big admirer in owner Sheikh Mansour, but has warned the striker to improve his attitude.



- Manchester United winger Nani has been told he still has a future at the club following reports linking him with a move to Arsenal.



- Demba Ba’s proposed move to Chelsea is off, according to Agent.



- Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini looks set for a fresh start in America after Tottenham announced they have reached an agreement to sell the goalkeeper to Major League Soccer outfit the LA Galaxy.



- The agent of Chelsea winger Kevin de Bruyne says there have been no discussions over Werder Bremen trying to sign the Belgium international permanently when his loan deal expires.



- Newcastle are continuing to show interest in West Ham defender James Tomkins.



- Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill has admitted he could let Ji Dong-won go out on loan next month.



- Sky Sports sources understand Swansea City are interested in Bolton Wanderers defender Marcos Alonso.



- West Brom defender Jonas Olsson is wanted by Fenerbahce.



- Reading are trying to tie up a January deal for Australian starlet Tomas Rogic.



- Reading have pulled off a surprise coup with a £500,000 deal for Sporting Lisbon defender Daniel Carrico.



- Norwich City will table a £3million offer for Crystal Palace striker Glenn Murray this week.



- Juventus have put together a player-plus-cash package in order to beat Manchester City to Sampdoria star Pedro Obiang.



- Juventus are poised to rekindle their long-standing interest in Manchester City target Stevan Jovetic, according to sources in Italy.



- Juventus are ready to steal a march on a string of Premier League clubs in the race to sign Theo Walcott - and could open talks with the striker’s representatives this week.



- Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is weighing up a January move for Inter Milan midfielder Joel Obi.



- Inter Milan midfielder Wesley Sneijder has moved to dampen speculation linking him with a January move to Liverpool.



- Alexandre Pato's move to Corinthians in Brazil is about to be made official, according to his agent.



- Serie A high-flyers Fiorentina are ready to battle with Juventus and Spurs for Roma hitman Pablo Daniel Osvaldo.



- Lazio are eyeing an audacious January move for Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard, according to Corriere dello Sport.



- Celta Vigo coach Paco Herrera is confident Swansea City target Iago Aspas will not be sold in January.



- Portsmouth have signed striker David Connolly on a one-month deal but top scorer Izale McLeod has departed Fratton Park.



- Bristol Rovers have completed the loan signings of QPR striker Tom Hitchcock and Colchester midfielder John-Joe O'Toole.



- Bristol Rovers have signed Millwall goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall on loan after he was recalled from his stay at Scunthorpe.

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Alonso unfazed by striker shortage

Xabi Alonso has shrugged off concerns Spain's shortage of strikers could hamper their Euro 2012 chances.



Due to an injury to David Villa, and other forwards suffering a loss of form, Vicente del Bosque tried using Cesc Fabregas as striker during their opening group game with Italy, but used Fernando Torres up front with greater effect against Republic of Ireland.



However, Alonso has said he is unconcerned about who starts as a forward, and said he wants to put all discussion of the matter to one side.



"It does not affect us," Alonso told Adidas in an interview promoting the Spain kit. "We're so outside all discussions.



"We live with them because we know it's part of football, but we are aware of what we do right and wrong, regardless of all the noise that comes from outside, so these talks do not affect us at all.



"We live with that pressure and demand, so we must remain ourselves and accept that responsibility because we fight for important things."



Speaking of the prospect of facing some of his Real Madrid team-mates later in the tournament, Alonso said he is anticipating potential contests with the likes of Germany's Mesut Oezil or France's Karim Benzema.



"I think they respect us. They know it's a great opportunity to be contesting the Euro and probably we will be going to see their faces in the next phase, hopefully," he said.



"If we see each other, the friendship will be put aside and we will fight to stop."



Spain complete their Group C campaign with a fixture against Croatia on Monday.