Blackburn fail in Raul swoop. Sneijder to United seems less likely. Arteta’s back on the radar for the QPR game after playing in Everton friendly. Chelsea are not giving up on Modric and Samir Nasri denies Facebook comments and insists the account is a fake. Here’s this morning’s Scribbles, folks:
Man United’s attempts to sign Wesley Sneijder look to be scuppered. Inter Milan president Masimo Moratti has indicated the Dutchman is likely to remain at the San Siro now, with Samuel Eto’o on the verge of leaving the Italian giants. Moratti told La Gazzetta del Sport:
Sneijder away? For Wes there has never been any sort of negotiation. If Eto’o leaves, he remains. Sneijder was untouchable even before this hypothesis, now it is even more so. Sneijder will remain.
If this is the case, United youngster Tom Cleverley could be set to play a more prominent part in the club’s season than previously anticipated. Cleverley has already impressed this season, with his second half performance in the Community Shield resulting in a start at the expense of Ryan Giggs in last week’s opener at West Brom.
Samir Nasri is the latest player to be caught in a social network controversy. Nasri has moved to distance himself from a Facebook account that claimed he would be leaving Arsenal with “bitterness and anger”. The Frenchman used his official Twitter page to deny the claims this morning , assuring Gunners fans the account is a fake. The player didn’t take too kindly to chants from the club’s fans at the Newcastle game on Saturday and is surely now edging that little bit closer to the rumoured move to Man City.
Martin Jol is in the market for another striker. Fulham’s no score draw in Gameweek 1 has Jol eyeing up former club Ajax for more firepower, with a move for out-of-favour Mounir El Hamdaoui on the cards. Jol had previously signed the player during his stint at the Dutch giants and admitted he’s weighing up a move for the twenty-seven year-old:
It’s not unthinkable for me to sign Mounir. He is incredibly honest and amazingly direct. He could be a pleasant surprise.
The agent of Niko Krancjar has suggested his client is on the verge of a move to Sunderland. In spite of acquiring ten players this summer, Steve Bruce still feels changes need be made to the Black Cats squad and Krancjar would definitely add a touch of class to his current crop of players.
Still on the subject of Spurs and midfielders, free agent Thomas Hitzlsperger has been training with Harry Redknapp’s side and a possible move to White Hart Lane may well be on the cards for the German international.
Edin Dzeko reckons he’s in for a big season. The Bosnian played well as a lone front man then as part of a pairing at the Etihad Stadium on Monday night, though his performance was somewhat put in the shade by a certain Sergio Aguero. Dzeko praised Aguero before going on to say:
The beginnings have always been slow for me, and that was the case at City, but this year I feel fit and I feel very good. I feel much better than last season. For every player it is important to be fit and have a good pre-season behind him. This summer I have done everything with the team and that makes you feel better.I want to improve in every game, but I have started the season well.
Everton’s delayed start to the season has given Mikel Arteta the chance to recover from a foot injury. The playmaker returned to action in a friendly against Irish side Bohemians earlier in the week and with David Moyes’ side facing QPR this weekend, should find himself the subject of Fantasy investment. Arteta declared after the game:
I’ve been working really hard in the last 10 days and we’ll see how I do in the game against QPR. I will tell you how far I am off full fitness after the game on Saturday.
Blackburn have failed in an audacious swoop for legendary striker Raul. The Ewood Park outfit slapped in a bid for the Schalke star’s services, but Raul -a close friend of Rovers right-back Michel Salgado- is said to have rejected the offer out of hand and asked his club to turn down any offers from Steve Kean’s side.
Kieran Gibbs and Johan Djourou added to Arsene Wenger’s woes last night. The pair limped out of the Gunners nervy 1-0 win over Udinese and the club announced on their official website after the match that they are likely to miss this weekend’s Emirates clash with Liverpool.
Chelsea’s pursuit of Luka Modric shows no sign of abating. With last season’s runners-up unwilling to spend any more than £30m, they are considering offering both Yossi Benayoun and Salomon Kalou as part of the deal that would bring the little Croatian to Stamford Bridge. With a 25 man squad to be submitted to the Premier League next month, this would also free up a space in Andre Villas-Boas’ thinking and may prove to be the better option.
