JOVANOVIC SIGNS...
There's good news and bad news for Liverpool fans.
Good news: Looks like you've signed Milan Jovanovic, on a free in the summer. Details here.
Bad news: We've no idea if he's any good. Anyone care to help us out?
GALLAS ON HIS WAY?
It looks like Arsenal's policy of only giving the old codgers one-year contracts might come to bite them once again.
The Daily Mirror reports that William Gallas, 32 and out of contract in the summer, could leave the club after the standard old boy deal was offered to him by Arsene Wenger.
Gallas has apparently 'made it clear' that he wants a two-year contract, but despite hints from Wenger that he would make an exception for the French defender, Gallas has only been offered one year.
Gallas could now leave on a free transfer, with AC Milan apparently 'watching developments'.
CESC OFF...AGAIN
Wow, look at this, it's another story from the Catalan media claiming Cesc Fabregas has agreed a deal to join Barcelona in the summer.
Shocking stuff.
The Daily Telegraph summarises the theory from radio station Cadena Ser thusly: "There is a firm agreement between Barca and Cesc Fabregas even if it is only verbal," the Spanish station reported without citing its sources.
"Several meetings have taken place and, following those meetings, Cesc told Barca that he wanted to rejoin them from next season," it added.'
Cue more denials from Cesc.
For the record, Sky Sports' Guilleme Balague thinks it's nonsense. But then again he thinks Liverpool are having a terrific season, so make your own mind up.
ARSENAL CAN'T AFFORD BIG NAMES
Wondering why Arsenal haven't spent big? Here's why.
ALVES TO CHELSEA?
Good bit of nonsense in The Daily Star, who wind us back a couple of years and claim Chelsea's first summer transfer target will be one Dani Alves.
The paper claims Carlo Ancelotti wants a marauding right-back, and Alves is the first name that springs to mind for that particular description.
Alves chose Barcelona over Chelsea in 2008, but that apparently will not deter them from launching a £30million bid.
As is obligatory in any transfer story worth £15million or more, The Star includes this line: '(Chelsea will) face competition from Manchester City for his signature.'
FRANCO ON HIS WAY?
Gianfranco Zola took his life in his hands rather with these words yesterday, and inevitably the papers are full of theories about what all of this means.
The Daily Star (for that is the most reliable place to start) reckons Zola will be shown the door if West Ham fail to beat Birmingham tonight, with Mark Hughes lined up to replace him.
There would be a certain irony in Zola being sacked and paid off with a presumably handsome sum, after criticising his bosses for speaking out about wage and cost cutting.
The Guardian simply reckons he has 'put his future in doubt', but the man himself has no intention of walking away, as you can see here.
AND THE REST...
Ex-Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda hopes to get a deal with a Premier League club after tearing up his deal with Galatasaray...Manchester United are watching Roma 15-year-olds Valerio Verre and Filippo Cipriani...Sunderland and Wigan will revive their interest in Cruz Azul midfielder Cristian Riveros this summer.
The Mooostache Gossip
Now let's hear what you've got to say about this item... or anything else happening in the world of football. Send in your opinions, rants, praise or abuse to: theeditor@football365.com
Your Comments
darraghmac
"Gboy- I don't consider "winning Champs Lge, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Charity sheild" much progress at all after 6 years in the job. Houllier was winning trophies at Liverpool the season before you sacked him. The ESC and LC are joke trophies for a team as big as LFC.
Oh, and "2 Champions League in 3 years can't be a mistake, can it?"..........
I think it can, but who won it twice in three years? Not Liverpool .......
Regarding 'index linking' Veron's 28.1m- index linked to what? The price of houses? Gas? Chocolate? At the turn of the decade I'm pretty sure that average transfer spend wasn't significantly higher for the big clubs than it is now and I don't accept that 30m on Veron equates to 50m today. but in either case, spending 30m on Veron when you're league and cup winning moneybags Utd isn't comparable to spending 40m combined on Aquilani and Johnson when you're broke Liverpool that badly need a striker.
"
v1haan
"y da hell does he want dani alves hes gettin old!!!....after last nights match against everton it is clear that ancelloti is not a gud tactian he just assembles a good line up....he has to start usin the 4-5-1 system against teams who have a bad record against it..namely everton wigan mancity and aston villa and west ham..all of those matches except everton are still to be played...damn i wish mourinho was here this season!!"
AFC_No1
"Fake_Dave, I think you like most other Liverpool supporters have it the wrong way around, last season it was not that Liverpool did well, it was that Chelsea ans Arsenal underperformed badly, so you guys got second spot, was your points tally last season any different from the one before ....NO was Arsenals and Chelsea different yes, very much so.
And from that you guys now think that you have got better, I don't think so, not saying you have not improved but not to the point were u in the top 3 best teams in the country, I tho like Rafa have never ever thought him a good Perm manger, maybe a good European manger but not Perm."
gboy314
"AFC_No1 - ur intelligence is starting to show kid. The debate is regarding transfer policies v trophy successes since Rafa arrived in the 2004/05 season.
As a Liverpool fan, I can easily accept that Wenga is peerless with his transfers monies, using Viera/Henry for almost 10yrs each then selling them on for almost double what he originally paid for them is absolutely fantastic genius, but the fact is that he's only won 1 major trophy in that time and history won't remember that he didn't spend much, it'll remember that he only won 1 trophy. Instead of joining the other idiot airheads and running another team, why don't u ask urself why ur team isn't more successful. And at the end of the day, I'd rather be lucky and win that skillfull and end up with bugger all. Let's see what ur intelligence make of that."
gboy314
"darraghmac - do u really consider winning Champs Lge, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Charity sheild, a lack of progress since the days of Houllier?
2 Champions League in 3 years can't be a mistake, can it?
"
gboy314
"darraghmac/alanbass - u LFC-haters really should get a life and concentrate on the state of your own team instead of ours. As mentioned b4, - yes, Rafa may have spent alot but he's had to sell to facilitates these buys in most cases. Also u keep bandying about figures of £200m+ but I'm curious - where did u get these figures. If u check, u'll find that most of his buys are listed as 'undisclosed'.
Yes we have our fair shares of flops and that's all u seem to live for. Check out Veron/Shevchenko, MU splashed out £28.1m for veron in 2001 and was such a flop that he sold him to Chelski 2 yrs later for about £14m to get rid of him. Consider how much £28m is worth when index linked to 2010, (must be closer to £50m isn't it)? Chelski spent over £30m on Scheva in 2006 and he was a conplete flop (and they never won a trophy with him there. The fact is despite our dodgy buys we have won trophies.
Alanbass - even if the spending figures for Arsenal/LFC u mentioned are true, since his arrival rafa has won Champs Lge, FA Cup, European Super Cup and Charity sheild (and been in the Champs League final twice). At the same time Arsenal have just won the FA Cup and been in the Champs Lge final once.
So: £230 = 4 major trophies or £110 = 1 major trophy - which would u prefer.
History remembers trophies, not how much u spent."
shedzy
"...just a minor point, to those of you who naievely think that Gallas will be allowed to leave, and wont be replaced - what utter nonsense - we already replaced him with the spritely 'might-well walk out at half time if its too tough' Mr Campbell...........
not replace Gallas?! Perish the thought!"
cossey10
"Ok lets do it fairly you say Wenger had a rubbish team Seamen Dixon Adams Keown Winterburn one of the best defenses in history along with parlour wright bergkamp etc I don't think that is to shabby?
People also fail to take into account that Rafa has 2 La Liga titles and a Uefa cup along with 3 Champions League Final appearances.
I think people are missing the point anyaway I think Wenger is a brilliant manager but Rafa is just as good. He has been unlucky this year granted but since he took over Liverpool he has brought us from a second rate European team into being a top European team. Ranked number one in Europe by UEFA this time last year.
People have very short memories in football and while people are revelling in our misfortune right now, suck it up because a club the size of Liverool won't stay down long."
Fake_Dave
"AFC_No 1 - Arsene has definitely had success in the transfer mkt, although there are always turkeys. Arsene does unnearth some pretty good players though and he has been unrivaled in the Prem yrs.
If we were judging managers solely on the basis of top scouting, buying players cheap, selling at a profit then Arsene could well be the master. It's not a great claim to be as a manager though. I'm sure he would rather win something, though he has kinda come out and said that financial responsibility is important.
Personally I would also rather win the Prem now. Would say that if Champions Lge was so easy Arsenal should surely have won this by now...
Oh, in last post. I am obviously aware that Liverpool qualified for Champions Lge for the 2004/5 season - i was referring to Houlier's reign as a whole. "
alansbass
"If you want to compare Rafa to Wenger lets do it fairly. Rafa's first 6 years in charge brought 1 Euro Cup, a League Cup and an FA Cup.
Wengers first full 6 seasons brought 2 League and Cup Doubles, another league title when we went unbeaten an additional FA cup, a UEFA cup final..... and when Arsenal didnt win the league they finished no lower than second, maybe third once. And when Wenger took over Arsenal they were shite. Putting that into the mix with how much money each has had to spend I think it becomes quite clear who the genius is."
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