Mendilibar to remain at Osasuna

AS reports that Osasuna boss Jose Luis Mendilibar is set to continue at the club next season.
Although there has been no official announcement from the Pamplona-based outfit, everything suggests he will be at El Sadar for the start of the 2012-13 campaign as it is understood his contract specifies it will be automatically renewed for a further 12 months in the event he avoids relegation.
Mendilibar dined with President Miguel Archanco and directors Jose Luis Roldan and Chuma Peralta on Monday, and despite a lack of statements it is assumed that an agreement had been reached for his continuation.
It is a situation that may not be well received by the Osasuna faithful, who in recent surveys conducted by various media publications made it clear they would like a new man to sit on the bench next term.

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Casillas holds no grudge with Mou

Real Madrid and Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas says he holds no grudges towards former boss Jose Mourinho.
Casillas was dropped by the Portuguese for the latter part of last season in favour of Diego Lopez, but insists he hopes things go well for Mourinho in his new role at Chelsea.
“Mourinho has embarked on a new journey and I wish him all the best. When he was at Real Madrid he made some decisions and you have to respect that,” said Casillas at a presentation for Mediaset Espana in Madrid.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t achieve the objectives we had in mind, which were the Champions League and the Copa del Rey, so there’s no point in going over it again.
“I wish him luck and hopefully everything goes well. He gave everything for Madrid and I personally do not hold any grudges.”
Questioned about his absence for the final match of the season against Osasuna, Casillas maintained he will be ready for Spain’s participation in the Confederations Cup despite so much time spent inactive.
“I’m always ready to play. I have to thank [Vicente] Del Bosque for the confidence he has shown in me after some months without playing and I hope to be on the same level as my teammates, although I’ll begin with a major disadvantage.
“To be back with the national team is always a challenge because we have an exciting team that makes everybody happy. On a collective level the Confederations Cup is a good opportunity to win the only title we haven’t won.
“Every time I am with this team it gives me great pleasure and I’m confident we can return to Spain with the title.”

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Navas made City decision four months ago

Jesus Navas has revealed he made the decision to join Manchester City four months ago.
The Premier League side have signed the Sevilla winger for €21.5m with a further €5.5m in variables, and Navas spoke of his excitement at the move on arrival at Spain’s training camp in Madrid before the Confederations Cup.
“I’m excited to be joining Manchester City and it’s a good opportunity for me. I think it will be a good move for both parties,” he told reporters.
“I took the decision four months ago. The Premier League is a competition where the football is very fast and City are putting together a great team.”
Navas also had words for Sevilla, where he has spent his entire playing career.
“I’m leaving Sevilla, which is a beautiful place, and going to a great club in England. I still don’t speak English but I’m now going to study it.
“I’ve not spoken to [expected to take over] Manuel Pellegrini, but he is a Coach that I know of,” he added

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Tottenham snub Zidane over Bale

The Daily Star says Tottenham Hotspur have snubbed Real Madrid director of football Zinedine Zidane over the transfer of Gareth Bale.
The French legend was due to fly to London this week to open talks with Spurs in an attempt to bring the Welsh international to the Santiago Bernabeu.
However, his plans have had to be put on hold after Spurs Chairman Daniel Levy insisted he will only deal directly with Madrid President Florentino Perez.
Perez will be officially presented as President on Tuesday after being re-elected unopposed, but he does not want to pay more than €65m for Bale and hopes to raise some money towards his capture by the sale of Gonzalo Higuain to Juventus.
Even so, the White Hart Lane club are anxious to keep Bale and are under no pressure to sell unless the player himself requests an exit, although sources close to him maintain that is unlikely to happen.

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Getafe negotiate Cata Diaz return

Getafe are negotiating the return of Cata Diaz to the Coliseum Alfonso Perez from Atletico Madrid, reports Marca.
Director of football Toni Munoz is understood to have met Atleti officials at the Vicente Calderon on Tuesday morning in an effort to resolve the transfer before the summer holidays.
Diaz, 33, was bought by Los Rojiblancos from El Geta before the start of last season for €1.5m – the only signing that cost Atleti money - but has failed to hold down a regular place in boss Diego Simeone’s starting line-up, making just nine La Liga appearances.
He was also involved in an altercation with fans after the recent Copa del Rey final victory over Real Madrid, ,something that has not gone down too well with the club’s hierarchy, and Getafe are hoping the Argentine international might now be released for a cut-price fee.

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Arda wants Atletico stay

Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan has revealed he wants to stay at the club until the end of his contract in June 2015.
According to AS, Turan [pictured, right] is delighted with the conquest of the Copa del Rey, Europa League and European Super Cup in his first two years at Atleti since joining from Galatasaray.
He also feels a special bond with the fans and has told his representatives he will refuse to listen to any offers over the summer, a decision he says is final and that there is no chance of him changing his mind.
Arda is already believed to have turned down an offer from Fenerbahce that would have seen him earn €4.8m-a-year for the next five seasons, twice what he earns at the Vicente Calderon, with Atleti picking up around €15m for his transfer.
However, the Turkish international does not want to return to his native country just yet and has made it known he does not fancy playing for his former club’s main rivals either.
Having admitted that he found it hard to adapt to the Spanish capital when he first arrived, Arda says he is now comfortably settled into the way of life and is enjoying himself.
“The friendliness of the people made it more bearable for me. I feel very happy and at peace here.
“I cried for five minutes after we won the Copa del Rey. It was something else and I found it impossible to stop the tears. The team fought with confidence, blood and faith,” he concluded.
Atletico President Enrique Cerezo also confirmed that Arda will continue with Los Rojiblancos next season.
“Firstly, he is my friend. Secondly, he is one of the best players in Atletico Madrid’s history. He is a key player for us. He wants to stay here and I’m sure he will do that,” commented Cerezo.
It was understood the 26-year-old had harboured thoughts of playing in England, but for now that is an option he wants to put aside for the future.

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Florentino: Cristiano will retire here

President Florentino Perez believes Cristiano Ronaldo will retire from football whilst still a Real Madrid player.
Perez has been re-elected Madrid President unopposed and begins his new mandate on Tuesday. In the meantime, he has reaffirmed his conviction that the former Manchester United player’s future lies at the Santiago Bernabeu.
“We want a Madrid that is based on Cristiano. I can assure you will win our 10^th European Cup with him.
“Cristiano has two more years left [on his contract]. We want him to retire here and I think that is what he is going to do. He is the best player in the world so he needs to be the best paid in the world,” Perez told the Punto Pelota programme.
The 66-year-old also commented on Los Blancos’ search for a new Coach following the departure of Jose Mourinho, with Paris Saint-Germain’s Carlo Ancelotti and former Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes the favourites.
“I’ve not spoken to anybody at PSG so I can’t say anything about Ancelotti out of respect. I don’t know what Ancelotti has spoken about with his club.
“To us it appeared he was free this year but afterwards it seemed that wasn’t the case, because he won the French League and his contract was extended for another year.
“He is a candidate for our bench if he is free but we have more [people] and we’ll have to study who is the best. Neither have we spoken to Jupp Heynckes and we’ll wait and see what he says at a Press conference on Tuesday,” explained Perez.
In addition, he feels it will be difficult to replace Mourinho with a Coach who possesses similar characteristics.
“It will be hard to find a boss like him, someone with the same intensity. He is very demanding and wherever he goes he leaves his mark, but as events unfolded we eventually came to the conclusion his departure was the best thing.”

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