Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel comes into view for Napoli

LIVERPOOL defender Martin Skrtel's future has been plunged into further doubt after his agent claimed his client would consider any offers from Napoli.

 
Martin Skrtel has come into Napoli's thinking

Skrtel was a fringe player at Anfield in the second half of last season after being displaced by Jamie Carragher.

With Brendan Rodgers already acquiring Kolo Toure, Skrtel, could team up again with Rafa Benitez, who brought the defender to England five years ago.

"It is too easy to say, but if there is contact from the Blues then we will begin to evaluate it," Skrtel's agent Karol Csonto told Italian paper Tutto Mercato.

"Napoli are a great club and Benitez is a great coach, but Skrtel is a Liverpool player and for this reason he is already looking to the next season with the Reds."

 
Rafa Benitez could be reunited with Martin Skrtel

Napoli in the offing for Martin Skrtel

Napoli are planning to go on a summer spree this summer, and have already lined up Mario Gomez as a potential replacement for Edinson Cavani, should his £55m release clause be activated.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, who have completed a deal for Iago Aspas are considering a £20m move for Shakhtar Donetsk star Henrikh Mkhitaryan.

 

 

 

 

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Galatasaray midfielder Felipe Melo unaware of Manchester City rumours

GALATASARAY midfielder Felipe Melo admits he is unaware of the rumours linking him with a move to Manchester City.

Felipe Melo says he had no idea about reports linking him to Manchester City

Reports in Italy suggested Juventus could try to make a move for Tevez and offer the Brazilian in exchange.

Melo's future at the Turkish giants is yet to be resolved having finished a season-long loan there.

But Melo insists he has no idea that City are interested in him.

"To be honest I know nothing [about Manchester City]," Melo told Brazilian paper Portal da Band.

"I have a few days holiday now, the season was very stressful and now I get all this transfer stuff at the end, and I will end up not enjoying my holidays.

 
Carlos Tevez was thought to be a Juventus target

This week will be decisive, I'll talk to my lawyer and see what is concrete, and then decide

Felipe Melo

"This week will be decisive, I'll talk to my lawyer and see what is concrete, and then decide."

Melo scored once in the league last season for Galatasaray.

 

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Jose Mourinho is back where he belongs at Chelsea

AN emotional Jose Mourinho last night told Chelsea fans “I am one of you” as he finally returned as manager and immediately set his sights on winning the Premier League for a third time.

 
Jose Mourinho is back in charge at Chelsea

Chelsea confirmed the worst-kept secret in football as they announced that Mourinho would be returning to the club who sacked him six years ago – and now he wants to bring rare stability to Stamford Bridge by “staying for a long time”.

When Mourinho arrived in 2004, he famously labelled himself the Special One and promised work, love and passion. Last night, he said: “It is exactly the same message. But now I am one of you – and that makes a difference.

“There will be five or six teams with ambition to win the Premier League, I hope I can beat the competition.

“It was an easy decision. I asked the boss, ‘Do you want me back?’ and the boss asked me, ‘Do you want to come back?’ In a couple of minutes the decision was made. To be at the same time a Chelsea fan and a Chelsea manager is a fantastic feeling. It was a difficult moment when I left because I love it here. But I wanted to win in Spain and Italy and I did that.

“We are ready to marry again. From a human point of view I left something here.

“I have the same nature, but I’m much more mature now. I’m ready to stay here for a long time. Stability is what this squad needs. I hope I can give them that.”

Mourinho, who arrived in London on Sunday night after taking his last game in charge at Real Madrid, signed a £48 million four-year contract – the longest deal owner Roman Abramovich has given any manager – yesterday.

Roman Abramovich has put aside his differences with Jose Mourinho

To be at the same time a Chelsea fan and a Chelsea manager is a fantastic feeling.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho

In the six years since being sacked following a fall out with Abramovich in 2007, Mourinho moved to Inter Milan and Real, winning three league titles, two domestic cups and the Champions League.

But Mourinho and Abramovich have patched up their differences and the Portuguese was texting the Russian in January – as exclusively revealed by the Daily Express – asking for his old job back.

Mourinho said: “I like the fact we have some players here from the beginning. They have to always be a part of the Chelsea soul. I’ve come with a four-year contract, so with the age of players like Eden Hazard, Oscar and David Luiz, it will be good to work with them. I want to start from ground zero, work hard and build a different team from the team I built in the past. I want to have that pressure.”

His first spell in charge will be hard to follow. Mourinho won back-to-back league titles and, in his third season, won the League Cup and the FA Cup.

Mourinho will bring his regular coaching staff with him in Rui Faria, Silvino Louro and Jose Morais, but Steve Holland is set to stay as No 2.

The Special One has not presented Abramovich with a long list of players he wants, only a top-line striker, with Stefan Jovetic of Fiorentina his favoured option.

 

 

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Burnley slap £7m price tag on Charlie Austin to ward off suitors

BURNLEY are ready to play hardball in their bid to keep hold of prized asset Charlie Austin.

 

 
Burnley have valued Charlie Austin at £7m

The 28-goal striker was originally available for a knockdown price of £4m, however the Clarets are trying to desist suitors.

They have taken a firm stance on the matter after seeing Jay Rodriguez move to Southampton last summer.

A whole host of clubs have been after Austin, including Aston Villa after impressing scouts.

 
Jay Rodriguez left Burnley for Southampton last summer

Burnley place £7m price tag on Charlie Austin

Burnley co-chairman Mike Garlick refused to get drawn into speculation about Austin's future, telling the Lancashire Telegraph: "He is a Burnley player, he is contracted and we would love to keep him."

Austin has a year left to run on his current Burnley contract.

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Galatasaray midfielder Felipe Melo unaware of Manchester City rumours

GALATASARAY midfielder Felipe Melo admits he is unaware of the rumours linking him with a move to Manchester City.

 
Felipe Melo says he had no idea about reports linking him to Manchester City

Reports in Italy suggested Juventus could try to make a move for Tevez and offer the Brazilian in exchange.

Melo's future at the Turkish giants is yet to be resolved having finished a season-long loan there.

But Melo insists he has no idea that City are interested in him.

"To be honest I know nothing [about Manchester City]," Melo told Brazilian paper Portal da Band.

"I have a few days holiday now, the season was very stressful and now I get all this transfer stuff at the end, and I will end up not enjoying my holidays.

 
Carlos Tevez was thought to be a Juventus target

This week will be decisive, I'll talk to my lawyer and see what is concrete, and then decide

Felipe Melo

"This week will be decisive, I'll talk to my lawyer and see what is concrete, and then decide."

Melo scored once in the league last season for Galatasaray.

 

 

 

 

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Tottenham prepared to break the bank for Porto striker Jackson Martinez

SPURS are ready to break the bank in order to nab Porto striker Jackson Martinez in the summer.

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Spurs are ready to smash the club transfer record to land Jackson Martinez

The Portuguese giants have already lost Joao Moutinho and James Rodriguez to Monaco for a combined fee of £59m.

Spurs are looking to go full steam in the transfer window, and have already placed Leandro Damiao and Roberto Soldado on their shortlist.

Andre Villas-Boas hasn't hidden his desire to make a marquee signing, and if he wants Martinez, then he will have to spend big.

Reports surfacing in Portugal ascertain Spurs are preparing a club record offer of £25.6m for his services.

They also mention he has a release clause of £34m, and Spurs are looking to begin negotiating early so as to prevent Martinez signing a new deal with his club.

Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe found goals harder to come by last season

Spurs readying bid for Jackson Martinez

Martinez was prolific last term for Porto, firing 34 goals in just 39 competitions last term.

His firepower could be just what Spurs need, as Emmanuel Adebayor and Jermain Defoe struck 16 goals between them.

 

 

 

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Manchester City lining up £21m offer for Real Madrid's Pepe

MANCHESTER CITY have fixed their sights on Real Madrid defender Pepe this summer.

Manchester City are set to launch a bid for Pepe

Although the Portuguese clocked up 47 appearances for club and country, his future has been the subject of much conjecture.

Recently he was being considered as a replacement for Chelsea's David Luiz, who has courted interest from Barcelona too and could command a transfer fee of £29m.

The Citizens are planning a major overhaul of the squad, and having sold Kolo Toure to Liverpool, Pepe could fit the bill.

Spanish paper AS has it that Florentino Perez held talks with Pepe to try and convince him to stay.

 
David Luiz has been viewed as a potential replacement for Pepe

Manchester City set their sights on Pepe

They also note that City are willing to increase his pay packet to £6.4m a season.

Real would need more defensive cover should Pepe leave, having already seen Ricardo Carvalho join Monaco.

 

 

 

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