Manchester United intensify the chase for Fabrigas

Man United continue with their bid for Cesc Fabrigas following last two failed bids. Their latest bid stands at £30m plus. Manager David Moyes has confirmed he is still targeting the 26-year-old as his first capture since taking over as manager at Old Trafford. He told a news conference in Osaka that "things are ongoing".

United tabled £15m in their first bid in mid July which Barca rejected and reaffirmed their commitment to retain the 26 year Spanish international at in Spain.  Since then executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward flew home from the club's Asia tour to try and secure his capture.

Meanwhile United manager Moyes said that Robin van Persie has recovered from a thigh injury in time to play in United's next tour match against Cerezo Osaka on Friday.  He added that Wayne Rooney, who returned early from the club's tour with a hamstring injury, is also on the mend and that the  28 year striker was training in Manchester alongside injured Nemanja Vidic and Nani as well as Antonio Valencia.

Speaking to reporters, Moyes added: "There was a practice match at Carrington the other day. "Vida, Nani and Valencia all had playing time in that match.

"Wayne is also running and at the level we thought he'd be at. He'll step that up this week."

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Gerardo Martino named new coach of FC Barcelona

News coming from FC Barcelona indicate that the club has reached an agreement to sign Gerardo Martino as the new first team manager for at least for the next two seasons. A statement from www.FCBARCELONA.COM however indicates that he is yet to sign the contract. The schedule for his trip to FC Barcelona is to be announced in the next few hours. the statement said. 

The Rosario born argentine aka ‘Tata’, and now the new first team boss at Barça, has extensive experience of South American football, both as a player and after as a coach. Most recently at Newell's Old Boys, he won the 2013 Final Tournament.

This would make Gerardo Martino the fourth Argentine manager in FC Barcelona history after Roque Olsen, Helenio Herrera and César Luis Menotti.

Gerardo ‘Tata’ Martino has imposed a very specific style of football in Argentina and Paraguay, the only two countries where he has managed until now. a series of quotes from the Argentine in the South American press that give a good idea of his approach to the game master are presented below: 

“Winning is an imperious need to ensure conviction, but the message needs to be coherent: we cannot play one game one way and then another in another” Perfil, May 26, 2012.

“I go for possession, attacking, putting a lot of men in the opposing half, taking risks, making sure the defenders look back and for there to be forty metres between them and the keeper, for them not to stop playing the ball, when they have to move up, they move up, when they have to use the wings, they use the wings, and the ball shouldn’t be in the air unless there’s a reason...” Perfil, May 26, 2012.

"The football player is the most important thing of all. Coaches are better or worse depending on the players we are in charge of. The coach is never above the people executing his orders (the players). People have made far too much a thing of the role of coaches” Fox Sports, April 15, 2012.

"In youth football, we need to get back to working on skills” Fox Sports, April 15, 2012.

"I was a skills-based player, I played well but ran little. Under Bielsa I learned that you need to do other things in order to play. It was a matter of survival” Fox Sports, April 15, 2012.

"From a coach’s point of view, I’d say Argentinian football is among the most difficult and competitive in the world. From a spectator’s of view, I’d say I could only watch at most ten minutes of game of Argentinian football” La Nación, January 24, 2012.

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FIFA to consider shifting Qatar world cup to winter time

Qatar is expected to host the most prestigious world cup tournament in 2022. However, the oil rich country reaches temperature extremes up to 50⁰C during summer making it uncomfortable for many outdoor activities. The extreme weather conditions have caused FIFA to reconsider shifting the bonanza to winter time.

The decision is however likely to upset some parties including the premier league bosses who have insisted that any change in the original plan would disrupt their fixture.  Other parties likely not to be happy are Qatar’s world cup bid competitors who think Qatar was favored.

According to FIFA president Sepp Blatter, the FIFA executive will meet in October to deliberate on the issue. This follows reports from Medical experts detailing evidence that excessive heat between 40-50⁰C has tremendous dangers.  “I am confident that the proposal will be considered” said Blatter.

Qatar authorities have been planning to have all games played under air conditioned stadiums. However, Mr. Batter insisted that the whole festival would not be enjoyed since not the whole country would be air conditioned.

During winters the temperature drop to 20⁰C which makes the environment very favorable for many outdoor activities.

UEFA champion’s league boss Mr. Platini said that he was willing to move European league competition to fit in the shift insisting that it would not be a problem.

Most Asian countries do not play in winter and thus, the move won’t affect their leagues.

Earlier Mr. Blatter indicated in Feb 2011 that everything was settled for summer. The sudden change follows fresh medical information about the effects of heat on players. At the same occasion, Blatter expressed his regret for having selected Brazil to host the 2014 World cup calling it a wrong choice. This follows a series of protests seen at the just concluded conferations cup which was won by Brazil.

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Uganda cranes beat Tanzania 1-0 to boost their chance for CHAN

Uganda Crane players singing the national anthem

UGANDA Cranes are near qualifying for the 2014 Africa Nations Championship in South Africa after defeating neighbours Tanzania at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium. The Cranes side had Hamza Muwonge, Waswa Hassan, Majwega Brian, Nicholas Wadada, Kabugo Savio, Kasaga Richard, Iguma Dennis, Said Kyeyune, Joseph Mpande, Edema Patrick (Ivan Ntege), Odur Tonny (Frank Kalanda). While Tz had Juma Kaseja, Nyonyi Erasto Edward, Kapombe Shamari Salum, Ambrose Aggrey Morris, Patrick Kevin Yondan, Damayo Frank Raymond, Ramadhan Amri Kiemba, Salum Salum Abubaker, Bocco John Rapheal, Mwitula Mwinyi Kazimoto, Ngasa Mrisho Alfani.

Dennis Iguma’s lone goal early into the second half was enough to seal Uganda’s victory over Tz in the first leg played in scorching conditions in Dar es Salaam. The Ugandan defender was on target to strike his first senior international goal after a brilliant pass from URA’s midfielder Frank Kalanda to silence the home crowd. Uganda’s win ends the long time failure to win away matches and comes shortly after several wins at home.

The hosts who mounted pressure onto the Ugandan side for most of the first half through their strikers Ngasa Mrisho and John Bocco, had their plans destroyed by the composed Ugandan defense.  

The Ugandan side had had some blows after striker tony Odur was got injured and was replaced by Kalanda. Then more dread came when goalkeeper Hamza Muwonge fell badly while collecting a cross and he was given a lengthy treatment on the pitch before resuming into action. The hosts intensified their search for an equalizer and won numerous free kicks in hot spots but could not trouble Muwonge in goal.

Near the last whistle many disappointed Tz funs started storming out of the stadium as the crane bench was seen praying for God to help them have tenacious grip on the win.  The two sides will be meeting in the return leg in Kampala in a fortnight’s time.

Meanwhile the Cranes have dedicated their win to outgoing FUFA president Mr Mulindwa who also attended the match. 

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Latest Football transfers as of 31st June 2013

The summer transfer window reopened on 1 July.

Below are transfer news as of   June 31st.

Biggest deal so far: Manchester City's £30m signing of midfielder Fernandinho on 6 June.

Portsmouth have signed nine players so far.

Premier League clubs: Aston Villa have signed six players so far.

30 JUNE

Fraser Mullen [Hearts - Hibernian] Free

Jack Payne [Gillingham - Peterborough] Undisclosed

Danny Wilson [Liverpool - Hearts] Free

29 JUNE

Doug Bergqvist [Aldershot - Exeter] Free

Jonathan de Guzman [Villarreal - Swansea] Loan

Phil Edwards [Rochdale - Burton] Free

Sam Morsy [Port Vale - Chesterfield] Undisclosed

Ian Sharps [Rotherham - Burton] Free

Michael Symes [Leyton Orient - Burton] Free

28 JUNE

Mauro Boselli [Wigan Athletic - Club Leon] Undisclosed

Nathan Cameron [Coventry - Bury] Free

Stephen Crainey [Blackpool - Wigan] Free

Ahmed Elmohamady [Sunderland - Hull] £2m

Ian Harte [Reading - Bournemouth] Free

Chris Hussey [AFC Wimbledon - Burton Albion] Free

Nick Liversedge [Whitby - Burnley] Free

Greg McDermott [unattached - Bury]

Steve Morison [Leeds - Millwall] Loan

Lewis Montrose [Gillingham - York] Free

Erik Pieters [PSV Eindhoven - Stoke City] £3m

John Sutton [Hearts - Motherwell] Free

Sanchez Watt [Arsenal - Colchester] Free

27 JUNE

Jordi Amat [Espanyol - Swansea] £2.5m

Andrey Arshavin [Arsenal - Zenit St Petersburg] Free

Ben Gordon [Unattached - Ross County]

Jack Compton [Colchester - Hartlepool] Free

Antonio German [Brentford - Gillingham] Undisclosed

Ashley Grimes [Rochdale - Bury] Free

Isco [Malaga - Real Madrid] £23m (reported)

Alex Kenyon [Stockport - Morecambe] Compensation yet to be agreed

Dave Kitson [Sheffield United - Oxford] Free

Jon-Paul Pittman [Oxford - Wycombe] Free

Gareth Roberts [Derby - Bury] Free

Chris Robertson [Preston - Port Vale] Free

Danny Simpson [Newcastle - QPR] Free

Gavin Tomlin [Southend - Port Vale] Free

John White [Colchester - Southend] Free

26 JUNE

Frank Fielding [Derby County - Bristol City] Undisclosed

George Francomb [Norwich - AFC Wimbledon] Free

Joel Grant [Wycombe - Yeovil] Free

Sam Hoskins [Southampton - Yeovil] Free

Joe Jones [Leicester - Yeovil] Free

Jacques Maghoma [Burton - Sheffield Wednesday] Free

Chris McCann [Burnley - Wigan] Free

Ian Morris [Torquay - Northampton] Free

Jack Sampson [Bolton - Morecambe] Free

Jed Steer [Norwich - Aston Villa] Compensation yet to be agreed

Carlos Tevez [Manchester City - Juventus] £12m

25 JUNE

Jack Barthram [Tottenham - Swindon] Free

Dominic Blizzard [Yeovil - Plymouth] Free

Fabien Brandy [Walsall - Sheffield United] Free

Paris Cowan-Hall [Plymouth - Wycombe] Free

Curtis Davies [Birmingham - Hull] £2.25m (reported)

Jasper Johns [Everton - Sheffield United] Free

Todd Kane [Chelsea - Blackburn] Loan

Stephen McGinn [Watford - Sheffield United] Free

Sean McGinty [Manchester United - Sheffield United] Free

Simon Mignolet [Sunderland - Liverpool] £9m

Martin Paterson [Burnley - Huddersfield] Free

Antoni Sarcevic [Chester - Fleetwood] Undisclosed

Andre Schurrle [Bayer Leverkusen - Chelsea] £18m

Alex Smith [Fulham - Swindon] Free

Gregory Tade [St Johnstone - CFR Cluj] Free

Josef Varga [Debrecen - Middlesbrough] Loan

Danny Williams [Hoffenheim - Reading] Undisclosed

24 JUNE

Tom Adeyemi [Norwich - Birmingham] Free

Thierry Audel [Macclesfield - Crewe] Undisclosed

Shaun Batt [Millwall - Leyton Orient] Free

Stephen Bywater [Sheffield Wednesday - Millwall] Free

Matt Duke [Bradford - Northampton] Free

Marc De Val Fernandez [Real Madrid - Doncaster] Free

Adam Hammill [Wolves - Huddersfield] Undisclosed

Danny Hylton [Aldershot - Rotherham] Free

Alan McCormack [Swindon - Brentford] Free

Rob Milsom [Aberdeen - Rotherham] Free

George Saville [Chelsea - Brentford] Loan

Jon Stead [Bristol City - Huddersfield] Free

Andy Welsh [Carlisle - Scunthorpe] Free

Hayden White [Sheffield Wednesday - Bolton] Free

Gregg Wylde [Bolton - Aberdeen] Free

23 JUNE

Iago Aspas [Celta Vigo - Liverpool] £7m

22 JUNE

Luis Alberto [Sevilla - Liverpool] £6.8m (reported)

Thibaut Courtois [Chelsea - Atletico Madrid] Loan

Brett Holman [Aston Villa - Al Nasr] Free

Gary Roberts [Swindon - Chesterfield] Free

21 JUNE

Troy Brown [Aldershot - Cheltenham] Free

Sam Clucas [Hereford - Mansfield] Fee to be decided by tribunal

Royston Drenthe [Alania Vladikavkaz - Reading] Undisclosed

Ricky Holmes [Barnet - Portsmouth] Free

Ryan Lowe [MK Dons - Tranmere] Free

Matthew Lund [Stoke - Rochdale] Free

Darren Maatsen [Excelsior - Ross County] Free

Tamika Mkandawire [Millwall - Shrewsbury] Free

Charlie Sheringham [AFC Bournemouth - AFC Wimbledon] Free

Virgil van Dijk [FC Groningen - Celtic] £2.6m

Derrick Williams [Aston Villa - Bristol City] Free

Harry Worley [Oxford - Newport] Free

Ross Worner [Aldershot - AFC Wimbledon] Free

20 JUNE

Ashley Bayes [Basingstoke - AFC Wimbledon] Free

Ashley Eastham [Blackpool - Rochdale] Free

Nicky Hunt [Rotherham - Accrington] Free

Gonzalo Jara [West Brom - Nottingham Forest] Free

Kyle Lafferty [Sion - Palermo] Undisclosed

Antonio Luna [Sevilla - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Chris O'Grady [Sheffield Wednesday - Barnsley] Undisclosed

Reuben Reid [Yeovil - Plymouth] Loan

Korey Smith [Norwich - Oldham] Free

Danny Whitehead [Stockport - West Ham] Undisclosed

David Worrall [Bury - Rotherham] Free

19 JUNE

Andy Carroll [Liverpool - West Ham] £15m (reported)

Stephen Foster [Barnsley - Tranmere] Free

Evan Horwood [Hartlepool - Tranmere] Free

Eric Lichaj [Aston Villa - Nottingham Forest] Free

Marcus Marshall [Bury - Morecambe] Free

David Moberg Karlsson [IFK Gothenburg - Sunderland] Undisclosed

18 JUNE

Nicklas Helenius [Aalborg - Aston Villa] Fee which could rise to £2m (reported)

Danny Hylton [Aldershot - Rotherham] Free

Dale Jennings [Bayern Munich - Barnsley] £250,000

Declan Rudd [Norwich - Preston] Loan

Stevie Smith [Unattached - Rangers]

Elliott Ward [Norwich - Bournemouth] Free

Calvin Zola [Burton - Aberdeen] Free

17 JUNE

Jake Bidwell [Everton - Brentford] Undisclosed

Jamie Cureton [Exeter - Cheltenham] Free

Andy Drury [Ipswich - Crawley] Free

Maynor Figueroa [Wigan - Hull] Free

14 JUNE

Nick Arnold [Reading - Wycombe] Loan

Denilson [Arsenal - Sao Paolo] Free

Olly Lancashire [Aldershot - Rochdale] Free

David Amoo [Tranmere - Carlisle] Free

Dejan Lovren [Lyon - Southampton] £8.5m (reported)

Stewart Murdoch [Falkirk - Fleetwood] Free

Sander Puri [St Mirren - York City] Free

Josh Shama [Reading - Oxford United] Free

13 JUNE

Leandro Bacuna [FC Groningen - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Amido Balde [Vitoria Guimaraes - Celtic] Undisclosed

Alex Cisak [Oldham - Burnley] Free

Wes Fletcher [Burnley - York] Free

Chris Kettings [Blackpool - York] Loan

David Hunt [Crawley - Oxford] Free

Jores Okore [Nordsjaelland - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Daniel Rose [Fleetwood - Oxford] Free

12 JUNE

Jack Bonham [Watford - Brentford] Free

Sidney Schmeltz [Unattached - Oldham]

11 JUNE

Lewis Alessandra [Morecambe - Plymouth] Free

Mikkel Andersen [Reading - Randers] Loan

Aden Flint [Swindon Town - Bristol City] £300,000

Jesus Navas [Sevilla - Manchester City] £14.9m

10 JUNE

Amine Linganzi [Accrington - Gillingham] Free

Vadaine Oliver [Lincoln - Crewe] Undisclosed

Johnny Russell [Dundee United - Derby] £750,000

Jimmy Smith [Leyton Orient - Stevenage] Free

Matt Smith [Oldham - Leeds] Free

7 JUNE

Wayne Bridge [Manchester City - Reading] Free

Daryl Murphy [Celtic - Ipswich] Free

Aleksandar Tonev [Lech Posnan - Aston Villa] Undisclosed

Guillermo Varela [Atletico Penarol - Manchester United] Undisclosed

Released:

Chelsea: Amin Affane, Yossi Benayoun, Abdul Deen-Conteh, Paulo Ferreira, Hilario, Florent Malouda, Archange Nkumu, Ross Turnbull

Everton: Johan Hammar, Thomas Hitzlsperger, Sam Kelly, Jan Mucha, Phil Neville

Fulham: Chris Baird, Simon Davies, Mahamadou Diarra, Thomas Donegan, Corey Gameiro, Georgios Karagkounis, James Musa, Richard Peniket, Mladen Petric, Mark Schwarzer, Alex Smith, Csaba Somogyi

Liverpool: Tyrell Belford, Jamie Carragher, Jamie Stephens, Dan Wilson

Manchester City: Wayne Bridge, Filippo Mancini, Ryan McGivern, Roque Santa Cruz, Kolo Toure

Manchester United: Reece Brown, John Cofie, Michele Fornasier, Luke Giverin, Luke Hendrie, Luke McCullough, Paul Scholes, Gyliano Van Velzen, Freddie Veseli

Newcastle: Steve Harper, Yven Moyo, Danny Simpson

Reading: Nick Bignall, Simon Church, Ian Harte, Noel Hunt, Charlie Losasso, Angus MacDonald, Alex Pearce, Nicky Shorey, Jay Tabb, Joshua Webb, Brett Williams

Swansea: Mark Gower

Tottenham Hotspur: Jack Barthram, David Bentley, John Bostock, William Gallas, Jack Munns, Jake Nicholson

West Bromwich Albion: Marc-Antoine Fortune, Zoltan Gera, Gonzalo Jara, Romaine Sawyers, Jerome Thomas

West Ham: Carlton Cole, Jake Larkins, Gary O'Neil, Jack Powell, Jami Rafati, Eoin Wearen

Wigan: Peter Aylmer, Albert Crusat, Franco Di Santo, David Jones, Adrian Lopez, Jonathan Lynch, Callum Morris, Filip Orsula, Ronnie Stam, Joshua Sumner, Ryan Watson

6 JUNE

Jose Canas [Real Betis - Swansea] Free

Tony Diagne [Macclesfield - Morecambe] Undisclosed

Fernandinho [Shakhtar Donetsk - Manchester City] £30m

Jake Larkins [West Ham - Leyton Orient] Free

Released:

Stoke City: Michael Clarkson, Rory Delap, Matthew Gledhill, Jadan Hall, Matthew Lund, Andrew Musungu, Carlo Nash, Michael Owen, George Rigg, Mamady Sidibe, Matthew Upson, Dean Whitehead

5 JUNE

Adrian [Real Betis - West Ham] Free

Jimmy Ryan [Scunthorpe - Chesterfield] Free

Maarten Stekelenburg [Roma - Fulham] Undisclosed

Jay Tabb [Reading - Ipswich] Free

Adam Chapman [Oxford - Newport County] Undisclosed

Chris Zebroski [Unattached - Newport County]

Released:

Arsenal: Andrey Arshavin, Samir Bihmoutine, Reice Charles-Cook, Denilson, Craig Eastmond, Sead Hajrovic, Conor Henderson, Jernade Meade, Nigel Oldfield Spence-Neita, Joshua Rees, Philip Roberts, James Shea, Sebastien Squillaci, Sanchez Watt

Aston Villa: Calum Barrett, Joshua Barton, Courtney Cameron, Daniel Devine, Richard Dunne, Eric Lichaj, Andrew Marshall

4 JUNE

Terry Hawkridge [Gainsborough - Scunthorpe] Undisclosed

Chris Humphrey [Motherwell - Preston] Free

Martin Riley [Wrexham - Mansfield] Free

Luke Waterfall [Gainsborough - Scunthorpe] Undisclosed

Released

Southampton: Frazer Richardson, Danny Butterfield, Dan Seabourne, Ryan Dickson, Ben Reeves, Sam Hoskins, Tommy Forecast, Alberto Seidi

3 JUNE

Mark Gower [Swansea - Charlton] Free

Chris Iwelumo [Watford - Scunthorpe] Free

Neymar [Santos - Barcelona] £48.6m

2 JUNE

John McCombe [Port Vale - Mansfield] Free

1 JUNE

Kaid Mohamed [Cheltenham - Port Vale] Free

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