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Portsmouth and Campbell the end...

Portsmouth have confirmed that Sol Campbell will sign for them later on Tuesday, subject to agreeing terms.
Campbell had a medical at Fratton Park on Monday.

Newcastle have also tracked the 31-year-old England international but Manchester City denied they made a late move for the player.

Arsenal released Campbell in July because he wanted a new challenge.

The defender, who spent five years at Highbury, did not train with Portsmouth on Tuesday.

But his decision to even consider a move to the south coast has surprised Gunners manager Arsene Wenger.

"I have no regrets," Wenger said of his choice to release the player. "But it is a big surprise to me because he cancelled his contract to go abroad.

"Have you sold Portsmouth to a foreign country? No."

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp is looking to partner Campbell with either Manchester City's Sylvain Distin or Blackburn's Ryan Nelsen.

Redknapp is keen on Distin, who is in the last year of his contract at Manchester City and would cost around £4m.
Campbell is still better than the majority of centre-backs in the Premiership

He has also tendered a bid for New Zealand international Nelsen, although it has been rebuffed by Blackburn boss Mark Hughes.

With no transfer fee involved for the England defender, Portsmouth will more easily be able to meet Campbell's salary, which was believed to be in the region of £80,000 a week at Highbury but is likely to come down considerably.

Campbell announced at the end of last season that he was leaving the Gunners to seek "a new challenge" after five years with the London club.

He made 197 appearances for the Gunners and won five major trophies after joining the club from arch rivals Tottenham in 2001.

Fabio Capello wants Rossi

Real Madrid coach Fabio Capello has set his sights on bringing Italian international Daniele de Rossi to the Bernebeu, according to press reports from Spain.

Sports daily Marca insists the Spanish giants have made inquiries as to the availability of the midfielder, but were told he was not for sale.

Roma will play in this year's Champions League after Juventus and Fiorentina were both ejected from the competition for their part in the Serie A match-fixing scandal, and are reluctant to let go of one of their key players.

The paper also insists that Real were offered the player last December, but decided against signing him.

Benitez wants another striker

LONDRA, Aug 2 GMT 18.00

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants to buy a new striker - and reports suggest Dirk Kuyt could be on his way to Anfield.

Benitez watched his Reds side lose again on their pre-season travels, with Craig Bellamy starting as a lone striker against Grasshoppers Zurich.

The Spaniard admitted to the Liverpool Echo: "Maybe it's too late for the Champions League qualification round, but there is one month left and that gives us the time to sign the player we need.

"I think we still need an extra striker, just in case. I'm happy with the strikers we have but I think we need another and I'm confident we'll sign one."

Benitez has lost Djibril Cisse and Fernando Morientes this summer and has recruited only Bellamy.

Dutchman Kuyt seems the favourite to become the Merseysiders' fourth senior striker, with the Echo saying that the Feyenoord hitman favours Anfield despite interest from Manchester United.

Patrick Vieira is to sign
for Inter Milan

MILAN, Aug 1 - Juventus midfielder Patrick Vieira is to sign for Inter Milan, part of an exodus of players from the Turin club following Italy's match-fixing scandal.

Inter's owner Massimo Moratti told reporters that Tuesday was Vieira's last day with Juventus and he would sign a four-year contract with Inter on Wednesday.

"He should sign the contract tomorrow," an Inter spokesman quoted Moratti as saying, adding that Vieira was in Milan on Tuesday for a medical checkup.

Former Arsenal captain Vieira would be the latest player to leave Juventus after the club was relegated to Serie B for conspiring with referees and linesmen to rig games during the 2004-05 season.

The departures of Italy's World Cup captain Fabio Cannavaro, Brazilian midfielder Emerson, and defenders Gianluca Zambrotta and Lilian Thuram have raised fears that Juventus could struggle to win immediate promotion back to Serie A.

Juventus coach Didier Deschamps said last week that no more of his players would be leaving the club.

However, the Gazzetta dello Sport said on Tuesday that AC Milan were trying to sign both Juventus's Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

Inter were awarded the 2005-06 Italian league title last week after a sports tribunal revoked Juventus's title win due to the match-fixing scandal.

 

Roberto Carlos Continue Real

Brazilian defender Roberto Carlos has said he wants to continue with Real Madrid after speaking to new coach Fabio Capello.

"I want to stay at the club. I say it loudly and clearly," the fullback told Spanish sports daily AS on Monday.

After 10 years with Real the 33-year-old had hinted at a possible move at the end of last season, saying he had received an offer from English champions Chelsea for a three-year contract.

Turkish side Fenerbahce, now managed by Brazilian Zico, are also reported to be interested in taking the player who has one year left on his contract at Real with an option of another dependant on the number of games he plays next season.

"After returning from my holidays I feel good. Capello has given me new enthusiasm and I am a lot happier," he added.

"We have had a long chat and spoken about everything. He has told me he is counting on me, that he wants me in the side and that he expects a lot from me."

Roberto Carlos has yet to speak to Real sports director Predrag Mijatovic, who is arriving at their pre-season training camp in Austria on Tuesday.

"I would like to make sure of the second year of my contract so that I know I can continue in the team until 2008," he said.

"But we will have to see what happens. I have spoken to Capello and now I have to explain to Mijatovic what I told the coach."

Roberto Carlos, who has won thee Champions League titles with Real, retired from international football after the World Cup finals in Germany.

MADRID, July 31 13.00

AC Milan targets Fernando Torres

AC Milan join chase for £27m United target
Fernando Torres is being linked with a move to the San Siro by reports in Italy

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The Atletico Madrid striker, scorer of 68 goals in 138 games for his club, is one of the hottest properties in European football, with Manchester United firmly in the chase for his signature.

“We usually spring a surprise around the transfer deadline and we’re hoping to do the same again,” AC Milan transfer supremo Ariedo Braida has been quoted as saying.

“It would be good to give our unique fans a present.”

18:46 July, 30, 2006

 

Tevez signals Premiership

Tevez signals Premiership interest
Carlos Tevez has sparked interest from top English clubs by revealing he is ready to quit Corinthians this year for his family's sake.
The Argentinian striker is aware that Chelsea and Manchester United would head the queue of clubs ready to take him to England and says he could move forward his long-term goal of playing in Europe by a year after a recent clash with fans in Brazil.

Tevez angered the Corinthians faithful with a "shut up" gesture to the home crowd after scoring last week as Corinthians patchy start to the season has caused tension between the players and the fans.
The 23-year-old former Boca Juniors star will not take his wife and daughter to Corinthians matches any more because of the uneasy atmosphere at the matches and revealed it may force him out of the club.

Corinthians, owned by the MSI group, look set to cash in and have already spoken to Chelsea about a future deal while Tevez has been pictured wearing a Manchester United shirt given to him by his good friend Gabriel Heinze.

2006-07-30 10:17