[h1]Barça Stopped United Henry Bid[/h1] [h2]Thierry Henry was prevented from considering a move to Manchester United recently after being told that he was in Pep Guardiola's plans at Barcelona for next season, according to a report.[/h2]
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The Sunday Mirror believe that the Frenchman was on the verge of a return to the Premier League with the Red Devils after a difficult years at Camp Nou.
Guardiola and the Catalan club's board managed to talk the former Arsenal player into staying put, the report continues, and he has now opted to remain at Barça.
"Thierry was told by the new coach he didn't want him to leave, that he was going to be a big player for Barca next season and would have an important role to play for them," an unnamed source was quoted as saying.
"That was the reassurance Thierry needed but United were ready to buy him."
While United may have been monitoring his situation, Henry has always insisted that he would only return to Arsenal if he were to go back to the Premier League.
Whether he was wanted was an important factor, but only last week the former Monaco and Juve starlet explained that he was keen to spend another season at Barcelona.
His first year at the club proved to be one of under achievement as he battled to overcome injury and being awy from his daughter.
[h1]Madrid Press: Real Madrid Offer Ronaldo €9.5m Per Year[/h1] [h2]Spanish sports daily Marca has followed up its earlier reporting on the saga of Cristiano Ronaldo by stating that Real Madrid are willing to offer the Portuguese star €9.5m net per season in wages...[/h2]
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Another day, another Ronaldo story. Despite Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson fuming that an amoral Real Madrid, aided by Marca, have done their utmost to unsettled the winger, there are yet more developments today in the Spanish press.
Following on from news that the club are apparently attempting to welcome Ronaldo to the Spanish capital with the aid of a brand new car, more substantive benefits have now emerged in the form of a bumper wage packet.
Madrid, allegedly, are prepared to offer Ronaldo €9.5m per season net, along with 50% of income generated from his image rights within Spain. What's more, his image rights outside the country would 100% belong to him alone.
In terms of club contract, this would make Ronaldo the best-paid footballer in history: others may earn more from off-pitch activities, but his would be the highest salary in the sport.
Nonetheless, the blancos are little closer to landing their man. Ronaldo himself declared recently that he wants to stay at Old Trafford, and although he's since offered no end of teasing with regards to his future it seems as though the Red Devils will keep him no matter what.
Marca, though, shows no sign of letting up in what it calls 'Operación Cristiano.'
Punk %#% Spanish media
[h1]Sunday's gossip column[/h1]
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BREAKING GOSSIP
Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes has been linked with a move to Spanish Primera Liga side Mallorca. (IB3 Television 1630 BST)
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TRANSFER RUMOURS
Clubs in the USA's MLS have turned down the chance to sign Chelsea striker Andrei Shevchenko. (Mail on Sunday)
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is holding out for a move to AC Milan or Inter Milan despite Real Madrid being interested. (Mail on Sunday)
Arsenal are to begin negotiations for St Etienne duo Mouhamadou Dabo and Blaise Matuidi and Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez. (Mail on Sunday)
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will listen to offers for Alvaro Arbeloa, Jermaine Pennant and Steve Finnan as he looks to raise funds for new signings. (Mail on Sunday)
Xabi Alonso, Peter Crouch, Scott Carson and John Arne Riise are also available as Benitez hopes to raise £50m in sales to bolster the £20m he has been given to spend by the club's owners. (News of the World)
West Brom boss Tony Mowbray is set to pay £3.5m for Aston Villa striker Luke Moore and £2.3m for Hearts hit-man Roman Bednar. (News of the World)
Barcelona striker Thierry Henry was set to join Manchester United for £10m until the Spanish side's new boss Pep Guardiola blocked the move two weeks ago.
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606: DEBATE
Your thoughts on Sunday's gossip
[/td] [/tr][/table]Cruzeiro striker Marcelo Moreno is weighing up a move to Tottenham or Shakhtar Donetsk, according to his father. (The Observer)
Arsenal, Portsmouth, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, Tottenham and Middlesbrough are all interested in Valencia midfielder Edu. (Sunday Mirror)
West Ham are leading the chase for Everton striker Andy Johnson. (News of the World)
Hearts are lining up a bid for Paris St Germain's veteran goalkeeper Jerome Alonzo. (News of the World)
Rangers have been monitoring Watford central defender Danny ****tu. (News of the World)
Norwich City are the latest club to approach out-of-contract Aberdeen midfielder Barry Nicholson. (News of the World)
Burnley star James O'Connor has agreed a move to Sheffield Wednesday. (News of the World)
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OTHER GOSSIP
Sir Alex Ferguson has set the date for his retirement as Manchester United boss and will quit in three years. (The Mail on Sunday)
Real president Ramon Calderon has responded to criticism from Ferguson over Cristiano Ronaldo. "Real Madrid have conducted themselves exquisitely in this whole affair with Ronaldo. We have always said that he is a player who has a contract and that Manchester United is not a selling club. That's everything."
Chelsea skipper John Terry has not slept properly since his spot-kick miss in the Champions League final. (Various)
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AND FINALLY
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez will not use the number seven in his squad next year because of the pressure it puts on players to live up to previous incumbents like Kevin Keegan and Kenny Dalglish. (News of the World)
[h1]Sven Set For Mexico - Agent[/h1] [h2]Sven-Goran Eriksson is a confirmation away from becoming the next coach of the Mexican national team, according to his agent.[/h2]
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Juan Carlos Padilla is convinced that the beleaguered Manchester City manager will succeed the highly popular but unsuccessful Hugo Sanchez, who was sacked earlier this year after failing to lead the Mexican under-23s to the Olympics.
"We already know what the Mexican FA are looking for - we'll accept their terms if they call us again," said Padilla.
"If the Mexican FA decide to take him, he will be their coach and the Mexican national team will be his number one choice.
"It's a contract up to and including the next World Cup, after that we'll see what happens. But for the moment it's a two-year contract."
Padilla went on to dismiss the notion that Eriksson does not speak Spanish will be a major hindrance.
"Eriksson speaks five languages. He speaks Portuguese, Italian, English, Swedish and German," he said.
"So if you take Portuguese and Italian, put them together and exert a bit of effort, you can speak Spanish in two months. So there'll be no language barrier.
"He wants to have many Mexicans involved, such as team doctors, physios, etc.
"He knows he has to adapt to the culture, not that it has to adapt to him."
"Eriksson is very excited," he continued.
"He knows a lot of the (Mexican) players there (in Europe), in fact there has been talk of Manchester City's interest in two Mexican players whose names I can't give."
Originally Posted by CincoSeisDos
[h1]Sven Set For Mexico - Agent[/h1] [h2]Sven-Goran Eriksson is a confirmation away from becoming the next coach of the Mexican national team, according to his agent.[/h2]
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Juan Carlos Padilla is convinced that the beleaguered Manchester City manager will succeed the highly popular but unsuccessful Hugo Sanchez, who was sacked earlier this year after failing to lead the Mexican under-23s to the Olympics.
"We already know what the Mexican FA are looking for - we'll accept their terms if they call us again," said Padilla.
"If the Mexican FA decide to take him, he will be their coach and the Mexican national team will be his number one choice.
"It's a contract up to and including the next World Cup, after that we'll see what happens. But for the moment it's a two-year contract."
Padilla went on to dismiss the notion that Eriksson does not speak Spanish will be a major hindrance.
"Eriksson speaks five languages. He speaks Portuguese, Italian, English, Swedish and German," he said.
"So if you take Portuguese and Italian, put them together and exert a bit of effort, you can speak Spanish in two months. So there'll be no language barrier.
"He wants to have many Mexicans involved, such as team doctors, physios, etc.
"He knows he has to adapt to the culture, not that it has to adapt to him."
"Eriksson is very excited," he continued.
"He knows a lot of the (Mexican) players there (in Europe), in fact there has been talk of Manchester City's interest in two Mexican players whose names I can't give."
Barcelona striker Thierry Henry was set to join Manchester United for £10m until the Spanish side's new boss Pep Guardiola blocked the move two weeks ago.
@ the thought of Henry in a Man Utd Jersey
Clubs in the USA's MLS have turned down the chance to sign Chelsea striker Andrei Shevchenko. (Mail on Sunday)
not even MLS wants this bum
@ the Henry going to Man U. I could NEVER EVER see him playing forMan U. I've always viewed him as a Man U enemy anywhere he plays. I really would love to see him come back to Arsenal.
Barcelona striker Thierry Henry was set to join Manchester United for £10m until the Spanish side's new boss Pep Guardiola blocked the move two weeks ago.
@ the thought of Henry in a Man Utd Jersey
i wouldnt mind
[h1]Robinho Puts Pressure On Madrid[/h1] [h2]Real Madrid forward Robinho has allegedly insisted to Real Madrid's top brass that he wants to see his current difficult situation at the Bernabéu solved as soon as possible...[/h2]
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The Brazilian international has been linked with a summer move away from Santiago Bernabéu, after talks over an extension to his contract have produced no effect.
Robinho, who has a valid contract with Los Merengues until 2010, wants his deal extended by four years and a considerable raise in his wages to stay at the club.
Real Madrid's president, Ramón Calderón, has stated that Robinho will stay with the club next season, classifying him as "non-transferable" and "indispensable" to the Spanish champions.
But the numerous meetings between Robinho's father, Gilvan de Souza, his agent, Wagner Ribeiro, and Real Madrid's sporting director, Pedja Mijatovic, have had no success.
The former Santos player has reportedly told the Spanish capital club to either agree to his demands over a new deal or find him a new challenge.
The English Impatient
And interest in Robinho is understood to be plenty, after Ribeiro claimed he was in London last week to discuss a €35 million move to Champions League runners-up, Chelsea.
Arsenal are also believed to be monitoring Robinho's situation. The Gunners' boss, Arsène Wenger, is a keen admirer of the Brazilian's potential, having tried to lure him into his ranks while still at Santos, although the price tag may put him off.
And with Real Madrid interested in capturing Cristiano Ronaldo and Alex Ferguson wanting a suitable replacement for the Portuguese if he leaves to Spain, Robinho, who is very close to obtaining a Spanish passport, is expected to make a move to Premier League should negotiations with Real Madrid reach a deadlock.
