6 Top January Transfers potentially in the move in next year

Here is the list of 6 top of players who potentially transfer to the new team in January. The list is made by Goal.com and those whose moves have already taken place - such as Ibrahim Affelay's to Barcelona.

1.   Carlos Tevez (Manchester City)	Any club in the world would love to have Tevez and he, enigmatic and unique as ever, could take his pick of them. Potential buyers: Any club would love him. Few could afford him. The difficulties around Carlitos' rights are well-known. Jose Mourinho wants a striker at Real Madrid, but is Tevez the man for that job?
2.    David Luiz (Benfica)	David Luiz has been in poor form since autumn and is now the subject of heavy criticism. He's also recently turned down a contract extension and could be on the move. Potential buyers: Manchester City are thought to be in the lead.
3.     Glen Johnson (Liverpool)	Roy Hodgson is known to dislike Johnson  and would surely love to recoup some of his transfer fee in order to bring in some men of his own.
4.  Thiago Alcantara (Barcelona)	His contract runs out in June 2011, and although there is a two-year option on it, it's not a given that the so-called "new Xavi" is going to stay at Camp Nou for long. He's very highly rated by fans and technical staff alike, so what is going on here is anyone's guess.
5.   Fabio Coentrao (Benfica)	One of the most sought-after left-backs in Europe, Fabio Coentrao will only leave Benfica for big bucks.   Potential buyers: AC Milan and Manchester United are said to be top of the list to sign the 22-year-old.
6.             Ronaldinho (AC Milan)	His time in Europe appears to nearly be at an end. Ronaldinho apparently wishes to remain until the end of the season but AC Milan would be appreciated if he leaves earlier. Potential buyers: The list pretty much begins and ends with Gremio. The club from Ronaldinho's home town of Porto Alegre have apparently lined up the funds already.

source: www.goal.com

Did FIFA Pick The Right Hosts For World Cup 2018 And 2022? (by goal.com)

Andrea Canales: Let's discuss the World Cup bid decisions of 2018 and 2022 to Russia and Qatar, respectively. Was there really corruption? Is there a chance to clean up FIFA? When can the U.S. realistically bid for another World Cup?

Luis Bueno: It certainly seems like there was a lot of politicking by Qatar, but was it shady or just typical politics? Qatar reportedly gave the Argentine FA some $78 million. Does that count as politicking or is that buying votes? Qatar also hosted the recent Argentina-Brazil friendly and had many invited guests there that day, possibly hoping to either sway voters or seal the deal.

Seth Vertelney: Well that all depends if Julio Grondona (Argentina's rep on the Executive Committee) voted for Qatar, which, because it's FIFA, we will never actually know for sure.

Bueno: And not to mention they sponsored the African confederation's congress, the biggest meeting for that continent's soccer heads.

Canales: I just think FIFA is misguided. They not only went for the money bid, but they also went for the new, shiny, techie bid. They're not really thinking of the fans - fans who might get heatstroke waiting to enter the stadium.

Zac Lee Rigg: I think the transparency issue Seth raises is pretty valid. Since it's such a small group, having votes made public and perhaps even arguments written out like in the Supreme Court would help. I have no qualms with going for legacy through technology and new markets, but I'd like to read the voters' opinions on why they opted for whom.

Canales: Yeah, right now, FIFA is a riddle, wrapped in an enigma. Wait, that's been said of Russia. What about their bid? Was that a legit campaign?

Shane Evans: It's always legit with Roman Abramovich. That guy is squeaky clean.

Seth Vertelney: I have no issues with Russia actually.  I think they deserved it and they will run a solid World Cup.

Allen Ramsey: Ever since the end of Rocky IV I've been cool with Russia.

Bueno: I tend to agree. That's a new area of the world and they are big enough and diverse enough to be able to pull off a successful, unique and interesting World Cup.

Canales: I do think having two first-time hosts in a row is tough. It's not like either Russia or Qatar do a lot of hosting of international events, either.

Bueno: Well, Russia is hosting the 2014 Winter Olympics, which is far more than Qatar can say.

Ramsey: Does it matter? The winter Olympics is a one city thing. It really doesn't translate that well to having a good World Cup.

Rigg: Seth and Luis pointed out (via Twitter) that the host cities in Russia are closer together than if the U.S. had hosted, which I think is an interesting point. So it's not an overwhelming amount of travel.

Ramsey: And in Qatar, there really won't be any travel.

Canales: That will be interesting.

Bueno: Russia has more than one city and doesn't have some arcane laws about women. And let's not forget Qatar's disdain of Israel.

Evans: I just find it crazy that they're building all of those stadiums and then bringing them down right after the tournament.

Vertelney: I'm not an architect, but.....how in the hell will that work?  Also, the idea of bringing some super high-tech soccer stadium to some underprivileged African country seems kind of....odd.

Bueno: Yeah, instead of these massive stadiums sitting unused in Qatar, they'll go to Zimbabwe and sit unused.

Canales: So much for a legacy, then.

Evans: How is the game supposed to stick in Qatar if the tournament is like a rental? I mean, that is FIFA's main reason for bringing it there, right?

Vertelney: No, it is to win Sepp Blatter a Nobel Prize.

Ramsey: I think FIFA just wanted it in that particular part of the world. They don't care if the game sticks in Qatar. Just so long as the Middle East gets the World Cup.

Bueno: Yeah, I think it's more like the tournament for the Middle East, and really, if you're going to host it there... well, actually, I don't think the Middle East is a good site for any sort of international tournament like this. 

However, my brother traveled abroad last year, to Egypt, Jordan and Israel and he said he felt safe, never felt threatened. He raved about Jordan and how nice of a place it was. So I know some of that fear/uncertainty of the Middle East as a region to visit is a bit unfounded, but still not sure about it being a great place to host the world for five weeks.

Canales: I do think it's important to open people's minds, but it's also a soccer tournament.

Rigg: I've been all over Asia and I've never been murdered, so I'm not all that concerned.


Vertelney: Qatar said they will allow Israel to participate if they qualify, even though they don't recognize them as a country.  I wonder how welcome their fans would feel though if they do make it.

Bueno: Would they even be allowed in? That would be something, Israel playing in Doha, getting soundly booed and jeered by the locals.

Evans: I mean, I just found out that Qatar had a team. Call it ignorance, that's fine.

Vertelney: I used to play against Qatar on FIFA when I wanted to score 35 goals in a game.

Canales: Well, it's likely that they won't make it out of the first round of the 2022 World Cup. But South Africa already broke that precedent. 

Evans: South Africa has notable players, though.

Bueno: Qatar has... um... well, they do have two Olympic bronze medals. That's the extent of their sporting accolades.

Vertelney: According to Wikipedia, every player on their roster plays in the Qatari league except for one who plays in Egypt. 

Bueno: Their Qataris Abroad columns must be easy to write then.

Canales: Well, in the final analysis, did FIFA do the right thing? For 2018?

Bueno: I think England would have been ideal, but I don't think Russia is undeserving, and I think it will be interesting. 

igg: Did they do the right thing? Trying to punish media, no. But I don't think Russia is a bad choice.

Ramsey: I think they got it right. Russia and Qatar will be fine hosts.

Vertelney: Qatar is too risky for 2022.

Bueno: I would have liked to have seen Australia in 2022. If Australia would have won, there wouldn't have been this massive backlash. But it's tough to win when only Der Kaiser votes for you.

Vertelney: Who knows what the Middle East will look like in five years, let alone 12. That in and of itself should be enough to discourage votes.

Bueno: Unless of course you're getting wined and dined.

Evans: Will it even be called Qatar by the time the tournament is there?

Rigg: A Qatar couple just named their kid FIFA in honor of the World Cup vote. Maybe they could change the country's name to "Sepp"?

Evans: That'd definitely get him the Nobel Prize...

Vertelney: World Cup Sepp 2022. It's kind of already that, anyway


(source: www.goal.com)


And what do you think about the Russia with World Cup 2018 and Qatar World cup 2022???

Carlo: Roo can join Chelsea

CARLO ANCELOTTI last night opened his arms to Wayne Rooney and said: Come and join us!

The Chelsea boss is monitoring Roo's crumbling relationship with Alex Ferguson, which could see the striker quit Old Trafford.

Ancelotti said: "We have to wait to see if Wayne Rooney really wants to leave Manchester United, if they really want to sell him.

"And also if Rooney is on the market, not only Chelsea would be interested but a lot of other teams as well."

Blues owner Roman Abramovich recently ordered spending cuts. But a source close to the billionaire last night said: "If the money was right then Mr Abramovich would definitely be interested in Rooney."

source: Thesun.co.uk

Rooney: United lack Ambition

WAYNE ROONEY wants to quit Old Trafford because he believes the club owners lack ambition.

His fallout with manager Alex Ferguson is only part of the problem for the Manchester United striker.

Rooney was unhappy at the sale of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid last year and also the lack of spending since.

He does not want to commit himself to a five-year deal with a club that are financially struggling 

and no longer in the market for the world's best players.

Rooney remains fiercely ambitious to continue landing the biggest titles, having won the Premier League and a European Cup with United.

But he fears that is no longer a possibility at the cash-strapped club. United's £750million debt under the Glazer regime is seriously restricting Fergie's spending power.

Rooney, 24, and his advisors cannot see that problem improving and talks on a new deal have now stalled.

United would be unwilling to sell Rooney to bitter rivals Manchester City but the prospect of a £50m transfer to Real in January is seriously on the cards. The England striker, who has just over 18 months left on his contract, has fallen out with Fergie.

The rift follows revelations of Rooney's dalliances with a prostitute.

Ferguson claimed the player had an ankle injury, leading to him being left out against Sunderland and Valencia.

But Rooney contradicted that last week after England's 0-0 draw with Montenegro and was only on the bench against West Brom on Saturday.

United no longer think he is worth the huge new contract which would see his weekly wage rise from £90,000 to £150,000.

Since an ankle injury last March Rooney has flopped at the World Cup for England and not scored in open play for United.

source: Thesun.co.uk

'Fed up' Fabio returns captaincy to Ferdinand

England defender Rio Ferdinand will return against Montenegro on Tuesday night following the back injury to John Terry and is expected to resume the captaincy, but ESPNsoccernet understands Fabio Capello does not want to make a significant issue of the matter.

Ferdinand was made England skipper in February when Terry was stripped of the armband, but injury ruled the Manchester United defender out of the World Cup and Steven Gerrard took over as leader.

The uncertainty over Ferdinand's long-term injuries at club level means United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has now made Nemanja Vidic skipper and the centre-back's role with England has come under scrutiny for the same reason.

Capello knows that the captaincy is a big issue with the media, but it is not of such importance to him, and the England manager has become a touch irritated by the focus of attention on this issue.

An England insider told ESPNsoccernet: "I know there is a huge debate about who will be captain, and I will be honest with you, we are fed up with it, as it is not such a big issue for Fabio. It is more an issue for the media."

Gerrard retained the armband for England's opening Euro 2012 qualifiers against Bulgaria and Switzerland but will now hand it back to Ferdinand, who will make his first start since May 30 against Japan.

Ferdinand is expected to partner Joleon Lescott in the heart of the England defence against Montenegro on Tuesday night.

source: ESPN

Funny Football Moments and Painful Injuries

Let's take a break with the video clip of Funny Football Moments and Painful Injuries.

Inter Milan 4 - Werder Bremen 0 Highlight UEFA Champion League

Highlight video for UEFA Champion League : Inter Milan 4 - 0 Werder Bremen

Valencia 0 - 1 Manchester United Champion League Highlight

The highlight video of Valencia 0-1 Manchester United

Remember Me, Fergie?

MICHAEL OWEN fired a timely reminder to Alex Ferguson by reaching another scoring milestone and rescuing a point for Manchester United.

The former England striker has had a bit-part role this season but headed a late equaliser within three minutes of climbing off the bench.

It was his 200th club career goal in England and his third in a week after his double against Scunthorpe in midweek.

The Old Trafford manager missed that as he was on a scouting mission in Spain that night - so Owen made his point to the boss again yesterday.
Afterwards he said: "Scoring goals has always been part of my career, but this is tinged with a bit of disappointment at not getting three points. Reaching 200 is something I'd rather have than not have.

"But now we will focus on next week and on the Champions League.

"Bolton is always a tough place to come, but we created enough chances and dominated most of the game so we are disappointed."

Owen admitted United were kicking themselves for failing to capitalise on slips by Chelsea and Arsenal over the weekend.

He said: "The mood in the dressing room is one of frustration. We wanted to get the three points. "And, with the way the results went at the weekend, it was an opportunity to close that gap at the top, but it wasn't to be.

source: thesun.co.uk

Lionel Messi out for two Barcelona matches

Barcelona star Lionel Messi will miss at least two matches with an ankle injury picked up in Barcelona's 2-1 win over Atletico Madrid in La Liga.

The Argentine was carried off in second-half injury time after a tackle by Atletico defender Tomas Ujfalusi. 

Tests confirmed ligament damage to the Argentina forward's right ankle. 

Messi, the World Player of the Year, will miss the games against Sporting Gijon and Athletic Bilbao, with further tests to follow at that point.

Barcelona take on Rubin Kazan in the Champions League on 29 September.  Messi will hope to be back for the Champions League trip to Rubin Kazan

Despite Ujfalusi being shown a straight red card for the tackle, Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola was critical of referee David Fernández Borbalán. 

"We are happy with the win but sad about Messi," said Guardiola at a post-match news conference.

"The TV pictures speak for themselves. It is not only Cristiano Ronaldo who needs protecting. The referees should protect all the players." 

Messi had put Barcelona ahead in the 13th minute at the Vicente Calderon Stadium, but Raul Garcia equalised 11 minutes later. 

The Spanish champions spurned several second half chances before Gerard Pique secured the points with a powerful strike from close range.

source: BBC news

Man Utd fear Valencia's season over due to injury

In the second half at Old Trafford, Valencia was involved in a challenge with Rangers defender Kirk Broadfoot and required immediate attention.

Television broadcasters decided against showing a reply - indicating the severity of the incident - and Valencia required lengthy treatment before taken immediately to hospital.

After the match, United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said the club suspected Valencia had suffered either a dislocation or fracture of his left ankle and could be out of action for a lengthy period.

No need to panic after Liverpool's slow start (Pepe Reina)

PEPE REINA insists there is no need to panic after Liverpool's slow start to the season.

The Reds have won one match out of four in the Premier League and have scored just two goals.
Reina needed to be in top form to keep a clean sheet as Roy Hodgson's men were held to a goalless draw at Birmingham on Sunday.

And the Spanish star said: "Any away game is tough. We've had a difficult start.
"It is never going to be easy but we all believe.

"We all helped to get a very good point. We could have lost the game, so we should be happy with the point.

"I've never beaten Birmingham in the league in five years and it is always difficult here.


"But let's look at it in a positive way. We have to go forward from here.

"We have to make sure that nobody is thinking of winning the league or anything like that at this moment.

"It is going to take a while. We have got to get used to the new players and then the system.

"We will find out at the end of the season what we can achieve. Maybe it will take a while and we all have to be patient.

"April and May is the time to talk about targets."

Rooney should look at JT

CARLO ANCELOTTI has told Wayne Rooney to take a leaf out of John Terry's book and shrug off any abuse from opposition fans.

The Chelsea captain was targeted by the boo-boys last season after stories about his private life emerged.
And while Rooney is expected to get a hostile reception at Everton this weekend following his own off-field allegations, Stamford Bridge chief Ancelotti believes he can take it in his stride.

He said: "A player who has this kind of problem has to stay focused on the match, on his behaviour on the pitch.

"If he does that it's not a big problem. When you're on the pitch, you can't think about the behaviour of the fans.


"Everyone knows how John Terry played last year. Maybe it can be a good motivation if the opposing fans are against you.

"Rooney scored in the last England game. I think he reacted very well."

source: Thesun.co.uk

Man Utd boss Ferguson brushes off Wayne Rooney talk

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has refused to discuss Wayne Rooney's current off-field problems ahead of Saturday's match at Everton.

Rooney is at the centre of allegations about his private life but Ferguson would not be drawn on the claims.

"Let's put it to bed straightaway. I am not discussing any of my players' personal lives," said Ferguson ahead of a trip to Rooney's former club.

Rooney, 24, and his wife Coleen have, meanwhile, appealed for privacy.

A joint statement from the couple issued on Friday read: "The last six days have been extremely painful for us and for our families.

"It is impossible for us, as it would be for any family, to attempt to resolve any issues in the current media glare and against the backdrop of so many inaccurate and intrusive stories."

Everton fans, though, are unlikely to pay any heed to this plea when the Croxteth-born striker, who shot to prominence as a 16-year-old at Goodison Park, takes to the field for Saturday's Premier League clash.

Moyes told reporters at his pre-match news conference: "I think if you are a good football journalist you don't ask those kind of questions.

"If you are a gossip journalist you ask me those questions. I am interested in talking about the game and that's what I'll do.

However, Everton defender Phil Jagielka predicted that the home fans will not hold back in dishing out some "stick" to Rooney, who left Goodison for Old Trafford in the summer of 2004.

"It should be amusing," said Jagielka, who has been on England duty with Rooney.

"It is always interesting playing against people you've just been away with in the week. No doubt I'll give him a bit of banter if he plays.

"There is a good chance he will get slaughtered. He normally gets quite a bit of stick anyway. I can't see that changing come Saturday."

But he continued: "I'm sure Wayne can deal with it. He is tough and will let his football do the talking.

"I will enjoy the battle against him. I like playing against good players and Wayne is definitely a good player."

Rooney was influential in helping England beat Bulgaria last Friday and, after allegations concerning his private life were made public in the Sunday newspapers at the weekend, he scored in the 3-1 victory in Switzerland on Tuesday.

England boss Fabio Capello praised his display, but Jagielka felt he could not offer any more of an insight into the striker's mindset.

"He seems his normal self but I haven't got an in-depth view of how he has been feeling," the Everton centre-back added.

Former Manchester United star and England team-mate David Beckham said Rooney would get plenty of support from Ferguson and his staff.

Spurs lose Defoe for three months after op

Jermain Defoe is set to miss the next three months of the season - and likely Tottenham Hotspur's entire Champions League group stage - as he recovers from an operation on his ankle.

Defoe had already put off surgery on a troublesome groin problem but a knock received against Switzerland during England's 3-1 win in Basel required more urgent care and after seeing a specialist, the striker went under the knife on Thursday evening.

A statement on Spurs' official website flew in the face of expectations that his absence will only be for six weeks: "Following a review by an ankle specialist, Jermain Defoe underwent surgery to repair torn ligaments in his right ankle yesterday evening.

"The striker was forced off with the injury during England's European Championship qualifier in Switzerland on Tuesday and has been ruled out of action for around three months."

He will also miss England's next Euro 2012 qualifier, at home to Montenegro in October, and leave Harry Redknapp without his frontline striker, opening up opportunities for the lesser-spotted likes of Roman Pavlyuchenko and Robbie Keane. That duo can now expect to face the likes of FC Twente, Inter Milan and Werder Bremen in Champions League Group A.

Source: ESPN

Liverpool up for sale

Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have confirmed that they are looking to sell the club after appointing British Airways chief Martin Broughton as chairman on Friday.

The American duo have been at the club since their 2007 takeover but have come under plenty of scrutiny throughout that time, notably from fans disappointed by their apparent reluctance to invest heavily in the squad.
And with Rafael Benitez's side unlikely to qualify for the Champions League next season, Hicks and Gillett have decided to officially put the club up for sale, though the loss of potential revenue from not participating in Europe's premier club competition could make the club a less attractive proposition to potential buyers.

A statement on Liverpool's official website from Gillett and Hicks said: "Owning Liverpool Football Club over these past three years has been a rewarding and exciting experience for us and our families.

"Having grown the Club this far we have now decided together to look to sell the Club to owners committed to take the Club through its next level of growth and development.

"We are delighted that Martin Broughton has agreed to take the position of Chairman, working alongside the club's excellent senior management team.


Barclays Capital have been engaged by Liverpool to advise on the sale process and Broughton, who is currently chairman of British Airways PLC, will oversee the club's operation as the new chairman, alongside existing managing director Christian Purslow.

"I am excited and honoured to be taking up this position. Liverpool is a great club with a fantastic history," Broughton said. "I will run this sale process in the right way, for the benefit of the Club and its fans.

"Liverpool is one of the world's greatest clubs and my aim is to try and ensure that we find new owners who are able to build on the Club's recent improved financial performance in order to help deliver sporting success."

Prospective buyers of the club - reported to be valued at around £500 million by Hicks and Gillett - are expected to wait until the end of the season to begin negotiations and it is thought that any new owners will continue with plans to move to a new stadium.

source: ESPN

Benfica - Liverpool : 2-1 Highlight Europa League

It was disappointed that Benfica defeated Liverpool by 2 penalty kicks from Oscar Cardozo although Liverpool got one leading score from Maxi Pereira in 9th minute.

- Watch more Sports Videos at Vodpod.

Sevilla vs CSKA Moscow Highlights UEFA Champion League

CSKA Moscow reached the Champions League quarter-finals for the first time with a spirited away victory over Sevilla in Spain.

Sevilla vs CSKA Highlights (1:2)
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Chelsea vs Inter Milan 0-1 Highlights UEFA Champion League

ose Mourinho made a triumphant return to Stamford Bridge to dump his former club out of the Champions League and remind Roman Abramovich of the mistake he made by kicking him out of the club.

Chelsea vs Inter Milan 0-1 Highlights
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Lyon 1 - 0 Real Madrid Highlight Video

Jean Makoun's brilliant second-half strike gave Lyon a deserved lead to take into the second leg of their Champions League last-16 clash against Real Madrid.

Following a scoreless first half that saw Lyon make most of the running and also hit the woodwork, Makoun struck what would prove to be the only goal of the game two minutes after the break with a stunning 25-yard effort.

AC Milan 2-3 Man United Video Highlight

Two second-half goals from in-form Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney installed last season's beaten finalists as favourites to book a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.

AC Milan announce Emirates sponsorship deal

Dubai government-owned Emirates airline is to sponsor AC Milan from next season in a four-year shirt deal worth around 50 million euros ($68.31 million), a source close to the Italian club said on Monday.

The Arab world's largest airline, which also sponsors Arsenal's stadium among other European soccer endorsements, will replace Austrian online betting group Bwin as Milan's shirt sponsor from July 2010 until June 2014.

The deal, to be announced in Milan "in the next few days" in the presence of the airline's chairman Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al-Maktoum, does not include the sale of a stake in the club as some media outlets had previously reported.

However, the source added further possible investments in the seven-times European champions, owned by Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, might be considered in due course depending on the success of the commercial partnership.

"It's a friendship, it can become love or remain a friendship," said the source who declined to be identified. "What is certain is there is enthusiasm in Dubai for this deal."

Milan, third in Serie A after an inconsistent first half of the season, have often been linked in the media with Arab investors but Berlusconi has denied he wants to sell.

source: ESPN

Top 10 free transfers by Sportmail

The Spanish giants paid Manchester United a world record £80million for Cristiano Ronaldo last summer but teams don't always have to break the bank to land a superstar. At the other end of the scale we have the free transfers.

In the week that Arsenal legend Sol Campbell rejoined the Gunners, Sportsmail's team of experts have come up with their favourite freebies.

1 Michael Owen (Newcastle to Manchester United)

Stop looking so puzzled, his late winner against Manchester City and his hat-trick away at Wolfsburg provided proof that Owen can still cut it at the top level after his nightmare with Newcastle.

He has boosted his England chances with seven goals for United so far this season and as the fixtures pile up he is sure to be given more opportunities by Sir Alex to help their push for a fourth successive title.

2 Goran Pandev (Lazio to Inter Milan)

The Macedonia international was branded a 'rebel' by club president Claudio Lotito and frozen out of the squad, as well as being forced to train separately from his former team-mates after handing in a transfer request.

But the Italian League's contract dispute resolution chamber ordered Pandev's release - much to Inter's benefit.

After turning down offers to move to the Premier League with Tottenham and Arsenal, Pandev, 26, who was valued at £15m, has been in fine form since joining up with Jose Mourinho's side.

3 Jari Litmanen (Barcelona to Liverpool)

The Finnish goal machine was anything but finished after his unsuccessful spell with Barcelona had come to an end following a spate of injuries.

He moved to Liverpool in 2001 and helped Gerard Houllier's side to a treble of Worthington Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup.

Unfortunately for Litmanen, further injuries hampered his time at Anfield and he departed to former club Ajax after making 43 appearances and netting nine times for the Reds.

4 Billy Dodds (Rangers to Dundee United)

It was his lack of first-team opportunities at Rangers under their new manager Alex McLeish that persuaded Dodds to return to Dundee United in 2003.

Dodds played the vast majority of his career as striker but, in an inspired move he was shifted to midfield where his performances helped United move away from relegation.

5 Fernando Hierro (Al Rayyan to Bolton)

Sam Allardyce has a fine track record of eking a few more years out of footballers who appeared to be at the end of their careers and one of the finest examples of this has to be the former Real Madrid centre-back Hierro.

After leaving the Bernabeu, Hierro spent a season in Qatar with Al Rayyan but Allardyce persuaded the three-time Champions League winner to move to the Premier League in 2004.

In his one season at the Reebok, Bolton reached the League Cup final and finished eighth in the table, at the time their highest finish in the Premier League.

6 Teddy Sheringham (Man United to Tottenham)

Sheringham made a welcome return to the club he supported as a boy (or was that West Ham, or Millwall, or ...) in 2001 and helped Spurs, who were being managed by another returning messiah, Glenn Hoddle, to the Carling Cup final of 2002.

In all, he scored 15 goals in his first season back at White Hart Lane - a good return from the 36-year-old striker - as the north London club finished ninth in the Premier League, their highest finish in six years.

7 Geovanni (Man City to Hull)

Hull City were a breath of fresh air when they arrived in the top flight for the first time and much of their success can be attributed to the right foot of the Brazilian who had arrived from Manchester City.

Stunning strikes against Arsenal and Tottenham helped the Tigers into a Champions League spot for the early part of the 2008-09 season and the glut of points won in the early stages of the campaign were vital as Hull survived the drop by a single point.

8 Kanu (West Brom to Portsmouth)

Kanu remains a hero with Arsenal fans for his frequent and often spectacular goals and although not prolific in his time at Fratton Park, he has bagged some of the most crucial goals in the club's history.

Harry Redknapp brought the Nigeria international to the south coast in 2006 and in his second season at Portsmouth, the striker scored in the FA Cup semi-final win over West Brom and in the 1-0 win in the final against Cardiff City to win Pompey's first major trophy in 58 years.

9 Rod Wallace (Leeds to Rangers)

Skipping past five Tottenham defenders and slotting the ball home, Wallace scored the goal of season in 1992-93, the year after he had won the title with Leeds United.

But his goal record for the Yorkshire club was nothing compared to what he achieved after his free move north of the border to Rangers in 1998.

In his first season at Ibrox he won the domestic treble, finished as top scorer with 27 goals and netted the winner in the Scottish Cup final win over Celtic. The following season he was part of the squad that won the League and Cup double.

In total he made 122 appearances and scored 56 goals.

10 Adriano (Inter Milan to Flamengo)

A controversial figure whose career has been blighted by drama both on and off the field, Adriano, 27, has been given a lifeline to save his career with former club Flamengo in his native Brazil.

The questions over his somewhat fulsome size can be answered with his fine scoring record - last season he had 19 goals in 30 league appearances and he might even get a place in the squad for the World Cup in South Africa.

source: www.dailynews.com

Viera joins Man City

Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira believes his new club are still in the Premier League title race and that there is enough quality at Eastlands to win a trophy for the first time in 33 years.

The veteran France international passed a medical on Thursday to become Roberto Mancini's first signing as City manager and was presented to the media on Friday afternoon.

"When you look at the players the club has got you can achieve a lot," Vieira said. "I strongly believe we are not out of the race to win the title. I am sure we can do it.''

"I chose City because I really believe something can be achieved at this club and I want to be part of it. I believe the team is strong enough to win trophies."

Vieira joined City from Inter Milan, where he won three Serie A titles, two under the guidance of Mancini, and hopes to add to the three Premier League titles he won with Arsenal.

The midfielder signed a six-month deal at Eastlands with an option for a further year and is confident he will prove he still has what it takes to perform at the top level.

"I believe in myself," Vieira said. "I know I am not 20, but I am not 40-45. Overall I am really motivated. I know I can give something to this club and hopefully we will be successful this year."

Vieira also admitted the move was motivated in part by his desire to secure first-team football to work his way into the France squad ahead of the World Cup finals.

"I hope that the club as well will give me the opportunity to get back to the French national team,'' he added.

Mancini was delighted to be reunited with Vieira and believes his new signing will help City to imporove their performances this season.

"Patrick won with Arsenal, with Juventus, with Inter a lot of trophies. I think he must continue at City. He can help us to improve our performance, for sure.''

It remains to be seen whether he will be match fit to face Blackburn Rovers on Monday night, having taken in kick to the calf in his final appearance for Inter on Wednesday. In any case, Vieira knows he will have to prove he is worthy of a place in the City starting line-up.

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