Pro Eleven Headline News
Man City undeterred in £100m Kaka chase
Manchester City are refusing to give up on the prospect of Brazilian superstar Kaka.
The Blues are said to be prepared to pay the 26-year-old former world footballer of the year a staggering £500,000 a week to join the Eastlands revolution, with AC Milan netting a world record £100million transfer fee.
Initial reaction from Italy has not been positive, with Kaka giving an interview to the TV station of owner Silvio Berlusconi, MediaSet, stating he remains commited to the San Siro outfit and is purely interested in helping them regain their former status as Champions League winners.
However, such talk is different from the noises being made behind the scenes and there are some inside City who remain highly confident a transfer will be brokered at some point this month.
It is felt Kaka wants to know more about the proposals City are keen to put to him, a fact acknowledged by his spokesperson Diogo Kotscho.
And there is a suggestion Kaka's father may have talks with City executive chairman Garry Cook at some point over the next 10 days to discover the club's precise intentions.
Such a move would be hugely significant as Kaka's father has played a key role in his son's career and any decision to leave Milan would almost certainly require his agreement.
The City delegation that flew out of Italy last night privately felt negotiations with Milan had gone well, building on contacts that were initially made well over a month ago.
As money is seemingly no object for this deal, City must now prove to Kaka their grand plan involves more than just cash.
Although he has not been working on the Blues' behalf, Kia Joorabchian has been used as an intermediary and is likely to be involved further given his extensive network of South American contacts, should talks progress.
Even Kotscho hinted further negotiations are almost certain, while at the same time stressing Kaka's commitment to AC Milan.
``If Milan agree and give us authorisation to talk with them, we would speak to Manchester City,'' Kotscho told BBC Radio Five Live.
``It is a great proposal. It is near £100million. It is not impossible (that Kaka could sign for City). But for us it is not only about money, we don't need only money.
``We have to have a good project and a winning project. It can be a project for the long term (to be) a top team in the world.''
It is certainly a less straightforward situation than Milan want their fans to believe.
Coach Carlo Ancelotti realises he needs extra funds for his rebuilding plans and the mere fact Milan have been prepared to offer David Beckham a short-term contract emphasises the difficulty they have compared with their major European rivals in the Premier League and La Liga.
Nevertheless, Kaka is certainly making all the right statements, which is to be expected of a player who has become sewn into the fabric of AC Milan since his arrival from South America in 2003.
``This is not probably something which will see me leave Milan,'' he said. ``If, one day, the club wishes to sell me then it is a different issue altogether.
``But I feel very good. It's not the money that will see me leave. I want to grow old at Milan.''
So far, it has been a frustrating month in the transfer market for City, whose fans might wonder how they can offer such vast sums for Kaka while failing to agree terms with West Ham, Blackburn and Newcastle for Scott Parker, Roque Santa Cruz and Shay Given.
Indeed, manager Mark Hughes claims not to be a fan of the January transfer window at all.
``I don't particularly like the transfer window because you have to wait to address things that could be sorted out a lot more quickly under the old system,'' he told the Manchester Evening News.
``I am sure there were reasons behind bringing in the transfer window in the first place but I cannot fathom what they were.
``There have been weaknesses in our squad for quite some time and I have not had the opportunity to address those. If I had been able to do so I would have done it very quickly.
``Now we get to January and the prices are inflated, expectations are heightened and the media goes crazy. I don't think it is a healthy situation.'' ESPN
Aragones, coach of the Year
Former Spain coach and currently boss at Fenerbahce, Luis Aragones was chosen the World's best National Coach 2008 by the Internationa Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS).
The 70-year-old coach took a 107 point lead over the coach standing second, Dutchman Guus Hiddink, at Russia National Team.
In 2008, Aragones’ Spain clinched the Euro hosted by Austria and Switzerland.
Among the best 19 coaches, there are only three who left their position in 2009: Luis Aragones, Dutchman Marco van Basten and Brazilian Luiz Felipe Scolari.
Best coaches of 2008 chosen by IFFHS
1. Jose Luis Aragones Suarez Martinez (Spain) 252 points
2. Guus Hiddink (Russia) 145
3. Fatih Terim (Turkey) 72
4. Sergio Daniel Batista (Argentina) 62
5. Joachim Löw (Germany) 48
6. Hassan Shehata (Egypt) 46
7. Fabio Capello (England) 38
8. Gerardo Daniel Martino (Paraguay) 36
9. Carlos Caetano Bledorn Verri "Dunga" (Brazil) 24
10. Marcello Lippi (Italy) 18
11. Slaven Bilic (Croatia) 17
12. Marco van Basten (Holland) 16
+ Luis Felipe Scolari (Portugal) 16
14. Roberto Donadoni (Italy) 12
15. Samson Siasia (Nigeria) 11
16. Otto Rehhagel (Greece) 8
17. Jean-François De Sart (Belgium) 7
18. Marcelo Bielsa (Chile) 6
19. Giovanni Trapattoni (Ireland) 5
Manchester United Go Second After Wigan Win
Manchester United welcomed Wigan Athletic to Old Trafford, hoping for the win that would see them leapfrog Chelsea and close to within just two points of league leaders Liverpool.
Yet the reigning champions had to cope without both Patrice Evra and Rio Ferdinand due to injury, with John O’Shea and Jonny Evans deputising in defence.
Steve Bruce’s Wigan, meanwhile, arrived at Old Trafford in the knowledge they had never beaten the Red Devils, yet on a current hot streak that had seen them win six of their last seven games and move into seventh place in the table.
However, Sir Alex Ferguson’s men began the game in determined mood and it took them less than a minute to open the scoring.
Newly crowned FIFA World Player of the Year, Cristiano Ronaldo crossing from the right for Wayne Rooney to sweep past Chris Kirkland to give the home side the perfect start.
It was to be the striker’s most meaningful contribution of the match as minutes later, he hobbled off to be replaced by Carlos Tevez.
Indeed Tevez almost doubled United’s lead just shy of the half hour mark. A poor kick by Chris Kirkland was headed to the Argentinean by John O’Shea and although he rounded the Wigan goalkeeper he couldn’t capitalise.
Yet the home side couldn’t add to their lead and Wigan looked dangerous at times; Ryan Taylor having their best chance of the first half however he wasted the opportunity by firing over when well-placed.
The visitors grew into the game after the break with Maynor Figueroa, Wigan’s match winner against Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, sending a warning to the home side with a firm shot that was just too close to Van der Sar to trouble the United keeper.
In stark contrast, United were looking flat and far from the side that cruised past Chelsea at the weekend.
With time running out Steve Bruce replaced Amr Zaki with Henri Camara as the visitors began to pile on the pressure as they sought an equaliser.
Yet with five minutes to remaining, United might have made the game safe. The home side finally got their passing game moving with Ronaldo finding Berbatov whose curling shot flew inches wide of Kirkland’s goal.
Wigan continued to press in the final minutes but the champions who had been well below-par, held on to claim a vital three points that sees them move ominously into second place in the Premier League.
Manchester United: Van der Sar, Rafael, Vidic, Evans, O’Shea, Ronaldo, Carrick, Scholes (Fletcher, 85), Nani (Anderson, 59), Berbatov, Rooney (Tevez, 7)
Wigan Athletic: Kirkland, Melchiot, Scharner, Bramble, Figueroa, Valencia, Palacios, Cattermole (Kapo, 88), Taylor (De Ridder, 80), Heskey, Zaki (Camara, 75)
GOAL
1-0 Manchester United (Rooney, 1) Goal
