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Manchester City have opened up talks with Blackburn Rovers manager Mark Hughes as Chelsea can only watch in dismay. Rovers are expected to the give the go ahead today. Mark Hughes having a very successful season in charge of Blackburn has attracted attention for a lot of clubs seeking a new manager. He was one of the high priorities on Chelsea’s shortlist. This coming not to long after reports of Avram Grant the ex-Chelsea Manager being linked into a Managerial Job with Manchester City earlier this week.
Sensationally, Ex-Manager Jose Mourinho has joined Inter Milan after also being linked with Chelsea due to the papers stating that he has admitted he wants to rejoin Chelsea Football Club and would like to be their manager again. Meaning that Chelsea will need to pick up the pace if they are interested in signing Mark Hughes as their future manager.
A club statement said: “Mark has made it clear to the board he would like the opportunity to talk to Manchester City.
“An approach has been received from Manchester City to talk to him with regard to becoming manager.
“In view of this the board have decided reluctantly to give him permission.”
After a rough season; finishing runners-up in the Premiership and ending up only Finalists in the Champions League having succumb to Manchester United. They now find themselves in a difficult position, of which they need to find a new manager that will take hold of the current situation at Stamform Bridge and guide them back to their winning ways. Hughes has already met with Rovers chairman John Williams, stating his intentions to leave the club for the challenge with Manchester City. Williams already has Sam Allardyce at the top of his wanted list to replace Hughes.
Juventus have signed Brazilian striker Amauri from Palermo and sold Italian midfielder Antonio Nocerino to the Sicilians, the Serie A clubs said on Friday.
“Amauri belongs to Juventus,” said Juve’s Web site (www.juventus.com), ending weeks of speculation. “Today the Brazilian forward signed a four-year contract.”
Amauri, who is acquiring an Italian passport, scored 15 league goals last season and was much in demand, with AC Milan and clubs in England also interested.
Juventus were always front runners to sign the 27-year-old but a complicated transfer has taken weeks to conclude.
They will pay 22.8 million euros while Palermo will spend 7.5 million euros on the gritty Nocerino, who has one Italy cap and has also agreed a four-year deal.
“When I came to Italy eight years ago, it was my dream to play in a big club. Today it came true,” Amauri told a news conference.
Amauri is expected to be one of four Juventus strikers next season. The Turin club are in the Champions League qualifiers following their third-placed finish in Serie A.
Juve striker Alessandro Del Piero was the league’s top scorer with 21 goals with team mate David Trezeguet on 20.
Vincenzo Iaquinta, who missed out on Italy’s Euro 2008 campaign through injury, is the other out-and-out striker on Juve’s books but media reports have linked him with a move away.
Palermo director of sport Rino Foschi said he expected Juventus’s Italy Under-21 striker Davide Lanzafame, who was on loan at second division Bari last season and had been linked to West Ham United, to move to the Sicilian club in July.
Palermo have also signed playmaker Fabio Liverani, a free agent after his contract with Fiorentina expired this month, on a three-year deal, they said their Web site (www.ilpalermocalcio.it).
Fenerbahçe today claimed they have agreed a deal with Newcastle to sign the Turkey international Emre Belözo?lu for a fee in the region of £4m. The midfielder, 27, who is currently preparing for Euro 2008, is expected to sign a three-year contract early next week.
In a statement the club said: “Fenerbahçe reached an agreement with Newcastle United in order to sign the Turkish superstar Emre Belözo?lu.”
Turkish television station NTV reported that Fener will pay Emre a salary of around £2.8m per year.
Carlo Ancelotti has been propelled to favourite to land the £6million-a-year manager’s job at Chelsea.
The Daily Express claims that the AC Milan boss has been offered the job and owner Roman Abramovich has made Ancelotti his personal No1 choice.
Even though no one has yet been offered the job, nor has a decision been made, but clearly Ancelotti has emerged as the favourite to succeed Avram Grant, with Blackburn boss Mark Hughes a close second.
Abramovich would also like Gianfranco Zola to return to the Bridge as Ancelotti’s No2 after the sacking of Grant’s assistant, Henk ten Cate, yesterday. The former Ajax coach had been at the club for only seven months .
The race to become the new manager of Chelsea took a fresh twist last night when sources in Italy claimed that AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti had been offered the £6million-a-year job.
Ancelotti is believed to be a favourite of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and will be tempted not only by the huge salary on offer but by the transfer war chest the Russian can offer and guaranteed Champions League football.
AC Milan finished fifth in Serie A, which means that they will be out of the Champions League for only the second time in the past decade, which may convince Ancelotti to move on.
Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon would prefer to interview several candidates, with Blackburn boss Mark Hughes also a front runner.
They will face fierce competition from Manchester City, though. City owner Thaksin Shinawatra has also targeted Hughes as a potential successor to Sven-Goran Eriksson, who is expected to be axed in the next 24 hours.
Hughes is the most highly rated young British-born boss in the Premier League and a former team-mate of Gianfranco Zola, the man Abramovich is courting as a No2.
Hughes, 44, has told friends he does not want to become a pawn in any political power games at Chelsea – but is keen if the terms are right.
Shinawatra is willing to pay big money for the right man – though not perhaps in Chelsea’s league – and has also targeted Luiz Felipe Scolari and Roberto Mancini, who left Inter Milan yesterday.
Jose Mourinho is expected to be unveiled as Inter Milan’s new coach early next week.
Football Italia has revealed that Jose Mourinho will sign a contract with Inter Milan on Monday follwong a protracted absence from football. Mourinho has been without a job since leaving Chelsea early this year but now he looks set to get back into football management and Inter is the team to offer him a deal.
Football Italia has also revealed that Jose Mourinho sent a text message to Chelsea player Michel Essien telling him about the contract which he will “sign on Monday.” The Special One then added that he hoped Essien would one day join him at the San Siro.
Massimo Moratti wanted to hire Mourinho because of his Champions League experience due to Mancini’s inability to produce results on the European stage. The Inter boss is desperate to with the prestigious competition and believes that the former Chelsea boss is the one to take his team there.
Liverpool target Albert Riera has revealed he is desperate to quit Espanyol.
The £6million-rated Spanish winger is being chased by Kop boss Rafa Benitez.
And Riera has accelerated his exit by slamming the criticism aimed at the club’s players.
He said: “I want to leave Espanyol. I do not want to be part of a club that does not take care of or protect its players.
“I do not know if I will go to Liverpool or some other team. I am staying hopeful and I would really like everything sorted out within the next two weeks.
“It would be best for everyone concerned because I know that my transfer would clearly be beneficial. I do not want to cause any problems.
“I don’t want to be at a club where the supporters have no love for the players, or where it depends on whether the team qualifies for Europe or not.”
Riera’s move to Anfield could be thrown into doubt after it was revealed he has a £16million release clause in his contract.
Sporting director Paco Herrera, a former Liverpool coach, said: “If he says he is going to go then he has more information than his club – he must know that there is an interested club who will pay the amount of money needed.”
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will stick with the London club - and intends to prise Kaka away from AC Milan, it has been revealed.
DiarioSport says Abramovich has told close friends he will continue to pump his millions into Chelsea, despite Wednesday’s glorious Champions League failure. And he sees Kaka as the man to deliver the changes he wants to bring to the Blues next season.
Roberto Mancini, Inter Milan’s coach, is the man Abramovich wants to take charge next season. However, football chief Frank Arnesen is under pressure, according to sources.
Tottenham boss Juande Ramos is switching his attentions from Samuel Eto’o to Barcelona teammate Thierry Henry, according to a local Spanish cabbie!
Onda Cero’s ‘Ona esportiva’ reported yesterday claims from a taxi driver, known as ‘Miguel’, who took Ramos around Barcelona that he was discussing his transfer plans on his mobile phone during the journey.
During the trip, Ramos held two conversations via his mobile phone.
In the first, he said loudly: “Eto’o, impossible. Now we will go for Henry.”
In the second, he expressed his intention to sign a central defender and a left winger, and noted the names of Dani Jarque, the Espanyol defender, and Valencia midfielder David Silva.
Juventus are set to clinch a deal for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso next week.
Gazzetta dello Sport says Juventus director Jean-Claude Blanc met with Rafael Benitez yesterday for four hours and that the two clubs have agreed in principal to the transfer.
Juventus have reportedly offered £10 million for the Spain international - £5 million below Liverpool’s valuation - but it is believed a deal will soon be concluded, with Alonso keen to play in Italy.
Bolivian ace Marcelo Moreno admits he is flattered by Tottenham’s interest in him.
The Cruziero striker, 20, has been one of the stars of the Copa Libertadores after firing eight goals in just 10 games.
Manchester United have been tracking Moreno but Spurs are the only English team to have made a firm bid.
The North London side’s initial offer was rejected by Cruzeiro last week.
But the hitman, who has been compared to Spurs ace Dimitar Berbatov, still hopes to move to the Premier League.
He revealed: “I was told about the offer made by Tottenham.
“Of course I would like to play in England. But as I said before, I have to like the place where I will be.
“The club has to get to an agreement with my agent and from what I know what has been offered wasn’t enough.”
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