Bale nets as Spurs trump New York

Gareth Bale was on the scoresheet as Tottenham completed their USA pre-season tour with a comeback victory over the New York Red Bulls on Tuesday.

Bale, who was left on crutches following a challenge from Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam in Saturday's goalless draw against their Premier League rivals, started the friendly and headed home a 58th-minute equaliser to cancel out Kenny Cooper's early penalty for the hosts.

New signing Gylfi Sigurdsson then curled in a superb match-winning strike seven minutes after Bale's goal to give Andre Villas-Boas' men a 2-1 win at Red Bull Arena.

The Red Bulls took the lead in the eighth minute when Tim Cahill, making his debut for the Major League Soccer side following his move from Everton, went crashing in the box under a challenge from new Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen and Cooper slotted home the resulting spot-kick.

Spurs went in search of an equaliser before the break and Bale and Tom Huddlestone both drew fine saves from New York goalkeeper Bill Gaudette, who then produced a brilliant one-handed stop to tip over Aaron Lennon's effort in the 53rd minute.

Gaudette was helpless to prevent Bale drawing the teams level five minutes later though as the Wales winger climbed high above his marker to glance Sigurdsson's corner into the back of the net.

Sigurdsson then sealed the win with a fine effort, the Iceland international working his way into the box before cutting inside Markus Holgersson and curling an unstoppable shot into the far top corner.

Spurs also hit the crossbar through Michael Dawson following another Sigurdsson corner soon after as Villas-Boas men signed off their US tour with a deserved victory.

New York Red Bulls 1 –2 Tottenham Longer highlights

Lorient sign veteran Ludovic Giuly

Former France midfielder Ludovic Giuly has joined Lorient from Monaco, signing a one-year deal with the Ligue 1 club.

Giuly, 36, dropped down to Ligue 2 last summer to sign for Monaco - with whom he reached the Champions League final in 2004 - but was unable to command a regular place following the arrival of Claudio Ranieri as manager.

The veteran will have another chance to play in Ligue 1 in 2012-13 after Lorient snapped him up, however, with the club's president Loic Fery delighted to land Giuly.

"He fits the profile of player we wanted: he has played for big clubs, he will give us the experience and character that we were lacking last year," Fery said.

"Ludovic is a great professional, with a good mentality. I was impressed by his willingness to come here. I have no doubt about what he can bring.

"Ludovic does not come with a guaranteed starting spot, he comes because he wants to contribute to the progress of the club."

Giuly, who has enjoyed a distinguished career playing for Lyon, Monaco, Barcelona, Roma and Paris St Germain, says he is happy to back in the French top flight.

"It's a club that suits me because they take joy in the way they play the game here," he said.

Everton confirm Pienaar deal

Everton have confirmed the permanent return of Steven Pienaar from Tottenham for £4.5million on a four-year deal.

The South Africa international midfielder spent the second half of last season on loan at Goodison Park after failing to impress under then-Spurs boss Harry Redknapp.

He only signed for Tottenham last year for a reported £3million fee after spending four years, the first of which was on loan from Borussia Dortmund, with Everton.

Opportunities were limited for Pienaar at Tottenham, where he started just five Barclays Premier League matches.

But he excelled on his return to Everton, scoring four goals in 14 league games to help them finish seventh, with boss David Moyes stating at the beginning of the month one of his aims for the summer was to re-sign Pienaar.

Pienaar made no secret of his desire to return to Merseyside and Tim Cahill's move to Major League Soccer outfit the New York Red Bulls paved the way for the 30-year-old's comeback.

"I am happy to be here. It took a few weeks to sort out but I am delighted to be back and excited to play for Everton," he told evertontv. "There was no doubt in my mind that I would be back here. At the end of the season I told the manager how I felt and I am happy now it is all done."

Top 10 most expensive players of all time

So here is the world's most expensive football player, Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.

His transfer from Inter to Barcelona came close to breaking the world-record but his subsequent moves to AC Milan and PSG have added to his impressive tally.

Previously he had already joined Inter Milan for just short of £20million, with moves to Ajax and Juventus totalling at £20million.

1.Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Transfers:

Malmö FF to Ajax, £7.440.000

Ajax to Juventus, £12.500.000

Juventus to Inter Milan, £19.300.000

Inter Milan to FC Barcelona, £54.300.000

FC Barcelona to AC Milan, £18.700.000

AC Milan to Paris Saint-Germain £15.600.000

Total transfer fee: £127.840.000

2.Veron

For a man that failed to make an impact in England, he has certainly commanded a huge chunk of money in transfer fees during his career.

The Argentinian midfielder first moved to Europe with Sampdoria and went onto join Parma for £15million and then Lazio for around £26million.

His move to Manchester United cost them £37million, but despite his lack of success at Old Trafford, Chelsea were still happy to pay just under £20million for Veron and he made just 7 league appearances for The Blues.

Transfers:

Estudiantes to Boca Juniors, £1.930.000

Boca Juniors to Sampdoria, £3.000.000

Sampdoria to Parma, £15.400.000

Parma to Lazio, £26.400.000

Lazio to Manchester United, £37.400.000

Manchester United to Chelsea FC, £19.800.000

Inter Milan to Estudiantes, £1.930.000

Total transfer fee: £105.860.000

3.Hernan Crespo

Argentine forward Crespo is another another player who at one time has held the world record for a transfer fee, after moving from Parma to Lazio in 2000.

The combined fee thought to be around £35million was later added to by moves from Lazio to Inter and then Inter onto Chelsea.

Despite having never really settled at any club, Crespo continued to move around and has currently been transferred on 9 occasions.

Transfers:

River Plate to FC Parma, £3.520.000

FC Parma to Lazio, £35.000.000

Lazio to Inter Milan, £31.600.000

Inter Milan to Chelsea FC, £22.800.000

Total transfer fee: £92.920.000

4.Cristiano Ronaldo

In 2009 Ronaldo smashed the world record for the highest paid transfer fee when he left Manchester United for Real Madrid, with an estimated buyout clause of just under £1billion in his contract.

The global icon made his first transfer in 2003 when he left Sporting Lisbon and joined Man United.

With a combined fee of nearly £100million, some could even say it was money well spent!

Transfers:

Sporting Lisbon to Manchester United, £12.240.000

Manchester United to Real Madrid, £80.000.000

Total transfer fee: £92.240.000

5.Ronaldo

He is considered by experts and fans to be perhaps the greatest goalscorer in the history of the sport, this is reflected in how much clubs have been willing to pay for him.

His move to Inter racked up an impressive price tag of £26million, although this was then beaten by his move to Real Madrid for £39million.

Even his transfer from PSV to Barcelona in 1996 for over £13million, was a huge price to pay for the time.

Transfers:

Cruzeiro to PSV Eindhoven, £4.810.000

PSV Eindhoven to FC Barcelona, £13.200.000

FC Barcelona to Inter Milan, £26.600.000

Inter Milan to Real Madrid, £39.600.000

Real Madrid to AC Milan, £6.600.000

Total transfer fee: £90.810.000

6.Nicolas Anelka

Currently player and assistant manager at Shanghai Shenhua, Anelka has certainly had his fair share of clubs in the past.

He started at PSG and left for Arsenal for a mere £500,000, although things were certainly set to change.

His transfers to Real Madrid and back to PSG both eclipsed £20million and subsequent moves to Man City and Chelsea both topped £10million.

Transfers:

Paris Saint-Germain to Arsenal, £500,000

FC Arsenal to Real Madrid, £22.300.000

Real Madrid to Paris Saint-Germain, £20,00.000

Paris Saint-Germain to Manchester City, £13.000.000

Manchester City to Fenerbahce Istanbul, £7.000.000

Fenerbahce Istanbul to Bolton Wanderers, £8.000.000

Bolton Wanderers to FC Chelsea, £15.000.000

Total transfer fee: £85.800.000

7. Robbie Keane

Irishman Robbie Keane has played for 10 clubs so far in his career, with many of them playing top dollar for his services.

His merry-go-round move from Tottenham to Liverpool and back again cost around £35million alone with big money moves to Inter Milan and Leeds also squeezed in before.

He is now plying his trade in the American MLS alongside David Beckham and Landon Donovan at Los Angeles Galaxy.

Transfers:

Wolverhampton Wanderes to Coventry City, £6.000.000

Coventry City to Inter Milan, £13.000.000

Inter Milan to Leeds United, £12.000.000

Leeds United to Tottenham Hotspur, £7.000.000

Tottenham Hotspur to FC Liverpool, £19.000.000

Liverpool to Tottenham Hotspur, £12.000.000

Tottenham Hotspur to LA Galaxy, £3.500.000

Total transfer fee: £72.500.000

8.Christian Vieri

Ten years ago this man was bordering on unstoppable.

The Italian forward, then with Inter Milan, was linked with a move to Chelsea in a deal that would have thrown another £30m onto his already sizeable bill. Vieri instead opted to stay in Italy and finished his career having played for 12 different clubs.

Transfers:

Atalanta to Juventus, £2.200.000

Juventus Atletico Madrid, £13.200.000

Atletico Madrid to Lazio, £22.000.000

Lazio to Inter Milan, £32.000.000

Total transfer fee: £69.400.000

9.Robinho

Robinho seems to thrive on drama and it is this drama that has seen him move around so many times.

He was tipped for big things after joining Real Madrid from Santos in 2005 but after only three years in Spain he found himself in trouble and fled for England with Manchester City.

After starting well at City, things soon went off the boil and he moved to AC Milan after a brief spell back on-loan at Santos.

Transfers:

Santos to Real Madrid, £18.700.000

Real Madrid to Manchester City, £32,500,000

Manchester City to AC Milan, £15,000,000

Total transfer fee: £66.200.000

10. Zinedine Zidane

The footballing genius that was Zinedine Zidane may have only made one big move in his career, but it was enough to see him scrape his way onto the list.

His mega-move from Juventus to Real Madrid in 2001, for a fee thought to be around £53 million, was then the world record and a record that was held for 8 years.

The Galácticos will not have minded as the Frenchman went onto to become one of the greatest players in the club's history.

Transfers:

AS Cannes to Bordeaux, £6.160.000

Bordeaux to Juventus, £3.200.000

Juventus to Real Madrid, £53.000.000

Total transfer fee: £62.360.000

Man Utd keeper Amos joins Tigers

Hull City have signed Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Amos on a season-long loan deal.

The 22-year-old made four appearances for the Red Devils last season, including making his Premier League debut against Stoke in January.

He has previously spent time on loan with Peterborough and Oldham.

Amos is the Tigers' second signing in as many days following the arrival of former Leeds United defender Alex Bruce on Monday.

Prior to the deal being confirmed he joined up with his new team-mates on their recent pre-season training camp in Portugal.

Top 10 Premier League clubs by revenue, wage costs

The Glazer family, the club's US owners, want to raise up to $330m (£210m) on Wall Street, having shelved plans to raise $1bn in Singapore.

The problems lie with the terms of the sale, and what the Glazers intend to do with the money raised.

Stronger competition

But there is no denying the club's heavy debts are impacting on the club's ability to maintain its pre-eminent position in the Premier League.

They have, for example, been blamed by many for the club's restrained activity in the transfer market in recent seasons, certainly when compared with free-spending rivals such as Chelsea and Manchester City.

Manchester United is bound by the commercial realities that do not, for now, affect its two biggest domestic rivals.

As Mr Jarman argues, running a successful football club and running a sustainable business are no longer compatible.

You just need to look at the recent success of Manchester City and the spending power of clubs such as Paris St Germain and Anzhi Makhachkala to see how the landscape is changing.

"Football has become a rich man's paradise," says Mr Jarman. And in today's market, it would appear the Glazer's pockets simply aren't deep enough.

Top 10 Premier League clubs by revenue
Club	Revenue (£000s)	Wage costs (£000s)	Operating profit/(loss)(£000s)

Manchester United	331,441	152,915	100,687
Chelsea	228,574	191,214	(48,679)
Arsenal	226,825	124,401	34,150
Liverpool	183,690	134,768	(2,795)
Tottenham Hotspur	153,486	91,255	32,294
Manchester City	153,185	173,977	(81,636)
Aston Villa	92,028	94,795	(34,241)
Newcastle	88,464	53,584	13,287
Everton	82,021	58,026	(529)

Newcastle sign for defender Good

Melbourne Heart defender Curtis Good is headed for the Premier League after signing a six-year deal with Newcastle United.

The highly-rated 19-year-old centre-back made 25 appearances for the Heart in his debut A-League season in 2011-12 and, during a trial with the northern England giants in June, impressed manager Alan Pardew enough to win a permanent deal.

He will join up with his new team-mates later this week when they return from a pre-season trip to Portugal.

Melbourne-born Good, who has played three matches for Australia's under-20s side, was signed for a reported transfer fee of $600,000.

Kakuta open to Blues exit

Gael Kakuta has dismissed reports linking him with Marseille but says he is keen to move on if it means first-team football.

The Chelsea midfielder has struggled for action at Stamford Bridge in recent seasons and has spent spells on loan with Fulham, Bolton and French side Gijon.

Kakuta does not appear to have a future with the Blues, particularly following the arrival of Eden Hazard, Marko Marin and Oscar this summer and a move looks to be on the cards.

Marseille have been linked with a swoop but the player says he has not heard anything from the French side.

"I am flattered by Marseille's interest, but there has been nothing official, so maybe it is just paper talk," said Kakuta. "I want to play first-team football week in, week out, either at Chelsea or anywhere else."

It is highly unlikely he will get it at Chelsea so a move away will be the best option all round.

Top 10 best buys

Premier League's best bargains, in pictures :-

Nicolas Anelka: £500,000

A great investment by Arsene Wenger who signed Anelka frm Paris St Germain in 1997. During his two seasons he helped the club to a league and cup double before joining Real Madrid for just under £23 million.

Demba Ba: free

A risk by Newcastle manager Alan Pardew given the state of the striker's knees but it's paid off enormously. He scored 16 goals in his first season on Tyneside.

Tim Cahill: £1.5m

Twice a bargain transfer. The first time when Everton signed him from Milwall for £1.5 million in 2004 and if the latest rumours prove true, the Australian is set to join the New York Red Bulls for just over a million.

Sol Campbell: free

He angered Tottenham fans when he joined Arsenal for nothing but it was another genius bit of negotiating from Wenger as Campbell was central to the club's success between 2001-06.

Eric Cantona: £1.2m

Probably Sir Alex Ferguson's best deal to date; The King cost the Scot just £1.2m when he signed from Leeds in 1992. He was well worth it and scored 64 goals in 143 appearances.

Ole Gunner Solskjaer: £1.5m

United's Baby Faced Assasin cost them just £1.5 million, a great investment for 10 years of outstanding service and crucial goals.

Robin van Persie: £2.75

A cut price for the striker who arrived from Feyenoord in 2004 and went on to score 96 goals in 194 appearances. Arsenal are set to cash in on the Dutchman who has recently annunced he intends to leave.

Joe Hart: £600,000

Manchester City and England's No 1 goalkeeper who cost next to nothing in 2006. he is now one of the club's top earners.

Shay Given: £1.5

Another bargain goalkeeper, Newcastle paid under two million for Shay Given in 1997 and were rewarded with 10 years of outstanding service.

Cesc Fabregas: free

Another great piece of negotiating from Wenger who is renowned for his unwillingness to spend big. A young Fabregas joined in 2003 as he feared getting not play time at Barcelona. Again Arsenal cashed in on their man and sold him back to the Catalan club last year for £30m.

The top stories from papers and websites - 31 July 2012

Daily Mirror

Gareth Bale has branded Charlie Adam a "coward" for trying to crock him again.

Manchester City have rocked Liverpool with a £13million bid for defender Daniel Agger.

Roberto Mancini says Manchester City have no chance of winning the Champions League with their current squad.

Brendan Rodgers is ready to dump Liverpool flop Alberto Aquilani.

West Ham will today seal a £5million deal for Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis.

Blackburn are offering West Brom striker Simon Cox a stunning £30,000-a-week deal to drop into the Championship.

Bolton boss wants teenage Arsenal striker Benik Afobe on loan for the season.

Leeds striker Billy Paynter is on the brink of signing for Blackpool.

The Sun

Gareth Bale has accused Charlie Adam of attacking him - twice.

Ryan Giggs has urged Welsh fans not to boo the National Anthem when Team GB play in Cardiff on Wednesday.

Chelsea boss Roberto Di Matteo has been told he can make at least two more major signings.

Norwich are close to securing a deal for Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones.

Roberto Mancini admits he faces an uphill battle to lure top summer target Robin van Persie to Manchester City.

Sunderland have joined the chase for Andy Carroll with Martin O'Neill keen to bring him to the club — despite the striker’s Geordie roots.

Clint Dempsey has edged closer to the Fulham exit door by missing their pre-season trip to Switzerland. The £10million-rated American has been linked with Liverpool and appears keen to leave Craven Cottage.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers wants Wolves keeper Dorus de Vries, who he worked with at former club Swansea.

West Ham's Sam Baldock is set to join Bristol City in a £1.5million deal.

Daily Mail

Liverpool are poised to boost their transfer funds by offloading Alberto Aquilani to Fiorentina and selling Brad Jones to Norwich,

Wigan are set to win the battle for Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis.

Sunderland have made a £12million bid for Wolves forward Steven Fletcher.

Middlesbrough are in talks with former Hamburg winger Romeo Castelen.

Blackpool hope to beat Doncaster to Leeds striker Billy Paynter.

Tottenham are considering a £7.5million bid for Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling. The 17-year-old is wanted on loan by former club QPR but Spurs are keen on a permanent deal.

Chelsea are preparing a final £7.5m offer for wantaway Wigan's Victor Moses, but the Latics want at least £10m.

Middlesbrough have failed to sign Roque Santa Cruz, 30, from Manchester City.

Dimitar Berbatov's escape route to Turkey has been closed off by Galatasaray after they withdrew their interest in the wantaway Manchester United striker.

Daily Express

Gareth Bale has launched a withering attack on Charlie Adam and branded the Liverpool midfielder a "coward", claiming he deliberately planned to injure him.

Alberto Aquilani is heading back to Italy as Liverpool look to cut a bloated wage bill.

Chelsea have not finished spending yet, according to chief executive Ron Gourlay.

Luka Modric's hopes of a Real Madrid transfer this summer from Tottenham could be at an end after the club said they would not pay his £40m transfer fee.

The Times

Roberto Mancini has turned up the pressure on the Manchester City hierarchy to deliver in the transfer market by claiming that he may need as many as five new players.

Liverpool remain hopeful that their two-year search for a buyer for Alberto Aquilani will reach a successful conclusion despite the player's agent ruling out a return to Italy for his client.

Sunderland are believed to have made a bid of about £8million for Wolves forward Steven Fletcher.

West Ham have agreed a £4.8million deal to sign Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis.

Tottenham could resurrect an interest in Real Madrid defender Ricardo Carvalho.

Tottenham are expected to complete the sale of Steven Pienaar to Everton.

Newcastle have resurrected their interest in Lyon left-back Aly Cissokho, but are unwilling to match the club's £8m valuation. Sunderland and Spurs are also keen.

QPR are now preparing a bid for Berbatov.

Liverpool are weighing up a move for Birmingham City goalkeeper Jack Butland, after he impressed club scouts in action for Team GB on Sunday.

Almunia joins Gianfranco Zola at Watford

Goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has joined Championship side Watford, Arsenal have announced.

Almunia is one of seven new signings made by manager Gianfranco Zola and joins the London club on a one-year deal.

"Former Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has signed for Watford," the Premier League club confirmed.

"The 35-year-old was released by the club this summer but will be training next door to his former team-mates in London Colney after agreeing a one-year deal with the Championship side."

Almunia played 175 games for Arsenal including a substitute appearance in the 2006 Champions League final against Barcelona, but lost the jersey to Pole Wojciech Szczesny.

Watford were recently taken over by the Pozzo family who own Italian Serie A club Udinese and Spanish La Liga club Granada.

Other new arrivals include QPR defender Fitz Hall and several loan acquisitions from the fellow Pozzo family stable of clubs.

Almen Abdi, Matej Vydra and Steve Leo Beleck joined from Udinese on-loan as have Granada pair Daniel Pudil and Ikechi Anya.

Kompany: I had other offers

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany has revealed he had offers from elsewhere before penning a six-year deal - but is targeting six Premier League titles with the champions.

Kompany has emerged as one of the finest defenders in the world since joining City from Hamburg in 2008 and has played a pivotal role in the club's trophy success in recent seasons.

But the 26-year-old Belgium international wants more glory after admitting he is now emotionally invested at the Etihad Stadium and he wants to keep the titles coming.

"I've signed a six-year deal, so there are six possible titles within those years," said Kompany. "So you know what? I want to get them all.

"It probably won't happen, but we'll see in six years' time. I'll try everything for that.

"I'm not going to give names, but the opportunity was there for me to start negotiating with other clubs.

"It's only normal when you win the Premier League - or have a couple of good seasons - that you get interest at the end of the season.

"But I wanted to stay at City and I think the six-year deal is a statement of my ambitions at the club.

"I've had a good spell here and it would have been easy to play clubs against each other, but it wasn't my intention.

"When I joined City four years ago, I came a month before the takeover. When that happened, without knowing it, their project became mine as well.

"So I do have ties to the project, and also to the fans and the city, which makes it very exciting for me to stay at the club for a long period."

City claimed the Premier League title in dramatic fashion after scoring twice in injury-time on the last day to pip rivals Manchester United and win the league for the first time in 44 years.

Kompany knows it will not get any easier and credits the team's obsession with winning under Roberto Mancini as key to their success.

"Before I won the league, I didn't think I could win it so I prepared twice as much as others and did everything to win it," added the former Anderlecht man.

"It was an obsession for us and myself, so I just hope we keep that obsession.

"You can walk around thinking you're a winner, but if you don't train like a winner or do everything in your life to maintain being a winner, it just stops there.

"So every day of my life I'm still obsessed by this moment, by the victory at the end of the season. It's what I want to have again."

"It's clear we have a competition on our hands. You can clearly see all the other teams have reacted to what happened last season and come out stronger.

"But I think we'll come out stronger too because we're one season further down the line in terms of playing together.

"That was always our problem, the fact that we hadn't gelled over a long period of time.

"But you can see now that we know each other better on the pitch now and that will be our competitive advantage for next season."

The season was not without its difficulties with City appearing to implode at several key moments as temperamental figures such as Carlos Tevez and Mario Balotelli threatened to undermine their efforts.

Tevez refused to warm-up against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League, leading to a fall-out with Mancini, while Balotelli was recklessly sent off in a seemingly devastating defeat at Arsenal.

But ultimately both men played important roles in the triumph and Kompany believes the team's mental strength was evident in the way they overcame those low points.

"There was a lot of talk out there last season about how everything was going wrong," said Kompany.

"But the one thing we managed to do, in whatever situation we found ourselves, was focus very quickly back on the football.

"On the back of the Bayern Munich defeat we won 4-0 at Blackburn - which is always a very difficult away game.

"And on the back of the Arsenal defeat we had six wins in a row to win the league, so we've shown our strength in terms of our mentality.

"There are a lot of teams that probably wouldn't have coped as well as we did with those kinds of events happening.

"But I guess that's the nature of playing for City - you get used to those things and you just keep going forward.

"That's what we did, and the main thing is that those players managed to have a positive impact on our season."

Silva explains PSG move

Paris St Germain centre half Thiago Silva says he did not join the Ligue 1 side for the money, but for the opportunity to win trophies.

The Brazilian left after three years at AC Milan as he and Zlatan Ibrahimovic left the Rossoneri to join the Parisians this summer.

It was thought that Silva would stay in Italy, as although he had been strongly linked with a move away from the San Siro, the club rejected an offer from PSG and the 27-year-old subsequently signed a new deal to remain at the Milan club until 2017.

However Carlo Ancelotti's side submitted a new offer which was accepted by the Serie A club and Silva completed a move to France.

"I said clearly that I wanted to stay up until the end of my contract," he told Gazetta dello Sport.

"There have been discussions between PSG and Milan, between Leonardo and Galliani. But the fans have mobilised and Berlusconi did not want to sell me, I then extended and I was delighted.

"Then things changed. Leonardo called me to tell me that negotiations had resumed, he wanted me, he was ready to make great efforts.

"I realised that Milan had economic difficulties and it would be very difficult to stay. I am not a mercenary. Milan, it was my home. On the other hand, they made a big deal. They bought me for 10million euros and sold me for 42."

And Silva believes his new club are destined for success, with help from other former Milan staff.

"Everyone spoke highly of Ancelotti. With him and Ibra (Zlatan Ibrahimovic), I have a little bit of Milan with me," he added.

"PSG sets up a very strong team, we'll see if we can win something quickly and go as far as possible Champions League. In this regard, I'd love to see my former partners (of Milan). And maybe beat them."

Henry hopes Van Persie stays

Thierry Henry is hoping Robin van Persie will stay at Arsenal, but insists life will go on if his former team-mate leaves the Emirates Stadium.

Van Persie's long-term future in North London appears uncertain after he confirmed earlier this month that he will not be signing an extension to his contract, which expires next year.

Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus are all keen on the striker, but no clubs have yet matched Arsenal's valuation of their captain.

Henry left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2007, before returning for a loan spell earlier this year, while the likes of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri have also been high-profile departures from the club in recent seasons.

If the Netherlands international follows the lead of several of his former colleagues, Henry remains confident that the Gunners can still challenge for honours.

"We hope it stays, and that's the way it is," Henry told Sky Sports News. "I don't know exactly what is happening but as an Arsenal fan I want him to stay.

"He is still an Arsenal player and the boss has to deal with it."

When asked about Van Persie stating he will not sign a new contract, Henry replied: "I've got nothing to say about that, you will not get me to be one of the guys talking about the club and the player.

"I just want Arsenal to do well. Robin will do what he will do and we'll see.

"When I left, everybody cried, but then the year after they went on a run of being eight points ahead. Everyone comes and goes."

Cahill open to Everton loan return

Tim Cahill has not ruled out the possibility of returning to Everton on loan during the Major League Soccer close season - if his new club the New York Red Bulls give their consent.

Cahill was presented by the Red Bulls on Monday after deciding to leave Everton for a new challenge in the United States following eight years at Goodison Park.

Several US-based players have had loan stints in Europe outside of the MLS season, including David Beckham, Robbie Keane and Landon Donovan, and Cahill was asked if that was something he was considering.

The Australia international insisted his main concern was getting off to a good start with the Red Bulls, but he refused to close the door in the prospect of a loan switch at the end of the campaign.

He said: "I'm totally focusing on the Red Bulls - getting fit, giving everything I can for the next three to four months.

"If something can work and fit to the training regime, because I've committed my future to the Red Bulls, and going on loan might not be the right thing for the football club... But if it works out that I can find the right happy medium to get the fitness and keep training and to play in certain games, then maybe yes.

"But I really think in the next three of four months we'll be able to tell closer to the end of the season."

Regarding his move to the MLS, Cahill still has plenty to give and is looking forward to a new chapter in his career.

He also insisted he would not have left Everton for another Barclays Premier League club

"When I had the opportunity to play for the Red Bulls I knew in my heart that if I ever left Everton I would never play for another Premier League team, out of respect for the chairman, the fans and the manger," the 32-year-old said.

"As a footballer I've achieved a hell of a lot in my career but also I feel that this is a big move for me.

"I know a lot of people might think otherwise, but I'm 32 years old, I respect the MLS, I'm coming here at a good age, I'm fit and I'm ready for a new challenge, something that's very special not only for me but also my family.

"I work hard, I give everything and one thing I'm going to do for the Red Bulls is to put my heart into it."

Sao Paulo line up new Moura deal

Sao Paulo are ready to offer Manchester United target Lucas Moura a new improved deal in a bid to keep him at the club.

United have made the highly-rated winger one of their top targets this summer and have already seen one bid rejected by Sao Paulo for Moura.

Moura, who is currently away with Brazil at the Olympics, has revealed he will not make a decision on his future until after the Games in London.

Sao Paulo's director of football, Adalberto Baptista, has admitted they may look to extend the 19-year-old's contract as they look to fend off United's interest in the attacker.

"It's possible we change his contract," Baptista told UOL. "He has four more years of contract. We may call him to extend, renegotiate his contract, maybe for 18 more months".

Baptista also played down rumours that Moura's parents had travelled to England to hold talks with United insisting it was only to watch their son in the Olympics.

"His family went to England just to watch the Olympics, they had already told us they would," added Baptista.

"They want to follow their son, like any parents would in a competition like that. There is no negotiation, no talks, anything.

Moura has found himself playing a bit-part role for Brazil at the Olympics and Baptista feels the player should be playing more than he has so far in the tournament.

"Lucas is now focused and it's in our interest he shows his best football, even though he is not being given as much playing time as he should at the national team, but that's just my personal opinion," concluded Moura.

Agent refutes Adam 'coward' claim

Charlie Adam's agent has defended the Liverpool midfielder after he was labelled a coward by Tottenham winger Gareth Bale.

Wales international Bale was left on crutches at the weekend following a bad tackle from Adam during the 0-0 draw between the two sides in Baltimore.

It was not the first such incident involving the pair, with Adam having injured Bale in a tackle in May 2011, causing ankle ligament damage which ruled the Spurs man out for three months.

Bale branded Adam "a bit of a coward" after the latest clash, but Adam's representative Kenny Moyes claims such talk is "outrageous".

Quoted in the Daily Star, Moyes said: "It doesn't warrant a reply because everyone knows Charlie is not that type of player. Everyone in football knows he has no malice or anything like that in him.

"For someone to have a go like that is outrageous. It was schoolboyish for them to come out and say that."

Bale and Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas both called for an apology in the aftermath of the tackle, but received good news on Monday on the severity of the injury.

The 23-year-old has resumed light training after scans revealed the damage was not as serious as first feared.

Quoted in the Daily Mail, Villas-Boas said: "Needless to say, we are extremely relieved Gareth has not been seriously injured."

Bellamy knows what a danger Suarez can be on wed

Craig Bellamy fears Team GB's bid for Olympic gold could be ruined by his Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez on Wednesday.

The hosts face Uruguay at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff knowing that a draw would suffice to guarantee their place in the quarter-finals.

Uruguay lost to Senegal last time out but Bellamy knows Team GB must still be wary as Suarez is capable of turning a game in an instant.

"He is such a good player," said the Welsh striker ahead of the Group A clash. "The one thing about Luis is he can create something out of nothing.

"You may think he is going down a dead end and there is no way he can come out of it but he will chop it past something, put it through someone's legs and that makes him so dangerous.

"He is a wholehearted player, he will chase down and run. I have been fortunate to train with him day in day out, but also even more fortunate to play with the boy as well. He is a special talent."

Bellamy has played a key role for Team GB thus far, scoring in the opening draw against Senegal before providing two assists in the 3-1 victory over the United Arab Emirates on Sunday.

And the 33-year-old over-age pick is looking forward to keeping up his good form in his home town.

He added: "Cardiff is a place I know. It will be special. It will bring it home to me really where I have come from in my career.

"To me Cardiff is just a fitting place to play our last group game but hopefully it won't be the last."

Roma confirm €11.5m Destro capture

Highly rated Italy Under-21 striker Mattia Destro has completed his move from Genoa to Roma.

Destro, 21, will initially join the Giallorossi on loan for a fee of €11.5 million - with an option to make the move permanent next summer for an additional €4.5 million.

The forward confirmed last week that he had agreed to join Roma and the final details of the transfer have now been agreed, with two of the capital club's promising youngsters, Giammario Piscitella and Valerio Verre, heading to Genoa as part of the deal.

A statement on Roma's official website read: "Roma announces that it has signed an agreement with Genoa to acquire the temporary playing rights of Mattia Destro, for a fee of €11.5 million.

"The agreement, filed today at the offices of the Lega Serie A, also includes the right of option to purchase the player outright, from the 2013-14 season, for a fee of €4.5 million.

"With the club, Destro has signed a contract for five years, expiring on June 30, 2017. In the same operation there has also been signed with Genoa the agreement to sell outright, with a co-ownership agreement, the rights to Giammario Piscitella and Valerio Verre, with a net consideration of €1.5 million for each player, for a total equity of €3 million."

Destro, who was a youth team player at Inter Milan before joining Genoa, impressed on loan at Siena during the 2011-12 season when scoring 12 goals.

Zidane set for Real youth coaching job

Former France international Zinedine Zidane is set to take up coaching role at Santiago Bernabeu, Real Madrid have revealed.

The 40-year-old, who ended up his playing career at Real Madrid, has been working as a sporting director with los Blancos since last year, but he is now set to be given a new position.

The Frenchman has decided to pursue a coaching career and the Spanish giants have announced Zidane will be employed in club’s youth academy while he studies for a diploma in sports management.

“Zinedine Zidane will shortly begin training to be a coach while at the same time coaching Real Madrid’s youth academy,” the statement on club’s official website read.

“That will allow him to formalise his knowledge and training which will enable him to fulfill an aspiration that he made public in the press conference in which he announced his retirement as a player in April 2006: to work with Real Madrid’s youth academy.”

The Frenchman has enjoyed a lot of success during five years at Santiago Bernabeu and scored a total of 37 goals in 155 La Liga games for los Merengues.

Zidane recently expressed his interest in coaching France national team and he was tipped as one of contenders to replace Laurent Blanc at the helm of les Bleus.

McEachran, Suso, and the benefits of the new under-21 PL

The Premier League is about to undertake a drastic overhaul of the English youth football set-up and it couldn't have come at a better time for some of the most promising young footballers in the country.

The result would mean that two new competitions for both Under-21 and Under-18 players will be set up, providing more competitive football for talented youngsters struggling to gain first team action and languishing for unnecessarily long periods of time in the reserves. We take a look at five young stars from top Premier League sides who could benefit from the new setup...

Name: Lucas Piazon

Club: Chelsea

Position: Forward

Chelsea's Young Player of the Year has a lot of potential, but with a host of new stars coming to Stamford Bridge this summer, his chances of first-team action are slimming by the minute. Playing for the reserves will do little to improve him at this stage, so the chance to play at a competitive level is timely for the Brazilian. Piazon has looked sharp during Chelsea's pre-season, scoring his first goal for the senior side against PSG, so it would be a terrible waste if he wasn't given an opportunity to test himself in the near future. The new league could be a good compromise for the forward.

Name: Suso Fernandez

Club: Liverpool

Position: Midfielder

Fresh from a pivotal role in Spain's European Under-19 European Championship win, Liverpool youngster Suso produced another solid display for the Reds against Roma this summer. Some aspects of his game still need polishing before he's ready to become a fully fledged member of the Reds' first team squad, however, and dropping him in at the deep end in a Liverpool side that's going through a period of readjustment could be damaging. Vying for the first ever Under-21 League title against other players on the cusp of breaking through could serve him well until Liverpool find their form.

Name: Josh McEachran

Club: Chelsea

Position: Midfielder

If there's one footballer that embodies the notion of being stuck between a rock and a hard place it's Josh McEachran. The young playmaker is often touted as one of the future stars of English football, but after struggling to find any significant opportunities to play at Chelsea, he was dealt an even harsher blow after being given the same treatment during a loan-spell at Swansea. There's a feeling that McEachran is at a pivotal moment in his career and the new Under-21 league could be a way out of purgatory for him, allowing him to prove to his club once and for all that he should be part of their plans.

Name: Ross Barkley

Club: Everton

Position: Midfielder

Ross Barkley's debut for Everton's first team against QPR was as impressive as they come, but after only managing nine appearances in all competitions last season, he doesn't look likely to start for the Toffees any time soon. Barkley has all the raw talent needed to make it at the top-level, with Martin Keown predicting he'll be "one of the best players we'll ever see in this country", but if he's ever going to reach his potential he'll need regular, competitive and challenging football. Yet another player whose career could be drastically altered by the new league.

Name: Denis Suarez

Club: Manchester City

Position: Forward

Manchester City spent a small fortune to sign Denis Suarez from Celta Vigo, but he's hardly been given a sniff at a City team that prefers to sign established stars over promoting youngsters. Like Suso from Liverpool, Suarez was another of the top players for Spain in their Under-19 European Championship win this summer, so he'll be desperate to keep improving and would love the chance to impress Roberto Mancini in the under-21 league.

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