Del Neri: Porto Have Been In Touch

05/28/2004. Chievo coach Luigi Del Neri has confirmed that Porto would like him to replace the departing Jose Mourinho.

"Yes, they have contacted my agent and there is a possibility." he told Portugal's Radio Renascenca.

"Porto are a beautiful team that anyone would want to coach."

Del Neri has been linked with the job for some weeks now.

Djalminha set to leave Deportivo
 
 
MADRID, May 28 (Reuters) - Brazilian midfielder Djalminha is to leave Deportivo Coruna after agreeing to end his contract with the Primera Liga side.
The 33-year-old former international, who joined Deportivo in 1997 from Palmeiras, had been in dispute with the club over money owed to the Spanish tax authorities as a result of earnings derived from his image rights.


The two parties settled the dispute late on Thursday, reaching an agreement whereby Djalminha will be released from the remaining year of his contract while the club will pay part of the money owed to the tax authorities.

Deportivo said the deal also included a clause which prevented Djalminha from signing for another Spanish club.

Djalminha, who played a key role in helping Deportivo to their first ever league title in 2000, said he was relieved to have settled the dispute and wanted to thank the fans at the club for all the support they had given him.

'I'm never going to forget the fans, especially because they have always helped me when things haven't gone well and that has given me a great deal of motivation,' he told a news conference after the deal had been agreed.

'Now I'm beginning a new stage in my career and I hope to find a new team as soon as possible because I am keen to get back to work.'

GRAILLE: UNITED TO SIGN HEINZE

Friday 28th May 2004
Paris Saint Germain president Francis Graille thinks Gabriel Heinze is likely to complete his proposed move to Manchester United, even though Valencia are also reportedly keen on the Argentina international.

Sir Alex Ferguson has targeted the unspectacular 26-year-old stopper, who will miss the French Cup final with Chateauroux due to his international commitments.

Graille is ready to do business with United despite relations between the two clubs becoming strained during The Red Devils' failed bid to land PSG's star turn Ronaldinho last summer.

"We are keeping in touch with Manchester United's chief executive (David Gill)," Graille told PA International.

"I am confident but we will see what happens in the coming days."

Chelsea tried to sign Heinze in January and the player expressed a determination to represent a major club.

"Now Chelsea is the chance of my whole life," he said at the time.

"It is a massive club with very important ambitions.

"Everyone dreams of one day playing for a big team."

The former Real Valladolid man is capable of playing as centre back but also at left back which could explain Ferguson's interest in the player.

The Scot has been using John O'Shea as a makeshift left back since Mikael Silvestre's switch to the middle and it may transpire, when Rio Ferdinand returns from suspension, that Heinze is being earmarked for a left-sided role at Old Trafford.

Indeed, the South American played more often on the flank for PSG last term as Frederic Dehu and Jose Karl Pierre Fanfan filled the central slots.

Boro Open Talks With Kluivert

05/28/2004. Middlesbrough have opened talks with Dutch striker Patrick Kluivert.

The 27-year-old is a free agent following his release by Barcelona, although his wages of around ?70,000 a week is likely to be a stumbling block.

Boro chief executive Keith Lamb said: "Any potential deal is at a very early stage."

Kluivert was released along with fellow Dutchman Edgar Davids, Phillips Cocu and Marc Overmars earlier this week.

The former Ajax star has repeatedly been linked with a move to English football.

CHELSEA MAKE DROGBA APPROACH

Chelsea have approached Marseille with a view to signing Didier Drogba at the end of next season, but l'OM have stated that their Ivory Coast attacker is not for sale.

Drogba starred in the French club's charge to the Uefa Cup final, playing particularly well in the semi-final win over Newcastle United.

The African has pledged to remain at Stade Velodrome for at least another season, but Chelsea are already planning for the future with Roman Abramovich's transfer chest always a tempting proposition for any selling clubs.

"They have contacted us about Drogba but have not made a precise bid," confirmed Marseille chairman Christophe Bouchet.

"We met Chelsea and Juventus officials out of courtesy but a transfer is out of the question.

"We want to build a winning team around Didier."

Marseille have signed Habib Bamogo from relegated Montpellier which has sparked speculation in some quarters that he could be a long-term replacement for Drogba.

Bamogo is signing a five-year deal with his new club with Montpellier receiving around ?4 million for their top scorer.

The deal has not been finalised because Bamogo is in Burkina Faso at the moment.

Capello Makes Shock Juve Move

05/28/2004. AS Roma coach Fabio Capello has signed a three-year contract with Juventus.

The former Bianconeri player has reportedly taken a pay-cut to join the club, and will earn just over ?2m per season.

It had been expected that Juve would name Monaco's Didier Deschamps or Claudio Prandelli of Parma as the new coach.

This amazing development will leave Roma fans in a state of shock, having already seen Walter Samuel, Francisco Lima and Jonathan Zebina leave the club.

Emerson is expected to follow suit.

my friend portuguese league no bi english league oh............

well i can only say porto deserves it, what else............

Fletcher to skipper Scotland aged 20
 
Darren Fletcher was today told he is to be handed the Scotland captaincy at the tender age of 20.  

The decision to give the Manchester United midfielder the armband for tomorrow night's friendly in Estonia means he is almost certainly Scotland's youngest ever captain - and definitely the most youthful in living memory.


Scotland manager Berti Vogts decided to pick Fletcher ahead of Steven Pressley, who is captain at Hearts, in the absence of Barry Ferguson, the first choice skipper and Christian Dailly, his deputy.

Vogts said: 'Darren Fletcher is a guy in a key position in my team and a key player for the World Cup qualifiers.

'He is the future of Scotland and also the future Scotland captain - and I think he is the future captain of Manchester United.'

Portsmouth midfielder Nigel Quashie is set to make his Scotland debut and in the process become the first black player to represent the country since Andrew Watson in the 1881-82 season.

A former England B international, who re-qualifies through a Glaswegian grandfather, Quashie could also be joined in the starting line-up by fellow debutant and Pompey team-mate Richard Hughes.

Norwich duo Malky Mackay and Gary Holt are also in the starting line-up but Vogts has still to decide on certain positions after 18 players made themselves unavailable.

Pressley is set to play the first 45 minutes but is likely to captain the side in Edinburgh on Sunday when the season ends with a friendly against Trinidad and Tobago.

Porto left to face up to the future
 

GELSENKIRCHEN, Germany, May 27 (Reuters) - Porto were still in a state of euphoria on Thursday after winning the European Cup for the second time with a 3-0 victory over Monaco that will live long in the memory of their fans.
The Portuguese champions will have to face up to reality soon enough, however, with inspirational coach Jose Mourinho and many of the club's best players set to leave before the start of the new season.


'We have an inexhaustible appetite for titles,' Porto's football director Reinaldo Teles told Lusa news agency when the team arrived back in northern Portugal in the early hours of Thursday morning.

'The important thing now is to celebrate and then start to plan the conquest of new trophies, starting with the Super Cup against Valencia.'

Porto have every right to enjoy their moment of glory but they will face a far harder task when they begin next season without the architect of their success.

Mourinho said after the game that he was anxious to take up a coaching job in England, presumably at Chelsea.

The handsome 41-year-old turned Porto into European champions thanks to his eye for a bargain in the transfer market, meticulous planning ahead of matches and sheer force of personality.

ERA ENDS

It is possible that his replacement, whoever he is, will prove to be just as successful but the coach's post-match comments seemed almost to admit that it was the end of an era for Porto as well as himself.

'I told the players before the game that they had better finish the match with a good memory of it,' Mourinho said.

'We'll never forget this day. We made history for Porto, so let me enjoy the moment.'

Porto are renowned as the best-run club in Portugal, with a popular and successful president in Jorge Pinto da Costa.

But after spending 125 million euros ($152.1 million) on their new Dragao stadium the club will be in no position to turn down big offers for their best players.

Bayern Munich have reportedly made a bid for Deco Souza, scorer of the second goal against Monaco, and the Brazilian-born Portuguese international also seemed ready to leave.

'It will be very hard to go but we'll have to see the situation in the coming days,' Deco said.

Ricardo Carvalho, who had an immense game at centre-back, Brazilian teenager Carlos Alberto, who set Porto on their way with a brilliant opening strike, and fast-improving midfielder Maniche Ribeiro will also be on the wish lists of many clubs.

'It's going to be hard to do better than this,' captain Jorge Costa acknowledged after the game. 'There'll be time to think about next season but now is the moment to celebrate.'

Porto fans will still be celebrating when their ground stages Portugal against Greece in the opening match at Euro 2004 in a little over two weeks.

Whether they have as much to cheer about next season is another matter entirely.

Python Porto Pounce For Pot

05/26/2004. FC Porto of Portugal are the new European Club Champions after beating AS Monaco 3-0 in the final of the Champions League in Gelsenkirchen tonight.

The Portuguese champions strangled the life out of a game Monaco in a fashion that has become their signature this season. Having withstood early Monaco endeavour, Porto took a decisive lead six minutes before the interval when 19- year-old Carlos Alberto instinctively volleyed past a stranded Fabio Roma after hesitation in the Monagasque defence. For Monaco, the dye was cast, as influential playmaker Ludovic Giuly had left the field with injury just ten minutes earlier.

Despite much midfield possession, Monaco rarely threatened Vitor Baia's goal in the second half, and were picked off on the break with 20 minutes keft by substiture Dmitri Alenichev who pulled a wonderful ball back to Deco on the edge of the penalty box. With two defenders floundering, Deco put Roma the wrong way with a decisive strike inside the left-hand post.

By now the Portuguese were liberated from their smothering defensive hard-work, and came out to play in celebration of their impending ascent to champion status. Four minutes after setting-up the second, Alenichev himself ran on to a deflected through ball by Derlei and hammered a fierce shot past Roma for the final goal.

Monaco could feel slightly hard done-by at 3-0, but in the final analysis, the tactics of coach Jose Mourinho and the tireless dedication of his side had set the platform for the flair players to exploit defensive frailties that opened once Monaco had to chase the game.

The victory is Porto's second European Cup - the first coming in 1987 - and their second European trophy in 12 months having won the UEFA

Bayern Complete Lucio Capture

05/27/2004. Bayern Munich have completed the signing of Bayer Leverkusen's Brazilian defender Lucio.

The World Cup winner signed a three-year deal with the Bavarians in Munich on Thursday. The transfer fee payable to Leverkusen is ?12 milion.

Bayern Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge expressed his pleasure at the deal "We're delighted to have brought off this transfer." Lucio completed medical examinations at the club on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Lucio is the first new Bayern signing under coach Felix Magath. Porto's Champions League star Deco is expected to follow in the coming weeks

Conte leaves Juve as Kapo arrives
 
MILAN, May 27 (Reuters) - Former Italy midfielder Antonio Conte has left Juventus after 13 seasons with the Serie A club.
The 34-year-old told Italian news agency ANSA on Thursday that he had turned down a new offer with the Turin side.


Conte's exit comes as French midfielder Olivier Kapo completed his move from AJ Auxerre to Juve.

The Italians said on their website Kapo had visited the club and tied up the final details of his move to the Delle Alpi.

The 27-times Italian champions are without a coach after Marcello Lippi left the club at the end of the season.

They are expected to announce an appointment in the next week with Monaco's French coach, former Juve midfielder Didier Deschamps, widely tipped for the job.

Conte, who has suffered a series of injuries in the past four seasons, said the offer he had received from Juve was 'inadequate' but added that 'maybe it was the right decision because we have reached the end of a cycle'.

The midfielder, who joined Juventus from Lecce in November 1991 and made 20 appearances for Italy, said he was not sure if he would continue his playing career.

'I haven't decided whether to give up playing or not because I am a little confused about my future. It is certain though that either this year or the next I want to start my career as a coach,' he said.

Kapo is Juve's second French signing of the close season following the arrival of defender Jonathan Zebina from Roma.

Barca chase Bayern misfit Ballack
 
 
Barcelona are chasing Germany midfielder Michael Ballack as manager Frank Rijkaard begins to revamp his squad for next season.
The Catalans have already shown the exit door to the Dutch quartet of Patrick Kluivert, Phillip Cocu, Marc Overmars and Michael Reiziger, plus goalkeeper Rustu Recber.


And while Edgar Davids looks set to stay at Camp Nou, Rijkaard is looking to strengthen his midfield resources further with Bayern Munich star Ballack.

Ballack's agent, Michael Becker, confirmed that Barca have made approaches for his client but that a deal needs to be struck with the German club as the midfielder has a contract for two more years.

Bayern president Karl Heinz Rummenigge said if Ballack, who has failed to hit form this season, is unhappy then they would not stand in his way if he wanted to leave.

'If an offer is made for him then we will study it, but for that to happen it has to be serious and adequate, that is to say it has to have a certain level,' he said.

Rummenigge admitted that Bayern are interested Porto midfielder Deco - who scored in his club's Champions League final victory on Wednesday - but do not want to pay more than ?6.7million for him.

Meanwhile, Kluivert has revealed he is waiting for offers from the Premiership after expressing his disappointment at being released by Barcelona.

No decision will be taken on his future until after Euro 2004, but Kluivert said: 'To go and play in England is certainly an option for me, but the options only exist when the offers are on the table.

'Neither me or my agent have had any contact with an English club or any other for that matter. We will consider the offers when they arrive.

'After six years Barca and I will go different ways and I think that it is a good time to look for another club.

'I have always said that England is one of my preferred countries and that I want to play there. There are enough clubs but nothing concrete.'

Chevanton Very Close To Juventus

05/27/2004. According to the latest Italian reports, Lecce's forward, Chevanton, who had an excellent season with the southern club, is very close to join Juventus in the next days.

This has been confirmed by Lecce's Sports Director who admitted that Juventus have met Lecce yesterday, even though no agreement has been reached as of yet.

Lecce has apparently asked for aorund 10 million Euros and the loan of Fabrizio Miccoli and so the bianconeri have asked for time to think about it.

Expect more news regarding this transfer negotiation in the coming days.