Milan expect Bojan deal

AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has confirmed the club are close to a deal to sign Roma striker Bojan Krkic.

Bojan, 22, arrived in Italy from Barcelona for €12 million in 2011, but failed to produce his best form during his debut season.

With Milan in the market for a striker following the sale of Zlatan Ibramimovic to Paris Saint-Germain, though, it appears that Massimiliano Allegri is eager to add the player to his squad.

"Bojan is a player Allegri likes," Galliani told Sky Sport 24 on Tuesday. "Things are moving forward. The talks are going well. Hopefully, we should complete the deal today."

It is reported that Bojan has rejected a move to Malaga in favour of Milan. The switch is expected to be a season-long loan.

Under the terms of his move to Roma, Barcelona are bound to re-sign the striker for €13 million next summer, although Roma are able to retain him should they pay €28 million.

FIFA agent Diego Tavano told SpazioMilan: "We are getting closer and closer. Milan are talking about the deal with Rome and Barcelona, who own the player's registration. I really think they can complete it quickly as Milan is a welcome destination.

"Bojan is very happy with this solution and would prefer to go to Milan rather than staying with the Giallorossi. There is still no definitive agreement, but I am confident that once there is agreement between the clubs, terms with the player will happen very quickly."

Meanwhile, Milan's hopes of signing Kaka from Real Madrid look to be over.

Galliani had earlier said the club would not sanction a permanent return for the midfielder, and on Monday he told Milan's TV station: "The tax problem? It's all true. We asked the opinion of a tax accountant who said it was 'too risky'."

Gerrard - Reds can compete

Anfield skipper confident Liverpool can challenge for top honours.

Steven Gerrard refuses to buy into Sven Goran Eriksson's belief that he must leave Liverpool if he is to win the Premier League title.

Former England coach Eriksson has been quoted as saying that the Reds captain will need to turn his back on his home-town club if he is to land the biggest prize in English football.

Gerrard appreciates that Liverpool, who have opened another new era under the guidance of Brendan Rodgers, are some way off getting their hands on the top-flight crown at present.

He is, however, of the opinion that he can fulfil his ambitions at Anfield and has offered no indication that a switch elsewhere is something that he would consider, now or in the future.

"I don't think we're miles away," Gerrard told Sky Sports News HD.

"We have to be realistic and we finished eighth in the league last year, but we got to two major cup finals which shows that we are a good team and we can compete with anyone on our day.

"If we find a better level of consistency at the club, I think we can find ourselves higher up the table than last year.

"Who knows what's around the corner? For me, I just take each game as it comes and hopefully before I hang my boots up I can realise the dream of winning it, but I'm also realistic as well."

Since making his Liverpool debut back in 1998, Gerrard has worked under six different bosses.

Rodgers is the latest to have been charged with the task of bringing the glory days back to the red half of Merseyside, and the Northern Irishman has the full backing of his talismanic skipper.

Gerrard added: "Of course it's different. All managers are, and we have had a new coaching set-up, so there are bound to be differences, but it's not drastic changes.

"All the managers I have worked with have tried to play the right way for the club, it's worked out for some and it hasn't for others. Let's hope that it's a bright future under Brendan.

"He has more of a continental style, he wants to us to keep the ball more with emphasis on possession and winning the ball back as quickly as we can. Let's hope there is a bright future around the corner."

Spurs ease fears over 'partnership'

Tottenham Hotspur have denied that their "partnership agreement" with Real Madrid means the Liga club have first refusal on their star players.

                              

On Monday, it was confirmed that Luka Modric has joined Madrid in a €37 million deal that also includes a "partnership agreement" that will see future player and coaching exchanges between the two clubs, as well as friendly matches.

Speculation has subsequently suggested that Real could target the likes of Gareth Bale in the future, with their manager Jose Mourinho an admirer of the Wales international.

However, a Spurs source has told ESPN: "Speculation, that's all it is. All the talk about Bale and Real is speculation. Spurs' partnership with Real Madrid does not cover this sort of thing."

ESPN sources have indicated that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy considers Bale's value to be £60 million. The 23-year-old signed a new four-year contract with Tottenham in June that ties him to White Hart Lane until 2016.

Modric completes Real move

Croatian puts finishing touches to move from Tottenham

Luka Modric has finalised his switch to Real Madrid from Tottenham Hotspur after passing a medical with the Spanish club and signing a five-year contract.

Spurs announced earlier on Monday that a deal had been struck with Real for the sale of Modric as part of a partnership agreement between the clubs.
The Croatian has now put the finishing touches on his move after coming through his physical assessment with no trouble and penning a long-term contract until 2017.

The deal is understood to be worth at least £33million and Modric is delighted to have joined Real.

"I'm very happy, honoured and proud to be at the biggest and best club in the world. I'm very excited," said the 26-year-old.

odric had made it clear that he wanted to leave Tottenham but he remains thankful to the London club for everything they did for him.

He is now looking forward to a fresh challenge, though, and hopes to play a major part in Real's pursuit of major honours.

"I have to work very hard to earn a spot in the starting eleven and I'm prepared to do it," he said.

"I've come here to improve every day and to win titles with Real Madrid. These are my personal goals.

"I believe I have what it takes to play here. I've got everything I need and I want to enjoy football and to learn.

"I'm grateful to Tottenham, but I'm now opening a new page in my life."

"When I first heard Madrid were interested, nothing else mattered," Modric said. "I just wanted to come here, this is the best club in the world, with the best coach, and great players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Xabi Alonso, Gonzalo Higuain, Angel Di Maria ... so many great players. I am looking forward to playing with them. It is an honour to be here and my desire is to win trophies with Madrid."

The Croatia international said that spending most of the summer training alone as talks between Spurs and Madrid continued had been frustrating, but he was now delighted with how things had ended up.

"Everything started before the Euros," Modric said. "It was hard as I wanted to be here (Madrid) as soon as possible, but sometimes negotiations go on longer than expected. Now I am very happy to be here. Of course it has been a tough time, almost one month without training fully with a team, but finally it has been done."

Tevez vows to stay at City

Carlos Tevez says he hopes to remain at Manchester City beyond his current contract after netting his 100th goal in English football on Sunday.

Tevez scored the equaliser in City's 2-2 draw against Liverpool to notch his third goal in as many appearances this campaign.

After going AWOL in his homeland of Argentina for much of last season, Tevez now says he would be happy to extend his contract with the club, which expires in 2014.

"Yeah, I'd have no problem staying," Tevez said. "My family are here, my children are here, I'm happy, my wife is happy. I have two years on my contract and, yeah, I could stay longer.

The Argentina international pounced on a Martin Skrtel error on Sunday to score his 100th goal in England after switching from City's rivals Manchester United in 2009. Since the transfer, Tevez has endured a topsy-turvy relationship with manager Roberto Mancini, but the 28-year-old insists the pair have moved on from their troubles.

"The new season is good for me. Seven kilos are off, so that's good for me and the club. Last year was difficult for me. After I came back, I played and we were champions. That was the best bit of last season.

"A year ago was the most difficult bit. Now is now. The problems of last season are finished. Now I'm happy, Roberto is happy, the club are happy. The problem is finished.

"I play for my family, my father, my mother, my brothers and sisters in Argentina all the time. It is difficult for me because they are in Argentina, but this is my job and I like football," Tevez said.

Kagawa: I can only get better

Manchester United new boy Shinji Kagawa says he can get even better after scoring on his home debut in Saturday's 3-2 victory over Fulham.

                         Kagawa, a £17 million summer signing from Borussia Dortmund, impressed with the way he combined with his new team-mates.

But the 23-year-old believes he can make a greater impact and urged them to give him the ball more.

"I want to improve parts of my game. I think the combination play with the other players will improve match by match," he said. "I want my team-mates to have the confidence to play it up to me when I'm ahead of them. That is one of my strengths and style. I want to be on the ball more. I want to be busier."

Team-mate Tom Cleverley led the praise for Kagawa and said he feels they have already built up a good understanding.

"He's brilliant," Cleverley said. "He has settled in really well. He links defence with attack. He gets on the half turn and creates chances. I can't speak highly enough of him. I love playing with him - one and two touch, high-energy football. We're on the same wavelength."

Rooney Blow

               Rooney faces two months out

                                    

             Wayne Rooney is facing up to two months on the sidelines at Manchester United after undergoing surgery to repair a six-inch wound which cut as deep as his thigh bone. Rooney, whose right thigh was sliced open by the studs of Fulham forward Hugo Rodallega in a freak collision during Saturday’s Old Trafford fixture, was forced to go under general anaesthetic prior to surgery, which included the stitching of the wound, due to the severity of the injury. The player then spent the night under observation in hospital before being discharged on Sunday morning to recover at home. But the initial fears of United manager Sir Alex Ferguson that the 26 year-old would be out for a month as a result of the gash now appear hugely optimistic with medical staff shocked by the extent of the cut. Ferguson insisted, following the Fulham game, that Rodallega could not be blamed for the injury, but the damage caused by the player’s studs has caused surprise and concern. Rooney, who will miss England’s World Cup qualifiers against Moldova and Ukraine next month and the start of United’s Champions League campaign, now faces an anxious wait over his likely recovery period.
With the clock ticking down to the transfer deadline on Friday night, the Daily Mirrorbelieves United are lining up a swoop for Leicester City defender Liam Moore, while theDaily Mail thinks Federico Macheda is poised for a loan switch to Bursaspor in Turkey.