Center of soccer headlines

Source: Arsenal is serious contender to acquire Clint Dempsey before deadline

2011-08-30T12:07:00.001-07:00

Arsenal has a realistic chance of signing Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey as the team desperately searches for valuable players as the transfer window comes to a close.

A source close to the player told Goal.com that Arsenal will acquire Dempsey within the next 48 hours as long as Fulham does not set the price too high.

Fulham does not want to sell the club's key attacker but privately accepts that it will be unable to fend off Arsenal if the north Londoners match the value of $16.3 million for the American, who is highly regarded at Craven Cottage and has two years remaining on his contract.

The Gunners made their initial move for Dempsey before Sunday's 8-2 humiliation at Manchester United after Arsene Wenger identified the American's versatility and experience as qualities that can improve his threadbare squad.

Sources close to Dempsey say he has aspirations to play in the Champions League after joining Fulham from Major League Soccer in January 2007.

Dempsey was the Fulham's leading scorer last season with 13 goals, including 12 in the Premier League. He has already added another two in the Europa League this season and scored in his team's 2-1 defeat at Newcastle United on Sunday.

With the team's lack of depth, while playing in two league, Fulham may have no choice but to keep Dempsey, who has established a fine reputation in England as a durable attacking midfielder and can play anywhere behind the main striker and create.

“The Premier League is one of the toughest competitions in the world,” Dempsey told Goal.com. “Add onto that the Europa League and you’ve got to have squad depth if you’re going to be successful in both.”

Fulham coach Martin Jol is ready to make a late move for FC Twente's Bryan Ruiz if he loses Dempsey. The 26-year-old Costa Rican has been closely tracked by Fulham during the window and has admitted that he is open to a move to England.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he will not quit and wants three new players after "humiliating" 8-2 defeat to Manchester United

2011-08-30T10:49:00.001-07:00

MANCHESTER, England -- Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger revealed the club will look to sign three more players before the transfer window closes after its “humiliating” 8-2 defeat at Manchester United on Sunday.
Wenger says he expects to sign South Korean striker Park Chu Young and wants to add another midfielder and defender to the squad as he comes under pressure from Gunners fans to spend in the transfer market following the high-profile sales of Samir Nasri and Cesc Fabregas.
“We're working very hard on transfers. We're close to signing a striker [Park] at the moment and we want a defender and a midfielder as well," Wenger said. “I say I'm very open to finding the right players. If we find the right players we will sign them. We have the money to sign the right players – if we find them we'll do it.
“We have 20 people working on it, I'm not the only one.
The Londoners have registered just one point from their opening three Premier League games of the season and were completely destroyed by a rampant United side at Old Trafford.
“After a game like that it's terribly painful,” Wenger said. “It hurts, it was humiliating. We were short in some areas, we had eight players out and they had class. They punished us in front of goal."
Wenger accepts he is under pressure at the moment but he is adamant he will not quit Arsenal, adding that he feels he has earned the right to be judged at the end of the season after 15 years in charge of the club.
“I'm in a public job and I have to accept that,” the Frenchman said. “I make the right decisions for the club and I will continue to try to do that. The players we have sold I also brought to the club."

Diego Forlan: 'I thank Atletico Madrid; Inter here I come'

2011-08-30T10:48:00.000-07:00

Diego Forlan has confirmed he will be joining Italian giants Inter as his time with Atletico Madrid comes to an end.

The 32-year-old Uruguay striker held a press conference in Madrid to state he would no longer be playing at the Vincente Calderon as San Siro awaits him. Forlan will now travel to Milan where he will undergo a medical to then sign a contract with the Serie A outfit.

"I am going to a great club and there is a big challenge ahead of me. I want to thank Massimo Moratti for this chance," he told the press as he announced his departure from Spain. "I have already spoken with Esteban Cambiasso and Diego Milito, they are my friends. I know Serie A having watched many games on television and I am very happy to be playing in Italy after my time in the Premier League, and Liga.

"I am going to play for a great team," he continued. "I liked the project as well as their will to have me. I have a great will to start and changing [teams] will give me new motivation. It's not always that you get the chance to play for a great club at 32, and so for this reason I want to thank Inter and president Moratti."

Forlan played for Atletico since 2007 when he joined them from Villarreal and he will always carry the Spanish side in his heart following their separation.

"I will always support Atletico Madrid and it was an honor to play here," he added. "I enjoyed four great years, fantastic years and I want to wish the team all the best."

Neither club have confirmed the details of the transfer, but an official announcement is expected to follow later once Forlan arrives in Italy to finalize his move with Inter.

Inter's Wesley Sneijder refuses to rule out Manchester United move

2011-08-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

Inter midfielder Wesley Sneijder is doubtful a move to Manchester United can be finalized this summer, but has added that a lot can happen in the closing stages of the transfer window.
"At this point I don't think I will move. But, on the other hand, my move to Real Madrid was solved within eight hours. Things can move fast," the Inter ace told reporters.
The Netherlands international has been linked with a move to Old Trafford throughout the summer, but any possibility of a transfer for the 27-year-old was previously thought to be over.
Nevertheless, with Samuel Eto'o having left Inter to join Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala, the Dutchman says he is unlikely to leave the Serie A outfit.
"It was either me or Eto'o to leave Inter and since he has now gone there is no need for Inter to sell me," said the Dutchman. "It would be very strange if something happened now. There is nothing going on behind the scenes."
United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen fueled speculation that the Premier League champions could make a last ditch bid for Sneijder earlier on Tuesday when he said that a move is still possible.

Sevilla president: La Liga has been corrupted and prostituted for Barcelona & Real Madrid's benefit

2011-08-30T10:39:00.001-07:00

Sevilla president Jose Maria del Nido has launched a scathing attack on the administrators of La Liga, claiming that recent negotiations over radio rights threaten to further dilute the competition's quality in favor of benefiting the country's biggest clubs.

"The reality is that they have chosen a terrible decision in order to continue widening the difference between the big clubs and the rest: to charge the radios," he fired to Radio Nacional de Espana on Tuesday.

The chief spoke out after a deal was finalized which will oblige Spanish radio stations to pay for coverage of La Liga, on the back of a weekend which saw Real Madrid and Barcelona crush their opposition 6-0 and 5-0 respectively.

For Del Nido, those in charge of La Liga have consistently taken decisions which favor the giants, including the most recent ruling.

"For the love of God, are there any fans not saying that the league is prostituted, adulterated, corrupted?" said del Nido. "The radio income will be another scrap to make the biggest clubs bigger and the rest even smaller. Our tournament is not just the biggest joke in Europe, but in the world. It is a third-world league in which two clubs take the others' television money."

Representatives of the Liga Nacional de Futbol Profesional (LFP) are yet to respond to Del Nido's attack.

Manchester United first-team coach Rene Meulensteen: Inter's Wesley Sneijder could still move to Old Trafford

2011-08-30T10:37:00.000-07:00

Wesley Sneijder could still move to Manchester United from Inter, according to Red Devils first-team coach Rene Meulensteen.
"Sir Alex Ferguson has tremendous confidence in our current squad, but a player the calibre of Wesley Sneijder could well suit us,” he told Dutch magazine Voetbal International. “Where there is a will, there’s always a way. If club and player really want it, there is always something possible. I do not see why an older player like Sneijder would not fit into our team.”
Manager Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to be a great admirer of the 27-year-old Dutch midfielder but wage issues have prevented a move for the player this summer.
Previously it was thought that any possibility of a transfer for the 35 million-pound-rated playmaker had disappeared, but Meulensteen has reignited the saga by claiming it can still happen.
Sir Alex and United have been involved in last-minute transfer dealings in the past, masterminding the 30.75 million pound signing of Dimitar Berbatov from Tottenham minutes before the close of the window in 2008.
So far this summer the 69-year-old manager has brought in defender Phil Jones, goalkeeper David de Gea and winger Ashley Young. All three started Sunday's 8-2 mauling of rivals Arsenal, alongside fellow first-team rookies Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley.

Alexis Sanchez: 'Barcelona have a special way of playing which is unrivalled'

2011-08-30T10:34:00.000-07:00

Alexis Sanchez believes no team in the world can match Barcelona's sensational play following its 5-0 demolition of Villlarreal.

"Barcelona have a special way of playing football and nowhere in the world can they play like we do," Sanchez told Radio Cooperativa.

The summer arrival from Udinese made his Liga debut on Monday night, and scored the third goal to cap off his league debut performance.

"I really wanted to score and I am very happy with my goal, which is important for everyone," said Sanchez. "[Coach Pep] Guardiola told me to play with freedom and confidence because this is a team which helps you do this."

Thiago Alcantara, Cesc Fabregas and Lionel Messi, who hit two, were also on the scoresheet as Barcelona's title defence started in style.