[Nima]

Robinho Agent Holds Further Chelsea Talks
Robinho's agent held a second meeting with Chelsea on Tuesday amid growing reports that the Brazilian could be on his way to Stamford Bridge in a big money move.

After speaking with Frank Arnesen in London last month, Vagner Ribeiro again flew to the English capital to meet the Dane and talk about what was on offer from the Blues, according to Marca.

Since the end of the season, Robinho has become more agitated over his position at the Bernabéu and rumours of his inclusion in the Cristiano Ronaldo saga with Manchester United exacerbated the situation.

Having been after a new contract for over a year, the fact that talks stalled has meant that the 24-year-old now believes that he may have to look elsewhere to become a top earner.

According to reports, Robinho earns €2m-a-year at Madrid, but could be offered at least €5m at Chelsea, so a move to the Premier League is now a tempting proposition.

Added to that, the arrival of Luiz Felipe Scolari at the helm has meant that the club has become even more attractive to the Brazilian stars around the world.

Ribeiro is keen to secure the best deal for his client, whether that be at Madrid or elsewhere, and is talking to other clubs to see how they value the player.

Los Merengues are said to be prepared to sell Robinho, but only if a side matches their €36m valuation of him and Chelsea could well be preparing that amount.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Gunners & Spurs See Red
Derby proceedings are set to start early in north London this summer, with Arsenal and Tottenham preparing to tussle over Real Madrid midfielder Ruben de la Red…

The Sun reports that both the Gunners and Spurs are keen on De la Red and will have to fork out around ₤15million to secure his services.

The former Castilla star was hugely impressive for Getafe last season, so much so that he earned not only a place in Spain’s triumphant EURO 2008 squad but also a return to Real Madrid, who exercised their buy-back option this summer.

It is uncertain whether the 23-year-old will remain at the Bernabeu past pre-season, however, as los Merengues are reportedly intent on using the deep-lying playmaker as a makeweight for certain transfer targets.

Arsenal are in desperate need of such a player, as the departures of Mathieu Flamini and Lassana Diarra have left only the declining Gilberto Silva to anchor Cesc Fabregas in midfield.

Meanwhile, at White Hart Lane, Juande Ramos is in the process of building a super-creative young squad, having already drafted in Luka Modric and Giovanni dos Santos while tying Tom Huddlestone down on a lengthy new deal.

However, Blancos boss Berndt Schuster has stated he would like to give De la Red the opportunity to work his way into the starting XI, although the presence of Fernando Gago and Mahamadou Diarra may hinder that hope.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Ronaldo U-Turn Lets Van Der Vaart In
Real Madrid are beginning to lose patience in their quest to prise Cristiano Ronaldo and are set to turn their attention to signing other players, like Hamburg's Rafael Van der Vaart.

The incredible turnaround has come after los Merengues' own deadline of July 7 passed to sign the Portuguese star and they are now looking increasingly desperate.

Marca have led the campaign in the media and now appear to be tired themselves of only having one story to report on a daily basis and actually appear to be conceding defeat.

Their report on Thursday suggests that while Ronaldo has agreed personal terms with Madrid and stated his desire to move to them privately, nothing can happen until he tells Manchester United.

Whether he has any intention of doing that does not bother the Madrid-biased paper because they are safe from being found out while Ronaldo recuperates from surgery in Portugal.

"Manchester United already know that Cristiano Ronaldo wants to leave, but until the player tells them this officially he cannot go anywhere," an alleged source close to the club told Marca.

The summer saga has dragged on and in Spain it is believed that United have asked for €100m and Madrid are not willing to pay more than €85m or meet some of the Premier League team's clauses.

In England it is reported that no price has been put to the Spanish giants and that everyone at Old Trafford has told Madrid that there will be no deal.

Marca are now ready to move on and believe that Van der Vaart will now be signed to bolster Bernd Schuster's attacking options after he agreed personal terms with the club.

Hamburg are prepared to negotiate and a deal could be done in a few days, the paper continues, which would mean that Ronaldo's possible move could be on hold for a while longer.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Casillas For Ballon d'Or, Says Butragueño
Real Madrid believe their goalkeeper should be awarded the Ballon D’or, one of the two most prestigious individual awards in world football, as they view him as the best goalkeeper on the planet.

Real Madrid are determined to keep hold of their number one stopper, who has represented the blancos at youth level, the C team, the B team, and now the full side, then they will be assured that he still has a decade of good saves left in him. Additionally, they feel that he is now ripe for individual awards.

In 2000, he became the youngest-ever glovesman to represent his team in the final of the Champions League, aged 19 and four days. Fast-forward eight years and he becomes the first goalkeeper to captain his nation to lift the UEFA European Championship. In between these years, he has won league titles, domestic cups, another Champions League, an Intercontinental Cup, and a UEFA super cup.

If he is indeed awarded the Ballon D’or he will be the first goalkeeper to claim the honour since Lev Yashin, the Soviet ace whom many consider to be the finest stopper of the twentieth century.

Emilio Butragueno, 44, played over 300 games for Real Madrid, and was even Vice-President of the club until he left following the departure of Florentino Perez. He told the club’s official website: “Iker Casillas is a special goalkeeper. He must win the Ballon d'Or. He has saved Real Madrid on numerous occasions and he's astonishingly consistent. He's the best goalkeeper in the world. Those that vote have to take all this into account.”

Butragueno singled out specific occasions, citing: “He's a European champion and the role he played in the quarterfinals make him deserve it more than anyone. His output since his first day with the first team has been spectacular.”

It remains to be seen, that when the award is announced at the end of the year, whether the status quo of rewarding forwards will be honoured, or whether voting journalists will break this mould and opt to expand Iker’s cabinet one more time.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Schuster Adamant Over Fabiano
Real Madrid coach Bernd Schuster is determined to land Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano and no other.

Real Madrid are keen to bolster their attacking options ahead of next season, particularly with Roberto Soldado and Javier Saviola failing to impress over the last twelve months.

The Spanish striker looks set to move this summer, and the diminutive Argentine is also available for the right price. As such, Bernd Schuster wants back-up for Raul and Ruud van Nistelrooy, both of whom will need to be rotated to keep them fresh through the season.

David Villa, Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Karim Benzema are the high profile players linked, but the one Schuster has his eyes on is Luis Fabiano.

The German is unwilling to add a high profile striker who could pose problems, and would rather bring on someone who will play one of the two games every week and produce the goals.

However, Sevilla are demanding around 30 million euros for the striker - same as the fee set for the sale of Daniel Alves - and Madrid are not very keen to meet that price.

The view in the board is if they have to pay big money, they might as well get someone like Huntelaar. Schuster, however, disagrees, and currently has the backing after braving the odds and winning the La Liga title.

A lot of the focus has been on signing Cristiano Ronaldo of late, and while Schuster is open to the Portuguese winger's arrival and has said so publicly, he does not consider it as important as the signing of a front man who will aid Madrid's assault on the Champions League without compromising their league ambitions.

Pedja Mijatovic is expected to make contact with Jose Maria Del Nido early next week

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Van Der Vaart: Madrid? Much Ado About Nothing
Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has rubbished speculation linking him with a move to Real or Atletico Madrid, adding that he believes he may be spending another year with current club, Hamburg SV...

Despite constant reports of his unrest at the German outfit and a desire to move onto a bigger club, the playmaker - who showed immense quality at Euro 2008 - has intimated he may be staying at the club for another season after all.

Recently taken over by ex-Tottenham Hotspur manager Martin Jol, van der Vaart was quick to dismiss interest with a move in the opposite direction last week, implying it would be a sideways move.

However, interest from Atletico Madrid - who just qualified for the Champions League - and their bitter city rivals and Spanish champions Real, seemed more probable and a move near-certain.

Juventus have also been linked with a move for the player as they look to add creative influence to their midfield ahead of next season's Champions League campaign.

Three of England's Big Four - Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United - were also briefly reported to be interested in the player's services, but van der Vaart has made his stance clear.

"I have checked everything out and there is nothing in it," he said.

"I expect that I will be playing another year in Hamburg.

"Yesterday it was Atletico and today it is Real and it will probably keep going on like this."

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Beckham Would Welcome Madrid Coaching Role
David Beckham has admitted that he could be tempted back to the Bernabeu with a role coaching Real Madrid’s youth team players, but reiterated his decision to stay away from club management.

The ex-Real Madrid superstar speaks fondly of his time at the Bernabeu, where he is held in high regard by the club’s fans.

After leaving the club for the Hollywood Hills last summer, it was widely expected that Beckham would sever ties with Spain and concentrate on his academies all over the world.

However, the 33-year-old revealed to Marca that he is considering the possibility of making a return to his Spanish base, where he foresees working alongside the Madrid under-age sides.

He said: "I would like to return to Spain some day and to Real Madrid. To work with the kids or something similar at Madrid would be an honour for me.

"Everybody knows that I love to work with kids and that I adore Spain. I still have my house in Madrid and if I return some day I already have somewhere to live.

"When the moment comes we will have to see, but to be part of Madrid would be great. I have many friends there and many people who I respect a lot, such as (former president) Florentino Perez, who is one of the best friends I have in Madrid."

NO PASSION FOR MANAGEMENT

Beckham has a number of off-field interests, including a range of football schools across the world and extensive work with UNICEF. His extra-curricular commitments would rule him out of a coaching role at the game’s top level.

Although part of the Manchester United side that produced coaches like Steve Bruce, Mark Hughes, Paul Ince, Roy Keane and Henning Berg, Beckham insists that he has little interest in following the Alex Ferguson path.

He continued: "I have my academy of football here in Los Angeles, but I will never be a coach. I don't have this passion, I prefer to be with my academy and work with the children, with UNICEF...and things like this where you can help people.

"I love football and I will always continue being involved in it, but I don't want to be working on the sidelines or anything like that."

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Robinho To Chelsea If Ronaldo Joins Madrid
Real Madrid forward Robinho will only move to Chelsea if Cristiano Ronaldo leaves Manchester United for the Bernabeu, according to the player‘s agent.

The name of the Brazil front man has been mentioned as a potential makeweight in any deal involving Ronaldo, but the 24-year-old is not thought to be keen on a move to Old Trafford.

Luiz Felipe Scolari is rumoured to be interested in signing the playmaker for his new Chelsea side, but Madrid will only do business if Ronaldo joins from United.

Robinho and his agent Wagner Ribeiro met with Real Madrid’s sporting director Predrad Mijatovic on Monday, where details of their discussion were kept secret.

However, Ribeiro spoke to Setanta after the meeting, and made Chelsea’s intentions known.

He said: “Robinho is a Real Madrid player above anything else, but it is also true that Chelsea have a long-standing interest.”

Robinho is part of Brazil’s Olympic team, and has since returned to his homeland in preparation for the August 9 kick-off.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Madrid Hopeful Of Van Der Vaart Deal
Real Madrid are confident of wrapping a deal to sign Rafael Van der Vaart in the next ten days and the move will see more homegrown products leave the club.

The Dutch star has refused to comment on los Merengues' interest, but is reported to be desperate to the Bernabéu and is set to hold further talks with Hamburg.

Next summer, Van der Vaart can walk away from Martin Jol's side for €1m and Madrid believe that the thought of that could force the Bundesliga outfit into a sale this year.

If Bernd Schuster's side is successful in landing the former Ajax star's arrival would mean that Rubén De la Red would almost certainly be allowed to leave and Javi García may also consider his future.

Madird looked set to include some of their homegrown players after they gained experience at other clubs last term, but Esteban Granero has already gone again and any new arrivals would see more forced out.

A fee of between €5m and €6m is believed to be enough, according to AS, and president Ramón Calderón has given the green light to make the move official this week.

"Hamburg know that in a year's time they will only be able to ask €1m for the boy, which is why they would be willing to accept and offer of €5m or €6m this year. It would be a good deal for both sides," AS quote a Madrid insider as saying.

Van der Vaart's agent, Soren Lerby, has already moved to speed up the talks and is reported to have met with Madrid officials during a visit to the Spanish capital last week.

The former Danish international was in Spain at the presentation of another his clients, John Heitinga, at Atlético de Madrid and hopes that will have accelerated matter.

Madrid travel to Austria next week at the same time as Hamburg will be there and talks could be arranged to take place on tour.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson

[Nima]

Schuster: I Do Not Want Robinho To Go
Bernd Schuster has made it clear that he does not want Robinho to leave Real Madrid this summer amid reports that Chelsea could make a mega offer for his services.

The German coach has openly supported the signing of Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United, but does not want to see one his own first team stars leave the Bernabéu.

Robinho and his agent, Vagner Ribeiro, have made public their discontent with his inclusion in an exchange deal with Ronaldo or Madrid's unwillingness to listen to any offers.

A new contract is still being discussed and with los Merengues not making any major moves on that front, the Brazilian international has become agitated with the situation.

Despite that, Schuster does not want to see him sold and believes that the club should not allow any offers to tempt them into selling him.

"Robinho would be a big loss. He is an important player for me and for everyone here. We hope that he stays," he told Marca.

New Chelsea boss, Luis Felipe Scolari, would like to see his compatriot join him at Stamford Bridge and the player knows that the London club would match all his wage demands.

Madrid have been accused of failing to value Robinho by his representative and it remains to be seen if the club will accept that or see it as an attempt to force their hand on a new deal.

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R.I.P Michael Jackson