Spanish journalist Guillem Balague has intimated two additional clubs have joined Real Madrid in the chase for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso, with one reportedly being Manchester City. Previous reports have suggested Chelsea were also interested in the player, however Balague intimates the other club is Jose Mourinho’s Inter Milan.

The journalist, who features regularly on Sky Sports’ Revista de la Liga, believes the protracted deal to take Alonso to the Bernabeu has an added twist, as one club from Italy and one believed to be from England, are willing to pay more than Florentino Perez.

Writing on his official website, Balague said: “The matter took another late twist as it emerged last night that at least two other teams - one English and one Italian club, possibly Inter and Manchester City – are expected to make superior offers to Madrid in the coming days.”

Benitez is obviously keen to earn as much from the Alonso deal as possible, in order to reinvest any revenue into rejuvenating his squad, amid reported interest in Wigan’s Lee Cattermole, and Valencia’s David Villa.

Balague continues: “Benitez’ desire to extract the maximum amount of cash from the deal is apparent and wholly understandable.”

“The Liverpool manager has seen his transfer kitty near exhausted following the purchase of Glen Johnson and the renewal of key player contracts at Anfield.”
Writing on his official website, Balague said: “The matter took another late twist as it emerged last night that at least two other teams - one English and one Italian club, possibly Inter and Manchester City – are expected to make superior offers to Madrid in the coming days.”

Benitez is obviously keen to earn as much from the Alonso deal as possible, in order to reinvest any revenue into rejuvenating his squad, amid reported interest in Wigan’s Lee Cattermole, and Valencia’s David Villa.

Balague continues: “Benitez’ desire to extract the maximum amount of cash from the deal is apparent and wholly understandable.”

“The Liverpool manager has seen his transfer kitty near exhausted following the purchase of Glen Johnson and the renewal of key player contracts at Anfield.”

Arsene Wenger has revealed he will not be upping his efforts to take Marouane Chamakh to Arsenal.

The Gunners boss had enquired as to the Bordeaux striker's availability, and has lodged an offer he deems to be acceptable.

However, the French champions are stalling on any possible deal as they hold out for more money from a player Sunderland are also interested in.

Wenger is reluctant to improve his bid and has admitted that, in his eyes, the agreement is dead unless Bordeaux change their stance.

"In five months, if he doesn't prolong his contract, Chamakh will be free to talk to any club and Bordeaux won't get anything," the Frenchman told L'Equipe.

"In the current context, to me, it is over. Let's say that at the moment it is terminated.

"I like Chamakh, he is a forward that attracts me, but I already have (Theo) Walcott, (Nicklas) Bendtner, (Robin) Van Persie, (Andriy) Arshavin and Eduardo. I am in no rush.

"My offer seems fair to me, taking the market into account. Chamakh would be good, but there are other options should we wish to pursue them."

With his patience pushed to breaking point, Wenger will be pleased to here that Bordeaux could be about to lower their demands.

Club chairman Jean-Louis Triaud has revealed that he may be prepared to slash the 18million euro (£15.3m) price tag placed on Chamakh's head.

"I am an admirer of Marouane's qualities and that is why I set the price so high," he said.

"I will admit that the fee I quoted is excessive, but Arsenal's offer is still a long way short.

"I won't say that I will hold out for 18million euros, but Bordeaux need to benefit from this deal as well."

Rafa is sure a brave man signing Aquilani even though he's injured. 23M euro...how much is that in pound?

Nicolas Anelka has the football world on tenter hooks with the imminent release of his audacious autobiography ‘It’s not me. It’s everyone else.’ Which critics are are already labelling ’shocking’ and ‘compelling.’

The book, which details Anelka’s rise from Parisian street urchin to World Cup winner certainly pulls no punches, firing broadsides at former team mates from Real Madrid, Arsenal, Manchester City, Paris St German, Liverpool and Galatasary.

“I wasn’t accepted anywhere I went.” Says Anelka with heart breaking honesty.

In it Anelka exposes the bullying tactics employed by multi national clubs world wide and holds a mirror to the ugly face of football. Some critics have even labelled it the sports equivilent to Nelson Mandela’s ‘Long Walk to Freedom.’

However none of the targets suffer the wrath of Anelka as much as former team mate Patrick Vieira, whom Anelka describes as a ‘world class git.’

In excerpts to be serialised in the Guardian Anelka reveals:

“My career at Arsenal was going from strength to strength until the day I crossed Vieira, who was better known in the Arsenal dressing room as ‘Le Long.’ I was playing against Fulham at Highbury and I remember receiving a ball from Bergkamp, then rounding the keeper with ease and, with the goal wide open, somehow managing to screw the ball wide at the last minute. It only happened because the sun was in my eyes. It wasn’t my fault! Anyway Vieira gave me a glare and I knew I was in trouble, afterwards in the showers he tore into me and I just snapped, I knew I shouldn’t have, but I called him a ‘lanky limbed boombaclart.’

At first he just stared at me with his hollow eyes. Then…..WHAM!

Just like that he slapped me across the face with his penis. Just once. But it knocked me back a few steps. It was like being struck by a wet kipper. No one could believe what they saw! Can you imagine how embarrassing it is to be smacked across the face with a 14″ pork sword in front of your team mates? 

It was the worst moment of my life. No one said anything for what seemed like an eternity, the silence was only broken when Ashley Cole asked “Is it my turn?” It was then I knew I had to leave. When Wenger found out what he’d done he merely high fived him and shouted “And that’s why he’s the captain. POW! Look at that thing!”

Anelka’s book reveals how he only regained his confidence eventually playing alongside Paul Dickov at Manchester City. “He could fit it in a polo.” Anelka reveals.

However not all are sympathatic to Anelka’s plight. Diagne N’dour, Vieira’s life long agent and business partner, described Anelka’s book as a ‘disgrace.’

N’dour wrote on his website that, if anything, Anelka should be privileged that he was allowed to touch Vieira’s chopper:

“In our country it is a great honour to be shown, let alone come into contact with Patrick Vieira’s porridge chucker. Instead of painting my client as a tyrant Mr Anelka should be apologising for sullying my clients penis with his miserable, miserable face.”

Patrick Vieira is yet to comment on these accusations.

Seriously whats the latest on Patrick Viera?
Is AW considering re-signing Vieira on a free transfer from Inter Milan on a pay-as-you-play deal, as revealed in Mirror Sport?
http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/football/200...15875-21562613/
Does the Gunners really want  The Legend back?

I read that* in a soon to be release book on Aug. 29th from Penguin, Nicolas Anelka’s book “It’s not me. It’s everyone else” reveals why he is afraid of the legend*.
I think thats the type of leadership and example the young gunners need to emulate.

[SIZE=1]* http://crabfootball.wordpress.com/2009/08/...literary-world/

LOL you should die for making people fall off their chair laughing like hell to that.

How does a penis reach the face? Was Anelka down?

Everton have turned down a formal transfer request from defender Joleon Lescott.

The centre-back has been targeted by Manchester City this summer, with the big-spending Eastlands outfit seeing two bids rejected.

Toffees boss David Moyes has always made it clear that he is determined to retain the services of the England international.

And despite Lescott now revealing he wants to leave Goodison Park, the Scot is refusing to be swayed from his stance.

Moyes told his club's official website: "I have always said that we are not selling any players and that hasn't changed."

Target

City put in an initial bid of £15million as they look to bring in further defensive reinforcements, before seeing a second offer of £18million also knocked back.

Eastlands boss Mark Hughes has already signed Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure from Arsenal, but identified Lescott as another target after missing out on Chelsea captain John Terry.

The former Wolves player, who is currently away on international duty preparing for Wednesday's friendly against Holland, moved to Goodison Park in a £6million deal in June 2006.

Lescott, whose current contract runs until the summer of 2012, has been an integral part of Everton's defence since his move to Merseyside.

While Moyes remains adamant that the centre-back will not be leaving, Lescott's desire to move on and City's vast financial resources mean that the latest development is unlikely to be the end of the saga.