By Soccernet staff

February 28, 2009

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Former Tottenham ace Dimitar Berbatov has been branded an "arrogant snob" by current Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.

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The Russian had some harsh words for his former team-mate

Russian Pavlyuchenko was brought in to replace Berbatov when the Bulgaria international quit White Hart Lane and moved to Manchester United on the final day of the transfer window last summer.

Far from being an admirer of Berbatov, Pavlyuchenko has revealed his utter dislike for the man who has become an instant hit at Old Trafford.

"I heard tales Berbatov was an arrogant snob," the Russian star told Moscow newspaper Gazeta. "After training, would just throw his dirty boots to the man who takes care of our footwear saying, 'Clean them for me!'

"No one likes such people. Still, he is now playing for Manchester United."

Pavlyuchenko then went on to compare Berbatov with Robbie Keane, who famously left Spurs at the same time as Berbatov only to make a hero's return during January's transfer window.

"Robbie Keane returned to Spurs as if he never left the club. It's evident that he's a man of authority inside the team which is good for us. He was always liked as far as I can judge but if Berbatov returned, it would be taken quite differently."

Pavlyuchenko also said he would love to play for United one day, having already made his ''dream'' switch to White Hart Lane.

Asked if he wanted to play for Tottenham's Sunday opponents, the team who could deny him his one chance of silverware this season, he replied: "It would be wrong not to dream about this. I have realised that the Premier League is exactly why you should start playing football in the first place, and United are the leaders of it. Once your first dream comes true you must start dreaming of another target."
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By Soccernet staff

February 28, 2009

Portuguese midfielder Luis Figo has repeated his belief that his fellow countryman Cristiano Ronaldo should quit Manchester United and move to Real Madrid.

Cristiano Ronaldo

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Cristiano Ronaldo: The prizes just keep coming for the United star

Madrid have long been chasing Ronaldo and Figo, who controversially left Barcelona to join their arch rivals at the Bernabeu in 2000, reckons the FIFA World Player of the Year should take his career on a new path and join the Spanish champions.

''Real Madrid are the most important club in the world, the best club in the world. I think Cristiano has completed a stage at United,'' he told Marca.

''He has won everything with the English team, which is another great club, but now he must have other objectives, other ambitions and Real Madrid would allow him to achieve those.

''Cristiano is a great player, but he would be even more at Real Madrid.''

Figo also admits both his current club Inter Milan and former employers Real Madrid have their work cut out to make it through to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.

Figo, who moved from the Spanish capital to the San Siro in 2005, concedes it is not looking good for either team this year.

On Inter's chances of getting past reigning champions United, Figo said: ''It's very difficult. Old Trafford is a not a simple place to go. We needed to have scored a goal in the first leg.

''Manchester are not the machine of last year, but they have tremendous potential.''

Madrid have an even tougher mountain to climb as they lost their home leg against Liverpool to a late Yossi Benayoun header.

However, while Figo accepts it is a tough ask for the Spanish giants, he believes it would be foolish to write them off, saying: ''To win away from home in Europe by two goals is not easy and even less so at Anfield. But if there is a team capable of doing this it is Madrid, without doubt.

''To win the Champions League is very difficult. There are six or seven very strong teams and any team can knock you out.

''Inter have not got through to the last eight for some time either. It's not as easy as you think.

''The game against Liverpool was very even and anyone could have won. Maybe Madrid do not have as much individual quality as before, but they are a team.''

By Soccernet staff

March 1, 2009

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Manchester United look set to end the speculation over the future of Cristiano Ronaldo by offering him a £200,000 a week deal to stay at Old Trafford.

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Cristiano Ronaldo: To get a bumper pay packet?

The club are eager to bring an end any remaining suspicions that the 23-year-old is heading to Real Madrid this summer, and hope £10.4 million a year will be enough to do so, committing the player to the club until 2014.

According to the News of the World, the new deal involves a weekly salary of £160,000 plus £40,000 for image rights and commercial activities.

With rumours of his departure flying around since the transfer saga of last summer, recent reports in Spain have suggested that Real and Ronaldo have a verbal agreement for a summer move, but this has been vehemently denied by Sir Alex Ferguson.

"There is no question of Ronaldo leaving," he said when asked of the rumours.

The paper also quotes a Portuguese source who said: "Cristiano wants to clear his head of the Real Madrid move once and for all. When he agreed to stay at United last summer he thought it would be just for one more year.

"But now he seems to be setting his mind on the long term because he realises he can fulfil all his ambitions at Old Trafford."

Ronaldo's current contract - which pays him £120,000-a-week - has three years still to run, but according to Fifa rules he would be eligible to buy himself out at the end of the 2009/10 campaign.

If he were to accept the deal, his salary would dwarf that of any other player, with Chelsea captain John Terry the second highest earner on £135,000 a week.