Dortmund hint at asking price of over €20m for Kagawa

The Bundesliga champions have stressed that they will only sell the Japan star if an offer satisfies them as the club's chief drew a transfer comparison to Manuel Neuer

May 21, 2012 11:55:00 AM

 

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Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has made it clear that the Bundesliga champions will not allow attacking midfielder Shinji Kagawa to leave the club on the cheap this summer.

he Japan international is keen to leave BVB ahead of the 2012-13 campaign, and has set his sights on a move to the Premier League.

Manchester United are believed to be the frontrunners to secure the playmaker's signature, but the German giants will only sell Kagawa at the right price.

"It's pretty obvious what Shinji's qualities are, how old he is and how valuable he is for this team. Then I look at the money Bayern paid for Manuel Neuer. He had one year left on his contract, too. You can derive a sum from that," Watzke stated to Sport Bild.

Bayern paid Schalke an initial transfer of €18 million for Neuer, with the fee potentially rising to €25m.

The 23-year-old Kagawa played a key role in Dortmund's title-winning campaign as he netted 13 goals in 31 Bundesliga appearances.

Gary Cahill believes Chelsea veterans still have a lot more to give

The Blues defender insists that he has already learnt a lot from his older team-mates and has gained valuable experience in the club's successful Champions League campaign

May 21, 2012 6:06:00 PM

 

MORE ON :  Chelsea FC, Frank Lampard, Ashley Cole, Gary Cahill, John Terry, Didier Drogba

Gary Cahill believes that Chelsea's veterans still have more to give and insists that he is learning plenty from them.

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Since moving to Stamford Bridge from Bolton in January, the England international has played his part in helping the Blues win the Champions League and FA Cup, his long-term future seeming certain.

Out-of-contract 34-year-old Didier Drogba has been heavily linked with a move away from the club, however, and Frank Lampard was also rumoured to be considering leaving under Andre Villas-Boas' tenure but both contributed greatly to the Blues' European victory over Bayern Munich on Saturday. 

"I don't see it being the end," Cahill told reporters of the side's most experienced men.

"Frank Lampard was fantastic. Ashley Cole was amazing and he's probably been the best left-back in the world for many years.

"Didier, again, turned up, the big man for the big occasion. You just learn from these sorts of boys, especially myself. Hopefully, I can learn fast."

Cahill admitted that he did feel nervous on Saturday because of the absence of Chelsea’s captain, John Terry, who was suspended for the final, but is adamant that playing in big games has helped him improve as a player and given him vital experience.

"I felt pressure because, obviously, the skipper wasn't there," he continued.

"Because of the size of the game and what it meant to the club - obviously playing the Champions League next season [only if we won] - however much you want to try to play it down in your head and relax, you knew it was a massive, massive game.

"You only get the experience by playing in the games and, now, these games, the Barcelona games, and even coming on in the Benfica game in the second half was a great experience for myself and will only improve me as a player."

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No trophies in 2011-12 but Manchester United remain world's most valuable football brand

The Premier League giants lead the way as English and German clubs are on the rise, whereas Italian and Spanish teams have been affected by the Euro crisis

May 21, 2012 12:01:00 AM

 

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Manchester United remain the world’s most valuable football brand with a market price of €672.9 million, despite ending the 2011-12 campaign without a trophy.

The Brand Finance Football 50 finds Sir Alex Ferguson's side top of the pile again, even though it has been a season of disappointment for the Red Devils, with rivals Manchester City edging them to the Premier League title.

However Matt Hannagan, Sports Brand Valuation Analyst, warned that the German giants must expand or be overtaken in years to come, commenting: "Bayern need to start building their brand in emerging markets or they will be left behind by relying too heavily on their domestic fan base." 

David Haigh, CEO of Brand Finance, added: "The two top teams operate different marketing strategies, Bayern prioritising its domestic fan base whilst United concentrate on global opportunities." 

Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid have been affected by the state of their domestic economy, with unemployment hitting gate receipts and other revenue streams, and both drop one place in the rankings.

Champions League winners Chelsea remain fifth after a season where they won two trophies, but failed to impress in the Premier League. AC Milan are Italy's only representative in the top 10.

"This year’s study shows that even football isn't immune to the Euro crisis, with Spanish and Italian teams being hit hardest," Haigh stressed.

Eredivisie champions Ajax are the first team from outside the big four leagues in 14th position with a brand value of €144.6m, while Ligue 1 duo Olympique de Marseille and Olympique Lyonnais also make the top 20 in 15th and 18th position respectively.

Champief throughout the game against Bayern and that victory was even more special after previous disappointments in the competition

May 21, 2012 11:31:00 AM

 

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Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has described his team's victory in the Champions Leaguefinal as the best moment of his career, insisting that it was made all the sweeter after chasing the trophy for so long.

The Blues defeated Bayern Munich in their own Allianz Arena in the competition's final on Saturday, winning 4-3 on penalties, to seal Chelsea's first ever European Cup and Lampard could not hide his delight at the triumph.

"It feels like the crowning moment of my career," he told The Sun. 
"The feeling of not winning it for so long almost makes it feel better. I've been here 11 years and I've been waiting for this baby for a long time.

"I've never been so emotional in a game. Players were crying, tears in their eyes. Football can do that to people. It’s the best footballing night of my life — the hour we spent on the pitch with the fans afterwards."

He praised the determination the squad showed to recover from after a difficult first half of the season under new manager Andre Villas-Boas, who was dismissed in March.

"If you had asked me three months ago if we would win this competition, I would have laughed. But we have won the FA Cup and now the Champions League," the England international continued.

"The determination and spirit we have shown have been fantastic. The key players have been there a long time and we want to win, we are determined to win, in the dressing room we have a tough group."

Didier Drogba got their late equaliser in the final when he headed in from their only corner of the match, and went on to net the winning penalty in the shootout and Lampard held the Ivorian up among the greats. 

"It’s the best footballing night of my life" - Frank Lampard

"People talk about whether this is his last game for Chelsea, but he has been an absolute hero for this club," he added.

"He is right up there among the great strikers, who score in finals and in the big games."

Lampard also went on to describe the growing feeling that destiny was on their side after the West London side’s past disappointments in four Champions League semi-finals and a penalty shootout defeat in the 2008 final.

"I had a quiet confidence. Manuel Neuer looks massive in goal. He's a fantastic keeper but Petr Cech has re-announced himself as the best in the world. When you have confidence in your keeper it doesn’t half help with penalty shootouts," he said.

"It's a confidence issue. I remember taking loads in the World Cup in Germany and then missing against Portugal. You can over-think it. Here, I felt we were going to win on penalties, which is strange against a German team."

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Didier Drogba akan dikenang selamanya sebagai pahlawan Chelsea

Didier Drogba akan dikenang selamanya sebagai pahlawan Chelsea atas kemenangan mereka di final Liga Champions musim 2011/12 dengan mengalahkan Bayern Munich melalui adu penalti.

Bertanding di "kandang lawan", Chelsea tidak diunggulkan. Bayern bahkan mampu unggul lebih dahulu pada menit ke-83 setelah sundulan Thomas Muller gagal dihadang Petr Cech. Namun, lima menit berselang Drogba menghidupkan lagi peluang Chelsea dengan menyambar umpan tendangan penjuru Juan Mata. Pertandingan pun harus dilanjutkan ke babak perpanjangan waktu.Didier Drogba akan dikenang selamanya sebagai pahlawan Chelsea atas kemenangan mereka di final Liga Champions musim 2011/12 dengan mengalahkan Bayern Munich melalui adu penalti.

Bertanding di "kandang lawan", Chelsea tidak diunggulkan. Bayern bahkan mampu unggul lebih dahulu pada menit ke-83 setelah sundulan Thomas Muller gagal dihadang Petr Cech. Namun, lima menit berselang Drogba menghidupkan lagi peluang Chelsea dengan menyambar umpan tendangan penjuru Juan Mata. Pertandingan pun harus dilanjutkan ke babak perpanjangan waktu.

Diego Milito Ingin Bermain Dengan Ezequiel Lavezzi

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Diego Milito Ingin Bermain Dengan Ezequiel Lavezzi

Milito berharap upaya Inter memboyong Lavezzi dan Destro berhasil.

18 Mei 2012 17:40:00

 

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SELENGKAPNYA TENTANG :  Genoa, Inter Milan, Napoli, Siena, Ezequiel Lavezzi, Mattia Destro, Diego Alberto Milito

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Diego Milito sangat antusias mendengar kabar bahwa klubnya, Inter Milan, menjadikan Ezequiel Lavezzi (Napoli) sebagai salah satu target utama di mercato musim panas.
Sang bomber pun berharap transfer ini dapat terwujud karena ia ingin berduet dengan Lavezzi, kompatriotnya asal Argentina, di lini depan Il Biscione.Saya benar-benar suka bermain dengan pemain juara, dan Lavezzi pastinya seorang pemain juara,” ucap El Principe seperti dikutip La Gazzetta dello Sport.“Akan sangat menyenangkan bermain bersamanya. Dia dapat mengalahkan bek pengawalnya, dia cepat, dan memiliki fisik impresif. Singkat kata, dia bisa menghasilkan perbedaan.”
Selain Lavezzi, Inter disebut-sebut membidik pula Mattia Destro, striker Genoa yang tampil ciamik selama masa peminjaman di Siena pada musim 2011/12 yang baru saja berakhir, dan Milito juga ingin perekrutan ini terealisasi.
“Saya akan menyukai itu [Destro bergabung dengan Inter]. Saya sempat melihatnya bermain ketika dia berlatih bersama skuad utama saat [Jose] Mourinho masih melatih. Saat itu Anda sudah dapat melihat bahwa dia adalah pemain kuat. Dia pastinya layak bermain untuk klub besar.”
Destro, 21 tahun, merupakan jebolan akademi Inter, namun dilepas ke Il Grifone sebagai bagian kesepakatan pembelian Andrea Ranocchia.