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Tuesday football
11 September 2007
by Jerrad Peters

BARCELONA prodigy Giovanni Dos Santos remains the focus of transfer overtures from both Chelsea and Manchester United. The 18-year-old Mexico international was a stand-out performer in the summer's U-20 World Cup in Canada and, apparently, caught the attention of the English giants. He currently has a buy-out clause of 13.5M-pounds in his contract -- terms which the Catalan club are eager to renegotiate. Dos Santos' agent, Pini Zahavi, went on the record, yesterday, by stating that his client will be a Barcelona player for the forseeable future. The club is hoping to write a 67M-pound buy-out clause into his next contract.

Arsenal continue to resist rumors of an impending takeover. Chairman Peter Hill-wood was vehement, yesterday, in denying that the majority of shareholders were willing to sell their interest in the club to the consortium of Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov and former Gunners chief executive David Dein. "The major shareholders have no intention of selling and wouldn't welcome an offer," hissed Hill-Wood. He continued, "All this nonsense about needing a billionaire to put a whole lot of money in to help shore up the annual deficit is not going to happen -- it's just lunacy. Usmanov's Red & White Holdings company acquired Dein's 14.58% stake late last month.

Meanwhile, Derby County are at the centre of a mystery takeover bid. Two prospective buyers have contacted Seymoure Pierce bank, recently, and inquired as to the feasibility of taking over the club. An initial bid of 20M-pounds was flatly rejected by the Rams board a few days ago and another 30M-pound bid is set to be tabled within the next few days. Personal and business information as to the buyers has not been made public.

Wayne Rooney could make his return to the Manchester United squad against Everton, Saturday. The 21-year-old England striker has been out of his cast for two weeks after fracturing a metatarsal during the first match of the season against Reading last month. He had wanted to be named among the substitutes against Tottenham Hotspur three weeks ago -- a notion manager Sir Alex Ferguson abruptly kiboshed. With Louis Saha fit, however, it is unlikely that Rooney will feature against his former club at the weekend.

Carlos Tevez and Javier Mascherano face the spectre of 5-year jail sentences should they return to Brazil. The Argentine duo were half of a four-player contingent to play for Brazilian club Corinthians while under the professional guidance of Kia Joorabchian and his shady Media Sports International (MSI) company. The club has since been at the centre of an intense police investigation which turned-up evidence that the MSI players had been evading taxes in Brazil. Besides Tevez and Mascherano, Werder Bremen's Carlos Alberto and Ricardinho of Besiktas are also under suspicion.

Emre is hoping to orchestrate a move back to Galatasaray after Christmas. The Newcastle and Turkey midfielder has failed to make an impression on new Magpies manager Sam Allardyce and has spent much of the season in limbo. His situation is unlikely to become any clearer when Joey Barton returns fro minjury. Newcastle are open to the transfer; although the club would hope to recoup the 3.5M-pounds they initially spent on the 27-year-old.

Ronaldo will miss another month to injury. The 30-year-old AC Milan and Brazil striker injured his thigh in training two months ago and was thought to be fully fit ahead of the Serie-A season. His club, however, admits that it miscalculated the severity of the injury and will be without Ronaldo until the third match-day of the Champions' League.