Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is unconcerned that new contract talks with Rio Ferdinand have reached deadlock.
The England centre-back’s agent, Pini Zahavi, has revealed that talks have come to a halt over his future at Old Trafford.
Dunfermline Athletic are ordered to rip up their plastic pitch after the Scottish Premier League board re-affirmed their decision to exclude synthetic pitches for next season. Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson insists he is unconcerned that new contract talks with Rio Ferdinand have reached deadlock. The England centre-back’s agent, Pini Zahavi, has revealed that talks have come to a halt over his future at Old Trafford. It is thought Ferdinand has been offered £100,000 a week but is demanding an extra £20,000. Zahavi believes it would reflect the 26-year-old’s status as the best defender in the world although many United supporters - already reeling from the Malcolm Glazer takeover - fear it’s further evidence of his desire to join Chelsea or Real Madrid.
Dunfermline Athletic are ordered to rip up their plastic pitch after the Scottish Premier League board re-affirmed their decision to exclude synthetic pitches for next season. After a five-hour meeting at Hampden Park, the SPL board rubberstamped their earlier conclusion and again ruled out the use of plastic pitches. An SPL statement explained the East End Park pitch ‘has not achieved and will not, by the start of season 2005-2006, have achieved the required Fifa two-star certification’.
England centre-back Jonathan Woodgate is left out of Real Madrid’s 24-man squad to tour the USA and Asia. The 25 year-old has not played for Real since joining from Newcastle United for £13.4m in August 2004. He will remain in Spain as he continues his recovery from a long-term thigh injury. Luis Figo does travel though so casting doubt on his possible transfer to Liverpool. The Real tour includes games against Guadalajara and LA Galaxy in America then Beijing Gouan in China and Tokyo Verdy and Jubilo Iwata in Japan.
It’s announced that the first new UK national newspaper for two decades is expected to be launched next spring. The Sportsman aims to tap into the British gaming industry, reportedly worth £44billion in bets taken last year. It will be published seven days a week and cover sport, finance and politics. The project is backed with about £500,000 raised from Ben and Zac Goldsmith, sons of billionaire Sir James Goldsmith. Jeremy Deedes, former chief executive of the Telegraph Group, has been named chairman while Charlie Methven, a former Daily Telegraph journalist, and Max Aitken, great-grandson of the legendary Express Newspapers proprietor Lord Beaverbrook are also involved.
Chris Powell makes a surprise return to Charlton Athletic. The veteran left-back left The Valley for West Ham United last September and helped the Hammers return to the Premiership via the Play-Offs. The 35 year-old who won five England caps said ‘I’m delighted the opportunity arose for me to return to Charlton but it’s a very weird one to be truthful’.