Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi says that he would love to see England and Manchester United ace Wayne Rooney join at the Camp Nou in the future.

Argentina forward Messi thinks that few players have the class that Rooney possesses, which the South American believes would come to the fore with Barca.

He told the Daily Star:"It would be a dream to play with Rooney if Manchester United ever came to the point where they needed to sell him.

"I would personally go to the Barcelona president and ask that he be signed myself.

"There are always a handful of players in the world at any one time who can go down in the footballing history books.

"At the moment, there are maybe Cristiano Ronaldo, Rooney, Xavi and one or two more – but I can't think of one that plays with the desire of Rooney.

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"Ronaldo's ability is undoubted, but Rooney is not only the talent but the heart of the Manchester United team.

"I don't know if I will ever play with him, but if he ever wants to leave, he is one of the few talents that can improve this Barcelona team."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

A transfer window wouldn’t be the same without Klass Jan Huntelaar being linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur. Harry Redknapp has tried to sign the Dutch striker twice during his tenure, only to see his prize catch swim away to first Spain and then Italy.

Having already been snubbed in favour of a move to Real Madrid and AC Milan you could understand Redknapp showing reluctance in making a third attempt to sign Klass Jan Huntelaar; however the Dutchman has finally expressed an interest in moving to the Premier League. No doubt 18 months of sitting on the bench at the Bernabeu and the San Siro has gone a long way to give what he considers “an exciting league that would suit my game” a crack next season.

“Moving to England would be a great thing for me.

“A lot of great Dutch players have played in England – players I have admired like Dennis Bergkamp – and everyone wants to play there. It is one of the best leagues in Europe.

“I have been close in the past to coming to England with some clubs very interested in me but I chose to go to Milan. We will see what happens.

“Of course the Champions League is important but the most important thing for me is to play.” Mirror

So it begs the question should Redknapp look to make it third time lucky and attempt to bring Huntelaar to White Hart Lane? From a neutral looking in there is already abundance of striking talent, but with uncertainty over the long term futures of both Robbie Keane and Roman Pavlyuchenko, there could be room within the squad should Harry decide to cash in.

The possibility of a strike force consisting of Jermain Defoe and Huntelaar is certainly appealing and one that may give them a greater edge in their pursuit to retain a top four finish and progressing in the Champions League.

So would Tottenham fans like to see Huntelaar at White Hart Lane this summer, or would you rather Harry looked to strengthen the attack elsewhere?

Click on image below to see the Argentinean babes at the World Cup

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West Ham United could miss out on the signing of Nice striker Loic Remy because of the way they want to stagger their payments for the 23-year-old.

The Hammers had been in pole position to land the forward although Liverpool and Tottenham have now reportedly entered the chase to sign the player.

Nice president Gilbert Stellardo told L'Equipe:"For the moment it's the same status quo, but if Liverpool make an offer things will be done swiftly.

"The amount (offered by West Ham) suits me but not the payment method.

"West Ham want to buy Loic because they think he could rapidly be worth 10million euros more if he plays in England. They don't want us to pay the full sum all at once."

Remy scored 15 goals in 33 appearances last season to bring his tally for Nice to 25 goals in 66 matches.

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Stellardo has also confirmed that he is interested in signing Middlesbrough midfielder Didier Digard on loan again.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

James Morrison has revealed that he signed a new long-term contract with West Brom almost six months ago.

Graham Dorrans, Chris Brunt and Youssouf Mulumbu all penned new deals with the Baggies last month, but Scotland international Morrison signed a new three-year contract, plus a further year's option in the club's favour, in February.

He confirmed to the club's official website:"I wanted it kept low key because I wanted to concentrate on getting fit. I wanted to ensure I was over my injury when I signed it but it's quite settling to know that a club wants you to be part of their future.

"I was more than happy to sign it because I'm really happy at West Brom. I think I'm happier now than I've ever been and I'll probably think about settling in the Birmingham area.

"You obviously never know how football will go – there might be a manager here one day who wants something different. But while it's my choice, I'm happy to stay.

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"I like the club and I love playing at The Hawthorns and the atmosphere that's created by our fans. You sometimes go to a stadium and there's no noise – but it's compact at West Brom. It's good to play here."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester City have been paired with Italian giants Juventus in the draw for the group stage of the Europa League, with Salzburg and Lech Poznan completing Group A.

The Citizens have met Juve once before in European competition, in the 1976-77 UEFA Cup, winning 1-0 at Maine Road thanks to a Brian Kidd goal, before going down 2-0 in Turin to lose the first round tie.

Liverpool face a tough test in Group K, where they will take on Steaua Bucharest, Napoli and FC Utrecht.

The Reds have met Steaua once before in the competition, edging a second round tie 2-1 on aggregate in 2003-04, with Harry Kewell scoring an Anfield winner after the first leg in Romania ended 1-1.

Group A: Juventus, Manchester City, Salzburg, Lech Poznan.

Group B: Atletico Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, Rosenborg, Aris Thessaloniki.

Group C: Sporting Lisbon, Lille, Levski Sofia, Gent.

Group D: Villarreal, Club Brugge, Dinamo Zagreb, PAOK.

Group E: AZ Alkmaar, Dynamo Kyiv, BATE Borisov, Sheriff.

Group F: CSKA Moscow, Palermo, Sparta Prague, Lausanne.

Group G: Zenit St Petersburg, Anderlecht, AEK Athens, Hajduk Split.

Group H: Stuttgart, Getafe, Odense, Young Boys.

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Group I: PSV Eindhoven, Sampdoria, Metalist Kharkiv, Debrecen.

Group J: Sevilla, Paris St Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Karpaty Lviv.

Group K: Liverpool, Steaua Bucharest, Napoli, FC Utrecht.

Group L: FC Porto, Besiktas, CSKA Sofia, Rapid Vienna.Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Everton will be without Jack Rodwell for up to three months after the teenager damaged ankle ligaments.

The 19-year-old midfielder missed England Under-21s' recent double-header after being injured during the Toffees' 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa two weeks ago.

The Merseyside club's medical staff hoped a short period of rest would be enough for Rodwell to recover, but the injury has now proved worse that was his first diagnosed.

Rodwell was making his first Premier League start of the season against Villa but is now likely to be out of action until the New Year.

Meanwhile, Joseph Yobo has revealed that fears over his place in the Nigeria squad prompted him to seek a move away from Goodison Park.

Yobo joined Turkish side Fenerbahce on a season-long loan last week after falling down the pecking order in recent months.

"During that period, I was under intense pressure," he explained."But now, I am very much relieved and I can now give my 100 per cent to the game.

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"It was not easy for me, but I thank God that all is over.

"I have said it time and time again, my national assignment remains paramount to me whenever I'm going into any contract."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Manchester City are sitting on a valuable commodity in Shay Given. Arsenal are in desperate need of a quality goalkeeper. Manchester United have Edwin Van der Sar as first choice, but he is almost certainly in his last year as a player as he turned 40 yesterday. Both clubs can afford to pay for Given’s services, the only stumbling block is whether they can convince the Eastlands hierarchy to sell to their rivals.

Arsenal are one of the best run clubs in the league; this is partly down to their transfer policy in predominantly younger players, but it is a policy that should be ignored in their pursuit of a goalkeeper that could transform their team. Manchester United have debts as a result of the Glazers’ interests, but we should not be naïve in thinking that they cannot afford to make such a purchase.

In my opinion, Arsenal’s need for a new keeper is far greater than United’s. Van der Sar may be old, but he is still top draw, and is up to the challenge of the season ahead. As well as this, Tomasz Kuszczak is decent, not great, but a suitable back-up. He is a better goalkeeper than anything Arsenal can come up with at the moment, but he is not good enough to be Man Utd’s long-term successor to the Dutchman’s position.

For Arsenal, the situation is becoming more and more of a problem. The quality of the football being played at The Emirates becomes irrelevant if there is no confidence in the ability of their keeper. There are new defenders in their back four, and they need someone with experience, authority and exceptional communication to ease them into the Premier League.

[divider]

Given is 34, and so no blossoming talent, but would have at least three years at his peak, if not more. David James, Brad Friedel and Van der Sar himself are examples of how long goalkeepers can continue to play at the upper echelons, as long as they have the fitness and commitment; both qualities that Given possesses. The age he is would also mean that the transfer fee wouldn’t have to be exorbitant, if that was an issue in the first place.

This is all somewhat irrelevant however. Most know that the likes of Almunia, Fabianski and Kuszczak are not good enough to play for their respective clubs, that is not the issue. Somehow, the clubs in need will have to convince City to part with their reserve. They already have the best goalkeeping talent this country has produced in a very long time (a bit superlative I know, but he could genuinely be England’s goalkeeper for the next ten years), and so preventing Given from playing smacks a bit of unadulterated greed. What may change the situation is the man himself.

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Given has already claimed he is prepared to leave, and he is fully entitled to. At this stage in his career, he cannot afford to give away six months or a year to the substitutes bench. If he dug his heels in and reverted to (for want of a far better word/term) ‘player power’, telling his employers of his desire to leave, his wishes would probably be granted. Given is worth any amount of money Arsenal are willing to pay, and they should do all they possibly can to convince City to agree to do business. He has the potential to be integral to any team he plays for, Wenger should make Arsenal that team.

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Despite amassing transfer fees in excess of £75m moving between seven different clubs, Republic of Ireland international Robbie Keane finally found his ‘spiritual home’ at White Hart Lane and Tottenham in 2002.

After brief spells at Wolves, Coventry, Inter Milan and Leeds, hotshot Keane moved to North London from Yorkshire for £7m eight years ago and immediately made an impression with some electric performances in his debut season with Spurs. He went onto be named the club’s Player of the Year on three occasions and also became the first Tottenham player to score double figures over six consecutive seasons in the Premier League. In his first spell at the club the Irishman netted an impressive 107 times in 254 appearances, with 23 in 54 in 2007-08.

His performances attracted interest from Liverpool who promptly paid over £20m for the striker, who was tipped to form a lethal partnership with Spanish star Fernando Torres at Anfield. Yet after six months, seven goals and a failure to convince coach Rafael Benitez of his credentials, Keane’s move was dubbed a complete disaster and he returned to Tottenham with his tail firmly tucked between his legs.

Ireland’s greatest ever-goal failed to recapture his form on his return to Tottenham and was loaned out to Celtic for the second-half of last season. After being linked with a move to Aston Villa and Newcastle over the summer, Keane has made just one league start this season. Reports have also surfaced of a furious dressing room bust-up with manager Harry Redknapp after the striker missed a glorious chance to equalise with minutes remaining in a defeat to West Ham last month. Keane is badly struggling with confidence and has admitted he currently finds international football a release from his frustrations at club level:

“When you are not playing games, it’s very difficult,” said Keane. “I love playing football and find it hard when I’m not playing, but you have to get your head down and work hard in training, which I always do.

“I keep myself fit. You only get sharpness through playing games, and I have not played a lot lately, but the one thing is that I am fresh.

“When you are not involved at club level, it is a release to come over here and play games, so it’s something you look forward to.”

Spurs currently have a glittering array of attacking talent which simply cannot be accommodated in the same starting XI. Even with the absence of first-team regular Jermain Defoe, Keane has found playing time limited. Former Hammer Redknapp has preferred the strike partnership of Roman Pavlyuchenko and England international Peter Crouch on the majority of occasions, while a five-man midfield with new signing Rafael van der Vaart playing as a second striker has also been experimented with.

With the Dutch maestro from Madrid signing with just hours remaining on transfer deadline day, there was simply not enough time to offload an attacker to balance the books. It now seems however that the man who could make way this winter is Keane, who has had a spectacular fall from grace after being dropped as the club’s captain shortly after his return to White Hart Lane.

At 30, Keane will not want the later stages of his career warming the bench or have his chances limited to substitute appearances. It is now likely the former Coventry star will make an exit this January unless he is given more first-team chances. The club will have a hectic fixture list to contend with given their involvement in the Champions League and Keane may yet be given his chance. A club insider revealed however that Keane no longer knows where his lies following his dressing room bust-up with his manager, he revealed:

“It was pretty heated in the dressing room, but it’s part and parcel of the game.

“Robbie’s the sort of player who will always stick up for himself, but he’s not sure where his future is.”

There is no room for sentiment in football and despite the forward’s previously undisputed scoring record at White Hart Lane, his performances since returning to the club have been distinctly average. It may be time for Keane to move on once more before his stock amongst Spurs increasingly doubtful fans falls even further.

Do you think it is time for Keane to move on? Comment below-

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Top Ten- One Club Men

The Football Association have confirmed that Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has been charged with violent conduct over his clash with Blackburn Rovers' Morten Gamst Pedersen on Wednesday evening.

The 28-year-old later gestured that he had only slapped the Norwegian, but that is unlikely to wash, with TV pictures giving a perfect view of Barton's indiscretion during the 2-1 defeat at St James' Park.

An FA statement confirmed: Newcastle United midfielder Joey Barton has been charged with violent conduct by The FA, following an incident in his side's fixture with Blackburn Rovers on Wednesday 10 November.

"Barton has until 6pm on Friday 12 November to reply to the charge and under The FA's fast-track regulations may admit the charge and accept a standard three-match suspension."

Barton had earlier been slammed by Pedersen's Rovers team-mate Jason Roberts, who said:"Morten's turned round to apologise if you watch the footage to say sorry about that foul.

"We've all seen the footage, we all saw what happened, so it will be interesting to see what happens from now going on.

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"Morten is a lovely lad and he's never going to say anything to be controversial or make any wild statements, but you could see he was disappointed by what happened."Subscribe to Football FanCast News Headlines by Email

Article courtesy of Twisted Blood at ‘The Busby Way’

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There has been much talk about United’s unbeaten run. Since the 1-2 defeat by Chelsea last April (and he was miles offside), United have gone 25 games unbeaten across the end of last season and the beginning of this. In his piece yesterday, Yashi made the point that an unbeaten record may affect a team’s willingness to go for the win, as well as that a loss and a win is better that two draws (since three-for-a win came in in 1981/82).  Here’s a little further expansion on that point, looking at the last five years of the Premier League.

Recent history tells us that draws can seriously damage your health. In each of United’s last three title-winning seasons, the team finishing second actually lost two fewer games than United, but let too many points dribble away in stalemates. In 2008/09, Liverpool only lost twice all season, but drew 11; that’s 22 points dropped in games they didn’t lose. United lost 4, but only drew 6, and took the league by 4 points. Similarly, Chelsea amassed 10 draws in 2007/08 and 11 in 2006/07, despite losing only 3 games each season.

(In fact, in 2007/08, United lost the most games of any of the teams in the top four, with 5 defeats. Chelsea and Arsenal only lost 3, while Liverpool lost four. Yet United only drew 6 – compared to 10, 11 and 13 respectively — and that’s what made the difference.)

Obviously, in any individual game, a draw is better than a loss. But a lack of draws across a spread of games is a sign of a side trying to win, taking chances, going for the throat. At the top of the table that means win most, lose a few. That’s the United way. It goes without saying that most teams in the Premier League (including, hilariously, City) are happy with a draw against United, and when the opposition is happy, you shouldn’t be.

It needs to be remembered, of course, that this is a side awaiting the return of its most potent attacker, who’s been off in America doing star jumps: United will be hoping that Wayne Rooney‘s return can turn those draws into wins. And our title rivals have been obligingly dropping points in his absence. But one final statistical point: over the last five seasons, since Mourinho’s second title, no team has won the league having drawn more than 6 games. So far this season, it’s Manchester United: W 6, D 7.

Read more excellent Man United blogs at ‘The Busby Way’ website

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