Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says world player of the year Zinedine Zidane wants to join the Spanish club, but emphasised the Frenchman would have to take the first move if the transfer was to go through.
"Zidane wants to play for Real Madrid, but that desire isn't enough on its
own," Perez said yesterday. "First, he must speak to Juventus to find out what the club's response is to a possible transfer."
Juventus have insisted all along that the French midfielder is not for sale.
"Whatever is said in Spain doesn't affect us in the slightest," Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi said.
"The agents and the radio stations are trying to take him to Spain, but he is not going."
Speculation has been growing in the Spanish media that Real will go on the offensive for Zidane, claiming that the French international is keen to move to Spain for personal reasons.
Spanish sports daily Marca claimed that Zidane's agent, Alain Miglaccio, had told them the striker no longer wanted to stay at Juventus and did not understand why the Italian club would not accept the decision.
It has been reported that Real Madrid are prepared to break the world-record transfer fee and pay up to 12,000 million pesetas ($61.56 million) for Zidane.
But Perez said the club had made no such offer. "The figures are just rumours."
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Sol Campbell's £50 million ($171.5 million) deal to move to Spanish giants Barcelona has been threatened by an amazing bust-up over his contractual demands.
At one stage, Barcelona decided to pull out of negotiations because of what club insiders described as "amateurish demands" from the England and former Tottenham star.
Even if the differences are ironed out, there may still be lingering tension should Campbell join the Catalan club.
A Barcelona source revealed: "Campbell wanted two to three days each month set aside so that he could go to London, with the plane fare paid for by Barcelona. He wanted this as an official clause in his contract.
"We did not regard this as a serious possibility or a particularly impressive piece of professionalism, given the wages he would have received.
"Imagine in April or May, when Barcelona are playing two matches each week, and our key defender insisted on going back to London.
"These demands, through the agent Sky Andrew, threatened everything and we have been trying to sort it out."
Barcelona's displeasure may let in Inter Milan.
An Inter spokesman said: "We know that Sol is also interested in Barcelona, but we have a feeling that our financial offer is the highest.'
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United have also been interested.
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Patrick Vieira says he wants to leave Arsenal because he needs a new challenge after five years at the premier league club.
The France midfielder, who is on holiday in the United States, said he had told Arsenal that he did not intend to sign a new deal and that he wanted to leave to fulfil his personal ambitions.
"I had a meeting with Arsene Wenger and the club's vice-chairman [David Dein] two days before I went on holiday to America," the 25-year-old said. "I told them I was not going to renew my contract for a third time, that I wanted to leave and that it was nothing to do with money because that was not an issue to me.
"This is not about Arsenal, but about my personal ambitions as a player.
"I felt, and people should respect this, that I need a new challenge after five years at the club.
"I feel if I go to a new environment I can raise my game to a new level."
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Former Real Madrid and Steaua Bucharest midfielder Gheorghe Hagi is ready to take over as Romania's new coach, his agent said yesterday.
Hagi, who ended his playing career last month, would replace Ladislau Boloni, who resigned last week to join Portuguese club Sporting Lisbon.
"Hagi is ready to sign with Romania this week," agent Ioan Becali said.
"He has only to clarify a few technical and administrative details with the Romanian Soccer Federation."
Hagi said at the weekend that it was an honour for any former player to coach his country's team.
"I think I could do a good job after 26 years spent in soccer, of which 18 were as a professional player.
"I'm well prepared to inspire a team, to implement my ideas on the pitch.
"Soccer has no secret for me and I can lead a strong European club or a national team through to victory."
Hagi, 36, played 125 matches, 86 as captain, for Romania and scored 35 goals.
He also turned out for Barcelona, Brescia and Galatasaray.
He last played for Romania's national team at the Euro 2000 finals.
Romania are in second place in European World Cup group eight.
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British-born Trinidad and Tobago coach Ian Porterfield has no intentions of resigning as coach, despite the team's dismal record in the Concacaf World Cup qualifiers.
Trinidad and Tobago lost the fourth of their five matches when going down 0-2 to the United States.
The loss followed defeats to Honduras, Costa Rica and Jamaica.
Their only point came from a draw with Mexico, and they have no chance of qualifying for next year's finals.
But Porterfield, who guided the Soca Warriors to the Copa Caribe title last month, said he had no intentions of giving up the job.
"No, I have no thoughts of that," he said.
"I don't know what is going to happen and I have been hearing all kinds of stories, but no one has said anything to me.
"I just think that we've given away a lot of silly goals, and when you give away silly goals, you're certainly not going to win."
Porterfield said Trinidad and Tobago had lost to a more organised, experienced and disciplined United States team.
"I think our lads, up until this phase of the tournament, did well and the facts prove that.
"But with America, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Honduras and Mexico at this stage, it's been much harder."
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Tottenham midfielder Darren Anderton is close to signing a new deal to stay at the club, according to his agent, Leon Angel.
Angel said Anderton was expected to sign a new three-year contract after being convinced by manager Glenn Hoddle that he has a key part to play in his plans.
Hoddle recently lost the battle to keep Sol Campbell, but Anderton is reported to be encouraged by the signing of Teddy Sheringham from Manchester United.
Uruguayan midfielder Gustavo Poyet has also recently arrived at the club from Chelsea.
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George Graham has emerged as the leading contender for the Southampton managerial vacancy in the English premier league.
British papers claimed that Graham, the former manager of Tottenham, Leeds, Arsenal and Millwall, was interviewed for the job at the weekend.
Southampton have been searching for a new manager since March, when Hoddle left to take over at Spurs.
- AGENCIES
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez says world player of the year Zinedine Zidane wants to join the Spanish club, but emphasised the Frenchman would have to take the first move if the transfer was to go through.
"Zidane wants to play for Real Madrid, but that desire isn't enough on its
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