Get ready to breathe a huge sigh of relief Manchester United fans, because Real Madrid are not going to try and take Wayne Rooney to Spain, yet.

After months of speculation surrounding a possible bid for England and United’s star striker it has finally been confirmed that Real will not make a move for Rooney this summer. Despite, Jose Mourinho being a huge admirer of the former Everton hitman, it seems the price is too steep now.

Florentino Perez told the gathered media yesterday that the Bernabeu club will not move for Rooney or Barcelona’s Lionel Messi before the new season, but that may not end the speculation.

However, the Real Madrid president was not so clear on potential offers for Liverpool’s Steven Gerrard, Arsneal’s Cesc Fabregas and Chelsea pair Ashley Cole and Frank Lampard. It seems that at least one, and possibly more, of these will be playing in the white of Madrid in August.

There are fresh rumours this morning of a £32m bid from Madrid for Liverpool captain Gerrard. If true, then it’s a sign of real intent on behalf of the La Liga runners-up.

It seems that United can plan for the future with Wayne Rooney but the future is less certain for the rest of the Premier League big boys.

Are Real Madrid readying themselves for another assault on the Premier League? It seems so!

Real president Florentino Perez has today confirmed that the Spanish giants are looking to make “two or three big signings” before the start of next season. And if their antics of last summer are anything to go by, the Premier League elite should prepare now.

In recent months Madrid have been linked to a host of stars from England, with Manchester United Wayne Rooney apparently topping their list of targets. A £95m bid has been mooted from the Spanish capital and would test the Old Trafford club’s resolve to keep their star man.

Other targets include Rooney’s United team-mates Patrice Evra and Nemanja Vidic, while Chelsea duo Frank Lampard and Ashley Cole have been strongly linked with moves to Spain. Earlier today there were also noises about a possible bid to hijack Barcelona’s attempts to sign Cesc Fabregas from Arsenal. Fabregas’ Emirates colleague Gael Clichy has been linked to Barcelona today, but Madrid is said to be his preferred destination.

Jose Mourinho has barely got his feet under the desk at the Santiago Bernabeu but it seems he is already showing his desire to make his mark in Madrid.

Who do you expect to end up joining Mourinho at the Bernabeu? Could the former Chelsea boss take the English trio of Rooney, Lampard and Cole? I wouldn’t bet against it!

New Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is lining up a sensational £95million world record deal for Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney that would rip Old Trafford apart.

In a move that would surely end the title hopes of his old friend Sir Alex Ferguson, Mourinho wants to take the England striker to the Santiago Bernabeu to partner him with Gonzalo Higuain and Cristiano Ronaldo.

It is widely expected that Brazilian superstar Kaka, signed for almost £60m last summer, will be sold by Mourinho to help finance his efforts to build a ‘team’ in the Spanish capital. Whether the former AC Milan playmaker will be used as a makeweight in the deal is unknown, but Champions League winning boss Mourinho is desperate to get his man. Real president Florentino Perez is willing to pay whatever it takes to lure Rooney to La Liga.

Relations are rocky, at best, between the two clubs but Mourinho wants to exploit his friendship with Ferguson to get a deal off the ground. There is enough conjecture surrounding the finances at Old Trafford to fill New York’s Public Library but an offer of almost £100m, for one player, could be too good to turn down.

With a reported £734m worth of debt on their books, the chance to wipe a considerable amount of that off in one hit would be a great opportunity for the Glazer family. Whether the fans would accept it is highly debateable. To lose their star turn to Madrid for the second successive summer would be a bitter pill to swallow. The ridicule of being looked up as a ‘feeder club’ for Real would be of even greater embarrassment. After all, this is a club that prides itself on being one of the biggest in the world.

The prospect of the new, matured Rooney in tandem with the spectacular Ronaldo and free-scoring Higuain would be mouth-watering for Madridistas everywhere. Former Everton striker Rooney fits the Mourinho mould perfectly. He is hard-working and willing to sacrifice himself for the team, something Mourinho believes he will not get from Kaka, hence his increasing level of interest.

Could Rooney be tempted? Well, possibly. Rooney is very proud of his roots in the North-West of England, but will there ever be a better time to move to Spain? His baby son Kai has just been born and could be brought up in the Spanish capital. His earnings would rocket into a whole new stratosphere. His wife, Colleen, would welcome the warmer, sunnier climate of Madrid. Wayne might even like it too.

Of course, Rooney loves his life at Manchester United and has said on numerous occasions that he wants to end his career at the Theatre of Dreams. He is the idol of every man, woman and child inside Old Trafford and believes he is lucky to have the chance to play for Ferguson.

But, and there always is a but in these circumstances, Ferguson will retire one day and the uncertainty may eventually unsettle Rooney. Might he be tempted to jump ship before the chance disappears? Could United realistically turn down £95m?

If Rooney leaves Old Trafford for the Bernabeu then the tradition and status of Manchester United would go with him. For the sake of Manchester United Football Club, Jose Mourinho, for once, must not get his way. For the sake of Manchester United Football Club, Real Madrid must be told to ‘go whistle’. For the sake of Manchester United Football Club, Wayne Rooney must stay at Old Trafford.

Can Real tempt Rooney to leave Manchester? What would it mean for United?

Fernando Torres goes into next month’s World Cup with his head spinning after a torrid season at Liverpool. Rumour has it he wants away from Anfield this summer, but where will he end up?

Chelsea, Manchester City and Barcelona are all known to be admirers of El Nino but more will try their luck if the Spaniard becomes available.

Liverpool will be in a strong position should their star man follow Cesc Fabregas’ path and request a move. Rafa Benitez will be able to start a bidding war. So, let’s assess the major contenders for his signature.

Chelsea: The Blues are allegedly at the front of the queue for Torres and they could certainly compete should a likely bidding war ensue. Backed by Roman Abramovich’s billions Carlo Ancelotti would fancy his chances of netting arguably the world’s finest striker. But, do Chelsea need him? They do have Didier Drogba after all. Drogba won the Golden Boot this season and Torres is highly susceptible to injury. He could cost upwards of £70million, surely Chelsea would be better served refreshing their team in other areas.

Manchester City: Torres is widely speculated to be Roberto Mancini’s number one target. Wages? Whatever Torres wants. Fee? Whatever Liverpool want. Money is not a problem for City, but they have one big problem and it’s called the Champions League. The primary reason for Torres leaving Anfield would be the lure of Champions League football, something the Eastlands outfit cannot offer. The former Atletico Madrid captain is motivated by success, not his bank balance, so a move to City does not make sense.

Barcelona: The prospect is mouthwatering. Lionel Messi, David Villa and Fernando Torres as a three-pronged forward line would be unstoppable. With Xavi, Andres Iniesta and, in all likelihood, Fabregas the supply line would be constant and deadly. But, can Barcelona afford him? And, do they even need him? They have Zlatan Ibrahimovic too and he wants to prove himself at the Camp Nou. Having already spent £40million on Villa and £60million last year on Ibrahimovic, can they justify £70million on Torres. Pep Guardiola knows what he is doing and Torres, Messi and Villa seems too good to be true…it probably is.

Real Madrid: It is no secret that Torres has said he will never play in the white of Real. He is Atletico born and bred, he was their youngest ever captain and is still a legend at the Vicente Calderon. Torres would not sacrifice his reputation, standing and legacy with the Atletico faithful to join Jose Mourinho (as seems almost guaranteed now) at the Santiago Bernabeu. I’m sorry Madridistas this will simply not happen.

Inter Milan: Italian football is back! Inter Milan and Jose Mourinho claimed the Champions League in Madrid this week, so Serie A can consider itself back in the big time. Internazionale are rich enough to stay in the race for Torres but will they be as successful next season? Mourinho is on his way to Spain and Inter cannot guarantee that the new boss will be able to keep them in the hunt for the biggest prizes. Torres wants trophies and, with Mourinho, Inter would stand a great chance. Without the Portuguese, I can’t see Torres moving to Italy.

Manchester United: Contrary to popular belief, the Red Devils could afford Torres’ potentially massive transfer fee. But, and it’s a very sizeable but, Fernando Torres plays for Liverpool. He is not a mercenary, he has morals and he loves the Liverpool fans. He will never move to the other end of the East Lancs Road. Torres to United is a complete non-starter.

So, the big question, where will Fernando Torres start next season? I know where I would be putting my money. Liverpool. He will not go to Real or United. City are not in the Champions League and Inter are about to lose Jose Mourinho. The only real possibilities are Chelsea and Barcelona. However, neither of them need to spend £70million on him.

Whether he likes it or not…El Nino is stuck at Anfield.

Jose Mourinho’s first act as Real Madrid manager will be an official offer to Chelsea for Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba.

It is widely acknowledged that tonight’s Champions League final, at the Santiago Bernabeu, will mark the end of Mourinho’s Inter Milan reign. It is cruel for fans of the Serie A Champions that it will also come at the home of the club who have stolen him away…Real Madrid.

Speculation that had been mounting for months has finally turned into acceptance that the controversial Portuguese will begin next season in charge of the Madrid giants. In fact, the former Chelsea boss is already planning moves that will send shockwaves through Europe.

Mourinho knows how attached the Chelsea squad are to him after guiding them to their first two Premier League titles. Not only does he know it, he intends to use it to his advantage.

It was only two years ago that Lampard openly flirted with the idea of moving to Italy when Mourinho came calling for him. Ultimately he decided to stay but this time Mourinho thinks he will get his man. Madrid are confident that an offer of £25million will be enough to convince Chelsea to release their 20-goal-a-season midfielder. That price represents a bargain for Madrid who want to partner the England midfielder with Xabi Alonso and an unnamed defensive midfielder, believed to be Liverpool target Javi Martinez.

Recently axed Real boss Manuel Pellegrini operated with Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka as free spirits. Mourinho rarely affords players such freedom and even with the expectations of the Bernabeu faithful, he will not change his methods. Ronaldo is expected to be assigned the right and Kaka the left of an attacking triumvate headed by another Chelsea hero, Didier Drogba.

Mourinho brought Drogba to England from Marseille and in the aftermath of his sudden departure the Ivory Coast forward became unsettled at the Bridge. Drogba enjoyed a sensational season as he fired Chelsea to a third Premier League title and won the Golden Boot in the process but the lure of Real Madrid and Mourinho would be too much for Drogba resist.  Real President Florentino Perez has put aside a further £30million to make Mourinho’s dream of teaming Drogba with Ronaldo and Kaka a reality.

The earth shattering double offer will be in the offices of Stamford Bridge as soon as Mourinho completes his switch to the Bernabeu. Chelsea will not be happy, but they may not have a choice. Financially the offers represent good value for two players in their 30’s and Roman Abramovich is now trying to run the club as an effective business after years of excess.

The problem is, it would rip the very spine of Carlo Ancelotti’s title-winning team apart. The Blues may be able to negotiate a deal for Gonzalo Higuain in part-exchange but Lampard and Drogba are integral to Chelsea’s style and losing either could be calamitous. To lose both…catastrophic!

Can Mourinho pull off this major double coup? If he can, does it confirm the shift in the balance of power to La Liga?

Manchester City are intent on delivering a hammer blow to Barcelona’s hopes of signing Cesc Fabregas.

Rumours are swirling around Eastlands that Chief Executive Garry Cook has been authorised to make a stunning £65million bid for the Spanish international. The news will devastate fans at the Camp Nou who were desperately waiting to see the midfielder return to light up Catalonia.

It is believed that City made a last gasp effort to convince David Villa that he should move to England with an extraordinary £350,000 per week contract. However, the former Valencia striker turned down the cash to stay in Spain with Barcelona. The Catalan giants were riled by City’s attempt to snatch Villa and will no doubt be fuming that the Citizens are now plotting to blow them out of the water in the race for Fabregas.

Roberto Mancini’s side have been linked to just about everybody in recent days but an Eastlands insider confirmed: “There have been talks about a bid for Fabregas. The money is about the same as [Fernando] Torres.”

Fabregas has expressed his desire to leave the Emirates and Barca were expecting to negotiate a deal with Arsenal his services before the World Cup. However, City’s interest, and belief that they can attract another superstar, means Fabregas’ future may have to be decided on his return from South Africa.

City do not expect Fabregas to sign for them but the move demonstrates their power in the market. The former Barcelona trainee will be offered wages in the region £250,000 a week (after tax) by the Eastlands outfit who will not give up until the 23-year-old signs on the dotted line at the Camp Nou.

The only problem for City is that they are also considering a move for Barca striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic who would be available for about £45million. However, with City driving the cost of Fabregas’ transfer up then Barca will undoubtedly may want more cash to part with the Swede who has failed to set the world alight in Spain.

Can City take Fabregas to Manchester? It would be a massive coup, and you just never know…..

Back to his boyhood heroes and the team he lead for so many years, after he bitterly lost the fitness race for the previous encounter, he will be raring to go this time around. It was his goals that secured Liverpool their place in the semi-final after a closely fought battle with Benfica where Liverpool were 4-1 winners in the second leg with a 5-3 win overall on aggregate. His fitness looked questionable after being taken off in the 86th minute, where he headed straight for the tunnel and was not on the pitch for the final whistle celebration. He will be more than excited at the prospect of going to back to his old stomping ground the Vicente Calderón stadium. where he was adored my many and still is to this day. no doubt his name will be chanted with pride on the night, afterall he may have moved on but he is still a Atleti boy at heart. he may be gone from but never forgotten in the heart of every true Athletico fan. Fernando Torres ALWAYS will be a hero in the minds of all surrounding the club.

The Question is will Fernando rule with his head or his heart on the night ?

Maxi Rodriguez also came to us from Athletico Madrid but will be unable to face his old club due to being inelligable after playing for them in Europe this season.

The game will be extremely close and Athletico are an extremely strong team, as many will remember from the two legs against them previously, my prediction is for a 1-1 draw in the first leg and Liverpool will edge the second leg by a slender lead of 2-1.

The second half of the encounter was arguably an even affair, but two defensive mistakes later and Arsenal were 2-nil down. Game over, one would think. Barca had not only one, but two away goals and they thought they had the job done.

Not sure whether it was as a result of Barcelona taking their foot off the gas or of Arsenal’s never-say-die attitude, but all of a sudden, Arsenal had pulled a goal back and it was game on. Theo Walcott had only been introduced as a substitute for less than 5 minutes, but his impact was instant. His unbelievable pace, something the Barca defence seemed unaccustomed to, was the key. He scored the first goal and was involved in the build-up that led to the penalty for the second goal.

Barca were 2-nil up and cruising with 25 minutes to go, and yet the match ended 2-2. They looked assured on the ball and were very much up to the task of snuffing out Arsenal’s potent attack. Then something changed. Raw pace was introduced into the game and with it, uncertainty in the minds of the Barcelona players. Their passing was no longer as fluent and the defenders looked worried. Arsenal seized the initiative and the tables were turned; they looked the more assured team. Deservedly they were level, and were it not for the fact that Cesc Fabregas was injured for the remainder of the game, even though he stayed on the pitch, they could have gone on to win it, as Barcelona were down to 10 men. But they had to settle for 2-2, with the wind in their sails, and the realisation that they have something with which to torment Barcelona- pace.

That was Part 1 at the Emirates. Now it’s time for Part 2.

A 2-2 score line from the first game means things are finely balanced. With the away goals, Barca have the advantage, but a very slim one. Both teams have selection headaches and it’s a shame we won’t be seeing a battle involving their best players.

Barcelona will be missing their first-choice central defenders- Puyol and Pique- through suspension and will also be missing striker Ibrahimovic, who scored both goals at the Emirates. They may only be able to call upon the services of talented midfielder Iniesta, from the bench. He was missing from the first leg due to injury but has been passed fit for the game. Reports though, suggest that he will only be on the bench.

Arsenal might argue that injuries have hit them much harder. Already missing influential striker Robin van Persie since November last year, they will be missing their most important playmaker and Captain, Cesc Fabregas, through injury (he would have been suspended, even if he were fit). Midfield-general Alex Song will also be missing, alongside first-choice central defender William Gallas and Andrei Arshavin, who was always going to be guaranteed a starting berth because of his ability to create something out of nothing. Arsenal also have fitness worries over back-up central defender, Sol Campbell, and midfielder Tomas Rosicky.

So with a number of influential players missing from both sides, who will be the key players on each side?

Barcelona- Despite both goals coming from Ibrahimovic in the first leg, Barcelona’s best player was arguably Xavi. Xavi is one of the pass-masters of the game and hardly ever gives away the ball. His range of passing is exceptional and he can always be counted upon to deliver the perfect final ball. He did that at the Emirates last Wednesday and he does it all the time at the Nou Camp. Arsenal have to be careful and not give him too much time and space to pick out a pass. He’s less effective when you close him down, although he has that ability to pull out something special, even when under pressure.

The other key player to watch will be Messi. He may not have scored at the Emirates, but he was indirectly involved in both goals through his off-the-ball movement. I mentioned earlier that both goals conceded were as a result of defensive mistakes, but those mistakes were caused by Messi. For both goals, Messi dropped a bit deep, pulling one of Arsenal’s central defenders, Vermaelen with him. What this meant was that space was created in between both central defenders for Ibrahimovic to run into once the ball was played into him, and Vermaelen couldn’t recover in time to get a tackle in. Alex Song, deputising in central defence, wasn’t close enough to him to stop him either. Ibrahimovic took all the headlines, but both goals were aided by good movement by Messi. If he keeps dragging the defenders all over the place, it leaves space for other players to exploit. Arsenal have to be careful not to fall into that trap. But not only is he capable of creating goals for others, he’s very good at scoring them too! His goal-scoring form this season has been sensational, so that’s another threat he poses.

As for Arsenal, Cesc would undoubtedly have featured on the ‘key players’ list, but in his absence, other players will have to step up. The person most likely to be his direct replacement is Nasri. He had a stormer when he replaced Cesc for the Porto game and was influential in the 5-0 demolition. He creates goals and also scores them. Barca will need to be wary of him as most of Arsenal’s play will most likely go through him. He’s played most of the season on the wings, but his preferred position is in central midfield and he will be looking to make that position permanently his.

The other key player for Arsenal has to be Theo Walcott. The Spanish press were full of praise for Theo after the first leg because of the impact he had. And with Barca’s first choice central defenders missing, his pace will be crucial in unsettling them early doors. Theo’s final ball can sometimes be erratic, but it has improved. I also think he can excel on the big stage and is more suited to playing teams that like Barca who aren’t overly physical. The dilemma is whether he will be more effective from the start, or towards the end against tired legs. His impact either way, may well decide the tie. The eyes of practically the whole football world will be on him. Will he be able to deliver? He did so for England against Croatia in Zagreb and a repeat performance would be more than welcome.

One thing for certain though, irrespective of the result today, is that it will serve up a spectacle. The first leg, dubbed ‘Arsenola’ by some was an amazing game. And with a spot in the semi-final still up for grabs, no doubt ‘Barcenal’ would be another night to remember. As a Gooner, I’d hope it’d be a memorable night for us as it would surely be one of those nights that write a special Chapter in our illustrious history, especially as the odds are very heavily stacked against us.

So who will be the heroes tonight- Xavi, Messi and co or Nasri, Theo and co? We’ll soon find out.

"You know what Lionel? I think I might call it a day..."

There are the most ridiculous rumours circling at the moment, especially with regard to the future of some managers, and it really makes you stop and think: who on earth thinks the printing of such nonsense is a good idea? Yes, the Premier League season is over and the British press obviously needs to do something to occupy themselves over the Summer, and making up ridiculous rumours is pretty much their fallback for times like this when the news may have slowed.

But a couple of rumours that I heard in particular annoyed me. Firstly, I heard the absolutely insane suggestion that some newspapers had reported that Pep Guardiola, fresh from his first season in management, during which he won the treble (the freaking treble) with Barcelona, may be considering retirement. I just have to say that I cannot even begin to comprehend the absolute inane stupidity of that suggestion.

Yes, we all know of the old cliches that you should “quit while you’re ahead” or “bow out at the top”, but this is ridiculous. There is an argument that Guardiola can hardly hope to surpass this season’s achievements in the rest of his managerial career, but hell he’s going to try! He’s inspired what is arguably one of the greatest domestic sides ever seen to a famous treble and people genuinely think that it’s worth printing a story that he may step down? I’m pretty sure that even the most gullible people in the world will struggle to swallow that one.

Next up, are the suggestions doing the rounds that Owen Coyle, the man who has taken Burnley up to the Premier League via the playoffs, could be off to Celtic. Now of course, Coyle as a Scotsman may indeed harbour ambitions to manage Celtic one day, but I think I am right in saying that that day does not come so soon after he has reached the Premier League.

Because yes, Celtic are a bigger club than Burnley and offer him the chance to manage in Europe. But overall, the quality of the Scottish League is far lower than the Premier League, which is the best league in the world at present. So while there is a slight shred of plausibility about this one, I think we really need to take a step back and ask ourselves why these rumours are being given the time of day.

I just think that it is pretty sad that we cannot go even a few days without the emergence of some sort of wild rumour. It’s like being back at school, with gossip flying around the playground. I know that these newspapers are in the business of sales, but I fail to believe that someone is gonna pick a paper up off a newstand, flick through and see the headline “Guardiola to retire” or “Coyle to Celtic” and think “you know, there’s something in that, I’ll buy this paper”.

Surely even the most desperate football fan, in the very depths of the off season when he is completely starved of any sort of news of signings or any real, worthwhile goings on in the world of football would instead think “what a load of crap, with that sort of desperate journalism, I’m sure no one will ever by this paper”. I think what frustrates me the most is that here we are, facing a barren, football-less period, and all I have to look forward to are these ridiculous absurd rumours all summer.

That’s not a great prospect. I’m not saying that I’ll be able to come up with something better, and though I usually post new articles daily on my site I’m expecting to struggle to maintain that over the off-season. I’ve accepted that, and though it’s disappointing, I don’t think I’m going to have to resort to fabricating wild speculation to fill in the void.

Just imagine how the fans of the two clubs involved feel. Barcelona’s fans, if any of them are yet sober enough to be able to read, will look at the paper and (assuming that they’re gullible enough to believe it, which they almost certainly aren’t, but it’s just to make a point) be devastated at the thought that Guardiola, their hero, the man who has brought them such a stunning season, could be about to slip away just as suddenly as he stepped in to their club.

Likewise Burnley fans (assuming a similar suspension of disbelief with regard to their IQs) would be appalled to find that the man who has led them into the promised land that is Premier League football could be jumping ship to go and compete in a two horse race. Surely, they’ll think, he should have at least one go at the Premier League that he fought so hard to reach.

And of course he should, just as Guardiola will attempt to defend his titles next season. This sort of ridiculous rumour-mongering sums up everything that is wrong with the British press. They don’t care who they insult, who they undermine and who they fool, as long as there could be a bit of shock value in it, they’ll report it. But it’s supposed to be about delivering news or at least (as in my case) educated opinions. The mere fabrication of implausible lies is devaluing the entire industry and frustrating a lot of fans.

If I were you this summer, I’d steer clear from these types of stories as there’s nothing except comedic value in them. It is going to be a long and barren summer in terms of football, but I think that in turning to the tabloids out of desperation you will only make it worse for yourself.

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