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Rodgers must spend Sterling cash wisely

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Brendan Rodgers has a mixed transfer record at best at Anfield and needs to use his swollen piggy bank wisely.

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It is imaginable that among those who represent Raheem Sterling, there was a sense of amusement when Brendan Rodgers was photographed without him yesterday as he tried to explain at a Bangkok hotel why club and player had separated on good terms. Supposedly, the Liverpool manager was snapped all-too often with an arm around Sterling's shoulders during training sessions, a Byzantine attempt, they say, to make it seem like a father was at work, guiding his son on the righteous path through career and life.

But Sterling, who was too tired at one stage last season to play for England, was tired of Liverpool, allegedly tired of Rodgers and tired of being told he was only worthy of becoming the third most valuable player in wage terms at the Premier League's sixth-placed club last season. Meanwhile second-placed Manchester City were prepared to make him the most expensive Englishman in football history.

Those making the decisions at Liverpool, however, consider that Jordon Ibe has as much if not more potential than Sterling. So, having secured, in May, a five-year deal for someone who wants to be there, for a fraction of the wage being offered to someone who does not, the £49m for Sterling is good business.

The process means Sterling's agent, Aidy Ward, instantly becomes a millionaire and it is clear he has not given his client the best advice in how to secure his move painlessly: that BBC interview and the no-shows at training leave a sour taste. Liverpool fans are left to lurch between the consolation of the astronomical figure and the fact, for the second summer running, Liverpool have lost arguably their most exciting talent - and this time strengthened a rival.

Liverpool, it will be said, have become a “selling club”, but this ignores the fact that historically they have not been defined by the players they've sold but by whom they have recruited. Ever since Kenny Dalglish sent chief scout Geoff Twentyman into early retirement upon his appointment as player-manager in 1985, it is an area Liverpool have struggled in and helps explain, in part, why they have not won the league in 25 years.

Rodgers has a mixed transfer record at best at Anfield and needs to use his swollen piggy bank wisely. Liverpool's next move - likely to be for Aston Villa's Christian Benteke - must work - and Ibe must be helped to kick on. Then the Sterling decision will be vindicated. Get it wrong and Rodgers might not be in the position next summer to defend his transfer policy. – The Independent

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Martinez targets Europe return

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has expressed his desire for the club to make a swift return to European competition.

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Singapore - Everton manager Roberto Martinez admitted that last season's disappointing campaign was impacted by the side's run to the last 16 of the Europa League but the Spaniard wants nothing more than to compete in the tournament again.

In his first season on Merseyside, Everton finished an impressive fifth but were mired in the bottom half of the table for much of the last campaign before they moved up to 11th on a run of good form after their European exit to Dynamo Kiev.

“If the question is 'does playing in the Europa League have an impact on the league?' then the answer is clearly 'yes',” Martinez told reporters on Tuesday in Singapore, where the club are playing in the Premier League Asia Trophy.

“It's different when you are playing in Europe season after season, you get that mentality and habits and into a position where you can cope with it a lot better,” added the Spaniard ahead of Wednesday's opening game against Stoke City.

Arsenal and a Singapore Select XI are the other teams in the lucrative pre-season event.

“Psychologically it's very tough... like having to go to Russia on a Thursday and arriving back on a Friday afternoon to face Manchester United at Old Trafford on an early Sunday kickoff is a physical aspect that will affect you,” he added.

“It is a lesson that we have learned, we matured and we got better. But that is our aim. We want to be in those situations, to be playing in Europe year after year but that is something that is becoming harder in our league as you can imagine.

“There are probably five teams preparing this season to try and win the title and there's another three or four teams with financial backing to get into Europe so it becomes harder and harder. But it is still our aim and one of our targets.”

Martinez has brought in a few new signings since the transfer window opened but does not expect any acquisitions similar to the club record 28 million pounds ($43.30 million) they paid for Belgian striker Romelu Lukaku a year ago.

“We are trying to build on what we have done in the last four windows and sometimes you need to spend big to bring in specific players,” he added.

“Now we have a strong group with some of the most exciting youngsters you will see in the league. I think the mixture is perfect and rather than talking about what we need, we are more concerned with how good we can be with the players we have.”

Club captain Phil Jagielka agreed.

“Obviously we spent a lot of money last year getting in the striker we needed but if you look around the squad, it's really well balanced,” the England defender said.

“Previously we have aimed for a Champions League slot at the start of the season and see how we get on. The manager would love us to win something and so would the players.

“We have really high standards at the club and we let ourselves down and never really got the momentum we needed last season. A lot of people are blaming the Europa League but we want to finish in the European positions in the coming season.

“Hopefully we can start well and achieve that. That can only be a good thing.” – Reuters

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Will Sterling justify his price tag?

Manchester City will find out soon whether Raheem Sterling has the ability to justify his enormous price tag.

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London - Manchester City are about to find out whether Raheem Sterling has the ability to justify his enormous price tag or is just another over-rated young English footballer motivated purely by his bank balance.

City are investing 49 million pounds ($76.2 million) on the fleet-footed and tricky forward in the hope that he can provide the sparkle to bring the Premier League trophy back to the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling, 20, will become the the most expensive English player ever when he completes his move from Liverpool, the club where he made his name before controversially rejecting a new contract.

Liverpool have first-hand experience of the pitfalls of splashing out big money on unproven young English players.

In 2011 they paid Newcastle United 35 million pounds for striker Andy Carroll but sold him to West Ham United for less than half the price two years later.

City finished eight points behind Premier League champions Chelsea last season and manager Manuel Pellegrini knew he had an ageing group of players.

Sterling's arrival will inject energy and youthful exuberance to a squad with an average age of around 29.

The England winger, who signed for Liverpool as a 15-year-old from Queens Park Rangers in 2010, can operate on the right, left or down the middle and will give City the option of playing with a 4-2-3-1 or 4-4-2 formation.

If Sterling can strike up the same partnership with City striker Sergio Aguero as he did with Luis Suarez during the Uruguayan's spell at Liverpool, then Pellegrini's side could challenge Chelsea.

However, former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes City have paid over the odds for Sterling.

“At Liverpool, sometimes he was outstanding, but in the second half of last season he tailed off a bit,” Carragher told Sky Sports. “The same thing will happen at Man City because he's still only young.

“Raheem Sterling - at this stage of his career and what he's done up to now - is possibly worth around 30 million pounds.

“In the next three or four years, if Sterling can take City to a couple of Premier League titles, more success in the Champions League, they will say he's been worth it.” – Reuters

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Wenger unfazed by rivals’ big spending

Arsène Wenger’s summer spending has been limited to £11m on goalkeeper Petr Cech.

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Arsène Wenger flew in for a pre-season tournament here in Singapore last night and allowed himself a knowing smile after learning two of his Premier League rivals had spent nearly £100m in a day boosting their squads.

But either his renegade goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny had slipped him some laughing gas during the 13-hour flight or the Arsenal manager genuinely is not worried. Wenger denied he had ever shown an interest in rivalling Manchester City's £49m move for Raheem Sterling and indicated Manchester United also might have overpaid in their deals for Bastian Schweinsteiger and Morgan Schneiderlin.

Wenger said: “It is no surprise first of all they go to clubs where the money is. It is one thing having money, but now we have to spend it in the right way, but they are all top-class players. I like Schneiderlin, Schweinsteiger and Sterling, but offensively we have plenty of players. United came out of the season thinking they had to replace their midfield. They did it by buying two important players.”

Wenger's summer spending has been limited to £11m on goalkeeper Petr Cech. Mikel Arteta, the Arsenal captain who has signed a one-year contract, expressed his surprise and delight Cech had crossed the London divide.The midfielder, 33, said: “His ambition is intact even though he has won so many trophies with Chelsea. To have won what he has won and then come here is important because he knows he is going to get stick from Chelsea fans as he was a hero there.”

Wenger also used the opportunity to tell Italian champions Juventus they are wasting their time in their reported pursuit of Mesut Özil. He said: “Özil is our player, he will remain our player and he wants to remain our player. It is a big season for him because he had a difficult start last year and in the second part of the season he was very important.” – The Independent

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Lloris injury blow for Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur's goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is doubtful for the start of the Premier League season after fracturing his wrist.

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London - Tottenham Hotspur's France international goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is doubtful for the start of the Premier League season after fracturing his wrist.

The north London club said on Monday that the 28-year-old player “will continue to work alongside the first team squad to build up his fitness in a bid to be ready for the start of the season.

“Our medical team will continue to monitor his rehabilitation and progress during pre-season,” they added on the club's official website (http://ift.tt/19tWWDu).

Lloris joined Spurs from French side Lyon in 2012 and has since made 122 appearances for the London side.

The 67-cap France captain was one of Spurs' most consistent performers as they finished fifth in the Premier League last season.

Tottenham's first match of the season is against Manchester United at Old Trafford on August 8. – Reuters

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Tevez returns to Boca Juniors

Carlos Tevez was officially unveiled as a Boca Juniors player in a 6.5 million euros transfer from Juventus.

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Buenos Aires - Carlos Tevez was officially unveiled as a Boca Juniors player in a 6.5 million euros ($7.15 million) transfer from Juventus.

Thousands of fans of the popular club from the port district of La Boca packed La Bombonera stadium to welcome Tevez home from a decade abroad the day after the team went top of the Argentine league championship.

“My heart's exploding with happiness! Thanks for braving the cold and waiting for me. I'm already back home,” Tevez said on his Twitter feed.

Juventus, the last of Tevez's overseas clubs that began at Corinthians in Brazil in 2005 and included English sides West Ham United, Manchester United and Manchester City, revealed the terms of the deal on their website (www.juventus.com).

On top of the fee for Tevez, the Italian champions get the loan until June 30, 2017 of Boca teenager Guido Vadala with an option to buy him for 9.4 million euros and also first choice to sign three other young players.

“I'm returning in my prime, really that's now. At 26 or 27 I was fatter than anyone. I feel better than ever, physically and mentally,” the 31-year-old told a news conference after signing his contract.

Tevez will wear the number 10 shirt previously worn by Diego Maradona and Juan Roman Riquelme.

“Riquelme is one of the greatest, an idol of the club,” Tevez said. “I'm not here to better him, I'm here to write my own history.”

Boca went top of the table with a 1-0 win at Sarmiento on Sunday, a point ahead of San Lorenzo and three in front of River Plate.

Tevez, who missed the resumption of the championship because he was on holiday after playing for Argentina at the Copa America, said he would train all week to be ready for his comeback in next weekend's home match against Quilmes.

San Lorenzo drew 1-1 at Union and River were also held 1-1 by Temperley at El Monumental as they rested first choice players for Tuesday's first leg of their Libertadores Cup semi-final against Guarani of Paraguay.

Sunday was also a good day for former Argentina defender Gabriel Heinze, who made his coaching debut with Godoy Cruz in a 3-0 home win over Crucero del Norte in Mendoza.

Another coach Mauricio Pellegrino began his tenure at Independiente with a 3-1 home victory over Olimpo. – Reuters

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Blatter side-steps US question time

A US Senate panel invited Sepp Blatter to answer questions at a hearing - but Fifa declined on his behalf.

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Washington - A US Senate panel invited Fifa President Sepp Blatter to answer questions at a hearing this Wednesday about the corruption scandal that has badly tarnished soccer's global governing body, but Fifa declined on his behalf, a congressional official said.

“Senator Moran's office reached out to Fifa to explore the possibility of having Mr Blatter testify but the organisation declined,” said Garrette Turner, spokesman for Senator Jerry Moran, the Republican chairman of the consumer protection subcommittee, which is holding the hearing.

Fifa did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Blatter's legal representative in the US declined to comment.

Blatter said last week in an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag that he “won't take any travel risks until everything has been cleared up”.

The 79-year-old Swiss national did not attend the final of Fifa's Women's World Cup in Vancouver earlier this month but says he intends to be in Russia in late July for the draw for qualifying games for the 2018 World Cup.

Also missing from the hearing will be US Soccer Federation (USSF) top elected official, President Sunil Gulati, who is a member of Fifa's executive committee representing the North America region. He has been USSF president since 2006.

The USSF will be represented instead by CEO and Secretary General Dan Flynn.

Senator Moran's office said that Flynn was “the highest ranking official US Soccer was willing to send” to testify at the hearing.

The USSF did not respond to a question from Reuters about why Flynn and not Gulati was appearing.

The three other witnesses are Michael Hershman, a private investigator who served on Fifa's independent governance committee from 2011 to 2013, Sunjeev Bery, an official of Amnesty International, and Andrew Jennings, a British investigative journalist who led efforts to expose corruption in Fifa.

Senators will ask what if anything, current American soccer executives knew about alleged corruption in the sport's governing bodies, congressional aides said.

Former US soccer official Chuck Blazer, who was a Fifa executive committee member for 17 years, has been at the centre of the corruption scandal. He has pleaded guilty to a series of offences related to bribery and is co-operating with authorities.

The subcommittee will also explore what role and responsibilities corporate sponsors do and should play in the governance of the world's most popular sport, the aides said.

In late May, federal prosecutors in Brooklyn, New York indicted nine soccer officials, most of whom held Fifa positions or had previously held such positions, and five sports media and promotions executives in schemes involving $150 million in bribes over a period of 24 years. Prosecutors said their investigation exposed complex money laundering schemes, millions of dollars in untaxed income and tens of millions of dollars in offshore accounts held by the soccer officials.

The indictment included reference to an unnamed sportswear company that has been widely identified as Oregon-based Nike. The indictment references payments made in “marketing fees” to the Brazilian national soccer federation, that were not in the company's initial contract.

Nike said there is no allegation in the indictment that it engaged in criminal conduct.

Congressional aides said senators are likely to ask witnesses detailed questions about what US soccer officials knew about the kind of corruption and dysfunction inside Fifa and its regional affiliates. In particular, they will want to know what the officials did or did not do about it, and what they plan to do to clean up the sport, the aides said.

In a statement last week, Moran said: “This hearing on the recent Fifa scandals will begin the discussion about our country's own participation in the organisation, ways the United States and our allies can work to reform Fifa, and how we can restore integrity to the game so many Americans and citizens of the world enjoy.”

Congressional aides said that senators will question witnesses as to whether they think major US corporations should play a larger role in ensuring that Fifa and other soccer organisations look after the human rights concerns of workers involved in major Fifa projects, such as the construction of stadiums for the 2022 World Cup competition in Qatar.

Reuters

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De Gea named in United tour squad

Man United goalkeeper David de Gea has been named in the club's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States.

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London - Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea has been named in the Premier League club's squad for a pre-season tour of the United States despite reported interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.

The 24-year-old former Atletico Madrid player has been linked with a move to Real after goalkeeper Iker Casillas ended his 16-season spell at the Bernabeu by joining Porto.

De Gea was named in United's 26-man squad for the trip to the US where the Old Trafford club will play four games in the international Champions Cup.

However, second-choice United goalkeeper Victor Valdes has not travelled and Brazilian right back Rafael, who has been linked with a move to Benfica as part of a swap deal for Argentina winger Nicolas Gaitan, was also not included.

Reuters

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United confirm Schweinsteiger deal

Manchester United have signed Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich on a three-year contract.

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London - Manchester United have signed Germany captain Bastian Schweinsteiger from Bayern Munich on a three-year contract, the Premier League club said.

The 30-year-old World Cup winner came through the youth ranks at Bayern and has spent 13 seasons with the Bavarians, winning the Bundesliga title eight times.

Schweinsteiger joined for a transfer fee reported in British media to be 14.4 million pounds ($22.37 million).

“I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Bayern Munich, it has been an incredible journey and I didn't take the decision to leave lightly. Manchester United is the only club that I would have left Munich for,” the midfielder told United's website.

“I feel ready for this new and exciting challenge in what I regard as the most competitive league in the world and I am looking forward to working with Louis van Gaal again.”

Schweinsteiger made 536 appearances for Bayern since his debut in 2002, also winning seven German Cups and the Champions League in 2013. – Reuters

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Begovic joins Chelsea from Stoke

Premier League champions Chelsea announced the signing of Bosnian international goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Stoke City.

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Premier League champions Chelsea announced the signing of Bosnian international goalkeeper Asmir Begovic from Stoke City.

Begovic, 28, has agreed a four-year deal at Stamford Bridge, with Chelsea paying Stoke an undisclosed fee to make the goalkeeper their second major signing of the summer.

“I am very happy to be joining Chelsea FC. After speaking at length to the manager, I feel like I can develop here and be an important part of this team,” Begovic told Chelsea's official website.

His arrival in west London follows the signing of Colombian striker Radamel Falcao on a season-long loan from Monaco, and the giant shot-stopper will give Thibaut Courtois competition for places between the posts after Petr Cech was sold to Arsenal.

Begovic, who went to school in Canada and represented that country at the under-20 World Cup in 2007, spent more than five years with Stoke after moving to the Britannia Stadium from Portsmouth in 2010. – AFP

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Will Sterling do the same to City?

What leads Manchester City to think Raheem Sterling will treat their club with any more respect than he did Liverpool?

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We understand why Raheem Sterling has left Liverpool. He wants an upgrade: in the standard of his team-mates, the potential for achievement, quite probably in salary, too. So, yes, we get it. What is harder to fathom is why Manchester City have been so determined to sign him.

Do they think Sterling will change, simply by swapping a red shirt for sky blue? What leads Manchester City to think he will treat their club with any more respect than Liverpool, if circumstances change? Sterling’s behaviour in recent weeks should be a warning sign. Having put up with Carlos Tevez taking a mid-season sabbatical, why would they wish to go through that turmoil again?

Liverpool and Manchester City are not so different, really. Liverpool have not won the title in the modern era, and the optimism that followed the 2013-14 season was short-lived.

Manchester City have won the Premier League twice and are now established as Champions League regulars, but they do not sit easily among Europe’s aristocracy.

The third tier of English football is an all too recent memory, and the giants of Spain, Bayern Munich, even two or three clubs in England would all be considered bigger.

Even a brief spell in the wilderness of the Europa League would make City undesirable. Imagine if they finished seventh, like Manchester United. They would have none of United’s historic pull to get them back on their feet.

City’s future is presumed to be all glory and Pep Guardiola, but what if it isn’t? What if it goes a little flat or needs time? Is Sterling the patient sort? We know the answer to that one. He didn’t wait around to see if Liverpool’s next swing at revamping the team post-Luis Suarez was a success, so he probably wouldn’t wait at City, either.

In recent weeks, Sterling has as good as downed tools. He has called in sick and refused to travel on the club tour. He hasn’t gone as far as Tevez, who returned to South America after a disagreement with Roberto Mancini, but isn’t far short. And those days were a nightmare for City.

Each morning executives discussed the club’s position in a conference call. They considered how to handle the latest bulletins from Argentina, how to make certain Tevez and his advisors had no claim to breach of contract. Everything was done by the book. It was exhausting and time consuming — and one imagines a similar process went on at Liverpool over the last week, too.

Why would City then risk importing more aggravation — and at such a high price? Tevez (below) was a proven goalscorer who had succeeded at some of the world’s best clubs. Before and after the fall-out in 2011, he was a fine performer for City.

Sterling? He had an outstanding first season and was inconsistent the next. Having to compensate for the loss of Suarez, plus Daniel Sturridge to injury, and the failure of Mario Balotelli, did not help — but Liverpool having held out for £49m, that is still a big gamble on City’s part.

There is a reason that City ended up the only game in town. They might have had competition from Chelsea, or even Manchester United, at £30m — so extracting an additional £19m from Manchester City is good business.

Michael Owen is adamant that Sterling can be adequately replaced by Liverpool and he is arguably right. It is what losing him represents, more than the immediate impact, that is a worry — plus the fear Liverpool will use the cash to make more ‘smart, sustainable’ signings, instead of a marquee acquisition to replace like for like. For if Liverpool fans wonder why it is suddenly impossible to keep their best players, look no further than the words of chief executive Ian Ayre, speaking to The Manager magazine.

It was Ayre who talked of players as ‘cost items’ and of buying in a ‘smart, sustainable way’. Decoded this means that Liverpool, like Tottenham Hotspur, buy with one eye on long-term market value.

They are not about to splash £15m on 30-year-old Bastian Schweinsteiger, for instance. Yet if Liverpool buy with an eye on resale, they cannot be surprised if Sterling also plays the market.

It is easy to portray him as a money-grabber but, as Ayre makes clear, Liverpool are quite keen on the stuff, too.

Even so, there are ways of saying goodbye and Sterling has endeared himself to few in recent weeks.

City, however, remained faithful. Just so long as they do not expect the same in return. – Daily Mail

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No issue with Sterling - Rodgers

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the transfer of Raheem Sterling to Manchester City.

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Bangkok - Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has confirmed the transfer of England international Raheem Sterling to a rival Premier League team, pending a medical test.

British media reported on Sunday that Liverpool had reached an agreement with Manchester City to transfer Sterling in a deal worth 49 million pounds ($76.07 million).

Rodgers, speaking at a news conference in Thailand where Liverpool are kicking off their pre-season tour of Asia and Australia, did not provide any specific details on the transfer but confirmed that an agreement had been reached.

“The situation is very simple. The club has agreed with another for a deal for Raheem to be transferred and subject to medical that will go through,” Rodgers said.

“Contrary to the last week or so, in terms of what was written, Raheem and I have always remained very strong in our relationship, and have been up until he left. There's no issue there.”

City had two bids for Sterling rejected last month after he turned down a pay increase to stay at the Anfield club.

The 20-year-old did not fly out with Liverpool for their pre-season tour despite being named in the squad.

Rodgers was coy about the details, saying he was focussing on the players on the tour.

“I spoke to Raheem at length yesterday, there is no issue. Two clubs have greed a deal and subject to a medical he will move on,” the Northern Irishman said.

“It's important for us to improve and build the squad for this season coming. We are pleased with the players we have brought in.

“It's the overall team that is important. We aim to be stronger than last season that will be reliant on everyone.” – Reuters

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Real to give Casillas official send-off

Real Madrid have decided to give departing goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas an official send-off.

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Madrid - Real Madrid have decided to give departing goalkeeper and captain Iker Casillas an official send-off later on Monday following criticism over the low-key nature of his tearful farewell news conference on Sunday.

Casillas, who is leaving his boyhood club after 16 seasons in the first team to join Porto, appeared alone at the Bernabeu press room and choked up several times as he read out a statement thanking the club for “giving me everything”.

The contrast with his close friend and former Spain team mate Xavi Hernandez was telling and prompted widespread criticism in the Spanish media that Real had not treated their club legend with sufficient respect.

Xavi, 35, left Barcelona for Qatari side Al Sadd at the end of last season and was given a series of rousing send-offs by fans, officials and team mates at the Nou Camp surrounded by family and friends and a glittering array of trophies.

Real president Florentino Perez and Casillas will appear on the VIP tribune at the Bernabeu at 1100 GMT, Real said in a statement on their website (www.realmadrid.com). They did not say whether fans would be allowed into the stadium.

Casillas spoke on Sunday after Spanish daily newspaper El Mundo published an interview with his parents in which they said their son had been forced out of the club by Perez.

Casillas had been the victim of an orchestrated campaign of “vilification” in recent years which eventually prompted his decision to quit, they said.

Real did not respond to a request for comment and Casillas did not take questions after making his statement, in which he did not mention Perez by name.

Casillas's decision to leave Real is believed to have been partly motivated by the expected arrival of Manchester United's David De Gea, the 24-year-old former Atletico Madrid man who is also being groomed to take over as Spain keeper.

Regular playing time for Porto should allow Casillas to extend his international career at least until next year's European Championship in France. – Reuters

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United closing in on Scheiderlin

British media reported that Southampton's France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin had undergone a medical at Manchester United.

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London - Manchester United's transfer splurge looked set to intensify following media reports that Southampton's France midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin had undergone a medical with the Old Trafford club.

There was no confirmation from United, who agreed to sign Bayern Munich's Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and Italy's Torino right back Matteo Darmian this weekend.

Schneiderlin, 25, was playing in the English third tier with Southampton only five years ago but has impressed in the Premier League and was in France's World Cup squad last year.

Louis Van Gaal's team, who finished fourth in the Premier League last term, are also looking at a part swap deal involving Brazilian right back Rafael and Benfica's long-coveted Argentina winger Nicolas Gaitan.

“Benfica and Manchester United are in negotiations over Gaitan and one offer includes Rafael to join Benfica,” Cassiano Pereira, Rafael's agent, told Portuguese newspaper Record.

One man seemingly definitely on his way out of Old Trafford is injury-prone striker Robin van Persie, who took to social media on Sunday to chronicle his journey to Turkey where he is poised to sign a deal with Fenerbahce.

His Netherlands team mate Memphis Depay has been recruited by United to fill the void. – Reuters

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Pirates will not give up – Tinkler

Down, but definitely not out. That was the spirit inside the Orlando Pirates dressing-room following their CAF Confederation Cup loss at home to Zamalek.

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Down, but definitely not out. That was the spirit inside the Orlando Pirates dressing-room following their 2-1 CAF Confederation Cup loss at home to Zamalek at the weekend.

And coach Eric Tinkler was quick to point out that the Buccaneers were still very much in the running for a semi-final spot of the continent’s secondary club competition, standing as they are in second spot behind the Egyptian giants with four matches still to go.

“It’s not the end of the world,” Tinkler said during his post-match conference. “We’re still second because the other two teams drew. What’s important is that we go to CS Sfaxien and win there. Unfortunately we lost today (Saturday) because the performance was not our best. I don’t think we applied everything we practised ahead of this game.

“Obviously, I am disappointed. I think we probably deserved a little bit more, but I’m not saying we deserved to win the game but a draw would have probably been a fair result.”

For that to have happened though, Pirates needed to have taken the chances they had in the first half. If they had used those opportunities, they could have killed the match off as a contest. But Thamsanqa Gabuza failed to score from close range in the fourth minute as he rattled his shot against the post before Sifiso Myeni wasted an opportunity.

Those failures allowed Zamalek to remain in the game and the Egyptians returned from the half-time break a much improved side and dominated proceedings. Incredibly though, it was Pirates who scored first via substitute Lehlohonolo Majoro.

They failed to protect that lead though and some slack defending allowed the visitors to equalise via a thunderous strike from Yusuf Maaoraf.

Late in the game, Pirates again defended poorly and were duly punished when substitute Mustapha Fathi slotted home the winner with a brilliantly curled shot from inside the box.

While admitting that his team could have done better, Tinkler acknowledged they lost to the better side.

“We were playing against a team that has won the Champions League five times. What we must take from this result is the experience. We must learn a little bit of what they do. When we have the lead we need to play with a little more intelligence and be more focused in defending it. We must not concede goals from the kind of areas we did.”

And so the Pirates coach and his technical team will analyse the tape of Saturday’s match and work on rectifying their mistakes ahead of their trip to Tunisia where they will face a Sfaxien side desperate for their first win of the campaign.

“This loss is a wake-up call. We’d been playing well and getting positive results but at this level you can’t rest on your laurels. I don’t think Sfaxien will be much different to Zamalek in terms of style; they will be very organised and tactically disciplined so we’ve got to learn from our mistakes.” - The Star

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