Soccer Shorts: Real Madrid central defender Jonathan Woodgate has agreed to a loan move back to the Premiership, with Middlesbrough expected to secure his services, writes Sid Lowe.
Madrid officials have met Woodgate and informed him that they are looking to loan him out for a season so that he can prove his fitness after making only nine league appearances since joining from Newcastle United for £13.4 million in August 2004.
No deal for Hargreaves
Owen Hargreaves will be allowed to join Manchester United only when his contract at Bayern Munich expires in four years' time, according to the German club's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
"He is free to swap sides - but not before July 1st, 2010," Rummenigge said. "This is the last word. If I say this, then that is what it is going to be. He can swap sides on July 1st, 2010 - no sooner."
Rummenigge also declared the case closed after speaking to United chief executive David Gill. "Manchester United have stopped their activities," he added. "I have been in touch with my colleague David Gill and they stick to what we have agreed to."
Reyes bid an 'insult'
Arsene Wenger branded Atletico Madrid's offer for Jose Antonio Reyes an "insult". Reports in Spain suggest Atletico had made a bid in the region of £8.1 million, while Arsenal were reported to have placed a £12.2 million price tag on the Spain international.
Reyes has made no secret of his desire to return to the Primera Liga, with Real Madrid his preferred destination. Wenger insists no firm proposal has been put forward by the Bernabeu club and rejected out of hand the one tabled by their city rivals.
England awaits for Tevez
Carlos Tevez' spell at Corinthians could be over after his agent revealed the striker was on the brink of a move to England. The 22-year-old Argentina international was stripped of the captaincy by new Corinthians coach Emerson Leao and walked out on the Brazilian club earlier this week. His agent Adrian Rucco said: "Tevez is very close to moving to an English club."
Manchester United have been linked with a move for Tevez, while Bayern Munich and AC Milan are also thought to be interested in the striker.
Johnson back in fold
Everton striker Andy Johnson was recalled by England coach Steve McClaren yesterday for next month's Euro 2008 Group E qualifiers against Andorra and Macedonia. Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick returns after injury but team-mate Gary Neville, suffering from a calf injury, along with Chelsea's Joe Cole, who has a knee injury, have been left out.
England host Andorra at Old Trafford on September 2nd and play away against Macedonia four days later.
ENGLAND SQUAD: Robinson (Tottenham), Kirkland (Liverpool), Foster (Manchester Utd); Bridge (Chelsea), Brown (Manchester Utd), Cole (Arsenal), Dawson (Tottenham), Ferdinand (Manchester Utd), Terry (Chelsea), Young (Charlton), Neville (Everton); Hargreaves (Bayern Munich), Downing (Middlesbrough), Gerrard (Liverpool), Jenas (Tottenham), Lampard (Chelsea), Lennon (Tottenham), Richardson (Manchester Utd), Wright-Phillips (Chelsea), Carrick (Manchester Utd); Johnson (Everton), Bent (Charlton), Crouch (Liverpool), Defoe (Tottenham).
Bolton showing ambition Bolton boss Sam Allardyce believes the signing of Nicolas Anelka for £8 million shows how ambitious the club are. Anelka (27) has arrived from Fenerbahce and will travel to London with Allardyce to meet his new team-mates ahead of the weekend game with Charlton.
"It's an unprecedented amount of money for Bolton to spend and fully underlines the club's ambition," said Allardyce. "Nicolas is a player with an amazing track record in the Premiership; he was born to score goals."
In brief . . .
AC Milan claim negotiations for a possible transfer of Brazilian striker Ronaldo from Real Madrid had been "definitively broken off". . . Renato, Frederic Kanoute and Enzo Maresca were the scorers as Uefa Cup winners Sevilla beat European champions Barcelona 3-0 in the Super Cup in Monaco last night . . . Reading have signed defender Ulises De La Cruz (32), who left Aston Villa at the end of last season . . . Tunisian midfielder Hamed Namouchi yesterday joined French side Lorient from Rangers on a free transfer. . . Fifa have fined the Togo FA 100,000 Swiss francs (€63,000) after their players threatened to go on strike during the World Cup finals in Germany.
