Real Madrid moved seven points

Real Madrid moved seven points clear of Barcelona heading into the La Liga winter break after winning Sunday's 'El Clasico' 1-0 at the Camp Nou.

Julio Baptista's 36th minute strike when he found the net with a superb rising half-volley from 20 yards settled a tense derby where chances were at a premium.

The result increases the pressure on Barca coach Frank Rijkaard, who named Thierry Henry on the bench after his recent back problems but overlooked the France striker in favour of Bojan when chasing the game in the second half.

Elsewhere, Espanyol moved to within one point of their city rivals after winning 2-1 at Atletico Madrid.

Raul Tamudo equalised Simao Sabrosa's opener for Atletico, before Luis Garcia sealed the win five minutes from full-time.

Espanyol leapfrogged Villarreal up to third after they were held to a 1-1 draw by improving Recreativo Huelva.

Real Mallorca were soundly beaten 3-1 at Osasuna as their recent poor form continued.

Meanwhile, second bottom Deportivo La Coruna moved ten points clear of beleaguered Levante after winning 1-0 at their relegation rivals.

Sergio Gonzalez 85th minute penalty sealed a vital three points for Miguel Angel Lotina's side.

In Sunday's late game, Athletic Bilbao and Murcia fought out an entertaining 1-1 draw at San Mames.

Inter - Milan 2 - 1

Milan were beaten 2-1 in the derby against Inter. After Pirlo had given the Rossoneri the lead in the 18th minute on a splendid free kick, Cruz found an equaliser shortly before the half-time break in the 36th minute. Cambiasso's 63rd minute strike sealed the victory for Roberto Mancini's men.

Messi to miss Real Madrid clash

Barcelona midfielder Lionel Messi will miss his team's showdown with league-leaders Real Madrid on Sunday after tearing a thigh muscle in his left leg during Barca's 3-0 win over Valencia on Saturday.

Messi was substituted shortly before halftime after sustaining the injury. He helped set up two first-half goals from Samuel Eto'o in the win, but now is expected to be out for up to five weeks with the injury.

Barca trails Madrid by four points heading into their massive showdown on Sunday at the Nou Camp, but Messi's absence will be huge blow to the Catalan side.

The Argentina international leads Barca with eight goals in league play this season, while his creativity has helped set up numerous others. Manager Frank Rijkaard will still be able to lean on players like Ronaldinho, Deco and Andres Iniesta to fill the void left by Messi, but the Barca attack will not be the same without its dynamic young playmaker.

Guillem Bauza Mayol to Swansea City

Spanish under-20 star, Guillem Bauza Mayol, makes Swansea City move.

Guillem Bauza Mayol has moved to the Liberty Stadium on a one-year deal from Espanyol.

"He is excited about joining Swansea City, and we are excited about having him in our squad," boss Roberton Martinez told the club's website after snapping up the 22-year-old.

"He has a fantastic pedigree at all levels in Spain, especially playing in the U20 World Cup, and is a great prospect."

Liverpool news

Freed Liverpool winger set for Marseille move
Bolo Zenden is in talks over a move to the French giants.
The 30-year-old former Barcelona and Middlesbrough midfielder was not offered a new Anfield contract this summer.
He has been offered a two-year deal at the Stade Velodrome.

The Reds have agreed a deal for Stockport County winger Ryan Crowther
An undisclosed fee has been paid for the 18-year-old, who has two senior appearances to his name to date.

West Ham United are planning an £11million bid for Liverpool’s Craig Bellamy.

Middlesbrough Jeremie Aliadiere

Middlesbrough Football Club new-boy Jeremie Aliadiere believes his career is just starting.

The French striker completed a £2million transfer from Arsenal earlier this week, and he believes his move to the Riverside Stadium can finally spark his career in The Premiership.

"I am relieved and happy because I felt like I was never going to leave Arsenal," Aliadiere told Sport. "I was at Arsenal for eight years so I am happy to start from new. I can't wait to start training again on July 2 and to see what will happen.

"I have had a good relationship with Southgate from the start. He told me that he has signed me to make me play and that he has been following me for three years. I needed to hear that because I want to play every weekend.

"I don't feel any apprehension. When a club who has been following you for a long time buys you, it means a lot. The people have been very welcoming.

"After all those years on the bench, I only want to play. And Boro are an ambitious club, who plan a solid recruitment to the squad. Even if they aren't Arsenal they want to do something good.

"My career is beginning. I have joined a new club and the coach recognises my talent and will trust me. Now everything depends on me, the cards are in my hands.

"I am as motivated as ever to attack with Boro, to have a great season and to show everybody and most of all to Wenger that he has missed something."

Kaka linked with Real Madrid

Real Madrid to make £53m AC Milan star offer?

Kaka is once again being linked with the Spanish giants.

Italian newspaper reports on Friday suggest Madrid officials have met with Kaka's father and agent Gaetano Paolillo to discuss a world-record deal for the 25-year-old playmaker.

Alvaro Recoba to Atletico Madrid

Alvaro Recoba is looking to link up with the Spanish side and end his long association with Inter

“There has not been an official offer yet, but my agent Paco Casal will be in Europe next week and will meet official Miguel Angel Gil, with whom he has an excellent relationship,” the 31-year-old Uruguayan forward told AS.

“To play for Atletico is an extraordinary opportunity, they are a great club and I want to join them, even if they don’t qualify for the UEFA Cup.”

Sunderland soccer club news

Sunderland set to make surprise Reading

Greg Halford is poised to join the Black Cats after just six months at the Madejski Stadium

The versatile 22-year-old joined Reading from Colchester United in January but failed to make an impact for Steve Coppell's side.



Sunderland clinch Halford signing

Sunderland Football Club have signed Greg Halford.

The 22-year-old fullback only joined Reading from Colchester United during the New Year transfer window, yet he only played three times for the Premiership high-fliers.

He has now agreed a move to the Black Cats, who have paid the Royals £3.5million, and he becomes Roy Keane's first signing of the summer ahead of the new Premiership campaign.

Birmingham foodball club news

Striker Carlos Tenorio is a target for a host of Premiership clubs including Blues

The 28-year-old, who played in last summer's World Cup, currently plies his trade in Qatar with Al-Sadd.

"I always think a lot about the Premier League because it's a championship that has great quality," said the Ecuador international.

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Mark Viduka is wanted by Blues but looks poised to join Newcastle United

The experienced Australia international frontman will be a free agent shortly when his Middlesbrough contract expires and will be able to command a lucrative salary from any new club.

Blues have made a big-money offer but will now look elsewhere for the new striker boss Steve Bruce wants to complement his existing options.

"We're hoping to bring in a few more players yet and we're certainly looking around," said number two Eric Black.

"The search has been unrelenting, not least for a striker, and the right one isn't easy to come by."

Luke Moore and Ray Parlour

Aston Villa's Luke Moore

Aston Villa's Luke Moore is being linked with a move to the Riverside Stadium

The 21-year-old has just one year left on his contract with the West Midlands side and former Villa star Gareth Southgate is a big fan.

Although Moore was hampered by injury problems last season he remains highly-rated by Villa boss Martin O'Neill.

Ray Parlour has left the KC Stadium

Former England international Ray Parlour has left the KC Stadium.

The 34-year-old ex-Arsenal and Middlesbrough played 15 times for the Tigers last season, helping them avoid the drop into League One.

Football players transfer speculations

- Arsenal will offer amount of 10 million pounds for Marseille winger Franck Ribery.

- Aston Villa midfielder, Lee Hendrie, said about moving to Derby County:

"There might be something there for me."

- Italian AC Milan are ready to re-sign Andrei Shevchenko from Chelsea. Milan Vice-president Adriano Galliani told the Daily Star:

"We are ready to buy him back."

- Atletico Madrid will fight Real Madrid for Manchester United’s Gabriel Heinze, with about 5 millions pounds.

- Newcastle United are being tipped to sign Bolton Wanderers’ Tal Ben Haim on a free transfer.

Chris Killen move to Cardiff City Football Club

Chris Killen is set to complete his move to Cardiff City Football Club.

The Hibernian and New Zealand international striker rejected a new deal to remain in Scotland, and after agreeing personal terms with the Bluebirds, he is set to seal his move to the Championship club.

"I still have my medical to come, but we have agreed personal terms," Killen told the South Wales Echo. "There are exciting times down there and I want to be part of those ambitious plans.

"Everything has been agreed and hopefully I'll be a Cardiff player by the end of the week."

Alan Pardew to New York

Alan Pardew may make a second move to sign Teddy Sheringham from West Ham this summer.

The man who took the former England international to Upton Park was blocked from signing him for Charlton in January as Hammers boss Alan Curbishley did not want Sheringham joining their relegation rivals.

MLS side New York Red Bull are also poised to offer the 41-year-old a lucrative deal.

Pardew has promised that his side will continue to play football in the Championship, saying: "I have seen a very high technical level, and that is what we are going to have to keep, then get some strength in and around it.

"If you lose that you come down to the level of some of the teams who are scrappers and we will be in trouble if we get into that group."

Bantams want £250,000 for Hull

Dean Windass is unhappy that Bradford have revised their valuation of him for a permanent deal.

The veteran striker told the Hull Daily Mail: "I will be very disappointed if nothing comes around now.

"It (the hold up in completing the move) is just the transfer fee. It's not about the money for me; it's the money for the two clubs.

"I spoke to Julian Rhodes (the club chairman) and he said he would not stand in my way and all of a sudden Stuart McCall has got the job and the goalposts have moved."

Lee Grand - Sheffield Wednesday or Derby County

Sheffield Wednesday are closing in on the signature of Derby County goalkeeper Lee Grant.

Owls boss Brian Laws has made the capture of a keeper a priority and looks to have found his man in Grant.

The former England U21 custodian has slipped down the Pride Park pecking order and has been tipped to leave for some time.

It's understood a deal is in place at Hillsborough with Grant set to put pen to paper on a three-year contract.

Eto rules out Arsenal transfer

Samuel Eto'o will not be playing for Arsenal Football Club next season.

The Cameroon international striker has strongly been linked with a £20million+ transfer to the Gunners this summer, yet he has told feelfootball.com he is more than happy with life in Barcelona.

"I am happy at Barcelona and will definitely be here next season," said Eto'o. "I have no idea where I will be in a few years' time, but at the moment I have a contract with Barcelona until 2010.

"There have been so many lies written about me. In fact, I would say that 99.999 per cent of the things I have ready about myself in the papers have been untrue."

Javier Mascherano - Thanks to West Ham

Javier Mascherano does not regret his ill-fated spell at Upton Park.

"I feel I still have a lot to thank West Ham for," said the midfielder ahead of Wednesday's clash with AC Milan.

"They opened the door for me to come and play in Europe, and I will always be grateful to them for that. If it wasn't for West Ham, I wouldn't be enjoying this special moment with Liverpool now. Rafa Benítez has been crucial to my resurgence this season. Crucial. I was just languishing at West Ham, but he showed faith in me by bringing me here. He's given me back belief in myself by giving me plenty of opportunities to play. He has had a great influence on me already because I am part of a team on the cusp of winning the European Cup."

Andrei Shevchenko out from Chelsea

The Ukranian has proved a big-money misfit at Stamford Bridge and the curtain is slowly descending on his Blues stint.

Reports suggest that Roman Abramovich has told Shevchenko he can return to former club AC Milan if a suitable transfer figure can be agreed.

The 30-year-old striker cost Chelsea £30m last summer but bagged only four Premiership goals through the campaign.

Arsenal could do worse than Distin

If Arsenal want to improve their back line, they could swoop for Man City’s Sylvain Distin...says Chris Cousins.

Distin is moving away from the City of Manchester stadium on a Bosman, with Portsmouth favourites to win the race for his services.

If I was Arsene Wenger, I’d make a move for Distin, providing he accepts he can’t be guaranteed a starting role.

Distin would find it incredibly difficult to displace William Gallas and Kolo Toure, but Wenger could consider moving Toure to right back to accommodate Distin.

After the season that Emmanuel Eboue has had, I don’t think the right back can necessarily be relied upon to shore up the side defensively.

Distin is a cool customer and could definitely improve the squad with his experience, though you could argue he’s a bit too similar to Gallas to dovetail well with him. I’m not sure about that, and I guess we’ll never find out if Distin goes to Pompey.

Funny enough, Harry Redknapp wants to take Johan Djourou to Fratton Park as well, with a fee of £3m being talked about.

As I’ve said before, I wouldn’t let Djourou go on loan to Birmingham City and I wouldn’t sell him (certainly not at that price anyway!).

I’d keep Djourou, get Distin and offer Pompey Philippe Senderos (telling old ‘Arry that the ‘Swiss gnoll’ is the new Tony Adams).

Manchester United boss: Korean star hugely missed

Park Ji-Sung's absence with a knee injury from the Reds run-in was a crucial blow according to Sir Alex Ferguson

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"He is a big loss to us," said the Old Trafford supremo, "a terrible loss.

"His injury was a complete freak in the last minute of a game.

"We miss him very badly at the moment. His ability and adaptability to play different positions either side of the pitch, right or left, is a loss.

"He will be back in a few months time and hopefully 100 per cent."