Football news

Ray Parlour, the former England and Arsenal midfielder, is about to hang up his boots and quit football. His last professional game was at Hull in the 2006/07 season and despite training with Barnet last term, a knee injury thwarted his hopes of a deal.

Parlour, 35, said: "You do miss it. Especially the day-to-day banter and playing games on Saturday.

"Your bonus is the Saturday, walking around the stadium with the crowd and the atmosphere."

Parlour made nearly 400 appearances for Arsenal and played 10 times for England.

Behrami set to leave Lazio

Swiss international Valon Behrami is expected to leave Lazio this summer but not to join West Ham in the English Premiership.

Behrami has made it clear that he doesn't intend to stay in Rome next season and has even threatened using FIFA Article 17 to free himself from his contract.

Lazio briefly considered court action to stop Behrami leaving but now club president Claudio Lotito seems ready to see him go for the right price.

"The stories linking Valon with West Ham are pure invention," agent Alessandro Beltrami told reporters.

"The player wants to play in the Bundesliga."

Alonso happy at Liverpool

Xabi Alonso told reporters he would stay at Liverpool without problems as protracted transfer talks on a move to Juventus seem to find no ending.

The midfielder was expected to join Juve in Serie A after Euro 2008 but both clubs failed to reach an agreement on the transfer fee.

Gareth Barry's move from Aston Villa was thought to be reliant on Alonso's exit generating funds but the likely departure of Peter Crouch would swell the transfer coffers significantly. In such case, Alonso will be more than content to stay at Anfield.

"I am very happy with Liverpool, the city, the people and they treat me very well," the Spaniard said.

"It's great to be European champion with my club and with my country but I'd love a league medal. It's the one that is missing."

Ivanschitz prefers Panathinaikos

Austria captain Andreas Ivanschitz left FC Salzburg to join Panathinaikos for €1.5m.

The 24-year-old midfielder, who featured in all three of his country's Group B matches at the Euro 2008, had been on loan with the Greek club since August 2006 and has now signed a contract keeping him at Panathinaikos until 2012.

Ivanschitz started his career at Rapid Vienna and spent six years there before joining Salzburg midway through the 2005/06 campaign.

Capped 42 times by Austria, he scored three times in 24 Greek Super League games last season as Panathinaikos finished third.

Hleb insists on transfer

Alexandre Hleb criticised manager Arsene Wenger as he is trying to revive his move to Barcelona this summer. The Belarus international has been seemingly on the brink of a transfer to Italy or Spain these past few weeks but so far he's still an Arsenal player.

"My view of how I should be playing didn't coincide with the manager's," he said.

"I told Wenger last season I wanted to leave and I think he was quite upset about it. But ask him. It may turn out he's happy to see me go.

"I don't know where I'll be next season but I'd prefer Barcelona. It is being negotiated and, hopefully, will be decided soon."

Roberto Carlos with Chelsea in mind

Roberto Carlos is not against a surprise move to Chelsea. The 35-year-old has been a target of Chelsea in the past, but he now believes that the Londoners will renew their interest following the arrival of manager Luiz Felipe Scolari.

Roberto Carlos won the World Cup in 2002 as Scolari managed Brazil to glory and he claims his former national team coach is eager to have tried and tested players in his squad.

"I am content at Fenerbahce, but I am a man who likes a challenge and a move to Chelsea would be very attractive," Roberto Carlos said.

"Felipe wants people with him who he has confidence in. As yet, I have not spoken to him since he has arrived at Chelsea."

Juventus tracking Poulsen

Juventus are tracking Sevilla's Denmark midfielder Christian Poulsen, chairman Giovanni Cobolli Gigli has said.

"I don't know if Poulsen will come but certainly our fans would like to see a warrior on the field," he told reporters after moves for midfielders Xabi Alonso, of Liverpool, and Roma's Alberto Aquilani have stalled while opposition from fans looks to have halted a bid for Inter's Dejan Stankovic.

"In 10 days we will decide everything," Cobolli Gigli added.

"I don't know whether Poulsen will arrive but Jean-Claude Blanc and Alessio Secco will certainly decide for the best and choose the man who is best suited to Claudio Ranieri."