Football news

Emmanuel Adebayor has edged closer to a move to Milan after Arsenal dropped their asking price for the striker, his agent has said.

The Serie A giants are keen to sign the 24-year-old Togo international but they baulked at the hefty transfer fee Arsenal asked for the player.

However, Vincenzo Morabito has claimed that the Gunners have now almost halved the price tag.

"We're working to make the deal easier," Morabito said. "The signs are very positive. We're arriving at more reasonable figures.

"They're still a lot, but a lot less than the €45 million that were initially asked for. A bit more than half."

QPR interested in Real's Salgado

Real Madrid defender Michel Salgado is a target for Championship side Queens Park Rangers.

The London club have reportedly made an ambitious bid to sign the 32-year-old with club owner Flavio Briatore travelling to Spain to begin negotiations for the player.

"The offer is there, but until this moment nothing has been decided," Salgado told the Daily Star.

"The proposal is attractive and personally I've always dreamt of playing in English football.

"It is necessary to speak about many things because I still have a deal with Real Madrid and I will have to see what they want."

Yorke back in national team's fold

Dwight Yorke has come out of international retirement in a bid to inspire Trinidad and Tobago to a second successive World Cup finals.

The 36-year-old is among six players added to the Soca Warriors squad for next month's qualifier against Cuba.

The Sunderland veteran met Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation and FIFA vice-president Jack Warner last week where he made himself available to play for his country again.

"Dwight offered to play for the national team," Warner said. "The coach (Francisco Maturana) was happy to hear about Dwight's availability."

Ronaldinho pushing hard for Milan move

Ronaldinho is doing his utmost to secure a move to Milan, even if it means a pay cut and a shorter contract.

The Brazilian, who has fallen out of favour at Barcelona, has repeatedly stated he is desperate for a move to San Siro, but last week, Milan chief Adriano Galliani claimed the real problem was not so much the £20m asking price, more so his wages.

Reports suggest Ronaldinho is now ready to reduce his demands considerably and is ready to sign a two-year contract with Milan worth 'just' £5m per season plus bonuses.

Manchester United table Berbatov bid

Manchester United have made a £20 million bid for Tottenham Hotspur striker Dimitar Berbatov, according to reports.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been interested in signing the Bulgarian international for some time now, and is hopeful of sealing the deal within the next week.

However, United's interest poses a dilemma for Spurs. While the sale of Berbatov would obviously generate greater funds for manager Juande Ramos to strengthen his squad, it also means that all three strikers at the club have attracted interest from rivals.

Robbie Keane has been linked to Liverpool while Sunderland are interested in Darren Bent.

However, Berbatov seems the most likely to leave White Hart Lane and United are convinced the prospect of regular Champions League football and an £80,000-a-week pay packet will persuade the skilful Bulgarian to join them.

Totti hints at Italy return

Francesco Totti has not ruled out a return to the Italy squad following Marcello Lippi's appointment.

The Roma captain took a year's sabbatical from the national team after the 2006 World Cup triumph and then announced his decision to retire from international duty because of fitness concerns.

However, Lippi said in his first press conference that he would open the door for Totti and Alessandro Nesta to return.

"I have a great rapport of mutual respect with him, both on the field and off, which is why we often speak on the phone," Totti said.

"Now that he is the new Italy coach, he will be the one to evaluate the situation. I have never discussed it with him, so we will mull over it later on."

Juventus set to sign Poulsen

Juventus are expected to announce the capture of Danish midfieler Christian Poulsen from Sevilla in the coming days for a £6m fee.

Reports in Italy and Spain said that negotiations between the two parties were concluded on Friday night and the 28-year-old Dane is expected to put pen to paper on a four-year contract worth £2.5m per season.

The Danish international's arrival adds another defensive midfielder in Juve's squad alongside Cristiano Zanetti and Mohammed Sissoko.