Football news

Inter coach Jose Mourinho has played down reports that Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was seen in a London restaurant with Inter director Marco Branca on Monday.

"I don't know where Branca was. I know absolutely nothing about this story," the former Chelsea coach told a news conference.

"I do know that Drogba is part of Chelsea's history and from a distance it seems to me that he is, and will continue to be, a Blues player."

Some reports suggested this week that a part-exchange deal could be in the offing with Drogba joining Inter and Adriano going the other way.

Kicker leak disrupts meeting

Bastian Schweinsteiger's agent is reported to have pulled out of talks with Real Madrid after the news that a meeting was due to take place was leaked to the German media.

Kicker said that the Primera Liga club's secretary, Miguel Angel Portugal, was due to hold preliminary negotiations tomorrow and that upset the player's representative who immediately cancelled the meeting.

The 24-year-old's contract with Bayern Munich is due to expire at the end of the season and Real Madrid were hoping to make the first move after interest from Juventus and Manchester United was made public.

No Paris SG move for Gallas

The agent of William Gallas has dismissed speculation that the Arsenal defender will be moving to Paris SG in January.

The French international was stripped of the Arsenal captaincy and was dropped for the 3-0 defeat to Manchester City at the weekend after criticising his team-mates.

Reports said he could be tempted to a move to PSG in January but his agent, Etienne Mendy, has dismissed such suggestions.

"William doesn't talk and the English media takes advantage of it," Mendy said. "They are imagining his departure from Arsenal but it's nonsense... his only objective is to stay at Arsenal."

Cole extends deal at West Ham

Former England U-21 striker Carlton Cole has signed a new five-year contract with West Ham United. Cole, 25, who joined West Ham from Chelsea in July 2006, is the club's leading scorer this season with four goals.

"The manager has 100% faith in me and I have 100% faith in him and our team. Hopefully, the manager can get the team where he wants us to be," Cole said.

Cole has benefited from the injury-enforced absence of England striker Dean Ashton to be a regular this season.

The club's chief executive officer Scott Duxbury said: "I am delighted Carlton has committed his long-term future to the club. He is a major part of Gianfranco Zola's plans and he deserves this new deal."

Robinho hopeful ahead of derby

Manchester City are strong enough to beat Manchester United in Sunday's derby at Eastlands, Robinho said.

The in-form Robinho said it will be difficult to win the match but he is hoping to pile more misery on United winger Cristiano Ronaldo after helping Brazil defeat Portugal 6-2 in a friendly last week.

Robinho said: "We are all looking forward to the match with United. We have good chances to win, although they are very strong. But we play at home. We have to think that, in our own stadium, we are always favourites.

"And it would be great to repeat the victory I had with Brazil against Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal."

City completed a league double over their rivals last season.

FIFA bans Peru

FIFA has banned Peru from international competition, a leading official at the South American Football Confederation (CSF) said. Sepp Blatter warned last week Peru had until Monday to end a long-running feud between their football federation (FPF) and government or face an immediate international ban.

"FIFA has suspended Peru from all activity," CSF secretary general Eduardo de Luca told reporters.

The announcement marked a new low for Peruvian football which has been in steady decline since reaching its heyday in the 1970s.

The Peruvian government's Institute of Sports does not recognise FPF president Manuel Burga, claiming his election was irregular.

Liverpool set to earn more cash

Liverpool will make more money from corporate boxes than new supporters when they finally move to their new 60,000-seater stadium in Stanley Park.

Ian Ayre, Liverpool's commercial director, said it was estimated more than 50 per cent of income on match days will come from the sale of seats in corporate boxes rather than the increased numbers in mainstream seating.

The new stadium will increase corporate seating from 3,000 currently at Anfield to 10,000. Liverpool have 40,000 season ticket holders with a waiting list of a further 65,000.

"The new stadium is clearly a business opportunity. But it will be important to maintain the integrity of the Liverpool brand and fan experience at Anfield," Ayre said.