Football news

Malaga have reached an agreement with Manchester City to take Ecuador striker Felipe Caicedo on loan for the remainder of the season, the Primera Liga club announced yesterday.

The 21-year-old Caicedo, who has already passed his medical with Malaga, had been on loan from City at Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon since the start of this season.

Malaga are currently third from bottom in the league standings and two points adrift of safety ahead of today's home match with Athletic Bilbao.

Caicedo joined City from Swiss side Basle in January 2008 and last season he made 25 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League outfit, scoring seven goals.

Robben fitness boost for Bayern

Arjen Robben should be fit for Bayern Munich's first Bundesliga fixture of 2010 next Friday as the injury he picked up in training last week is not as bad as first feared.

The Dutchman limped out of training after twisting his ankle and it was feared he may face another lengthy lay-off. But the club confirmed on their official website his involvement against Hoffenheim "is not in any danger".

Franck Ribery, meanwhile, returned to full training yesterday for the first time in more than a week, although he has already been ruled out of the Hoffenheim game.

Gunners mulling Campbell comeback

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hinted that he could be ready to hand former Gunners centre-back Sol Campbell a surprise return to the Premier League.

Campbell, 35, has been training with his former team-mates and is currently without a club after last year's departure from Portsmouth and his subsequent ill-fated brief stint with fourth tier outfit Notts County.

Asked if Campbell could be re-signed, Wenger answered equivocally.

"We have a level of interest for every good player," the Frenchman said, before adding: "He trains very hard."

Hertha eye Celtic's Hinkel

Hertha Berlin have confirmed their interest in Andreas Hinkel. The Celtic full-back, 27, is also reportedly on the radar of Borussia Dortmund.

Hertha coach Friedhelm Funkel said in the Daily Express: "Hinkel would be an excellent addition to our team for the second part of the season, and while I have not spoken personally to him I know from other people that he would not reject a move back to Germany.

"If something could be agreed then I would be happy, but Hertha is not a super-rich side and Celtic may not want to sell him, so who knows what the outcome will be at this stage."

Wenger warns off Barca, Real

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed he wrote to Real Madrid and Barcelona to warn them off his star players.

The Spanish giants are both admirers of Cesc Fabregas, who began his career at Barcelona, and have hinted they would want to sign the midfielder.

Wenger said: "We wrote them a letter. We do not say that Messi and Kaka will sign next week here. If one day we want to sell a player and they are interested they can call us. They don't need to go through a newspaper.

"I wrote the letter a long time ago to say we are not ready to sell any of our players. I don't remember when but they did not write back."

Ferguson has no cash concerns

Sir Alex Ferguson insists Manchester United's massive debt is having no impact on his team-building plans.

With talk of a £600m bond issue being launched to part repay the colossal loans taken out by the Glazer family to complete their takeover of the Old Trafford outfit, it has been widely assumed United are in a period of financial strife.

Yet the United boss is adamant such conclusions are unfair.

"I don't have any concerns about the financial situation," he said. "Concerns of the supporters are down to the fact that I haven't moved in the transfer market. But that is nothing to do with the Glazers or with David Gill.

"It is simply because I am not going to pay £50 million for a striker who is not worth it."

Real to stay out of transfer market

Real Madrid have no plans to replace injured Brazilian defender Pepe, or any other players, during the mid-season transfer window, Spanish media reported.

The club's management told coach Manuel Pellegrini that he could not expect any new signings this month, the Marca sports newspaper said.

The club will not let others leave either this winter, such as Argentine Gago, who has sparked interest from Boca Junior and Juventus.

Spanish media recently noted that Dutch striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has been largely sidelined this season, had received the green light to leave this winter, perhaps to Liverpool.