Football news

New Milan loan signing Kevin-Prince Boateng insisted he was 100 per cent committed to the club following his complicated transfer to the seven-time European champions.

Boateng, who will wear the number 27 shirt for Milan with the name Prince on his back, joined the Rossoneri on loan from Genoa this week.

But regardless of his being a Genoa player, Boateng insisted there’s only one club that matters to him.

“I don’t care about how Milan brought me here, I feel 100 per cent Rossonero and I have to show that I can play at this level,” he told reporters.

Hughes keen to keep Schwarzer

Fulham manager Mark Hughes insists he is determined to keep Mark Schwarzer despite Arsenal’s renewed interest in the goalkeeper.

The Gunners made a two million pounds offer for Schwarzer in May and returned with a bid of the same amount on Thursday.

But both bids were rejected by Fulham and Hughes remains convinced he can keep the former Middlesbrough star at Craven Cottage.

“There wasn’t an improved offer from Arsenal – it was exactly the same one that was put forward in May,” Hughes said on Friday.

“But the status quo is the same – we wouldn’t encourage an improved bid. It’s not at all inevitable he will leave.”

‘I was forced out,’ says Ireland

Former Ireland midfielder Stephen Ireland says he is delighted to have moved to Aston Villa despite claiming to have been “forced out” of Manchester City.

After struggling to find any way to re-establish himself in manager Roberto Mancini’s plans with City, Ireland was offloaded to Villa as part of the deal that saw England midfielder James Milner going the other way.

“I thought that was really unfair. I was first in and last out of training and no one worked any harder than me,” he said of claims he had a suspect attitude last season.

“I was always the best player in training so maybe I was not for him.

“I was forced out but I couldn’t be happier than to have joined Aston Villa because as a young kid I was always fond of Villa.”

Rangers secure Jelavic signing

Scottish champions Rangers on Friday announced the signing of Croatian international striker Nikica Jelavic on a four-year contract from Austrian side Rapid Vienna.

The deal, which is pending a work permit, is worth four million pounds (4.9 million euros) and makes Jelavic Rangers’ most expensive signing since the capture of Mikel Arteta in 2002.

The 24-year-old completed a medical earlier in the day and Rangers hope he will have received international clearance in time to make his debut against St Johnstone at Ibrox on August 28.

Aquilani set for Juve loan switch

Liverpool have announced an agreement with Juventus for Alberto Aquilani to return to Serie A on loan this season.

Aquilani will join ‘The Old Lady’ for a year subject to a medical – to be held tomorrow – in a bid to gain regular first-team football.

The Italian joined the Anfield club from Roma a year ago to replace Real Madrid-bound Xabi Alonso but persistent injury problems limited his impact under previous boss Rafael Benitez, who has since been replaced by Roy Hodgson.

Hodgson recently acquired Danish midfielder Christian Poulsen from Juve, but speculation continues to link Javier Mascherano with a move to Spain or Italy.

Aquilani’s exit, therefore, threatens to leave the Reds’ midfield ranks depleted should the Argentina skipper secure his move away with Barcelona and Inter sniffing around.

Sculli’s move to Inter stalls

Genoa president Enrico Preziosi insists Giuseppe Sculli is staying at the club “for the moment” amid interest from Inter.

It looked as though the versatile striker was on his way to San Siro last week, but talks between the two sides proved fruitless.

Speaking to Radio Toscano, Preziosi said: “At this point, Sculli is staying.

“For now, we have invested. Zuculini is very interesting and as for Veloso, I don’t know if Fiorentina were there before, but he is certainly one of the strongest central midfielders in Europe. He is very complete.”

Scholes regrets World Cup snub

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has revealed he regrets his decision to reject Fabio Capello’s request for him to play for England at the World Cup.

Scholes retired from international football in 2004 but he was tempted by the chance to join the England squad in South Africa.

He eventually snubbed the approach, mainly because Capello made the offer through his assistant Franco Baldini and only gave the 35-year-old a couple of hours to make up his mind.

“I wish I had gone,” he told Football Focus. “I did feel as though I had made the wrong decision.

“I had only been given a couple hours, so it was a bit of a rush job, but the World Cup is the biggest tournament you can be involved in.

“There was a touch of regret but it doesn’t matter now. It has gone.”