Football news

Catania are not ready to part with Maxi Lopez. The striker has been consistently linked with a move elsewhere with Juventus leading the chase for the Argentine.

Catania transfer chief Pietro Lo Monaco is reluctant though and dropped a huge hint that Maxi is going nowhere.

“Let’s end this Maxi Lopez story, it’s just stupid... he is not moving away from Catania. He needs to just worry about doing well with us,” Lo Monaco said.

“Lopez has the qualities of a great footballer and he could play for a big team, but for now we are keeping him at Catania.”

Evra says Arsenal won’t win title

Man. United defender Patrice Evra has mocked Arsenal for their lack of recent success. The title contenders meet at Old Trafford on Monday with Arsene Wenger’s men currently topping the table.

Evra believes Arsenal offer style but little substance.

He said: “I watch Arsenal play and enjoy it but will they win the title?

“That’s what people remember. Arsenal are a great club but it has been five years since they won anything and that for me it is crisis. We could lose to them but then what? There is nothing for them, there will be no trophy. Our real enemy is Chelsea.”

Materazzi says handshake occurred

Marco Materazzi has confirmed that a handshake between himself and Zinedine Zidane in Milan last month did take place. The pair have had a long-running feud since the 2006 World Cup final when Zidane was sent off for headbutting Materazzi in the chest.

Last month, a journalist claimed to have seen the pair shake hands and make up at a Milan hotel.

“They said that Zidane was parking right next to my car,” Materazzi said.

“I went out and found myself in front of Zidane. Let’s say that it was I who spoke most and at the end when he extended his hand to me I clasped it and didn’t let go until he looked me properly in the eye.”

Schalke dig deep to keep Neuer

Schalke are to offer keeper Manuel Neuer a pay rise in order to stave off interest from the likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester United.

The 24-year-old Schalke captain’s annual salary could jump from two million to five million euros, according to Bild.

Schalke manager Felix Magath has confirmed that the Ruhr club will hold talks with their prized stopper, whose contract expires in 2012, during the winter break.

“It’s obvious that we want to hold on to the best goalkeeper in the world. It would be good to fix things up before the second half of the season begins,” Magath said.

Neuer is a product of Schalke’s youth academy and starred for Germany at this year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Board backing for Houllier

Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner and chief executive Paul Faulkner have given their backing to manager Gerard Houllier.

Houllier has endured a difficult week with Villa suffering a fourth successive defeat at his former club Liverpool on Monday.

He angered some supporters by joking after the game that if Villa had to lose 3-0, at least it was to the Reds.

But Faulkner insists Houllier has his full support and that of Lerner.

He said: “From my point of view, and from Randy’s, it’s ‘as you were’. It’s not even a vote of confidence because nothing has changed for us.

“We knew it was going to be hard and we are on a bad run. But the answer is to work even harder and Gerard is doing that.”

Cesena’s Nagatomo in dilemma

Japan and Cesena defender Yuto Nagatomo, torn between the Italian club and his country, is undecided on whether he will take part in January’s Asian Cup.

“Of course, I always want to help out Japan, but given the situation of my team, it’s difficult,” the 24-year-old told Japanese media in Cesena.

“It’s not a decision I can make on my own.”

Cesena, 18th in the 20-team Serie A, are reportedly reluctant to release Nagatomo for the Qatar tournament, for which countries have the right to call up players.

Japan’s Italian coach Alberto Zaccheroni will directly negotiate with Cesena for Nagatomo’s release for the 2011 Asian Cup, which clashes with Serie A fixtures, Kyodo said.

Ranocchia’s focus solely on Genoa

Andrea Ranocchia, the 22-year-old Genoa defender linked with a move to Inter next month, says he is only focusing on his team at the moment and not thinking about the transfer market.

Ranocchia is half-owned by the Nerazzurri who lost defender Walter Samuel to injury for the rest of the season. However, the Italian international has again underlined that he intends to see out the season at Genoa.

“I’m not thinking about the transfer market, I’m just concentrated on my duties with Genoa. I’m staying,” Ranocchia said.

“The rest is of no interest.”