Football news

QPR boss Neil Warnock said he was “loving every minute” as today his side look to seal their return to the Premier League after a 15-year absence. QPR can ensure their promotion to the top flight with victory over visitors Hull at their Loftus Road home.

“We’re really thriving on it. I’m loving every minute,” said Warnock.

“I couldn’t be any prouder to manage a team like that. It has been a long season and the Championship is the hardest to get out of.”

QPR were London’s top club in the 1992-1993 inaugural Premier League season, finishing fifth ahead of the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham.

Raul set to discuss future at Schalke

Veteran striker Raul is set to discuss his future with Champions League semi-finalists Schalke when his agent meets club bosses this week.

The 33-year-old is under contract with the Royal Blues until 2012, but has been in stellar form this season and his agent is set to meet with Royal Blues bosses to discuss an extension.

A firm crowd favourite at Schalke, Raul has made 44 appearances for the Bundesliga team this season, scoring 18 goals in the process.

Having joined Real in 1992, the centre-forward won the Spanish league six times and the Champions League three times with Real Madrid.

Inter’s Coutinho mulling transfer

Philippe Coutinho is likely to seek a move elsewhere in summer in a bid to find first-team football.

The Brazilian striker featured regularly in his first few months at the San Siro with Rafa Benitez as coach. However, since Leonardo’s arrival at the club, the 18-year-old has only made four appearances in four months.

It has been a disappointing second half of the campaign for Coutinho since picking up a hamstring injury in late Novem-ber. He was on the verge of joining Sampdoria in January and it is now thought he is considering the possibility of a loan move in the summer.

Roma owners want new stadium

The new owners of Serie A club Roma want the team to move away from the Olimpico and instead settle in a new stadium in the Massimina area of the city.

Thomas Di Benedetto has already highlighted the importance of building a privately owned ground as Il Corriere dello Sport reported the new owners have already identified a piece of land within the city boundaries.

It’s still owned by third parties but Di Benedetto hopes to come to an agreement.

Juventus are the only Serie A side to have built their own stadium, which should be ready next season.

Podolski vows to stay at Cologne

German international forward Lukas Podolski said he will remain with Cologne next season, even though the club are yet to confirm their top-flight status.

“Being at Cologne does me good. It’s my club, it’s my town,” Podolski said.

Despite his vow to stay put, Podolski called for the club to get their house in order, as they seek a replacement for coach Frank Schaefer.

“At Mainz, Dortmund and Hanover, there are no huge stars but there’s a philosophy and everyone pulls in the same direction,” he said.

Asked where he would go if he left Cologne, Podolski said: “Without wanting to be arrogant, I could succeed at a big European club, in England or Spain.”

Nasri and Clichy start contract talks

Arsene Wenger has revealed Arsenal have started negotiations with French internationals Samir Nasri and Gael Clichy to extend their contracts with the Premier League club.

Nasri and Clichy are moving towards the final year of their current deals and Wenger is determined to keep both players even though they have been linked with moves elsewhere.

“We are talking to Nasri and his agent already and we have the same situation with Clichy. We have agreed to speak about it during the summer,” Wenger said.

“When you sign a contract, you are committed to win trophies with the club where you sign. It is in no contract that if you do not win a trophy the first year, you can leave.”

Hanover cry foul over Konan interest

Hanover coach Mirko Slomka accused Bayern Munich of seeking to cause trouble by declaring an interest in Hanover’s Ivorian striker Didier Ya Konan.

“I take this kind of thing seriously. I think that Bayern want to cause trouble,” Slomka said.

According to media reports, Bayern are interested in signing the striker, who has scored 13 league goals this season and has a 10-million-euro departure clause in his contract.

“It doesn’t impress us. We’re happy to play fair with Bayern and keep putting them under pressure,” Slomka added.

The two sides are currently locked in a battle for third place in the Bundesliga, which represents the final Champions League qualifying position.