Football news

Toni linked with Dubai move

Parma yesterday pulled out of talks to sign Luca Toni from Juventus and now the veteran striker is being linked with a transfer to Dubai.

Parma club supremo Tom-maso Ghirardi told reporters that nothing is in the pipeline for Toni despite a series of talks this week with Juventus.

“At the moment there are no deals being discussed with Juventus,” Ghirardi said.

Toni, 34, hasn’t played at all this season as the media is now suggesting that he is wanted by Walter Zenga’s Al Nasr.

Sevilla rule out Dos Santos bid

Sevilla have ruled out the possibility of joining the race for Tottenham forward Giovani Dos Santos.

Dos Santos wants to leave Tottenham this month after failing to break into Harry Redknapp’s first-team plans following his return from a loan spell at Racing Santander.

Sevilla failed in a bid to sign the Mexico international last summer, but will not be returning with another bid, according to club chief Jose Maria del Nido.

“Tottenham wanted an exorbitant amount. In the end they were asking for €6.5m,” he said.

Samba attacks Blackburn owners

Blackburn defender Christopher Samba launched a fresh attack on the Indian owners of Premier League strugglers Blackburn yes-terday as he renewed his attempts to leave the club.

Samba, who requested a transfer earlier this month, said Blackburn’s owners Venky’s “don’t understand” football.

“I signed a new deal last January because Venky’s told me they had big plans and they promised there was going to be a lot of investment... it hasn’t happened,” Samba said.

“They don’t understand football in this country and they don’t realise how much I’ve given to Blackburn and that they have broken promises they have made.”

Hero Ahn to retire

South Korean Ahn Jung-Hwan, famous for his dramatic goal in the 2002 World Cup, will retire next week, his agency said.

In a press release quoted by Yonhap news agency, Moro Sports Korea said Ahn would hold a press conference on Tuesday to announce his decision.

Ahn is best remembered for scoring the extra-time goal in South Korea’s 2-1 win over Italy in the round of 16 at the 2002 World Cup. At the 2006 event in Germany, Ahn scored to help South Korea beat Togo 2-1 in the group stage, its first victory in an away World Cup game.

Ahn made his pro debut with the Busan Daewoo Royals in the domestic K-League in 1998. He has also played in Italy, Japan, France and Germany.

Concerns over Kalou unfounded

Ivory Coast’s fears that influential striker Salomon Kalou had suffered serious injury have proved unfounded yesterday.

The Ivorians secured their ticket to the Africa Cup quarter-finals on Thursday but satisfaction was tempered by the sight of the Chelsea star limping off clutching his thigh in the 65th minute of the 2-0 win over Burkina Faso.

However, tests carried out yesterday revealed nothing untoward.

“It was more a scare than any damage, Kalou felt pain behind the thigh but it’s not a hamstring or tear,” the team’s press officer told AFP.

Shock move... Palestinian player joins Israel team

FIFA could be about to join international efforts to mediate between Israelis and Palestinians after an Arab-Israeli player switched from a Palestinian team to an Israeli one.

Ali Khatib has found himself at the centre of a storm after his bosses at Jabal Mukkaber, a top team in the Palestinian premier league, discovered he had tried out for Israel’s Hapoel Haifa – and subsequently signed with them.

Jabal Mukkaber say he is in breach of contract, a charge denied by Hapoel Haifa.

And what might otherwise be a local spat could now require intervention by FIFA because the Israeli and Palestinian football associations have no formal ties.

Keeper Carroll joins Olympiakos

Northern Irish goalkeeper Roy Carroll has signed to play with Olympiakos until the end of next season, the Greek Super League champions said.

“It is an honour for me to play for the best team in Greece,” said the 34-year-old former Manchester United player who joined from OFI Crete.

OFI had said that it decided to transfer Carroll at his request and at a cost of €330,000 which had been owed by the Cretan team to Olympiakos from previous deals.

Carroll has played for the Northern Ireland national team 19 times and at club level he was registered with Hull City, Wigan, Manchester United, West Ham, Rangers, Derby County and Odense BK.