Veteran Real Madrid right-back Alvaro Arbeloa will not be joining Napoli in summer according to the player’s agent.
Arbeloa, 31, has been constantly linked with a move to the Serie A next season and Napoli in particular. Last year, the San Paolo outfit concluded deals with Real Madrid to sign former Bernabeu players Gonzalo Higuain, Raul Albiol and Jose Callejon.
However, agent Manuel Garcia Quilon thinks the transfer will not happen.
“Arbeloa is a Real Madrid player and he has never requested a transfer,” Garcia Quilon said.
“There have been no offers from Napoli and there is no chance of this happening.”
Petrescu sacked
Dinamo Moscow coach Dan Petrescu has left his post by mutual consent, the Russian side have announced.
The Romanian, a former Chelsea defender, joined the club in August 2012 on a three-year deal, helping them turn around a dismal start to the season and eventually finish seventh.
However, results have lacked consistency this campaign and a 4-0 defeat to bottom club Anzhi Makhachkala at the weekend signalled the end of the road for Petrescu, with the club eight points behind leaders Lokomotiv Moscow.
Hard work must continue – Seedorf
Milan coach Clarence Seedorf believes his side have room to improve despite their 2-1 triumph at Genoa on Monday.
The victory in Genoa was the Rossoneri’s third successive Serie A victory – the first time that has happened all season.
“We are closer to the Europa League positions,” Seedorf said.
“That is the objective of the club and we will try to achieve it.
“But we cannot forget there are many teams fighting to finish in the top five and closer than us to that target. We just have to keep going and see what happens.
“We are not in a position worthy of Milan and we must continue to work and improve.”
Sherwood won’t discuss Spurs future
Tim Sherwood was keen to avoid talk about his Tottenham future after a comprehensive win over Sunderland at White Hart Lane.
Emmanuel Adebayor’s brace complemented efforts from Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and Gylfi Sigurdsson as Spurs recovered from going behind to win 5-1. Speculation dominated the build-up to the encounter, with reports claiming Sherwood would be replaced in summer.
“It doesn’t affect me. I am just professional, I know I have got an opportunity to manage this club and I owe it to the players and fans to do the job professionally,” Sherwood said.
“That’s what I did, just got on with the job.”
Henderson maintains focus
All eyes will be on Anfield next weekend as title hopefuls Liverpool and Manchester City clash, but Reds midfielder Jordan Henderson will treat it just like any other match.
With just five fixtures remaining this season, City and Chelsea also remain in the hunt, with both sides still to visit Merseyside before the end of the campaign.
City are first up on Sunday and, although many will be billing the meeting as a potential title decider, Henderson insists Liverpool will not change their approach.
“We’ve got five games left,” he said.
“So, we’ve got to take each one as it comes and it is City – it is a big game but so are the other four. We’ve got to keep our focus and approach games like we have been.”
Arroyo: Barca will sign in summer
Barcelona remain convinced they will still be able to sign players this summer as they work on their appeal against the FIFA-imposed transfer ban.
Vice president Manel Arroyo said the club were working on their appeal with the Spanish Football Federation.
The Catalans were hit with a year-long transfer ban for breaching FIFA’s rules on the transfer of players aged under 18.
Arroyo said: “We’re working on an appeal that will give us an interim suspension of the transfer ban. We’re convinced that we will be able to sign new players.
“It’s a significant ban and our legal team is working so that we’ll be able to sign new players this summer.”
Nani now linked with Fiorentina
Unsettled Manchester United winger could end up joining Fiorentina next season.
Reports said United were prepared to let Nani go in summer but representative Andrea Pastorello said the player’s wages could be a stumbling block for the Serie A team.
“At the moment all I can say is that Nani is in a situation where it would be easy for him to leave Manchester,” Pastorello said.
“The problem though could be wages, I think this is a problem for a lot of Italian clubs at the moment.
“He will of course assess all the options open to him.”