QPR manager Neil Warnock admits Malaysian tycoon Tony Fernandes’s takeover at Loftus Road could allow him to sign Liverpool midfielder Joe Cole.
Fernandes became QPR’s majority shareholder last week when he bought a 66 per cent stake in the club and the new owner has given Warnock the green light to make signings in this transfer window.
Warnock hopes to bring in up to five new players to boost his squad and Cole is top of his wanted list.
“Joe Cole? We can probably afford 30 or 40 per cent of his wages now. The chairman knows all my targets and we are discussing them,” Warnock said.
Staunton lands Sunderland role
Former Ireland boss Steve Staunton has joined Sunderland’s backroom staff.
The 42-year-old has been recruited as the club’s match assessor, a role which will see him evaluate forthcoming opponents and draw up detailed reports for manager Steve Bruce and his coaching staff.
Staunton, who had a spell in charge at the Black Cats’ north east neighbours Darlington, made his name at Liverpool and Aston Villa during a distinguished playing career which saw him capped 102 times for his country.
Inter can cope without Eto’o – coach
Inter coach Gian Piero Gasperini is confident the departure of Samuel Eto’o to Russian club Anzhi Makhachkala will not weaken his side.
Gasperini recognised the quality of Eto’o but backed his team to thrive even if he were to seal the move to Russia.
He said: “We all know how good the player is but I think this is a team that can also be set up differently, although obviously it’s the strength of your attack that determines how good your team is.
“There are other valuable players and we’ll start building again with this group. We’ll try to get back the ones who are out at the moment and we might be able to strengthen a little too.”
PSG told Berbatov not for sale
Alex Ferguson has told PSG they have no chance of signing striker Dimitar Berbatov.
In the immediate aftermath of his omission from Man. United’s Champions League final squad, it was felt Berbatov would leave Old Trafford this summer.
Even Ferguson has admitted it would have been no surprise if the Bulgarian had asked for a move.
PSG, backed by an influx of money from their new Qatar-based owners, felt there was a good chance of luring Berbatov to France.
It took a quick conversation between Ferguson and Paris SG coach Leonardo to end that hope, however.
“I had Ferguson on the phone but he said he was counting on Berbatov and he was not for sale,” said Leonardo.
Zenit still hunting for Juve’s Bonucci
Russian club Zenit SP are set to make a renewed offer to Juventus for the transfer of international centre-half Leonardo Bonucci.
Reports in the Italian media say that Zenit already had an €8m bid rejected this summer but they are not giving up hope of landing their target signing.
Juve had previously stated that they had no intention of parting with the 24-year-old Bonucci who cost the Turin club around €15 million to buy from Bari in 2009.
Juve are expected to sign another defender this month to add back-up for Giorgio Chiellini and Andrea Barzagli, the two other central defenders at the club.
West Ham stadium decision ‘upheld’
An independent investigation has upheld the decision to award West Ham United the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games.
The Olympic Park Legacy Company, who chose West Ham as the first choice to move in to the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games, appointed auditors Moore Stephens to investigate their own internal stadium procedures six weeks ago.
West Ham, in a joint bid with Newham Council that was picked ahead of Tottenham, plan to retain the running track after moving into the stadium. They intend to convert the 80,000-seater venue into a 60,000-capacity arena for football, athletics and concerts.
Modric in no condition to play
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has admitted Chelsea transfer target Luka Modric is too unsettled to play and was dropped for the game against Manchester United last night.
Chelsea are reported to have made an improved £30m bid for Modric over the weekend after Spurs rebuffed two previous offers for the Croatia midfielder.
Modric has made it clear he wants to move and let his frustrations show at a stormy meeting with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy during the close-season.
Redknapp said: “He’s got a little bit of an injury. There’s a possibility he could have played through it but at the moment his head’s not in the right place.
“Someone has turned Luka’s head. We need to get it all sorted out.”