JOELIKAN: 2015-11-29

Friday 4 December 2015

Pogba going nowhere in January

Paul Pogba’s agent has hinted at a summer switch from Juventus for Europe’s best midfielder.

It seems increasingly likely that Pogba will join Barcelona next summer, though reports in the English media continue to suggest he could join Manchester City.

A visit to the north-west this week has further fuelled rumours that Pogba could return to the Premier League four years after leaving Manchester United.

Agent Mino Raiola said: “He won’t move in January.

“He expressed his desire to finish the year at Juve, and the big players rarely move in January.

“June, however, is very far away. In terms of the transfer market, it’s a different time, almost a different century.”

I respect Wenger - Sam Allardyce

Sunderland boss Sam Allardyce says he now has great respect for Arsene Wenger after enjoying “good fun” with him earlier in his career.

Allardyce and Wenger had several public disagreements while Big Sam was in charge at Bolton and Blackburn, which was mainly prompted by the aggressive, physical style that he employed.

Wenger accused Allardyce of gamesmanship, while the Sunderland boss claimed the Frenchman was “arrogant” in his book, ‘Big Sam’, but he claims that is all water under the bridge and he is now a changed man.

“It was about my life in the early years. My life’s not like that now. I’m completely different now,” said Allardyce, whose Sunderland side travel to The Emirates on Saturday.

“I had some good fun with Arsene in the early years. I got under his skin. Our meetings have been much more amicable since, on and off the field.

“I’ve always had a huge amount of respect for him. Winding up was just a procedure we used a long time ago but I’m not sure it makes a difference to players on the field.

“I don’t particularly like controversy. Discipline is a massive part of being successful in football. Self-discipline as an individual and as a team.

“With experience you learn more about the game. You prioritise much better, you’re calmer and you learn to handle things.”

Allardyce has not beaten Arsenal since May, 2010 and has lost his previous eight matches against Wenger.

Manuel Pellegrini plans a clean sweep of all trophies this season

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini has refused to rule out the prospect of leading his side to a clean sweep of trophies this season.

After a week in which the league leaders reached the Capital One Cup semi-finals with victory over Hull, Pellegrini maintained that while an unprecedented quadruple remains far from his mind, it is not impossible.

Pellegrini, who is set to restore goalkeeper Joe Hart to his starting line-up at Stoke after two weeks out with an ankle injury, said: “I think the best way to do it is not to think about it and stay focused on your next game.

“When you continue in all the competitions you have so many games, and really not thinking if we can win all four – the important thing is to continue with those options in every game you play.

“It always must be the target of the big clubs. We try to be a big club and to think as a big club, so of course it can be an option but we are not thinking about that.”

City’s progress in the domestic competitions as well as the UEFA Champions League has come at a price with the respective returns of Hart and David Silva off-set by further losses this week.

Sergio Aguero is out of the trip to Stoke with a heel injury, although Pellegrini is hopeful the Argentinian striker will be fit to return for the midweek Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach.

Yaya Toure is out after suffering a muscle injury in training and Eliaquim Mangala is suspended, joining Vincent Kompany, Pablo Zabaleta and Samir Nasri on the sidelines.

While Pellegrini acknowledged the important role his whole squad has played in their successful season so far, he admitted the continuing absence of Kompany in particular was a blow to his squad.

Pellegrini added: “He (Kompany) is a very important player for our team. We don’t depend on him because we have other players who are doing well, but alwayas the team is better with Kompany.

“That’s why he is so important to our team. I hope after he recovers from this injury he can have a normal season because the team of course needs him.”

Pellegrini’s squad is likely to play an increasingly important role heading into a festive season which has been traditionally strong for City, as those stars continue to fight back from injury.

Pellegrini added: “You have to play so many games in December and January with the Capital One Cup and the FA Cup so it is very important to try to be as near to the top as possible.

“We are at the moment in a very good position and I don’t think anybody can have any doubts about the strength of our squad. It is important that when you don’t have the important players you have a squad that is able to play the same way, and I think that is what we are doing so far.”

Rooney ruled out of Man United's next two fixtures

Wayne Rooney has been ruled out of Manchester United’s next two fixtures against West Ham and Wolfsburg because of an ankle injury.

Louis van Gaal confirmed the striker’s injury, which he suffered in the 1-1 draw at Leicester, was worse than feared.

The 30-year-old, who has played 499 games for the club, will miss Saturday’s home game against West Ham and the crucial Champions League fixture in Wolfsburg next Tuesday.

“It’s a nasty injury. He shall not play his 500th game (on Saturday) because he is more injured than I thought so we have to wait for that game,” the United manager said.

“His ankle is not good enough and we have to recover that ankle with a lot of strength. He has to do a lot of exercises to make his ankle stronger. He needs more time.”

Van Gaal later confirmed Rooney would also miss Tuesday’s game in Wolfsburg, which United need to win to guarantee their place in the knockout stages of the Champions League.

Van Gaal also confirmed defender Marcos Rojo would be sidelined for a number of weeks after dislocating his shoulder in training.

The Argentina left-back suffered the same problem last November in the 1-0 defeat at Manchester City and had only just returned to training following another injury.

“He was recovered of his (previous) injury so he trained with us on Wednesday after we gave all the players two days off,” Van Gaal said.

“He started fresh with us but he fell down and it was a bad fall and he dislocated his shoulder.

“It’s more or less the same as what happened last season (at City) so he is for more weeks out.

“Whether he shall be operated on is a question for Marcos and the doctor. We have to wait for the scan. We have to make the scan at the proper time.”

Kevin de Bruyne could be as good as Suarez - Raheem Sterling

Raheem Sterling says Manchester City attacker Kevin de Bruyne reminds him of former Liverpool team-mate Luis Suarez.

City spent around £100million bringing the duo to the Etihad Stadium in the summer and De Bruyne especially has been an instant hit, scoring nine goals and assisting a further six in all competitions.

And England winger Sterling believes he is City’s answer to Barcelona forward Suarez.

“With Suarez, once he got in and around the box, you knew what he was capable of doing – usually it ended with a goal,” Sterling said.

“It’s the same with Kevin, he looks for other players … look at the assists he’s got already and he’s got goals in him regularly as well. Every team needs a player like that.”

De Bruyne was previously on the books at Chelsea but was sold to Wolfsburg after falling out with Jose Mourinho over a lack of game time.

The Blues have been left to rue their decision as the Belgian – who scored twice in the League Cup quarter-final victory over Hull City – has shone since returning to the Premier League.

“I didn’t see him much at Chelsea to be honest. Not many of us did, but if you saw him in Germany, the number of goals he was involved in, it was obvious he had quality,” Sterling added.

“It’s always a test for players to come to England, play regularly and contribute but that’s what he’s done. Credit to him, he’s been incredible.”

£100m not be enough to sign Sadio Mane - Southampton Coach

Ronald Koeman claims not even £100million would be enough to tempt Southampton to sell Sadio Mane - or any of their other stars - this January.

The 23-year-old has shone in the 15 months since swapping Red Bull Salzburg for Saints in a £10million deal.

It led to strong interest from Manchester United in the summer and it is understood the likes of Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain are among the high-profile clubs monitoring Mane.

However, Saints boss Koeman says there is no chance that the Senegal winger, or anyone else, will be leaving when the transfer window re-opens.

'No, no, not in January,' he said. 'Already we spoke about that situation and we sell nobody in January.

'Nobody, even when they pay £100million.'

Meanwhile, Saints have secured the future of highly-rated Josh Sims until 2018.

The Saints academy graduate was part of the triumphant England side at last year's European Under-17 Championship.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool have been linked with Sims in the past, but the 18-year-old has now signed a new two-and-a-half-year deal at St Mary's.

'I'm delighted to sign the new contract,' he told the club's YouTube channel. 'I'm happy that the club has also shown faith in me.

'First and foremost this season I really want to nail down a place in the Under 21s, show the first-team staff what I can do and then see where that takes me.

'The aim is to get into the first team, but the Under 21s is the first step. I know the standard I need to get to and hopefully I can impress this season.'