The Manchester United midfielder is desperate to leave Old Trafford ahead of next summer’s World Cup in Brazil, with the likes of Porto and Fulham potential destinations

ANDERSON ASKS FOR TOTTENHAM MOVE

Manchester United have been offering midfielder Anderson to all-comers in recent weeks and it seems that the Brazilian is equally as desperate for a January transfer away from Old Trafford.

The 25-year-old made a beeline for Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas after United’s 2-2 November draw in north London to ask about a potential transfer to White Hart Lane.

While Villas-Boas had identified Anderson as a leading target in the summer of 2012, the Londoners have no desire to add the former Porto man to a midfield that boasts Paulinho, Sandro, Mousa Dembele and Etienne Capoue.

But it is a sign of just how much Anderson has failed to live up to expectations since his arrival from Porto for around €24 million in 2007.

United are likely to take a huge hit on the money they paid for the Brazilian, who club sources say is unfit and fails to follow tactical instructions.

He has made just four Premier League appearances so far this season, two as a substitute, but still hopes he can feature in next summer’s World Cup in his home country.

Porto have expressed an interest in taking back Anderson while new Fulham head coach Rene Meulensteen may be tempted to reunite with his former colleague.

Anderson’s €95,000-a-week wages mean that United may have to settle for an initial loan deal to get the player off their books, with a move to Turkish club Galatasaray also a possibility.

The club’s former sporting director says Paul Pogba was one of the other few players he couldn’t lure to the French capital when in charge

Former Paris Saint-Germain sporting director Leonardo admits he tried everything to persuade Cristiano Ronaldo to join the club from Real Madrid.

The former Inter and AC Milan coach also admitted the French champions attempted to sign Juventus star Paul Pogba during his two-year spell in Ligue 1.

Despite failing to sign the star pair, Leonardo believes he left PSG with a squad that is unrivalled by anyone else in Europe.

He told Telefoot: “Pogba is at the level to play for PSG, of course. We thought of him and thought he would be a great investment because he is one of the best midfielders in the world.  

“We also thought of signing Ronaldo. I did everything within the written laws to try to get him to Paris but it was impossible to make him leave Real Madrid.

“There is no other team that has the squad of the Paris Saint-Germain. No other team has such offensive force.

“The squad has Salvatore Sirigu, Thiago Silva, Thiago Motta, Zlatan Ibrahmovic and then came Edinson Cavani. We wanted this strong central spine. The team is ready for now and for the future.”

Despite having made Ronaldo one of his top signing targets, Leonardo said he is backing Bayern Munich star Franck Ribery to win this year’s Ballon d’Or award.

The Brazilian added: “Ronaldo, Messi and Ribery are the type of players who make you dream. I prefer Ribery for the Ballon d’Or, as it would be his first title. Ronaldo and Messi also merit it – but they have already won.”

The 44-year-old was also keen to praise the work of Laurent Blanc as coach in the French capital and admitted he still holds the club close to his heart after his departure.

“Laurent Blanc is doing some very smart work – he brings a French perspective, which is important,” continued Leonardo.

“He was a great player, a world champion, someone who experienced a lot of things in Italy and in Spain. He has a global vision and that is important in football today.

“The sacred bond between PSG and me is still strong. I spent two very intense years there. I watch all the matches. I talk to the club president [Nasser Al-Khelaifi] regularly on the phone. We became very close.”

The France international midfielder admits being tempted by offers in the summer but eventually signed a new contract instead and is happy to stay at the Ligue 1 club

Clement Grenier, a transfer target for Arsenal over the summer, plans to stay at Olympique Lyonnais.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger confirmed his interest in the midfielder in the close-season but the 22-year-old elected to instead sign a new contract with the French side.

The France international has scored three goals in 18 appearances for Les Gones this season but, despite his club’s disappointing mid-table position in Ligue 1, has no intention of moving on yet.

“A departure last summer? I was not against that at first but, finally, I took my time on thinking what was best for me,” Grenier told Telefoot.

“Now I want to do better and better with OL. It has been a little complicated for me lately but I will not let go. This winter the club has not decided to sell me.

“In football anything can happen but it is not relevant today. I decided to continue with OL; they have helped me a lot since I was little. At the moment, I do not see myself leaving.”

The Blancos boss insists that the Argentina international is going nowhere, amidst reports linking the allegedly frustrated winger with a move to Monaco

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti has unequivocally stated that he has not intention of selling Angel Di Maria – despite substituting the winger in Saturday’s Copa del Rey draw with Olimpic Xativa.

It has been claimed that the winger has growing increasingly frustrated by the intense competition for places at the Santiago Bernabeu and is now considering moving to Monaco in order to boost his chances of representing Argentina at the 2014 World Cup.

But Ancelotti categorically denied the 25-year-old is heading for the exit door, insisting the decision to replace him with Karim Benzema was because of a minor injury concern – and not any dissatisfaction with Di Maria’s display.

“He told me he felt discomfort so I told the others to warm up and, after that, I introduced Benzema,” Ancelotti explained after the match.

“But he has not talked about his future. He is happy here and he will not leave Real Madrid.”

Madrid looked toothless in attack without Cristiano Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on the artificial turf of La Murta, but Ancelotti was unconcerned with his side’s inability to find a breakthrough.

“I do not mind not having scored,” the former Chelsea boss insisted. “This team makes a lot of chances and scores a lot, so we’ll try to score in the next game.

“I’m satisfied. [Alvaro] Morata worked well for the team, had chances but could not score. Our opponents defended well, and it was clear we were not used to the [artificial] grass.”

The France international will remain on the same €180,000-a-week terms as his current deal and is set for talks in the New Year before putting pen to paper

EXCLUSIVE
By Paul Clennam 

Manchester City will offer Samir Nasri a two-year contract extension worth €180,000-a-week in the New Year.

The Frenchman has been in good form in recent weeks, prompting the Premier League outfit’s sporting director Txiki Begiristain and coach Manuel Pellegrini to evaluate the attacking midfielder’s current deal, which has two years remaining. 

Nasri will remain on his current terms with a new contract that will tie him to the club until 2017. 

The Bleus ace is happy at the Etihad Stadium and has seen his influence grow this season under Pellegrini, bagging three goals in a week at the end of November and beginning of this month. 

He had suffered a dip in form last season under Roberto Mancini, as the pair shared a strained relationship during the Italian’s final months in Manchester, and Nasri admitted last month that he had been performing poorly.

“Everything he [Mancini] was saying was difficult for me to accept,” he told reporters. “It wasn’t his fault; it was just me because I wasn’t in a good place.

“I wasn’t feeling myself. It was a tough season. After the European Championship and a beef with the French journalists, for months I refused to speak to anybody and had a lot of bad press in France and I wasn’t involved in the national team.

“It was a little difficult. In my head, I wasn’t the same. I didn’t play well for City and lost my spot in the squad and, at the end of the year, you look at your season and you realise, ‘I was not myself’.”

Nasri played the full 90 minutes for City as they drew 1-1 away to Southampton on Saturday.