Football transfer news

Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick has described the imminent arrival of Robin van Persie from Arsenal as a “great boost” ahead of the start of the new Premier League season on Saturday.

Both clubs announced on Wednesday that a fee had been agreed for the striker – thought to be in the region of £24 million – who is due to travel to Manchester on Thursday to complete a medical and put pen to paper on a four-year deal.

And Carrick believes the addition of the Netherlands international could even tip the title odds back in United’s favour after seeing local rivals Manchester City claim their first ever championship last season.

“Someone mentioned in the dressing room about Van Persie and if it goes through, it will be brilliant,” Carrick told the Daily Mail.

“He had a terrific season and he will further strengthen our squad. It is a great boost going into the new season.

“He is a world class player and we have always been about bringing in players of that ability.

“Can it make the difference between second and first? There wasn’t much difference so hopefully we can go that step further!”

Carrick was speaking in the aftermath of England’s 2-1 friendly win over Italy – in which Roy Hodgson’s experimental side come from behind to beat the team that knocked them out of Euro 2012.

The United midfielder – making his first appearance for his country since facing Mexico in May 2010 – played alongside his domestic team-mate Tom Cleverley in the youngster’s senior international debut, and spoke highly of his performance.

“He was fantastic and I had no doubts that he would have a good game,” Carrick added.

“I have seen him every day in training at United and know how good he is and, with his personality, he is ideal for the big occasion.

“He has got a good grounding at United and had played in big games already before tonight.”

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent

West Ham are targeting Tal Ben Haim after he severed his links with crisis club Portsmouth, Goal.com can reveal.

Sam Allardyce wants to make use of the Israeli defender’s availability on a free transfer and bring him back to Upton Park.
Ben Haim spent six months on loan at the Hammers during the 2010-11 season, when the club were relegated from the Premier League during Avram Grant’s troubled reign.

The 30-year-old former Chelsea and Manchester City cente-back has seen his stock fall since ending his three-year association with Allardyce in 2007, when he left Bolton Wanderers to move to Chelsea.

But the West Ham manager believes Ben Haim can still be a force in the top tier and is confident he can get the best out of a player who moved to England from his native Israel in 2004.

Ben Haim, who can play at either in the centre of defence or fill in at left-back, is without a club after reaching a compromise deal with Portsmouth last week over his wages.

He had been on a salary of £36,000-a-week and his departure is regarded as a major boost to the financially-troubled south coast club.

Allardyce has already brought one former Hammers defender back to the club during the transfer window having signed James Collins from Aston Villa. He has also completed deals for Mohamed Diame, Alou Diarra, Modibo Maiga and Jussi Jaaskelainen.

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Tottenham misfit Giovani dos Santos could be set to move to Inter as part of a swap deal for goalkeeper Julio Cesar, his agent has revealed.

The Mexican, who recently won a gold medal for his country at the Olympic Games, has failed to break into the first team at White Hart Lane since joining from Barcelona in 2008, and has spent loan spells at a number of clubs including Ipswich Town and Galatasaray during his time in north London.

However, the 23-year-old looks set to leave the Premier League after his representative Vicente Montes confirmed that a swap deal to bring Cesar to Spurs and take Dos Santos to the San Siro could well be in the offing.

Montes told calciomercato.com: “The truth is that Gio has always wanted to play in La Liga or Serie A so that’s what we’re aiming for.

“A swap deal with Julio Cesar? Often journalists talk without knowing the truth, but that is not the case here. Inter is one of the possibilities, I can’t deny that.”

The 32-year-old Cesar has won a plethora of honours since signing for Inter from Flamengo in 2005, including five Serie A titles and one Champions League crown, along with over 60 appearances for his country.

And Montes is hopeful that a deal can be done to revitalise the Mexico international’s career in a similar fashion.

He added: “Giovani wants the situation resolved as soon as possible and in the next few days we will try to find a solution, but negotiating with Tottenham is not easy.

“I would say it’s 50% likely he’ll go to Italy, 50% to Spain. There are other Italian clubs that want him and we’re evaluating the offers.”

Ray Parlour believes the imminent departure of captain Robin van Persie to Manchester United is a “big blow” for Arsenal.

It was announced on Wednesday that the Premier League pair has reached an agreement over the fee for the striker, with the player set to travel to Manchester on Thursday to complete a medical.

The transfer will see Arsenal lose their captain for the fourth time in seven years, joining the likes of Patrick Viera, Thierry Henry and Cesc Fabregas out of the door, and Ray Parlour believes the latest departure is a “big blow” for his former side.

He told talkSPORT: “It’s been years since Arsenal sold a player to Manchester United. I think [the last] was Frank Stapleton [in 1981].

“They were always our massive rivals and I know we sold a lot of players to Manchester City but Manchester United were always our rivals and we didn’t want to help them.

“It’s a big blow for Arsenal but I’m just hoping with the money they receive from the transfer that Arsene Wenger has got a replacement in mind.”

Wenger has already been very busy in the transfer market ahead of this latest development, bringing in striking duo Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud from Koln and Montpellier respectively.

Former Athletic Bilbao president Jose Maria Arrate has spoken out on Fernando Llorente’s decision to not extend his contract.

The Basque club recently revealed that the 27 year-old Spain international has no intention of renewing his current deal, which will expire at the end of the 2012-2013 season.

Bilbao must now decide whether to sell the striker before the end of the transfer window, or face losing him for nothing at the end of the season.

“The player’s position is of someone who wants nothing to do with Athletic”, said Arrate. “You can see that he has not learned anything about the club whilst he has been with Bilbao.

“I am disappointed. I thought he was going to realise what the club has done for him.”

Llorente was whistled by some Basque fans after coming on as a substitute in Thursday’s 3-1 victory over SK Slaven, in the first leg of a third round Europa League qualifier.