Ancelotti is wasting no time in getting out of London in order to find some sunshine. As we have seen over and over this year, Miami is the spot that European footballers love to escape to.

Is it finally true? I know we have heard this so many times.

Valencia have sold star striker David Villa to Barcelona, according to Spanish media reports late on Tuesday.

The transfer fee agreed between the two clubs is around €45 million, money which cash-strapped Valencia need in order to improve their dire financial situation.

Villa, 28, will sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions after undergoing medical checks on Friday morning, then will be presented to the media as a Barca player on Friday evening.

Villa – who almost joined Real Madrid a year ago – was keen to resolve his future before going to South Africa to play for Spain the World Cup.

According to press reports, Barca’s next transfer target is Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.

Is this the end of Ibrahimovic? They will probably sell in order to balance the books properly and raise some money for a certain midfielder that currently resides in London.

Decisions, decisions, that is the primary thought on the mind of one Michael Ballack. Germany captain Michael Ballack will decide on his footballing future after this summer’s World Cup in South Africa, the Chelsea midfielder revealed in an interview on Tuesday with German Press Agency dpa.

“I have to think over a few things but that was always the case,” said Ballack, who was ruled out of Germany’s squad on Monday after a scan showed he needs at least eight weeks to recover from an ankle ligament injury he sustained in last weekend’s FA Cup final win over Portsmouth.
“I want to be playing football again as soon as possible. I assume that I’ll be fit for the start of the season.”

Ballack’s contract with the newly crowned English Premier League champions runs out in the summer, but the 33-year-old remains confident he will stay at the London club.

“I reckon that I’ll extend my contract,” Ballack said from Germany’s training camp in Sciacca Sicily, where he will remain until Sunday.

Ballack has won 98 caps for Germany and was looking forward to a fourth and probably last finals appearance before Kevin Prince- Boateng’s tackle ended his dreams of playing in South Africa.

Boateng was booked for his challenge on Ballack, who tried to play on at Wembley but was replaced by Juliano Belletti just before the interval.

Germany have been drawn into World Cup Group D, which also includes Australia, Serbia and Ghana.

David Beckham strolled through Heathrow in true Beckham style and without his most recent accessories, the crutches and boot. Simple blazer, white v-neck, some jeans and classic white sneakers; a great classic look using wardrobe staples.

Jay Z at his epic Super Bowl performance

I spotted this interview at Arsenal.com. Check it out

Grammy Gunner

By Andy Exley

Within four months in 1996, two events that could hardly be more disparate occurred, yet both paved the way for the making of an icon.

So we’ve established the credentials of Mr. Wenger and Mr., urm, Z but why the comparison? Well after rumors have done the rounds over recent weeks about the 40 year-old Hip-Hop star having a liking for Arsène Wenger’s Gunners, the Official Magazine managed to receive cast-iron confirmation of the Brooklyn born superstar’s support by nabbing ‘Mr. Beyonce’ for an exclusive interview about his beloved Arsenal.

First things first, and why does a man from Brooklyn who is part-owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team in the NBA, have an emotional stake in a football team across the Atlantic?

“It was about five years ago now,” explains the ten-time Grammy Award winner. “When Thierry Henry was at the club I saw him play and I just thought he was an amazing player, ever since then I have been a big fan of the club, following you guys and still today you play the beautiful football that Thierry did, I think he had a real long term effect on the team.

“I love all sports, but what I really love is when people play sport in a beautiful way, and that’s one thing Arsenal do for sure.

“I don’t get chance to watch the team in London,” he continues, “it’s difficult to find time with all the travelling I do, plus I live so far away. But we get all the EPL games over in the States, you can watch any games you like, so it’s pretty easy to keep up to date with how Arsenal are doing.”

Despite not getting to Emirates Stadium yet, Jay-Z did make his Premier League debut at Eastlands earlier this season, when he saw Manchester City’s controversial 4-2 victory over the Gunners. His high-profile presence as a guest of the City hierarchy ¬ he was in Manchester for a concert in the city – led to speculation that the New Yorker harbored loyalties for the Premier League’s nouveau riche, a fact he is quick to dispel. “The result wasn’t great [at City], but I was glad to see Arsenal play,” he says. “After that game the press started reporting that I was a Manchester City fan, I am really glad all that has been cleared up and that everybody in the UK knows that I am an Arsenal fan.

“I will come to Emirates soon that’s for sure. I love London as a city, it’s just finding time when I am over here for a few days to come and watch a game. I will find time soon, I will make sure of it.”

So who would Jay-Z particularly like to see in action when he finally gets to watch a match at Emirates? Not surprisingly, the peerless skipper gets a special mention, whilst the man who originally pricked his interest would also be on the menu, if at all possible.

“I think Cesc Fabregas is a great player,” says the rapper who recently topped the singles charts with ‘Empire State of Mind’. “It doesn’t matter what sport it is the greatest sportsmen in the world do the difficult things and make it look easy. That’s what Cesc does, he is so graceful in everything he does, and it looks effortless, the boy was born to play soccer you can see that.

“And Thierry Henry – that is a guy I would like to meet. I know he is a big NBA fan, so I might meet him courtside one day, or maybe when I come to the Emirates. He still comes to watch you guys right? He must do he is a legend there.

“I don’t know if there are any fans in the current team,” he says modestly, “but if there are they would be more than welcome to come to my next concert when I am over in London. They can come and see me do my work, and then I will come and see them do their work.”

Basketball references are frequent with Jay-Z and his love for the sport is matched by so many in the ‘Big Apple’ but is football finally taking a foothold there?

“Basketball is the sport of New York, and you are never going to change that,” he stresses. “Then New Yorkers love their [American] football and baseball, but I think soccer’s popularity is growing in the US. It’s never going to be the number one sport, but more people are playing it and watching it than ever have before.

“I just love watching people at the top of their game,” he continues, “plus when I was growing up basketball was a big part of our life and I used to spend a lot of time playing. It doesn’t matter what level it is, when people are on the field or on the court they just want to win, and that can bring the best out in people.

“Soccer is a beautiful game to watch, and people want to see it. It’s something different as well, if Americans want to see soccer played at the highest level they need to watch a European team. American soccer is getting better, but it’s still a long way off you guys.”

Back on the basketball trip, was Jay-Z aware that Chicago Bulls stars Luol Deng and Joakim Noah were big Gooners and have visited Emirates? “No I didn’t know that, that’s pretty cool. Maybe we could all watch a game together when the NBA season is over, I am sure they would love to come.”

And maybe extend an invite last month’s magazine feature Idris Elba – Stringer Bell from hit US drama The Wire…

“Sure, why not that sounds pretty cool. With all these people you are inviting over you are going to need a pretty big box if we all come on the same week!”

As well as a globally successful recording artist, Jay-Z is also an entrepreneur with his business portfolio including record companies and clothing lines as well as the stake in the New Jersey Nets. And four years ago, he was even rumored to be interested in purchasing a significant amount of shares in Arsenal Football Club, so could fellow American Stan Kroenke one day be joined on the Arsenal Board’s headed paper by Mr. Shawn Corey Carter?

“I am a businessman, and I will always look at an opportunity, and if it feels right great,” says Jay-Z, keeping his options open, “I don’t know a lot about the business of soccer, but in the future if the right opportunity presented itself then who knows?”

As for the immediate Gunners concerns, it’s all about a two-pronged attack on domestic and European fronts, and Jay-Z has his fingers crossed.

“You have always got to hope for the best, and in life you are never out of it until you are out of it,” he muses, “It’s still a very young team, but youth counts for a lot, and I am confident this can still be a very successful season. If we win the title, then I will make sure I give Arsenal a shout out on stage for sure.”

And with that the Official Magazine concludes its interview with perhaps our first non-footballing megastar since Demi Moore back in Highbury’s final season. All that’s left to do is extend an invitation to a game of his convenience in the future, to which he responds, “thanks for inviting me, that’s very cool of you.” Any time, Jay-Z, any time.

With thanks to Tom Bennett

Wayne Rooney and his brother Graeme

Wayne Rooney decided to head out to Whisky Mint in London to celebrate being named PFA Player of the Year. He was joined by his brother Graeme and also Ashley Cole who just finished playing in his first game back from an ankle injury.

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney won the Professional Footballers’ Association player of the year award at a ceremony on Sunday and then declared his readiness for the 2010 Fifa World Cup South Africa™.

Rooney, currently out of action with a groin injury, is widely regarded as being central to England’s chances of winning the 2010 Fifa World Cup later this year.

“I’m good,” the 24-year-old Rooney told guests at the PFA dinner at the Grosvenor House Hotel in central London. “I’m disappointed to miss a couple of games. Hopefully I will play before the season finishes.”

Asked if he’d be fit in time for South Africa, Rooney replied: “No problems for the World Cup.” Rooney dismissed suggestions England could not win the Fifa World Cup, which starts in June, without him: “We’ve got a lot of great players. If I get injured, so be it.” He added: “Watching games is very frustrating.”

Rooney, asked what would constitute a successful Fifa World Cup for England, said: “Success would be to win the trophy.

We prepared well and hopefully we can bring the trophy back home.” England have won the Fifa World Cup just once, in 1966 when they triumphed on home soil.

Reigning champions United trail Chelsea by one point in the English Premier League title race with two games remaining and may need a favour from arch rivals Liverpool if they are to overtake the London club.

“I’m sure Liverpool will want to beat Chelsea,” Rooney said. “They are a proud club and they are still aiming to qualify for Europe.”

Asked what had made the difference to a season where he has already scored 34 goals, Rooney replied: “The manager (Sir Alex Ferguson) is playing me in a more central position up front which I’ve been asking him to do for a few years now and the service has got better.

It’s a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it’s voted for by the players.Manchester United Wayne Rooney.

“It’s a great feeling to win the player of the year award because it’s voted for by the players,” said Rooney. “It’s something I’m really proud of and it’s a great honour.

I remember coming here in 2005 and 2006 to win the young player of the year. I saw the players winning the main one and it’s something I’ve aimed for since.”

Rooney, the first Englishman to win the award since Steven Gerrard in 2006, paid tribute to the influence Ferguson has had on his career. “Sir Alex is a great manager who has really brought me on as a player since I joined United,” he said.

Rooney topped a poll of his fellow professionals in England to ensure the senior award stayed at Old Trafford after Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo’s double in 2007 and 2008 was followed by United and Wales star Ryan Giggs’s success last year. Cesc Fabregas, the Arsenal and Spain midfielder, was third with Chelsea striker Didier Drogba the runner-up.

Aston Villa and England midfielder James Milner won the young player of the year award. “I’ve been moved into the middle and that suits me as it helps me influence the game a bit more,” said Milner, hoping to secure a place in England manager Fabio Capello’s Fifa World Cup squad.

Former South Africa international Lucas Radebe, who played in England’s Leeds United, won the PFA special merit award for his community work in both countries.

“I’m very proud to get such a great award. Sport can change the world – football has played such a big part in lifting my community,” said Radebe.

The PFA’s Premier League team of the year contains four United players with Arsenal (Fabregas and Thomas Vermaelen), Chelsea (Drogba and Branislav Ivanovic) and Aston Villa (Milner and Richard Dunne) supplying two each.

So apparently, Everton’s Marouane Fellaini was in London’s Jet Black nightclub back in June, where he allegedly assaulted a 20 year old model

tool

I was going to put him in the tool box eventually because of that hair… but now he has given another reason to. HEY FOOTBALLERS! STOP GETTING DRUNK AND DOING STUPID STUFF!