Manchester United to bid £30m for Luke Shaw once Van Gaal deal announced

Just hours after the final game of the season we learnt that Manchester United had offered a huge £27m for Southampton’s young starlet Luke Shaw. On Tuesday, The Guardian newspaper told us that Southampton had rejected that bid, but United were expected to come back with a higher offer.

This morning, The Guardian believe that United will go back in with a £30m offer for Shaw, but not until the deal to bring Louis van Gaal to Old Trafford has been announced. They also believe that Southampton will let Luke Shaw leave the club, and Shaw himself would like to make the move to Manchester.

United are set to make Shaw the highest paid teenager of all time, offering somewhere in the region of £100,000-a-week over a five-year period. These figures are startling, considering United gave Adnan Januzaj a reported £60,000-a-week contract back in October of last year.

Sadly, our current situation means we have to pay over the odds for players, and this is the first case of that. Luke Shaw could turn out to be one of those excellent long-term investments, similarly to that of Wayne Rooney. However, at just eighteen, Shaw isn’t proven at the highest level just yet, and it could turn out to be one of the biggest transfer flops in the Premier League era.

Whilst I doubt the latter will happen, it is a huge risk, but its also one United have to take. The £30m fee is probably about right for all involved, and hopefully this deal will be tied up before the World Cup.

2014 World Cup: Only teamwork can stop Messi —Omeruo

Nigeria defender Kenneth Omeruo is confident they have what it takes to stop Argentina star Lionel Messi at this summer’s World Cup so long as they defend as a team.

Stephen Keshi’s men take on the South American favourites in their final Group F game and Omeruo is eagerly anticipating the chance to lock horns with the Barcelona star.

“I’m really looking forward to the game against Argentina,” the defender told fifa.com.

“I watch Messi a lot on TV. It’s going to be a team effort to try and stop him. Everyone will have to be positive and 100 per cent focused on the game.

“We will try as much as possible to keep a clean sheet. It will be difficult but we have to do that. They are the best players in the world and we have to show our quality by standing up to them.”

Omeruo then went on to voice his side’s ambition to reach at least the semi-finals in Brazil.

“We will first of all have to make sure we get maximum points from the first two games.

“I’m hoping we’ll get to the final, but I think at least the semi-finals.”

Aside from Argentina, Nigeria also meet Iran and Bosnia-Herzegovina at this summer’s showpiece.

CHELSEA TWO FRIENDLIES ANNOUNCED

Chelsea Football Club is pleased to announce our first two fixtures of the summer, with pre-season games against Wycombe Wanderers and AFC Wimbledon confirmed.

A Chelsea XI, comprising a mixture of first-team and Academy players, will travel to League Two Wycombe’s Adams Park on Wednesday 16 July for Matt Bloomfield’s testimonial.

The game will kick-off at 7.45pm to celebrate Bloomfield’s career with the Chairboys, which started in December 2003. The former Ipswich Town trainee has gone on to make more than 300 appearances for Gareth Ainsworth’s side.

Our second fixture, with a similar squad due to senior players being on World Cup duty, will take place three days later at 3pm on Saturday 19 July at the Cherry Red Records Stadium, formerly known as Kingsmeadow, home of AFC Wimbledon and Kingstonian.

AFC finished last season two places above Wycombe in 20th position in League Two, and are managed by former Wimbledon player Neal Ardley.

Ticket details for both matches will be announced in due course, while they will also be shown live on Chelsea TV.

Balogun settles for AFCON qualifiers

Recovering Super Eagles defender, Leon Balogun has set himself a target of playing for the national team in the Nations Cup qualifiers that will kick off in September.

Balogun is not among the 30 players listed in the provisional Eagles squad for the 2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil.

“I want to be back when the qualifiers for the African Cup of Nations starts and I want to give my all, because Nigeria is the only country I can call my own’, Balogun said on Tuesday.

“For the Super Eagles I wish them the best in Brazil 2014 because I know they will do very well and I will be there rooting for them all the way.

He also had words of praise for the NFF and Stephen Keshi, who kept tabs on him while he was injured.
“The NFF President sent Barr Chris Green here to see me while I was recovering and the Head Coach has been in constant touch all through.

“I have been trying to reach Coach Keshi, just to tell him that I appreciate his support.

“I will be back and better for Nigeria and my club once I recover from this unfortunate injury, he said.

He is just recovering from a toe injury he copped in the Eagles friendly game against Mexico in Atlanta, United States.

Balogun also told Super Eagles Media Officer Ben Alaiya on phone from Germany, that it would have been unfair if a player who was just recuperating was picked ahead of a lot of others waiting in the wings.

“I have to be realistic, I had little or no chance of making the World Cup team because I have just started running now.

“On Monday I did three minutes five times; and on Tuesday I have done eight minutes, three times, and should be back playing in two weeks but that will not get me ready for the World Cup.

The German born Ijebu Ode boy was overlooked by the technical crew when the list of 30 players out of which 23 will be picked for the Mundial, was collated.

Arsenal Star Bacary Sagna Agrees To Leave Club After FA Cup Final

After all the speculations that have been making the rounds about his imminent departure from Arsenal, Bacary Sagna and the London club have finally confirmed that the Frenchman would leave the club at the end of the FA Cup final on Saturday.

According to a report on Dailymail, Sagna would play his final match for Arsenal against Hull City at the Wembley Stadium on Saturday after the club refused to meet his £100,000-per-week wage demands.

It could be recalled that the defender has been involved in a long running contract dispute with the club that has seen him turn down three offers – the latest a three year deal worth around £80,000-per-week.

* Sagna with his kids saying goodbye to Arsenal fans on Sunday

Latest report stated that Arsenal’s board have now informed Sagna that they are unwilling to meet his £5.2million-a-season demands, effectively bringing the curtain down on his Arsenal career.

Hence, after Arsenal play Hull in the FA Cup final on Saturday, Sagna would have to embark on the task of choosing his next club.

 * Arsenal players having dinner together to celebrate Mikel Arteta’s wife birthday on Monday

Sagna will be free to discuss a Bosman transfer switch to a rival Premier League club from Saturday night.

Recently, Manchester City, Liverpool and Chelsea are reported to be interested in him.

While it was also informed that he has rejected overtures from Real Madrid and City in recent seasons.