Good news at last


ENGLAND - At last some good news, Gareth Southgate doesn't want the England job and doesn't want it on an interim basis either. A flop as a manager and totally unqualified for the the job he would merely have made matters worse. The country needs an experienced manager at the helm right now and Glenn Hoddle is the obvious man to take over, although Harry Redknapp could well be another option.

CHELSEA - The could be in danger of losing 25-year-old Belgian Eden Hazard to Real Madrid who are set to make a £35-million (€25m - AUS$37.35m - US$27.77m) bid plus striker Alvaro Morata. I don't believe that for a minute as there were reports valuing Morata at £62.8-million (€75m - AUS$112.05m - US$83.23m). Real Madrid bought Morata back from Juventus and they will want a profit on him. Given he is a goalscorer I don't see him costing that much less than Hazard, especially given Hazard had a disastrous season last season.

BARCELONA - The Spanish club conform they have reached agreement to sign 22-year-old Lyon defender Samuel Umtiti for £20.69-million (€42.26m - AUS$63.19m - US$46.89m). The centre-back was briefly linked with Spurs but it was clear very early on where he was going so interest was dropped, that won't stop some portraying it as a 'shock' or a 'blow' or something we have done wrong.

BARCELONA - The Spanish club have a problem with taxes. First it was under-age transfer dealing and now it is tax evasion deals involving players they have bought. Lionel Messi and Neymar have both been the subject of investigations and trials, as has a former Barcelona president and now we hear former right-back Danny Alves (just transfered to Juventus) owes £1.08-million (€1.3m - AUS$1.94m - US$1.44m) in back taxes. This follows on from the EU ordering Spanish clubs to pay their tax and to repay bank loans. There seems to be an awful lot wrong in the running of Spanish football.