Manchester Eyeing For Top Four

Manchester paid a lot of money for the transfer of Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal. They are not just catching up on Arsenal but they are doing it in the expense of Arsenals own team players. They have spent a lot in getting quality players. Adebayor is good but if he steps on the gas pedal, he is very good.

He is good in ground running and if ever he stumbles, there are other options for the team. They have Robinho who just joined last season or Tevez. They have been picking some of the best players from other teams. They have spent a lot of money to get players for the team. They are determined to buy its way to reach the top four spot. They also offered a lot for Chelsea captain Terry but it turned out that they were not successful because the England defender did not accept it.

Arsenal Has Lofty Goals

Arsenal’s Kolo Toure believes that his current crop of stats can be as great as the 2006 team and be able to get into the Champions League finals. But they have to face the mighty Manchester United team at Old Trafford, with Kolo Toure the only remaining member of the “Invincibles” who ran through the 2003 to 2004 Premier League campaign nary a loss.

Thierry Henry, Robert Pires and Patrick Vieira are no longer on the team but in their place Emmanuel Adebayor and Samir Nasri have come of age to make a run at the Champions League contention. For this upcoming match, they are not the favoured as top scorer Robin van Persie is out with injury and Andrey Arshavin will not suit up due to suspension. As for their match, Kolo Toure said that they have “the same type of team as we both like to play but the team that would win will be the one which defends the best.”

Eto’o stays at Barcelona

After months of uncertainty, Samuel Eto’o may not be leaving the Nou Camp after all; this decision comes in light of the Cameroonian international’s pre-season form. Coach Pep Guardiola is set to tell Samuel Eto’o that he has earned himself a place in the Barcelona squad for the new term. Eto’o who initially was not apart of the coach’s plans for “a new look” Barcelona team has earned his place due to his recent performance.

Guardiola’s decision to retain Samuel Eto’o has come at a time when Emmanuel Adebayor of Arsenal signed a contract extension with the Gunners and put an end to rumors that he would be leaving Emirates Stadium for the Nou Camp.

So with Eto’o staying at the Nou Camp, will there still be a place for Drogba or Trezeguet, who have both taken Barcelona’s interest? The answer is probably not and with Drogba seemingly staying at Chelsea and Trezeguet’s plan to end his career at Juventus; Barcelona does not seem likely to acquire either signatures and may well be advised to retain Eto’o.

Barcelona maintains interest in Berbatov

While still in The United States, Barcelona have maintained their 100% pre-season wins and have still maintained their keen interest in Tottenham’s Bulgarian striker Dimitar Berbatov and intends to make a move for the striker upon their return from the States.

With new Coach Pep Guardiola at the elm, Barcelona seems a different team and will hope to add some silverware to their shelves in the upcoming season, but first Coach Guardiola has insisted that he needs another striker even if Samuel Eto’o stays. Guardiola sees Berbatov as the perfect choice, given the Bulgarian’s creativity and goalscoring ability.

A number of strikers have been linked to Barcelona, among those are Emmanuel Adebayor, Karim Benzema and Didier Drogba, however none of these players appear to be leaving their respective clubs. Eto’o who has been instructed by Barca officials that if he can come to an amicable agreement with a club; he can leave, has returned to training and has impressed to their pre-season games appears to be staying at Barcelona after all.

Barcelona would most likely get first preference to the Bulgarian should Tottenham decide to sell as the club will not want Manchester United to acquire their star player.

Adebayor to sign new deal with Gunners

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, has ended speculation linking him with a move away from the Emirates by publicly announcing his intentions to sign a new deal with the North London club. At the end of a season in which the striker scored 30 goals; Adebayor’s services were being sought after by AC Milan and Barcelona but his move was crippled by Arsenal’s asking price.

The striker from Togo stated that “I can tell everyone that I will sign a contract. I feel good here, and at the moment my heart is with Arsenal.” Adebayor also stated that “I have three years left on my contract and we’re adding two or three years more, so I’m very happy being part of this family.” This brings an end to the ongoing speculations that the striker will be leaving the Emirates Stadium.

Adebayor will feature for Arsenal this weekend in the Emirates cup which includes Hamburg and Real Madrid.

“Emmanuel is 100 per cent committed” Wenger

After a roller coaster ride over the tentative future of striker Emmanuel Adebayor, Arsene Wenger has moved to publicly back his front man by claiming the Togolese sensation is ‘100% committed’ to the Gunners’ cause and admitted that Adebayor will indeed be staying at the Emirates.

The Frenchman stated that the striker looked sharp in training and firmly believes that his 30-goal hero is committed to his red and white army. He stated that “Emmanuel is 100 per cent committed. He looks sharp in training… Will he stay? Of course. I am not worried.” On the matter of the recent signing of Werder Bremen player Amaury Bischoff, Wenger lamented that “He is young and promising but it is a gamble because he has been out injured. He has had two bouts of surgery.”

So with the new season set to kick off on August 16, Arsenal are set to retake their place at the top of Europe’s elite.

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