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Gonzalo Higuain has reportedly agreed personal terms with Arsenal as his purported move from Real Madrid edges closer. The 25-year old Argentine striker has come to an agreement over a deal which will land him £130,000-a-week and will cost the Gunners a £22million transfer fee. Higuain and his father Jorge have held two rounds of talks with Arsenal and it is being reported that a final agreement with Madrid will be finalised very soon.

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will be swimming in money over his return to Stamford Bridge.

France Football says Mourinho was already the world’s highest-paid manager — both inside and outside the dugout — while at Real Madrid, with about £10m in salary plus £2m in sponsorships from brands like adidas and Braun.

But marketing experts believe his Premier League second coming gives him the chance to cash in further.

Charlie Dundas, managing director for REPUCOM in the UK and Ireland, told The Sun: “Mourinho is in a very small group of managers who are bigger stars than some of their players.

“The Premier League’s global reach is far greater than La Liga’s.

“Any brand he is associated with will get exposure across 10 months of the year in over 200 territories.

“You can’t buy that kind of advertising reach. With around six partners bringing in at least a million a year each, £20m is easily attainable.”

Jose Mourinho returned to Chelsea on Monday and the smiling 'Special One' said he was now the 'Happy One' on his second coming as manager of the Premier League club he has always loved.

With some 250 reporters from home and abroad and dozens of television crews crowding into a suite at Stamford Bridge, there was never any doubt about the Portuguese retaining his media pulling power of old.

"If I have to choose a nickname for this period, I would choose 'the Happy One'," he declared. "I am very happy.

"Time flies. It looks like it was a couple of days but it was nine years ago when I first became manager," he said after entering the room to a barrage of camera flashes.

"I have the same nature, I am the same person," the title-winning former Real Madrid and Inter Milan manager assured reporters, adding that he had the same heart and emotions.

"I would describe myself as a very happy person. It is the first time I arrive in a club where I already love the club. Before I had to build an emotional relationship and I only came to love the club a little later."

Mourinho won the 2005 and 2006 Premier League titles in his first spell with the west London club but departed in 2007.

It was widely reported that he had suffered a breakdown in his relationship with billionaire owner Roman Abramovich, a claim the Portuguese was keen to play down.

"I read and I kept listening I was fired, I was sacked, we had a complete break of relationships," he said. "That was not true. Many people didn't believe in that, but it was mutual agreement.

"At the time we thought it was best for both of us, me and the club. It was a sad moment. Of course it was a sad moment, but I don't regret that decision."

TWO TITLES

Since leaving Chelsea, Mourinho spent two years at Inter Milan where he won two Serie A titles, the domestic cup and the Champions League before moving to Real Madrid he won a La Liga title and a King's Cup.

The Portuguese has never spent more than three years managing at a single club, but he hopes to at least to see out his four-year deal with Chelsea.

"Yes, and now I'm prepared for that," he said when asked if he wanted more stability in his career. "Before I wasn't. I had always this kind of mentality...

"I have a contract for four years. I hope to go the last day of that contract. If the club then wants me to stay, I'll be more than happy."

Mourinho inherits a side who again qualified for the Champions League, after finishing third in the Premier League last season.

They also won the Europa League but are in need of some restructuring if they are to overhaul northern giants Manchester United and City.

After a difficult final season at Real Madrid, where Mourinho failed to win a major trophy, he will at least enjoy the support of fans who adored him when he was first at the club.

He expects the pressure to be to greater, however, second time around.

"I didn't choose for my career a comfortable position because I'm returning to a house where I was happy and successful and where the fans love me," he said.

"No. I'm coming with exactly the opposite perspective. I have more responsibility because of that. The expectations are higher because people know what I can deliver."

Yossi Benayoun and Florent Malouda are among eight players Chelsea have released following the end of last season.

The Blues were asked, like every club, to submit a list of players they are releasing and retaining to the Premier League on the third Saturday of May.

Published today, the list shows that Ross Turnbull and Paulo Ferreira have also been let go by the Stamford Bridge club while 55 have been kept.


Jose Mourinho will be looking to add to his squad over the next couple of months, with Hulk the latest to speak about a move to the club.

And Edinson Cavani is also thought to be high on his list after Napoli's president Aurelio De Laurentiis said the Blues were looking to get in contact with the club.

Released players

*Affane Amin
*Benayoun Yossi
*Deen-Conteh Abdul Aziz
*Ferreira Paulo Renato Rebocho
*Hilario Meireles Alves Sampaio Henrique
*Malouda Florent Johan
*Nkumu Archange
*Turnbull Ross

Retained players

Ake, Nathan Benjamin - Retained
Azpilicueta, Tanco Cesar - Retained
Ba, Demba - Retained
Baker, Lewis Renard - Retained
Bamford, Patrick James - Retained
Bertrand, Ryan - Retained
Blackman, Jamal Clint-Ross - Retained
Cahill, Gary James - Retained
Cech, Petr - Retained
Chalobah, Nathaniel Nyakie - Retained
Clifford, Billy - Retained
Cole, Ashley - Retained
Courtois, Thibaut - Retained
Davey, Alex James - Retained
Davila, Plascencia Ulises Alejandro - Retained
De Bruyne, Kevin - Retained
Delac, Matej - Extended
Dos Santos Emboaba Junior Oscar - Retained
Essien, Michael - Retained
Feruz, Islam - Retained
Hazard, Eden - Retained
Hazard, Thorgen Ganael Francis - Retained
Hutchinson, Samuel Edward - Retained
Ivanovic, Branislav - Retained
Kakuta, Gael - Retained
Kalas, Tomas - Retained
Kane, Todd Arthur Lucien - Retained
Lalkovic, Milan - Offer
Lampard, Frank James - Retained
Loftus, Cheek Ruben - Retained
Luiz, Moreira Marinho David - Retained
Lukaku, Romelu Menama - Retained
Marin, Marko - Retained
Mata, Garcia Juan Manuel - Retained
McEachran, Joshua Mark - Retained
Mikel, John Obi - Retained
Moses, Victor - Retained
Musonda, Lamisha Chashi - Retained
Musonda, Tika Kafusha - Retained
Nditi, Adam Eric Richard - Retained
Oliveira, Dos Santos Wallace - Retained
Omeruo, Kenneth - Retained
Osmanovic, Anjur - Retained
Pappoe, Daniel Mills - Retained
Piazon, Lucas Domingues - Retained
Pirez, Araujo Jhon Alexander - Retained
Santos, Do Nascimento Ramires - Retained
Saville, George Alan - Retained
Swift, John David - Retained
Terry, John George - Retained
Torres, Sanz Fernando Jose - Retained
Van Aanholt, Patrick John Miguel - Retained
Van Homoet, Bruma Jeffrey Kevin - Retained
Vidal, Oriol Romeu - Retained
Walker, Samuel Colin - Retained

Scholars

Beeney, Mitchell Ryan - Retained
Christensen, Andreas Bodtker - Retained
Cole, George - Retained
Conroy, Dion John - Retained
Dabo, Fankaty Sheikam - Retained
Gnahore, Ambrose Gnahoua - Retained
Houghton, Jordan - Retained
Kandi, Chike - Retained
Killip, Ben - Retained
Kiwomya, Andrew Alexander - Retained
Mitchell, Reece Steven - Retained
Muleba, Jonathan - Retained
Ssewankambo, Isak Ssali - Retained
Starkey, Jesse Aaron - Retained
Wright, Kevin - Retained

With the new season fast approaching, the big guns of the Premier League are releasing details of their new kits ahead of the 2013-14 campaign.

Chelsea have gone for classic lines and retro stylings in their new adidas strip, with the solid royal blue home kit supplemented by their smart white away kit.

Unfortunately for Liverpool fans, "smart" doesn't really describe the change strips for the Anfield club this coming season. Garish design and some strange colour choices from their Warrior away kits will surely guarantee even more sales of their classic all-red home strip.

Manchester United's new kit features buttons and a collar, giving it an "intrinsically Mancunian" feel. They're the press release's words, not ours. We think it looks more like a polo shirt. But will United gallop away from the field to score another title victory next season?

Manchester City will wear the Nike swoosh this season after the sportswear giants phased out Umbro this summer. The City strip, much like Chelsea's, looks sharp and classic, with a minimalist design. Another winner, we reckon.

Newcastle United's new all-black away kit has been described by the Toon faithful as both "awesome" and "bland", so it's fair to say it's had a mixed reception.

What do YOU think? Check out the kits above and let us know which is your favourite.

The Brazil legend has hailed the former Santos star's improvement over the last two years and has tipped Germany or Spain to lift the World Cup in 2014

Brazil legend Pele believes new Barcelona signing Neymar has the potential to develop into a better player than Lionel Messi.

The former Santos star completed his €57 million move to the Liga giants on Monday, when he was presented to around 56,000 fans at Camp Nou.


Speaking at his unveiling, Neymar revealed how he was looking forward to helping Messi "continue being the best player in the world" although Pele is adamant that the Brazil forward has all the attributes to potentially surpass his Argentine team-mate.

"Neymar has really gone up the last two years," he told Goal. "He can use both feet well and get up in the air.

"The difference that I try to explain to the people is that both are really good. I love Messi, I love the player. But to make the comparison, I think Neymar has the capabilities to play better than Messi... or maybe not.

"I'm not happy, because Santos lost a good player! But, seriously, I think it's good for him, because Neymar was no doubt the best player in Brazil and now he gets the experience to play abroad.

"Playing in Europe is a little different than playing in South America. Football in Europe is a little more tough, while South America is a little more laid back and technical."

Ahead of the 2014 World Cup being held in Brazil, Pele does not believe the hosts have what it takes to win the tournament, instead tipping Germany and Spain for success.

"I think Brazil have an excellent opportunity to do well," he told added. "To win [the World Cup] is very hard in football, but the team has the players.

"The team had almost three years with Mano Menezes. Now, they have one month with Felipe and [technical director Carlos Alberto] Parreira, they are excellent coaches."

"If you had to select now, one year before the World Cup, I think Germany would be a good surprise, they have a good team and good players, and Spain no doubt. Then Brazil."

Here are some of the Portuguese coach's most memorable utterances over the years as well as what others have said about him.

WHILE PORTO COACH:
"The only thing that I want to say is that we are the best ones and in normal conditions we are more than the best ones. In normal conditions we will be champions. In abnormal conditions we also will be champions."


AFTER BEING APPOINTED AT CHELSEA:
"Please don't call me arrogant, but I'm European champion and I think I'm a special one."

REFLECTING ON HIS MOVE FROM PORTO TO CHELSEA:
"If I had wanted to be protected in a quiet job, I could have stayed at Porto. I would have been second, after God, in the eyes of the fans even if I had never won another thing."

PRESSURE OF THE PREMIER LEAGUE TITLE RACE IN 2006:
"For me, pressure is bird flu. I'm feeling a lot of pressure with the swan in Scotland. It's not fun and I'm more scared of it than football."

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR'S TACTICS IN A 0-0 DRAW WITH CHELSEA:
"As we say in Portugal, they brought the bus and they left the bus in front of the goal."

AN INJURY CRISIS AT CHELSEA:
"It is like having a blanket that is too small for the bed. You pull the blanket up to keep your chest warm and your feet stick out. I cannot buy a bigger blanket because the supermarket is closed. But I am content because the blanket is cashmere. It is no ordinary blanket."

FEELING THE FINANCIAL PINCH TOWARDS END OF TIME AT CHELSEA:
"The style of how we play is very important. But it is omelettes and eggs. No eggs - no omelettes. It depends on the quality of the eggs. In the supermarket you have class one, two or class three eggs and some are more expensive than others and some give you better omelettes. So when the class one eggs are in Waitrose and you cannot go there, you have a problem."

CONTEMPLATING A FILM OF HIS LIFE:
"If they made a film of my life, I think they should get George Clooney to play me. He's a fantastic actor and my wife thinks he would be ideal."

AT INTER MILAN:
"I am very happy at Inter. I am not happy in Italian football - because I don't like it and they don't like me. Simple."

ON FORMER CHELSEA MANAGER CLAUDIO RANIERI:
"I studied Italian five hours a day for many months to ensure I could communicate with the players, media and fans. Ranieri had been in England for five years and still struggled to say 'good morning' and 'good afternoon.'"

AFTER WINNING LA LIGA WITH REAL WITH RECORD POINTS TOTAL:
"Like me or not, I am the only one who won the world's three most important leagues. So maybe instead of the 'Special One', people should start calling me the 'Only One'."

BEFORE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE SEMI WITH BARCELONA IN 2011:
"One day he (Einstein) said that the only mechanical force more powerful than steam, electricity and atomic energy is will. That Alberto bloke was not stupid. With will you can achieve things."

AFTER REAL'S CHAMPIONS LEAGUE DEFEAT BY BORUSSIA DORTMUND:
"I know I am loved in England. I am loved by the fans and the media. They treat me fairly. They give me credit when it is due and criticise when it is deserved. I am loved by some clubs, especially one. In Spain it is different, some people hate me, many of you in this room."

IN THE WORDS OF OTHERS
ARSENAL MANAGER ARSENE WENGER:
"He's out of order, disconnected with reality and disrespectful. When you give success to stupid people, it makes them more stupid sometimes and not more intelligent."

RETIRED MANCHESTER UNITED MANAGER ALEX FERGUSON:
"He was certainly full of it, calling me 'boss' and 'big man' when we had our post-match drink after the first leg. But it would help if his greetings were accompanied by a decent glass of wine. What he gave me was paint-stripper."

FORMER LIVERPOOL MANAGER RAFA BENITEZ:
"We were good friends until Liverpool started winning, then he started changing his mind."

CATANIA DIRECTOR PIETRO LO MONACO:
"Mourinho is simply someone who should be smacked in the mouth." (Compiled by Sonia Oxley; Editing by Pritha Sarkar)

The defender is ready to exit the Emirates Stadium this summer unless the Gunners are ready to show the ambition to fight for their first piece of silverware in over eight years

Arsenal defender Laurent Koscielny says he may be forced to leave the Premier League outfit if the Gunners do not start winning silverware soon.

Arsene Wenger's side last won a trophy over eight years ago - the FA Cup in 2005 - a spell that has seen the club sell a string of top players like Cesc Fabregas, Samir Nasri and Robin van Persie, often to league rivals.

Now the 27-year-old, who has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, hopes the north London outfit are ready to prove their ambition in the league next season, otherwise he will look for a new challenge elsewhere.

"I feel good at Arsenal, if we have ambition to fight against the other teams of course I want to stay here," Koscielny told Eurosport.

"It's hard psychologically. We are constantly pressured because if Arsenal is not in the Champions League it would be a catastrophe.

"I have to see if I have clubs interested in me. I will not go to any club. I want to may be discover another league. Paris [Saint-Germain]? There has been no contact yet.

"It is hard to not win titles year after year. We are competitors, professionals, we want to win. I want to add to my list of achievements. If Arsenal cannot allow me that, I'll seek a move elsewhere."

Arsene Wenger has acknowledged he made a 'huge mistake' in not signing Tottenham Hotspur star Gareth Bale for Arsenal.

Bale joined Tottenham in the summer of 2007 from Southampton, 18 months after his former team-mate Theo Walcott had moved to Arsenal.


Wenger was tracking both players, but the Arsenal manager felt he had enough options at left-back at the time and decided against a bid for Bale, who has since blossomed into a devastating attacking player.

"We didn't take him as we had Ashley Cole and Gael Clichy and didn't want another left-back," Wenger told Al Jazeera Sport.

"I must confess it was a huge mistake as he can play in midfield. He struggled at the start at Tottenham, then they moved him to midfield and he has done exceptionally well.

"The career of a player sometimes depends on playing in the right position."

Yet, despite missing out on signing the current Footballer of the Year, Wenger was happy to have captured Walcott, adding: "At some stage, we were on about taking the two if possible.

"But we could get Walcott and I am very happy. You'd be amazed by the number of players we should have signed. Every club misses players."

However, Wenger accepts that Bale has the potential to rival the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as one of the best players in the world.

Wenger continued: "He has the potential. Now it depends on his consistency at the top level and injuries.

"If you look at Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi - the two head figures of world football - they have fantastic health and don't miss a game. Bale has power, pace and direct play in his game.

"I still think he is a typical flank player and they are so difficult to find. I think he is too young to move to the middle."

Neymar has put the finishing touches to his switch to Barcelona by signing a five-year contract at the Nou Camp on Monday evening.

The 21-year-old Brazil striker flew to Barcelona on Monday morning to finalise his departure from Santos, nine days after a preliminary agreement between the clubs was made public and just hours after he played in a 2-2 friendly draw with England at the Maracana Stadium.

In a journey charted in detail by the Catalan giants' official website, Neymar was greeted at Barcelona airport - having arrived slightly behind schedule - before being taken to the club's offices to pose for photographs in the Blaugrana shirt and to undergo a medical.

The forward passed "exhaustive tests" before committing his future to the club until June 2018 in the presence of president Sandro Rosell, vice-president Josep Maria Bartomeu and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta. The transfer fee remained undisclosed.

Neymar was later paraded on the Nou Camp pitch in front of thousands of Barca fans and hundreds of journalists, who were scheduled to meet the player at an evening press conference.

The signing of Neymar further boosts the Primera Division champions' attacking riches and the prospect of him linking up with four-time reigning world player of the year Lionel Messi is a mouthwatering one.

It remains to be seen just how Barca coach Tito Vilanova will utilise the two forwards in the same side, but midfielder Andres Iniesta is confident the South American duo will have no problems playing alongside each other.

"The great players always understand one another. Leo will make Neymar better and vice-versa. It's a team game and the sum of all helps the club win," said the Spain international, who believes Neymar has made the right decision in choosing Barca.

"He's coming to the best place that he could go to. One of the best young players is coming and that's what we all wants," Iniesta added.

"He will contribute a lot, he's a player with outstanding talent and quality. He can unsettle opponents, score goals and give spectacular performances at a club which is ideal to continue growing.

"It's great news that we can count on him. Surrounded by the people that he's going to have here, he will get better all the time."

The Czech Republic has produced its first quintuplets. All five babies were born in a Prague maternity hospital by Caesarean section. Doctors reported that the four boys and one girl, as well as their mother, were all in good health. The father was on hand to witness the delivery. The proud parents already have one brother waiting for them at home. The quintuplets all arrived into the world in the space of five minutes and were placed in incubators.

Jose Mourinho has confirmed his return to Chelsea to Spanish media. And never have the words 'the bitter end' been more apt. He left the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday without saying goodbye to Cristiano Ronaldo, Pepe and Iker Casillas, having suggested all three had deliberately ruled themselves out of his last game in charge.

Mourinho, 50, replaces Rafael Benitez after leaving Real Madrid, and has signed a four-year contract.

Mourinho won two consecutive Premier League titles during his first spell at Chelsea, which ended in September 2007.

Chief executive Ron Gourlay said: "He was and remains a hugely popular figure at the club and everyone here looks forward to working with him again."

More to follow.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/22574810

According to a Kenyan politician, the country's president has promised to top up all the pledges should Harambee Stars gun down the African champions on Wednesday

Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta has pledged to reward Harambee Stars with Sh3 million (5.6m Naira) should they beat Nigeria’s Super Eagles in a 2014 World Cup qualifier on June 5 at Moi Kasarani.


According to Nairobi Senator Mike ‘Sonko’ Mbuvi, President Kenyatta has promised to top up all the pledges should Kenya upset the African champions.

Kenyatta’s pledge was confirmed by 'Sonko' during a press conference at City Stadium on Friday where sale of tickets for the eagerly awaited match was launched.

'Sonko' also assured that his earlier pledge of Sh1 million (1.8m Naira) for a win and Sh200, 000 (373, 550 Naira) for a goal scored, still stands.

“I pledged to reward this team last week should they beat Nigeria and I am yet to change my mind. The pledge still stands because we must motivate the players to do even better.”

'Sonko' also promised to convince President Kenyatta to attend the match that will kick-off at 4pm. “I will talk to the President and ask him to join other Kenyans in supporting Harambee Stars during match day.”

At the same time, 'Sonko' bought 1,500 match tickets which he will give out to fans. The tickets (bought by 'Sonko') will be distributed to ten fans from each of the 85 wards and 20 fans from each of the 17 constituencies that make up Nairobi. The extra 10 tickets will be randomly distributed.