Man Utd Need Moura to Be Back on Top - York

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Moura

Former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke believes Sir Alex Ferguson will be hard at work this summer as he attempts to wrest the title back from arch-rivals City.

The treble-winning Trinidadian claims the potential arrival of Sao Paulo starlet Lucas Moura will bolster an already-strong Red Devils squad and foresees another thrilling tussle for the Premier League title.

The 19-year-old is coveted by a host of Europe's top clubs, but Ferguson is thought to be leading the chase for the Brazil midfielder's signature.

Yorke told Sky Sports News: "I think when you look at United's squad, they're pretty strong in most departments except that one player that seems to excite people in creating goals.

"Paul Scholes has obviously done that over the years but because of his age, he's not been able to play on a regular basis so he has to select the games that he can play.

"You need a bit of youthfulness and creativity to open the gaps for the likes of Wayne Rooney and Danny Welbeck and these are the type of players that Sir Alex Ferguson will want to bring to Old Trafford."
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Yorke also pointed to the challenge of Chelsea, who enjoyed a stunning second half of the season under new manager Roberto di Matteo.

The Blues clinched the FA Cup before a momentous night at the Allianz Arena saw them lift the Champions League trophy by beating Bayern Munich in a dramatic penalty shoot-out.

And Yorke believes the west London club will be genuine challengers for the Premier League title in the upcoming season as they look to break the recent Mancunian monoloply.

Yorke said: "With City being the champions and Chelsea doing fantastically well to win the Champions League and the FA Cup, I think it will just be one of those seasons where you can't really predict what's going to happen - but it will certainly be exciting.

"It will give City confidence and give the club a stronger business profile to attract the best players in the world. The city is buzzing. It's the place where everybody wants to play their football now. It used to be London.

"It's just that fantastic way that football rotates in. Now it's the city of Manchester. United had it in their hands and it was grasped away from them by City in the final few games.

"United will make sure they come back fitter and stronger next season. They'll make sure they don't make the kind of mistakes they made last season because it's not too often you can say they've made mistakes."

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Juventus Line Up for City Striker

Edin Dzeko

Juventus believe they can get Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko on the cheap if they lose out to the Premier League champions in the race to sign Arsenal captain Robin Van Persie.

Following van Persie’s declaration that he does not intend to extend his contract at Arsenal, both Manchester City and Juventus have been heavily linked with a move for the Dutchman, but the forward’s future is still undecided.

Mancini criticised senior figures at his club last week for their failure to tie up a deal for van Persie, and City are expected to strengthen their pursuit over the coming weeks.

Edin Dzeko may well be on his way out at the Etihad Stadium as Roberto Mancini doesn’t appear to see the Bosnian striker as anything more than a back up to the likes of Sergio Aguero and Mario Balotelli, therefore leading many to wonder the wisdom of spending £27m on the big forward.

That isn’t to say that the former Wolfsburg hasn’t been effective at the Premier League club. Having struggled in his first six months at Man City Dzeko found his feet last term, netting 19 goals in 43 appearances (of which 17 came from the bench).

Juventus could well do with some fresh attacking options, last term Antonio Conte’s side lacked a prolific marksman but still clinched the Serie A title without suffering a single defeat. However efforts to progress in the Champions League and defend their domestic title will be greatly assisted by the purchase of a new forward or two.

If indeed Arsenal goal machine Robin Van Persie does prove to be out of the Turin side’s reach then Dzeko may prove a more than able back up plan.

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Tottenham Target Liverpool Unwanted Man

Carroll

Tottenham are readying a bid for Liverpool forward Andy Carroll as Andre Villas-Boas looks to bring in some much needed firepower to populate his under-strength front-line.

Brendan Rodgers has seemingly made it abundantly clear that the 23 year old is not part of his plans having accepted West Ham’s offer to take the former Newcastle United man on loan, only for Andy Carroll to turn down the East London side’s advances.

The England international cited his determination to partake in European football as the main motivating factor for refusing a move to Upton Park, sparking speculation that a move back to St James’ Park would be the most likely destination for Andy Carroll but now Tottenham are set to enter the race to sign the misfiring forward.

Tottenham boss Villas-Boas has a paucity of striking options with Jermain Defoe currently the only senior forward on the North London club’s books. Former boss Harry Redknapp offloaded a number of top strikers including Robbie Keane, Peter Crouch and Roman Pavlyuchenko and last term the White Hart Lane side had to bring Man City’s Emmanuel Adebayor in on loan.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy had been in advanced talks to sign the Togo international on a permanent basis but the deal to do so has stalled due to Adebayor’s wage demands, leaving the club looking for alternative options.

Though Carroll has struggled to justify the £35m fee Liverpool paid for his services he did undoubtedly improve as last term wore on and was then fairly effective whilst on England duty at the Euro 2012 finals.

Tottenham are ready to make a significant outright offer for the Anfield striker but the prospect of selling a player to a competitor for a coveted top four spot may prove an issue.

Tottenham have already signed Jan Vertonghen and Gylfi Sigurdsson this summer and Villas-Boas has been given the requisite funds to bring in further additions which could well be funded by the probable sale of want-away midfield schemer Luka Modric.

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Barcelona Surprisingly Plot Move for Alex Song

Alex Song

Barcelona are planning a surprise £11.7 million bid for Arsenal midfielder Alex Song, according to talkSPORT.

New Barca boss Tito Vilanova is desperately seeking a new defensive midfielder this summer after allowing Seydou Keita to leave the Nou Camp.

Vilanova wants a new addition capable of playing in both defence and in front of the back four but is close to giving up on top-target Javi Martinez, with Athletic Bilbao demanding £25 million for the Spain international.

The La Liga giants are now ready to turn to Arsenal’s Song, who was reportedly recommended to Vilanova by former Gunners’ skipper Cesc Fabregas.

Senior Barcelona officials believe Song’s powerful physique and creative steak will perfectly complement the club’s ingrained style of play and are willing to part with nearly £12 million to land the 24-year-old.

Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is desperate to hold onto Song, particularly after learning the Jack Wilshere will not return to action until October. Wenger watched in vain as Fabregas moved to Catalonia last summer and the Frenchman is also close to missing out on midfielder target Yann M’Vila, who is wanted by Russia club Zenit St Petersburg.

Wenger is ready to offer the Cameroonian enforcer a new bumper deal to keep him at the Emirates beyond the summer of 2014 but it is thought a move to La Liga would interest Song.

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Arsenal Step Closer to Sign £18m Cazorla

Santi Cazorla Malaga

Arsenal’s move for Santi Cazorla appears a step closer after senior officials at Malaga gave the green light to cash in on the club’s best players.

The Spanish club, who are in the midst of a financial mess at the moment, have just been put up for sale, but have struggled to find a suitable buyer.

And Spanish newspaper AS reports that Malaga have now admitted that they must countenance the sale of their star players, opening the door for Cazorla to leave the club.

Arsene Wenger, who was reportedly interested in the midfielder prior to his move from Villarreal to Malaga last summer, could now succeed with an £18m offer for the Spain international, despite the fact it falls some way short of the 27-year-old’s £35m release clause fee.

Arsene Wenger appears to be moving ever closer to securing his third high profile signing of the summer, quite a feat for a manager who is not known for splashing the cash. Unfortunately these additions come at a time when most Gunners fans are fixated, and rightly so, on the future of prized asset Robin Van Persie.

That said, the capture of a player as talented as Santi Cazorla will greatly aid Arsenal’s attack, which has of course seen the addition of quality forwards Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud this summer.

The 27 year old winger, who can also play in advanced central midfield role, had a good first season at La Rosaleda netting a personal best of nine goals in La Liga action alone. Whilst primarily a supplier of chances the fact that the former Villarreal can weigh in with goals to boot will obviously be of interest to Wenger, who may well feel his side could well do with alternative sources of firepower.

The £18m fee stated by this source would of course represent a club record spend, exceeding the £15m forked out for Russian Andrei Arshavin three and a half years ago, Wenger may well feel that this is a summer where he simply must greatly improve his Gunners squad as he looks to push his Arsenal side into mounting a genuine challenge for major honours both at home and on the continent.

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