TOTTENHAM FINALLY SET TO LAND VERTONGHEN
Tottenham
are hopeful of tying up a £9.6 million move for Jan Vertonghen next
week as they edge closer to an agreement with Ajax.
The Sweeper
has learned that the Dutch giants have now indicated they are ready to
accept Spurs’ offer for their captain, with the two clubs now mainly
discussing the structure of the proposed payments.
Vertonghen
will be in London next week for Belgium’s game against England on June
2, and Spurs hope to be able to conduct a medical for the defender
before Saturday’s match.
- Greg Stobart| Northern Correspondent
DAVID DEIN AT LIVERPOOL? 'UNLIKELY', SAYS CLOSE FRIEND
David
Dein has no intention of accepting a permanent senior executive role at
Liverpool or any other club except Arsenal, according to a close
friend.
Rumours have been rife that the former Gunners and FA
vice-chairman has been advising Fenway Sports Group (FSG), Liverpool’s
owners, and that he is a strong contender to be part of the management
shake-up at Anfield.
As a globetrotting networker, Dein has some
connections to FSG, but football consultant, author and Arsenal expert
Alex Fynn explained to The Sweeper that his friend’s involvement with
the Boston-based group may have been exaggerated.
“Arsenal is in
David’s heart,” Fynn said. “I don't think he would ever work with
anybody but Arsenal, unless he changes direction by 360 degrees.
“He
loves football and watches it as a fan, and has earned that privileged
status. Fifa and Uefa regard him highly and he is a friend and regular
confidante of theirs.
“He doesn’t do anything official apart from
lecturing on the sports conferencing circuit. He is on close terms with
the movers and shakers at home and abroad. His advice is often sought
at the highest level but in terms of taking on a senior role, I think it
would only be at Arsenal.”
Since being ousted from the Arsenal
board in 2007 following a 24-year spell as the club’s vice-chairman,
Dein, 68, has rejected overtures from Barcelona, Newcastle United and
Everton.
He turned down those offers despite a friendship with
Everton chairman Bill Kenwright stretching back 30 years and Newcastle
owner Mike Ashley being a neighbour in the exclusive Totteridge area of
north London.
Speculation persists that Dein is advising FSG on
football appointments, as the club close in on two senior football
figures to replace Kenny Dalglish and Damien Comolli, who have both been
sacked in the last six weeks.
Fynn observed: “David’s wife is
American and he has strong connections with America. He first developed
his knowledge about sports marketing from going to America and watching
the NFL."
Dein continues to circumnavigate the world of football.
Last weekend, the Arsenal season ticket-holder was in Munich for the
Champions League final on Saturday before travelling to Vienna the
following day to attend the Austrian Cup final. He was also the only
English administrator who stayed for the duration of the Africa Cup of
Nations earlier this year.
- Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent
CHELSEA EYEING SUMMER BARGAIN FROM BLACKBURN
Roman
Abramovich may be ready to spend big following Chelsea’s Champions
League triumph - but the Blues are also looking for bargains as they
attempt to rejuvenate their ageing squad this summer.
Blackburn
full-back Martin Olsson has been made aware of interest from Stamford
Bridge and the 24-year-old could be available for as little as £2.5m
following Rovers’ relegation to the Championship.
Chelsea are yet
to make a concrete approach for the Swede and he has told his agent
that he wants to focus on Euro 2012 before making a decision on his
future.
- Greg Stobart | Northern Correspondent
OLYMPICS SECOND BEST FOR JOE COLE
Joe Cole has returned to London following the end of a season of reinvention on loan at Lille.
But
the England international is not believed to be as enthusiastic about
staying on in his home city to compete in the Olympics as his public
comments have suggested.
Although Cole has said it would be
“amazing” to play for Team GB in the Games, he is understood to regard
the Olympics as a distant second best to being involved at Euro 2012.
The
30-year-old, who is likely to be loaned out by Liverpool again next
season unless a buyer can be found who will match his £110,000-a-week
wages, knew his chances of being a shock selection for England this
summer all but ended when his former West Ham boss Harry Redknapp was
overlooked for the manager’s job in favour of Roy Hodgson.
Cole
made the 80-man cut for the Olympic squad and will find out in the first
week of June if he has been selected as one of three ‘over-age’ players
in Stuart Pearce’s 18-man squad.
- Wayne Veysey | Chief Correspondent
