Will Drogba stick around to help defend the Champions League?

JUVE TO GO AFTER DZEKO

New Italian champions Juventus are reportedly set to rule out a move for Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie and focus on Manchester City’s Edin Dzeko instead.

The Turin giants, along with City, are believed to be the only club to have made a concrete offer for Van Persie, but they fear the Dutchman has already made his mind up on a move elsewhere so have turned their attention to Dzeko.

Bosnian Dzeko started the season as first pick for Roberto Mancini, but despite a good goalscoring record he lost his place to Mario Balotelli and never regained it.  Carlos Tevez’s return from exile has limited Dzeko’s opportunities further so a move to Italy could suit him.

Juve’s decision will raise speculation that Van Persie will be heading north to the Etihad Stadium for a big money move this summer to complete a neat transfer triangle.

DROGBA AGENT ANGRY AT TRANSFER TALK

Twitter abounded last night with messages expressing gratitude and good luck to Didier Drogba, due to rumours circulating that he was finally set to draw the curtain on his eight-year career at Stamford Bridge.

However, the player’s camp have quickly responded by denouncing the rumours, which all seem to have spread from quotes attributed to Drogba in the notoriously mischievous  France Football magazine.

The quotes implied the Ivorian, who won the Champions League for Chelsea on Saturday night with the decisive penalty kick in the shootout, had decided to join former teammate Nicolas Anelka in a big money move to China.

However the agents will have us believe nothing is yet set in stone, with the possibility Chelsea will still make Drogba a lucrative offer to tempt him to stay.

QPR GONNA SPEND BIG

Mark Hughes will be allowed to really stamp his identity on QPR this summer by being allowed funds to transform the team as he sees fit.

The first target for Hughes, according to The Telegraph, will be Shay Given, who he signed for Manchester City when he managed there.  Irish international Given only moved to Aston Villa last summer, but Hughes believes his strong relationship with the player could be enough to force a deal.

QPR are certainly likely to be in for a goalkeeper, with Paddy Kenny expected to drop a division to link back up with Neil Warnock at Leeds,
and an alternative to Given is West Ham’s Robert Green.

Hughes also wants to modify his attacking options and will make a bid for Wigan star Victor Moses, according to The Mirror.

Nigerian Moses has only one year left on his current deal at Wigan, so a £5 million fee might be enough, especially while there is uncertainty over whether Roberto Martinez will be staying as manager.

DE BOER TURNS DOWN LIVERPOOL

Frank de Boer is the latest man to decline the chance to take the management position at Liverpool.

Former Dutch international de Boer is currently head coach at boyhood club Ajax, where he has won back-to-back Eredivisie titles and his commitment to that role has led him to rule out a meeting with Liverpool owners Fenway Sports Group about filling the vacant hot seat.

“I am honoured by the request but I am only just getting started with Ajax.  “In Amsterdam we are on a new path and, along with the club and Wim Jonk and Dennis Bergkamp, my colleagues in the technical heart, I want to bring good things”.

Swansea’s Brendan Rodgers and Borussia Dortmund’s Jurgen Kopp had already rejected the chance to be interviewed.

OTHER NEWS

Ryan Giggs has restated his desire to play for Great Britain in the Olympics this summer, even at the risk of upsetting the Welsh FA, who believe it could harm future opportunities for the home nations to appear separately on the international stage.

Robbie Keane is still expected to be fit for the start of the Republic of Ireland’s Euro 2012 campaign, despite needing a scan on a hamstring strain.  Keane was due to meet up with a 23-man strong party in Dublin last night.

ON THE CONTINENT

Alessandro Del Piero hung up his boots on Sunday after a disappointing Coppa Italia final defeat to Napoli that spoiled Juventus’ unbeaten record this season.

Barcelona’s failure to win either the Spanish Primera Liga or the Champions League this season has cost Arsenal a windfall.  As a condition of the transfer of Cesc Fabregas last summer, Arsenal are due bonus payments of up to £6 million over the next five seasons if Barcelona win a requisite number of trophies.

AC Milan want to swap Thiagos with Barcelona.  Brazilian defender Thiago Silva is a long term target for the Catalan giants, but Milan are reluctant to sell him unless Barcelona include highly rated midfielder Thiago Alcantara as part of the deal.