Ursula Slaps Fritz Baffour

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) parliamentary candidate for Ablekuma South, Ursula Owusu, has expressed shock and disappointment about the contents of a press statement suspected to have been issued by the campaign office of Fritz Baffour, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) incumbent MP of the constituency.

The said statement justified the recent assault on Ursula Owusu and alleged that she had insulted the Ga people during the biometric voter registration exercise and therefore deserved the attack.

It was published in several news media and sourced directly to the campaign office of Mr. Baffour, the Minister for Information.

The statement noted that during the launch of his parliamentary campaign last Monday, it became “pretty obvious that the Ga people have not forgiven Ursula for insulting them during the recent biometric registration exercise, and throughout the event, scores of people kept saying that Ursula would be punished for insulting Gas”.

“It would be recalled that Ursula Owusu rained insults on the Ga people; saying that they are “useless” people who have sold all their lands to Akans and so have no right to say that people who do not reside in Odododiodoo cannot register and vote there.

“Of course, Ursula was given a few slaps by a few young Ga boys who were not prepared to allow Ursula to get away with her insults on Gas, in the heart of Accra,” it concluded.

The contents have prompted Ursula to issue a response, describing the statement as “infantile” and one that draws “amusement”.

“Instead of assuring the anxious constituents of Ablekuma South that he will advocate their cause and seek a resolution of their many problems, to merit their continued trust in his competence, Fritz Baffour and his campaign team rather decided to descend into the gutter and spew lies and totally discredited propaganda about the universally condemned attack on me at Odododiodoo during the registration exercise,” Ursula noted.

“He should be ashamed of this lame attempt to justify the dastardly violent assault on women merely educating other women on their legal right to register and vote anywhere in this country they reside in or are ordinarily resident in. Fritz should bow his head in shame that instead of joining other right thinking Ghanaians to condemn that unprovoked assault on Ursula, he is seeking solace in lies and dirty propaganda, and applauding the perpetrators who are currently under police investigation.

“As a Minister of State, he should be assuring the women in his constituency that he will be vocal and visible in their defence, instead of supporting their assailants. What kind of person is this?”

According to Ursula, “The good people of Ablekuma South are fed up with the incessant propaganda and lies of the current MP and the NDC government and are looking forward to the day when their Member of Parliament will be more interested in finding solutions to their problem of poor sanitation, infrastructure, unemployment, increasing poverty and despair among many others than in feeding them with propaganda and lies”.

“My word of advice to Fritz Baffour is that Ursula Owusu is not the problem. His headache should be how to convince the people of Korle Bu, where he sleeps on the Board of the Hospital and does nothing; Korle Gonno, where he zooms past because he has done nothing for them; Chorkor where he has presided over the collapse of the fishing industry, Mamprobi and New Mamprobi which have seen no improvement under his tenure; Gbegbeyise, Shiabu and Glefe where he is deceitfully claiming credit for infrastructure developments begun by the NPP administration and long suffering Dansoman which is patiently enduring the shoddy construction of a road which has destroyed livelihoods of shop owners and businesses along it,” she stated.


source: DAILY GUIDE

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Beyonce's Dad Confirms Destiny's Child Upcoming Album Release

 The girl group will be releasing two new albums in November...

There have been a lot of successful (and a few unsuccessful) musical reunions recently and there's a brand new one added to that list - Destiny's Child have confirmed that they'll be releasing two new albums in November this year. Hurrah!
Beyonce's dad has revealed that the girl group will be releasing special compilation records, complete with new material later on this year.
Speaking about his partnership label with Sony, Music World Entertainment, the band's manager told the Huffington Post about the plans for the releases...
"We still have our joint venture with Sony and in November we're putting out two Destiny's Child catalog records with new material. So we’re going to start doing strategic things like that," he confessed.
"It's all released material with some previously unreleased material," he added. When questioned if the girl group would be teaming up for a new reunion tour anytime soon, he admitted it would depend on the artists.
"Not on the first release. It takes a year of planning to do these tours, but first it starts with the artist wanting to do it," he declared.
"And I think the ladies are still working happily in their solo careers."
"And I hope in the next five years that there is a reunion tour. I think it would be incredible."
"The hardest thing would be choosing which songs they’re going to do, because we would want to mix it up with solo hits and Destiny's Child hits. We would have to throw away some number ones from off the set list."
Aaaah, we can't wait to see what the trio have in store for us!

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Andy Murray: I'm the underdog for Wimbledon Federer final

WIMBLEDON FINAL

• Venue: All England Club, London
• Date: 8 July.

Andy Murray believes he can confound the British public's expectations and beat six-time champion Roger Federer to win an historic Wimbledon final.

Victory for Murray on Sunday would end a 76-year wait for a British successor to Fred Perry as men's champion.
"I'm probably not expected to win the match, but it is one that, if I play well, I'm capable of winning," he said.
"His record here has been incredible, so the pressure will be less on me because of who he is."

Wimbledon 2012 match stats

Federer		Murray
22	Sets	22
195	Games	228
222	Winners	237
88	Unforced errors	103
59	Aces	74
8	Double faults	17
66%	Ave % 1st serves in	63%
80%	Ave % pts won on 1st serve	77%
61%	Ave % pts won on 2nd serve	67%

Murray beat France's Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four sets on Friday to become the first British man since Henry "Bunny" Austin in 1938 to reach the Wimbledon final.

But the Scot's view is supported by the bookmakers' odds which make Federer favourite for their meeting after he outplayed world number one Novak Djokovic in the first semi-final earlier in the day.
Despite enjoying an 8-7 lead over Federer in their total previous meetings, the Swiss won in straight sets in the finals of the 2008 US Open and 2010 Australian Open in their only Grand Slam encounters.
Federer has lost only once in seven Wimbledon finals - in a superb five-set battle against Rafael Nadal in 2008 - and, like Murray, is in search of his own piece of history.
The 16-time Grand Slam champion is within one triumph of matching Pete Sampras' open-era record of seven Wimbledon men's singles titles, and will also return to the top of the rankings to surpass the American's record for total weeks at world number one - 286 weeks.
Murray believes some have been premature in writing off the 30-year-old Federer as a fading force in the game after the previous nine Grand Slams were claimed by the younger Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.
"He's lost some close matches in the Slams the last few years, but he had match points against Novak at the US Open in the last two years in a row," said Murray.

Murray's previous Grand Slam finals

• Australian Open 2011: lost to Novak Djokovic 4-6 2-6 3-6
• Australian Open 2010: lost to Roger Federer 3-6 4-6 6-7 (11-13)
• US Open 2008: lost to Roger Federer 2-6 5-7 2-6

"I don't think, if you look at the way he played today, you can't say he's past it or because he's 30 he's playing worse tennis. I just think the players around have got better."

Ivan Lendl, who Murray employed as coach in January, lost in four Grand Slam finals as a player before clinching the French Open in 1984 and Murray says that he and the rest of his coaching team will be key in confounding predictions of a Federer win.
"I spoke to Ivan after the match. It was, 'Good job. You did really well. What time do you want to practise tomorrow?' That's it. There's no time for anything else," Murray added.
"I've learnt from kind of being around him, never get too high, never get too down, which maybe in the past I was. I needed to try and be a bit more stable on the court, not be so emotional.
"My coaches will watch Roger's matches this week and from when I played him before but I try not to watch before I play against him.
"I've learnt from those matches that I lost against him in the past. If you go too much into detail of things that happened in the past, it's not always beneficial, because in tennis every day is different."

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The TEN ‘Most Wanted’ Players In The Premier League

Another summer transfer window come and once more the rumour mill starts grinding its gears as everyone tries to predict the next big transfer. There have already been some big-name captures with Eden Hazard joining Chelsea, Shinji Kagawa signing for Manchester United and Arsenal announcing deals to bring Lukas Podolski and Olivier Giroud to the Emirates Stadium. Nevertheless, as clubs look for tried and tested Premier League players there could be a number of exchanges occurring within the league.
Robin van Persie has already announced his intention to leave Arsenal due to a lack of trophies while local rivals Tottenham Hotspur seemed consigned to losing Luka Modric, despite the impressive appointment of Andre Villas-Boas as manager. Of course, fans of both clubs will be desperate that their star players do not only serve to strengthen their domestic rivals, but it may be unavoidable. The duo are among two of the most desired players in the Premier League at the moment, but they are not alone. Here we take a look at the most wanted players in the English top flight who could be destined for a change in surroundings before the start of the 2012-13 season.

1.Clint Dempsey

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The American has been at Fulham for almost five years now but his most recent season was his most prolific as he netted a total of 17 league goals, contributing heavily to his side’s top-half finish. He has improved with every season in the Premier League and is no doubt deserving of regular European football. Liverpool are said to be his main suitors and at around the £10m mark Dempsey would be an astute signing. Capable of playing anywhere across the forward line his versatility will stand him in good stead at any club

2.Leighton Baines..........

Leighton Baines has consistently been one of the top performers at left-back in the Premier League since his move to Everton in 2007. He has amassed over 200 appearances in England’s top flight and his experience has now piqued the interest of Manchester United. Baines featured in England’s Euro 2012 squad but did not feature in any of the Three Lions’ four games. Nevertheless Sir Alex Ferguson clearly feels he will add something to the Old Trafford side and his exemplary dead-ball abilities also provide another case for his signature.

3. Adam Johnson......

Adam Johnson has largely been used as a fringe player at Manchester City which has seen his remarkable talent well underused. His lack of first-team football is what cost him a place in the England squad at the 2010 World Cup and Euro 2012, though he has shown real glimpses of quality throughout his time at City. Yet with more minutes in the first team unlikely to materialise, talks of a move to Liverpool or even Sunderland may not be far off. He could arguably contribute positively to any side in the Premier League but he will be desperate to get regular game time under his belt in the coming seasons.

4. Demba Ba

Ba enjoyed a wonderful season with Newcastle but the signing of Papiss Cisse overshadowed his performances.Ba is strongly linked with Liverpool...

5.Luka Modric

Harry Redknapp managed to persuade Luka Modric to stay at White Hart Lane last summer despite interest from London rivals Chelsea. Following the failure to qualify for the Champions League and the dismissal of Redknapp, the Croatian playmaker looks set to move on. Whether Chelsea will reignite their interest remains to be seen but his situation is reportedly courting attention from Real Madrid too. Manchester United will be unlikely to make a bid due to their recent signing of Shinji Kagawa. One thing is certain in that if Modric does leave Spurs this summer, he will not come cheaply

6.Fabricio Coloccini

Fabricio Coloccini had his best season with Newcastle United last season, showing vast improvements from his early days when he looked out of his depth. Now at 30-years-old he is a seasoned defender and is reported to be drawing the attentions of Manchester City. It seems highly unlikely to materialise but despite gaining Europa League football with the Magpies their most integral players continue to be linked to moves away.

7.Marouane Fellaini

In his four seasons at Everton Marouane Fellaini has proved he is more than just a voluminous afro. His dynamic performances have warranted rumours of Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea sniffing around so David Moyes could yet again face a battle to keep his team’s key players at Goodison Park this summer. Capable of playing in a deeper, combative role or in the hole behind the striker, Fellaini is a well-rounded midfielder and at just 24-years-old his best years should still be to come.

8.Victor Moses.

The Nigeria international played an integral role in yet another late escape from relegation for Wigan Athletic. The highlight of his season being a fantastic double against Newcastle United in their third-from-last fixture. The Latics are now in discussion with Chelsea over the sale of the 21-year-old as the Blues continue to assemble a number of pacy wide players. A product of Crystal Palace‘s youth system, Moses has only recently shown signs of reaching his massive potential and will be desperate to secure a move to the reigning Champions League holders.

9.Theo Walcott.

Having been reluctant to commit his future to Arsenal until Robin van Persie had revealed his plans, Theo Walcott‘s future at the Emirates Stadium is now too in doubt. Walcott is entering the final season of his contract and has been offered a new deal, but refusal to sign would likely see him sold. An England regular, the 23-year-old will face few problems in finding a new home with Chelsea being suggested as one of the more likely destinations. Arsenal will be desperate not to let it come to that, but with Van Persie heading for the exit there may be little they can do.

10.Robin Van Persie

Robin van Persie rocked the Emirates stadium this week when he revealed he would not renew his contract at Arsenal, citing a lack of trophies as a key motivator behind his decision. With just one year to run on his contract it seems likely that the Gunners will allow him to leave this summer rather than miss out on a transfer fee by letting him leave when his deal runs out. Manchester United and Manchester City are among those interested but they will face stiff competition from the continent with AC Milan and Barcelona also reported to be interested. Arsenal fans would no doubt rather see him move abroad then strengthen their rivals

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TRANSFER GOSSIP AND RUMOUR FROM THE TABLIODS [THE WEEK ROUND-UP]

Manchester City will open up with a £15m bid for Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie, 28, but Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain also want the player, who has decided against signing a new contract.

Full story: the Sun 
The battle to sign Van Persie has intensified with AC Milan entering the race for the Netherlands international.
Full story: The Times (subscription required) 
Brendan Rodgers is close to making Roma striker Fabio Borini, 21, his first signing as Liverpool manager after lengthy negotiations in Italy.
Full story: Daily Telegraph 

Fabio Borini helped Swansea win promotion to the Premier League while on loan from Chelsea

England striker Jermain Defoe, 29, has been told he cannot leave Tottenham by new manager Andre Villas-Boas.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Luka Modric, 26, is close to agreeing a £28m deal to leave White Hart Lane for Real Madrid.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Aston Villa and Sunderland want £9m-rated Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis, 27, who turned down the chance to join Everton two years ago. Full story: the Sun 
Newcastle have turned down the chance to sign Blackburn winger Junior Hoilett, 22, but are closing in on Australia Under-20 international Curtis Good,  19, from Melbourne Heat.
Full story: Newcastle Chronicle 
But QPR are in for Hoilett with a bid that tops a rival offer from Everton. Sunderland and Germany's Borussia Monchengladbach are also interested.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Tottenham are set to battle rivals Arsenal for Italian keeper Emiliano Viviano,  26, who is co-owned by Serie A sides Inter Milan and Palermo.
Full story: Daily Star 
Belgium international Jan Vertonghen, 25, will hold talks with Ajax in a bid to resolve the dispute which is holding up his £9m transfer to Spurs.
Full story: London Evening Standard 
Spurs are set to make a third bid for Internacional striker Leandro Damiao,  22, after seeing the Brazilian side sign a potential replacement in Uruguay's Diego Forlan.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
But his Internacional team-mate Oscar  , 20, has revealed he has no plans to quit the Brazilian club, despite Tottenham lodging a £10m bid for the midfielder.
Full story: Metro 

OTHER GOSSIP

Preston manager Graham Westley, 44, has allegedly sent a text message to eight of his players telling them to stay away from pre-season training.
Full story: Daily Mail 

Preston have won three games out of 21 since Graham Westley took charge in January

Manchester City will win the Champions League if Robin van Persie moves to Etihad Stadium, according to Blues defender Kolo Toure.
Full story: Daily Telegraph 
Ex-Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, 37, tells his former club that the only way of keeping Van Persie is by embarking on a £100m spending spree.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
And Nigel Winterburn, another former Arsenal player, has warned the Gunners they are in danger of becoming Premier League also-rans unless they stop the exodus of players.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood says attacks on the way the club is run are "utter rubbish".
Full story: the Guardian 
QPR owner and chairman Tony Fernandes has warned Joey Barton, 29, that he will not tolerate a repeat of the player's behaviour when he was sent off at Manchester City on the final day of last season.
Full story: the Sun 
Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic, 30, hopes to be fit for the start of the new season after returning to training with the first team.
Full story: Daily Mail 

Nicolas Anelka, 33, is plotting an instant return to the Premier League after his relationship with Shanghai Shenhua soured, following an angry spat with a fan over bowing.
Full story: Metro 

Juventus are the new favourites to sign Arsenal striker Robin van Persie, 28, after they moved ahead of both Manchester United and City.

Full story: Daily Mirror 
Theo Walcott is also considering his future with Arsenal, as he enters the final year of his current deal.
Full story: the Sun 

Victor Moses scored six goals in 39 appearances last season

Chelsea are hoping to finalise a £10m move for Wigan striker Victor Moses.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Arsenal are considering a move for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, but will refuse to pay the £20m asking price.
Full story: talkSPORT 
And it appears the Gunners are not the only Premier League clubs monitoring Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia, with the player himself saying his agent was currently dealing with offers.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Manchester United have made a bid in the region of £20m for Portugal midfielder Joao Moutinho.
Full story: Times (subscription required) 
Tottenham are ready to listen to offers for Rafael van der Vaart, 29. A fee of £10m-plus is likely to be enough to capture the Dutch international attacking midfielder.
Full story: Daily Mail  
Spurs are also contemplating bringing former Chelsea, Arsenal and Portsmouth midfielder Lassana Diarra, 27, back to the Premier League, after he was told he could leave Real Madrid.
Full story: Metro 

Wayne Bridge spent five months on loan at Sunderland

Brighton want to take Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge on loan next season. The 31-year-old spent the end of last season on loan at Sunderland.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Tottenham's new boss Andre Villas-Boas is heading for a war with Sir Alex Ferguson over Manchester United defender Ezekiel Fryers, 19, who is set to sign for Spurs.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Aston Villa could make a move for Sheffield United right-back Matthew Lowton.
Full story: Daily Express 
Newcastle are set to sign Coventry's 18-year-old midfielder Gael Bigirimana.
Full story: Independent 
Queen's Park Rangers are preparing an £8m bid for Celtic midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Rangers manager Ally McCoist wants to sign former Celtic striker Craig Beattie as the Ibrox club prepare for life in the Scottish Football League.
Full story: Daily Record 

Former Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko, 35, is set to return to Chelsea to work under owner Roman Abramovich, according to his current club Dynamo Kiev.
Full story: Metro 
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says Gylfi Sigurdsson's wage demands were the reason his move to Anfield fell through.
Full story: talkSPORT 
David Silva is set to commit his future to Manchester City by signing a new five-year contract worth £52m.
Full story: Daily Star 
Oasis star Noel Gallagher joined Vincent Kompany in modelling Manchester City's new home kit.
Full story: Manchester Evening News 

Robin van Persie's decision not to sign a new contract at Arsenal could pave the way for a £220k-a-week move to Manchester City.

Full story: Daily Mirror 
But Manchester United are also interested in the 28-year-old Dutchman and are hoping they can lure him to Old Trafford.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson wants to splash out £30m on Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas Moura, 19, who is also a target for Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Full story: Daily Mirror  
Mark Hateley has urged Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, 23, to leave Liverpool and join AC Milan saying he would become a better all-round player if he did.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Italy star Andrea Pirlo has told Mario Balotelli, 21, to join him at Juventus, after revealing he knows exactly how to get the best out of the Manchester City striker.
Full story: The Metro 
Swansea's new manager Michael Laudrup is planning moves for Genoa centre-back Chico, 25, and Villarreal midfielder Jonathan de Guzman, 24, with the pair having played under him at Real Mallorca.
Full story: Daily Star 
Sunderland have joined the race to sign Ajax star Vurnon Anita, 23, according to sources in the Netherlands. Newcastle have already had a bid of about £4.5m rejected.
Full story: The Chronicle 
Former Real Madrid star Guti, 35, is training with West Ham ahead of a potential free transfer.
Full story: Daily Mail 

Anderson could be set to return to Portugal

Benfica are weighing up a move for Manchester United midfielder Anderson, 24, according to reports in Portugal.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Newcastle United are closing in on the signature of Lille right-back Mathieu Debuchy, 26, despite Inter Milan's attempts to try and hijack the deal.
Full story: The Metro 
Fulham are ready to move for Blackburn goalkeeper Paul Robinson, 32, after his move to Turkish club Besiktas stalled.
Full story: Daily Mail 

AC Milan are interested in signing Liverpool striker Andy Carroll. Pier Silvio Berlusconi, the son of Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi, has been acting as a transfer consultant for the Italian club and has identified Carroll as a potential signing.

Full story: the Sun 
Everton are keen on signing Oscar Cardozo after Benfica put a £16m price tag on the striker. Fenerbahce, Galatasaray, PSG and an unnamed Premier League side are also tracking the Paraguayan, 29.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Tottenham are ready to back new manager Andre Villas-Boas in the transfer market to the tune of £50m this summer. The Portuguese is keen to bring Marseille striker Loic Remy, Ajax and Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, Hoffenheim midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, CSKA Moscow and Russia midfielder Alan Dzagoev and Birmingham keeper Jack Butland to White Hart Lane.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Villas-Boas wants to launch his reign as Tottenham manager by signing Brazilian attacking midfielder Oscar from Internacional. The 20-year-old is priced in the £20m bracket by his club.

Villas-Boas could be set for a big summer spending spree with Spurs

Full story: The Sun 
Sunderland, Stoke and Fulham are all interested in Wolves' Steven Fletcher, but the Midlands club have warned any suitor will have to pay £10m to sign the striker.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Everton boss David Moyes is considering making a move for out-of-contract former Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, 26.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Italian side Napoli are looking to push ahead with a move for Chelsea midfielder Raul Meireles after seeking talks with the player's agent.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Chelsea are closing in on a £6m deal for Inter Milan full-back Maicon, 30, with the Brazilian's agent due in London later this week for talks.
Full story: Metro 
Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in Belgium midfielder Axel Witsel after Benfica revealed that they are ready to cash-in on his talents this summer.
Full story: Daily Express 
Malaga and Galatasary want Arsenal's Nicklas Bendtner as the Denmark international closes in on a move away from the Emirates Stadium. Bendtner's agent Jesper Lynghus told Denmark newspaper bold.dk last month: "The interest is overwhelming, just as it should be after the way Nicklas performed at Euro 2012."
Full story: Daily Mail 
Asamoah Gyan will finally leave Sunderland in a £7m move to United Arab Emirates side Al-Ain.
Full story: the Sun 
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert wants to sign Rennes' £2.5m-rated midfielder Yacine Brahmi, 22.
Full story: the Sun 

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has broken his silence over the future of captain Robin van Persie by vowing to keep the striker "at all costs". The two men are expected to talk over the phone this week as Van Persie continues to stall on a new three-year deal worth £130,000-per-week.

Van Persie and Wenger are expected to discuss the striker's future next week

Full story: Metro 
The Arsenal boss has also turned down the opportunity to coach the French national team following Laurent Blanc's resignation.
Full story: Daily Telegraph 
Manager Brendan Rodgers is optimistic about persuading Luis Suarez to sign an extended deal with Liverpool despite rumours over the striker's future. Rodgers has insisted Suarez, whose contract expires in 2016, is happy at Anfield despite speculation the 25-year-old could be moving to Serie A champions Juventus. 

Incoming manager Gianfranco Zola could face a player backlash at Watford following the the sacking of Sean Dyche.
Full story: Daily Mail 

Juventus are preparing a bid for Liverpool's Uruguay striker Luis Suarez in a player-plus-cash deal.

Man Utd are interested in Moutinho

Full story: Daily Mail 
Robin van Persie is set to hold talks with Arsenal this week after the club rejected an £8m bid from Juventus for the 28-year-old Dutchman.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Manchester United are closing in on 25-year-old Porto midfielder Moutinho.
Full story: The Sun 
West Ham have made approaches for Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea and Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic.
Full story: The Times (subscription required) 
Tottenham are lining up a £10m bid for 22-year-old Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge.
Full story: The Metro 
Arsenal are poised to make a £12m bid to sign France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 25, but face competition from Liverpool and AC Milan.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Although, according to reports in Liverpool, the Reds are not interested in the Frenchman.
Full story: Liverpool Echo 

Demba Ba would cost just £7m

Liverpool are considering a move for Newcastle striker Demba Ba, 27, who is available for only £7m because of a clause in his contract.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Chelsea are set to bid £4m for Southampton left-back Luke Shaw. The 16-year-old came through the ranks at St Mary's and made his first-team debut in the FA Cup at Millwall last season.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Wigan are lining up a move for Marseille's 30-year-old right-back Rod Fanni.
Full story: The Sun 
Manchester United and Chelsea target Axel Witsel, 23, could be available this summer after Benfica signalled their intent to sell the Belgium international, although only for a fee in the region of £20m.
Full story: talkSPORT 
Steven Naismith, 25, is ready to snub West Ham and Blackburn by signing for Everton, as he seeks a move away from Rangers.
Full story: The Sun 
West Brom are closing in on Sweden international striker Markus Rosenberg, 29, on a free transfer.
Full story: Daily Star 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas will be unveiled as Tottenham boss on Tuesday.

Tottenham are set to sign CSKA Moscow's Russia international Alan Dzagoev, according to his father.

Full story: Daily Mail 

Victor Moses is a target for several Premier League clubs

Wigan have warned Liverpool and Chelsea that they want at least £12m for Victor Moses, 21.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Paris Saint-Germain are lining up an £8million bid for Chelsea captain John Terry.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is playing down the chances of a move for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.
Full story: The Sun 
Croatian striker Danijel Pranjic, 31, says he would be "honoured" to join Everton after leaving Bayern Munich as a free agent.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris is available at the right price according to club president Jean-Michel Aulas - and that has put Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool on alert.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Newcastle have agreed a £5m fee with FC Twente for Brazilian defender Douglas, 24.
Full story: Daily Express 
Chelsea are favourites to capture right-back Maicon from Inter Milan after Real Madrid ended their interest in the Brazilian.
Full story: Daily Mail 
West Ham are close to a deal for Senegalese defender Abdou Kader Mangane of Rennes.
Full story: The Times (subscription required) 

EURO 2012

Andres Iniesta has hailed Spain's Euro 2012 triumph as 'magical and unique'.
Full story: The Sun 
Spain have changed football with their short passing style and domination of the ball in a style that everyone now wants to copy.
Full story: El Mundo
Spain secured their place in history with a ruthless display to make Vicente Del Bosque's side "Kings of Europe and kings of football".
Full story: Sport - Barcelona
Arsene Wenger has ruled out leaving Arsenal to replace Laurent Blanc as France manager.
Full story: Daily Mail 
Italy striker Mario Balotelli's shirtless goal celebration has been copied by a striker in Japan.
Full story: Metro 
Mario Balotelli's agent has rated the 21-year-old striker as the first player to be worth £200m.
Full story: The Mirror 

OTHER GOSSIP

Roberto Mancini is set to sign a lucrative four-year contract at Manchester City.
Full story: Manchester Evening News 

 

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Can Liverpool still make it In Europe?

As new manager Brendan Rodgers take the helm of affairs at Liverpool Football,iNewsGh assess the chances of Liverpool,writes Graham McCarty and Kojo Owusu-Okyere..
WITH the football world having been fixated on the excitement of Euro 2012 there is an air of inevitability with the somewhat laboring pace of this summer’s transfer window activity. The comings and goings in the Premier League have been kept to a minimum as the cream of European talent embark on a period of re charging following this summer’s European Championships.
Champions League winners Chelsea and fellow Londoners Arsenal have already spent big since the opening of the window with Marin, Hazard, Podolski and Giroud arriving in the Barclays Premier League for a modest sum of £75 million. Arch enemies Manchester United have spent a reported £20 million on Japan superstar Shiniji Kagawa and young Crewe hotshot Nick Powell and are reported to be close to acquiring services of England left-back Leighton Baines from our fierce rivals Everton.
With Premier League Champions Manchester City certain to strengthen with yet more world class talent, the need for new boss Brendan Rodgers to strengthen last season’s hugely underachieving squad is as big as it’s ever been.
The coming weeks will serve up the answer to an extremely pivotal question for Liverpool Football Club: is Anfield still an attractive destination for the cream of world footballing talent, or will Brendan Rodgers have to settle for the so called “second tier“ footballer if he is to add quality to his playing staff in preparation for his first season at Anfield. The silly season of transfer rumours is well under way and it is no great surprise to see Liverpool linked with a multitude of players since the start of the summer including just about every winger and striker on the planet.
There seems to be a notable difference over the last few months in the caliber of player that the club is being linked with. With the greatest respect to the likes of Davies, Sigurdsson, Moses, Allen and Sinclair, is this really the caliber of player that a club of Liverpool’s size and stature in world football should be looking at.
Whilst there is no denying or hiding away from last season’s disappointing campaign we still have some fantastic footballers at the football club and should be targeting players at the same level as the likes of Gerrard, Suarez, Reina, Skrtel, Agger and Johnson. The likes of Spearing, Shelvey, Adam, and Henderson are better options than the players we are being linked with currently and these players also have the added advantage of already knowing and understanding the expectation at Anfield.
Let’s not forget of course that despite our return to European football next season our absence from the UEFA Champions League is a huge stumbling block in our quest to add the quality of players required to challenge for a place in the top 4 of the Barclays Premier League. Despite the huge variation of views on both the amount of players and positions that Brendan Rodgers needs to strengthen this summer, one view that Reds fans will almost certainly agree on is the caliber of players that must be brought into the football club if we are to mount a serious challenge for Champions League football this season.


What we need is for our first signing this summer to send a message out to the likes of Suarez, Reina, Gerrard and Skrtel, but also to the rest of the footballing world that we have the ambition needed to restore the club to the top of English Football. If this message is indeed a positive one and we manage to capture a Gaston Ramirez, Joao Moutinho or Ibrahim Affelay then this will encourage yet more top quality players to head for Anfield, in the same way that Torres, Johnson and Suarez followed players like Alonso, Reina and Mascherano to Merseyside.
The flip side could be equally as telling for Liverpool fans though. If the first signing under Brendan Rodgers is a Mark Davies or a Scott Sinclair, with the greatest respect to those players then rightly or wrongly then it will seem that the required standard needed to wear the famous red shirt is much lower than our football club and its legendary supporters are prepared to accept.
With August approaching fast, the ambition and attraction of Liverpool Football Club will be severely tested over the remaining days of the transfer window. We will of course be watching this particular space with the keenest interest possible.

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Don't link the formation of NDP to Rawlings

Over the past few days, the Secretariat of the NDC Headquarters has been approached by numerous media houses to comment on the reported formation of a new political party which is being associated with former President JJ Rawlings who is the Founder of the NDC.

The NDC regards the reported association of our former President to the new party as mere speculation and will not make any statement on the matter until the former President himself comes out. All who speak in the name of the NDC in this matter must therefore do so with circumspection and to remain focused on what the Mills Administration has achieved in the face of daunting challenges.

The NDC has put in place a programme of actions to ensure a resounding victory at the elections in December 2012. Only last week a meeting was held in Kumasi which brought together Constituency Executives, Parliamentary Candidates and District, Municipal Chief Executives to deliberate on our strategy for victory to propel forward the Better Ghana Agenda of President Atta Mills which has recorded impressive achievements all around the country.

The party leadership urge all party faithful to focus on the agenda of putting across to the electorate the achievement in the 3 ½ years of the Mills administration.

The Party leadership further urges all genuine and loyal NDC members to continue to work as a family under the great Akatamanso. As a party we remain resolute in our conviction that the Almighty who orders our steps and rules in the affairs of men and women will bring victory to us and that come January 2013 Ghana will continue its orderly and peaceful development under our able and dignified President Atta Mills.


Signed

Richard Quashigah

National Propaganda Secretary, NDC

06/07/12

source: iNewsGh

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Sol: Spend and keep RVP

 Sol Campbell accepts the reasoning behind Robin van Persie's decision not to sign a new contract at Arsenal - but feels the Dutchman could make a U-turn if Arsene Wenger spends heavily on new players.
• Kroenke in firing line
• RVP to leave Arsenal
Van Persie's present deal runs out in 12 months, and this week he revealed he will not be putting pen to paper on fresh terms, leaving Arsenal to decide whether they cash in on him this summer - with the likes of Juventus, Manchester City, Manchester United and Paris Saint Germain reportedly interested - or risk losing him for nothing.
In a statement announcing his intention to leave the club, Van Persie suggested he disagreed with Wenger and Ivan Gazidis, Arsenal's chief executive, over how the club should move forward - and Campbell, who won the Premier League under Wenger, believes the Gunners need to prove their ambition by making a statement in the transfer market.
"I can understand why van Persie has decided not to sign a new contract," Campbell said in the Daily Mirror. "When you go back to your club for pre-season, and you look around the changing room, you want to see top players around you and think, 'Yeah, we're going to do something this season. This is where it's happening'.
"That's what van Persie is looking for. And maybe he's had a look and thought, 'Is this it?' Maybe it will be different in a couple of weeks, maybe there will be a cast of new faces to make him feel different.
"If there had been more strong characters around him in the dressing room now, it might have been different with van Persie. When he signed for Arsenal, he was surrounded by top-quality players, big characters, and it was fantastic. Inside his head, he knew it was the place to be - alongside Thierry Henry, Dennis Bergkamp, Patrick Vieira, myself, Tony Adams, Jens Lehmann, Ashley Cole.
"Basically, his statement is shorthand for saying his patience has run out, and that he can't wait for ever if he's going to win major trophies in his career.
"From the outside, it looks as though he wants to go to a club who will start the season expecting to win things, not just to be in contention with a lot of ifs, buts, maybes and strings attached. Maybe he could still sign a new contract if Arsenal rustle up £100 million from somewhere and make a serious statement by signing three world-class players."-ESPN

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Rihanna Fights Back The Tears As She Attends Grandmother's Funeral

Rihanna was fighting back the tears as she left a Manhattan hotel yesterday to attend her grandmother's funeral.

The singer was spotted walking hand-in-hand with a friend as she made her way to her car to take her to the service in Brooklyn, New York. Dressed in a sophisticated navy dress with her hair in a bun, RiRi looked visibly grief-stricken as she prepared to say goodbye to her beloved grandmother Dolly.
Rihanna revealed the death of her grandmother on Twitter on July 1st after she passed away from cancer in a New York hospital. The 24-year-old has been keeping her followers up-to-date with her emotions ever since, last night she posted an Instagram pic of a hand-written note which simply read: "IMA TRY TO BE A BIG GIRL NOW #DearDolly."

 After just a few days with her family, it's back to work for Rihanna this weekend as she flies to London to headline the final day of the Wireless festival. Earlier this morning she seemed to confirm she was en route to the UK as she posted "#takeoff". Here's hoping 60,000 odd screaming fans will cheer her up...

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Justin Bieber Album Track Written About Gay Love Affair?

Could one of Bieber's album tracks have been written about a gay love affair involving R n' B singer Frank Ocean? Reports have emerged saying that this may just be the case, with a track that was recorded back in 2009 for the singer's album titled 'My World.'
The gay love affair inspired track has been revealed, following Frank Ocean's declaration about his sexuality this week and the track 'Bigger', which was written for his first album, was actually about two men breaking up - which Bieber was not aware of, as he belted out the words to his thousands of Beliebers.
The R'N'B singer, who has also written songs for Beyonce Knowles and Kanye West, wrote on his website about his relationship with a boy as a youngster.
Frank said in the heart-felt blog post on Wednesday (July 4): "Four summers ago, I met somebody. I was 19 years old. He was too. We spent that summer, and the summer after, together. It was hopeless."
If we hear any updates, you'll be the first to know...
Meanwhile, Bieber and girlf Selena Gomez are not breaking up in fact, according to one source the young couple are "tighter than ever".
The stars were rumoured to have broken up just last week, and Selena Gomez was rumoured to be left "in tears" over her boyfriend at Ashley Tisdale's birthday party last week, but now a source has insisted that "they are tighter now more than ever".
A insider told E!Online: "[The rumours are] the furthest thing from the truth you could imagine. If anything, they are tighter now more than ever."
Awww, we're glad! Definitely couldn't deal with yet another showbiz break-up just yet...

The song 'Bigger' may have been written about an affair involving R n' B star Frank Ocean...

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