Newz Forum: SOCCER: Football News and Rumours 23/03/04

Manchester United and Arsenal are said to be leading the pack in the chase for Jeremy Menez.According to the French league regulations if Menez does not ink a new deal with his current club Sochaux, he would not be allowed to join another French club. This would allow his to go elsewhere.Arsenal took a look at the young Frenchman over the weekend when Sochaux reserves took on Lyon and Arsene Wenger is counting on his French connections to give him an edge in the race for Menez.

United has been eyeing Menez since last year and on Monday Sir Alex Ferguson made a trip to Paris to talk to the 16-year-old's father about a move to Old Trafford.Menez's current deal with Sochaux is due to run out in 2005 but the club is keen on securing the services if its young star by offering him a new long-tern deal. Club president Jean-Claude Plessis insists that his side is doing everything it can to keep Menez.Menez is a powerful striker that has been tabbed as one of the best youth players France has produced lately.

Other Arsenal news is that Arsenal midfielder Edu has revealed that he wants to sign a new contract with the club.The Brazilian, whose recent commanding displays have seen him become a fixture in the Gunners' first team, is keen to sign a new deal when his current contract runs out next year.

Aston Villa

Juan Pablo Angel has insisted talks over a new contract with Aston Villa will not take place until the summer.The Colombian international is determined to put any negotiations on hold while he helps Villa in their battle to qualify for Europe.Angel has just over two years of his current deal to run - including a 12-month option which means Villa could hold onto his services until the summer of 2006.

Chelsea


Claudio Ranieri has admitted he was a "dead man walking" from the moment Roman Abramovich bought Chelsea.The Italian began preparing himself in his own mind back in July for the possibility of the sack at the end of this season knowing that even if he won the Champions League, the Barclaycard Premiership, the FA Cup and Carling Cup it still might not be enough to save his job as manager of Chelsea.On the eve of Chelsea's biggest game under Ranieri, the talk sadly is not about the Champions League quarter-final first leg tie against Arsenal, but instead about the future of the manager.Amid increased speculation over his future, there have been reports that Ranieri gathered together his players yesterday to tell them he knows he will be sacked in the summer.Ranieri refused to comment on that story, but did reveal how he felt the writing might have been on the wall no matter what he achieved this season from the moment last July when he heard that Russian billionaire Abramovich had taken control at Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool


Building tycoon Steve Morgan on Tuesday revealed that Liverpool have turned down his bid to inject 50million into the club in a shares issue.However, Morgan's announcement could be viewed as the first shots in what could now prove to be a long battle for control of the Anfield club.Sources close to the bid suggest Liverpool chairman and owner David Moores and his board could well have rejected this first offer because of a difference in opinion over the price of shares and because Garston-born Morgan favours a groundshare with Everton.Morgan, the former owner of Redrow Homes who has amassed a 312million fortune from building and hotel interests plus over 200million more in shares, is the club's third largest shareholder with 5% and wants to use 50million of his own money to bolster team building and plans for constructing a new 80million stadium in nearly Stanley Park.

I would be surprised if they let Edu go,when he first went to Arsenal i didn't rate him that highly but now he is playing really well and looks a decent player.