Real Madrid’s incredible summer spending spree will go past $300 million this week as Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema sign on the dotted line at the Bernabeu.
The return of the ‘galacticos’ at Real
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Ronaldo unveiled as Real Madrid’s new No.9
Cristiano Ronaldo has been unveiled as Real Madrid’s new number nine, in front of thousands of passionate fans at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium, after his world record $130 (94m euros) move from Manchester United. “I have made my childhood dream a reality — to play for Real Madrid,” Portuguese winger Ronaldo told the packed stands. “I am just so happy to be here,” he said to a rapturous reception from the gathered thousands
Man City make ‘monster’ Eto’o offer
Big-spending English club Manchester City have made a "stratospheric" offer to Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o, according to Barcelona president Joan Laporta. The 28-year-old, who has one year left on his contract with the Spanish and European champions, has long been linked with the Premier League club. He has previously said that a move to City did not interest him, but the club’s billionaire owner Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan is determined to finance a deal for the player, who scored 36 goals in Barca’s treble-winning season.
Fabregas laments Arsenal’s ‘impotence’
Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas has followed his country’s surprise 2-0 Confederations Cup defeat to the United States by hinting he could be ready to leave English Premier League club Arsenal because of their limited success. The 22-year-old star told British newspaper The Sun that the loss to the USA was not the prime factor contributing to his depressed mood, instead he focused on his club’s inability to win silverware. “The absence of titles at Arsenal is what angers me the most
Worst XI: Football shirts
Aside from transfer news and gossip, the close season is a time when many football fans are scrambling around to grab their beloved team’s new playing kit before the new campaign begins. European champions Barcelona and English Premier League sides Arsenal and Chelsea are among the major sides to have already released their kit design for next season — all of which have sparked interest with their respective changes. Barcelona’s new away strip is described by the FC Barcelona Web site as being a “bright mango” color, and it has a round neck
United accept record $130M offer for Ronaldo
Manchester United have accepted a world-record $130 million offer for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. The English champions have given the big-spending Spanish giants permission to talk to the World Player of the Year, according to the United Web site. United said on Thursday that the Portugal winger had again expressed his desire to leave Old Trafford, and the club now expect the deal to be concluded by June 30.
In Africa, the Death of a Big Man Is Reminder of Continent’s Worst Excesses
As Gabon begins a month of mourning and condolences pour in for President Omar Bongo, the world’s longest serving President, who died on Monday at 73 in his 42nd year in power, it’s worth remembering that Bongo was precisely the kind of leader Gabon, and Africa, could have done without. Gabon has a tiny population and vast oil reserves, and after four decades of exporting hundreds of billions of dollars of crude, the biggest testament to the corruption and ineptitude of Bongo’s rule is that he somehow contrived not to turn his country into an African Kuwait. A third of all Gabonese still live on less than $2 a day, and as the oil fields begin to dry up, Bongo’s subjects are facing up to the reality that he sacrificed the country’s future to fund his own fantastically opulent lifestyle.
Rijkaard takes over as Galatasaray coach
Dutchman Frank Rijkaard has been appointed as the new coach of Turkish giants Galatasaray on a two-year contract. The 46-year-old, who has previously coached the Dutch national side, Sparta Rotterdam and Barcelona, replaces Bulent Korkmaz — who resigned earlier this week. The Istanbul-based side finished a disappointing fifth in the top flight Super Lig, a clear 10 points behind champions Besiktas.
Bordeaux clinch French title with 1-0 win
Bordeaux clinched the French league title with a 1-0 win over Caen on a dramatic final day of the season. Laurent Blanc’s men were ending Lyon’s seven-year hold on the domestic championship and winning Bordeaux’s first title in 10 years
Legend Figo ready to call curtain on career
Former World Player of the Year Luis Figo has announced that he will retire from football at the end of this season. The 36-year-old is hoping to go out on a high note after Inter Milan’s match match of the Italian season at home to Atalanta on Sunday. Jose Mourinho’s side have already wrapped up the Serie A title — the fourth that former Portugal captain Figo has won with the club since joining from Real Madrid in 2005