TOUCHLINES

ARSENAL boss Arsene Wenger will reportedly look to land Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema this summer as he looks to improve the club’s attacking options.

TOTTENHAM are set to renew their interest in Blackpool midfielder Charlie Adam after conceding Niko Kranjcar is likely to leave White Hart Lane in the summer.

LIVERPOOL boss Kenny Dalglish is lining up a double raid on Crystal Palace, with bids for highly rated teenage striker Wilfried Zaha and midfielder Jon Williams.

ALBERTO AQUILANI looks set for a Liverpool return at the end of the season as Juventus appear reluctant to pay the €15m (RM75m) required to keep him permanently. The 26-year-old Italian midfielder has been on loan at Juve since this summer.

BARCELONA are planning on hijacking Inter Milan’s attempts to sign Tottenham’s Gareth Bale in the summer by offering £40m (RM200m) for the flying winger.

 Celtic boss Neil Lennon is ready to sign Coventry’s Republic of Ireland keeper Keiran Westwood in a bargain free transfer swoop. Westwood is out of contract in the summer and refuse to sign a new deal at Coventry.

WAYNE ROONEY has pledged his best years to Manchester United, and told their fans: “I’ll be here until my 30s.” The 25-year-old striker is incensed by talk that he could quit Old Trafford this summer despite signing his blockbusting five-year £250,000 (RM1.25m)-a-week contract just four months ago.

TOTTENHAM defender Michael Dawson has warned his England teammates that Spurs and Wales winger Gareth Bale is back to his “unstoppable” best ahead of next week’s Euro 2012 qualifier in Cardiff.

MANCHESTER CITY boss Roberto Mancini has defended his decision to allow defender Wayne Bridge and strikers Emmanuel Adebayor and Roque Santa Cruz to leave on loan in January when he has ended up so short of players. Macini has bemoaned a lack of bodies as a reason for some of his side’s more stuttering performances in recent times.

DEFENDER Thomas Vermaelen has admitted he does not know when he’ll be fit to play for Arsenal again after revealing he has suffered six relapses with his Achilles injury. Vermaelen has not played since picking up the injury last September.

SUNDERLAND boss Steve Bruce has claimed he almost signed Andy Carroll from Newcastle two seasons ago, when he was still in charge of Wigan. However , the Latics could not afford the £4.5m (RM22.5m) asking price.

Source : THE SUN 18 MARCH 2011