TOUCHLINES

MANCHESTER UNITED are going head to head with rivals Manchester City in a £55m (RM275m) summer transfer tussle over midfielder Alexis Sanhez and Wesley Sneijder. Chilean Sanchez is an Inter Milan player.

MANCHESTER UNITED will make a move for Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given as they look for a replacement for current keeper Edwin van der Sar, who is set to retire at the end or the season.

MANCHESTER CITY are interested in 17-year-old Bayern Munich midfielder Christian Derflinger. Departing coach Louis van Gaal has highlighted the Austrian as one the best talent at the German club.

CHELSEA defender John Terry has claimed that overhauling Manchester United at the top of the Premier League this season would rank up there with his biggest achievement in this game. After a 2-1 win against Tottenham on Saturday, Chelsea moved to within three points of United, who lost 1-0 at Arsenal on Sunday

FORMER Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri has turned down the manger’s job at Spatak Moscow as he awaits offers from England’s Premier League.

FORMER Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has bee told to forget the idea he might be the man to replace Carlo Ancelotti – if the Italian leaves Chelsea. Apparently, Blues owner roman Abramovich has no interest in recruiting Benitez, who has been out of work since he was sacked by Inter Milan in December.

FORMER Tottenham winger Chris Waddle says Spurs’s hoped of playing Champions League football next season are over after a 2-1 loss at Chelsea, coupled with Manchester City’s 2-1 win over West Ham, left the north Londoners trailing Roberto Mancini’s fourth-placed side by seven points.

TOTTENHAM boss Harry Redkapp has insisted that star midfielder Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Rafael van der Vaart will not be leaving the club, even if Spurs do not qualify for next season’s Champion League.

AND Redknapp has warned he will resign as Spurs manager if the club sells his best players.

FRANK DE BLEECKERE, one of the five referees who had their credibility queried by Real Madrid boss jose Mourinho in his rant Wednesday, has been awarded the potentially explosive Champions League semifinal, second leg between Barcelona and Real Madrid at the Nou Camp tonight.