..::Football II::..

[Wolverine GTR]

Del Bosque: We will cope without Casillas

Spain boss Vincente Del Bosque has admitted Iker Casillas' absence will be a blow, but he insists he has faith in the goalkeepers lower down the Roja pecking order while the Spanish captain is on the mend.

The 31-year-old Casillas is set to miss Spain's friendly with Uruguay next week due to a fractured hand, an injury that could potentially sideline the Real Madrid stopper for three months. Victor Valdes and Pepe Reina will be among the candidates to step in for Casillas, and, while Del Bosque has noted the importance of his captain, he is confident he will be adequately covered.

“Iker Casillas will be a significant absence, because he is the most capped player for Spain and has an impeccable track record," Del Bosque told Murcia. “But we must look at other goalkeepers who are also very good. The competition is great, and it is not easy to choose."

The 63-year-old Del Bosque also said he plans to introduce the new generation of La Roja stars and hopes they can adapt well to the international stage.

"We now have to respect all those who have brought us to where we are and who are at a relatively young age, but we are also anticipating the new ones that deserve to be included and who we must combine well," Del Bosque said.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Casillas nathi 1kanam loku paduwak!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

'If I'm a liar then Benitez is skinny' - Materazzi

Marco Materazzi has hit back at accusations from Rafa Benitez by claiming his former coach is "skinny" if he is a liar.

The 2006 World Cup winner stoked fires with the Spaniard when he recently questioned the trainer's methods while at Inter, with the retired center back then labelled a liar in response to the allegations.

However, Materazzi is refusing to accept Benitez's statements and has offered his sympathy to Chelsea supporters for as long as the 52-year-old occupies the west Londoners' hot seat.

"I'm a liar? Yes, and he's skinny ...," he told Gazza Offside. "I give the Chelsea fans my best wishes."

Materazzi then reflected on his time spent with Mario Balotelli at the Giuseppe Meazza and revealed the Italy striker is an AC Milan fan - to the point that he once wore Rossoneri socks in the dressing room - but said he is unsurprised by the transfer speculation.

"Mario to Milan? He'd be playing for the team that he has always supported. The Rossoneri colors are his favorite. He once appeared in the dressing room wearing Milan socks, which I cut in half.

"Mario is a big kid and loves to have fun. For Allegri, he would be a big hit. He is an extraordinary striker with incredible potential. I only have great memories of him. In fact, the truth is that he has some bad memories of me.

"Before facing Barcelona in the first leg of our Champions League semifinal against Barcelona, I told him, 'Today, if you come off the bench but don't play as I know you can, I'll hit you.'

"I finally had to do it because he was like my son, but I love him."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Messi to sign Barcelona extension next week

Barcelona star Lionel Messi will extend his contract at Camp Nou next week, according to club president Sandro Rosell.

The deal will tie the superstar to the club until 2018, and while it was never a realistic possibility that Barca would part ways with the four-time reigning Ballon d'Or winner, Rosell said the Blaugrana had not had any potential suitors or offers for the Argentine star.


"The club has never received any offers for Messi," Rosell told reporters. "I'm sure if he has had them, he dismissed them."

The 25-year-old Messi will become the third star player in a week to commit his future to the Blaugrana following the news of Carles Puyol and Xavi Hernandez agreeing to contract extensions, and Rosell is hopeful goalkeeper Victor Valdes will follow suit.

The 31-year-old stopper has publicly stated he will not be extending his contract with the Catalan giants, but the Barca chief insists a change of heart should not be ruled out.

"He said he wanted to quit Barca. Do not rule anything out. I still hope he will change his mind," Rosell said.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Isco signs Malaga contract extension

Isco has committed his future to Malaga by signing a three-year contract extension, which also contains a buyout clause of 35 million euros.

In recent months the youngster has been linked with a number of clubs, with the likes of Tottenham, Chelsea and Bayern Munich reportedly interested in acquiring his services. However, Isco is happy with his decision and confident that Malaga will continue to blossom over the next three years.

"It's a big step for me and for Malaga. I'm grateful because they bring me to my city," the 20-year-old told reporters.

"I have trust in this team and I think we will continue improving this year, and that's good for me and for the club."

The club's sporting director Mario Husillos also expressed his delight at reaching an agreement with the player and his decision to stay at the club.

"The player has always been very clear that the only option was to stay at Malaga," he said. "There have been offers from other clubs, but the main thing for me is he continues in Malaga."

Isco has scored seven goals in 25 appearances in all competitions this season.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Beckham to train with Arsenal

David Beckham is to train with Arsenal from Tuesday as he builds up his fitness before deciding which club he will join, the Gunners have confirmed.
Beckham is a free agent after winding down his contract with LA Galaxy but has been in no rush to make a decision on where he will play. As he is out of contract he does not have to sign for a club by Thursday's transfer deadline.

He recently moved in to a house in London with his wife and children, fuelling speculation that he would be looking to play in England.

The likes of Queens Park Rangers and West Ham have expressed an interest in the 37-year-old, and now Arsenal have been added to the list of clubs who could sign the former England skipper. Monaco have been very strongly linked with Beckham, as well as AC Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, plus clubs from Australia and Brazil.The Sun initially broke the story and reported a 'plan' had been hatched for him to train with the Gunners, with an insider quoted as saying Beckham wanted this kept "hush hush".

The report states Beckham will arrive for training on Tuesday morning with the intention of proving to Gunners boss Arsene Wenger that he can still operate at the highest level. But if Beckham wants regular first-team football in the twilight of his career it is difficult to see Arsenal being able to offer this.

Indeed, speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, Wenger said: "He (Beckham) has asked to come here and work on his fitness. He has not done anything for a long time. He called me. It is purely for fitness. There is no speculation of signing him or anything."

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Congratzzzzzz Becks!​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Celtic Midfielder Victor Wanyama Will Join Man United or Arsenal ‘Very Soon’ According to Kenyan FA

Parkhead youngster on his way to Old Trafford or the Emirates Stadium this month?The Scotsman claim that Kenyan FA President Sam Nyamweya has made it abundantly clear that Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama is heading to either Man United or Arsenal “soon”.

The official stated that the Kenyan international was heading to the Premier League and that the youngster will quit Parkhead soon adding;“Wanyama will soon be joining one of the big two clubs in the world. It is an exciting moment for us, which means that Kenya is a powerhouse in football.”

The 21 year old Celtic star is valued at around £10m, more than ten times the £900k fee that the Glasgow side paid Germinal Beerschot just over 18 months ago.

Celtic boss Neil Lennon is fighting a real battle to keep hold of his star performers with Wanyama and striker Gary Hooper both strongly linked with a move to the Premier League.

One would have thought that both players would like to stick with Celtic until at least the summer given that the club have a massive Champions League encounter with Juventus coming up.

Both Man United & Arsenal have been repeatedly linked with a move for Wanyama with both sides seemingly very short on defensive midfield options.

 

[Banks PLK]

Congratzzzzzz Becks!​

wenger wont be signing him

 

[Banks PLK]

GOOD LUCK SUPER MARIO !

GONNA MISS YOU

Nigel Would be happy to see you there


​

 

[Wolverine GTR]

GOOD LUCK SUPER MARIO !​

GONNA MISS YOU​

Nigel Would be happy to see you there​

Good Luck Balotelli!

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Stoke City 2-2 Wigan: McArthur, Di Santo complete comeback for Latics

Wigan and Stoke continue to hunt for their first league victory of 2013 after they fought out a thoroughly entertaining 2-2 draw at the Britannia Stadium.

The game looked over four minutes into the second half as Peter Crouch doubled Stoke’s lead, building on Ryan Shawcross's goal midway through the first half. A spirited comeback from Wigan saw James McArthur and Franco Di Santo score fine goals to earn the visitors a point, though, with former Sporting Kansas City midfielder Roger Espinoza playing a part in both goals.

After a quiet opening to the match with both sides having nice possession without ever posing a threat on goal, the deadlock was broken in the 23rd minute through captain Shawcross. Charlie Adam delivered what looked like being a wasted free kick, but the Potters got a bit of luck as Jean Beausejour headed his clearance onto the back of James McCarthy, and as the ball looped up in the air Shawcross volleyed it past goalkeeper Ali Al Habsi from close range.

With the home side ahead at the break the second half could have been a fairly quiet affair, but four minutes in Stoke doubled its lead through Crouch. Espinoza lost the ball inside the Potters' penalty area, and the loose ball was quickly cleared to Adam in the middle of the pitch. The Scot raced away from two defenders and fired a low shot towards the bottom corner. Al Habsi did well to get to the shot low down to his left but he could only parry the ball to Crouch, who had the simple job of tapping the ball into the open goal.

That could have killed Wigan off, but it seemed to galvanize the visitors instead, and seconds later they had a goal back through McArthur. Espinoza was involved again, this time the Honduran playing a neat pass in behind the Stoke defense for McArthur to run onto. The midfielder seemed to ghost in behind Shawcross and fired past Asmir Begovic with the outside of his right foot.

With their spirits lifted Wigan got themselves more and more into the game, and just on the hour the Latics got an equalizer through Di Santo. Another neat delivery from Espinoza was the key, as he floated a neat cross into the back post where McArthur had drifted away from his marker. He managed to head the ball back across goal, and Di Santo volleyed past Begovic from six yards.

Both sides pushed for a winner in the final 30 minutes but Begovic did well to deny McArthur twice whilst Stoke huffed and puffed without any real punch upfront. American defender Geoff Cameron made his return from a minor hamstring injury that kept him out of the club's FA Cup match over the weekend.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

QPR 0-0 Manchester City: Champions slip up in title pursuit

A stubborn defensive performance from QPR held Manchester City to a 0-0 draw in tricky conditions at Loftus Road on Tuesday night.

Pablo Zabaleta's diving header and a disallowed Sergio Aguero goal were as close as Roberto Mancini's side came to breaking the deadlock leaving the Premier League champions to rue a missed opportunity to keep pace with Manchester United.

Playing in the face of a swirling gale, much of QPR's first 45 minutes was spent in its own half as the club soaked up continuous pressure from its illustrious visitors. Though Julio Cesar at times called his own international credentials into question with a pair of ill-judged punches – one of which should have been punished by Joleon Lescott, who volleyed over – the hosts were resolute and tough to break down. This was emblematic of a side that kept Chelsea and Tottenham scoreless in recent clashes.

A thunderous Javi Garcia half-volley from almost 40 yards had Cesar flying to his right, while the Rs had the woodwork to thank on 20 minutes as David Silva's enterprising run and cross picked out Zabaleta, who was left to curse the crossbar for preventing his diving header rippling the net.

Though content to sit back, QPR did pockmark the half with a couple of chances as firstly the brilliant Adel Taarabt found Loic Remy with a quick free kick, but the Frenchman watched his shot deflect past Joe Hart's far post. On 39 minutes, Taarabt was again the instigator, as he broke from a City corner and drove from the halfway line and into Hart's box, beating Gael Clichy with a trademark stepover. The Moroccan's left-foot effort was brilliantly deflected to safety by Hart's elbow though.

Roberto Mancini's side threatened to break the deadlock and looked to have done so as Aguero finished low beyond Cesar, only to be denied by the linesman's flag. Then, on the stroke of halftime Gareth Barry's first-time strike from the edge of the box was tipped expertly behind by a wonderful one-handed save from Cesar to bring an intriguing half to a close.

City continued to dominate play in the early stages of the second half, helped by the introduction of Edin Dzeko for Samir Nasri, but was kept at bay by the QPR backline. At the other end, Taarabt continued to mesmerise as he dribbled from the left flank, inside Javi Garcia and watched agonisingly as his curled effort flew wide of the far post.

The match was finely poised heading into the final half hour but the Premier League champions were again kept at bay by Cesar, who clung on to a powerful Silva volley, before Aguero volleyed high into the away supporters following Zabaleta's deft header across the box.

Remy's pace on the break kept the City defense honest and remained QPR's sole outlet and for a moment it looked to have handed the hosts a penalty, as Remy tumbled over Lescott's outstretched leg. Phil Dowd though, correctly chose to wave play on as replays showed there was minimal, if any, contact.

A late surge from the visitors tested Cesar's reflexes once more but the Brazilian was up to the task, pouncing on Silva's close-range finish to maintain his clean sheet, before Dowd's eyesight was again tested as substitute Scott Sinclair tumbled under Nedum Onuoha's challenge.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Lazio 2-1 Juventus (Agg 3-2): Floccari nets dramatic injury-time winner to seal final berth

Lazio booked a spot in the Coppa Italia final with an astounding 2-1 victory over Juventus providing the club with an aggregate win at Stadio Olimpico.

The Biancocelesti knew that they would progress if they could keep their opponents off the scoresheet and such a notion was evident in their extremely defensive mentality.

The Old Lady were allowed to dictate the tempo of the game but Alvaro Gonzalez's second-half header appeared to have justified Vladimir Petkovic's tactical decisions. Arturo Vidal thought he had taken the game to extra time when he struck late on but Sergio Floccari had other ideas with a header moments later to crush the visitors.

Juve was on top from the off and felt it should have been awarded a penalty after just eight minutes as Mirko Vucinic beat Federico Marchetti to the ball in the area and a collision followed. However, the referee only awarded a corner suggesting he believed the keeper made some connection with the ball.

Lazio struggled to ease that early pressure as the Bianconeri controlled possession, penning the Rome outfit back inside its own half.

But for all its time on the ball Antonio Conte's men struggled to find a way through the compact Biancocelesti defense. It was not until the 25th minute that the Serie A champions got in behind as Emanuele Giaccherini switched the play to Mauricio Isla but the Chilean's cutback was too close to Marchetti.

Both side's were defending in large numbers and after Miroslav Klose had seen a penalty appeal turned down on the half-hour mark the game's first save finally came in first-half stoppage time.

After Vucinic had seen his individual effort batted away by Marchetti, Giovinco popped up one minute later but after a brilliant turn he sent a tame attempt straight at the goal.

Those misses proved costly as eight minutes after the restart Lazio, against the run of play, took the lead. Cristian Ledesma's superb cross was flighted to the back post where Gonzalez ghosted in behind Federico Peluso to head in the opener.

The match momentarily opened up but Petkovic's men soon regained their composure and reverted to their conservative approach.

Eager to step up his side's search for a goal, Conte introduced Andrea Pirlo with 20 minutes remaining and the breakthroguh came in second-minute of added time. Giuseppe Biava failed to deal with a cross into the area and the ball fell to Vidal, who smashed it past Marchetti, breaching the previously stoic defense.

However Lazio was unperturbed and immediately ventured back up the other end and won its first corner. Stefano Mauri swung the ball in and Floccari got on the end of it, glancing a header past the idle Marco Storari and into the far corner.

Claudio Marchisio missed a near-open goal at the death after Giovinco's shot was parried aside in what proved to be Juve's last chance.

With its first win in 10 meetings against the Turin outfit, Lazio booked a spot in the final where it will face either fierce rival Roma or Inter.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Aston Villa 1-2 Newcastle: Cisse and Cabaye pile pressure on Lambert

Newcastle beat Aston Villa 2-1 at Villa Park as strikes from Papiss Cisse and Yohan Cabaye earned their side its first away win in the Premier League this season.

The Magpies took the lead in the 19th minute as new signing Moussa Sissoko released the Senegalese striker who made no mistake with a sublime finish.

After Charles N’Zogbia struck the post for the home side, the Frenchman doubled the visitors lead with a spectacular volley which flew into the top corner.

Villa responded in the second half as Benteke converted from the penalty spot but they couldn’t find another way through the Magpies defence as the visitors held on for three crucial points.

Paul Lambert made three changes to his team that lost to Millwall in the FA Cup last Friday. Christian Benteke was recalled to the team along with Nathan Baker and Barry Bannan in place of Fabian Delph, Andreas Weimann and Eric Lichaj.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew handed debuts to new signings Yoan Gouffran and Sissoko while fellow new boy Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa had to settle for a place on the bench. Steven Taylor replaced Mike Willliamson in central defense while James Perch came in for Vurnon Anita.

The Magpies started the game on the front foot and controlled the early stages. The first chance of the game fell their way when a Mathieu Debuchy cross rebounded kindly for Jonas Gutierrez but his snap shot at goal was well blocked by Ciaran Clark.

Pardew’s side upped the pressure on the Villa goal and duly took the lead in the 19th minute through Cisse who dispatched an effort low past Brad Guzan after latching onto Sissoko’s defense-splitting through ball.

Villa responded to going behind almost immediately when N’Zogbia drove at the Newcastle defense and fired a vicious 25-yard shot at goal. The ball beat the outstretched hand of Tim Krul but clattered into the post and was hacked clear.

This misfortune was to cost Lambert’s side as Newcastle doubled its lead through a fantastic strike from Cabaye who found the top corner with a superb volley after Gutierrez’s cross was headed into his path by defender Ron Vlaar.

After the break, Villa came out fighting and tested Krul immediately as substitute Andreas Weimann and Christian Benteke saw efforts well saved by the Dutchman when well place inside the box.

Lambert’s side’s luck began to change when substitute Agbonlahor was fouled in the penalty area by Debuchy although contact looked to be minimal. Benteke made no mistake converting the spot-kick into the bottom corner sending Krul the wrong way.

This further inspired Villa to push forward and it should have been level when Weimann was put through on goal but he was unable to beat Krul with a dipping effort from a tight angle.

Villa almost unlocked the Magpies backline late on when Baker rose highest in the area from a corner and headed the ball at goal but Gutierrez was there to make a crucial block to deny the defender from getting his side level which was enough to secure the points for the visitors.

 

[Wolverine GTR]

Sunderland 0-0 Swansea City: Visitors maintain unbeaten run

Sunderland played out an entertaining goalless draw with Swansea City at a wet and blustery Stadium of Light.

Michael Laudrup's side dominated the first half before the tide turned in the second with Nathan Dyer going the closest in breaking the deadlock ten minutes from time.

The hosts remained unchanged from their victory at Wigan Athletic, whilst the visitors opted to put potential Black Cats signing Danny Graham on the bench and brought in Dyer, Dwight Tiendalli, Itay Shechter at the expense of Wayne Routledge, Angel Rangel and Ki Sung-Yeung.

The early exchanges of the game saw a lot of controlled passing and possession from Swansea and not much from Sunderland.

Dyer was involved with most of the chances in the first half. After a long spell of keep-ball, the wideman played a one-two on the edge of the box but he couldn't quite get the curl he wanted on the ball.

The Swans were a constant threat on the break and it was through Dyer's speed on the counter that nearly brought them the opener. His cross saw touches from Shechter and Pablo Hernandez but Michu's shot was well-blocked by John O'Shea.

Simon Mignolet was called into action midway through the half, tipping Chico Flores' toe poke round for a corner as the pressure piled on.

Sunderland's chances in the first half were restricted to two free-kicks, one from Sebastian Larsson - which was punched clear by Gerhard Tremmel - and the other was a Craig Gardner effort which was rising over the bar the moment it left his boot.

The hosts started the brighter of the two in the second half and although they weren't carving out chances, they were still putting the visitors under sustained pressure.

The Swans were restricted to clearing their lines as the Black Cats began to push higher and higher up the pitch.

A Jonathan de Guzman free kick which landed on top of the net that almost broke the deadlock just before the hour mark as the visitors tried to regain their tempo from the first half.

Subsitute Ki almost immediately repaid Michael Laudrup's decision to bring him on but his shot from distance was straight at Mignolet.

A quick throw-in from Stephane Sessegnon saw substitute James McClean run at Chico Flores and fall over but referee Andre Marriner ruled the Republic of Ireland international to have dived and he consequently booked him.

The biggest chance of the game came on the 80th minute. Michu did brilliantly well, winning the ball and playing it straight to Dyer, who in turn played it back. The Spaniard slid the ball back into the path of the little winger but he planted his side-footed effort wide.

Tiendalli thought he had nicked it for Swansea bang on the 90th minute but he couldn't curl his left-footed effort enough and Michu set up Graham but Titus Bramble put in a brilliant block, as both sides took a deserved share of the spoils.

 

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Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson charged by FA for criticizing assistant referee


Sir Alex Ferguson has been charged by the FA for criticizing the performance of assistant referee Simon Beck following Manchester United's 1-1 draw against Tottenham.


"The FA has today [Tuesday 29 January] charged Sir Alex Ferguson in relation to post-match media comments made following Manchester United’s game at Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday 20 January 2013," the FA wrote in a statement. "It is alleged the Manchester United manager breached FA Rule E3 in that he implied that the match official was motivated by bias.

"Ferguson has until 4pm on Friday 1 February 2013 to respond to the charge."

Ferguson was highly critical of Beck's calls and no-calls that day, going on a post-game tirade following the performance, with the tipping point being when Ferguson thought United was due a throw-in that was never granted. Clint Dempsey went on to score the stoppage-time equalizer on the ensuing sequence.

"I think we should have had a throw-in down our side of the pitch, but that linesman never gave us a thing all day," Ferguson said following the game. "For me, it was a poor performance by him. He never saw the penalty kick for Wayne Rooney and some other decisions too.

"We remember him well from his time at the Chelsea game [in 2010] when Didier Drogba was three yards offside and he gave onside. I think he had a shocking game today and I'm disappointed in his performance, I really am.

"I think he has had a bad game and we never got anything from that side of the pitch. We got a bad break."

On his charge, Ferguson Alex recently stated that he believed the FA to be taking him to task unfairly, and that it had more to do with him than the comments he made.

"I just think it is more about me than what I've said. Whether I think it is unfair or not doesn't matter to them really at this point," Ferguson said. "That is what I have put in my letter exactly but you know the FA. You never know. It is one of these things. We are high-profile."

 

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Pardew hails newcomer Sissoko after Newcastle earns vital win over Aston Villa

Alan Pardew has lauded Moussa Sissoko after the debutant played a vital role in Newcastle's 2-1 victory over Aston Villa.


The French international, who joined the Premier League outfit last Friday, took just 19 minutes to make a mark in his first taste of the English game by setting up Papiss Cisse for the opening goal. Yohan Cabaye doubled Newcastle’s lead before halftime as the struggling side held on to secure its first away win of the season, and Pardew was delighted with the performance of his new recruit.


"When you're looking for players and you're trying to find the secret ingredient for your team, it's not always easy for them to come out as fit as they did in the first half," Pardew told reporters. "I was a little bit surprised myself if I'm honest, Sissoko really grabbed the game by the horns, and that's what we needed."
Newcastle added five French players during the January window, with Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, Yoan Gouffran, Massadio Haidara and Mathieu Debuchy also joining, and, despite Sissoko's excellent display, Pardew feels it will take some time for the new recruits to settle in.

"The French boys certainly felt the difference between Premier League and Ligue 1. A team comes out in Ligue 1 two down, they're going to try and pass through you and create a moment, not in the Premier League, they're coming at you full steam and we got caught out there. That's where they have to learn quickly," Pardew said.

"We worked really hard this week on integrating players, they're not here to save us, they're here to help us. We had a nice night last night in the hotel, you kind of sensed that there was a good feeling amongst them all."

 

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Paulinho to stay at Corinthians despite Inter offer

Brazil midfielder Paulinho has put an end to the speculation linking him with a move to Inter Milan this month by pledging his future to Corinthians.

The 24-year-old, who had been rumored to be on the radar of the Italian giants, confirmed he had received a lucrative offer from the Seria A side but believes remaining in Brazil will prove beneficial for his career.

"I made my decision, along with my family, to stay at Corinthians," the player told a press conference on Tuesday. "The offer was good, but sometimes you have to forget about the money. A good financial proposal doesn't mean you'll get to do a lot of things. There are times when you have to think about your career.

"I lead a very calm life and have all the conditions to do good work here at Corinthians and one of the reasons for me to stay was to return to the national team."

Roberto de Ardrade, Corinthians director of football, confirmed Inter's interest in the player.

"Let's make something clear. The club was contacted by an Inter representative. We sat down and we discussed things," de Ardrade said. "I spoke to Paulinho and, together, we decided that he won't be leaving Corinthians."

 

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Pulis open to selling QPR target Crouch

Stoke City boss Tony Pulis admits he would allow striker Peter Crouch a move to QPR before the end of the January transfer window.

R's boss Harry Redknapp has made no secret of his interest in the 42-time England international, with the pair working together at Portsmouth, Southampton and Tottenham over the years.

Crouch has struggled for first team opportunities this season due to injury worries and the form of teammate Kenwyne Jones, and Pulis has now revealed a return to London could be on the cards for the striker.

Pulis told reporters: "QPR have enquired about Peter, whether we do it or not you’ll have to wait and see.

"Harry’s rung me up and asked me about the possibility, I’ve spoken to Peter about it, he knows about it and it’s up to Peter as to whether he wants to go. Peter’s very happy here, and he’s made that clear.

"It’s got to be right for the player, it’s got to be right for the football club. The great thing is that financially we don’t have to worry about bringing money in."

However, the deal could be jeopardized by the lack of time left in the transfer window, with Pulis stressing that no transfer would be sanctioned unless the Potters were able to sign a replacement for Crouch.

Pulis continued: "If it’s right for both parties and the player wants to go then it’s very difficult not to let the player go, the important thing for me is that if he does want to go it’s got to be right for us but also we’ve got to have someone who’ll come in and do the same job.

"If the deal was right, Peter wanted to go and everything was in place and we couldn’t find a replacement then he wouldn’t go because that would put the club at risk, and it’s too big a season to put the club at risk."