EPL summer deals
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Persie
ROBIN VAN PERSIE is praying Arsenal can halt the Emirates exodus as talks get under way over a new contract.
The striker hopes to put an injury-blighted season behind him by starring for Holland at Euro 2008.
Then he plans to sign a fresh deal.
Mathieu Flamini has already left for AC Milan, with Alex Hleb poised to leave as well.
But Van Persie, pencilled in for a run-out against Wales tomorrow, said: “I’ve never thought about leaving for a less physical league like Spain.
“I’m a committed Arsenal lad and discussing a new contract. It’s not the money which is important, it’s keeping this team together.
“Collectively we can become something very special.”
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Kightly
BLACKBURN are ready to replace £8.5million Liverpool target David Bentley with Wolves’ Michael Kightly.
Midfielder Kightly, 22, rated at £4million, was a target for Manchester United and Everton before missing most of last season through injury.
He cost just £20,000 from non-league Grays in January 2007 — after being released for nothing by Southend boss Steve Tilson — but has been a sensation since arriving at Molineux.
The situation has been complicated, though, by Rovers boss Mark Hughes being given permission to talk to Manchester City about their manager’s job.
A source close to Rovers said: “It’s all a bit complicated but David Bentley will be going nowhere until the manager’s position is clear.
“Kightly is very much the man Mark would go for were he to remain at the club.”
Wolves are bidding to sign Liverpool midfielder Adam Hammill and Tottenham defender Chris Gunter in season-long loan deals.
Boss Mick McCarthy knows he must strengthen his side for what the Midlanders will demand is a successful push for promotion in 2008-09.
Liverpool chief Rafa Benitez is set to loan out 20-year-old Hammill again, after he spent last season at Southampton.
That has alerted a host of clubs, with interest coming from Championship new boys Swansea as well as Plymouth, Charlton, Preston, Hibernian, Aberdeen and Wolves.
Welsh international Gunter, 18, joined Tottenham from Cardiff for £2m in January.
But he made just four appearances at White Hart Lane, after finding his first-team chances limited under new manager Juande Ramos.
BLACKBURN centre-back Zurab Khizanishvili wants to stay at Ewood Park despite playing just 13 league games last season.
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Back to SPL, Miller
SCOTLAND striker Kenny Miller is set for a £1.75m move back to Rangers from relegated Derby.
STOCKPORT have signed midfielder Matty Mainwaring, 19, on a 12-month deal from Preston.
NOTTINGHAM FOREST striker Junior Agogo is set for a move to FC Zamalek.
The Egyptians want the Ghana hitman, 28, to replace home star Amr Zaki, who is in talks with Wigan.
SAMMY CLINGAN is a target for QPR, Norwich and Ipswich.
The midfielder, 24, is yet to sign a new deal with Forest and can move on a free.
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Pandev
LAZIO hitman Goran Pandev is set to reject a move to Spurs.
The Macedonia striker was being lined up as a possible replacement for Dimitar Berbatov, who has been linked with a summer switch.
Pandev, 24, said: “It is true Tottenham want me, but I intend to stay at Lazio.”
Spurs look to have missed out on Richard Dunne — conceding that the £5million-rated Manchester City defender would prefer a move to Portsmouth.
Spurs’ first summer signing, Luka Modric, has revealed chairman Daniel Levy helped persuade him to sign from Dinamo Zagreb.
The £20m man admitted: “I could hardly sleep the night before meeting the chairman.”
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ROQUE SANTA CRUZ
ROQUE SANTA CRUZ is at the centre of a Manchester tug of war.
Blackburn’s Paraguayan striker last night revealed that Manchester United are trying to sign him.
Santa Cruz, 26, said: “The interest from United is real.
“But I’m busy now so my representatives will handle anything if there is a concrete offer.”
The £10million-rated hitman is also on the wishlist of former boss Mark Hughes, who this week left Ewood Park for Manchester City.
Santa Cruz has hit 19 goals in 37 Premier League outings for Rovers since signing from Bayern Munich for £3.8m last summer.
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Magpies/Hammers?
NEWCASTLE and West Ham are on alert after Eidur Gudjohnsen was told he can leave Barcelona.
The former Chelsea striker is up for grabs at around £4million and fancies a move back to the Premier League.
Iceland ace Gudjohnsen, 29, has made just over 60 appearances in two years at the Nou Camp but has struggled lately to make an impact.
West Ham tried in vain to sign him last year.
Hammers boss Alan Curbishley will have money to spend this summer as long as he can offload some dead wood.
Midfielder Nobby Solano has already been released to help cut the wage bill.
Toon boss Kevin Keegan wants Gudjohnsen to replace Obafemi Martins, who is surplus to requirements.
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Lampard
BIG PHIL SCOLARI will put his arm around Frank Lampard and tell him: Chelsea love you more than Mourinho.
SunSport can reveal the new Blues boss plans face-to-face talks with Lamps as soon as Portugal’s interest in Euro 2008 is over.
And Scolari will tell Lampard to ignore Inter Milan, who have announced the England midfielder is their No1 target.
Inter’s interest in Lampard went sky-high once former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho took over at the San Siro.
But Scolari has had a long talk with Blues and Portugal centre-half Ricardo Carvalho and the coach wants to build a team around Lampard.
A source in the Portugal camp revealed: “Scolari is a shrewd operator and has done his homework on the players he has inherited at Chelsea.
“He knows all about Lampard’s contract situation and his personal circumstances at the end of last season.
“But he wants him to be his main man in midfield and enjoy the challenge of working with a new coach.
“Phil knows that Lampard has been crucial to Chelsea’s success under Mourinho and wants him to be part of the new era.”
Inter president Massimo Moratti admitted yesterday that the England midfielder is their top priority this summer.
Moratti said: “We like Lampard and he’s our No1 objective. Mourinho likes Lampard a lot. We all know that he’s a great player. I think there has been contact with Chelsea but I don’t know yet.”
SunSport understands Chelsea have rebuffed Inter’s approach.
And they will not entertain a bid until they have spoken to Lampard about a new deal, which is unlikely to happen before the beginning of July.
Lampard’s current contract sees his wages increase to £131,000 per week next season.
That will make him joint top earner at Stamford Bridge, alongside skipper John Terry.
Any new deal will have to take that figure as a starting point.
While Mourinho and Scolari could become involved in a fight for Lampard, the Special One has backed Big Phil’s decision to join Chelsea.
Some critics have claimed Scolari has harmed Portugal’s bid for Euro 2008 glory by announcing he is off.
But Mourinho declared: “Who dares criticise Portugal’s coach?
“Would any worker presented with a fantastic offer of work say: ‘I don’t want to, I love my job a lot and I am not interested in change even if it triples my pay?’
“How can a superclub like Chelsea be publicly without a coach for any longer?
“For me everything was normal and even if voices are raised if Portugal are eliminated, I think Scolari acted naturally.
“He had a better financial proposal, a huge sporting project and it was impossible for him to postpone or conceal his choice.”
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Ronaldinho
PORTUGAL star Deco has told Ronaldinho: “Come and join me at Chelsea.”
Barcelona midfielder Deco, 30, is on the brink of sealing a £12million move to Stamford Bridge once Euro 2008 finishes.
And he told 28-year-old Barcelona pal Ronnie, who is also on his way out of the Nou Camp, Chelsea would give him the chance to revive his flagging career.
Deco said: “It would be good for Chelsea to sign Ronaldinho.
“He would go to a great club and I would love to see him playing in the Champions League for a great team, and showing he is still the best player in the world.”
Deco admitted Chelsea are interesting in signing him but insisted he has not spoken to new Blues boss Big Phil Scolari about a move to London.
Brazilian Scolari will quit Portugal and take charge at the Bridge following Euro 2008 — and Deco is believed to be one of his top targets.
But the Brazilian-born midfielder said: “There is interest from Chelsea, although Scolari has not told me anything.
“Now we’re talking with Barca. Naturally, there are other possibilities.”
Deco is adamant there will be no problem in leaving Barcelona, even though president Joan Laporta is facing a vote of no confidence that could delay talks with Chelsea.
And Deco added: “I don’t see why it would be bad for negotiations because even though I’ve not spoken to Laporta, he’s still the president.”
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Milner
JAMES MILNER has moved a step closer to joining Liverpool — after Bolton were told to forget about Reds midfielder Danny Guthrie.
Trotters wanted Guthrie after a successful loan.
But Anfield plan to use Guthrie as bait for Newcastle in a deal for midfielder Milner.
Barton
DISGRACED Joey Barton will not be offered a way out of Newcastle by Bolton despite reports of a loan deal.
The jailed midfielder faces the axe from cash-strapped Toon.
But a Bolton source insisted: “We are not looking to sign Barton.”
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McGeady
ROY KEANE is ready to smash Sunderland’s transfer record with a £10million swoop for Celtic’s Aiden McGeady.
Keano knows McGeady from the Republic of Ireland set-up and his brief stint at Parkhead and will move for the 22-year-old who is also being chased by Newcastle.
The Black Cats’ previous record was the £9m for keeper Craig Gordon. Celtic boss Gordon Strachan is keen to take Anthony Stokes as part of the deal.
But Burnley also want the ex-Arsenal striker 19, who is out of favour on Wearside.
Bent
DARREN BENT has been offered a way out of his White Hart Lane nightmare after Sunderland asked Tottenham if he was up for sale.
The striker has failed to nail down a regular first-team place since he moved across London in a £16.5million switch from Charlton last summer.
Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane are ahead of Bent in the pecking order and he saw striker Jermain Defoe quit in January for first-team football at Portsmouth.
Bent, 24, has already insisted he is not prepared to spend another season as a bit-part player in North London after making just 11 Premier League starts for Spurs.
Sunderland have ambitions of their own after beating the drop last season and boss Roy Keane has funds available to significantly strengthen the Black Cats’ squad.
Bent’s wages of around £30,000 a week will not be a problem for Keane as he knows he has to compete if he wants to sign the best.
Spurs will drive a hard bargain when it comes to the transfer fee. They have so far paid £12m to Charlton, with the remaining £4.5m based on appearances, and will look to recoup their outlay.
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Liverpool wrap up Degen capture
Switzerland full-back Philipp Degen has officially completed his move to Liverpool after putting pen to paper on a four-year deal at Anfield.
Degen was available on a Bosman deal after opting against signing a new contract at Borussia Dortmund.
Liverpool confirmed in May that Degen was on his way to Anfield and the right-back on Thursday signed his four-year contract.
He was part of Switzerland's Euro 2008 squad and will vie with Alvaro Arbeloa and Steve Finnan for a starting spot next season.
At the time of the signing, Reds boss Rafa Benitez admitted it was important to pick up free transfers in order to use his money on other areas of the squad.
"Sometimes you can find these players on the market," said Benitez on the club's official website.
"When you find a player like him who costs no money it means you can use money for improving other parts of the squad.
"He is a good signing, a player of potential, who can help us improve in the wide areas."