FRANCK RIBERY SAYS : IT'S REAL MADRID OR NOTHING

FOOTBALL: Franck Ribery has told Bayern Munich that he wants to leave and join Real Madrid.

Franck Ribery has told Bayern Munich that he wants to leave the club and join the new generation of "galacticos" at Real Madrid.

The France international has been at the centre of a long-running saga over the past six months, with Real and Premier League champions Manchester United chasing his signature.

Bundesliga runners-up Bayern have remained adamant that they will not be selling £30m rated Ribery, but their star asset has now announced his desire to move away from Germany.

The 26-year-old wants to follow Raul Albiol, Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema in agreeing a big-money, summer move to the Bernabeu, delivering another transfer blow to United.

Sir Alex Ferguson chased Benzema, but the Frenchman snubbed Old Trafford and Ribery looks set to do the same.

"I have made up my mind, I want to leave," Ribery told L'Equipe. "It will be Real or nothing."

Stumble It!

DJIBRIL CISSE MOVES TO PANATHINAIKOS

Former Liverpool and Sunderland striker Djibril Cisse has signed a four-year deal with Panathinaikos to complete his £7m move from Marseille.

Cisse, 27, scored 11 goals in 38 appearances in a loan spell with Sunderland in the English Premier League last season, but failed to clinch a permanent move.

He was greeted by around 3,000 fans when he flew into Athens on Thursday.

Cisse said: "I am very enthusiastic from the welcome and I have not witnessed anything like it in my life."

Cisse,reportedly going to be the highest-paid player in Panathinaikos history in a deal worth more than £2m a year

Stumble It!

CARLOS TEVEZ LEAVES MAN UNITED LIKELY TO JOIN CITY

Carlos Tevez is expected to join Manchester City after champions Manchester United confirmed the striker is to leave Old Trafford.

Manchester United issued a statement which read: "Following contact received from Carlos Tevez's advisors last night, in advance of the deadline the club set for concluding negotiations, Manchester United announces that Carlos will not be signing a new contract with the club.

"The club agreed to pay the option price of £25.5million and offered Carlos a five-year contract which would have made him one of its highest-paid players.

"Disappointingly however, his advisors informed the club that, despite the success he has enjoyed during one of the club's most successful periods, he does not wish to continue playing for Manchester United.

"The club would like to thank Carlos for his services over the last two seasons and wishes him good luck for the future."

Stumble It!

RONALDO DECIDED ON REAL MADRID MOVE LAST SUMMER

FOOTBALL: Cristiano Ronaldo has admitted he made up his mind to leave Manchester United last summer

Madrid conducted a long and public pursuit of Ronaldo last year but it proved ultimately unsuccessful as the 24-year-old remained at Old Trafford.

But despite staying in the Premier League, and helping United retain their title, Ronaldo claims he made up his mind to leave after the Champions League triumph over Chelsea a year ago.

"After we won the European Cup. I thought there is no more I can achieve here," the Portuguese player told the News of the World.

"And when you have done all you can, you know it is time for a new challenge. I stayed one more season and it was nice to make it three titles in a row but it was my dream to play for Madrid."

Stumble It!

BIRMINGHAM CITY VISIT MANCHESTER UNITED FIRST UP

FOOTBALL: Fixtures for the 2009-2010 Barclays Premier League season have been released.

Manchester United start at home to newly-promoted Birmingham on August 15, followed by a visit to Burnley where they take on the Coca-Cola Championship play off-winners.

Liverpool start their season with a tough away fixture at Tottenham on August 15, while Chelsea will be at home to Hull.

Over at Goodison Park Everton will host Arsenal while Championship winners Wolves are at home to West Ham on the opening day

PREMIER LEAGUE FIXTURES for Saturday, 15 August 2009
Aston Villa v Wigan
Blackburn v Man City
Bolton v Sunderland
Chelsea v Hull
Everton v Arsenal
Man Utd v Birmingham
Portsmouth v Fulham
Stoke v Burnley
Tottenham v Liverpool
Wolverhampton v West Ham

Stumble It!

TONY MOWBRAY NAMED CELTIC BOSS

FOOTBALL: Celtic have at last named former West Brom boss Tony Mowbray as their new manager.

Tony Mowbray ended weeks of speculation surrounding Gordon Strachan's successor as Celtic manager by signing a rolling 12-month contract with his former club.

Mowbray was given permission by West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace to open negotiations with the Parkhead club on Saturday after Celtic chief executive Peter Lawwell eventually agreed to the Baggies' request for £2m compensation.

As expected, Mowbray agreed personal terms and will be joined in the east end of Glasgow by Mark Venus, his assistant at The Hawthorns, and Peter Grant, his first-team coach at Albion and a former Celtic team-mate.

Current Parkhead coach Neil Lennon will join the new management team but his role is as yet unknown.

Stumble It!

INTER MILAN TARGET CHELSEA DUO DECO AND CARVALHO

FOOTBALL: Inter Milan have confirmed their intention to sign Deco and Ricardo Carvalho from Chelsea.

Both players have been linked with a move away from Stamford Bridge this summer.

"(Inter coach Jose) Mourinho has asked us for Deco and Carvalho and we are working towards making him happy," said Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

"Our wish is to sign both players and I have seen that the players' intention is to join us. We still haven't reached an agreement with Chelsea but I think we will do in a short time."

Carvalho, who moved to Chelsea in 2004, endured a frustrating campaign with the Blues. Injury restricted the 31-year-old to just 18 appearances this season.

Deco joined Chelsea from Barcelona last summer but the 32-year-old also suffered injuries, making just 22 league appearances this campaign.

Stumble It!

TENERIFE, XEREX, REAL ZARAGOZA WIN PRIMERA LIGA SPOT

Tenerife, Xerex and Real Zaragoza all secured promotion to the Primera Division on Saturday with one round of fixtures still remaining in the Segunda Division.

Leaders Tenerife edged Girona 1-0, while Xerex were 2-1 winners over Huesca to ensure their place in the top flight for the first time in their history.

Zaragoza's 3-1 victory over Cordoba seals their return after just one year in the Segunda Division, with fourth-placed Hercules unable to catch the top three.

The destination of the title will be decided next weekend with just one point separating the leading three sides

Stumble It!

UNITED ACCEPT REAL MADRID'S £80M RONALDO BID

FOOTBALL: Manchester United have accepted an £80million bid for Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid.

Manchester United have finally caved in to Real Madrid's repeated attempts to lure Cristiano Ronaldo away from Old Trafford.

United confirmed on Thursday morning they had accepted an £80million bid for the world player of the year, with a world-record deal expected to go through by June 30.

The news had been expected given that Real stated on Wednesday night talks were under way and now it is only a matter of finalising the player's personal terms before he completes a dream move to the Bernabeu.

A United statement read: "At the request of Cristiano - who has again expressed his desire to leave - and after discussion with the player's representatives, United have agreed to give Real Madrid permission to talk to the player."

Stumble It!