In a sensational report in The Times, it seems that Xabi Alonso is convinced he will be leaving Anfield this summer. The article stated: Liverpool placed a £35 million valuation on Xabi Alonso last night after the Spain midfield player said his goodbyes to some members of the club’s staff. However, Real Madrid, with whom [...]

I ask this question after there were fresh reports in some newspapers today that Liverpool were ready to make a summer move for the Aston Villa midfielder.

Yes, after all last summer’s constant speculation, Gareth Barry has once again been linked with a move to Anfield. After admitting earlier this year that he would leave Villa Park if Martin O’Neill’s men didn’t qualify for the Champions League this season (which now looks pretty certain), he has today been linked with a cut-price £8 million move to Merseyside.

The reason for the massive decrease in his price-tag is the fact that his contract is due to expire at the end of next season. We all know that Reds boss Rafa Benitez is a big admirer of Barry’s, however does he really need another central midfield player at the club.

My personal response to that would be no.

Benitez already has three quality central midfielders to chose from in the shape of Steven Gerrard, Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano. He also has the likes of Lucas and Damien Plessis if he is really stuck, so bringing Barry to the club would just be a waste of money.

There’s no denying Barry is one of the best midfielders currently plying his trade in the Premier League, but is he better than the three currently filling the midfield for Liverpool at the moment? I don’t think so.

What do you think? Should Benitez do all he can to bring Barry to the club or should he spend his money elsewhere? Comments below please.

Julien Faubert has today become the latest player to leave West Ham this month after he agreed to join Real Madrid on a 5-month loan deal. The French international has failed to make an impact at Upton Park after signing for the Hammers back in 2007 and the club have now decided to let him join Real on loan with a view to making the deal permanent.

It is understood that the Spanish giants have paid West Ham £1.5 million for the loan deal and they will have to pay an additional £4.5 million in the summer if they want to make it permanent. Faubert, 25, made just over 30 appearances for West Ham during his time at the club, which was marred by an achillies injury which he suffered just weeks after signing.

Not a bad bit of business by West Ham. They recieve nearly £2 million for a player that has done, lets be honest, nothing since arriving in the Premier League. I am sure all Hammers fans will be hoping that Gianfranco Zola goes out and buys another midfield player before the transfer window closes on Monday because they could really use another player in that department.

Stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news over the coming days.

Boy weren’t Manchester United impressive last night? Sir Alex Ferguson’s men simply destroyed West Brom at the Hawthorns last night, beating the Premier League’s bottom side 5-0 to move three points clear at the top of the table.

Despite a relatively slow start to the season, United have gone on a magnificent run since their 2-1 away defeat to Arsenal. Since November 8th, United haven’t conceded a single league goal which has played a major role in the side’s climb to the top of the table.

Edwin Van Der Sar deserves a lot of credit. Many have been quick to criticise to Dutch keeper in the past, however he has certainly proved his critics wrong this campaign. United have conceeded just 10 goals in 22 league games this season and along with Van Der Sar, I feel Nemanja Vidic also deserves a great deal of credit for that.

The big Serb has been outstanding this season and if United are to claim their 11th Premier League title this season, they need to keep him fit. In midfield, you have the likes of Ryan Giggs and Michael Carrick, who have been in tremendous form of late and who could forget about Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Portuguese winger has had a very very quiet season so far, but despite that he has still managed 10 league goals, which is a brilliant return for any midfield player. I will be completley honest here and say that I have been impressed with Dimitar Berbatov over the past few months.

During the first few weeks of his time at Old Trafford, I must admit I was quick to cristice to former Tottenham man, however he has shown his quality over the past few months and I think he desrves a lot of praise. With United only really hitting fourth gear right now, my question to you is, can anyone stop them from claiming yet another Premier League crown? Personally, I think not, but I would love to hear what you have to say. Leave your comments below.

Manchester United are to battle it out with Tottenham for Wigan Athletic midfielder Wilson Palacios. Spurs had a £10 million bid rejected for the 23-year old on Wednesday evening, however Harry Redknapp is likely to come back with an improved offer in the coming days, however he is now likely to face competition from United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Both United and Spurs are keen to bolster their midfield options during this month’s transfer window and Palacios is now understood to be high on both club’s wish-lists. The Honduras international has played a major role in the Latics great start to the season which sees them sitting in 7th in the Premier League and it would not doubt come as a massive blow to Steve Bruce should he leave.

Wigan chairman Dave Whelan said yesterday evening that £10 million was not enough for a player like Palacios and that anyone wanting to sign him would have to pay a lot more. Both United and Spurs are ready make bids thought to be around £14 million, a fee that may be enough to land the former Birmingham City man. Personally, I think Palacios would be a terrific signing for either Spurs or United. He is a superb midfield player who certainly isn’t afraid of a challenge.

Manchester City are ready to make a £24 million bid for Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure. The Ivorian international has been strongly linked with a move to the Premier League in recent months, with Arsenal also said to be interested, however City boss Mark Hughes is looking to steal a march on Arsene Wenger.

The 25-year old has always maintained his desire to stay at Barca following the interest from England. With both City and Arsenal currently in the market for a new central midfield player, Toure is seen as a possible candidate to arrive at either the Emirates or the City of Manchester stadium this month.

It is understood that City are ready to offer Toure a massive £100,000 a week contract (double the amount he is on at the moment) in a bid to prize him away from the Camp Nou. Barca boss Pep Guardiola is desperate to hold onto the midfielder, however with City ready to offer big big money to sign him, Toure may yet be on his way to Eastlands.

I have always been a massive fan of Toure’s and I would be thrilled to see him arrive at City. He is without doubt one of the best holding midfielders in Europe and I feel he would add an awful lot to a under-performing City side. It will be intriguing to see how this one pans out over the coming weeks. Make sure to stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest transfer news.

After weeks and months of speculation, Barcelona’s Yaya Toure has today admitted he no desire to join Premier League giants Arsenal during the transfer window next month. The Ivorian international had been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates throughout the year, however today he has quashed all rumours of a potential move.

The 25-year old had this to say about a possible move to the Gunners : “I know of Arsenal’s interest but I insist I have no desire to seek an exit …. The rumours will not affect my game. My head is with Barcelona. There are no doubts.”

This news will come as a bit of a blow to Arene Wenger as he tries to replace his injured captain, Cesc Fabregas. With Toure now definitely not arriving at the club in January, a whole host of other names have already been mentioned. The likes of Andrei Arshavin and Marcos Senna have both been linked with a move to the North London giants in recent weeks as Wenger desperately attempts to bring a new central midfield player to the club.

Personally, I thought Toure would have been a decent signing for Arsenal, however that’s not to be. With Wenger admitting yesterday that he intended to spend during the transfer window, it will be very interesting to see who he does bring to the club over the coming weeks. My money would be on Zenit St Petersburg’s Andrei Arshavin to arrive at the club.

Arsene Wenger has today been rocked by the news that Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas will be out for four months after injuring knee ligaments in the side’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Sunday.

The Spanish international limped off just as the half-time whistle blew on Sunday after a collision with international team-mate Xabi Alonso. Both players went for the ball fully committed and unfortunately for Fabregas he came off the worse.

Wenger had this to say : “The news is not good. It will take three to four months, we count four. He will be working hard to come back earlier but I count four months …. We will miss him, of course, but how much is difficult to say. We have to find a way and we want to find a way to compensate the fact that he is not on the pitch to give everyone a bit more. “

With Fabregas now sidelined for the foreseeable future, it means Wenger is short a central midfield player and many names have already been mentioned. One name which has been repeatedly linked with a move to the Emirates is Barcelona’s Yaya Toure.

The 25-year old plays in a not too dissimilar role as the one which Fabregas plays for the Gunners week in week out and a January move for him may now become a reality. Earlier this year, the Ivorian international had this to say about a possible move to North London : “I am aware of the interest from the Premier League …. It would be great to play in a big team with my brother.”

No matter who Wenger does eventually bring in, I think they will struggle to fill the boots of Fabregas. Personally, I feel Fabregas is irreplaceable. He is without one of the best players in the world at the moment and without him in the Arsenal side, I can see them struggling to even finish in the top four considering the unbelievable form of Aston Villa this campaign. Get well soon Cesc.

Tottenham are preparing for the possibility of life without midfielder Didier Zokora, with a £15 million bid for Portsmouth’s Lassana Diarra. New Real Madrid manager Juande Ramos is looking to strengthen in the January transfer window and Zokora is now understood to be top of the Spaniard’s wish-list.

The former Spurs boss admitted : “The player who impressed me most at Tottenham was Zokora.” Following Ramos’ comments Zokora had this to say about a possible move to the Spanish giants : “I’m in the world’s biggest league, so it will be hard to find something better. But I’ve never hidden my interest in playing in La Liga.

“Juande Ramos was not to blame for our poor results at Tottenham. They were down to the players on the pitch.” Should the 26-year old leave White Hart Lane in January, it will inevitably see Harry Redknapp enter the market for a new midfield player and he is now setting his sits on Portsmouth’s Lassana Diarra.

The pair worked together during Redknapp’s days at Fratton Park and they may be about to re-ignite their relationship in North London. Diarra, 23, has made just over 30 appearances for Pompey during his time on the South Coast, helping the club win their first major honour in nearly 70 years, winning the FA Cup last May.

Personally I think this would be a terrific move for Spurs. Getting rid of Zokora, who in my eyes has never really impressed during his time in the Premier League, and signing a quality holding midfielder in the shape of Diarra. Although Portsmouth manager Tony Adams insists he will do his best to hang onto his best players in January, should Spurs make a bid of £15 million for the French international, I feel he will find it very hard to turn down.

Arsenal are lining up a potential £6 million January bid for Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure. The Ivory Coast international has been linked with a winter exit from the Camp Nou for some time now after falling out of favour with Barca manager Pep Guardiola.

Arsene Wenger is keen to bring a new central midfield player to the club after seeing both Alexander Hleb and Matthieu Flamini leave the Emirates during the summer. Since been told he has money to spend for the upcoming transfer window, Wenger has been linked with several big name players and Toure is the latest to be linked.

The 25-year old has spent just a year-and-a-half at Barca and, in truth, hasn’t had the best of times. He has made 39 appearances in total for the Catalan giants, scoring just three times in the process. Yaya, is of course the brother of Gunners defender Kolo and it has been speculated on more than one occasion that the pair would link up at either Arsenal or Barca.

What a good signing this would be for Arsenal. I have always rated Toure very highly and I think if Arsenal were to sign him for £6 million it would be a real bargain. I feel Fabergas and Toure would make an excellent partnership in the heart of the Gunners midfield should the move happen. With January fast approaching, make sure you stay tuned to Football Corner for all the latest news.