Scott Parker plying his trade for the lilywhites of North London. Oh how different Sunday’s derby could have gone had Arsene Wenger listened to the calls for experienced reinforcements.

The calls had been ringing all summer for experienced reinforcements. Arsene Wenger himself stated that he was “not afraid to spend”. Well this was true, albeit only in the final hours on the final day of the transfer window on what most would call “cover the crack” signings rather than the marquee signings which every single Gunner’s faithful had craved.

The fact is, no true arsenal supporter is or was against le professor’s philosophy of blooding talented youth, but there comes a time when even one of the most respected managers in the current football world needs to take a look at things and contemplate change.

This however was not be.

The strangest part of this transfer window mystery is that the man that most feel was needed more than any other could of, if not was, the best and most economical piece of business the Gunners could of done all summer.

The man I am referring to is of course Scott Parker, a vital cog in the midfield for Arsenal’s oldest rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The way in which Parker dominated the middle of the park on Sunday must have had Wenger cringing in his seat, for every midfield ball to be had Parker was there to claim it. The Gunners midfield was not spared a second on the ball without Parker snapping at their heels.

Is this not exactly what the Arsenal midfield needed?

The most frustrating part is that Parker with years of Premier League experience and undoubted leadership qualities moved to Spurs on the cheap for £7 million.

It is early on in the season but things are not looking good and with a manager who does not seem willing to change his philosophy, this begs the question, ”In Arsene do we really trust?”

The Portuguese boss is just halfway through his contract with Inter but he is already talking up his plans to return to the Premier League. 

When boss at Premier League club Chelsea Mourinho won back to back league titles as well as the FA Cup and League Cup – essentially every prize available to an English coach domestically.

However, Mourinho believes that English football is better suited to his management style and it is a better place to develop young players.

Anyway, this is what Mourinho told English newspaper the Times:   “I always knew Chelsea lacked the normal English culture of stability.

“I was never under any illusions. I understood the personality of (owner) Roman Abramovich and the culture of the people around him. I knew it was not a job for 10 years.

“My role was to give this man what he wanted – victory – knowing that, sooner or later, my time would finish, because there were too many things going on around me.

“In Italy, I was coming to the motherland of tactics, the country of catenaccio and defensive football. The objective was to win not only in a third different league, but a place where they say foreign coaches have little success. But the time will come for stability.

“I love Inter and would love to build for the future here. In fact, I am doing it now, because I am not a selfish coach and I’m thinking about the future in terms of youth development and the age structure of my first team.

“But Italy is not the country for this. England is the country – and my football is English football.”

In all honesty, I can’t see Mourinho moving back to Chelsea – mainly because of his comments about Abramovich.  Manchester United could be a possibility when Sir Alex Ferguson retires, though that may be some time.  Arsene Wenger seems settled at Arsenal and unlikely to quit or be forced out.  Liverpool may prove to be an option if Rafael Benitez can’t turn their fortunes around soon, while Manchester City could also be a possibility if Mark Hughes fails to secure success at the end of the season.

What do Inter fans think about Mourinho’s comments?  Is he being disrespectful or did you always think he might move on after a relatively short time anyway?  Post your comments below.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing and Cheltenham 2010 for Betfair.

Toni was subbed at half-time in the German giant’s 1-1 draw with Schalke and reportedly opted to leave the Allianz Arena rather than watch the second-half from the bench with his team mates.

Uli Hoeness, the general manager of Bayern, confirmed that Toni’s behaviour was not acceptable following the draw with Schalke.

He said: “That was wrong and we have taken note of it.”

Oh dear, so could Toni’s German adventure be over after just two years? It really is starting to look that way as he isn’t getting regular football at Bayern and this latest incident may see his chances restricted even further.

Toni was a part of the Azzurri side who won the World Cup in 2006 and he will be eager to be a part of Marcello Lippi’s squad for South Africa 2010.  At 32-years-old this is probably his last opportunity to play in a World Cup and he may well look to leave Bayern to ensure he can make the final cut.

The main question is if Toni decides to head back to Italy, which Serie A side will take him?  I doubt he’ll return to Fiorentina in all honesty, despite a cracking goal scoring record for La Viola his departure left a bitter taste and they’re fairly well staffed in attack.

AC Milan and Inter probably have no need for his services either and Juventus are going well with their current attacking line-up so I doubt any of those three clubs will make a move. 

It may force Toni to look at the Premier League in England or a smaller Serie A side.  Perhaps one of the struggling Rome clubs, Lazio or Roma, will offer Toni an escape from Germany but whether they can raise the necessary funds remains to be seen.

In all honesty it is extremely hard to pick a possible destination for the former golden boy of the Italian attack.  However, it does seem almost certain he will be on the move in the next transfer window following his latest bust-up in Munich.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish horse racing tips and the Cheltenham 2010 festival for Betfair.

In all fairness they’re only a point behind Barca but the Real hieracrhcy are known for being a bit trigger happy when it comes to managers.  Current Real boss Manuel Pellegrini’s situation in the Spanish capital was put under increased pressure following a frankly humiliating 4-0 loss at third division side Alcorcon in the Copa del Rey, while the Champions League loss to AC Milan at home will have done him no favours either.

Rumours have begun to circulate that former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is being lined up to replace Pellegrini should results fail to improve.  It would seem a logical choice should the Real board decide to wield the axe as Mancini is perhaps the most respected manager without a job at the moment in the world of football.  His domestic record with Inter was fantastic as he guided them to three successive Scudetti and picked up seven trophies in total, with a win percentage of over 60%.

However, his agent seems to have no idea about a possible move to Spain for his client.

“I know nothing about Mancini at Real,” agent Girogio Di Giorgis told the ANSA news agency. “If it would be true, he would have told me. Anyway, I wish this for him.”

Mancini himself was coy on a possible link to Real Madrid but suggested he would be willing, if not eager, to manage outside of Serie A.

Speaking to Sky Italia he said:  “I have said it once before, at times you never think that you’ll train a certain team and then you end up training that very team.

“I think that, for me, an experience abroad could be really useful, considering that I think it’s the right moment. But we’ll see.”

At just 44-years-of age it seems highly likely Mancini will return to management and considering his reputation it could happen very soon indeed.  If not Real Madrid another European side may seek his services and there could well be other sides in Serie A which would appeal to Mancini.  In a slightly ridiculous link English football league club Notts County have been mooted as a possible destination.  For those unaware of the goings on at the County Ground they have just been boosted by a massive investment with former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson employed as a director of football.  However, Notts County are in the fourth-tier of English football and I can’t see a man with Mancini’s reputation wanting to manage at that level, if there was any truth in that rumour in the first place.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing betting picks and advice for Betfair.

AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has now revealed it is certain the former Real Madrid and Manchester United man will rejoin Leonardo’s men in January.

He said: “It’s 100 per cent certain, the only thing that is missing is the signatures but the agreement is complete.”

It has been reported the move will be exactly the same agreement that saw Beckham join the Rossoneri at the tail end of last season.

Galliani also revealed Beckham will be the only player he expects to arrive in the Italian capital in January, adding: “External forwards? We have (Alexandre) Pato, Ronaldinho and then we have a young player called Simone Verdi, then (Ignazio) Abate, (Davide) Di Gennaro, (Clarence) Seedorf. This is the absolute reality,”

When asked whether the misfiring Klaas-Jan Huntelaar would be departing he rejected the rumours: “Huntelaar? He will remain. He isn’t on the market.”

Personally I reckon Huntlaar should be given more time to adjust to Serie A and establish himself in Italy.  He had a great record for Ajax in Holland and although that league is below the standard of the Serie A he should not be dismissed so quickly.  A striker’s game is based a lot around confidence, especially in terms of scoring goals, and he endured a tough time in Madrid where he was hardly given a chance by Real.  I’m fairly confident that once he does find the target he will score on a regular basis and be a great addition to the Milan side.

The fantastic result at the Bernabeu seems to have picked Milan up somewhat.  They came back from a goal down to sink Chievo 2-1 with late strikes in Verona in what was a decent result for Leonardo’s charges.  They then disappointed by throwing a two goal lead away in Napoli as they returned to the San Siro with a single point but things are certainly looking up for the Milan side.

They have now joined the chasing pack at the top of the table and it seems they may indeed make a title challenge, though a lot will depend on their results against the teams around and above them.  It was always going to take time to get used to life without Carlo Ancelotti after his eight years at the club and Leonardo was never going to have an easy task but it seems, finally, they are starting to get their act together.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing betting tips and picks for Betfair.

I think it is fair to say that AC Milan’s start to the season has been less than impressive to say the least.  However, victory over Roma at the weekend propelled them into the top half of the table and then last night the Rossonerri did the unthinkable and beat Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the Champions League.

The tie in Spain could have been oh so different.  At half time Milan trailed 1-0 after a frankly poor first half thanks largely to a mistake by Brazilian goalkeeper Dida.  With less than 20 minutes gone he fumbled a very easy catch and dropped the ball at the feet of Spanish legend Raul.  The veteran Real striker made no mistake as he slotted the ball home to hand Los Galacticos an early lead.

Some slick skills from Ronaldinho proved a highlight in an otherwise stale first half and as half time approached it looked as if Milan were going to suffer a defeat to the big-spending Spanish giants.  However, with just over an hour played Andrea Pirlo took aim and fired goalwards from at least 40 yards out.  You would expect Real stopper Iker Cassilas to claim the ball from that range but Pirlo’s effort flew into the goal to draw Milan level.  Game on.

Some may blame Cassilas for conceding Pirlo’s firecracker but in all honesty it was a great effort from range and had he got a hand to it I would have been hailing him for making a terrific save.  Pirlo’s effort brought the game to life and Milan took the lead just four minutes later.  Cassilas was certainly at fault for Alexandre Pato’s second goal, the Madrid keeper raced out of his box to intercept Massimo Ambrosini’s long ball but completely misjudged it.  He seemed to try and knock it away with his hand outside the area but then thought better of it and pulled his arm away, but Pato was there to send the ball into an empty net.

Madrid knew they needed something special and the introduction of Dutchman Royston Drenthe seemed to re-ignite the home side.  It was Drenthe who leveled matters for Real after Raul’s clever corner found him unmarked on the edge of the box.  Drenthe showed great skill to control the ball with his right foot before sending an unstoppable drive past Dida with his left – if you haven’t seen this goal by the way try and check it out because it was a bit special.

Milan weren’t to be denied a famous victory though, with just two minutes of normal time remaining former Real favourite Clarence Seedorf chipped a clever ball into Pato’s path.  The Milan striker made no mistake as he kept himself onside before volleying Seedorf’s cross beyond Cassilas to secure a famous victory for the Rossonerri.

Granted, the game was characterised by goalkeeping howlers as much as anything else but on paper Milan saw off Real Madrid 3-2 at the Bernabeu in the Champions League and that is what matters.  After their shock loss to Swiss minnows FC Zurich in Europe this result puts Milan back in contention to make it out of the group stages and continue in the Champions League.  Victories over Roma and Real have certainly improved the situation for Milan boss Leonardo, who must have been worried about his job going into that double header.  Milan must continue from here and use this as a starting point to kick-start their season – their next fixture is an infinitely less glamorous but equally as important Serie A tie against Chievo.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer promoting Irish racing betting tips and picks for Betfair.

Beckham, one of the Manchester United youth academy’s most famous graduates, confirmed he has interest from England but admitted he would feel uncomfortable playing in the Premier League if it wasn’t for United.

“There are other options available, but none that will stop me going to Milan,” said Beckham. “It is close to being finalised.

“When I left, they said they wanted me to come straight back. I had such a marvelous time there. They are a great club.

“Harry Redknapp has been incredible about me, but I’ve always said since I left United that to play for another English club would be difficult.”

Beckham’s decision to return to top level European football is based on his desire to compete in the World Cup next summer.  England boss Fabio Capello has reportedly told Becks he has to be playing European football to stand a chance of being selected for the final squad.

A return to the Rossoneri will, of curse, be a massive benefit to Beckham, especially if he makes it into Capello’s squad.  His arrival in Milan will give the side a much needed boost as they have struggled in these early stages of the season.  They lie 12th in the league with just nine points from seven games and Leonardo’s men have won just twice this season.

The Milan hierarchy have backed Leonardo and insist his position as manager is not under threat, that may well be true at this moment in time but the basic fact of the matter is if results don’t improve the Brazilian could well be out of a job.  It is thought Beckham will return to Milan regardless of who is in charge at the time, he is discussing a deal now with a view to a January move, but a change in manager could put his return to Milan under threat.

On a personal note I would love to see Beckham competing in the World Cup next summer.  England may not be expected to win it but they should be among the World Cup betting favourites after their impressive qualification campaign.  When the former England captain was dropped by then boss Steve McLaren a few years ago I thought it was incredibly harsh on Beckham. He was still one of England’s most consistent players and always put plenty of effort in, yet he was chosen as the scapegoat by the frankly ridiculous McLaren.  A return to the England squad, even as a squad player rather than a star, would be a testament to the way Becks has behaved as a professional over the years and he should be seen as a great role model to all aspiring footballers.

It is a move that would benefit both parties.  Beckham will be given the opportunity to make the tournament in South Africa and Milan will get a player who is still perhaps the best in the world at spreading the ball around the pitch and delivering lethal crosses.  He formed a particularly effective partnership with Clarence Seedorf in his previous spell with the Rossoneri, while his arrival may force Ronaldinho to up his game.  Even at this early stage in the season Milan are way off the pace in the race for the title and I doubt many will be betting on them securing the Serie A this season, though Beckham’s arrival may be just what they need if they are to ensure they qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The former Porto and Chelsea boss decided to snub the press after he was sent to the stands during Inter’s win over Cagliari last weekend.

However, due to the club’s contractual obligations with the media Inter have told Mourinho he has to speak to the press so the Portuguese tactician has no other option – and he isn’t happy about it.

Speaking to Sky Italia Mourinho said: “I’m not continuing the silence because the club asked me because of contracts with you,

“If it were up to me the silence would continue.”

The Nerazzurri slipped to a disappointing defeat at the hands of Sampdoria at the weekend and Mourinho was in no mood to discuss his tactics with the the press.  When asked why he decided to substitute Mario Balotelli he replied: “I’m the coach, and don’t have to explain my decisions to you.”

It is not the first, or probably last, time the special one will fall out with the Italian press.  At the start of the season he told reporters ‘if something happens to me it is your fault’ when Islamic extremists issued death threats against him for his reported decision not to play Sulley Muntari who was fasting during Ramadan.

His decision not to talk to the press was a disappointing one, after all his quotes are at times priceless.  On the state of the Stamford Bridge pitch in his time at Chelsea he once said:

“Sometimes you see beautiful people with no brains. Sometimes you have ugly people who are intelligent, like scientists.”

What does that even mean?  I’ve got no idea but it is brilliant anyway and one of the reasons why, love him or hate him, no one can deny Mourinho is not entertaining.

It would seem for now that Mourinho has no choice but to speak to the media if Inter have forced him.  The question is will he opt to move on because of it?  The press in Italy are known for grilling the manager on tactics and team selections and it seems this is what Mourinho has a problem with, if he can’t learn to deal with it he may chose to leave.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer who writes about Premier League betting news and advice for Betfair.

The 29-year-old won the Ballon d’Or back in 2005 but has yet to match the standards he set in his early years at the Nou Camp in his time in Milan.

Leonardo has now admitted the San Siro faithful are yet to see Ronaldinho at his best, but insists the Brazilian is till in his plans and backed Ronaldinho to make a significant contribution to the Milan side.

He said: “There’s no need to judge Ronaldinho before and after every game. He is a resource like every other player at the club,

“It’s normal to make some changes when you have to play a long way away with only a few days rest.

“It seems to me that Ronaldinho is always under observation. Every performance is analysed and re-analysed.

“He’s a Ballon d’Or winner and it’s normal that he’s analysed but I think there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration.”

Ronaldinho first gained a reputation as a ‘party boy’ in his time at PSG in the French league.  This reputation followed him to Barcelona where he did little to quell the talk of his socialising antics.  Leonardo has admitted Ronaldinho’s reputation is a problem but claims the player is overly scrutinised with every slight mistake.

He added:  “He has a public image (as liking to party) and every time something happens it gets blown up. It’s also in part his fault, particularly given what happened in the past at Barcelona.

“It’s true that he’s not the player of three years ago but he has done some good things this year and he will do again.”

At 29 Ronaldinho still has time to resurrect his career and if Milan can be patient with him I’m confident the Rossoneri will see Ronaldinho improve.  He may never hit the levels he did in his time at Barca but he can still be useful for Milan and a potent threat in Serie A. 

AC Milan boss Leonardo has admitted Brazilian Ronaldino is not the player he once was, but insists the former Barcelona man is still very much in his plans.

The 29-year-old won the Ballon d’Or back in 2005 but has yet to match the standards he set in his early years at the Nou Camp in his time in Milan.

Leonardo has now admitted the San Siro faithful are yet to see Ronaldinho at his best, but insists the Brazilian is till in his plans and backed Ronaldinho to make a significant contribution to the Milan side.

He said: “There’s no need to judge Ronaldinho before and after every game. He is a resource like every other player at the club,

“It’s normal to make some changes when you have to play a long way away with only a few days rest.

“It seems to me that Ronaldinho is always under observation. Every performance is analysed and re-analysed.

“He’s a Ballon d’Or winner and it’s normal that he’s analysed but I think there are many factors that have to be taken into consideration.”

Ronaldinho first gained a reputation as a ‘party boy’ in his time at PSG in the French league.  This reputation followed him to Barcelona where he did little to quell the talk of his socialising antics.  Leonardo has admitted Ronaldinho’s reputation is a problem but claims the player is overly scrutinised with every slight mistake.

He added:  “He has a public image (as liking to party) and every time something happens it gets blown up. It’s also in part his fault, particularly given what happened in the past at Barcelona.

“It’s true that he’s not the player of three years ago but he has done some good things this year and he will do again.”

At 29 Ronaldinho still has time to resurrect his career and if Milan can be patient with him I’m confident the Rossoneri will see Ronaldinho improve.  He may never hit the levels he did in his time at Barca but he can still be useful for Milan and a potent threat in Serie A.

Written by Gareth Freeman, a sports writer who writes about football betting news and tips for Betfair.

Both Ibra and Eto’o have already found their feet at their new clubs.  Ibra has scored twice in La Liga as well as turning provider for a Lionel Messi goal in the Spanish Super Cup final.  Eto’o won Inter a penalty in the Milan derby and has himself found the net twice, once from the penalty spot and once from open play, and looks to have settled in well in his new surroundings.

The pressure will be on both players to score against their former employers.  In all honesty I expect the Inter fans to be fairly welcoming to Zlatan, he may have jumped ship but the Nerazzurri came out of the deal with a big fee (somewhere in the region of €69million) and Eto’o.

“I’ll do everything to score because I play for Barca now,” Ibrahimovic said.

“I don’t know what to expect from the fans but I will go there and do my best and hope we win.

“People know my quality and I know my quality and for me it’s an obligation to win every match I play.”

Eto’o scored many important goals for Barca in his time at the Nou Camp but his relationship with the club and their supporters was perhaps not as rosy as it could have been.  Despite his excellent performances for the Catalan side the Cameroonian was frequently linked with a switch away from Barca and he is eager to show Barca just what they let go.

“The game against Barcelona motivates me, obviously,” said Eto’o in an interview with Sky Italia.

“But it also motivates the rest of the team too.

“Up until now I had not thought about playing them, but now I am and that is what I am focusing on.

“I really want to play in the game, but I do not think it will be the most important game of the season because I want to play in many important games, not just this one.”

Inter fell in the first knock out round last season after being beaten 2-0 by eventual finalists Manchester United.  The pressure is on boss Jose Mourinho to improve on that performance this season and an opening group fixture against champions Barcelona represents an excellent chance for Mourinho to prove his side’s worth.  For Barca they’ll be eager to kick off their defence of the title with a win and I’m expecting a hard fought encounter between two of Europe’s most talented sides.

Written by Gareth Freeman, an online soccer betting writer working to promote horse racing betting tips for Betfair.

Mutu took his case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) but they upheld Fifa’s ruling.  However, the player himself insists he cannot pay such a large sum (it is in fact the highest fne ever levied by FIFA) and has now written to Fifa president Sepp Blatter and Chelsea with his offer of a large charitable donation in place of the fine.

He said:  “I can’t pay that kind of money and it’s not a question of desire but one of understanding and rationale.

“I propose to make a significant donation to a charitable association in Florence or elsewhere that looks after children with problems related to substance abuse and to make another donation to a charity chosen by Chelsea in London or in England and the same in my country, Romania.”

Personally I’m inclined to think this is a better solution for everyone involved, except Chelsea I suppose.  Mutu just can’t afford to pay that large sum, of that I don’t doubt and I’m sure Chelsea can manage without the money which, presumably, would be paid in installments over a large number of years.  Helping out substance abuse charities seems like a much more realistic and worthwhile way for his fine to be used and it also has relevance to his case.

On a slightly different tangent it is good to see Mutu getting on with his career in Italy.  I was very impressed when he first moved to Chelsea but after his positive drug test and subsequent ban I wouldn’t have gone betting

New AC Milan coach Leonardo has a task on his hands this summer. The Brazilian boss has already lost compatriot and former ballon d’Or winner Kaka while former Rossoneri boss Carlo Ancelotti is constantly linked with bringing his former players with him to Chelsea. It would seem that Leonardo is targeting a big striker to hold the ball up and poach a few goals and he has been linked with two who are among the best in the business – England’s Peter Crouch and Brazilian hotshot Luis Fabiano.

With Pipo Inzaghi nearing retirement age (he’s 35) the San Siro outfit need someone who will be able to get the goals and play every game. Fabiano and Crouch both fit this bill and I’m confident both would be able to adapt to Serie A football. Crouch in particular has his detractors, but for me he is in fact an excellent footballer. The former Liverpool forward may not be as good in the air as you’d expect him to be (he stands at 6ft7 tall but still isn’t comfortable in the air) but he has more skill than people give him credit for. I remember Crouch scoring a very impressive scissor-kick/overhead goal against Bolton Wanderers and he isn’t afraid to have a shot.

Fabiano currently plays for La Liga side Seville as well as being a regular in the Brazil national side. He finished as top scorer in the Confederations Cup in South Africa with 5 goals and arguably has a better shot than Crouch. His record at international level of 22 goals in 31 games is among the best in Brazilian football history but Seville have placed a hefty price tag on his head (reports suggest around 30m euros, with AC willing to pay 18m).

It would seem that Milan’s interest in Arsenal star Emmanuel Adebayor has waned, perhaps because of his high-price tag and a lacklustre campaign last time around. They look to be after a big striker still and either Fabiano or Crouch would be a decent addition to the side.

In Ronaldinho and Alexandre Pato the Rossoneri have quality playmakers who could provide excellent support for a big man in the middle. Both Crouch and Fabiano are ideally suited to this role. In his time at Liverpool Crouch led the line well and allowed space for players such as Steven Gerrard to cause damage, he could well do the same at Milan for Ronaldinho and co. Fabiano is no stranger to working with players with flair, he linked up with Manchester City striker Robinho on numerous occasions to deadly effect at the Confederations Cup.

At £10m (around 11.5m euros) Crouch is the cheaper option of the two and with Premier League giants Manchester United also reportedly interested in Fabiano Milan may opt for the Englishman. I feel Crouch could adapt well to Italian football as he is a very clever reader of the game (another thing he isn’t given credit for) and would be a success at the San Siro. Whether or not Milan sign either player, it seems clear they are searching for a powerful striker and I for one am interested in what Leonardo does over the summer. For too long now Milan have been overshadowed by their neighbours and if Leonardo is to join the legendary managers of the great side it seems a safe football bet that he will have to figure out a way to topple Inter Milan’s domination.

It would seem as if the Czech’s career may not be over though.  His agent, Mino Raiol, has stated he will try and convince the veteran schemer to continue and now rumours have circled linking him with a return to Lazio.

“I will do all I can to have him continue. He should not be ending yet. He is in the same shape as he was when he became Europe’s player of the year.” Raiol told Deniksport.cz earlier in June.

At first I dismissed this as agent talk and general rumour mongering.  However, the rumours have increased about a return to Serie A and it would seem perhaps we have not seen the last of the former Ballon d’Or winner.

Despite his position as one of the more senior members of the Old Lady last season Nedved still managed to play in 29 games (his season was ended in March with an injury) and scored a decent seven goals.

At the moment we’re still waiting to hear from the man himself, so I wouldn’t go betting on him stepping out onto a  pitch somewhere next season just yet.

I’m fairly confident he could still perform at the highest level personally.  I wouldn’t go as far as Raiol and say he is still at his best but his form is still pretty good and he was an important cog in the Juve machine last season.  At 36 there will always be questions over his fitness but Nedved was never a player who relied too heavily on pace.  His awareness and passing ability are perhaps his best attributes, as well as a vicious strike, and he was always worth an online football bet for anytime scorer in the big games.  Needless to say, I for one would love it if he gave us one more season.

Kaka went to Real Madrid for £59million and Inter value Ibra as ‘superior’ to the Brazilian superstar.  According to Inter administrator Ernesto Paolillo Ibrahimovic is worth more than Kaka, but slightly less than the £80million Real Madrid will pay Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo.

“The player knows that for the time being we have had no offers that are deemed suitable for his market value, which is superior to Kaka and slightly inferior to Cristiano Ronaldo in our estimation,” said Paolillo. “The situation is being evaluated constantly by Inter sporting director Marco Branca.

“Regardless of the rumours, we find ourselves faced with an impasse that could be unblocked at any time – just like it could also mean that Ibrahimovic’s desired transfer does not happen.”

In the current transfer climate Inter’s valuation of Zlatan may seem a bit high, but when you consider he won the Capocannonieri last season with 25 goals it doesn’t seem that crazy.  He is also perhaps the best target man in the world at the moment and would be incredibly hard for Jose Mourinho to replace.

The clubs that are apparently vying for Ibrahimovic’s signature are La Liga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona and Premier League outfit Chelsea.  Of those three clubs I think Barcelona would be hesitant to splash out such a hight amount but for Chelsea and Real Madrid it could be a different story.

Chelsea are bankrolled by owner Roman Abramovic but even he may be wary of spending such a large sum on one player.  However, Real Madrid have reportedly secured loans of around the 800million euro mark to spend on new players and if they do target Ibra he could well be tempted by the Bernabeu side.

By placing such a large price on his head it would seem Inter are determined to keep him, though admittedly if an astronomical offer came along it would be hard for them to turn down. It would be sad to see the prolific striker leave Serie A but one player does not make a league or a team, especially not Internazionale.  If Ibra decides his future lies elsewhere, despite the Nerazzurri’s best efforts to keep him, I would wish him well at Real and I’m betting he would be a success in Spain.  If he does decide to leave it will be interesting to see what the ‘special one’ does with over £70million, because it seems Inter won’t let their star man go for any less.

This is one possible scenario but on the other hand there is the possibility that we’re about to experience a rejuvenation of Italian football.  For a long time AC Milan have needed a bit of a remodel, Carlo Ancelotti did an amazing job but in the last few years I’ve been less than impressed with the Rossoneri and in truth things needed shaping up.  Now they have lost Kaka but they have an extra £56million to spend and if that is invested in the squad and Leonardo makes the right choices we could have a new look AC Milan to challenge their city neighbours.

Jose Mourinho has pledged his future to Inter so the ‘special one’ will grace Serie A with his presence for another season.  I’m a big fan of Mourinho and he should be able to bring in some big names to the Giuseppe Meazza over the summer.  Their performance in the Champions League wasn’t the best but they were taken out by the eventual finalists and it wouldn’t surprise me if Jose took them quite far in the competition next season when he has had the summer to improve his side.

If the Nerazzurri do lose Ibrahimovic it will be a big blow but not the huge disaster it has been made out to be by some in the media.  Granted he is one of the world’s top strikers but Inter are no one man team, they’ve got talent right through the side and the money from Ibra’s sale would go on another top forward to replace him.

Roma disappointed this season, they’re definitely a side in need of improvement and after missing out on Champions League qualification you would expect a few comings and goings at the Stadio Olimpico. It has been reported they’re preparing a move for David Trezeguet from Juventus.  It could be a good move for both Roma and Trezeguet in truth, they could certainly do with a striker of his calibre and he needs to try and regain his form after a fairly indifferent season disrupted by injuries.  Marseille and Lyon are also thought to be interested and at 31-years-old he might consider a move back to Ligue One but you would think he would want to continue in Serie A.

It would seem though that Roma are indeed in the market for a striker as they’re also being linked with Tottenham’s Roman Pavlyuchenko.  Like Trezeguet the Russian is a big target man kind of striker and would also make a good foil for the more skilful of Roma’s players like Francesco Totti or Mirko Vucinic.

Kaka’s transfer may have made a few people think about hitting the panic button but in truth one player moving will not kill a whole league, especially not one as strong as the Serie A. It may suggest a slight decline but it is one the clubs themselves are very much in control of reversing if they bring in the right players and improve in the Champions League.  When Zinedine Zidane switched from Juve to Real Madrid the league only lost a great player, the same will happen now Kaka has opted for Real.

With regards to Spanish football betting, the most likely candidate to take the Madrid role is Florentino Perez, who was president between 2000-2006 or the ‘Galacticos’ period. Perez has, reportedly, already approached Mourinho about taking over at the Bernabeu but the Portuguese coach has distanced himself from taking over at Madrid.

Mourinho said: “It is not easy because an offer like that makes you think twice.

“But (Inter president Massimo) Moratti knows the truth.

“I am under contract until 2011 and I think the president gets angry with people that are not honest, not with those that after five minutes have already put him up to date with what has gone on”.

Mourinho is a proud and dedicated man and I don’t think he would leave the Giuseppe Meazza after just one season.  The self proclaimed ‘special one’ will be eager to take Inter further in the Champions League after a disappointingly early exit this season and he is not a man to leave with a job half done.

Mourinho has admitted there is still a ‘0.01%’ chance he could switch Inter for Real but in regards to that comment I would say he is just keeping his options open. I have no doubt he will manage in Spain at some point in his career and perhaps in the Premier League again but I expect him to stay at Inter for at least another season.

The rumour mill will constantly link Mourinho to the job at Real until they have a manager in place but Inter fans shouldn’t worry too much. Jose won’t walk out on his contract at Inter, where he has control, for a job at Real, who chop and change managers as often as David Beckham changes his hair.

The sports news websites may continue to link Mourinho with Real but the ‘special one’ confirmed he plans to stay at Milan when he said: “I repeat, I am closer to staying at Inter than going elsewhere.”

He has joined Pavel Nedved in retiring this season and to be honest I can’t decide between the two which I’ll miss watching more. They’re both very different players but two who have really stood out to me, and probably everyone else, over the last decade or so.

Figo may be more recognised for his contribution to the Spanish league than the Serie A but his spell at Inter has been a good one. He is one of the few players to have played for both Barcelona and Real Madrid and was a favourite with both sets of fans, though the Barca fans did throw a piglet’s head at him during a Champions League semi-final between the two sides when playing for Real. Figo started his career with Sporting Lisbon in Portugal and because of his time there and his place in the Portuguese national team he is still regarded as a hero in his home country.

When the Portuguese wizard moved to Inter Milan it was thought to be the last move in his career and he wasn’t expected to continue for more than another year or so in Serie A. However, after joining Inter in 2005 he ended up making over 100 appearances for the Nerazzurri and became a firm favourite at the Giuseppe Meazza. Figo nearly moved to Italy before he joined Barcelona in 1995 but there was some dispute between Parma and Juventus and he ended up moving to the Catalan club instead.

The one thing Figo has missed out on is an international trophy. He was the leading figure in a ‘Golden Generation’ of Portuguese footballers that included Rui Costa and Joao Pinto and despite some decent displays in cup competitions they failed to lift any silverware. Though he did treat the world to some great skills and fantastic goals in his time with the national team where he notched up over 100 appearances.

Figo ended his illustrious career on a high with Inter by winning his fourth Scudetto with the team who are starting to dominate Italian football, at least for the time being anyway. He was named Portuguese footballer of the year an impressive six times in a row, won the Ballon D’Or in 2000 and FIFA World Player of the Year the year later. He also won four Spanish League titles, two at Barca and two at Real, as well as a Champions League winners medal in with Real Madrid. The world of football will miss Luis Figo, of that there is no question, but he gave us some fantastic memories and great goals long the way.

Nedved rose to prominence as an exciting talent in the European Championships way back in 1996. He was, without doubt, the Czech Republic’s star player during that tournament where they managed to reach the final but were defeated by Germany. Prior to the Euro 96 tournament Nedved had agreed a move to Dutch side PSV but opted instead to move to Lazio, a decision that paid off for Nedved and indeed the world of football.

Nedved stayed at Lazio for five years before making a mega-money switch to Juve to replace French legend Zinedine Zidane, who moved to Real Madrid. At the time ‘Zizu’ was, without question, the best player in the world and filling his shoes (or boots) would be a massive task, but one which Nedved conquered with ease. His vision, passing ability and venomous striking prowess are matched by few and Nedved was quite rightly awarded the Ballon d’Or in 2003.

One of the things that truly endeared Pavel Nedved to me was the way he stuck by Juve when they were stripped of their Serie A status following the Calciopoli scandal. He was one of a group of players (Gianluigi Buffon, Alessandro Del Piero, David Trezeguet…) who stayed with the Bianconeri and helped them achieve promotion back to Serie A at the first time of asking.

Nedved has scored some simply amazing goals over the years, one which particularly sticks out in my mind is a long range volley he scored against Roma as Juve ran out 4-1 winners. His crosses from the left have caused havoc amongst even the best of defenders and there is no doubt that Juve will miss his presence next season. The Czech wizard is also a tough tackler and definitely not just a ‘flair player’ or ‘luxury asset’ (the kind of criticism that has been aimed at Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho etc) and has caused controversy on occasion with his aggressive nature.  Indeed, he broke Portuguese playmaker Luis Figo’s leg in a recent challenge, which led to Nedved courting some negative publicity.

It is his aggressiveness, passion, skill and vision that has made me, and I’m sure many others, admire Nedved over the years. Unfortunately his final season was ended on March 10 in Juve’s Champions League tie with Chelsea as an injury forced him off in the first-half, ultimately this proved the end of his career. Despite the fact his illustrious career is now over it’s a safe football bet that people will remember Pavel Nedved for many years to come – especially at the Stadio Olimpico.

His form at Real Madrid has never really matched the form he once had in Serie A. In all fairness I’m not sure he could ever have lived up to the expectations of the Bernabeu crowd following his Ballon d’Or win in 2006. His three years in Madrid have been a fairly difficult time for Cannavaro and a move to Juve could re-ignite his own career as well as give the Turin club a massive lift.

It seems a fairly safe football bet that it will take a bit of effort for Cannavaro to win back the affections of the Juve crowd. He left when the club were stripped of their Serie A status to join Fabio Capello at Real Madrird. However, Juve are back at the top of Italian football now and it shouldn’t prove too difficult a task to regain the support of the fans who will remember how good he was in his time at the Stadio Olimpico.

Should Cannavaro opt for a switch to Juve he will no doubt want to help push the club towards a Scudetto. He did win the Serie A title in 2004/05 and 2005/06 but those titles were both revoked due to Calciopoli scandal, so amazingly Cannavaro has never technically won the Italian league. Juve have fallen way behind the pace on Inter Milan this season but in terms of quality I don’t think they’re that far away, though they will have to find a suitable replacement for Pavel Nedved who will retire at the end of the current campaign.

Juve will have to battle hard for the one-time world player of the year with Italian rivals Napoli (his first club and the team he supported as a boy) and AC Milan also reportedly interested in his services. Cannavaro also apparently has options in Germany and England with Bayern Munich, Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester City also credited with an interest. However, Cannavaro has unfinished business at Juve and playing in a top Italian side is more likely to see him win a place in the 2010 World Cup, something he set his sights on after missing Euro 2008 through injury.

AC Milan

As the season comes to a close the top of the Serie A table makes for sobering reading for those behind Inter Milan. The Nerazzurri have won the league at a canter this season and in truth it never looked as if anyone was going to catch Mourinho’s men. AC Milan may occupy third spot in the table now but their season has been characterised more by a bid for Champions League qualification than chasing the Scudetto and for the    Rossoneri’s fans this just simply isn’t good enough.

For a team who have won the European Cup (or Champions League) on seven occasions alongside numerous league titles, finishing so far behind the eventual Champions is way below the acceptable standard. AC have some great players but it just hasn’t come together for them this season and I expect the team to be ‘revamped’ before beginning the next campaign.

This leads to the question of what do AC Milan have to do if they are to catch their fierce rivals next season? I’ve watched the Rossoneri enough this season to spot something they need to rectify – the average age of their squad. Now, don’t get me wrong, I rate players like Paulo Maldini, Gennaro Gattuso and Alessandro Nesta very highly, but they’re all the wrong side of 30 (or in Maldini’s case 40) and they need to counteract this with a bit of youth. The team plays fine for an hour or so but you can see the side tire as the game progresses and because the older players have lost a yard or so of pace the way they defend has changed. Maldini used to bomb forward and close people down quickly but increasingly I’ve begun to notice he hangs back and doesn’t risk getting caught out, which is to be expected. Milan need to add a younger player with pace at the back who will be able to match the faster forwards in the league to play alongside the more experienced heads.

They have added David Beckham to their ranks for next season and the former England captain should be a good addition to their side, but he
is again over 30. Beckham’s work rate is phenomenal and his game has never been about pace so his age shouldn’t matter. However, in terms
of injuries it will take him longer to recover and Milan need some younger bodies in their squad who can step up and fill in when players get fatigued or injured.

The quality Milan already possess is formidable to say the least. In Alexandre Pato they do have a very exciting young talent and in Kaka they have one of the world’s top players. The team sheet is without a doubt impressive but for me they need a couple of younger players to give the squad some extra pace and stamina. There have been too many times this season where Milan have failed to see off teams they should have just brushed aside. Losses to Bologna and Palmero stand out in particular but draws with Lecce and Reggina have also upset their title challenge and Milan should have comfortably defeated both of these sides. I have the utmost respect for the Rossoneri’s players but for the majority of them their best years have passed and it’s my football prediction that Milan need an injection of youth into their ranks in order to mount a better challenge for the Scudetto next season.