Manchester United raise £504m to cover most of the clubs dues

Manchester United have successfully raised £504m through a bond issue, which will cover most of what the club owe to international banks.

http://sportsbizfreak.blogspot.com/2010/01/articles-worth-reading-25-january-2010.html

EPL January Transfer Window

Some interesting transfer news:

Arsenal: Long-time Gunners target Marouane Chamakh will soon reveal his intended destination. The Moroccan striker, whose contract with Bordeaux expires at the end of the season, says he will give an answer at the end of January (The Sun).

United: Manchester United may seek a new striker following the news that striker Dimitar Berbatov may need exploratory knee surgery.

Stoke City: They have made an official approach to Real Madrid for veteran striker Ruud van Nistelrooy

Liverpool: Rafa Benitez wants to take former England U21 defender Nedum Onuoha on loan from Man City

PORTSMOUTH: Pompey have told Manchester City and Sunderland that they won't sell Younes Kaboul for less than £14m (Daily Mail).

Found a nice place for all the latest football transfer news:

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/multiplex/30940.html

Weekend confirms decline of the Premier League elite

Chelsea made a hash of the great opportunity that United had presented them on Saturday. They could have gone 6 clear of United at the top of the premiership instead they were quite lucky to salvage a point against West Ham with a fortuitous penalty. United would heave a sigh of relief with this result as the gap has not widened too much as was widely expected though they still stand 4 points adrift and that would take some catching.

It is also quite obvious now that this year’s championship is not a two team fight to the top. The challengers are looking tougher while the leaders are stuttering to make the championship race most fascinating. The way things are currently poised, the season appears to be heading towards an enthralling second half in 2010 and I am sure that it is going to be a fight till the very end this time around. Chelsea has a clear edge in the standings, they however appear to have lost a lot if it on field. The heat is on the leaders and it is how they respond that will ascertain the final standings in 2010.

You could read the match report at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/20/west-ham-chelsea-match-report

Read more about the saturday games and United debacle at :
http://expresssport.blogspot.com/2009/12/united-feel-heat-at-fulham-gunners.html

Who will win Barclays Premier League ?

Few weeks back I had mentioned Chelsea as the front runners with ManU and Arsenal close behind. Over the last two weeks things have not changed too much apart from the fact that Chelsea has left the door open for those chasing them. It would be difficult for most teams barring United to catch them but the way top teams are tumbling nothing can be taken for granted.

Look at the traditional top 4 and none of them look as strong as previous years. They all look fragile and prone to a shock. As the table stands right now, Chelsea are still upfront but they do not look as invincible as few weeks back when they had threatened to run away with the title. United had the opportunity but they failed to punish the Blues after City had shocked them. While Gunners have also failed to close in with a mid week draw with Burnley, Liverpool’s season is still waiting for a fillip which I guess will have to wait until next year and by that time it would be all too little too late for them. If the reds finish in the top 4 it would be a huge surprise for me looking at the way things stand right now.

Let's look at some of the outsiders who could upset the applecart. Villa and Spurs look threatening while City and Liverpool cannot be taken for granted at any stage. Then there are Birmingham and Fulham both capable of untimely surprises for any of the top runners. The closeness of teams this season has meant a wonderfully entertaining and competitive league- especially for an outsider.

Wenger has summed it up quite nicely by stating this years’ as the most open title race -
"Yes [this is the most competitive I have known the Premier League since joining Arsenal]. It is, why? Because nobody looks to run away early in the season and there are six, seven, eight teams that can create a surprise any weekend and it is certainly the most open race," Wenger said in his pre-match press conference. "I think yes, that many [eight] can mount a title challenge."

While Wenger is upbeat about his teams title chances, Harry Redknapp has proclaimed the end of the Premier League's big four by declaring that only Chelsea and Manchester United are certainties to finish in the Champions League places this season and that the other pair of prized berths for Europe's elite tournament could be filled by any two of several teams – including Tottenham Hotspur.

Redknapp said "I've said since the start of the season that the champions will come from Chelsea or Manchester United but after that it's up for grabs," he said. "Anything is possible this season. Look at Arsenal, you would have expected them to go up and win at Burnley after beating Liverpool, but they didn't so that shows you how hard it's going to be."

Read more at:

http://goal.com/en/news/9/england/2009/12/15/1689097/arsene-wenger-highlights-most-open-premier-league-title-race

http://www.guardian.co.uk/football/2009/dec/17/harry-redknapp-tottenham-manchester-city