Tag Archive for Premier League

Johnson not for sale, says Moyes

Andrew Johnson

Everton manager David Moyes has insisted that England striker Andrew Johnson is not for sale.

Speculation has mounted over the 27-year-old’s future, with several clubs reportedly interested in him.

However, Moyes has moved quickly to dispel the rumours and said the club have no intention of letting him leave as he remains a key part of his plans.

“Andy Johnson is not for sale - it is that simple,” Moyes told the official club website.

“He is a highly-valued member of my senior squad and I look forward to seeing him when the players report back for pre-season training.”

Johnson joined Everton in 2006 for £8.6m from Crystal Palace and has scored 22 goals in all competitions from 64 starts.

He only signed a new five-year deal with the club in November 2007 after being linked with a move to West Ham.

Right-back Hibbert ruptured his medial ligaments in the penultimate game of last season against Arsenal and faces an anxious wait to see if he will require surgery.

“I’m hoping for the specialist to say that I won’t need an operation and I just want to kick on from where I am now,” Hibbert told evertonTV.

“We didn’t realise at first how bad it was and then the specialist said it was bad - but it’s just one of those things.”

Yobo has revealed that he has been suffering from an ankle knock while on international duty with Nigeria this summer.

The defender said he has been playing through the pain for his country but is confident he will be fit in time for Everton’s Premier League opener against Blackburn on 16 August.

“What many people don’t know is that I have been playing with an ankle injury,” he confirmed.

“I was supposed to rest it but we had crucial games to play and we were short at the back so I was needed because of injuries so I just had to force myself to play.

“The medical team here in Nigeria have been great and they helped me to manage it for this period.

“Now I have to give it the rest it needs so I can be ready for pre-season training with my club.”

Ref From BBC SPORT

Seedorf still eyes Premier chance

seedorf

AC Milan midfielder Clarence Seedorf is still hoping to play in the Premier League before he ends his career.

The 32-year-old Dutchman has played for Ajax, Sampdoria, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, and has been linked with a move to Arsenal in the past.

But speaking to BBC London 94.9 Seedorf said: “I’d always love to come and play in the Premier League, but things just don’t happen like that.

“I’ve never touched the Premier League yet, but let’s say you never know.”

Seedorf added: “Opportunities come and go, when I was close to coming to England with Manchester United or Arsenal when I was at Sampdoria I went to Real Madrid.

“You cannot be everywhere, I’ve been playing in Spain and Italy. For now I’m in Italy and I’m always following with a very special eye the movements in the Premier League because at the moment it’s an example for everybody.”

Seedorf was not part of the Netherlands squad at Euro 2008, and has instead dedicated much of his summer to humanitarian work including the Goal4Africa campaign.

He has organised a benefit match at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on 12 July to bring together some of the world’s best footballers for the Global Kick Off Event.

Seedorf explained: “I’ve talked to John Terry and he was very keen. Andrei Shevchenko said yes already, Michael Essien, Didier Drogba, Steven Gerrard, but Ryan Babel unfortunately got injured.

“Sergio Ramos, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gatuso and Alessandro Nesta are all very keen to come. We know of course there are responsibilities for their teams, as they all have to train. So I’m also asking all the coaches at all the clubs to help free the players to come and play this match and help this project and make a difference for a lot of kids.”

Ref From BBC SPORT