A round-up of soccer stories in brief

Ferguson slams the big spenders

MANCHESTER United manager Alex Ferguson said yesterday he was amazed at the kamikaze spending of some of his rivals.

“Over the last two or three years we have seen very wealthy owners become part of football clubs and therefore go on this kamikaze effort to spend their money,” Ferguson said.

Ferguson, whose own spending during the summer has been a relatively modest €24 million compared to the 120-million-plus splashed out by Manchester City, did not name any club.

It is amazing the amounts of money that are being bandied about in the present-day game, he said as United presented new signings Chris Smalling, Bebe and Javier Hernandez. Some people may think it could be dangerous. But if they have that kind of money, they are certainly using it.

“The kind of spending we are seeing will be here for two or three years, until such time as they understand you cant necessarily achieve all the time by spending.

Chelsea await word on 'wonderkid'

NEYMAR will decide this week if he is to make a move to the Premier League with Chelsea.

The 18-year-old striker had talks with his family on Monday over whether to move to Stamford Bridge for a reported fee of €29 million.

Neymar’s club, Santos, are unhappy with Chelsea and have accused them of “tapping-up” the wonderkid, with a complaint to Fifa possibly on the cards.

The Brazilian side are looking to hold out for the €36 million release-fee clause in his contract, and his agent, Wagner Ribiero, says a decision will be made soon.

“Neymar and his family will decide what they want,” he said. “Then we will have a conversation with Santos. Everything will be decided this week.”

Chelsea chairman Bruce Buck has denied the claims by Santos that the West Londoners are tapping-up the youngster.

Blackburn look to future owners

BLACKBURN marked the 10th anniversary of the death of their greatest benefactor yesterday by confirming talks were under way over a potential big-money sale.

The Lancashire club has been run for the past decade by trustees of the estate of the late Jack Walker but Indian businessman Ahsan Ali Syed wants to take over in a possible €360 million deal.

Bahrain-based Syed, owner of the company Western Gulf Advisory, wants to hand manager Sam Allardyce a €120 million transfer kitty and propel Rovers back to the big time.

That has rekindled memories of the club’s 1990s heyday when the lavish spending of Walker lifted them from obscurity to the Premier League title 15 years ago.

Steel magnate Walker invested huge amounts of his personal fortune in his hometown club but the team has struggled to match previous standards since his death a decade ago.

Real confirm Ozil transfer

REAL Madrid have landed their second Germany international of the summer with the signing of Mesut Ozil from Werder Bremen.

Both clubs yesterday confirmed they had reached an agreement over the transfer of the 21-year-old midfielder.

The player will undergo a medical in the Spanish capital tomorrow and join fellow countryman Sami Khedira, who left Stuttgart for Madrid earlier this summer, at the Bernabeu.

McGeady needed to move because of Glasgow abuse

AIDEN McGeady revealed the constant abuse he received in Glasgow led to his decision to leave Celtic for Spartak Moscow.

The 24-year-old Republic of Ireland midfielder completed his €11.5 million move last week and flies to Russia tomorrow to start his new life.

McGeady is keen to get away from the vitriol that he regularly encountered in his native city.

“Moscow is a huge city and it will be possible to have a degree of privacy,” he said. “Glasgow really is a goldfish bowl and it’s one of the things I’m glad to be getting away from.

“Neil Lennon (Celtic manager) said to me I might miss the adulation Celtic players get but I’m not so sure.

“My view is I need a break from it. I’ve had my experiences of Glasgow and I do need a change. There is always someone wanting to have a go at you. I got into a few fights in the past and wish I hadn’t. I let my guard down a few times and it cost me.”

McGeady claimed his decision to play for the Republic of Ireland rather than Scotland also made him a target for abuse from away supporters. He said: “There are a lot of horrible places in Scotland for that type of thing: Tynecastle, Ibrox obviously is always going to be bad with the Celtic-Rangers rivalry, Motherwell, Falkirk.

“Some fans there hate everything Celtic stand for and everything I stand for as an Irish Catholic playing for Celtic.”

In brief...

IPSWICH have confirmed the loan signing of Celtic defender Darren O’Dea. The Republic of Ireland international, who spent three months on loan at Reading last season, will stay at Portman Road until January 17th under manager Roy Keane.

LIVERPOOL have completed the signing of Middlesbrough goalkeeper Brad Jones for a fee of €2.8 million. The 28-year-old completed the switch yesterday after travelling to Merseyside for a medical. The Australia international will act as cover at Anfield for regular goalkeeper, 27-year-old Jose Reina.

FORMER Spain coach Javier Clemente has been named coach of Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions. The 60-year-old takes over from Paul Le Guen, who stepped down after Cameroon lost all their matches at the World Cup. Clemente was in charge of Spain from 1992 to 1998 and also had a spell in charge of Serbia in 2006-2007.

SHEFFIELD United have confirmed Gary Speed has been appointed their new manager on a three-year contract. The 40-year-old ex-Wales international replaces Kevin Blackwell, who left the club after Saturdays 3-0 loss to QPR.

Soccer round-up

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – Play-off, first leg: FC Basel v FC Sheriff; Braga v Sevilla; Partizan Belgrade v Anderlecht; SV Red Bull Salzburg v Hapoel Tel-Aviv; Werder Bremen v Sampdoria.

Last night’s results UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE – Play-off, first leg: Dynamo Kiev 1, Ajax Amsterdam 1; Rosenborg 2, FC Copenhagen 1; Sparta Prague 0, MSK Zilina 2; Young Boys 3, Tottenham 2; Zenit St Petersburg 1, Auxerre 0.

UEFA EUROPA LEAGUE – Play-off round, first leg: Besiktas 2, HJK Helsinki 0; Aris Salonika 1, FK Austria Vienna 0.

PRE-SEASON FRIENDLY – Standard Liege 1, Real Madrid 1.

LEAGUE OF IRELAND – Premier Division: Bohemians 2, Bohemians 0.

EA SPORTS CUP – Semi-finals: Monaghan Utd 1, Dundalk 0; Sligo Rovers 2, Shamrock Rovers 1.

Today’s fixtures (7.45 unless stated)