Archive » 2011 » December » 20

QPR boss Neil Warnock has met with the club’s major share holders to discuss a list of transfer window targets. Warnock believes the club need to sign three or four players to remain competitive in the Premier League. He says he will not “buy for the sake of it” despite the club’s recent cash injection. The club are reportedly looking at West Ham’s James Tomkins and Sebastien Bassong from Tottenham in an attempt to bolster the squad’s defence. QPR have already suffered a number of injury setbacks this season and conceding 11 goals in their last six games.

North East rivals Newcastle and Sunderland are preparing to go head to head to sign Celtic striker Gary Hooper. The 23 year old has attracted interest from many Premier League and Championship clubs, as well as a number of European sides, after scoring 31 goals in 44 games for the SPL club. Hooper spent seven years as a youth at Tottenham but was allowed to leave at the age of 14. Celtic will want to keep hold of their star striker, but if their £8m valuation is met they may have no choice but to let him leave the club.

Manchester United have joined Liverpool in the race to sign FC Basle star Xherdan Shaqiri. The 20 year old, who has been dubbed as the next Lionel Messi, featured in Basel’s 2-1 defeat of United in December and also scored for Switzerland against England last year. Liverpool have reportedly been monitoring Shaquiri for 18 months but United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is expected to make a £10million bid for the midfielder. Ferguson will be keen to fight off competition from other clubs to boost his midfield, following the loss of Darren Fletcher to illness and Anderson being sidelined until January.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas plans to make a £20m bid for Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell in January. No official offer has been made but there is strong interest in the youngster from Stamford Bridge. Villas-Boas is looking to inject some youth into the Chelsea midfield, with Frank Lampard and Michael Essien being plagued by injury in recent months. Rodwell is set to be a contender for Fabio Capello’s Euro 2012 squad and expected to be a regular in the England squad by the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Chelsea are likely to face competition from Manchester United for Rodwell in January.