Truth & Rumors > Soccer

08:56 AM ET 07.29 | Argentina midfielder Juan Roman Riquelme has closed the door on a move to the Premiership with West Ham or Birmingham City by agreeing a new four-year deal with Boca Juniors. After protracted negotiations, the Buenos Aires club relented and offered its Argentina playmaker the length of contract he had been demanding. The 32-year-old former Villarreal and Barcelona star had been offered to several Premier League teams and was considering a lucrative move to England.

Daily Mail

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08:50 AM ET 07.28 | With veteran Sol Campbell heading towards Newcastle, Arsenal is ready to turn to German international Per Mertesacker to solve its defensive crisis. Manager Arsene Wenger watched the 25-year-old Werder Bremen center back in South Africa and is ready to bid $15 million. Mertesacker has emerged as Arsenal's first choice after Everton rejected two bids -- including a $21 million offer -- for Phil Jagielka. Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis is hoping to tie up a deal for Mertesacker with Wenger now desperately short of defensive options.

Arsenal turns to Mertesacker to solve defensive problems

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08:15 AM ET 07.27 | Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is ready to step up his efforts to bring Mexican World Cup star Carlos Salcido to Anfield. The PSV left back or midfielder is high on Liverpool's wanted list and Hodgson is set to launch a $5 million raid for the 30-year-old defender over the next few days. Liverpool is short of options on the left side of its back line after the departure of Fabio Aurelio and impending sale of Emiliano Insua to Fiorentina.

The Sun

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08:11 AM ET 07.26 | Stephen Ireland is on his way out of Manchester City after a bust-up with manager Roberto Mancini on the club's trip to New York. Midfielder Ireland clashed with Mancini after the defeat by Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon and now looks likely to leave the team. Mancini is not happy with Ireland's form and told the former Republic of Ireland star that he could even be completely left off of City's 25-man Premier League squad this season.

Daily Mirror

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09:09 AM ET 07.25 | West Ham's co-owner David Gold believes David Beckham could play a key role in the club's bid to move into London's Olympic Stadium after the 2012 Games. Gold hopes that the Leytonstone-born Beckham would be the ideal ambassador to help the club win the right to move into the new facility -- and he also suggested the 35-year-old could end his playing days with West Ham.

The Guardian

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