Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has applied for the Aston Villa manager’s job, according to his UK representative Charles Collymore.

Donadoni is keen on managing in England and has expressed an interest in succeeding Martin O’Neill at Villa Park.

The 46-year-old has some club management experience after guiding Livorno to Serie A safety before taking the reins at Napoli.

However, Donadoni has been unemployed since leaving Napoli last October.

And Collymore has confirmed the Italian has applied for the post.

“Roberto is a great student of the English game and he is very interested in the job at Aston Villa,” Collymore told skysports.com.

“He knows Villa are a top club with an ambitious owner and he feels he could be a success there.

“Roberto has worked at the highest level and he has always dreamed of coaching in England.

“Roberto has the experience and talent to help develop the best young English talent and also the knowledge to help find the best foreign talent available.”

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier, ex-England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, Alan Curbishley and current Villa caretaker manager Kevin MacDonald.

Liverpool reportedly failed in an attempt to sign Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko on transfer deadline day.

Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson was keen to bring in Pavlyuchenko in order to strengthen his attack, but Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was not ready to let the Russian international leave the club.

Hodgson wanted Pavlyuchenko to partner with Fernando Torres in the Liverpool attack, but failed with his move.

Hodgson was desperate to bring in another striker before the transfer window closed and also failed with a move to West Ham striker Carlton Cole.

The Reds were ready to include Ryan Babel in a deal for Cole, but the Dutchman has declared that he does not want to leave Liverpool.

[Source: talkSport]

Spanish striker Fernando Torres has revealed that Liverpool rejected bids for his services this summer.

Torres was linked with moves to the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

“The club received offers and decided to reject them,” he told Spanish radio station Cadena Cope.

“That’s where it ends. Everyone thought I was leaving for Spain during the World Cup when there was nothing in it.

“I said the day I returned to train that my future was at Liverpool. I have a contract until 2013.

“This year our target has to be the top four. Like every team-mate, we all want to improve and win titles and for that it is fundamental we get new owners.”

[Source: Cadena Cope]

Former Wigan ace Paul Scharner’s agent has admitted that his client would be interested in a move to Liverpool.

The 30-year-old is available on a free transfer as his contract with Wigan expired earlier this summer.

Aston Villa and Sunderland are among the clubs who have been linked with a move for Scharner.

“Roy Hodgson and Paul Scharner – this is a special relationship,” said Valentin Hobel.

“Hodgson is clear – he thinks Paul can use his physical strength better in midfield than in central defence.

“We are in contact with several clubs and, because he is a free transfer, he can choose.

“Liverpool would be a dream, of course.”

[Source: News of the World]

Mick McCarthy won’t rule out a move for Jermaine Pennant but insists he hasn’t been offered the former Liverpool midfielder.

Pennant, 27, was struggling to regain his form at Real Zaragoza and he has also been linked with moves to several Premier League clubs like Wolves, Stoke City and Wigan Athletic.

After dismissing the reports, Wolverhampton Wanderers boss McCarthy said he had not spoken to anyone regards the former Arsenal and Birmingham winger.

“It’s an interesting one, but I haven’t been offered him or spoken to anyone about him,” the Wanderers manager told the Express & Star.

“That doesn’t mean to say I’m not interested in him.”

Scottish giants Celtic are still interested in signing Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, according to manager Neil Lennon’s new assistant Johan Mjallby.

But Mjallby admits they will only try to bring the striker back to Parkhead in a loan deal as they can not afford to buy the former Liverpool star.

Mjallby told the Daily Record: “Has Neil been speaking to Robbie? Definitely.

“I don’t know Tottenham’s thinking when it comes to Robbie. He is out of our reach when it comes to buying him. But a loan would be perfect for us.”

He added: “To buy someone at Robbie’s level would be impossible. We don’t have that kind of money.

“The only way we could get that kind of player would be to ride our luck and maybe find someone on loan and make sure it’s a quality player who is going to give us goals.

“But we have the lure of European football at Celtic. From my own memories it’s very important as a player. It’s a great opportunity to play against the best and develop.”

[Source: The Daily Record]

New Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is keen on signing England international Joe Cole this summer.

Hodgson is looking to talks the 28-year-old out of a move to Spurs, who he has long been linked with a move to.

Cole is available on a free transfer after his contract at Chelsea expired earlier this summer.

A Liverpool source told The Sun: “Roy knows he faces a tough job in persuading Joe to move north.

“But he sees him as the ideal playmaker to shape a new era at Anfield and hopes the player will be excited by this new challenge.”

[Source: The Sun]

Manchester United are preparing a £15 million bid for Bolton defender Gary Cahill.

The Manchester Evening News says the 24-year-old centre half is the main target to bolster United’s defence this summer.

Cahill is tipped to benefit from England’s World Cup debacle with Ledley King, Matthew Upson, Jamie Carragher and John Terry all failing to make an impact.

The former Aston Villa defender has also been linked with Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur.

It’s likely England boss Fabio Capello will name Cahill in his squad for next month’s friendly against Hungary and the European Championship qualifier with Bulgaria in September.

Former Liverpool forward Anthony Le Tallec has completed his transfer from Le Mans to AJ Auxerre. AJA have reportedly paid Le Mans 3 million euros plus young Ghanaian Moussa Narry. Le Tallec has signed a four year contract with the Burgundy outfit.

Le Tallec, a Le Havre youth product, was brought to Anfield by Gerard Houllier in 2001. He had stints on loan at Le Havre, Sunderland, Sochaux, St.Etienne and Le Mans before returning to France permanently in 2008 with MUC 72.

Auxerre finished third in the French Ligue last season and will be competing in the preliminary rounds of the UEFA Champions League. AJA were looking for attacking reinforcements following the departure of Daniel Niculae to AS Monaco.

Spain’s Real Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso should be fit for their World Cup last 16 match with Portugal despite spraining his right ankle in the 2-1 victory over Group G rivals Chile on Friday.

The 28-year-old former Liverpool star suffered the injury just before half-time but played on until he was replaced in the 73rd minute in a game which saw the European champions qualify for the second round along with their opponents.

“The first x-ray confirmed that he had sprained his right ankle when he was violently tackled,” said Spanish team doctor Oscar Luis Celada.

“But we are optimistic that he will be fit for the second round match.”

Alonso, a member of the Euro 2008 winning side, has until Tuesday to prove his fitness when the Spanish take on the 2006 World Cup semi-finalists in Cape Town.