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Tuesday Kickoff: Cavani rumored for move to City; Ferguson voted Manager of the Year; and more

CavaniNapoli2 (Getty)

By DAN KARELL

Another South American forward is seemingly close to a move to Manchester City.

According to reports out of Italy, Napoli President Aurelio De Laurentiis was in London on Monday to meet with interim Chelsea manager Rafa Benitez, as well as to gauge City’s interest in a swap deal seeing Cavani go to the Etihad Stadium and Edin Dzeko going to Napoli.

The Italian second-place finishers lost manager Walter Mazzarri at the end of the season, forcing De Laurentiis to find a high level manager to coach the side in the Champions League next season. According to the reports, while in England, De Laurentiis sent one of his assistants north to Manchester to see if City would be interested in the potential striker swap. City already has Argentine internationals Carlos Tevez and Sergio Aguero playing up top for the club.

Dzeko has found a starting place very hard to come by since his move to City in 2011 from Wolfsburg, though he has continued to score goals at a good rate, hitting 14 in each of the last two season in the Premier League. Cavani had a breakout season for Napoli, bagging 29 goals in Serie A and 38 in all competitions.

Here are some more stories to get your Tuesday started:

FERGUSON WINS MANAGER OF THE YEAR

In his final season of soccer management, Sir Alex Ferguson has management’s highest honor.

After winning his 13th Premier League title at Manchester United, the League Managers Association named the 71-year-old Scotland native the Premier League Manager of the Year, Ferguson’s fourth such award. Ferguson also won the award in 1999, 2008, and 2011.

The outgoing boss was also named Manager of the Year earlier by the Premier League, his 11th honor since taking over at United in 1986. Arsene Wenger is the closest to Ferguson in terms of manager of the year honors, holding three trophies, the last coming in 2004.

MONACO SPEND BIG MONEY FOR PORTO STARS

FC Porto just won their third consecutive Portuguese title, but their defense of the title next season took a hit.

Promoted Ligue 2 side Monaco have paid $90 million to sign Porto midfielders James Rodriguez and Joao Moutinho, according to reports out of Italy. The Monagasque club, backed by a Russian billionaire, are looking to make a huge splash in Ligue 1 next season, potentially challenging Paris Saint-Germain at the top of the league.

Monaco have recently been rumored to sign Atletico Madrid forward Radamel Falcao and Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes. The 21-year-old Rodriguez, a Colombian international, has blossomed into one of the top wingers in Europe since moving to Porto in 2010. This season he scored 10 goals in 24 league appearances.

Since also moving to Porto in 2010 from Sporting Lisbon, the 26-year-old Portugal international Moutinho has solidified himself in the center of the park for his side, playing in and starting 43 games this season.

MEXICAN LEAGUE PROHIBITS OWNERSHIP OF TWO OR MORE CLUBS

On Monday, the owners of the 18 Liga MX teams voted at a meeting to bar any owners from owning more than one team.

The move was seen as a ploy to stop the influence of Mexican telecommunications billionaire Carlos Slim from increasing his shares in multiple clubs. Slim currently owns shares in Club Leon and Pachuca, as well as full ownership of second division side Estudiantes Tecos.

Slim has been rumored recently to be interested in buying Chivas, but now with the new rule, he must share his sales in Leon and Pachuca before he can buy the Goats from Jorge Vergara.

In other news in Liga MX, the owner of relegated club Queretaro FC has purchased Jaguares de Chiapas, and moved the club from southern Mexico to Queretaro, which is northwest of Mexico City.

QUICK KICKS

Borussia Dortmund defender says that he won’t be heading to Barcelona this summer. (REPORT)

Stoke City manager Tony Pulis is set to leave the club after seven years in charge. (REPORT)

Liverpool will sign Manchester City defender Kolo Toure on a free transfer this summer as the Ivory Coast international is out of contract. (REPORT)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been named the Ligue 1 Player of the Season. (REPORT)

England have revealed their latest jersey, after Nike took over the kit contract from Umbro. (REPORT)

Manchester United have received more than $92.7 million in television revenue for winning the title this season. (REPORT)

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What do you make of these reports? Do you see Cavani moving to City? Do you agree that Ferguson is manager of the year? Do you believe the report about Monaco signing Rodriguez and Moutinho?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

    • He’ll be a good backup. and can play 4 to 5 games incase agger gets injured (first season he hasnt been in forever). They have to spend money and by a first choice centerback. not a project like Coates but a first choice lace up his boots and play.

      This is independent of a backup at Dmid (Allen doesnt count) and a true number 10 that can be the creative spark, yeah I know Coutinho can play the role but it seems the coach prefers him as a up top out wide, and he may find a full season in the EPL kid of rough.

      Reply
    • That is good news. Did not like the thuggish style of Stoke on the field. And Pulis obviously let things go oto far in the locker room, with a pig’s head put in a player’s locker. Disgusting.

      Reply
      • Watching Sky News. One of their reporters just mentioned that Pulis could want to coach in MLS. Gag…

        (Pulis’ son plays for Orlando City. Didn’t know that. Reporter sounded like he was just trying to tie random stuff together, tho.)

  1. And the club that was promoted La piedad is going to be moved to Veracruz.. This isnt like Chivas USA moving somewhere these clubs have been around for 50-60 years.. I guess this is how you work around the pro/rel system; if a big market club goes down buy a smaller one that is still in the first division…

    Reply
  2. “In other news in Liga MX, the owner of relegated club Queretaro FC has purchased Jaguares de Chiapas, and moved the club from southern Mexico to Queretaro, which is northwest of Mexico City.”

    Does this mean what I think?

    Reply
      • Speaking of moving, Kroenke is building a 20,000 seat soccer stadium in St. Louis. Is he sneaking in for the 20th team or is he going to move the Rapids? I know he has to sell the Avalanche and Nuggets by 2014 according to NFL rules (they are letting him “give control” to his son for now), he lives in Missouri. Could this be the major announcement from Garber about expansion in the next few weeks? The stadium story really hit the local news today.

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