Benteke Not Load of Klopp - Brendan Rodgers

Brendan Rodgers has defended the signing of Christian Benteke by claiming his successor at Liverpool, Jürgen Klopp, tried to buy the striker when he was in charge of Borussia Dortmund.

“I took him to Liverpool in the summer because we were really short on goals and the one thing he does give you is goals, but obviously it’s going to take him time to get up to the way the team wants to play and Jürgen wants to press,” Rodgers told Talksport.

“I think Jürgen will take his time with him,” he added. “In this country, now, everything is very ‘short-termism’, isn’t it? People look at it like, you’ve got to come in, get 20 goals in your first season or you might be deemed a failure.

“I don’t think Jürgen’s looking at it as that. He tried to sign him for Dortmund. He knows he’s a good player. He met the boy, he met the agent, he met them in Germany, so he knows he’s a good player.”

The Belgian striker cost Liverpool £32.5m from Aston Villa in July in what appeared to be a panic buy by Rodgers but has largely been kept on the bench since Klopp took over in October.

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Klopp in Lewandowski Real Chase - Beckenbauer

Honorary Bayern Munich president Franz Beckenbauer stated in a column for German news agency DPA that Robert Lewandowski could soon join Real Madrid. "Lewandowski was already mentioned as a possible Real Madrid target", said the 'Kaiser'." 

Thomas Müller, on the other hand, has already made it clear that he's staying at Bayern, which has made the fans love him even more", he added.

Beckenbauer is predicting a very active transfer market in what remains of January, given Premier League clubs' ever-growing financial muscle and the fact that Real Madrid and Atlético's transfer bans mean they will in theory be unable to make moves in the next two transfer windows because of irregularities linked to signing young players.

Meabwhile, Jürgen Klopp, the Liverpool manager, is also hoping he can convince Lewandowski to reject any approach from Real Madrid and get the former Borussia Dortmund striker to join him at Anfield.

Following months of speculation over the 27-year-old's the Bayern Munich president confirmed that Manchester United and Chelsea are also understood to be monitoring the situation.

Lewandowski has managed to score 23 goals in 26 appearances in all competitions this season and Klopp is deperate for Lewandowski to join him on Merseyside. However, with Champions League football looking increasingly unlikely next season the deal would represent a massive coup should Klopp and the club manage to pull it off.

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Cole Says Ciao to Seek LA

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Ashley Cole has left Roma after his contract was terminated by mutual consent, and is now tipped to move to MLS.

The 35-year-old former Chelsea and Arsenal full-back made 16 appearances for the Serie A club after joining on a two-year deal as a free agent in July 2014, but had not appeared since a 0-0 league draw at Chievo in March last year.

On Tuesday, Roma released a statement confirming Cole’s contract had been terminated by mutual consent.

“The 35-year-old English defender joined Roma in July 2014 following spells with Crystal Palace, Arsenal and Chelsea,” read the statement.

“After making his Giallorossi debut on 30 August 2014 in Roma’s 2-0 opening day victory over Fiorentina, Cole went on to make a total of 11 appearances in Serie A and a further five in the Coppa Italia and the Champions League.

“The club would like to thank Cole for his commitment during his stay in Rome and wish him the very best for his future career.”

Cole, who has almost 600 club appearances to his name as well as 107 England caps, has been linked with a move to join former England team-mate Steven Gerrard with the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer.

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Aubameyang Non Plussed About Yaya

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has said he is nonplussed as to why Yaya Touré was so angry about the Borussia Dortmund player being voted the Africa player of the year last week. Touré hit out at the decision, saying it was “pathetic”, “indecent” and brought “shame to Africa”.

Aubameyang is back with Dortmund now as they prepare for the restart of the Bundesliga and, talking to Sport Bild, he said: “I really don’t know why he said that at all. I am not going to get angry about it and for me it is already an old story, gone. It simply does not interest me.”

The Gabon striker received 143 points to Touré’s 136 with Swansea’s André Ayew finishing third with 112. Touré appeared to congratulate his rivals on stage, saying he was “disappointed” but adding that Aubameyang had “been doing brilliantly well this year”.

However, the Manchester City midfielder later seemed to suggest the voting had been unfair given his country’s success at the Nations Cup. “I’m very disappointed. It’s sad to see Africa react this way, that they don’t think African achievements are important,” he told the French radio station RFI.

“I think this is what brings shame to Africa, because to act in that way is indecent. But what can we do about it? Us Africans, we don’t show that Africa is important in our eyes. We favour more what’s abroad than our own continent. That is pathetic.”

Aubameyang wants to focus on Dortmund and the Bundesliga, with his side second, eight points behind Bayern Munich. “We will certainly not give up without a fight and all is not lost yet. We know that it will be very difficult to stop Bayern winning the league but nothing is impossible,” he said.

For their part, Dortmund have said they intend to hold on to all their key players in the winter transfer window.

The chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said: “I can rule out transfer of any of our top performers now. That’s definitely not on our agenda.“

Speculation regarding the future of Aubameyang and the playmaker Ilkay Gündogan has been mounting in recent weeks with the Germany midfielder recently saying that he had not yet decided whether to extend his 2017 contract with the club, who are currently second in the standings.

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Valencia Give Gary Jesus Help

Valencia have reappointed Jesús García Pitarch as their sporting director to work with the club’s manager Gary Neville.

Pitarch, a former Valencia player who fulfilled the same role between 2002 and 2004 when Rafael Benítez was in charge, was confirmed in his post on Wednesday.

“We had already told our shareholders and supporters that we were revising and constantly working on the sporting structure of the club,” said the club’s president Lay Hoon Chan.

“Today we are happy with this appointment because we’ve got a person who not only is proven, but someone who has their roots at Valencia.”

Under Benítez, Valencia won the league title and Uefa Cup but the 52-year-old joins this time with the club currently in 11th place in the table after an indifferent season so far. Neville has still yet to record his first league win since succeeding Nuno Espírito Santo last month.

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Auf Wiedersehen Pep

England's top clubs will pay particular attention to a certain Spaniard in Bavaria this festive season with Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola due to announce his future plans before Christmas.

Following a German Cup win over Darmstadt the coach said he will clarify his future plans within the next seven days.

"Tonight, I have no answer," Guardiola said on Tuesday. "Next week there will be clarity."

Guardiola, 44, is half way through the third and final year of his current contract and says he will announce his decision to stay or go before December 25. Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is ready to make Guardiola a generous offer to extend his stay by laying out "many positive reasons to stay at Bayern".

Club captain Philipp Lahm has also told the coach the squad want him to stay. "The team's position is clear, we enjoy working with our coach and we really, really want to keep doing so," said Lahm.

Spain international Xabi Alonso is reported to want to extend his contract, which also expires in June, should Guardiola stay. And even Bayern fans got in on the act.

On Guardiola's pre-Christmas visit to a Bayern fan club earlier this month, one supporter, dressed as Father Christmas, cheekily handed him an elaborate scroll. It was a spoof contract to remain Bayern's coach for the rest of his life.

Although he laughed it off, Guardiola has become increasingly annoyed by the constant rounds of rumours, which has even seen him linked to the England national team.

Marti Perarnau, the Spanish journalist who shadowed Guardiola through his first season in Munich, has insisted England will be Pep's next stop.

Various sources claim Guardiola has already signed a deal to join Manchester City and will take charge ahead of next season.

City's rivals Manchester United have entered the fray as possible future employers to replace Louis van Gaal following poor results and their Champions League exit.

And with Chelsea close to the Premier League relegation places, Guardiola's name has been mentioned as a possible replacement for Jose Mourinho at Stamford Bridge.

Yet the Spaniard has given no indication of where his future lies. His reputation for success, having won 19 titles as either coach of Barcelona or Bayern, leaves Europe' top clubs clamouring for his services.

Regardless of whether he stays or goes at the end of the season, Guardiola wants to get his hands on the Champions League trophy again in the May 28 final.

It would be his third European crown after his 2009 and 2011 success with Barca and would only enhance his pristine reputation.

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Borussia Glad to beat Bayern

Borussia Mönchengladbach struck three times in 14 minutes in the second half to floor Bayern Munich 3-1 and inflict the champions’ first Bundesliga defeat of the season.

Oscar Wendt put the hosts ahead in the 54th minute and quick goals from Lars Stindl and Fabian Johnson knocked out Bayern, who looked stunned after winning 13 of their 14 league games in a record-breaking start to the campaign.

Franck Ribéry scored on his comeback after an eight-month injury break but the Frenchman’s 81st-minute goal came too late to turn the game around.

Gladbach stretched their unbeaten run under André Schubert to 10 league games and climbed to third on 26 points. Bayern are top on 40, eight ahead of Borussia Dortmund, who take on VfL Wolfsburg later on Saturday.

Bayern, repeatedly caught napping at the back and lacking their usual pace on the wings with Arjen Robben and Douglas Costa out injured, were still the better side in the first half. Robert Lewandowski connected with a superb Philipp Lahm through ball in the 18th minute and Thomas Müller had a shot on goal but Yann Sommer was well placed to save both efforts.

Pep Guardiola’s side kept up the pressure and Kingsley Coman hit the post with a low drive in the 25th minute.

Gladbach, however – in sensational form under Schubert since a five-game losing start – refused to buckle and hit the champions on the break, Raffael combining beautifully with Wendt and the Swede curling a low shot past Manuel Neuer.

Julian Korb came agonisingly close to a second goal but Neuer, at full stretch, kicked the ball on to the bar. Stindl, however, was given far too much space in the box and he volleyed in on 66 minutes as the game tipped firmly in the hosts’ favour.

Johnson beat the offside trap, with defender Jérôme Boateng caught out, two minutes later before Ribéry scored a consolation for Bayern.

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Gerrard in Red Return Downunder

Former skipper Steven Gerrard will pull on the famous red Liverpool shirt when he joins the club’s all-star side against an Australian legends side at ANZ Stadium on 7 January.

Gerrard, who quit Anfield to move to Major League Soccer side LA Galaxy at the end of the 2014-15 season having made more than 500 appearances for the club, will captain a side that also includes Jamie Carragher, Luis Garcia, Dietmar Hamann, Ian Rush, Danny Murphy and John Aldridge.

Former manager Gerard Houllier will coach the team against a Socceroos outfit likely to contain the likes of Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Scott Chipperfield, Tony Popovic, Jason Culina, Mile Sterjovski, Craig Foster, Robbie Slater and Ned Zelic.

NSW minister for sport Stuart Ayres said the match was a massive coup for soccer fans.

“The Australian team, named the Australian Legends, will be a who’s who of local champions, including Mark Bosnich, Brett Emerton, Tony Vidmar and many more. It will be a great occasion, and I encourage everyone to book their tickets as soon as possible,” Ayres said.

Houllier managed Liverpool between 1998 and 2004, and helped secure a Cup treble in 2000-01, winning the League Cup, FA Cup and UEFA Cup, while also finishing third in the Premier League.

“It will be a very proud moment to step back into the dugout to manage the Liverpool Legends team,” Houllier said. “I’m very much looking forward to working with some of the best players in the club’s history, some for the first time and some not.”

Gerrard added it would be great to play with the official Liverpool FC Legends. “The squad looks like its a great set of lads, it’ll be good to get on the pitch with them. Our fans are the best and to play in front of them again will be emotional, I’m sure.”

It will be Liverpool’s third trip to Australia since 2013, but this will be the first time their legends’ team is visiting.

Fellow European football giants Manchester United, Juventus, Roma and Real Madrid have also visited Australia in recent years, playing in front of sold-out crowds.

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