SPORTS SATURDAY, JANUARY 4, 2014 Clubs unlikely to splash cash in transfer window LONDON: When European football’s January transfer window opens for business on Wednesday, the market is expected to have a slow start. In Europe, top teams seem to be largely happy with their squads after spending nearly $1 billion in the offseason. And although English league clubs are unlikely to splash cash in January, Arsenal and Chelsea could be tempted to strengthen their squads with new strikers. Chasing their first league title in 10 years, the Gunners are reportedly looking for a forward to add to France international Olivier Giroud, who ended a seven-match scoring drought with the win- ner at Newcastle on Sunday, ensuring that his club starts 2014 at the top. Although Giroud said Arsenal has sufficient attacking options for the remainder of the season with himself, Lukas Podolski and Theo Walcott, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger hinted he could be tempted to sign a couple of new players. After failing to lure Luis Suarez, Wenger won’t bid again for the Uruguay striker, who signed a new deal with Liverpool this month. “We are, as many clubs, certainly on alert. If something special turns up, we will not turn it down,” Wenger said. “But we are not as well desperate because we have a big depth in our LONDON: Stoke City’s English defender Ryan Shawcross (left) commits a hand-ball in the area in blocking squad.” Tottenham Hotspur’s Togolese striker Emmanuel Adebayor’s shot to concede a penalty during the English Lagging two points behind Arsenal in the standings, Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Stoke City at White Hart Lane in north Chelsea could also be looking for extra firepower after London on December 29, 2013. —AFP Samuel Eto’o, Demba Ba and Fernando Torres scored only six goals between them in the league so far this sea- son. With Ba, Juan Mata and Kevin De Bruyne possibly leaving, British media reported that Chelsea and Arsenal-Spurs tops bill Liverpool have held discussions about the possible arrival of Suarez at Stamford Bridge that could make up for Jose Mourinho’s failure to sign Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney in the offseason. in FA Cup third round While a Suarez move to Chelsea looks highly unlikely, Monaco forward Radamel Falcao is a more realistic target LONDON: England’s frenetic festive period self-belief after a 2-1 success at United on ankle problem of his own. The two sides last for Mourinho, with the Colombian reportedly unhappy in gives way to the romance of the FA Cup this New Year’s Day. Frozen out under former met in the FA Cup in April 2001, when a the French league. Xabi Alonso has also been linked with weekend, with Tottenham Hotspur’s trip to manager Andre Villas-Boas, Emmanuel Robert Pires tap-in earned Arsenal a 2-1 a move to the Blues. After a shaky start to the season, north London rivals Arsenal the pick of the Adebayor continued his impressive recent semi-final victory at Old Trafford. defending champion Manchester United has managed to third-round ties. Manchester United will form with the opening goal at Old Trafford United’s loss to Spurs on Wednesday was limit the damages with four consecutive wins and trails once again look to the cups for consolation and team-mate Danny Rose has backed him their sixth of the Premier League campaign Arsenal by eight points going into the new year. David when they host Swansea City, while Chelsea, to shine against his former club Arsenal on and left them 11 points off the pace, but Moyes has not been able to replace Paul Scholes and is in Liverpool and Manchester City will all be Saturday. they have shown impressive form in the cup need of a creative midfielder. The Red Devils manager seeking to avoid embarrassment at the “He has been like a new signing,” said the competitions this season. David Moyes’s side could make a 50 million pound ($82 million) offer for hands of lower-league teams. It is now nine Spurs left-back. “He has scored four goals in have reached the Champions League last 16 Everton marvel Ross Barkley. years since Arsenal beat United on penalties his last five games, which is brilliant for us. and the semi-finals of the League Cup, and Avoiding the drop to the second-tier League in the 2005 FA Cup final to claim their last Considering he didn’t play a game from pre- the FA Cup, which United last won in 2004, Championship is crucial, with topflight teams boosted by piece of silverware, but as Premier League season until a few weeks ago, his energy lev- represents another means of salvaging their increased revenues. And last-place Sunderland will beef leaders their star is in the ascendant once els have actually been brilliant.” Arsenal’s 2-0 season. Centre-back Jonny Evans says that up its defense with Marcos Alonso, who will join from again. win over Cardiff City on Wednesday was the players are only slowly coming to terms Fiorentina until the end of the season. “Marcos is a player However, in old foes Spurs they face a tempered by an ankle injury to goal-scorer with the impact of former manager Alex that I have known well for a very long time,” Sunderland side bolstered by the arrival of new manager Nicklas Bendtner, but French striker Olivier Ferguson’s retirement in May. “As a player I manager Gus Poyet said. “He was desperate to come and Tim Sherwood and bubbling with renewed Giroud could be fit to face Spurs after an probably didn’t realise the magnitude of it play for Sunderland and he is a player I am excited to until I stepped back and looked at it from the work with.” Staying among the elite is also vital for West outside,” said Evans. Ham. The London club is languishing in 19th place after Hibs shatter Hearts “Some of the results have not gone as scoring only 18 goals in 19 matches and signed 18-year- planned, but to be fair to the manager and EDINBURGH: Hibernian captain Liam Craig gave his side the Edinburgh bragging rights as old striker Jaanai Gordon from Peterborough. coaching staff, they have never been down Everything looks relatively quiet in Spain, too. his late penalty clinched a 2-1 win over bitter rivals Hearts at Easter Road on Thursday. Terry in the dumps. “They have always tried to Butcher’s side kicked off 2014 with their first Edinburgh derby victory this season thanks to Barcelona seems more concerned with getting Lionel improve us and I definitely think they are Messi healthy again for the second half of the season, Craig’s spot-kick seven minutes from full-time. James Collins put Hibernian ahead in the improving us in certain aspects of the game second half, but Hearts substitute David Smith equalized with 18 minutes remaining. With and will probably be more than content to have its star where maybe we were lacking.” The third- forward playing at full speed again. The only possible big seven minutes left, Hearts defender Jordan McGhee was adjudged to have fouled Lewis round draw yielded few opportunities for Stevenson in the penalty area and Craig stepped up to score from the spot and spark wild move would be Barcelona signing a replacement for genuine upsets, but Liverpool, Aston Villa goalkeeper Victor Valdes, who has said he will leave the celebrations among the home fans. and Sunderland all face third-tier opposition club when his contract expires at the end of the season. The win lifted Hibernian to sixth place in the Scottish Premiership, while Hearts, hit with in the shape of, respectively, Oldham Atletico Madrid is reportedly reinforcing its title chal- a 15-point penalty for entering administration, remain firmly rooted to the bottom of the Athletic, Sheffield United and Carlisle United. lenge by bringing in midfielder Jose Sosa from Metalist. table after their 13th defeat in 20 league matches. Gary Locke’s Hearts went into the game Chelsea, meanwhile, visit Derby County, In Germany, Borussia Dortmund striker Robert without a victory in seven matches, but two 1-0 wins over Hibernian this season offered who recently won seven games in a row in Lewandowski is expected to confirm in the coming days hope of ending that barren run. After 12 minutes, Hearts striker Callum Paterson got the the second-tier Championship under former that he will be leaving for Bayern Munich at the end of better of Hibs defender Michael Nelson wide on the left and his delivery found Callum England manager Steve McClaren, while the season, while AC Milan has already announced the Tapping only six yards from goal, but the midfielder’s volley was saved by Ben Williams. Manchester City travel to Blackburn Rovers. arrivals of Adil Rami and Keisuke Honda. In France, However, Hibs quickly reasserted themselves and six minutes later Craig’s searching The biggest mismatch sees non-league winger Jeremy Menez is lacking playing time at Paris free-kick into a packed penalty area was headed against the bar by Jordon Forster. Macclesfield Town host Championship side Saint-Germain and has been linked with a move to Following a lofted ball into the Hearts penalty area by Craig, goalkeeper Jamie MacDonald Sheffield Wednesday, who sit 63 places tipped a close-range header from Jason Cummings over the bar. The opening goal finally above them in the English league system, Juventus to boost his chances of making the trip to the arrived in the 61st minute when Collins pounced from close range inside a packed six-yard while Bolton Wanderers play Blackpool in a World Cup in Brazil, and Bastia signed former Liverpool box, steering his shot into the roof of the net after Hearts failed to clear a Craig corner.