Liverpool's summer signing of Joe Cole, the England midfielder, may have persuaded Steven Gerrard to stay at the club, but the same cannot be said of Javier Mascherano, his central midfield partner.
Yesterday, Roy Hodgson, the club's manager, confirmed that the Argentina captain wants to leave Anfield.
Hodgson has been speaking to Liverpool's key figures since taking over from Rafa Benitez and while Gerrard, his captain, has indicated he wants to stay, Mascherano is keen to move on, with reports linking him with a reunion with Benitez at Inter Milan.
Hodgson has had more positive news from Fernando Torres, the Spain striker, who has confirmed his intention to return to the club on Monday and to remain at Anfield.
"Yes, he wants to leave the club," confirmed Hodgson when asked about Mascherano.
"He has made that perfectly clear. I think he wanted to leave a year go. He wants to leave now but he is contracted to Liverpool so whether he leaves will be our decision."
Recent speculation suggested Torres was keen to play Champions League football this season and was considering his options.
Hodgson said that was not the message the club had received from the World Cup winner.
"As far as I know he is looking forward to coming back here; he is back on Monday," said the Englishman. "He is enjoying a holiday - a well-deserved break as he has not had one for three years.
"He is spending a lot of time with his family, keeping a low profile and as far as I know he is not really speaking to anyone.
"But he has told us that he is looking forward to Monday, looking forward to getting back to work and looking forward to playing for Liverpool next season. That is what I know so other reports, I would suggest, are erroneous."
Bolton Wanderers have signed Marcos Alonso, the left-back from Real Madrid, on a three-year contract for an undisclosed fee.
"When we are investing money in transfers I want to do it with young, talented players," Owen Coyle, the manager, said on the club's website. "He isn't the finished article yet - he's a young player making his way - but you don't get through at Real Madrid without having a bit about you."
Alonso, 19, comes from a footballing family. His grandfather played for Real in the 1950s and 60s and his father spent five years at Barcelona in the 1980s.
Chris Brunt has set his sights on ending West Bromwich Albion's yo-yo existence between the Premier League and the Championship after signing a new three-year contract.
The Northern Ireland international has committed himself to the Baggies until at least the summer of 2013 and the deal also includes a further 12-month option.Brunt joined Albion three years ago from Sheffield Wednesday in a £3 million (Dh16.8m) move and has been involved in two promotions and one relegation campaign in his time at The Hawthorns.
But the 25-year-old is hoping West Brom can now establish themselves in the top flight.
He said: "I've won promotion with the club twice now and I want to top that by helping to establish Albion in the Premier League.
"That's the challenge facing the coaching staff and players and, if we all pull together, I believe we can have a successful season."
Newcastle appear set to sign Sol Campbell, with the veteran defender poised to join the promoted club today. The former England centre-back, 35, underwent a medical at St James' Park yesterday.
* PA
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
RESULTS
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final:
First leg: Liverpool 5 Roma 2
Second leg: Wednesday, May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
TV: BeIN Sports, 10.45pm (UAE)
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Another way to earn air miles
In addition to the Emirates and Etihad programmes, there is the Air Miles Middle East card, which offers members the ability to choose any airline, has no black-out dates and no restrictions on seat availability. Air Miles is linked up to HSBC credit cards and can also be earned through retail partners such as Spinneys, Sharaf DG and The Toy Store.
An Emirates Dubai-London round-trip ticket costs 180,000 miles on the Air Miles website. But customers earn these ‘miles’ at a much faster rate than airline miles. Adidas offers two air miles per Dh1 spent. Air Miles has partnerships with websites as well, so booking.com and agoda.com offer three miles per Dh1 spent.
“If you use your HSBC credit card when shopping at our partners, you are able to earn Air Miles twice which will mean you can get that flight reward faster and for less spend,” says Paul Lacey, the managing director for Europe, Middle East and India for Aimia, which owns and operates Air Miles Middle East.
Seven tips from Emirates NBD
1. Never respond to e-mails, calls or messages asking for account, card or internet banking details
2. Never store a card PIN (personal identification number) in your mobile or in your wallet
3. Ensure online shopping websites are secure and verified before providing card details
4. Change passwords periodically as a precautionary measure
5. Never share authentication data such as passwords, card PINs and OTPs (one-time passwords) with third parties
6. Track bank notifications regarding transaction discrepancies
7. Report lost or stolen debit and credit cards immediately
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
Where to buy art books in the UAE
There are a number of speciality art bookshops in the UAE.
In Dubai, The Lighthouse at Dubai Design District has a wonderfully curated selection of art and design books. Alserkal Avenue runs a pop-up shop at their A4 space, and host the art-book fair Fully Booked during Art Week in March. The Third Line, also in Alserkal Avenue, has a strong book-publishing arm and sells copies at its gallery. Kinokuniya, at Dubai Mall, has some good offerings within its broad selection, and you never know what you will find at the House of Prose in Jumeirah. Finally, all of Gulf Photo Plus’s photo books are available for sale at their show.
In Abu Dhabi, Louvre Abu Dhabi has a beautiful selection of catalogues and art books, and Magrudy’s – across the Emirates, but particularly at their NYU Abu Dhabi site – has a great selection in art, fiction and cultural theory.
In Sharjah, the Sharjah Art Museum sells catalogues and art books at its museum shop, and the Sharjah Art Foundation has a bookshop that offers reads on art, theory and cultural history.
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