Football News: FIFA Urged To Investigate 3g Pitches Cancer Links, Transfers, Injuries And Zlatan Shows He Has A Heart, Plus More

1. Zlatan sends a shirt to injured police officer
As the Paris Saint-Germain players headed to Sunday's match with St Etienne, they were escorted by a police motorcyclist who collided with a car on the way. The officer is in a critical condition in hospital and required a chest massage. While Zlatan Ibrahimovic is publicly perceived as a controversial player with huge ego, the PSG striker did make the effort to get in touch with the officer's family and send well wishes as well as one of his shirts.

2. Wenger admits he would consider signing Messi
While Arsene Wenger did say at the start of the transfer window he was looking to strengthen the squad with one or two players, it seems he has settled for just one, Mohamed Elneny, as the Arsenal manager has now stated that he is almost certainly done for this transfer window. Unless Barcelona striker Lionel Messi knocks on his door asking for a move, anyway.

Wenger on likelihood of further transfers: "99pc no. If Messi knocks on my door at 5.50pm I will not say 'please go back to Barcelona'."

— James Olley (@JamesOlley) February 1, 2016

Though you would have to wonder how Arsenal could afford the fee, wages and then keep Alexis Sanchez happy, as he only left Barca due to friction between him and the Argentine.

 

3. Arsenal winger set to leave today
While Gunners manager Arsene Wenger may have decided to stand pat with regards to incomings, he has confirmed that there will still be at least one player moving today. Young winger Serge Gnabry is off to the Championship on loan for the rest of the season, with a recall clause in case of injury problems, similar to the one that saw Francis Coquelin return and shine last season. Gnabry had been on loan with fellow Premier League club West Bromwich Albion, but the 20 year old failed to grow tall enough or learn how to kick people while the ref has his back turned, so was unable to get in Tony Pulis's team. "Yes (he will be loaned out) but to a Championship club," said Wenger. "We have to decide that today so I know where he could go approximately. I want to give him some competition like I did with Francis Coquelin last year and if possible call him back."

4. Emenike deal one of the most difficult to make
West Ham United co-chairman David Sullivan has admitted to the club's official website that the deal to sign Emmanuel Emenike was one of the most difficult the club has ever been able to agree. The Nigerian was on loan from Fenerbahce to UAE side Al-Ain, so the Hammers were forced to try and strike a deal with two clubs at the same time. Sullivan told the West Ham site: "I am delighted to welcome Emmanuel Emenike to the club. We hope he will bring goals and we have an option to sign him at the end of the season. It took two weeks of tortuous negotiations and hard work by myself and our club secretary Andrew Pincher to get the player to the club. It was one of the most difficult deals we have ever done as we were dealing with two clubs not one." They just need to hope he is worth it!

 

5. Wenger denies Wilshere injury setback but confirms Rosicky injury blow
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has denied that Jack Wilshere has suffered a setback in his recovery from his latest injury. Wilshere has not played all this season, but Wenger believes the England midfielder is still on course for a return in March. "He's looking good I must say," Wenger said. "Overall I had a short chat with Roy Hodgson about him [on Saturday] and reassured him that he is progressing well." The news on Tomas Rosicky is not so good, with Wenger confirming that the Czech Republic midfielder is back on the treatment table after just 20 minutes of first team action. "He'll have a scan today, and we'll know much more about it tonight, I think," Wenger said at his news conference ahead of Tuesday's Premier League game against Southampton.

6. Spurs defender heads out
Despite the injury to Jan Vertonghen, Tottenham Hotspur have made the decision to send centre back Federico Fazio out on loan for the rest of the season. The 28 year old is returning to former club Sevilla, where Spurs signed him from in 2014. The Argentine has featured just once for the White Hart Lane outfit this season, a 2-1 defeat to North London rivals Arsenal.

 

7. Odemwingie set for loan move
French side Olympique Marseille are expected to complete the loan signing of Nigerian forward Peter Odemwingie from Stoke City. The former Cardiff City attacker has struggled for first team football, with the summer arrival of Xherdan Shaqiri pushing him further down the pecking order. Odemwingie previously played in France for Lille, so the 34 year old should not have any trouble slotting in. I just hope this is not another deadline day car park wait for him, he has still not lived that one down.

8. Kazim-Richards set to join Celtic
Turkish international forward Colin Kazim-Richards is closing in on a move to Scottish champions Celtic. The Hoops have been holding talks with the volatile striker, who is currently serving a two week ban from his current club, Feyenoord, for threatening a journalist. Kazim-Richards only signed a permanent deal at the Dutch club in the summer, having impressed them while on loan from Bursaspor the previous season. Kazim-Richards spent time in the academies of QPR and Arsenal, having been born in London, and has previously played in English football for Bury, Brighton & Hove Albion, Sheffield United and Blackburn Rovers.

 

9. FIFA urged to investigate cancer links
A recent report linking the new 3g pitches to increased cancer risks has put pressure on FIFA to investigate the claims. With an increasing number of studies showing that the rubber substances scattered onto pitches to protect the turf contain carcinogens and other toxic chemicals, families in America are now asking the football authorities to take action. Tests have shown that the rubber, which is made from old tires, contains substances such as mercury, benzene and arsenic. There are fears that the pellets, known as crumbs, could be swallowed and lodge in cuts and grazes. Professional clubs in the UK have also joined the calls for FIFA to investigate. The makers deny that there is any danger inherent from playing on these surfaces.

10. Valencia sign a defender
Despite Gary Neville ruling out signings, his Valencia side have added Brazilian left back Guilherme Siqueira to their side, on loan until the end of the season from Atletico Madrid. The signing was made by Jesus Garcia Pitarch, who has recently returned to Valencia to work as sporting director to help out the struggling Neville. Pitarch is famous for being the man who Rafa Benitez said of "I asked for a table and they bought me a lamp". Meanwhile Argentine centre back Lucas Orban has headed out of Los Che to cross city rivals Levante.

Written by Tris Burke February 01 2016 13:17:49