Maniche not joining Black Cats

Atletico Madrid have confirmed Maniche will be staying at the Vicente Calderon despite reports linking him with a move to England.

Sunderland boss Ricky Sbragia had been linked with making a move for the player, after reports had indicated that a disappointing season for Maniche, coupled with behind-the-scenes bust-ups and dissension, meant that the former Chelsea man wanted to leave Madrid.

However, Atletico club chairman Enrique Cerezo has confirmed today that the club are looking to retain the that Portuguese midfielder's services for the foreseeable future.

"Atletico want to have the best players and Maniche is one of them," Cerezo told Sky Sports News.

"What happened with Maniche happens within every team. Problems occur in every dressing room but at the end of the day they are forgotten.

"He is still under contract for a year-and-a-half and we count on him."

Voronin: No reason to fear England!

Andriy Voronin is confident Ukraine can match the big-name England players and is looking to attack rather than defend.

Voronin, currently on loan at Hertha Berlin, has warned England that they hold no fears for the Ukrainians, and said: "I consider England to be the strongest team in our group but we also have very good players.

"We need not be afraid of the names on the back of the English team jerseys.

"The biggest mistake would be to play defensive football. We won't have any chances even for a draw should we make that mistake.

"The English do not like opponents who use short passing against them and make them run around without getting possession of the ball."

Former Chelsea striker Andrei Shevchenko, now at AC Milan, will also be lining up against Fabio Capello's men, and said: "I will be happy if we get a point on Wednesday."

Huge offer turned down for Rossi

Villarreal rejected a £19 million bid for Giuseppe Rossi at the end of last season, according to his agent.

Federico Pastorello has stated that an unnamed club tried to lure the Italy international out of the Madrigal last season, but the Yellow Submarine's directors opted against selling their best scorer.

The agent understands that capturing the striker would cost a lot of money, and possibly close to £37m.

Manchester United still have first option to re-sign Rossi, who never broke into Sir Alex Ferguson's team.

"They [Villarreal] rejected €20 million last summer, and as his buy-out clause is set at €40m, his value is closer to €40m than to €20m," Pastorello told the Corriere dello Sport.

Ancelotti committed to Milan

Carlo Ancelotti has reiterated his desire to remain with AC Milan as they clinch a place in the Champions League.

The 49-year-old, who is under contract with the Rossoneri until June 2010, has also denied reports that he recently held talks with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich about taking up the coaching reins at Stamford Bridge next season.

"My wish is to remain at Milan," he said in today's Gazzetta dello Sport.

"I have always maintained that, in order to go forward, two sides need to be in agreement and I am. That is, as long as we finish third to qualify for the Champions League.

"My aim, I repeat so that everyone understands, is to coach Milan next season."

Ancelotti has been linked with both Real Madrid and Chelsea but, when asked if he had had recent contact with Abramovich, Ancelotti replied: "No."

As to whether he had had dinner with Madrid presidential candidate Florentino Perez, he responded: "Let's be serious, let's not joke around."

Ancelotti is the longest serving manager in Serie A, having joined Milan in 2001.

"I haven't found a good reason to leave Milan," he said. "I feel well here and I want to stay for a long time."

Ancelotti also intends to keep his top stars, with Brazil playmaker Kaka a reported target of Real Madrid.

"With Kaka and (Alexandre) Pato, Milan can push on having great seasons," said Ancelotti. "Ricky (Kaka) will stay."

When asked who he regards as the strongest team in Europe, Ancelotti said: "Liverpool are the most difficult team to face.

"Rafa Benitez is a great (coach). Their defence is tight, they have a perfect counter-attack and to play against them is risky.

"Manchester (United) are strong but at least they allow you to play. Liverpool don't."

Ederson would consider France

Lyon's Brazilian playmaker Ederson would seriously entertain with the idea of playing for France.

The 23-year-old is a world champion for Brazil in the under-17 category but he has never appeared for the Selecao's senior team.

And having now played in France's Ligue 1 for four and a half years, during spells with Nice and then Lyon, he could soon claim French nationality and turn out for Les Bleus.

Ederson has not dismissed the idea out of hand.

"After spending five years in France, I have the right to ask for French nationality," he told L'Equipe.

"My supreme objective is to wear the Brazil shirt again but I could claim to play for Les Bleus.

"Up until this point, I haven't received an official request but anything is possible in football.

"If, one day, I was confronted by this question, I would have to weigh up the pros and cons."

Ederson moved to Nice from Brazilian side Juventude in 2004 and impressed in his last couple of years for the southerners, earning himself a move to the French champions last summer for 15 million euros.

After a slow start to his first season with Les Gones, the attacking midfielder has established himself as a first-team regular, scoring five goals in 26 games this campaign.

'Business as usual' at Arsenal

Ivan Gazidis maintains it is "business as usual" at Arsenal after Stan Kroenke paid out £42.5million to increase his stake.

Kroenke, 61, accepted the offer to become a non-executive director in September last year as ties with his Kroenke Sports Enterprises group were strengthened, after the Gunners had at first been less than receptive to the billionaire American - with chairman Peter Hill-Wood claiming "we do not need his sort".

The remainder of the Arsenal board who were subject to their internal 'lockdown agreement' gave consent to the transaction of 5,000 ordinary shares between Danny Fiszman and Kroenke, which was set at a price of £8,500 each and will be paid to Swiss-resident Fiszman rather than the club itself.

Nevertheless, it remains a significant move behind the scenes for the Gunners.

Kroenke's influence has increased significantly as he now owns just over 20% - perhaps to ward off any potential hostile takeover by Uzbekistan metals magnate Alisher Usmanov, whose Red & White Holdings group are currently the largest individual shareholders with 25%.

Any notion, however, this would have any direct influence on the running of the Emirates Stadium club have been dismissed by Arsenal's chief executive.

"It is business as usual", Gazidis declared. "On a day-to-day level, it has absolutely no impact at all.

"It is a transaction between two board members, both of whom believe in the self-sustaining philosophy of the club."

Gazidis added in an interview with Arsenal TV Online: "On the business side, we remain doing business just as we were yesterday and it is the same on the playing side.

"Arsene Wenger and the players remain focused on the end of this season - we are in three important competitions and making some progress."

Kroenke is already an established pedigree in terms of sports ownership, backing the St Louis Rams American Football franchise, as well as the Denver Nuggets basketball team, Colorado Avalanche ice hockey club and Major League Soccer outfit Colorado Rapids.

The Kroenke Sports Enterprise group owns the Pepsi Center in Denver and in 2004 also launched its own cable television sports channel.

However, Gazidis - who took up his new role with Arsenal in January after being deputy commissioner of the MLS - firmly believes the American billionaire will help the Gunners remain true to the club's own traditions.

"Stan really is a model owner," Gazidis said. "He takes the long-term view and believes in the model that Arsenal has been run on, of self-sustainability, and has developed a good relationship with other members of the board.

"This is somebody who shares the philosophies of the current board and who will be influential as we go forwards, and is going ensure we have continuity in the traditions of the club."

Gazidis added: "This is a club which has over 120 years of history.

"What has happened in terms of the adjustments of the shareholdings between current board members does not affect the direction we are headed in.

"We have some tremendous underpinnings at this club - a tremendous stadium that we play in, a very exciting and developing young squad which would be the envy of any team in the world, and a fantastic manager.

"The club continues to make progress and we are looking forward to the end-of-season run-in.

"We think it is going to be a very successful year for Arsenal."

Gazidis revealed the club would have "on-going dialogue" with Red & White Holdings, and also look to speak to Lady Nina Bracewell-Smith, who holds some 15.9% of shares but left the board in December.

Gazidis added: "I will be reaching out to her to initiate that dialogue and I am sure that will be productive going forwards.

"Certainly if she were to say she was a seller, then I am sure there would be interest among the current Arsenal board."

The Arsenal Supporters Trust, meanwhile, welcomed Kroenke's further investment.

"The fact that Stan Kroenke is already a member of the board at Arsenal should ensure that this change does not create any instability," a statement from AST read.

Cesc still believes in Gunners

Arsenal captain Cesc Febregas has refused to write off Arsenal bid for the Barclays Premier League title this season.

Many have counted the Gunners out in the current campaign, dismissing Arsenal's chances of ending a five-year title drought as Arsene Wenger's men are ten points adrift of league leaders Manchester United.

However, Fabregas has not thrown in the towel and has set overtaking Chelsea at third place as the first barrier to be crossed.

The Spaniard realises that a title coup would be an upset, but he strongly believes that a hundered percent effort to the Gunners' cause would make anything possible.

"I believe in miracles. It has happened before in football so why not this year?" asked Fabregas rhetorically. "But it is going to be difficult. Right now we have to think about catching Chelsea and then we will think about the others."

"But what we have to think about is winning the eight games we have remaining."

The Arsenal skipper is also looking forward to linking up with Andrey Arshavin upon his return from injury.

"You can see he (Arshavin) is a special player and when he plays everyone expects him to do something," added the 21-year-old. "We are very happy to have him.

"It is a shame he cannot play in the Champions League, but I am sure he can have a very big impact until the end of the season."