Footy News 29/08/2011

 Arsene feels the fans pain.

The Arsenal fans who endured the misery of Sunday's 8-2 defeat to Manchester United at Old Trafford will be offered the cost of another away ticket. 

Around 3,000 fans are thought to have made the 400-mile round trip to Manchester, only to see their team humiliated by the Red Devils.

Manager Arsene Wenger and his inexperienced team were widely criticised for their showing on the pitch, but the travelling support gained widespread praise for backing the players.

The North London club have confirmed they would be offering to compensate the supporters who made the trip by paying for a ticket for another away game.

"Arsenal football club has announced it will be writing to fans who travelled to Old Trafford on Sunday with an offer to cover the cost of a match ticket at a future Barclays Premier League away game," read a club statement.

"Sunday's result was obviously disappointing for everyone connected with the club. Our travelling fans were magnificent throughout and we want to recognise their fantastic support. We will be writing to them shortly with the details."

The club are not offering to pay for the travel costs for the away game of their choice.

This is not the first time a football club have taken such action following a hammering.

Wigan's players clubbed together to refund the costs of every away fan who travelled to Tottenham to see their team humbled 9-1 at White Hart Lane two years ago.

German side Energie Cottbus refunded 600 fans the cost of their trip to Schalke after seeing their team lose 4-0 in what the club described as a "pitiful performance".

......................................................................................................................................................................

Moyes not ruling out sales

Everton manager David Moyes has not ruled out player sales before the transfer window closes due to their financial position. 

The Toffees are currently unable to bring any fresh faces to Goodison Park as the Merseysiders have reached their overdraft limit.

Even if the club did sell some of their better players to raise funds then that cash would only go to paying off bank debts.

Arsenal have been linked with a swap deal involving Mikel Arteta and Nicklas Bendtner, although Everton are not interested in the transfer.

Moyes is keen to retain all his star players, but concedes that everyone has his price and accepts the club could not reject 'big' bids.

"I think it's already been said that the money, depending on the value, would go to the bank," he told the Liverpool Echo.

"Everybody's got a price - Fabregas, Ronaldo, you name it. If anyone bids big enough I'm sure we'd take it. I'm not daft."

Everton could raid the loan market to add numbers before Thursday and Moyes is not ruling out the possibility of borrowing a player.

On the possibility of any loan signings, Moyes added: "I don't expect it. Will it happen? Who knows?"

......................................................................................................................................................................

Espanyol agree Weiss deal

Espanyol have reached an agreement with Manchester City to sign Vladimir Weiss on a season-long loan, while fellow Blues youngster Loris Karius is on his way to Mainz. 

Slovakia international Weiss, who has had loan spells at Bolton and Rangers during the last two years, has been linked with a move to various clubs this summer.

But it is Espanyol who have now announced that a deal is in place for Weiss to spend the remainder of the 2011/12 Primera Liga campaign in Spain.

"Espanyol and Manchester City have reached an agreement in principle for the loan of Vladimir Weiss for one season," read an Espanyol statement.

Weiss travelled to Barcelona on Monday morning in a bid to put the finishing touches on the switch.

If all goes to plan and the deal goes through, Weiss, who will link up with Slovakia for the upcoming Euro 2012 qualifiers against Republic of Ireland and Armenia, will be presented next week following his international commitments.

Weiss is not the only City player on his way out of the club on loan, with highly-rated goalkeeper Karius to join Mainz in Germany until December.

The 18-year-old is under contract with City until next summer but has yet to make the breakthrough into the first team and will now have a chance to press for more regular action in the Bundesliga.

"Loris Karius is one of the most talented goalkeepers of Germany," Mainz general manager Christian Heidel told his club's official website.

"We have been monitoring him for a while and when we met he left a very good impression on us.
"We have put up a loan arrangement with Manchester City in the meantime and I feel this loan is a win-win situation for us as a club as well as for the player."