Patrick Vieira ‘to join City’, Liverpool chase Chamakh

Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira is on his way back to the Premier League. That's the confident assertion of the Daily Mail, which says the French midfielder will join Manchester City on a six-month loan deal "by the start of next week".
 
The paper says that Vieira, who enjoyed nine glorious years with the Gunners, has been in talks with new City boss Roberto Mancini – who coached Vieira at Inter Milan – and a deal is now "99 per cent agreed".

Vieira has apparently conceded to Inter's request to remain in Italy for a further few days as cover for their injury-ravaged squad but he should link up with the City squad at Eastlands next week. The Mail says that the 33-year-old will join on a short-term loan with "the possibility of an 18-month contract to follow" if things work out.

Vieira still harbours ambitions of making the France squad for the summer World Cup but he needs the regular appearances he hasn't been getting at Inter if he hopes to appear in his fourth World Cup.
 
Mancini has warned his rivals that Vieira won't be the only big name arriving at the club this month, and the Mail forecasts that the City boss will sign Argentinian left back Cristian Ansaldi from Russian champions Rubin Kazan within the next few days.

Jostling Mancini at the head of the queue at the January sales is Rafa Benitez, according to the Daily Mirror, which predicts the Liverpool boss is "confident" about bringing the Argentinian winger Maxi Rodriguez to Merseyside from Atletico Madrid.

The paper quotes Rodriguez's agent, Jurgen Milewski, as saying "I can say the chances of a transfer are high" and notes that the player was omitted from Atletico's weekend game against Sevilla because a move is imminent.
 
A move would suit all parties as Rodriguez has struggled to establish himself in the Atletico side this season and craves game time so he can play his way into Argentina's World Cup squad, while the Spanish club want to off-load the player for a reasonable price because he's out of contract in the summer. And Liverpool are in desperate need in fresh talent as they seek to claw their way back into the top four of the Premier League.

The Mirror says that Atletico are angling for "a possible swap deal with a cash balance" between Rodriquez and Liverpool's out-of-favour full-back Andrea Dossena, but Benitez is reportedly reluctant to agree to this as he wants to sell Dossena to Napoli for nearly £5m.
 
Joining Dossena at the Liverpool exit door will be 30-year-old Ukrainian frontman Andriy Voronin, says the Mirror, who is "poised to complete a near £1.5m switch to Dynamo Moscow".

The Times also reports that Liverpool have entered the race to sign Bordeaux's much sought-after striker Marouane Chamakh - also an Arsenal target.

The 25-year-old's contract expires in the summer and he is in a position to discuss pre-contract agreements with other clubs.

If Benitez can persuade the Moroccan to move to Anfield rather than the Emirates it will be a blow for Arsene Wenger, who also faces losing one of his emerging stars in the summer.

Fran Merida is said to be on the verge of agreeing a move to Atletico Madrid after failing to establish himself as a regular in the Arsenal first team. His contract expires in the summer and the Mail reports that he will sign a four year deal with Atletico in June.

The 19-year-old from Barcelona had been touted as the new Cesc Fabregas - but Arsenal already have the original Fabregas as well as several other possible replacements, including Aaron Ramsey.

There is more bad news for Wenger who lost out in his bid to bring Goran Pandev to the Emirates. A report in the Daily Mail confirms that the 26-year-old Macedonia striker has signed for Inter Milan after winning his legal battle to be released from Lazio, where he had been described as a "rebel" by the club president. Arsenal and Tottenham had both expressed interest in signing Pandev this month but the Mail says his new deal with Inter will keep him at the San Siro until 2014.

But on the plus side Tomas Rosicky has extended his contract with Arsenal for an undisclosed period.

The 29-year-old Czech international arrived in north London in May 2006 from Borussia Dortmund and has scored 14 goals in 76 appearances. Though he has suffered long spells on the sidelines with knee and hamstring injuries, he's featured prominently in Arsenal's impressive first half of the season. "I feel it speaks volumes about the club's belief in me for this to be signed," said Rosicky, "and I truly believe I have a lot left to offer the club, my team-mates and all the supporters."

Rosicky is the 15th player to sign a new deal with Arsenal since the summer and boss Wenger is delighted with the news, saying: "I have spoken many times of Tomas's class and contribution, not only on the pitch but off it as well, and I very much feel that this new contract reflects that." ·