Tevez sparks bidding war between Liverpool & City

Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez's stunning strike against Manchester City yesterday in the Mancunian derby will only have intensified the desire of Eastlands boss Mark Hughes to prise the explosive Argentine away from the Old Trafford club. Tevez's contract with Man Utd runs out at the end of the season and Alex Ferguson is yet to commit to re-signing him. Should the Scot decide not to keep him, then City will face competition from Liverpool for the £32m player's signature...

Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce, whose side effectively sealed their Premier League place at the weekend, is looking to the east to reinforce his team for next season. Allardyce wants to sign Egypt's Ahmed Al-Muhammadi, known as the 'Middle East's answer to Cristiano Ronaldo'. Al-Muhammadi can play anywhere along the right side, and has already been capped more than 20 times by the age of 21...

Barcelona midfielder Xavi has laughed off reports that he is planning on crossing one of football's greatest divides - by signing for the Catalan team's ultimate rivals, Real Madrid. The playmaker has been targeted by one of the presidential candidates for Real Madrid, but moved quickly to scotch the rumours: "That is impossible. I could not be happy playing for Real Madrid." Having played for Barca for more than 10 years, Xavi will be aware of the Camp Nou view of 'traitors' - a pigs head was thrown on to the pitch to protest Luis Figo's return to the stadium in Madrid's colours...

The biggest managerial race of the close season will be to decide who fills Guus Hiddink's sizable shoes at Chelsea. Few managers come close to the Dutchman's track record, but one who does, Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan, has indicated that he may pass up on the option this time around. "It is not a problem which concerns me. I don't have to give my availability," said the 49-year-old Ancelotti. "The time has not yet come for me to be replaced at Milan." This leaves few managers of the required stature still standing, with ex-Barca boss Frank Rijkaard unlikely to take the role... ·