Lionel Messi confirms Premier League interest

Lionel Messi, Barcelona's talismanic winger, has admitted that he would like to play in the Premier League at some point in his career. The 21-year-old Argentinean international had previously said he would stay at Barcelona for the rest of playing days, but told Uefa's website that "the football in England is great, just as it is in Spain," giving faint hope to certain moneybags Mancunians that a sufficiently obscene wheelbarrow full of euros could prise the player away from the Camp Nou...

Juventus' veteran French striker David Trezeguet is being tracked by a number of English clubs, according to the player's father. The 31-year-old has fallen out with Juve boss Claudio Ranieri, and despite being in contract at the Stadio delle Alpi until June 2011 would be interested in a move. Chelsea and Manchester City - surprise! - are the possible Premier League destinations...

Without conceding the title this season, Rafa Benitez has indicated that a lack of firepower to back up Fernando Torres and Steven Gerrard was probably the only thing missing from Liverpool this season. "Torres and Gerrard play very well together, but we have 60 or so games a season, and there will be plenty of chances for other players," the Daily Mail reports him saying, dismissing fears that Robbie Keane's unhappy sojourn on Merseyside would put off other strikers targeted by the Anfield club. Benitez is believed to be targeting Almeria striker Alvaro Negredo...

Everton are the latest Premier League club to join the pursuit of Cardiff City's Welsh international Joe Ledley. Goodison Park boss David Moyes has leapfrogged the queue of clubs including Stoke City and Wigan and are willing to pay £6m for the 22-year-old midfielder. Cardiff had hoped to hold on to the player but missing out on the Premier League play-offs has made them accept Ledley's demands for top-flight football... ·