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Fowler may leave Liverpool Man Utd wants trophy back; Chelsea wants to keep Wise
Updated: Saturday January 06, 2001 12:21 PM
LONDON (Reuters) -- Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier has said that striker Robbie Fowler may leave the English Premier League club after he was attacked outside a bar earlier in the week, British media reported on Saturday. Fowler, who has failed to establish a regular first team place this season due to a long term injury, will miss Saturday's third round FA Cup tie against Rotherham United. The 25-year old is still recovering from the facial cuts and bruises he suffered from the attack outside a bar in Liverpool in the early hours of Wednesday morning. "I just don't know if he has now reached the stage where he feels he has to go away," Houllier told the BBC. "We will see when he comes back. He must decide what happens next." Fowler has this week been the subject of transfer speculation involving Chelsea, who have already had a 12 million pound bid rejected. "I don't know what Chelsea will do now. All I know is that we in the club are very supportive of Robbie," Houllier said. "I don't want anybody to leave, unless somebody comes up to me and says I want to be on the transfer list and makes a transfer request." Houllier said he gave his full backing to Fowler. "Robbie is one of my players and when one of them is hit it is like when one of your own children has been hit. "I do not like one of my players being assaulted and attacked like he was. But it was not the best time to be where he was, and he will acknowledge that," the Frenchman added. Yorke: Man Utd wants trophy backLONDON -- Manchester United Dwight Yorke has warned his FA Cup rivals that he and his United teammates intend to win back the trophy they still consider to be theirs. United won the FA Cup in 1999 but did not defend it last season, preferring instead to compete in the Club World Championship in Brazil. Chelsea took the 2000 cup, beating Aston Villa in the final. "It was little bit disappointing obviously not being in it last season but we have got a chance this year to try and regain our trophy," Yorke told BBC television. Fellow striker Andy Cole said United would be going all out to regain the trophy, starting with Sunday's third-round trip to division one leaders Fulham. Cole, who is recovering from an Achilles heel injury and is unlikely to start at Craven Cottage, said United manager Alex Ferguson had made it clear the club would be taking the competition very seriously. "We're back in it this season and I think the manager has gone on record as saying that we're gonna have a right good go at it," Cole said. "When he says that he means we want to win it so I think everyone's gonna be up for it." United are definitely without goalkeeper Fabien Barthez for the Fulham game. The Frenchman has the flu and Raimond Van der Gouw will deputize. Fulham's in-form French striker Louis Saha says Barthez's absence is a personal blow. The 22-year-old has hit 21 goals this season but dreams of beating his World Cup-winning compatriot. "He is a great hero of mine," Saha said. "One of my greatest ambitions is to score against him but now I will have to wait." Edu to call on ArsenalLONDON -- Arsenal has rekindled interest in Brazilian Edu, rated at 6 million pounds (US$9 million). He is set to call in on the London club on a visit to Britain. The Gunners have been tracking the Corinthians star for months, but believed the deal was dead when the player was turned away at customs because of a passport problem. Arsenal said on Friday: "Whilst still awaiting his European passport, Edu will be taking advantage of a break in the Brazilian season to visit the club and London for a short while. Edu will be arriving in London over the weekend." Arsenal has struggled to impose itself this year, smarting from the summer departure of midfield lynchpin Emmanuel Petit, whom Edu was due to replace. The club has eight first-team players out through injury, and after winning only two of its last six league games trails leader Manchester United by 11 points.
Chelsea wants to keep WiseLONDON -- Chelsea says it wants captain Dennis Wise to stay at the Premier League club after a newspaper reported on Saturday that he had decided to leave. "Dennis knows full well that we want him to stay," Chelsea's managing director Colin Hutchison was quoted as saying by the BBC. "I have talked to him this week and so has Claudio Ranieri. We have made it very clear to him that we do not want him to leave the club." The Sun newspaper said 34-year-old Wise, who has been at Stamford Bridge 10 years, had told the FA Cup holders he wanted to leave the club because he wanted first-team football. Chelsea head coach Claudio Ranieri left Wise on the substitutes' bench in the 1-0 win over Aston Villa on New Year's Day. Wise, who was a regular choice under former Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli, will be hoping for a recall when Chelsea start their defense of the FA Cup at home to Peterborough United on Saturday. Sugar denies Campbell claimLONDON -- Tottenham Hotspur chairman Alan Sugar has angrily countered statements by captain Sol Campbell that he has not been offered a new contract with the Premier League club. The England defender, who is out of contract at the end of the season, told a television interviewer he had not been offered an improved deal. Campbell has publicly stated he wishes to stay with Tottenham despite the prospect of a lucrative free transfer. "I have not been offered an improved contract," Campbell said. "Of course it hurts but rather than worry about the contract and having money I think the main thing now is to get the club in good order. It's in their court now." In a statement released through the club Sugar said he was "absolutely astounded" by Campbell's comments. "They imply that the club has not been trying to get him to stay," Sugar said. "That is so far from the truth that I am at a loss to understand what motivated him to say these things. "These latest comments make me, [director of football] David Pleat and [manager] George Graham come across as idiots, or even worse, liars. "We have had endless meetings with him and his agent, all of which were fruitless. Each time the clear message coming across was 'Sol does not want to discuss a new deal.' "Everybody in football knows we have desperately been trying to keep him. The fans are not stupid and he should not try to make fools of them."
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved.
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