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EUROPE/INTERNATIONAL; (MOURINHO TO BE UNVEILED AS INTER COACH TODAY)
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| Jose Mourinho could be unveiled as Inter Milan´s new boss today the 2 june 2008 after meeting the Italian club´s president Massimo Moratti on Friday. The Portuguese coach met Moratti in Paris and is rumoured to have been discussing potential transfer targets for the summer. Italian news agency Ansa claim the former Chelsea chief will be unveiled at Giuseppe Meazza today before heading out to Japan to manage a Rest of the World side in Hidetoshi Nakata´s testimonial on Wednesday. The self-styled ´special one´ has been out of work since leaving Stamford Bridge in September, but now has the opportunity to work with another of Europe´s top clubs. Inter parted company with Roberto Mancini on Thursday and immediately set their sights on appointing Mourinho as his successor. Barcelona president Joan Laporta has come under further pressure after a club member´s bid to force a vote of confidence in his administration looks certain to succeed. Oriol Giralt presented 12 boxes containing the signatures of 9 473 club members demanding a vote of censure, 3 591 more than the minimum required for such a measure to take place. If the Barcelona board validates the signatures, the club will be obliged to hold a referendum which is expected to take place in early July. Laporta´s opponents would need to have the support of over two-thirds of voters with a minimum turnout of ten per cent of members entitled to vote if they are to force a presidential election. Laporta tried the same technique ten years ago when he led the "Elefant Blau" (Blue Elephant) group opposed to the administration of then president Josep Lluis Nunez, but he was unable to garner sufficient support to unseat his rival. The Barcelona president has been heavily criticised for the way he has run the club in the past two seasons with fans staging several protests calling for his resignation after the team failed to win any silverware for a second year in succession. The Sunday Telegraph claims that Arsene Wenger is determined to leave Arsenal in three years´ time and has already opened talks with Paris Saint Germain over the possibility of being appointed the club´s president. According to the newspaper, Wenger has ´been in France this week advising Paris St Germain over their long-term strategy´ and is intent on moving back to his homeland once his current contract with the Gunners expires. ´The surprise appointment of Wenger´s close friend Charles Villeneuve as PSG president this week has triggered intense speculation in France, with sources close to the club claiming the Gunners boss was behind the decision and intends to succeed Villeneuve when he leaves Arsenal. Villeneuve, 66, recently retired as head of sport for the television station TF1, with whom Wenger works on a regular basis, and admits speaking to Wenger before accepting the post,´ the newspaper reports. However, ´the Frenchman remains determined to take his talented young Arsenal team as far he can before then and will continue his quest to claim the one major trophy that has so far eluded him, the Champions League.´ With Sir Alex Ferguson also expected to stand down as Manchester United manager in three years´ time, English football risks losing two of its most influential managers at the same time. Chelsea and Man U for Robinho Robinho claims that Manchester United and Chelsea have enquired as to his availability. The Brazilian international has spent three years with Spanish giants Real Madrid, but has failed to hold down a regular first-team spot at Santiago Bernabeu. He was widely touted as the ´new Pele´ after bursting onto the scene as a teenager with Santos, but has struggled to life up to that billing since moving to Europe. However, at just 24 years old, time is still on his side and a move away from Los Blancos could help to reinvigorate his career. The playmaker is currently away on international duty preparing for 2010 World Cup qualifiers, but has taken time out to admit that he has received approaches from two of the Premier League´s top clubs. Chelsea is ready to give up to 28 million pounds to grab the services of Robinho CHELSEA SACKS MANAGER GRANT. Chelsea has sacked its manager Avram Grant, the sacking took place on Saturday; three days after his team was beaten last Wednesday may 21 in Moscow on penalties in the Champions league final by Manchester United. Sports fans have hailed Grant as manager of Chelsea for his sense of leadership since September when he took over from Jose Mourinho. Among those linked with the Chelsea job are Frank Rijkaard who left Barcelona, and Roberto Mancini who has just coach Inter Milan to the Serie A title in Italy, former England Manager Sven Goran Eriksson whose future at Manchester city is uncertain and the Dutch man Guus Hiddink who is in charge of the Russian team. (Eriksson leaves City after one season) Sven-Goran Eriksson´s year-long reign at Manchester City finally came to an end on Monday when it was announced that the former England boss had left the English Premier League club.The club, owned by Thai tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra, confirmed the Swede´s long-anticipated departure in a statement on its official website, which claimed that the parting of the ways had been "by mutual consent".Thaksin, however, had made it clear before then end of the just-finished English Premier League season that he intended to replace Eriksson, despite what is widely regarded as a very successful first year in charge.Eriksson, who has been tipped to become Mexico´s next coach, had consistently maintained that his first choice would be to continue his work in Manchester.But, following the negotiation of a compensation package to cover the three years remaining on his contract, Eriksson said he wished his successor well.
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