Motta set to sign new PSG contrac

The midfielder is ready to commit himself to les Parisiens by putting pen to paper on a new deal, ending speculation he could leave the Ligue 1 champions

Thiago Motta has revealed that he is close to agreeing a contract with Paris Saint-Germain and is keen to extend his stay in France.

The Brazil-born midfielder has played 57 times and scored six goals since moving to les Rouge et Bleufrom Inter for a reported €11.5 million in January 2012.

In recent months speculation has been rife that Motta was considering a move away from the French capital, with Juventus said to be taking an interest, but the player dismissed those stories and claimed he will stay at PSG.

"The contract will be done very shortly," the 31-year-old told L'Equipe. 

"It's been discussed with the club, there are a few points to confirm but I do not see why we would not continue together."

Motta will hope to continue a glittering career that has seen him lift two Champions Leagues with Barcelona and Inter, as well as earning 18 caps for Italy - despite representing his native Brazil in two friendlies previously.

"For my style of play, I feel completely Italian," he continued, when asked about opting to represent theAzzurri at senior level.

"It was an unexpected opportunity [to play for Italy]. But it is right, I had earned it on the field thanks to my own merits. It is almost a personal trophy."

The midfielder also spoke about his time at Barcelona and why was such a formative experience in his development, helping him to appreciate the defensive side of the game.

"Barca are a great club and they offered me a long-term contract," he added. "They helped me to grow. When you are alone in a foreign country, it changes everything. I listened, I spoke a little and I learnt a great deal.

"In Brazil I played No.10 and I did not like to defend. I was an attacker, I scored goals. At Barcelona I learnt how to defend."

Di Maria, Rooney, Reus and the contenders for 2014 Transfer List

Europe's top clubs are preparing to splash the cash in the January and summer transfer windows with a host of star names attracting the most attention

ANALYSIS
By Peter Staunton

The Goal Transfer List 2013 revealed the details of the deals which broke all records. Over €1 billion was lavished on marquee signings like Gareth Bale, Edinson Cavani and Neymar as Europe's richest clubs pushed their transfer activity into overdrive. Next year promises to be even bigger. 

With the World Cup in Brazil, the talent could be moving again for incredible sums of money. Here are 10 coveted players who could change clubs in 2014 and make next year's Goal Transfer List.

Marco Reus

The curse of the release clause could strike Borussia Dortmund again as CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke confirmed that a bid over a set figure - believed to be in the region of €35 million - could see Marco Reus depart the Westfalenstadion. 

It has not been a good season so far for Dortmund and anything other than a Champions League place finish would be seen as a disaster. Given their form that is no foregone conclusion. Reus, a boyhood Dortmund fan, has already turned down a move to Manchester City but has been linked with Manchester United ahead of the winter transfer window. 

Dortmund fans have become accustomed to watching their biggest players depart every summer and, with Robert Lewandowski leaving on a free, Reus could be the man sacrificed to make the money next year. 

Jackson Martinez

With Chelsea crying out for reinforcements as their three main strikers struggle for meaningful goals in the Premier League, speculation has intensified that Jackson Martinez will be the latest centre forward to try his luck at Stamford Bridge. 

It was his fellow countryman Radamel Falcao that the Blues wanted last summer before he opted for Monaco, however, Jose Mourinho could prise Martinez from Porto, where he has a release clause of €40m. 

The Colombian has also attracted interest from Borussia Dortmund since signing from Jaguares in Mexico for an €8.8m fee in 2012.

Julian Draxler

There is no chance that the Schalke star will be leaving in the winter transfer window with a Champions League last-16 tie against Real Madrid to come in the spring. However, it would be very surprising if the 20-year-old was still at the Veltins Arena by the time next season rolls around. 

He has spoken of his admiration of Arsenal while Liverpool and Chelsea have also been credited with interest. Given that he has a €45.5m release clause in his contract due to take effect in the summer, it is fair to assume the Schalke will cash in. 

A strong World Cup campaign for the German will see him as a man in demand.

William Carvalho

This has been the breakout season for William Carvalho as he has made the step up from the Portugal Under-21s to take his place in the senior reckoning ahead of the World Cup. 

The strapping centre midfield player has enjoyed loan spells at Fatima and Cercle Brugge but has come into his own this season for Sporting, alerting the continent's top clubs to his potential. 

Sporting have slapped a €45m release clause on the Angola-born midfielder after tying him down to a new contract in the summer. His deal does not expire until 2018 meaning any suitors, Manchester United included, will have to part with a considerable sum for his signature. 

Wayne Rooney

Contract negotiations between the England forward and Manchester United are at an impasse with Wayne Rooney yet to enter meaningful discussions over new terms. The 28-year-old has only 18 months left on his current deal and holds all the aces over his club. 

If United let his contract run down much beyond next summer's transfer window, they will risk losing him for nothing. 

Chelsea are known to be chief admirers and they failed with a summer approach. If Jose Mourinho has any designs on taking Rooney to the English capital then he must strike next summer. 

Hulk

It was the €40m transfer that took the world by storm in 2012 and the indications are that Hulk would be ready to quit Zenit in order to move to a bigger league next summer. 

The 27-year-old will more than likely be a starter for Luiz Felipe Scolari and a good performance at the World Cup on home soil should have the suitors queuing up around the block.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur have both been credited with interest in the former Porto forward who packs a powerful shot and who can be a match-winner on his day. 

The Russians will look for a significant return on their investment, however, with Hulk tied to the club until 2017.

David Luiz

The Brazilian centre-back has only featured intermittently under Jose Mourinho and performances the type of which came in the league defeat to Newcastle only seem to confirm the Special One's suspicions about David Luiz's suitability for his system. 

Twice Chelsea repelled Barcelona bids for the 26-year-old in the summer, who signed for €25m in the winter of 2011. 

The Spanish champions reportedly went as high as €40m for Luiz and might be sufficiently encouraged to try again for his signature in January.

Angel di Maria

He is the man who was supposed to make way for Gareth Bale at Real Madrid but it has not quite worked out like that. Angel Di Maria has played brilliantly for los Blancos so far this season but is still on the shopping list of a number of top clubs. 

The playmaker signed from Benfica for €25m has a contract running until 2017 and a starring display for Argentina at the World Cup is likely to push his price even higher. Manchester United and Monaco are both known to be keen and Real Madrid could deal for a €35m fee. 

Diego Costa

The Brazilian has become one of the most coveted players in Europe as his goals have helped propel Atletico Madrid up the Liga table and it is easy to see why Spain and his native country have become embroiled in a tug of war over which side he will represent at the World Cup next summer. 

Liverpool activated his buy-out clause last summer with a bid of around €25m but Atletico held onto their man and rewarded him with a new deal until 2018. If he goes next summer - with Chelsea and Arsenal now known to be keen - he will go for big money.

Luis Suarez

Far and away the best player in the Premier League this season and there is not a team in the world that Suarez would fail to improve. His sketchy disciplinary record would not put off any club and Real Madrid and Arsenal are known to be keen. 

Given the 26-year-old's recent form, it could be take a world-record fee to lure the Uruguayan away from Anfield. Suarez is tied to Liverpool until 2016 but, if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, it is easy to see him leaving. 

Arsenal thought they triggered a €40m release clause in the summer but Liverpool managed to see off their interest.

Valdes refuses to reveal next club until end of Barcelona's season

The Spain international insists he does not wish to disrupt his side's campaign by discussing his summer exit in public and confirmed he hopes to be fit to face Elche on January 5

Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes has revealed he will not announce which team he will join next term until the end of this campaign.

Valdes has previously spoken about his intent to leave Barcelona at the end of this season when his contract expires as he seeks a new challenge.

The 31-year-old – who has been playing for Barca's first team for the last 11 years – is free to speak to other clubs in January, but has said that confirmation on his future will not be announced until the end of the season, out of respect to his current club.

"The time is coming to start to look at things, but I haven't decided anything yet," Valdes said.

"For me the most important thing is to respect Barca right to the end. I won't make anything public during the season that may have a negative influence.

"What's important is that the team wins and we win the titles that we are hoping for."

Valdes hopes that his replacement can be found through the club if possible, and that there were several good goalkeeping options already at Barcelona.

"I really hope that the club finds the best way to sign the best goalkeeper for Barca," he said.

"There are many good goalkeepers at the club. I've always said that I would love it if it was a home-grown keeper, but it's not up to me.

"The club and the coaches will evaluate whether they can give an opportunity to someone within the club, like happened to me some years ago."

Valdes is now fit after suffering a calf injury and said he is looking forward to make his comeback in 2014, potentially against Elche on January 5.

"I'm fine," he said. "It's been a few strange weeks for me because I've never been injured, but now we've got through two intense goalkeeping training sessions and everything went faster than expected.

"The latest tests show that I'm totally recovered. I am excited to be able to play again, and if all goes well, I may be able to play against Elche, if the coach sees fit."

Matri, Belfodil & the five players fighting for their futures in the Milan derby

The latest meeting between Inter and AC Milan may well be the last chance for some to avoid an early exit from their respective clubs ahead of the January transfer window

COMMENT
By Kris Voakes | International Football Correspondent

The Milan derby is usually a fixture which carries so much importance - not only in Italy, but also across the world. This weekend's clash betwen Inter and AC Milan is set to fly under the radar more than usual, though, with their positions in the Serie A table speaking of two clubs struggling to have their desired impact on the league's top spots.

However, it will remain as big a match as ever to the supporters of Lombardy's respective giants, while some of the players who could feature are set for one of the biggest games of their lives for quite different reasons.

With the January transfer window the next thing on each club's agenda following Sunday night's main event, there are a whole host of players on either side who may only have 90 minutes to secure their futures before the market chiefs start their latest round of wheeling and dealing.

Below we look at five of the players who will have more than city pride to play for in the latest Derby della Madonnina.

CHRISTIAN ABBIATI

He may have departed early from last week's clash with Roma due to a stomach problem, but Christian Abbiati needs to play - and play well - in Sunday's derby if he is to extend his Milan career beyond 2013-14.

The 36-year-old announced this week that if the Rossoneri do not extend his contract in the summer then he will retire, and that prospect looks increasingly likely. With Gabriel getting first-team football under his belt for the first time during this campaign and constant rumours regarding a move for Genoa's Mattia Perin, Milan look ready to finally move on from the former Juventus shot-stopper.

But a big performance in a Milan derby might make the club hierarchy think again, potentially keeping Abbiati in a Milan shirt - and in football - beyond the end of the current season.

ISHAK BELFODIL

When Ishak Belfodil moved from Parma to Inter in the summer, he did so with a huge reputation behind him. It seemed strange to many at the time, and baffles most people today. The Nerazzurri appeared to be putting faith in the Algerian's potential, but the signs are that his excellent first half to last season with Parma was the exception that proved the rule.

It was his spell of seven goals in the first five months of 2012-13 along with his big, bustling presence which persuaded Inter to part with €7.5m and release the rights to Antonio Cassano. But Belfodil has now scored only one goal in 11 months, with that coming against doomed Palermo in May while still playing for theCrociati. In fact, but for those first five months with Parma, that goal in Sicily is the only league goal of Belfodil's career to date.

He did recently net once in the 3-2 Coppa Italia win over Trapani, but a strike in the Milan derby would carry infinitely more weight heading into a January transfer window which could really test Inter's faith in the 21-year-old.

ZDRAVKO KUZMANOVIC

After his January switch from Stuttgart, Zdravko Kuzmanovic was a regular in Andrea Stramaccioni's first-team squad during the second half of Inter's ill-fated 2012-13 season, but he has not enjoyed the same prominence under Walter Mazzarri.

He started the opening game of the season, exiting the clash with Genoa at San Siro after 51 minutes with the game tightly poised at 0-0. The Nerazzurri went on to win 2-0 and 'Kuz' has seen just 30 minutes of action since, as a substitute against Verona when the game was already won.

The Serbian had a decent run in Italy during his spell with Fiorentina, with his three-and-a-half years in Germany with Stuttgart helping to increase his reputation, but it is fair to say that his Inter career so far has not gone to plan. Should any kind of offer come in for the 47-cap midfielder, the Beneamata would be very likely to accept.

ALESSANDRO MATRI

It is fair to say that there were more than a few raised eyebrows in the summer when Milan - a club still purporting to be dealing in cost-cutting exercises and young prospects - splashed out €11 million on 29-year-old Juventus reserve Alessandro Matri.

Four months on, the signing makes little more sense, with the former Cagliari man having not started a single game for the Rossoneri since mid-October. Since then he has scored his only Milan goal to date as a substitute against Parma, but he remains very much on the periphery of the first-team squad.

As clubs search around for answers to short-term problems in the January window, now may be the best chance for Milan to get any kind of monetary return on their misguided investment, and should they receive a bid which comes anywhere near matching their layout then the club would be foolish to turn it down. A star turn in the derby might be enough to make them think twice, however.

PHILLIPE MEXES

With French loan signing Adil Rami becoming available in January, compatriot Phillipe Mexes looks to be the man most likely to drop out of the first-team picture.

Having joined the club immediately after the 2010-11 title-winning campaign, the former Roma defender has gradually seen his stock fall during his three seasons in Lombardy. Once considered a first-choice pick alongside Thiago Silva, he currently finds himself scrambling for a spot behind Daniele Bonera and Cristian Zapata at a time when his reputation has dropped markedly.

Add in the arrival of Rami - on whom Milan will have an option to buy in the summer - and Mexes' position at San Siro diminishes even further, meaning a January move or agreement regarding an end-of-season switch cannot be ruled out unless he takes whatever chance he is given to shine on Sunday.

Suarez deal includes buy-out clause for non-English clubs

The Uruguayan signed a new "long-term" contract at Anfield on Friday but it includes the option for him to leave for a set price should one of Europe's biggest clubs show interest

EXCLUSIVE
By Wayne Veysey | UK Correspondent

Luis Suarez has a buy-out clause in his new Liverpool contract which allows him to be sold to an overseas club from next summer.

The precise release figure, which can only be triggered by a non-English club, is unknown but sources anticipate it is in the region of €71-84 million.

Suarez signed a four-and-a-half year contract on Friday that is worth £200,000-a-week plus bonuses as Liverpool moved quickly to tie down the outstanding player in this season's Premier League ahead of the January window.

Both parties were keen to avoid a repeat of last summer's transfer saga, when confusion reigned in the player's camp over whether he could leave after Arsenal bid £40m-plus-£1 for him.

Goal understands that Suarez and his agent Pere Guardiola were keen to obtain a watertight agreement that the striker could leave if Liverpool should again fail to qualify for the Champions League.

The Merseysiders, on their part, wanted to ensure the Uruguayan cannot sign for another English club without their consent.

The new buy-out clause allows some leeway for Suarez should his sensational personal form not be matched by the progress of Brendan Rodgers' team in the second half of the season.

Suarez, who had two-and-a-half years remaining on his previous contract, claimed he will honour his long-term commitment to Liverpool. "It's nice because when you extend your contract, you extend it because you want to stay here for the future," said the striker, who turns 28 in January.

"I signed not only for two-and-a-half more years, but I signed for a long time to stay here and I am so happy. When you are happy, you try everything for the best for the future. I spoke a lot with my family because my family are very important to me and they are happy here. We spoke over the last few weeks with the club and everything is OK. I don't have a problem; the club don't have a problem, so it's very good."

The timing of the deal, which was sealed following swift negotiations between Guardiola and Ian Ayre, Liverpool's managing director, in Barcelona this week, is instructive.

Real Madrid were preparing to lay the foundations for a concerted move for Suarez in January, even though it was always more likely that he woukd remain at Anfield until the end of the season.

Suarez has scored a remarkable 17 league goals in 11 games since returning from suspension on 25 September.

He added: "I believe I can achieve the ambitions of winning trophies and playing at the very highest level with Liverpool. My aim is to help get us there as quickly as possible."

Liverpool's America-based owners Fenway Sports Group have previously been reluctant to extend contracts mid-season but moved quickly to secure the services of Suarez with a contract that comfortably makes him the best-paid player in the club's history.

Principal owner John W Henry said: "We are committed to working hard to keep our best players and this is an indication that we are moving in the right direction and moving at a pace that impresses one of the best players in world football."

Severe impact: Pakistan ponders review of Indus Waters Treaty

Minister for Water and Power Khwaja Asif talking to the media in Islamabad. PHOTO: PID

ISLAMABAD: 

Federal Minister for Water and Power Khawaja Asif said Pakistan could face severe consequences of water scarcity in the coming few years and an Ethiopia-like situation may occur here due to the water blocked by India.

Addressing a press conference on Friday, Asif said the Indus Waters Treaty was not in favour of Pakistan. The government would decide whether it needs to be reviewed or not.

“The water issue has become a matter of life and death for us and we will have to face severe shortage in the coming 10 to 15 years,” he said, adding that previous governments made wrong decisions causing water crisis and today the country is paying the price.

The minister said that India was blocking water and constructing dams on Pakistani rivers. He said that neighbouring countries should consider requirements of Pakistan before constructing their water reservoirs.

Asif said that to avert any unpleasant situation the government needs to adopt water conservation methods — it will also have to control its growing population.

Pakistan has concerns regarding Indus Waters Treaty as under this treaty Pakistan will get less water in the coming years. The government is seriously looking to review this treaty, Asif said.

Additional Indus water commissioner Sheraz Memon said that Pakistan had objection over seven projects of India. He said that India was using water from River Indus therefore the water level has reduced in the river.

He said that India was constructing 53 power projects and seven dams. It has completed 16 projects on river Chenab while another four are under construction.

Memon said India was constructing 850-megawatt Ratle project and warned that Pakistan will approach the International Court of Arbitration if India did not stop the construction of this project.

Some relief: ‘Neelum-Jhelum to generate power by end of 2015’

Government determined to complete project on time: Sher Ali. PHOTO: FILE

MIRPUR: Minister of State for Water and Power Abid Sher Ali said that the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK)-based Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project an important one for generation of low-cost and environment-friendly electricity in the country.

“The government is making concrete efforts towards completion the project of national significance on time,” said Ali during his visit to the 969MW Neelum-Jhelum project in AJK.

He said that the government was exploring all possible avenues to solve the energy crisis under the leadership of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif.

“It is his utmost desire to provide maximum relief to the common man by way of availability of affordable electricity,” said Ali while adding that optimum development of renewable sources of energy was being focused by the government which includes hydel, coal, wind, solar and biomass.

He said that the country possessed an identified potential of more than 60,000 MW of hydropower generation, adding that the phased induction of this potential would even out the energy mix, lower power tariff and provide relief to the common man.

Meanwhile, speaking about the Diamer Basha Dam and Dasu Hydropower Project, he said that the work on both projects would commence together with Bunji Hydropower Project.

“All these projects would add a total of 15,000 MW of cheap and environment-friendly electricity to the national grid,” said Ali.

Expressing his satisfaction at the pace of work, Ali claimed the Neelum-Jhelum Hydropower Project will start generating power by the end of 2015.

Wapda Chairman Syed Raghib Abbas Shah briefed the minister concerning the progress on the project. He assured earnest efforts to complete the project in line with the directions of the prime minister.

Shah said that upon completion, the Neelum-Jhelum Project would contribute 5.15 billion units of cheap electricity to the national grid and the annual benefits accruing from the project have been estimated at Rs45 billion.