TRANSFER NEWS:Jose Mourinho appears keen to hold on to striker Adriano after the Brazilian scored in a 3-1 Cup win last night, while it has emerged his former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba was the subject of interest from Marseille. Manchester City and West Ham can't seem to agree on anything but Nancy striker Marc-Antoine Fortune claims his club has hammered out a loan deal with West Brom.
Inter Milanboss Mourinho gave no indication he wants to offload reported Tottenhamtarget Adriano after a goalscoring display by the Brazilian.
Inter beat Genoa 3-1 in Italy's Coppa Italia on Tuesday night, with Adriano getting the game's first goal. Although the 26-year-old missed a penalty, his display pleased the former Chelsea manager Mourinho.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknappreportedly watched the San Siro match from the stands, with a view to taking Adriano to White Hart Lane on loan for the rest of the season.
"Adriano did his job. He still has to improve his velocity and self-confidence but I'm satisfied with him and the whole team," Mourinho told Inter's website.
"I'm not concerned about the missed penalty.
"We all make mistakes, the important thing is to have the right attitude, desire, respect for the team and the fans.
"If Adriano works like this, a missed penalty means nothing."
Marseilleenquired about the availability of Chelsea striker Didier Drogba before finally settling on Brandao as their attacking recruit in the January transfer window.
Drogba, who had a year at the Stade Velodrome in the 2003/04 campaign, was Marseille owner Robert Louis-Dreyfus' chief target this month.
But Louis-Dreyfus' audacious attempt to sign the player the Mediterranean side sold to Chelsea for around £24million in the summer of 2004 was quickly rebuffed by the Barclays Premier League giants.
"I called (Chelsea chief executive) Peter Kenyon to sound him out about Didier Drogba," Louis-Dreyfus told French daily L'Equipe.
"But they absolutely do not want to let him go."
Manchester Citywill not allow Valeri Bojinovto leave for West Ham as a makeweight in any deal for Craig Bellamyor Scott Parker.
City boss Mark Hugheshas confirmed his admiration for both Bellamy and Parker, with the former reportedly the subject of two rejected bids so far, the latest thought to be around €9million.
And the dialogue between the clubs appears to have taken a new twist, with Bojinov claiming Gianfranco Zola has been in touch with him personally.
The Bulgarian added, though, that City boss Mark Hughes has reassured him he will not be leaving Eastlands.
He told the media in his homeland: "Two days ago, Zola called me on my mobile and told me that he wants me in West Ham.
"I answered that I feel great in Manchester City and don't want to leave the team. I'm happy the City management values me. The only thing I want is to be healthy again, so that I can prove myself.
"Mark Hughes told me that Zola wants me but City made it perfectly clear that they don't want to sell me."
Bojinov, who has been out of the side since he ruptured his Achilles in the warm-up for the opening game of the season at Villa Park, is expected to be back in training with the first-team squad in the next month.
Nancystriker Marc-Antoine Fortune will sign a six-month loan deal with the Barclays Premier League's bottom club, who will have the option of signing the Frenchman on a permanent basis should they avoid relegation, according to www.football365.fr.
"My agent is sorting out the last few details of my arrival," Fortune is quoted as saying. "I am going to take a medical and I will then sign."
