The following is a roundup of soccer stories from U.K. newspapers, with clickable links to the Web.
Chelsea Wants Kaka
Chelsea will attempt to sign Real Madrid’s Brazilian playmaker Kaka, who worked with Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti at AC Milan, in the offseason for 25 million pounds ($40.2 million), the Mail reported.
The Blues want to play the former FIFA World Player of the Year, whom Ancelotti brought to Milan from Sao Paulo in 2003, off newly acquired striker Fernando Torres next season, the Mail added.
Hodgson Hired
Former Liverpool coach Roy Hodgson will be appointed as West Bromwich Albion manager next week, the Sun reported.
West Brom Chairman Jeremy Peace opted for Hodgson over ex- Newcastle boss Chris Hughton as Roberto Di Matteo’s replacement because of his success with Fulham, the newspaper said. Hodgson, 63, left Liverpool by “mutual consent” on Jan. 8.
F.A. Fights Snubs
England’s Football Association will punish Premier League players who snub the England national team by banning them from their next club game, the Daily Mirror reported.
A series of withdrawals from England representative teams this week convinced F.A. officials that it was time to take action, the newspaper said. Starting from the next international date, the F.A. plans to ban those who fail to report for England duty from playing for their club the following weekend, the Mirror said.
Keane Blow
West Ham striker Robbie Keane, who joined the Hammers on loan from Tottenham last week, has been ruled out for six weeks because of a torn calf muscle, the Guardian reported.
The injury leaves manager Avram Grant having to select his strikers from Frederic Piquionne, Carlton Cole and Demba Ba for tomorrow’s match at fellow Premier League struggler West Brom, the paper added.
Facebook Fracas
Manchester City ordered the closure of the Facebook site of a club groundsman after an expletive-laden post attacking Manchester United before tomorrow’s derby match at Old Trafford, the Telegraph reported.
Ged Coyne, employed by City as a groundsman for the past 15 years, posted insults directed at United manager Alex Ferguson and former defender Gary Neville, as well as referring to United as “scum,” the newspaper said. He closed the site yesterday after being contacted by a City official, the paper added.
