Charles Sale: Real Madrid can tempt Spurs to sell Bale with £75m bid

The future of Tottenham superstar Gareth Bale - valued at £80million - is boiling down to the hard economic facts surrounding world-class players and the length of their contracts. Bale has three years left on his Spurs deal and selling value is reckoned to decrease by £25m a year for players of elite standing. Manchester United's Robin van Persie was comparatively cheap at £24m because he had only a year left on his Arsenal agreement. So, by that football transfer equation, it would need an offer of at least £75m from Real Madrid to tempt hardball Spurs chairman Daniel Levy into contemplating selling his prize asset. And if Tottenham reject such a bid, they run the risk of Bale not signing a contract extension and becoming a diminishing asset. The numbers also demonstrate why offering Bale £200,000 a week (£10m a year) to lengthen his contract makes financial sense for Spurs. And it explains why Jonathan Barnett, the boss of Bale's agents Stellar, has been talking up Real Madrid's interest in his client.  Bale and his advisers can afford to see if Real offer the market price before committing to another season at White Hart Lane. England's Wembley date against the Republic of Ireland taking place without any crowd incident makes it more likely the reciprocal match in Dublin - which was part of the contract - will happen in November 2014 or February 2015. Meanwhile, FA of Ireland chief executive John Delaney is not your average administrative football suit, judging by his appearance in a televised charity show dancing the cha-cha with model Nadia Forde. Former Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari is a VIP guest tonight at the FA's Rio yacht club reception to mark their 150th anniversary and the game against Brazil on Sunday. The last time Scolari had close contact with FA dignitaries was when Brian Barwick and Simon Johnson made their botched trip to Lisbon in April 2006 to offer him the  England job, returning without his signature. The video run-through of 150 years of FA history in 150 seconds, with an eloquent commentary by Arsenal winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, was screened at the start of the UEFA Congress in London. But it seems bizarre to feature women's national coach Hope Powell and overpaid mercenary Sven Goran Eriksson when neither Sir Alf Ramsey nor Sir Bobby Robson get a look in. The FA say England's 1966 World Cup winners will be feted at the marquee 150th gala dinner in October. Clarke in the firing line The Football League maintain beleaguered Greg Clarke downgrading his chairmanship to a non-executive position is somehow unrelated to a no-confidence motion supported by 18 clubs in League Two and more in League One. Clarke's opponents want to progress to a vote at next week's AGM in Vilamoura because of their chairman's perceived weak negotiating with the Premier League over solidarity payments.  In his 72-club circular, Clarke mentions the solidarity issue in the first paragraph before announcing his reduced role. This is seen  outside the FL as Clarke positioning himself for a turbulent conference in Portugal. With so much in-fighting, no wonder chief operating officer Andy Williamson wants to clear his head of football politics in the autumn by trekking to Everest base camp for his 60th birthday. New Leeds president Ken Bates, the club's former owner, recommended to an investment banker friend in Monaco in 2010 that Crystal Palace, then in administration, would be a good club to buy. And after Palace won the £145million Championship play-off to return to the Premier League, Bates reminded his financier pal what he had missed out on. The FA's aim for England to be good tourists is shown by them visiting a favela in Rio today even before their first training session. Roy Hodgson and senior players will be present at the charity project backed by Sport Relief that was set up by 1994 World Cup winner Jorginho to help the city's disadvantaged children.

Wenger can hijack Fab move to United... but would Arsenal boss reject the chance of an emotional reunion with his former captain?

Manchester United could be forced to pay an inflated price for Cesc Fabregas, with Barcelona obliged to give Arsenal half the fee under the terms of his transfer to the Nou Camp. It means Barcelona would have to sell him for about £70million just to break even. Furthermore, the Gunners could be offered the chance of re-signing the Spaniard for as little as £20million should United formalise their interest. United are keen on signing the Spain midfielder, but Arsenal will play a key role in determining whether new manager David Moyes can land the midfielder. When Fabregas returned to Catalan in 2011, the Gunners struck a deal that would see them net 50 per cent of his next transfer fee. The clause means Barcelona chiefs are only likely to consider an astronomical offer for Fabregas given they have to give half of the fee to Arsenal. In addition, the Gunners also insisted on having a first-option clause inserted into the contract, And Sportsmail understands Arsenal insisted on having a fixed price on the buy-back clause, believed to be between £20m-£25m. Should any club make a concrete offer for the 26-year-old, Barca would be obliged to inform Arsenal, who would then be given first-refusal on the midfielder. If the scenario arises, then manager Arsene Wenger would be left with a difficult situation on his hands. While a new central midfielder is on the club's shopping list, Wenger is looking for a more defensive-minded player. And with Jack Wilshere, Mikel Arteta, Aaron Ramsey and Santi Cazorla all vying for central midfield slots, Wenger may view the signing of another creative player as unnecessary, leaving him with the dilemma of turning Fabregas down. Nevertheless, both clauses will provide major stumbling blocks towards United's quest to land Fabregas, who is also interesting Manchester City. The former Gunner will resolve his future with Barca officials once the Spanish season is over. The Catalan club want to keep hold of Fabregas, but the midfielder has grown frustrated of late as he has been overlooked for big games. And should the midfielder decide he wants to move on, an emotional return to north London may not be beyond the realms of possibility.

It's time for a change! Suarez moves closer to Liverpool exit with Real ready to pounce for £40m striker

Luis Suarez looks to be heading out of Anfield after he said that now would be the right time for a change. The Liverpool striker has been heavily linked with a £40million move to Real Madrid, but has been quick to play down reports that he has already opened talks with the Spanish giants. But it does seem that his exit from England could be getting closer as he would not commit to staying at Anfield and blamed his treatment by the Press for his reasons for going. He said: ‘It's a good moment for a change of environment because of all I've been through in England.' He added: 'I do not know when I'm going and I do not know if I'm staying.' The striker was speaking at a news conference in his homeland ahead of Uruguay's friendly with France in Montevideo on June 5. Suarez, who was banned for eight games for racially abusing Manchester United's Patrice Evra in 2011, added: 'I have only words of thanks to the club, the fans of Liverpool. 'But the treatment I received from the rest of England in recent weeks has been tough.'It (Liverpool) is a spectacular club, but they are aware of the way that the press treats me.' Suarez joined Liverpool in a £22.7m deal from Ajax in 2011. He scored 30 goals last season but missed the final two games of the campaign and will also miss the first eight games of next season after being found guilty of violent conduct for biting Branislav Ivanovic in April. Suarez has rejected reports in Spain that he has begun talks with Real but has reiterated his interest in a move to the Bernabeu. He said: 'It is normal that it is impossible to say no to big teams for which one always dreams. Yet I have nothing, I have not spoken with Real Madrid nor with Liverpool. 'My agent has not told me anything either and that leaves me alone, but they (the media) are speculating.’ Real president Florentino Perez signalled his club’s intent after being asked about speculation that a bid was imminent. He said: ‘Suarez is a great player, and I’m sure all the clubs in the world want him. I like him, but so do a lot of others.’ Though Liverpool will do their utmost to keep him, after awarding him a lucrative new four-year contract last summer, they are aware that he wants to see what Real have to offer and that they would be his club of choice, should he leave. They are not interested in a player-exchange deal, but, with a shortage of funds for manager Brendan Rodgers’s transfer requirements this summer, would welcome an injection of cash from any Suarez transfer.

TEACHERS BEGIN STRIKES IN 11 STATES

 

 

 

Nigeria Union of Teachers on Thursday urged teachers in 11 states to embark on strike from June 1 (Saturday).
The teachers are protesting against the non-payment of their 27.5 per cent enhanced salary scale and N18, 000 minimum wages.
The states are Cross River, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Ogun, Edo, Kogi, Niger, Borno, Benue, Zamfara and Sokoto.
Rising from a meeting in Abuja, the leadership of the union said the affected teachers would embark on what it called “painful strike.”

Addressing reporters in Abuja, the NUT President, Mr. Michael Olukoya, vowed that the strike would continue until the authorities met the union’s demands.
Describing the action of governors of the affected states as “derelict, unpatriotic and self-serving”, Olukoya said they had denied their teachers genuine allowances.
Olukoya lamented that while there was implementation of minimum wages for other categories of workers, the defaulting states deliberately exempted teachers

J Martins quietly weds Nnezi Mbila on a low key level

Some like it elaborate, while some like it low key. Super producer and singer J Martins and his bride Nnezi Mbila went for a super low key wedding. The longtime lovers held their white wedding and wedding reception yesterday Thursday May 30th at Protea Hotel Oakwood in Lekki, Lagos.

P-Square, Uti Nwachukwu, AY, Jude Okoye, footballer Ikechukwu Uche, Senator Ayim Pius Ayim, the governor of Abia State, Theodore Orji and many others were there to celebrate with the couple!

J. Martins and Nnezi had their traditional wedding in January 2012. Happy married life to them

TRUTH OF THE MATTER "OLAMIDE REASONS WHY HE REJECTED DBANJ OFFER"

For a while now, D’Banj and his management team have been planning to sign in rapper Olamide to the his label, however, Olamide turned down the Koko master’s offer, preffering to roll alone for now.
Olamide, who does not want to play the fool at this phase of his career, politely told D’Banj that he was not ready to surrender some of his powers, especially having to be booked for shows only by D’Banj’s management outfit, pleaded for time to even think about the offer as he still wants to work with his present team and taking things as they come for now.
He believes that for now, there is nothing D’BANJ could do for him that he can’t do by himself.
In the future, I will consider his offer. If anybody wants me, he should have unfettered access to me. I am just starting out in the profession’, he allegedly told close friends.

“Apparently, he would have been blocked from having direct access to his clients and that will reduce his share from his appearance fees. He does not like the bottle necks and some terms that will make it difficult for him to be reached all because D’Banj wants his value to rise. That may happen, but what eventually gets to Olamide will be peanuts”, A source disclosed to Tribune when asked why the deal was botched.
He added that the success that Olamide is enjoying now informed his decision to opt out of the deal because there is nothing, apart from management offer, that he stands to benefit from.
“Olamide can be easily reached by anybody and his fees are still okay. The moment he signs the deal, he will be getting fewer shows, though huge fees, but will lose many of his grassroot fans to the elitist crowd D’Banj belongs” he added.
Since D’Banj couldn’t have the “Ode Lon Like” crooner, he has reportedly reached out to Durella.

FUNSHO ADEOLU SPEAKS":MY RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD

In a recent interview with Sun news, the cross over actor Funsho Adeolu had this to say about his relationship with God:

 

"I’m a religious person. I attend church always. I am a devoted member and worker in a parish of the Redeemed Christian Church of God in my area. My wife is even a very active member of the church. In truth, I don’t joke when it comes to the issue of my relationship with God. Sometimes I go on long days of dry fasting while on location, without eating anything.
It’ll never affect my mood even when I’m on set. That’s me. For instance in my church, we do our annual 21 days of fasting and prayer and most of the times, it coincides with the days I would have to be on location. I don’t break the fast, and it has never affected the role I play or how I act in movies."
Awww.....