Eto'o and Mourinho reunited

Samuel Eto'o signed for Chelsea on Thursday on a one-year deal worth £7million and said: 'It wasn't a hard decision.'

The 32-year-old will be officially unveiled on Friday but underwent the formalities of a medical on Thursday morning before agreeing personal terms.

The four-time African Footballer of the Year, who arrived in London on Wednesday night after taking the train from France to St Pancras Station, added: 'I saw the qualities Chelsea have, and I was very happy with Jose Mourinho before, so when the opportunity came, I was very happy to take it.

Parading: Eto'o has signed for Chelsea

Pen to paper: Eto'o signs the contract in the presence of Chelsea club secretary and director David Barnard

Pleased to be here: Eto'o has signed on a free transfer

'I am very happy to be here but also anxious because I want to get playing as soon as possible.'

Jose Mourinho moved for Eto'o after two Chelsea bids for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney were rejected and the Premier League champions declared he was not for sale.

Mourinho is continuing to add to his galaxy of stars though as talks continued on Thursday with Porto's Christian Atsu.

The 23-year-old Ghana international is poised to undergo a medical this morning although the Portuguese side are hoping to agree a sell-on clause in the £3.5million transfer.

Arrival: Eto'o arrived at St Pancras on Wednesday night ahead of putting pen to paper for Chelsea

Seal the deal: Eto'o shakes hands with Pini Zahavi (left picture) and strides towards his car (right)

Whisked away: Eto'o, who is taking a huge pay cut to join Chelsea, leaves St Pancras on Wednesday night

Solution? Samuel Eto'o has sealed his move to Chelsea as Jose Mourinho ends his striker search

 
Chelsea manager Mourinho was Eto'o's boss at Inter Milan when they won the Champions League in 2010. He became the highest-paid player in the world when he moved to Anzhi in 2011 on an estimated £350,000 a week. 

However, he took a £10m pay cut to come to Chelsea sweetened by a pay-off from the Russian club who also sold Chelsea their Brazilian attacking midfielder Willian, 25.

Meanwhile, former Queens Park Rangers defender Christopher Samba, who was linked with West Ham and Tottenham this summer, was among the latest players to leave Anzhi when he, Alexei Ionov and Vladimir Gabulov joined rivals Dinamo Moscow on Thursday.

Former Barca striker Eto'o did not travel to Prague for Friday night's European Super Cup clash with Bayern Munich - neither did Willian, whose move from Anzhi was confirmed on Wednesday - but he  added: 'I have had a career where I have been lucky enough to win a lot of trophies in different countries, but one of my last dreams as a professional is to come and play in England and see if I can have the same success as in my previous clubs.

'I don't see it as a final challenge, but to have a good time, enjoy my football, and have success with this team.

Target: Mourinho didn't select any strikers at Old Trafford and the chase for Wayne Rooney seems to be over

'I've had a couple of opportunities to come to England before, including the first time Jose was here, but it didn't work out for one reason or another.'

The move might never have happened if Mourinho had received the indication from Rooney that he wanted to join Chelsea.

Speaking prior to confirmation of Eto'o's arrival, Mourinho appeared to have conceded defeat in the bid to capture England striker Rooney, who played for United against Chelsea on Monday and afterwards praised the 'fantastic' reception he received at Old Trafford.

Mourinho said: 'I told you what I have to say. I think I (made it) very, very clear that we didn't start the process (a third bid).

'We have nothing more to say. He's a Man United player and no more than that.'

Capturing Eto'o is at odds with Chelsea's recent transfer policy of signing younger players. It also leaves a question mark over the futures of Demba Ba and Fernando Torres as Mourinho has made it clear four strikers is too many and that Romelu Lukaku is key for Chelsea's future.

Ba's place in the squad seems most at risk, but Torres has still to repay the £50million fee paid to Liverpool, as Mourinho admitted earlier this week.

Reunion: Eto'o and Mourinho won the treble at Inter Milan in 2010

Eto'o became Chelsea's fifth signing of the summer transfer window, following Andre Schurrle, Marco van Ginkel, Mark Schwarzer and Willian, who can be expected to provide the ammunition for the striker to score.

'I think Willian he is one of the best players in modern football,' Eto'o said.

The 32-year-old Eto'o began his career with Real Madrid before, following a spell with Real Mallorca, surging to prominence with Barcelona, scoring 152 goals in 232 appearances for the Catalan club.
He has a controversial history with Chelsea.

Following a bad-tempered Champions League encounter at Stamford Bridge, the striker criticised Mourinho, referee Pierluigi Collina and made a claim in the Spanish media that he was called a monkey by a Chelsea security guard. The allegations were swiftly denied by Chelsea.

All smiles: Brazilian playmaker Willian revealed his delight at completing his move to Stamford Bridge

Eto'o, who also played at Stamford Bridge with Inter, added: 'They were always games between two big clubs. They didn't always finish well, but the most important thing is they were spectacular games every time.'

The striker netted 53 goals in 102 appearances for Inter before joining Anzhi in August 2011.

Kucing Himalaya-Parsi

EXCLUSIVE: Transfer record smashed

Gareth Bale is free to join Real Madrid after Tottenham agreed a world record £86million deal with the Spanish giants on Sunday night.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy signed off the staggering move for the PFA Player of the Year following talks with directors in the boardroom at White Hart Lane. Bale’s transfer to Real beats the previous world record of £80m which Real paid to Manchester United for Cristiano Ronaldo in 2009.

Levy returned from talks in Madrid with Bale’s agent Jonathan Barnett and Tottenham director of football Franco Baldini to watch his club’s 1-0 victory over Swansea City after agreeing the deal. It is understood that the decision to travel to Madrid to meet Perez — who is known to revel in these situations — was part of a tactic designed to get the highest possible price.

Spain bound: Gareth Bale is finally free to sign for Real Madrid in a world record fee of £86million

Back to business: Having spent some time off in Spain at his agent's house, Bale will now move on to Madrid

The fee represents an extraordinary return on the £7m Spurs paid Southampton six years ago and will only add to Levy’s reputation as the toughest negotiator in the game.

It also brings to an end one of the most protracted transfer sagas in the history of the game following a summer of talks.

Sportsmail can reveal that Levy has agreed a series of discounts if Real can accelerate the three stage payments discussed during the meeting.

They are staggered over the course of Bale’s incredible £300,000-a-week contract for the next six years.

Life in Spain: Bale has only played one pre-season game for Spurs and will need time to build match fitness

Most expensive ever: Daniel Levy has finally agreed a deal with Real Madrid

The world's top ten transfers

GARETH BALE (Spurs to Real Madrid, Aug 2013)    £85.9m
CRISTIANO RONALDO (Man Utd to Real, June 2009)    £80m
KAKA (AC Milan to Real Madrid, June 2009)    £56.1m
EDINSON CAVANI (Napoli to Paris SG, July 2013)    £55m
RADAMEL FALCAO (At Madrid to Monaco, May 2013)    £51m
FERNANDO TORRES (Liverpool to Chelsea, Jan 2011)    £50m
NEYMAR (Santos to Barca, May 2013)    £48.6m
ZINEDINE ZIDANE (Juve to Real, July 2001)    £45.6m
ZLATAN IBRAHIMOVIC plus Samuel Eto'o (Inter to Barca, July 2009)     £40m
HULK (Porto to Zenit St Petersburg, July 2012)     £39.5m

It means Real could splash out around 10 per cent less than the agreed £86m — but only if they are ahead of schedule with payments.

Levy, along with Barnett and Baldini, thrashed out terms with Perez last week. The last act will be played out when Levy and Perez sign a final formal document, but that is seen as a formality.

Real, who play Granada in La Liga this evening, plan to officially unveil Bale in a grand ceremony at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.

The deal has also been complicated by a series of bank guarantees demanded by Levy during the lengthy negotiations.

Bale originally told the Spurs chairman he wanted to leave during a tense meeting at the Barclays Asia Trophy at the end of last month.

By then the Spurs winger was aware Real were determined to buy him this summer after losing out to Barcelona for Brazilian wonderkid Neymar. 

That prompted weeks of negotiations which have finally been concluded. 

Spurs had hoped to bring in left back Fabio Coentrao as part of the package, but the Real defender doesn’t want to leave Spain.

Galacticos: He will join up with his Madrid team-mates on Tuesday when he is unveiled

Bale, 24, spent two days at his agent’s apartment in Marbella over the weekend and had planned to fly back to the UK last night.

He regularly heads to the south of Spain to stay at the exclusive development during time off which was approved by the club.

Tottenham’s players have been given Monday off following their narrow win against Swansea on Sunday.

Spurs manager Andre Villas-Boas claimed Bale is expected at the training ground on Tuesday to resume a fitness programme, but his career in north London has come to a close.

Villas-Boas added: ‘There is interest from Real and I hope to have more news for you in the next couple of days. We gave him two days off. We never force non-selected players to be present, they are not obliged to be there and regardless he is not training with the team.’ 

Come a long way: It's seven years since he first made his debut for Southampton in the Championship

Levy is also hoping to conclude talks with Roma for the transfer of Erik Lamela, but they are proceeding with caution following the botched attempt to sign Willian.

Spurs are still angry that Chelsea hijacked their £30m move for Willian on Friday. Villas-Boas said: ‘I have nothing to say about this other than good luck to him.’

Lamela was in the Roma team which played Livorno last night, but Spurs are still hoping to  capture the Argentina forward.

Spurs are also close to completing a deal for Steaua Bucharest defender Vlad Chiriches, but the deal faces complications over a work permit.

The Romania international, 23, has agreed to join Spurs, but it is understood his work permit application could be difficult.

Happy now? Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was at White Hart Lane to watch the match against Swansea

Roma winger: Erik Lamela should be Bale's replacement at White Hart Lane

Spurs have agreed a fee of around £8.5m and Villas-Boas expects him to join this week.

Villas-Boas said: ‘There is an interest in the player — but maybe someone will steal him as well. We looked to strengthen because of the departure of Steven Caulker (to Cardiff).’ 

Villas-Boas also has decisions to make on two other players this week as he prepares for the transfer deadline on September 2.

Emmanuel Adebayor was offered to Real as part of the Bale deal, and Spurs are also willing to trade left back Benoit Assou-Ekotto after his mysterious disappearance from first-team training. He is out of the picture under Villas-Boas, losing his place to 23-year-old defender Danny Rose in the opening weeks of the season.

Moving on? Emmanuel Adebayor and Benoit Assou-Ekotto could be on their way out of Tottenham

Menara Lego....

Glob Tertua

Nombor Pendaftaran F1

Pendapatan Model Tertinggi 2013

Alat pemetaan cakerawala hilang ditemui semula

STOCKHOLM – Sebuah alat pengiraan astronomi zaman silam atau astrolab telah dipulangkan ke sebuah muzium di Sweden kelmarin, kata kurator muzium berkenaan.

Katanya, alat yang dicipta pada kurun ke-16 itu digunakan untuk memerhatikan kedudukan cakerawala.

Alat astrolab itu ditemui semula selepas ia dicuri 14 tahun lalu.

“Ia dipulangkan semula hari ini (kelmarin) dan ia telah dipamerkan,” kata kurator Muzium Skokloster, Bengt Kylsberg.

Alat Astrolab itu diperbuat daripada tembaga dan perak di Jerman pada 1590. Ia ditandatangani oleh perekanya Martinus Weiler.

Alat berkenaan digunakan untuk menentukan masa dan memeta bintang-bintang di cakerawala. Alat itu dianggarkan bernilai lebih 400,000 euro (RM1.7 juta)
Kylsberg berkata, objek tersebut berada dalam keadaan baik apabila ia dipulangkan.
Komputer kuno itu hilang pada 1999 dan ditemui semula beberapa bulan lalu apabila seorang pengumpul barang antik di Itali cuba untuk menjualnya.

Pengumpul berkenaan meminta meminta peguamnya untuk mendapatkan nasihat Pendaftar Kehilangan Barangan Seni (ALR) di internet mengenai objek seni yang hilang.

Dia memulangkan alat berkenaan selepas objek tersebut berada dalam senarai barangan seni yang hilang atau dicuri.– AFP

Mourinho optimistik

MOURINHO (kiri) melihat pemain-pemain meraikan kejayaan Lampard menjaringkan gol kemenangan 2-0 Chelsea ke atas Hull City di Stamford Bridge awal pagi semalam.

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LONDON - Pengurus Chelsea, Jose Mourinho yakin skuad The Blues sudah bersedia untuk memasuki era baharu selepas berlaku sedikit pergolakan musim lalu.

Maourinho memulakan kempen dengan langkah kanan apabila Chelsea mencatat kemenangan 2-0 ke atas Hull City dalam aksi pembukaan Liga Perdana England di Stamford Bridge musim ini.

Ocsar dan Frank Lampard menjaringkan gol kemenangan skuad The Blues masing-masing pada minit ke-13 dan 25.

Pada aksi di Stamford Bridge itu, para peminat skuad The Blues memberi penghormatan kepada Mourinho yang kembali menerajui kelab itu selepas menggantikan pengendali sementara, Rafael Benitez musim lalu.

Benitez gagal memenangi hati para penyokong Chelsea walaupun beberapa kali beliau membuat permohonan maaf kerana kelantangannya mengkritik skuad The Blues ketika membimbing Liverpool dahulu.

"Anda telah melihat apa yang Chelsea lakukan dalam tempoh 10 tahun yang lalu. Jadi, saya rasa lebih baik kami lupakan perkara-perkara negatif yang berlaku itu dan memberi tumpuan kepada apa yang berlaku hari ini.

"Saya rasa, adalah penting untuk kami memiliki persekitaran yang sangat baik dan motivasi para pemain juga sangat bagus," kata Mourinho.

Mourinho berkata, buat pertama kalinya, pemilik Chelsea, Roman Abramovich berada dalam bilik persalinan sebelum perlawanan menentang Hull dan beliau telah memberi kata-kata semangat kepada semua pemain serta pegawai-pegawai kelab.

"Saya sangat gembira kerana memiliki skuad yang sangat mantap kali ini. Selepas mengharungi aksi jelajah pra-musim yang memenatkan, kami kini sudah boleh memberikan tumpuan untuk memburu kejuaraan pula.

"Ketika ini, terpulanglah kepada kami untuk melakar sejarah baharu buat pasukan ini," katanya.

Mourinho turut berharap penyerang Manchester United, Wayne Rooney akan menyertai pasukan itu sebelum pintu perpindahan musim ditutup 2 September depan.

"Kami masih lagi berusaha sehingga ke hari terakhir musim perpindahan ini. Kami menyasarkan seorang lagi penyerang," kata Mourinho. - AFP

Ferrari dilelong RM90.37 juta untuk kebajikan

KERETA ini dibeli oleh Eddie Smith pada tahun 1967 pada harga £5,000 (RM25,692) dan dijual dengan harga £17.6 juta (RM90.37 juta)di Monterey, California.- Agensi

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MONTEREY - Sebuah kereta klasik jenama Ferrari dilelong pada harga £17.6 juta (RM90.37 juta) oleh firma lelongan RM Auctions di sini, dalam negeri California sekali gus mencatat rekod jualan kereta tertinggi di dunia untuk kereta sport jenama berkenaan, lapor akhbar Daily Mail kelmarin.

Lapor akhbar itu lagi, hasil jualan tersebut akan didermakan untuk tujuan kebajikan.
Ferrari model 275 GTB/4*S NART Spyder itu dijual oleh keluarga seorang ahli perniagaan dan dermawan, Eddie Smith yang meninggal dunia pada 2007.

Sebelum ini, kereta tersebut dibeli oleh Smith pada 1967 pada harga serendah £5,000 (RM25,692).

Kereta sport unik itu mula mendapat perhatian umum apabila beberapa pakar menjangkakan ia mampu mencecah harga lelongan £10 juta (RM51.3 juta).

Ia dijual minggu ini pada harga jualan melebihi rekod tertinggi yang pernah dicatatkan sebelum ini iaitu s £6 juta (RM30.8 juta) untuk sesebuah kereta jenama Ferrari.

Bidaan kereta itu bermula pada harga AS$16 juta (RM52.55 juta) dan ia meningkat sebanyak AS$1 juta (RM3.28 juta) sehingga mencecah angka AS$25 juta (RM82.1 juta) pada hari Sabtu lalu.

Nilai keseluruhan harga kereta tersebut termasuk premium adalah £17.6 juta (RMRM90.37 juta).

Identiti pembeli kereta itu kekal misteri. Ia dipercayai akan di hantar ke Switzerland sebagai salah satu koleksi peribadi pemilik baharunya. - Agensi

Green Bank tanpa alat elektronik

Bandar Green Bank merupakan bandar penyelidikan dan penduduknya tidak dibenarkan menggunakan peralatan elektronik. - Agensi 

 

WEST VIRGINIA 12 Ogos - Pada zaman ini kemudahan elektronik seperti WiFi, televisyen, radio dan telefon bimbit begitu penting dalam kehidupan seharian manusia di seluruh dunia.

Namun, bagi 149 orang penduduk di sebuah bandar kecil yang dikenali sebagai Green Bank, mereka tidak berpeluang menikmati kemudahan itu, hal ini kerana bandar berkenaan terletak di tengah lingkungan 13,000 kilometer persegi Zon Tanpa Radio Nasional.

Para saintis membina satelit di kawasan tersebut bagi tujuan penyelidikan dan melarang sebarang gelombang daripada alat-alat elektronik peribadi mengganggu isyarat mereka.

Green Bank merupakan rumah kepada pengemudi radio teleskop terbesar di dunia yang dikenali sebagai Green Bank Teleskop. Ia boleh dikatakan sebagai ruang pemantauan satelit tercanggih.

Untuk memastikan operasi teleskop tidak terganggu, bandar tersebut telah mengharamkan penggunaan alat-alat elektronik dan anggota polis turut dihantar membuat rondaan untuk mengesan sesiapa yang menggunakan isyarat tanpa wayar.

Hanya penerima pertama dibenarkan menggunakan radio dan hanya terdapat satu telefon berbayar di sini. Namun begitu, penduduk masih mempunyai akses kepada internet, tetapi pada kadar yang perlahan mengikut tawaran panggilan.

Walaupun begitu, masih terdapat ramai pihak yang berfikiran positif tertarik untuk menetap di sini pada pertengah tahun 2000, untuk melarikan diri daripada kehidupan teknologi, kebanyakan penduduk baharu ini mengalami penyakit Elektromagnet Hipersensitiviti (EHS), penyakit yang tidak diiktiraf di dalam komuniti perubatan.

Salah seorang penduduk, Diane Schou percaya gelombang yang disebabkan oleh objek elektronik membuatkan mereka sakit, sama seperti alahan, Green Bank merupakan satu-satunya tempat yang mereka boleh hidup dengan sihat.

''Hidup di sini tidak sempurna, tiada kedai runcit, tiada restoran, tiada hospital,tetapi di sini sekurang-kurangnya, saya sihat, saya boleh melakukan sesuatu dan saya tidak sakit kepala sepanjang masa,'' katanya. - AGENSI

Artis seni pamer 1,145 patung kertas

KESEMUA 1,145 buah patung itu mengambil masa 3,435 jam untuk disiapkan.- Agensi

SHARJAH, Emiriah Arab Bersatu (UAE) - Seorang artis seni Arab Saudi mencatat nama dalam Guinness World Records apabila dia mempamerkan koleksi patung kertas buatan tangan terbesar secara serentak.

Koleksi tersebut dipamerkan dekat Pusat Seni Maraya di sini kelmarin.

Artis seni berkenaan, Amnah Al-Fard yang mencipta rekod baharu itu dengan mempamerkan 1,145 anak patung kertas.

"Rekod ini adalah untuk pameran patung kertas buatan tangan terbesar di sesuatu tempat.

"Setiap patung itu berbentuk tiga dimensi (3D)," kata seorang pengurus Guinness World Records, Talal Omar kepada saluran berita Gulf News.

Kesemua 1,145 patung itu memiliki ketinggian antara 5 hingga 7.6 sentimeter tinggi dan dipamerkan sejak 7 Julai lalu.

Kejayaan itu merupakan hasil kerja keras Amnah sejak dua tahun lalu. Setiap patung itu mengambil masa tiga jam untuk disiapkan dan sehari untuk dikeringkan.

Amnah berkata, dia mengambil masa selama 3,435 jam untuk menyiapkan projek berkenaan dengan menggunakan 76,200 sentimeter kertas dan 4.5 kilogram gam.

Kata Amnah , dia berasa gembira kerana berjaya mencipta satu rekod baharu dunia. - Agensi