| Germany Wants Arsenal Coach Wenger, Mail Says: Soccer Roundup
July 6 (Bloomberg) -- Germany is prepared to make Arsenal's Arsene Wenger the highest-paid coach in international soccer to tempt him away from the London team, the Daily Mail said.
The German Federation, seeking to replace Rudi Voeller, who quit after his team's first-round exit at Euro 2004, will offer the Frenchman more than the 4 million pounds ($7.3 million) England coach Sven-Goran Eriksson earns annually, the paper added.
Wenger -- who currently makes about half that amount with the Premiership champion, according to the Mail -- said last week he didn't want to succeed Jacques Santini as manager of France.
Santini, who has taken over at Arsenal's London rival Tottenham, wants to buy midfielder Sean Davis from fellow London side Fulham, the Independent reported. The 24-year-old may cost 3 million pounds.
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho said the Blues don't need to buy England striker Wayne Rooney from Everton, papers including the Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail and Sun reported.
The 41-year-old former Porto coach, who succeeded Claudio Ranieri last month, said he ``loved'' Rooney, but the 18-year-old would ``cost too much'' and Chelsea has ``other players with his qualities.''
Mourinho also said yesterday he may buy as many as four players before Chelsea leaves for a pre-season tour of the U.S. on July 21. One player who says he has signed is PSV Eindhoven striker Mateja Kezman, who told the Netherlands' NOS Sportjournaal he was just waiting for a work permit.
Davids for Inter?
Netherlands midfielder Edgar Davids is set to join Inter Milan on a three-year contract, Italian daily Gazzetta dello Sport reported. Davids's agent Robert Geerlings discussed details of the contract with Inter officials yesterday in Milan, the paper added. The 31-year-old will have a salary of 3.5 million euros ($4.3 million) a year, Gazzetta said.
Marseille will today discuss Chelsea's 22 million-pound offer for Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba, according to the Independent and Daily Mirror.
The Football Association may charge Chelsea with illegally approaching Liverpool's Steven Gerrard without the Reds' permission, the Mirror said.
Bolton said on its Web site it fought off competition from Paris Saint-Germain and PSV Eindhoven to sign Tunisian defender Radhi Jaidi, 28, from Esperance de Tunis, which won its last seven national titles.
Ranieri Target
Arturo Baldasano may sell England captain David Beckham if he wins Sunday's election to become president of Real Madrid, the Sun said. Baldasano also said the record nine-time European champion ``could find the money'' to buy Rooney, the Times said.
Ranieri wants to make Leeds defender Ian Harte his first signing at Valencia, while Aston Villa may try to buy Liverpool's Milan Baros, top scorer at Euro 2004 with five goals for the Czech Republic, the Sun reported.
Newcastle and Middlesbrough are competing for the signature of Netherlands striker Patrick Kluivert, a free agent after his contract at Barcelona expired, the Times and Sun said.
Fulham manager Chris Coleman signed a new three-year contract that more than doubles his salary to 800,000 pounds a year, the Sun said.
Thierry Henry denied reports that he had a fight with France and Arsenal teammate Robert Pires during Euro 2004, London's Evening Standard reported. National coach Santini had said he intervened in the row.
``It was the kind of thing that happens in every football team,'' Henry told the Standard. ``It was just an exchange of words. Nothing more.'' | 
