News Roundup: Upson and Miranda to Manchester City, The FA Oppose Uefa

West Ham are apparently set to sell Matthew Upson, they need around £10 million to ward off creditors, Manchester City have been linked with Upson in the past and it is reported that Mark Hughes is growing tired of Lescott and Everton playing games, although Upson is aged 30 he would seem a good short term option for City, whether Hughes is interested is still yet to be seen. (Mail on Sunday)
　
Reports in Brazil suggest Manchester City are reported to be chasing Sao Paulo's young centre-back, 24 year old Joao Miranda de Souza (pictured), AC Milan were in the past reported to be interested but have now solved their back-line problems with the recent purchase of Thiago Silva.

Miranda had the following to say, "I am happy and it is very rewarding being considered by such teams," said the Brazil international."

Meanwhile the English Football Association have finally grown some pears by opposing Uefa's planned restrictions on signing players, this bodes well for clubs like Manchester City and other clubs who are also in City's position in the future.

English Football Association chief executive Ian Watmore approves of Manchester City's spending strategy, funded by their Abu Dhabi owners, and says he would like to see it repeated elsewhere in the Premier League.

Uefa are trying to implement rules that would force teams to make transfer fees and players' salaries proportionate to their income as a condition for entry to the UEFA Champions League.

I believe Uefa knows this rule would not affect current Champions League established clubs like Liverpool and United due to the fact they receive a big fat pay cheque from Europe as well as them recieving more cash than most for holding strong positions in their respected leagues so they have no problem covering their means.

Your thinking 'but what about the debt these clubs like Liverpool and United are in, does that not affect them?'

Certainly not, there is nothing in the proposed rule saying clubs in debt will be punished, as long as they live by their means they are fine to carry on in debt.

Watmore also said, "Anything that makes the competition stronger and more deep, I think has got to be welcomed."

"We don't want to see the Premier League becoming a top four procession every year.

"If in the process of the new money coming into Manchester City - and some interesting, I think different strategies that people like Aston Villa are adopting - we can get to seven or eight clubs that realistically have a chance of breaking into the top four, it can only strengthen the Premier League, which is to our mutual advantage."

Watmore doesn't want restrictive measures implemented in England that will force businessmen to instead fund foreign clubs.

"This is a global market and I'd rather have the strongest league here on these shores, which is what I think we have today, then I would see it move to somewhere else," Watmore said. "So, if people are going to bring their money into the game, then let's have it here in this league and make the Premier League even stronger than it is today."

It seems UEFA president Michel Platini has found himself a new friend, please stand up FA chairman David Triesman, both expressed concerns about unchecked spending and mounting levels of debt consuming football clubs in the midst of a global economic crisis.

I say that's extremely hypocritical and two faced considering both Uefa and the FA have watched Man United financially steal the English Premier League for the last how many years exactly?, and accumulate hundreds of millions of debt.

English Football Association chief executive and Arsenal fan, Ian Watmore was appointed Chief Executive of the FA on the 18th of February 2009 but only started work at the FA in June 2009.