Tevez to trouser £43m in PSG deal

CARLOS TEVEZ is ready to pick up £43million in wages if his £31m move to Paris St Germain goes ahead. 

The proposed 3½-year deal for the Manchester City rebel includes wages of £10m a year, matching what he was on at City. But he will also be given an incredible signing on fee of £8.3m.

The deal for the Argentinian striker, 27, has blown both Milan clubs out of the running.

PSG have completed negotiations with Tevez's advisor Kia Joorabchian.

Now they just need the final OK from the player who had initially favoured a move to either AC or Inter Milan.

PSG boss Carlo Ancelotti said "Everyone knows that we want a striker. Carlos Tevez? It's a great opportunity for us to have a great striker.

"Today Tevez isn't playing for Manchester City — but he wants to play. We hope to find a good solution.

"He is a great player. In around 15 days he could get back into great physical condition."

Tevez has been in Argentina since falling out with boss Roberto Mancini in October.

I want to make this club great again

THIERRY HENRY is determined to make the most of every minute of his brief return to Arsenal.

The Emirates idol is still in dreamland after celebrating his Gunners comeback with an unforgettable FA Cup winner against Leeds on Monday.

Now he has set himself the task of helping the club he loves back into the Premier League's top four.

Henry, 34, expected to be on loan from New York Red Bulls until the end of February, declared: "There is a hell of a competition to qualify for the Champions League this year.

"The team is fifth in the table and that is not what you want to see as an Arsenal fan and, trust me, as an Arsenal player.

"If you think about the way they have recovered from the beginning of the season, it is clear the team is slowly getting into form.

"I am here to help them do that and, even if it is only for 20, 30 or 35 minutes, I will go out and do my best for the team.

"I know my time back with Arsenal is not going to last long, so I'm just trying to take it all in. That's something I didn't do enough of before.

"You know how it is, you come here for a game every three or four days and you don't enjoy it like you should.

"The last time I didn't know when I was going to leave. Now I know exactly when it will be over and I want to make the most of it."

Henry made a point of celebrating Monday's win with fitness coach Tony Colbert and dedicated his goal to the memory of former laundry woman Jean Scorey and Lynn Ann MacLennan, who used to look after his executive box at the Emirates.

He said: "It's very important for me that the families of these two ladies know that we are thinking of them. We need to recognise the work of the people behind the scenes at the club who the public might not see.

"A lot has changed at Arsenal since I moved to Barcelona in 2007. I don't know a lot of people here now and only played with a few of the current players.

"When I moved to the US, I always said I would never come back to play in Europe again.

"But when the team you love and support asks you back, it's hard to say no."

Manager Arsene Wenger has already decided 21-goal top scorer Robin van Persie will return to lead the attack for Sunday's Premier League trip to Swansea and does not know what role Henry will play at the Liberty Stadium.

Henry added: "I am not stupid enough to think I am going to be starting many games.

"I'm not 25 any more so don't expect me to take the ball from the middle of the park and dribble past five or six players.

"Monday night was one of the best moments of my career because it was the first time I wore the Arsenal shirt as an actual fan.

"I became a fan when I left the club in 2007, so now I know exactly how it feels to score for the club that I support.

"It all still feels like a dream. I just hope I don't wake up tomorrow and someone tells me it didn't actually happen."

Scholes, Henry... now it’s big Ron!

BRAZIL legend Ronaldo looks set for the BIGGEST comeback in football.

Ron, 35, has piled on the pounds since hanging up his boots last year.

With Paul Scholes back at Manchester United and Thierry Henry at Arsenal, it seemed Ronaldo just could not resist waddling onto the bandwagon at PSG.

But the supersized Samba star was only in Paris to see old pal Leonardo, the club's sporting director.

Fergie salutes 'extraordinary' Barca

Manchester United manager pays tribue to brilliant Barcelona

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has paid tribute to the side he believes is the best in the world - Barcelona.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of FIFA's annual awards ceremony in Zurich, the Scot was happy to lavish praise on Pep Guardiola as the pair go head-to-head for the Coach of the Year award alongside Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho.

And, whilst Ferguson would love to add to his illustrious medal collection, he's well-aware that Barca are, in his mind, head-and-shoulders above the rest in world football and favourites to retain their Champions League title.

"We have experienced two years of it. It's not a crime and it's not a weakness in my belief in my own team. It's just plain facts that the Barcelona team just now, particularly with Lionel (Messi) in their side, are just an extraordinary team," said Ferguson.

"I can't see anyone taking the trophy from them. Real Madrid are probably the nearest to them.

"Sometimes in football you have to hold your hand up and say, 'yeah, they're better than us'."

Ferguson was also questioned on the possibility of Guardiola succeeding him as manager at Old Trafford, but with the former Spanish international sat next to him, he questioned why the 40-year-old would leave the Nou Camp for the Red Devils.

"Why would Pep want to leave Barcelona first of all? If I was in his position, I would firmly stay where I was."

On the pitch, Barcelona aren't having things all their own way in La Liga, and now sit five points behind Madrid at the top of the table after a disappointing draw against Espanyol in the Catalan derby last night.

Deja voom - Arsenal 1 Leeds 0

THIERRY HENRY capped his fairytale return to Arsenal with the winner to sink Leeds. 

WOW ... Hero Thierry Henry goes wild after his winner

It was just like the good old days as the Gunners legend, 34, came off the bench to light up the Emirates with his 'va va voom' and the only goal of this FA Cup tie.

It was the 227th goal of his stunning Arsenal career.

And an emotional Henry admitted: "It's incredible. I never thought I would play for Arsenal again, let alone score the winner.

"I love this club and I wanted to help out.

"It was an amazing feeling when I scored and hopefully it won't be the last one.

"I will always remember this night. It's kind of weird, 15 days ago I came back from holiday in Mexico and it wasn't the plan to be the hero.

"But it was very important to take that first opportunity because you never know if you are going to get a second and I took it well."

Henry, who is on loan from New York Red Bulls until the end of February, raced straight into the arms of a delighted Arsene Wenger as he celebrated his 78th-minute strike.

The Gunners boss beamed: "It was a dream comeback, the kind of story you tell young kids about football.

"He was already a legend here but tonight he has added just a bit more to the whole story.

"He is a special player who has seen and done it all yet is still focused, motivated and has an immense desire to do well. That's what champions are all about.

"There was a lot of pressure on him because he's a proud guy and he didn't want to come back and disappoint people.

"He knows he'll be compared to what he did before and he always wants to be seen as someone who does well. It's a kind of combat you want to be a success.

"All I told him when I sent him on was to play through the middle. You don't need to tell him too much. He's done it all before.

"You could see straight away that he was a presence on the pitch and if you could find him he would be dangerous.

"It didn't surprise me that he scored tonight but when he was through on goal I thought his angle was a bit too close.

"But he didn't force his shot and still made it look easy. That was the special finishing of Thierry Henry that we all know."

Leeds manager Simon Grayson said: "What happened tonight was written in the stars.

"But my players can be proud of themselves. We were very close to getting a result and we deserved a replay."

HOWZAT! ... Everton keeper Tim celebrates his wonder goal

04 January 2012