BITS AND BOBS

Last updated : 27 June 2007 By Editor

* Tevez:

"There is a true possibility that I will wear the Nerazzurri [Inter] colours next season.

"It's also true that Real Madrid are interested in my services but my agent knows exactly how I feel about it - better Inter than Real.

"I didn't have problems adapting at West Ham. I didn't speak English but nevertheless I made myself understood on the pitch.

"Inter's team is like an Argentina colony. I wouldn't have language issues at Inter."


* The Guardian:

MPs from Leeds yesterday called on the Treasury and tax officials to challenge the creditors' vote that handed control of a debt-free Leeds United to Ken Bates and his associates last month.

The Liberal Democrat Phil Willis who, along with Labour's George Mudie and Colin Burgon held a Westminster meeting with the Treasury minister, Ed Balls, the paymaster general, Dawn Primarolo, and the sports minister, Richard Caborn, said: "We are trying to get the Treasury and HMRC [Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs] to challenge the administrator's decision by July 3. There was £7.7m owed to the taxman and that is no small matter. We had assurances this morning that the taxman is taking this very seriously and we are optimistic a challenge will be raised before [next Tuesday's] deadline.

"To their credit there was nothing we raised in the meeting that came as news to them. This is important to football, not just Leeds United."

Next Tuesday's deadline relates to the end of the cooling-off period during which disaffected creditors may challenge the decision made by the administrator, KPMG, to approve the bid that saw Bates's consortium take over the club after paying only 1p in the pound to creditors.

The MPs showed evidence of the late declaration of debts to directors and associated companies, the existence of which helped swing the vote in favour of Bates's consortium. With 75% of creditors, according to the value of their debts, required to approve the proposal, the final count found 75.2% in favour.