Inter ready to sell star duo

Rome: Inter Milan’s Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Brazil full-back Maicon are on the market if the right offer comes and there is a 50 per cent chance they will depart, president Massimo Moratti has said.

The Italian champion’s two best players have both threatened to leave the San Siro and have been linked to big spending Real Madrid, among other teams.

Pirlo future

Rome: AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi has said the Serie A club is open to offers for Italy midfielder Andrea Pirlo. There is speculation that Pirlo could join former Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti at Chelsea.

Owen to leave

London: Former European Footballer of the Year Michael Owen said Monday he would leave relegated Newcastle United within weeks. “I’m still a Newcastle United player but only for a matter of weeks,” Owen told a TV sports broadcaster.

Real debuts

Madrid: Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka could make their debuts for Real Madrid in a friendly in Dublin against Shamrock Rovers on July 20.

Roque in City

Manchester: Paraguay striker Roque Santa Cruz has been reunited with manager Mark Hughes after joining Manchester City from Blackburn Rovers. Santa Cruz signed a contract with City on Monday in a deal that is reportedly worth $30 million.

Fifa gesture

Johannesburg: Fifa will commemorate the death of Cameroon midfielder Marc-Vivien Foe with a special event before the Confederations Cup final at Ellis Park on Sunday.

Obama for WC

Johannesburg: US President Barack Obama has accepted an invitation to attend the opening ceremony of the World Cup finals in South Africa next year, Fifa president Sepp Blatter said on Monday.

Flu fright

Singapore: Hong Kong’s footballers have become the second team at the Asian Youth Games here to be quarantined after three players got the H1N1 flu, Singapore’s health minister said on Monday. A young Philippine footballer also developed the flu at the Games last week.

Women up

Kazan (Russia): Indian women stormed into the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions Challenge hockey tournament after Ritu Rani’s hattrick fashioned their 8-1 win over Canada Monday.

Lifting bronze

New Delhi: The 16-member Indian weightlifting team ended their campaign with a bronze medal won by Sukhen Dey in men’s 56kg in the junior world championships in Bucharest, Romania. Dey created history by becoming the first Indian male lifter to win a medal in a World Championships by finishing third in snatch (109kg) though he ended fourth overall with a total lift of 241kg (109+132).