8 August 2005 Liverpool Injury Problems Mount Liverpool goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek has been ruled out for three months after dislocating his right elbow in training ground accident and left back Djimi Traore will be out for a month with a thigh muscle injury. Ferdinand Extends Contract Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has signed a new contract after failing to get himself transferred to another club. It's thought Ferdinand was waiting for Chelsea to make a bid but the Premiership champions showed no interest in the player Manchester United stood by when he was suspended for 8 months after missing a drugs test. Roma Win Transfer Repreive Roma have won their appeal against their FIFA imposed transfer ban. Roma were given a one year ban after their controversial signing of Philippe Mexes last season. Their club's initial appeal was rejected but the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruled in their favour. However Roma must still pay Auxerre €8 million for super flop Mexes. Birindelli Out For Six Months Juventus bench warmer Alessandro Birindelli has been ruled out for six months after damaging knee ligaments during Saturday's friendly against Benfica. 6 August 2005 Zambrotta Extends Contract Gianluca Zambrotta has extended his contract with Juventus until 2010. 3 August 2005 Zidane & Makelele in France Return Zinedine Zidane and Claude Makelele will make a return to international level in a bid to help France reach the 2006 World Cup finals. Zidane (33) said : "I have decided to make a comeback and play for France, one year after I categorically stated I would never play again. I will be in Montpellier (for a friendly with the Ivory Coast). Claude will also make his comeback for the French side. For the very first time in my life I have decided to go back on my word which is very important for me. When I made the decision to retire I was very serious. Today I have made the same decision but in reverse. Of course I am overwhelmed. Yes, I know I have put myself in a position that many people will look at closely and say 'Why didn't he do that earlier? Why now? Why did he wait so long?' Raymond Domenech (the national team coach) has been to see me in Madrid two or three times. We have discussed it a lot together and he told me directly what he wanted from me and Claude." 2 August 2005 Kenyon Dismisses Rivals Chelsea Chief Executive Peter Kenyon ahead of the new season : "The winner of the Premier League will come from a small bunch of one. There will be another two that are trying to compete against us and then I'm sure there'll be another couple out there who are trying to put pressure on those two." Dunn Breaks Foot After Kicking Wall Manchester City defender Richard Dunne will miss the first three months of the season after cracking a bone in his foot. Dunne stepped in as Joey Barton responded to taunts from an Everton supporter during the clubs tour of Thailand. Dunne kicked a wall in frustration after the incident, breaking his foot in the process. Messina Win Serie A Reprieve Messina have retained their Serie A status after successfully appealing against their relegation to Serie A for financial irregularities. Torino (demoted from Serie A) and the Serie B trio of Perugia, Salernitana and Napoli (demoted to Serie C) all failed in their appeals. The four clubs will make a final appeal to the State Counsel on August the 9th, 3 days before the fixture lists are drawn up. Charlton Lose Kiely Charlton's first choice goalkeeper Dean Kiely will miss the first six weeks of the season after fracturing a finger in training. 1 August 2005 Bazzani Wrecks Knee in Friendly Sampdoria striker Fabio Bazzani has been ruled out for six months after damaging cruciate knee ligaments during a pre-season friendly. Bazzani had just returned to Sampdoria after a miserable six month loan spell at Lazio. Benitez - Chelsea Are Worried "I like to hear Mourinho talking about us. Maybe they're worried about us and think we'll be dangerous next season. As for Steven winning trophies, he will win more for us, maybe soon. I like to see people talking about us, it means they are worried and we are an important club. I am convinced that we are a better team now than before, and that is why people talk about us. We are stronger than before and we are a more important team than before." - Rafael Benitez Mourinho - Gerrard Made a Mistake "Gerrard is a great player and we want an English core very much. We normally play a midfield triangle and you can imagine that Gerrard and Frank Lampard, with Claude Makelele just behind them as protection, could be a very strong team but I think it is Gerrard's loss more than Chelsea's. Why? Because Chelsea have good solutions; a good team with the conditions to improve and a club that will be one of the best in the world in a short period of time." "So when he (Gerrard) decides not to join this club it will be a loss for him, for his career. He can say 'I was European champion at Liverpool' and that is correct but I can say to him in the next 10 years we will compare trophies at Chelsea and Liverpool and he'll lose." - Jose Mourinho