Despite all the speculation Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt insists that he has no intentions of leaving Old Trafford. The England international recently revealed his growing frustration with a lack of first team opportunities this season, but the 28-year-old says that he is prepared to stay at the club and fight for a place in Sir Alex Ferguson's starting line-up.
The arrival of midfielders Eric Djemba-Djemba and Kleberson, along with the impressive form of Phil Neville in United's engine-room, has resulted in Butt starting only nine matches this season. However, although he admitted that his lack of playing time could severely affect his chances of making Sven Goran Eriksson's squad for the European Championships next summer, he has no intention of quitting his only professional club.
"I want to stay at Manchester United," said Butt. "People have been saying I want to leave which is not true. I said that I am not happy when I am not playing, which would be the same for any player at the club, and it has been blown out of proportion.
"There have been no rows with the manager. I am not arrogant enough to say I want this or that. I am not naïve. I know I can't expect to be in the England squad next summer if I don't play all season. But it is a long campaign and I have to keep digging away. Hopefully I will get my chance."
Bolton manager Sam Allardyce is preparing to ask Jay Jay Okocha to retire from international football and take his place in the Wanderers' side for next month's Carling Cup semi-final against Aston Villa. Allardyce is frustrated that his influential skipper is set to miss the match as he prepares for Nigeria's African Nations Cup campaign in Tunisia.
"The rules are unfair, it just shouldn't happen," said Allardyce. "If I could get a court order tomorrow I would I'd get one and slap it on Nigeria. The only thing I can do is hope he retires, and I will put the question to him.
"He will probably say no to me because it is the African Nations Cup and it would be like asking a European player not to play in the European Championships. But he will have to have a serious think about it.
"He hasn't played at the Millennium Stadium and I think it would be wonderful for him to have it on his CV. If he gets there and sees what I mean, I think he'll understand the reasons why I'm asking."
Darren Huckerby has hinted that he is in no rush to leave Manchester City, despite a host of First Division promotion hopefuls queuing up to sign him. City boss Kevin Keegan has already accepted bids of £750,000 from West Brom and Norwich for the 27-year-old, who has recently returned from a highly successful loan-spell at Carrow Road.
Wigan, West Ham, Nottingham Forest and Sheffield United are also reported to be interested in signing Huckerby, and Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is also believed to be monitoring the situation closely.
Huckerby's agent Phil Smith said: "He hasn't decided that his future lies away from the club. He would like a chance to play for City again and it will self-evident over the next few weeks whether he will get it or not.
"Too many people are trying to put words into his mouth at the moment and we feel it better to let the matter take its course."
Celtic boss O'Neill, meanwhile, insists he's not in the market for Huckerby because John Hartson is, reportedly, being tracked by Fulham and Birmingham. In fact, O'Neill says the big Welshman is going nowhere because his would-be suitors couldn't afford him!
Hartson still has 18 months left on his contract and O'Neill says: "There are now only two windows of opportunity for people to get players so I suppose it's natural for there to be a lot of talk about players coming or going. To me it's pure speculation.
"There are a number of players out of contract at the end of the season but John Hartson is not one of them. If a player came up to me and said he was absolutely desperate to go and he was worth keeping then I would ask him why and if we couldn't persuade him to stay then that would be a different matter. But so far that hasn't happened."
