Italy's World Cup captain Fabio Cannavaro will see out the twilight of his career in Dubai after signing a two-year deal with United Arab Emirates champions Al-Ahli Wednesday. The 36-year-old defender, who has won an Italian record of 132 caps but has been short of form this term, will move from Juventus after the June 11-July 11 World Cup in South Africa. Chairman Abdullah Al-Naboodah told the club's website (www.alahliclub.ae): “We have signed a contract with 2006 World Cup winner Fabio Cannavaro for two years. “This deal with a player like Cannavaro is one of the most important deals for us because he's a player with great experience and talent. He is also one of the best defenders in the world.” Cannavaro's previous clubs include Napoli, Parma, Inter Milan and Real Madrid. “I was already thinking of moving to Dubai,” Cannavaro added in the statement. He had wanted to finish his career with brother Paolo at hometown team Napoli but club president Aurelio De Laurentiis said he was too old. Capello to stay on as England coach until 2012 Fabio Capello will remain as England coach until 2012, the Football Association (FA) said in a statement Wednesday. The Italian, poised to lead England to this month's World Cup in South Africa, had been linked in Italian and British newspapers with the vacant manager's job at Inter Milan. The 63-year-old Capello has signed an amended contract which removed a break clause option. Inter Milan are looking for a new coach following Jose Mourinho's departure for Real Madrid and the Champions League winners' president Massimo Moratti said this week he would be pleased if Capello was available after the World Cup. Mourinho eyes Gerrard Real Madrid's new coach Jose Mourinho is hoping to make Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard one of his first new signings, a Spanish sports newspaper said Wednesday. “Gerrard, very close to Real Madrid,” headlined the sports daily Marca. Mourinho joined Real on a four-year deal this week in the wake of leading Inter Milan to an historic treble of successes in Italy's Serie A championship, the Italian Cup and Champions League. He replaced Manuel Pellegrini, sacked last week after a barren season having spent 250 million euros on new players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka and Xabi Alonso. The one-time Chelsea boss has said he hopes to boost the team with two wide defenders and two midfielders. Arsenal turns down Barca's offer for Fabregas Arsenal turned down Barcelona's formal offer for Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas Wednesday, saying it has “no intention” of selling its captain. Barcelona club director general Joan Oliver acknowledged that it made a written offer to Arsenal Tuesday at the start of the European football's summer transfer window. Arsenal said it rebuffed two informal approaches from the Spanish league champion before rejecting the bid for a player who has publicly stated his desire to return to the club he left when he was 16.
