MADRID: Real Madrid is preparing a 60-million-euro offer for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas, a deal that could also see the transfer of France striker Karim Benzema to the Gunners, a Spanish sports newspaper said Friday. Fabregas, who has been in the sights of Real as well as rival Barcelona for some time, is now the Madrid club's “number one objective” for next season, the daily Marca said. The 60-million-euro fee that the big-spending club is proposing is more than that offered by Barca for the 23-year-old midfielder, the paper said. The out-of-favor Benzema could be transferred to the London club as part of the deal. Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger won a battle to stop Fabregas joining Barcelona last year in the close-season even though the Gunners' skipper had made it clear he wanted to return to the club where he started his career. “I am a Barca supporter. I am a member (of a club) like my grandfather, my uncle, my cousin ... I am Catalan,” he said last year. The Barcelona-based sports daily Mundo Deportivo said Friday that despite the failure of negotiations last year, Fabregas still has “a transfer agreement with Barca. “The two clubs must agree on the financial amount of the operation,” it said. The paper added that Fabregas is counting on Barca coach Pep Guardiola to exert pressure on his behalf. Fabregas sat out Spain's 1-0 friendly win over Colombia in midweek after falling ill with a stomach upset following Arsenal's 4-4 draw with Newcastle last weekend. West Ham wins bid for Stadium West Ham has been selected over Premier League rival Tottenham to take over the Olympic Stadium after the 2012 London Games. The Olympic Park Legacy Company announced Friday that West Ham was its preferred tenant for the 537 million-pound ($867 million) stadium, which will stage the opening and closing ceremonies and track and field competition in 2012. The decision still requires ratification by two government departments and the London Mayor's office. West Ham plans to downsize the stadium from 80,000 to 60,000 seats and use it as a multi-purpose venue that includes the Olympic running track. Tottenham had proposed taking down most of the stadium and putting up a 60,000-seat football stadium on the same site without a track. Cruyff returning to Ajax Johan Cruyff is returning to his original club Ajax in a bid to help the fading power recreate its former glory. Ajax said late Thursday that Cruyff had agreed to become a member of a “sounding board group” to advise the club on technical issues. Cruyff will be returning to the club that discovered him as a teenager in the 1960s kicking a ball around the Amsterdam streets close to Ajax's former stadium and nurtured him to become arguably the greatest player of his generation. The mercurial midfielder last worked at Ajax as coach, leaving in 1988. West Brom hires Hodgson West Bromwich Albion has hired Roy Hodgson as coach in the hope that England's manager of the year can save it from relegation from the Premier League. The 63-year-old Hodgson has signed a contract tying him to the Premier League's 17th-place club until the end of next season. Hodgson was fired by Liverpool last month despite his status as last season's manager of the year. He was awarded the honor for guiding Fulham to the Europa League final just two years after saving the Cottagers from relegation. West Brom relieved head coach Roberto Di Matteo of his duties last week following a run of 13 defeats in 18 games in all competitions.
