Tuesday's gossip column


TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Arsenal star Cesc Fabregas has conceded he spoke on the phone with former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon.(Skysports)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is preparing an £18m bid for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry has conceded he may have to consider his future if the club do not secure Champions League football by finishing in the top four of the Premier League this season. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth striker John Utaka is set for a return to France, with Bordeaux lining up a £7m swoop. (Daily Star)

Hertha Berlin are only prepared to pay £4m for on-loan Liverpool striker Andrei Voronin, if the German club qualify for next season's Champions League. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland have joined the race for Millwall defender Zak Whitbread. (Daily Star)

Nottingham Forest are preparing a £1m bid for MK Dons midfielder Peter Leven. (Daily Star) Leicester are preparing a £2m swoop for Swindon's star striker Simon Cox. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Newcastle's interim manager Joe Kinnear, who is recovering from a triple heart bypass operation, insists he still has a future at the troubled club. (The Sun) 
Executive director of football Dennis Wise is set to leave Newcastle in a summer shake-up at St James' Park. (Daily Mirror) 
Up to 11 of Newcastle's top earners will be axed from the club, including Michael Owen, Joey Barton and Damien Duff, if the Magpies are relegated this season. (Daily Mirror) 
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho has admitted he would be interested in taking over from Sir Alex Ferguson - when the Manchester United boss decides to quit Old Trafford. (The Guardian) 
Hull say they will call a truce with Arsenal over the alleged spitting incident with Cesc Fabregas, if the Gunners apologise. (The Sun) 
QPR manager Paulo Sousa looks set to be demoted in a new-look shake-up at the Championship club. (Daily Mirror) 
Players from the Sheffield United squad relegated from the Premier League in 2007 are pursuing £5m in compensation over the Carlos Tevez saga. (The Guardian) 
Chelsea's out-of-favour winger Florent Malouda has pleaded with the club to keep him at the end of the season. (Daily Express) 
Scotland boss George Burley could be about to drop five players for the match against Iceland with goalkeeper Allan McGregor, Gary Teale, Christophe Berra, Graham Alexander and Kenny Miller's places all under threat. (The Sun) 
 
AND FINALLY 

Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has spent £100,000 on his 10th wedding anniversary, also hiring X-factor singer Laura White for the party (The Sun) 
Former Poland goalkeeper Jan Tomaszewski believes the blunders by Celtic's Artur Boruc against Northern Ireland were a 'punishment from God' for starting a 'religious war' in Glasgow. (The Sun)