Monday's gossip column


TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Blackburn will renew their interest in Schalke's German striker Kevin Kuranyi this summer after provisionally lining him up in January as a potential replacement for Roque Santa Cruz. (Daily Mail) 
Loan striker Jay Simpson will not remain with West Brom next season as he wants to return to parent club Arsenal to fight for his place. (The Sun) 
Hearts midfielder Bruno Aguiar has hinted he may leave Tynecastle under freedom of contract at the end of the season. (Scottish Daily Express) 
Celtic target Jordi Gomez, currently on loan at Swansea from Espanyol, will wait until the summer before deciding his next move. (Scottish Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes claims he was right to rest Brazilian striker Robinho for the side's 3-1 home defeat to Fulham after fans subjected the Welshman to chants of "you don't know what you're doing". (Various) 
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has fired a warning to Chelsea that the Reds are ready to pull-off another sensational European comeback in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday. (Daily Express) 
However, Chelsea's players are planning to convince temporary manager Guus Hiddink to stay with the Blues beyond the end of the season by winning all their remaining games, says midfielder Michael Ballack. (Daily Express) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is also targeting a 100% winning run-in to the season for his side in a last-ditch bid to claim a top-four finish after Sunday's 3-3 draw with Everton extended their run without a win to 10 games. (The Times) 
Newcastle caretaker boss Alan Shearer was unhappy with the lateness of Obefami Martins' withdrawal from the squad for Saturday's 1-1 draw with Stoke because of a sore groin, after the striker had trained the two previous days. (Various) 
Teenage striker Federico Macheda's stunning start to his Manchester United career is set to be rewarded with a new £10,000-a-week contract this summer. (Daily Mail) 
Former Newcastle executive director Dennis Wise is poised for a swift return to football as manager of QPR after holding talks with Hoops co-owner Flavio Briatore and chairman Gianni Paladini. (Various) 
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is set to sign a new four-year deal with the club, doubling his salary to around £1.5m-a-year in the process. (Daily Star) 
Wigan striker Amr Zaki faces further disciplinary action after being spotted coming out of a Manchester nightclub in the early hours of Friday morning - just 13 hours before the Latics were beaten 4-1 by Arsenal. (Daily Mirror) 
Rangers playmaker Pedro Mendes has been branded a diver by furious Motherwell defender Brian McLean. (Various) 
Scotland legend Kenny Dalglish has urged Barry Ferguson to grow up and apologise to Rangers boss Walter Smith. (Scottish Sun) 
Hibs defender Ian Murray reckons the SPL split is 'crazy' and would like to see it abolished as of next season. (Various) 
Watford manager Brendan Rodgers says a new pitch rather than new players would help him develop his desired passing game at Vicarage Road. (Daily Express) 

AND FINALLY 

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says Russian striker Roman Pavlyuchenko will have to work harder to improve his English after revealing his translator gets in the way during training sessions. (Daily Telegraph)
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