Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich playmaker Franck Ribery will stay at the German club for another four years, extending his contract until 2015, according to German newspaper Bild.(Bild) 
In-demand England midfielder James Milner has put potential suitors on red alert by saying he does not know if he will still be at Aston Villa next season.(Daily Mail) 
And Villa's resolve to keep the 24-year-old is set to be tested by Manchester City, who offered £30m for him after having a £20m bid rejected.(Daily Mirror) 
That improved offer may not be enough for City, though, as Chelsea have joined the race for Milner and they believe the lure of Champions League football could prove decisive. (The Sun) 
Villa could also lose forward Ashley Young to Tottenham, who are ready to offer Robbie Keane or Jermaine Jenas as part of a deal for him. (Daily Star) 
Spurs face competition for Young from Manchester city, who enquired about his availability at the same time they asked about Milner. (The Guardian) 
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is so fed up with manager Rafael Benitez he is ready to walk out if he gets the right offer. (Daily Mail) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has his eye on Real Madrid's Brazilian superstar striker Kaka. (Footylatest.com) 
West Ham have been linked with an ambitious £12m swoop for World Cup-bound Toulouse forward Andre-Pierre Gignac. (Caughtoffside.com) 
But the Hammers looks set to lose midfielder Valon Behrami, who is a £5m target for Italian side Palermo.(The Sun) 
Behrami is also attracting the interest of Liverpool, who will use Yossi Benayoun as bait to help land him and defender Matthew Upson.(Caughtoffside.com) 
Manchester United are considering an £18m move for Sevilla's Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano.(Caughtoffside.com) 
Meanwhile Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is being tracked by Juventus, AC Milan and Wolfsburg.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal are poised to make a £16m raid for Marseille midfielder Stephane Mbia.(The Daily Mail) 
The Gunners are also lining up Everton's Mikel Arteta as a replacement for Cesc Fabregas in the event that he joins Barcelona.(footylatest.com) 
Fabregas could be unveiled as a Barcelona player on 4 June or 9 June. ( imscouting.com) 
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure will not be arriving at the Emirates stadium after refusing to consider the move, leaving Manchester City favourites to sign him.(footylatest.com) 
And Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is another who looks set to snub Arsenal, saying he is committed to the Italian side. (imscouting.com) 
Everton hope to tie down midfielder Jack Rodwell to a new deal and ward of interest from Chelsea and Manchester United. (Daily Mirror) 
Atletico Madrid have issued a hands-off warning to Manchester United over their Argentine forward Sergio Aguero.(imscouting.com) 
Aston Villa are eyeing up a season-long loan deal for striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who has returned to Monaco after the end of his loan spell at Tottenham.(The Sun) 
Villa boss Martin O'Neill is also ready to offer £15m for West Ham striker Carlton Cole. (caughtoffisde.com) 
That could signal the end of Emile Heskey's stay at Villa Park, with Stoke ready to move for the England man.(The Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is keen to bring 32-year old Real Madrid striker Raul to Anfield.(The Daily Mail) 
David Nugent, Kevin-Prince Boateng and Nadir Belhadj are set to follow Avram Grant out of Portsmouth.(The Daily Mail) 
Newcastle are planning a £5m bid to take Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas back to St James' Park. (The Sun) 
Toon boss Chris Hughton also wants Porto forward Andre Monteiro but has had a £2m offer rejected.(The Sun) 
Wigan are interested in £5m-rated Spanish striker Adrian Colunga, who plays for Recreativo Huelva. (The Sun) 
West Brom are targeting Racing Santander striker Mohamed Tchite.(The Daily Mail) 
Sunderland are lining up a £4m bid for Stoke striker Tuncay. (Various) 
Sampdoria defender Reto Ziegler is being lined up for a Premier League return as Liverpool eye the former Spurs man.(The Daily Mail) 
Birmingham are set to spend £2m to sign Cardiff striker Jay Bothroyd. (Various) 
Crystal Palace skipper Shaun Derry is set to join Ipswich.(Daily Mirror) 
Preston and Derby are locked in a battle to sign Wayne Rooney's younger brother, John, who plays as striker for Macclesfield. (Various) 
Ex-Arsenal winger and France international Robert Pires, whose deal at Villarreal has run out, has turned down MLS side Philadelphia Union.(Various) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has raised doubts over his future after refusing to rule out a move to Inter Milan. (The Sun) 
Avram Grant is set to take over as West Ham manager after resigning at Portsmouth. (Daily Mirror) 
Pompey, meanwhile, are considering offering their vacant manager's position to goalkeeper David James. (Daily Star) 
New sports minister, Hugh Robertson has warned the Football Association that its new chairman must be independent. (The Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Argentina coach Diego Maradona insulted an injured cameraman after accidentally running over his leg before the announcement of his World Cup squad.(The Guardian) 
Liverpool's first signing of the summer could be a Vietnamese reality TV show star - the winner of the talent contest will win a 12-month deal at Anfield after next week's final. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Newcastle striker Nile Ranger could go on loan next season in search of first-team football according to the 19-year-old's agent.(The Journal) 
Liverpool are close to agreeing a deal for Rangers' defender David Wilson and may also attempt to bring his team-mate Madjid Bougherra to Anfield. Bougherra, a former Charlton defender, is expected to travel to the World Cup with Algeria.(Liverpool Echo) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp hopes to resign Inter Milan midfielder Sulley Muntari. Redknapp first brought the Ghana international to England when he signed him for Portsmouth in May 2007.(Footy Latest) 
Valencia striker David Villa will turn down Manchester United's advances to sign for Barcelona.(IMScouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are ready to smash the British transfer record and bid £45m for Valencia and Spain forward David Villa. (caughtoffside.com) 
Inter Milan are planning to buy Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in the hope that the midfielder's signature will stop manager Jose Mourinho from leaving for Real Madrid.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has revealed he is considering his future at the north London club with Barcelona waiting to pounce if the Spaniard decides to quit the Gunners.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham have made an official approach to sign Fulham striker Bobby Zamora, with boss Alex McLeish undeterred by the failure of his attempts to sign the 29-year-old earlier in the season.(Daily Mirror)
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted that he would like to sign Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, increasing speculation the Spaniard could be heading out of Anfield. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham are hoping to raid Valencia with boss Harry Redknapp preparing a £28m bid for winger David Silva.(caughtoffside.com) 
Barcelona striker Thierry Henry has signed a pre-contract agreement with Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls and will head to the United States in the summer.(the Sun) 
Tottenham are set to sell midfielder Jermaine Jenas and forward Robbie Keane to fund moves for targets such as Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, Chelsea playmaker Joe Cole and Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko.(Daily Star) 
Birmingham City are keeping tabs on Mamelodi Sundowns's South Africa international striker Katlego Mphela. (Daily Mail) 
Fulham are interested in Aston Villa central defender Curtis Davies who cost the club £8m from West Bromwich Albion in 2008.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool are lining up an £8m offer for Werder Bremen striker Mesut Ozil. (caughtoffside.com) 
Blackburn have held preliminary talks over a £450,000 deal for Molde's Norway international midfielder Magne Hoseth. (Daily Mail) 
Nottingham Forest are interested in taking Manchester United's versatile youngster Corry Evans on a season's loan. (Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth striker John Utaka is set to join French side Sochaux in a cut-price £3m deal. Utaka cost Portsmouth a club-record £7m.(Daily Mail) 
Rangers striker Kris Boyd, who is out of contract this summer, says that seven clubs are chasing his signature. He has the chance to move to England with Birmingham, Wolves, Wigan, Newcastle or Middlesbrough or to Turkey with Bursaspor or Ankaragucu. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham is set to accept a coaching role with England at the World Cup after his hopes of playing in the tournament were ruined by an Achilles injury.(the Times) 
Beckham's England team-mate and Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney has revealed that he would like to move into management once his playing days are over.(the Times) 
Portsmouth administrator Andrew Andronikou will demand compensation if West Ham make Pompey boss Avram Grant their new manager. (Daily Mail) 
Midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has told Aston Villa that he is prepared to sit out the remaining year on his contract and leave for free next summer rather than sign agreements with Blackburn or Stoke.(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are prepared to pay only half of Tottenham's £7m asking price to make full-back Alan Hutton's move to the Stadium of Light permanent.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov has admitted that he expects the club to sign a new striker this summer after he scored just 12 goals in all competitions this season.(the Guardian) 
Southampton boss Alan Pardew has been told his job as manager is safe as long as he delivers promotion to the Championship next season.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has allayed fears over the fitness of defender Rio Ferdinand and striker Wayne Rooney by insisting the pair will be fit for England's World Cup campaign.(Manchester Evening News) 

AND FINALLY

Portsmouth are almost £4m better off than previously thought after an apparent oversight in the administrator's report was revealed.(the Guardian) 
Roy Hodgson's run to the Europa League final with Fulham has made him favourite to be named manager of the Great Britain football team for the London 2012 Olympics. An announcement is expected some time next year. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips has backed Manchester United and England skipper Rio Ferdinand as the man to to take on John Barnes' rapping role in a cover of England's 1990 World Cup song "World in Motion".(FourFourTwo)
www.bbc.co.uk

Premier League analyze

Chelsea – Wigan

Nothing much to say about Chelsea. They have a title in the hands and need a win which would be a first Premier-FA Cup double in the club’s history. They play at home where have 16 wins of 18 games, just one draw (Everton 3-3) and one defeat (Man City 2-4). Chelsea surprisingly lost the first game vs.Wigan on the road 1-3, but in nine games before that have eight wins and a draw. Carlo Ancelotti will name the same squad that won at Liverpool.

.

Wigan are probably the most unpredictable side in Premier, usually give their best against strongest sides but slip against bottom clubs. They would surely like to make themselves famous by burying Chelsea at Stamford. But, there’re few problems. Three players are the spine of the team. Chris Kirkland has a finger injury which means Vladimir Stojkovic deputize him again. Stojkovic is a joke and I’m especially annoyed he’s the first option for Serbian national team. Second of those three is Titus Bramble, key defender, who is out with a foot problem. And third is winger Charles N'Zogbia who could return (but won’t be 100% fit) after recovering from an ankle injury.

This won’t be a game for Chelsea that they have to win to stay in the race for a title, progress in the Cup or CL. This is the game for a title and history. 100% of Chelsea is the game where I like to place my bet. And I think it would be insane to keep a minimal lead. Even 2 goal difference could be a kind of risk. On the other hand, there’s nothing that can make me think any kind of surprise is possible. Don’t like to bet on teams that must win, but this is something else. Bet is Chelsea -2.5 ah, best price is 1.90 at 188bet.

Arsenal will play with the strongest squad, including Robin Van Persie. They still have sports motive as they can lose the 3rd spot (need a draw to keep it). But, anyway would like to make a show and a goal fest for the end.
Hodgson asked FA to re-schedule the game for Saturday to make one more day preparation for Europa League final. Was refused, but now has a perfect excuse to name reserve team. Interesting thing is in same occasions when everybody was talking how Fulham are tired, they made excellent results (draws vs. Sunderland and Liverpool and lost 1-2 in last minute vs. Everton). In combination with Fabianski and Cambell, I simply don’t have a stomach for this. No bet.

Drogba and Rooney are equal on the top of the goal scorers list. My gamble for today is Drogba to score a hat-trick @ 11.00 bet365.

To see more opinions, check soccervista.com/forum. We're better than any paid service. Visit us and join the crew.

.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

Tuesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Wigan are unlikely to make goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic's loan move from Sporting Lisbon permanent at the end of the season.(imscouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are on the trail of £10m-rated Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega with Latics boss Roberto Martinez already lining up Espanyol forward Jose Callejon as a replacement.(The Sun) 
Juventus are lining up a £12m bid for Tottenham's Wales international full-back Gareth Bale in the summer.(caughtoffside.com) 
AC Milan are set to beat Manchester United to the signing of France international forward Karim Benzema by offering Real Madrid a swap deal involving Brazilian striker Pato.(imscouting.com)
Midfielder Boudewijn Zenden is not sure that he has done enough to earn a new Sunderland contract, despite his spectacular volleyed goal against Tottenham on Saturday.(Daily Star) 
Roberto Mancini is in negotiations with his former club Inter Milan to bring striker Mario Balotelli, who has fallen out with Jose Mourinho, to Manchester City.(caughtoffside.com) 
Martin O'Neill is planning to offer Tottenham £11m for striker Robbie Keane, who is currently on loan at the Aston Villa manager's former club Celtic.(caughtoffside.com) 
Arsenal are monitoring Paris St Germain midfielder Clement Chantome after the 22-year-old voiced his dissatisfaction with life at the Ligue 1 side.(Daily Mirror) 
Major League Soccer chiefs are hoping to tempt a raft of French stars to bring their careers to a lucrative end in the United States' domestic league. Barcelona forward Thierry Henry, Villareal midfielder Robert Pires and Manchester City anchorman Patrick Vieira will all be approached.(imscouting.com) 
Celtic are on the trail of Southampton's £2m-rated England Under-21 midfielder Adam Lallana.(The Sun)
Sunderland's on-loan Tottenham right-back, Alan Hutton, is being chased by Newcastle, who clinched promotion to England's top flight on Monday. (Daily Express) 
Former Rangers player John Brown has urged defender Danny Wilson to resist a move to Liverpool or Tottenham to stay at Ibrox. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says that midfielder Joe Cole will "definitely" sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.(The Sun) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan left out Gary O'Neil for Monday's night match against Plymouth with the midfielder one match away from triggering a £1m payment to former club Portsmouth.(Daily Star) 
Fabio Capello has been reassured that Manchester United will not play Wayne Rooney against Bayern Munich if there is any risk to his long-term fitness.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Arsene Wenger will include Sol Campbell in the heart of his Arsenal defence for their Champions League second-leg quarter-final match against Barcelona.(The Sun) 
Bayern Munich are set to welcome back winger Arjen Robben and defender Daniel van Buyten from injury for Wednesday's trip to Old Trafford.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are the underdogs in the race for fourth place in the Premier League and Champions League qualification, according to captain Steven Gerrard.(The Guardian) 
Vejle Boldklub left-back Euan Holden says he would consider a call to the Scotland squad despite older brother Stuart, of Bolton, having chosen to play for the USA. (Various)

AND FINALLY

Gianfranco Zola has invoked Bill Shankly's famous line about football being "more important than life or death" as he tries to inspire West Ham for their fight against the drop.(Daily Mail) 
Iran's girls' football team have been ejected from the Youth Olympic Games because Fifa rules prevent players wearing Islamic headscarves.(Herald Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Ex-Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini would rather remain at AC Milan than return to England amid reports the Italian club will offer the France international a new deal. (PA)
Juventus director Roberto Bettega insists goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is not for sale and is confident the Italy international will still be be playing for the Serie A giants next season. (PA) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Inter Milan are set to launch a bid for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (imscouting.com) 
Arjen Robben has called for Chelsea and Real Madrid target Franck Ribery to stay at Bayern Munich. (imscouting.com) 
Chelsea are closing in on Real Madrid's £10m-rated Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart. (The Sun) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp insists he has no interest in signing Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, who is likely to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. (The Guardian) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has rejected a a bid by Spartak Moscow to sign winger Albert Riera on loan. (Daily Mail) 
Fulham are favourites to snap up Wigan defender Paul Scharner when he quits at the end of his contract in the summer.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is lining up a £1m bid for Notts County goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel.(Daily Mirror) 
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has been put up for sale by the Serie A giants, who hope to lure Manchester City and Bayern Munich into an auction to raise £30m for the Italy international.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

England and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has lost his position as the best paid footballer in the world to Lionel Messi, with the Barcelona forward's annual pay rising to £29.6m.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal captain William Gallas is ready to sign a new contract following showdown talks between the club and his agent Pierre Frelot.(Daily Mirror) 
Gunners midfielder Andrey Arshavin has claimed the north Londoners will not win the title because they do not have enough "real stars". (Various) 
Meanwhile, Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed striker Robin van Persie is looking "very sharp" and could be back playing before the end of the season. (The Independent) 
West Ham are set to launch their bid to rent the Olympic Stadium after the Games in 2012. (The Independent) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is confident he will still be in he job next season, even if he wins nothing this term.(Various) 
Everton manager David Moyes believes Manchester City's megabucks stars have no genuine feeling for their club. (Daily Star) 
Peterborough boss Jim Gannon is poised to sign a new four-year contract. (Daily Star) 
England coach Fabio Capello has been given a boost after Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti confirmed that Blues defender Ashley Cole will be able to resume running in training in a fortnight as he steps up his rehabilitation from a fractured ankle.(The Guardian) 
Outgoing Football League chairman Lord Mawhinney has accused the Football Association of failing to face up to its structural problems in the wake of the shock departure of its chief executive, Ian Watmore.(The Guardian) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has spoken out against Wembley Stadium being used for sports other than football following the disunity at the FA that led to Watmore's resignation.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville will be handed a one-year contract extension by the club this summer.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has criticised Jamie O'Hara for saying he hopes Spurs lose their FA Cup quarter-final replay against Fulham to give the on-loan Portsmouth midfielder the chance of playing in the FA Cup final at Wembley.(Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea and Manchester City have been alerted after Valencia decided they will sell Spanish international striker David Villa this summer, with the price likely to be about £40m.(The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Manchester United could move for Villa's Valencia team-mate David Silva, with the attacking midfielder likely to fetch around £20m. (The Sun) 
Internacional defensive midfielder Sandro, 21, flew to London on Monday night to undergo a medical with Tottenham but the Brazilian will not officially join Spurs until the summer.(imscouting) 
Inter Milan's Brazilian full-back Maicon, 28, is being lined up for a move to Real Madrid in the summer - although Manchester City could still be an option for the defender. (imscouting) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has shelved his plan to sign Roman Pavlyuchenko from Tottenham because the striker's recent form has been too good. The Blues had a £10m bid for the Russian turned down in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has lined up a deal to sell Albert Riera to Spartak Moscow. It follows the midfielder's outburst in which he described the Anfield club as "a sinking ship". 
(Daily Mail) 
Everton are planning a £650,000 summer swoop for Portugal Under-20 striker Joao Silva, who plays for Desportivo das Aves and is the top scorer in his country's second division. (Daily Mail)
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy hopes to land Ghana striker Jordan Ayew, 19, from French club Marseille - possibly on an initial one-year loan deal. (Daily Mirror)
West Bromwich Albion could make a move for defender Calum Davenport, 27, who is a free agent after being released by West Ham.(The Sun) 
Queens Park Rangers will send on-loan goalkeeper Carl Ikeme, 23, back to Wolves so manager Neil Warnock can bring in more loan signings. (Daily Star)
Doncaster say they cannot afford to sign on-loan striker Billy Sharp, 24, in the summer because his club Sheffield United want £1.5m for him. (Daily Star) 
Former Celtic striker Chris Killen wants to stay with Middlesbrough beyond the end of his current contract, which expires this summer. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has owner Roman Abramovich's full backing - unless the Stamford Bridge outfit have a disastrous end to the season. (Daily Star)
Or Ancelotti has 21 days to rescue Chelsea's season and his job or he will be shown the door.(Daily Mirror) 
Meanwhile, Chelsea's injury problems have worsened, with the news that Branislav Ivanovic has been ruled out for a month, leaving the club without their first (Jose Bosingwa) and second-choice right-backs. (Daily Mail) 
Barcelona's French striker Thierry Henry says he does not want to play against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter-final - and he will not celebrate if he scores against his former side. (Daily Express) 
The Premier League's sale of its overseas broadcasting rights for 2010 to 2013 will raise about £1.4bn, more than double the previous level and a leap of £13m per club, per year.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is confident Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano will commit his long-term future to the club. (The Times) 
Former Charlton and West Ham United boss Alan Curbishley is ready to take over as manager of Championship side Bristol City following Gary Johnson's departure last week. (Daily Star)

AND FINALLY

Days after rapper P Diddy was linked with a move to buy Crystal Palace, fellow hip hop superstar Jay-Z has revealed he could be interested in investing some of his estimated £500m fortune in Arsenal.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has sanctioned a £50m bid for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. (Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has been assured that he will keep his job, despite a clear-out of the playing staff that will result in midfielders Joe Cole and Deco heading through the Stamford Bridge exit.(Daily Mirror)
Celtic's hopes of hanging on to on-loan striker Robbie Keane may be over, with Aston Villa targeting a £9m summer move for the Tottenham player.(Daily Mirror) 
Alternatively, Villa could make a move for Wigan's £15m-rated forward Hugo Rodallega.(Daily Mail) 
Juventus president Jean Claude Blanc has quashed Arsenal's hopes of reviving a bid for midfield anchorman Felipe Melo. (The Sun)
Celtic may be interested in signing QPR's Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin in the summer.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko wants to help Spurs secure a Champions League place but admits he may not be at the club next season.(Daily Mail) 
Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer has invited Liverpool and Manchester United to make a big-money approach to back up their reported interest.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool winger Albert Riera has hit out at manager Rafael Benitez and said: "His dialogue with the players is practically zero." Riera also branded the Reds a "sinking ship".(Marca in Spanish) 
In the wake of their Champions League defeat by Inter Milan, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich challenged his players to prove they are worth their pay packets and threatened manager Carlo Ancelotti with the sack unless he wins the Premier League title.(Daily Mail) 
The Glazer family are weighing up another round of refinancing to stave off the challenge to their ownership of Manchester United posed by a group of businessmen dubbed the Red Knights.(The Times) 
Liverpool's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been given three weeks to decide whether to accept an investment offer of £100m from the New York-based Rhone Group.(The Independent) 
Prospective Portsmouth owner Rob Lloyd remains optimistic he can clinch a deal for the troubled club, despite administrator Andrew Andronikou's doubts over the group he fronts.(The Telegraph) 
Celtic could play Scotland in a testimonial match at Parkhead on 16 May for injured Hoops defender John Kennedy. (Daily Record) 
West Ham risk upsetting some of their big-name players after withholding image rights payments as part of a tax investigation.(The Guardian) 
Aaron Lennon could give Tottenham and England a welcome boost by returning from his groin injury for the game against Chelsea on 17 April.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Fulham forward Bobby Zamora believes that age is catching up with Juventus defender Fabio Cannavaro and that he might find some success against the 36-year-old in their Europa League second-leg match on Thursday evening.(The Independent) 
Reading defender Matt Mills has apologised to Reading fans after making an abusive gesture at them in reaction to barracking during the Royals' 1-0 win over QPR on Tuesday.(The Sun) 

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is considering a bid for Benfica's £10m-rated Brazilian defender David Luiz. Manchester United and Real Madrid are also interested in the 22-year-old. (Daily Mirror) 
Cesc Fabregas will resist interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid and decide to stay at Arsenal, according to the man who discovered the Gunners star. Scout Francis Cagigao said reports he had agreed to join Barca in the summer were wide of the mark. (Daily Mail) 
Real Madrid have stated their intention to keep new signing Sergio Canales for the long term, by slapping a massive 150m Euro (£135m) release clause on the 19 year-old's contract. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all reportedly interested in the attacking midfielder. (IM Scouting) 
Manchester United are tracking Dinamo Zagreb playmaker Milan Badeli. The 21-year-old Croatian is also attracting interest from German sides Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. (IM Scouting) 
Italian giants Juventus have joined Manchester City in the chase for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain. The 22-year-old is also reported to have a 150m euro release clause. (IM Scouting) 
Blackburn outcast Steven Reid is set to join Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are in talks with Paraguay star Cristian Riveros. Manager Steve Bruce wants to sign the midfielder from Mexican side Cruz Azul before the World Cup. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa defender Habib Beye has threatened to quit Aston Villa - barely seven months after joining them from Newcastle. The 32-year-old Senegal international is upset at his lack of first-team opportunities. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias says the club has been taken off the market because no-one was willing to bid enough money for it. (Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester City keeper Shay Given insists Brazilian forward Robinho, who is on loan at his boyhood club Santos, will return to Eastlands next season. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Fulham defender Chris Smalling has admitted that his summer move to Manchester United came as a complete surprise to him. The 20-year-old was working as a waiter 18 months ago. (Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Striker Fernando Torres says he would rather move to Spanish side Barcelona, than stay in English football if he is forced to leave Liverpool. The Reds may have to sell Torres, 25, to help repay the club's financial debt with Chelsea and Manchester City interested. (IM Scouting) 
Manchester City are on red alert as Real Madrid's top scorer Gonzalo Higuain has turned down a new contract offer amid reputed interest from the Eastlands outfit.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that he retains an interest in Brazil and Juventus defensive midfielder Felipe Melo, as he plans for the longer term without the stricken Aaron Ramsey.(The Guardian) 
Wigan and Stoke are keen on Serbian defender Dusko Tosic, who is a free agent after leaving cash-strapped Portsmouth.(The Daily Mail) 
David Beckham will return to to play for LA Galaxy in the United States after the World Cup. The England midfielder, 34, is currently on loan with Italian side AC Milan. (The Sun) 
Everton are leading the chase for West Brom's highly-rated Graham Dorrans. The Scottish midfielder, 22, has hit 13 goals this term. (The Sun) 
Manchester United midfielder Nani has urged manager Sir Alex Ferguson to press ahead with his bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso. Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are all interested in the 23-year-old.(The Sun) 
Bolton boss Owen Coyle wants to sign United States midfielder Stuart Holden on a full-time deal after his impressive start at the Reebok Stadium. The 24-year-old is on a short-term contract to the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth will be offered a staggering £32m rescue deal from the Premier League to pay their tax bill and avoid going bust this season. (Daily Mirror) 
Defender Wayne Bridge will play for England again, according to his Manchester City team-mate Kolo Toure. (The Telegraph) 
Russia's bid to stage the World Cup in 2018 could be set to benefit from the political and financial firepower of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. (The Telegraph) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has poured cold water over reports suggesting he will quit the Blues to take over as Italy boss after this summer's World Cup. (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed he quite fancies the Italian job, but not just yet: "Now I'm thinking only of City. I will be here many years." (The Sun) 
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone faces a long injury lay-off after a scan revealed he suffered ankle ligament damage against Everton. (The Daily Mail) 

.

AND FINALLY

England captain Steven Gerrard says his wife, Alex Curran, will not be at the World Cup in South Africa with him, unless they reach the semi-finals. (Various)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is set to join former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid in a £20m deal.(Daily Mail) 
Real Madrid legend Raul has been linked with a move to the United States to join New York Red Bulls at the end of the season.(The Independent) 
Coventry are planning a summer bid for Derby striker Rob Hulse after having an approach to sign him on loan rejected earlier this week.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea defender Alex is wanted by German club Bayern Munich.(Daily Mirror) 
Mikael Silvestre is set to leave Arsenal after being snubbed by boss Arsene Wenger for last Wednesday's clash with Liverpool.(Daily Mirror) 
Marouane Chamakh will be an Arsenal player this summer after agreeing to a four-year, £10.4million deal.(Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Kolo Toure believes Patrick Vieira's "winning mentality" can help Manchester City end their 41-year wait for FA Cup success.(The Guardian) 
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp says he will not sacrifice his club's FA Cup ambitions in favour of Tottenham's bid to break into the top four.(The Guardian) 
Manager Carlo Ancelotti has laid down the law to his wayward Chelsea stars and warned: "If our form starts to suffer, I will act".(Daily Express) 
Wayne Rooney has revealed that he is limited to five sponsorship deals by his Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.(Independent) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed the full story behind his chaotic seven months at Notts County and the bizarre sequence of events that began with hopes of a multi-million-pound revival for the Football League's oldest club only to end with it on the brink of financial collapse.(Guardian) 
Manager Roberto Mancini is to net a £9million three-year contract extension from Manchester City's wealthy owners.(Sun) 

AND FINALLY

England manager Fabio Capello has urged Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to rest Wayne Rooney to keep him fresh for this summer's World Cup in South Africa.(Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has defended the club following Wigan counterpart Roberto Martinez's criticism of their pursuit of defender Maynor Figueroa. (Press Association) 


TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool winger Ryan Babel has been informed by manager Rafael Benitez that he will not be sold before the January transfer window closes on Monday.(The Times) 
Birningham have, meanwhile, made a fresh inquiry for Babel and had an improved £9m bid for Roman Pavlyuchenko turned down by Tottenham.(Daily Mail) 
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan will not prevent Maynor Figueroa leaving for "a good club" despite the Honduras international signing a new contract on Friday.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has made a fresh offer for Marouane Chamakh in a bid to snap up the Bordeaux striker on a pre-contract.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City have made a £7m move for Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga.(Daily Mail) 
Wolves have held talks with Blackburn Rovers striker Jason Roberts and hope to conclude a £2m deal. (Daily Mail) 
David Dunn has urged Blackburn to bring in James Beattie from Stoke as Benni McCarthy's replacement. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP

John Terry faces an anxious wait to discover if further damaging revelations regarding his private life will cost him the England captaincy. (Various) 
Rafael Benitez has warned Liverpool that they must deliver on a string of promises if he is not to be lured away by Juventus in the summer.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has suggested that the way he man-manages his thirtysomethings at the club will hold the key to the club's hopes of winning the Premier League title.(The Guardian) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned his players to be wary of Wayne Rooney's gamesmanship in Sunday's league match between the Gunners and Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium.(Daily Mail) 
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon has suffered a fresh setback and could need a hernia operation only four months before the start of the World Cup.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has demanded that the club's fans end their obscene taunts directed at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham are to hand Tottenham a £5,000 bill for putting up Eidur Gudjohnsen in a plush London hotel and paying for a medical before he opted for a last-minute move to Spurs.(Sun)
Martin O'Neill is furious with Arsenal chief Arsene Wenger for labelling Aston Villa a long ball team after the goalless draw between the sides in mid-week at Villa Park.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Boss Roberto Mancini is so sure about his Manchester City future he is looking for a house in the area.(Independent)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United have joined Tottenham in the race for £18m-rated Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko - as they prepare to let winger Zoran Tosic join Cologne. (Daily Mail) 
But United face the prospect of losing Wayne Rooney to Real Madrid, who have hired super-agent Pini Zahavi to negotiate a deal for the striker.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have had a £2m bid for Victor Moses turned down - and Arsenal may step in for the Crystal Palace forward.(Daily Star) 
City have also missed out on Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Canales, who has agreed a £5.5m move to Real Madrid. (Daily Mail) 
Meanwhile, Robinho is close to leaving Eastlands for Brazilian club Santos - who sold the 25-year-old to Real Madrid in 2005 - in a loan deal until the end of the season.(The Sun) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says that midfielder Joe Cole, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will remain at the club next term. (The Guardian) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has admitted that Aston Villa's Habib Beye is on his radar after a deal to sign Hamburg defender Guy Demel broke down.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn are keen to sign Barcelona forward Eidur Gudjohnsen on loan and are also interested in Stuttgart's Turkish midfielder Yildiray Basturk. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham are set to sign South Africa striker Benni McCarthy from Blackburn Rovers on loan for 18 months to get around work permit issues. (Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn Rovers winger Morten Gamst Pedersen is in talks with Turkish giants Fenerbahce over a January move. (Daily Mirror) 
Fulham have made a bid for FC Basle's £6m-rated Switzerland striker Marco Streller.(Daily Mail) 
Burnley defender Clarke Carlisle is a cut-price target for both Bolton and West Ham. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

New Bolton boss Owen Coyle and keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen have been involved in a training-ground bust-up after former Burnley goalkeeping coach Phil Hughes was appointed at the expense of Jaaskelainen's mentor Fred Barber. (Daily Mail) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has tipped Everton manager David Moyes to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United once the Scot decides to leave Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror) 
Michael Owen has asked Manchester United team-mate Wayne Rooney for advice on how to get back into Fabio Capello's England squad.(The Guardian) 

AND FINALLY

New West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has suggested the team could be renamed "West Ham Olympic" if they move into the London 2012 stadium. (The Sun) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has cranked up the tension with neighbours City yet further ahead of next Wednesday's second-leg Carling Cup tie by insisting the Blues do not have the mental strength to win the tie. (Daily Mirror) 
The Football Association is sending back thousands of World Cup tickets they failed to sell to their official supporters club. Fans have not taken up 6,000 of the 29,000 tickets allocated by organisers to the FA. (Daily Mirror) 

Manager Darren Ferguson has refused to let his Preston players watch a DVD of Chelsea's 7-2 drubbing of Sunderland, in the run-up to their clash with Carlo Ancelotti's side in the FA Cup.(Daily Telegraph)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United's financial problems may result in them having to sell star asset, striker Wayne Rooney. (Daily Express) 
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is battling to seal a shock season-long loan move for Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Wigan striker Amr Zaki, who currently plays for Egyptian side Zamalek, is set to join Stoke in a £1m deal. (The Sun) 
Liverpool have made a shock offer for Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici, who played in the Royals' 2-1 FA Cup victory at Anfield on Wednesday. (Daily Mail)
Manchester City, Arsenal and Liverpool are all chasing Racing Santander's 18-year-old striker Sergio Canales. (The Independent) 
Brazil midfielder Sandro has claimed his £6m move to Tottenham is a "dream come true". Sandro, 20, has agreed to move to White Hart Lane but his club Internacional want to keep him until they finish their Copa Libertadores campaign, which is South America's equivalent of the Champions League, in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham have been offered the chance to sign Legia Warsaw keeper Jan Mucha, who is also attracting the interest of of Stoke. (The Sun)
Spurs are also keeping tabs on midfielder Joe Cole's contract negotiations with Chelsea. (The Independent) 
Portsmouth are trying to sign Egypt striker Emad Moteab. The 26-year-old scored in his country's 3-1 victory over Nigeria at the Africa Cup of Nations on Tuesday.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is considering a fresh approach for Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko. The 26-year-old, who is 6ft 5in and has scored 67 goals in 92 games for his Austrian club, is available for £6.5m. (Daily Mail) 
Birmingham are also chasing Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, 28, after Liverpool forward Ryan Babel, 23, refused to move to St Andrew's.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn are leading a quartet of Premier League clubs in the chase for Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. Bolton, Wigan and Hull are also interested in the 25-year-old, who could leave Villa for £5m.(The Times) 
But midfielder Reo-Coker is set to reject an approach from Blackburn.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are looking for a Spanish club to loan their new Bolivian attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo to. The 17-year-old will struggle to get a work permit to start playing in England.(Daily Mirror) 
Burnley boss Brian Laws is going back to his old club Sheffield Wednesday with a £1.5million bid for keeper Lee Grant. (Daily Mirror) 
Fulham will tie up the loan signing of exciting young Roma striker Stefano Okaka Chuka, 20, next week.(Daily Mirror) 
Former England manager Steve McClaren wants to take Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, 18, on loan to his FC Twente side in the Netherlands.(Daily Mail) 
But new Bolton manager Owen Coyle is also attempting to take Wilshere to the Reebok Stadium in a loan deal. (The Independent) 
Hull are lining up a £1.25m bid for Derby winger Kris Commons.(The Sun) 
The arrival of Commons could signal the departure of Hull midfielder Stephen Hunt to Wolves, with manager Mick McCarthy upping his offer for the Irishman to £3.5m. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool's shock FA Cup defeat by Reading on Wednesday has put manager Rafael Benitez on the brink of losing his job. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United may be forced to sell Old Trafford to help reduce the club's reported £700m debt.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United are also exploring the possibility of selling their training base at Carrington.(Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea will discover at a Premier League tribunal on Thursday how much they must pay Manchester City for signing Daniel Sturridge. The 20-year-old striker clinched a four-year deal with the Blues last summer, with City wanting £10m and Chelsea offering £3m.(The Times) 
Blues boss Carlo Ancelotti is prepared to do nothing in the January transfer window - after being told by the club board they will win their appeal against the Fifa transfer ban, which is currently in place until June 2011. (Daily Mirror) 
Paul Hart is fighting to save his job as QPR manager after falling out with midfielder Adel Taarabt. The 56-year-old only took over as boss in December. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Manager Roberto Mancini plans to overhaul his Manchester City players' pre-match meal, introducing pizza and wine to the menu. "You need chicken, pizza, carbohydrates, even a glass of wine, but they are not on the table," he said.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are ready to swoop for £36m Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, the Stamford Bridge outfit are ready to offer straight cash for the big Bosnian front man, where as fellow suitors AC Milan want to try and do a swap deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says striker Robbie Keane will only leave White Hart Lane if someone offers £50m for him. Aston Villa and Celtic are interested in the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland forward. (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Spurs are locked in a £7m race with Lyon to sign Dinamo Zagreb defender Dejan Lovren, 20.(The Sun) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he is considering re-signing Sol Campbell - it would be the first time Wenger has re-signed a player for the Gunners.(Daily Mirror) 
However, despite having a transfer budget of about £35m, Wenger insists he does not need to buy a striker as Nicklas Bendtner is set to resume full training next week. (The Independent) 
Liverpool are tracking Wolves utility man Richard Stearman, the 22-year-old can play right-back and centre-half and manager Rafael Benitez sees the former England under-21 man as ideal cover for the injured Glen Johnson. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is ready to table a £4m bid for Sporting Gijon's Spain Under-21 left-back Roberto Canella - who also interests Aston Villa. (The Sun)
Fulham are considering a move for 26-year-old Panathinaikos winger Dimitris Salpigidis. The Greece international, who is available for £1m, has also attracted interest from Birmingham and Stoke. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham have made a bid to sign Belarus striker Sergey Kornilenko, 26, on loan from Zenit St Petersburg. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester City are keen on signing Crystal Palace's £5m-rated 19-year-old striker Victor Moses. Palace are understood to have already received a £1.5m offer from Championship side West Brom. (The Independent) 
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is hopeful of signing a new striker next week. With Carlton Cole out injured, the Hammers have been linked with former Upton Park man Marlon Harewood, surplus to requirements at Aston Villa. Stoke's James Beattie and Eidur Gudjohnson of Monaco are also in the frame. (Daily Star) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce insists striker Kenwyne Jones is not for sale. Birmingham are weighing up an £11m bid for the Trinidad & Tobago star while Liverpool, Arsenal and Stoke are all admirers of the big striker. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle fans have pledged more than £50m to buy out owner Mike Ashley and take control of the club. The scheme is fronted by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust. (The Mirror)
Burnley are set to offer Leeds boss Simon Grayson five times his current pay deal to become their new boss after Owen Coyle left for Bolton. (The Mirror) 
Manchester City have insisted on a six-month get-out clause with new midfielder Patrick Vieira, just in case the former Arsenal star fails to make the grade at Eastlands.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sent out a clear message to Real Madrid and Barcelona - Cesc Fabregas will still be an Arsenal player next season. The 22-year-old midfielder's contract runs to 2015. (The Sun) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned midfielder Joe Cole that his performances will have to improve if he wants to be part of England's World Cup squad. (Daily Mirror) 
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has emerged as a leading contender to replace Owen Coyle at Burnley.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is so fed up with freezing conditions ruining training that will take his players to Dubai if Saturday's game at Birmingham is called off.(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Defender Sol Campbell is set for a shock return to Arsenal, but only if manager Arsene Wenger sells Philippe Senderos in the January transfer window.(Daily Mirror) 
Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is delaying signing a new contract with the club until they can guarantee the signing of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.(Daily Star) 
However, Spanish rivals Real Madrid are preparing to derail Barcelona's attempt to sign Fabregas. President Florentino Perez and director general Jorge Valdano have held talks about a £43m bid.(The Sun)
Manchester City are on the verge of signing Argentine defender Cristian Ansaldi for £4m from Rubin Kazan. (The Times) 
Liverpool have entered the race to sign Marouane Chamakh with the offer of a pre-contract agreement for the Bordeaux striker, who can leave the French club for nothing at the end of the season.(The Guardian) 
Wolves have made a £3m offer for Hull winger Stephen Hunt.(The Sun) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is willing to make Kenwyne Jones the club's highest earner if he can lure him from Sunderland, but is unwilling to pay the £11m the Black Cats want for the striker.(The Times) 
Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who is now at Monaco, is closing in on a £2m move to Blackburn.(The Sun) 
But Gudjohnsen is also wanted by West Ham and Tottenham.(Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan has blocked Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz's proposed £1.5m move to Greek club Panathinaikos.(Daily Mail) 
Hull boss Phil Brown is chasing Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood, who is currently on loan at Championship side Newcastle.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are expected to conclude a £1.5m deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez in the next 24 hours.(The Times) 
And Reds boss Rafael Benitez also wants to sign Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici for £2m.(The Sun) 
Winger John Utaka is set to start an exodus at cash-strapped Portsmouth by joining French side Sochaux. (Daily Mirror) 
Defender Younes Kaboul is also expected to leave Portsmouth, with Sunderland keen on the former Spurs player.(Daily Mail) 
Stoke City are considering a £1m move for ex-Wigan striker Amr Zaki, while Marseille enquire about Bolton striker Johan Elmander's availability. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham want to sign striker James Beattie on loan but Stoke say they will only consider a permanent transfer.(The Times) 
Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City are sending scouts to Crystal Palace's home game on Saturday as the race hots up for striker Victor Moses.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City have insisted on a six-month get-out clause with new midfielder Patrick Vieira, just in case the former Arsenal star fails to make the grade at Eastlands.(Daily Mirror) 
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has emerged as a leading contender to replace Owen Coyle at Burnley.(Daily Mail) 
Or Burnley want to talk to Simon Grayson about becoming their new manager.(Daily Mirror) 
Swansea boss Paulo Sousa has also been linked with the vacant job at Turf Moor.(The Guardian) 
In a bid to keep striker Kris Boyd at Ibrox, Rangers are promising to make him one of their best-paid players - on a salary of £18,000 a week. Boyd has been linked with moves to Birmingham and Middlesbrough.(Daily Record) 
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney is set to become club captain next season should Gary Neville retire in the summer.(The Sun) 
And United defender Rio Ferdinand could make his long-awaited comeback from injury in the home game with Burnley on 16 January.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti could offer the club's 21-year-old Serbian Nemanja Matic the chance to take over the first team's holding midfielder role in the absence of Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is so fed up with freezing conditions ruining training that will take his players to Dubai if Saturday's game at Birmingham is called off.(The Sun) 
Thirty-three-year-old Patrick Vieira, who would have been out of contract in the summer, will pick up a weekly wage of £100,000 at Manchester City. The Guardian's report fails to mention whether he will also receive a final-salary pension. (The Guardian)

www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Fernando Torres will become the most expensive player in the world if he leaves Liverpool in the summer. Chelsea and Manchester City have made the Spanish striker their number one target, but would have to splash out £140m in transfer fees and wages. (News of the World) 
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho is trying to pull off a shock £40m move for Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard. The former Chelsea boss is hoping Gerrard may want a move if the Reds fail to qualify for next season's Champions League. (Sunday Express) 
Manchester United are weighing up a £20m move for Porto's Brazilian striker Hulk. The 23-year-old, whose real name is Givanildo Viera de Souza, is also highly rated by Arsenal. He is called Hulk because he looks like the 1970s Incredible Hulk actor Lou Ferrigno (Kids, ask your dad). (News of the World) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti is lining up a £4m bid for Aston Villa striker Emile Heskey as a replacement for Didier Drogba, who will be absent for four weeks at the Africa Cup of Nations.(The Mail on Sunday) 
However, the Blues have told Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery that they will not break their pay structure to sign him. Chelsea are prepared to pay a £45m transfer fee, but will cap his wages at only £150,000-a-week. (The People)
Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh, 25, has said the Gunners are "pressurising" him to join them - but he will ignore them to stay with Bordeaux. The Morocco striker says five other Premier League clubs have approached him - Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool, Everton and Sunderland. (The People) 
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is keen to renew his relationship with former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira. Mancini coached the now 33-year-old to two Serie A titles after signing him for Inter Milan in 2006. (The Mail on Sunday) 
Mancini is also aiming to bring in £6m-rated defender Cristian Ansaldi, 23, from Russian side Ruban Kazan.(News of the World) 
A Manchester City insider has also urged Mancini to sign Stoke centre-back Ryan Shawcross, 22. (Sunday Mirror) 
Aston Villa and Manchester City are ready to lock horns over West Brom's highly-rated young defender Paul Downing, 18, this month.(Sunday Mirror) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is now unlikely to move for Holland striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, 33, in the transfer window, with the striker's recent injury record counting against him. (News of the World) 
Benitez is instead keen to bring Emile Heskey back to Anfield, although Aston Villa's price tag of at least £5m could be beyond what Liverpool can afford.(The Mail on Sunday) 
Portsmouth will listen to offers for all of their players as the club lurches deeper into crisis. And goalkeeper David James will be the first to go, reuniting with former boss Harry Redknapp, for a nominal fee, at Tottenham. (News of the World) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is keen to sign Eidur Gudjohnsen. The 31-year-old Iceland international, who is currently at Monaco, played for Allardyce at Bolton 10 years ago.(News of the World) 
Hull City are plotting an ambitious £1.5m swoop for American striker Freddy Adu. The 20-year-old was sent out on loan by Benfica to fellow Portuguese club Belenenses but he has been axed him from their squad. (News of the World) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez intends to offer Leicester £3m for Matty Fryatt. Martinez knows the striker, 23, from their time together at Walsall a few years ago. (News of the World) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is prepared to wait until the summer to sign Middlesbrough's England Under-21 winger Adam Johnson. (Sunday Mirror) 
Crystal Palace remain hopeful that their £3m-rated winger Victor Moses will be sold in the transfer window to stop the club going bust. Barcelona, Wigan and Tottenham have been tracking the England Under-19 international. (Sunday Express) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is being lined up to succeed Fabio Capello as England manager after this year's World Cup in South Africa. (The People) 
Burnley boss Owen Coyle was spotted in the tunnel 45 minutes after the Clarets' 2-1 FA Cup third round win at MK Dons, fuelling speculation that he is set to take over succeed Gary Megson as Bolton manager. Coyle had missed the post-match press conference with his club saying he had to leave early to catch a flight to Scotland.(The Mail on Sunday) 
Bolton will make a formal approach for Coyle on Sunday but Burnley will demand £4m compensation. (News of the World) 
The Clarets meanwhile, are poised to report Bolton to the Premier League for tapping up Coyle. (Sunday Mirror) 
Alan Curbishley will hold talks with Bolton chairman Phil Gartside about taking over as manager at the Reebok Stadium. The 52-year-old has been out of work since leaving West Ham in 2008. (Sunday Express)
Former Birmingham owners David Sullivan and David Gold are on the brink of gaining control at West Ham after the club's Icelandic owners agreed to sell a 50% stake in the Premier League side. The £50m deal is still subject to formal ratification. (Sunday Mirror) 
The 25 Premier League footballers who are set to play in the Africa Cup of Nations later this month will be given 24-hour protection by armed guards to protect them from gun gangs in Angola. (Sunday Express) 
Manchester United owners, the Glazer family, have asked banks to help them raise £600m in a bid to cut the massive debts they owe financial institutions. (The Mail on Sunday) 
Carlo Ancelotti has pleaded with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich to stick with him as coach for the long haul and give him chance to build a dynasty to match Sir Alex Ferguson's at Manchester United. (Sunday Express) 
Liverpool are lining up Ian Rush for a shock return to the club as a striker coach. Rush has held talks over the position he previously held under Gerard Houllier. (News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United-supporting vicar Father Paddy McMahon welcomed Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini into his midnight mass service at St John's Roman Catholic church in Chorlton on Christmas Eve. "The congregation gave him a round of applause so I said we'd pray for City to do well," said Father McMahon. "But not too well." (Sunday Express)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

BREAKING NEWS

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has rejected claims a deal has already been struck to sell Franck Ribery to Real Madrid in the summer for a fee of around £49m.
(German newspaper Suddeutsche Zeitung)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will move for Liverpool trio Fernando Torres, Javier Mascherano and Steven Gerrard if the Reds finish outside the top four in the Premier League this season and are forced to sell their superstars.(The Sun) 
Zenit St Petersburg, Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow and Sporting Lisbon are interested in buying Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko but Spurs want £13m for the out-of-favour Russian and will not consider letting him leave in a loan deal.(Daily Mirror)
Hull City boss Phil Brown hopes to sign Manchester City striker Benjani on loan in January, but only if the Eastlands club agree to pay half of the Zimbabwe star's £50,000-a-week wages.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have made an enquiry about signing £6m-rated Bari defender Leonardo Bonucci. (Daily Mail) 
Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford has put a £2m move to Newcastle on hold so he can help his side try to upset Manchester United in the FA Cup on Sunday.(Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is planning a £3m bid for Leeds striker Robert Snodgrass. (The Sun) 
Everton manager David Moyes hopes to sign 17-year-old midfielder Maxime Lestienne from Belgian side Moucron. (Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth have invited Manchester City to make an offer for their £8m-rated defender Younes Kaboul.(Daily Mirror) 
Pompey boss Avram Grant has been told to sell at least £6m-worth of players in January to stop the club being declared bankrupt. Kaboul, David James Kevin-Prince Boateng, Nadir Belhadj and David Nugent could all be up for grabs.(The Sun) 
Liverpool have held preliminary talks with Crystal Palace about signing highly-rated teenager Victor Moses. (Daily Star) 
Aston Villa have joined Liverpool and Tottenham in the chase for West Ham midfielder Scott Parker, who could be available for around £8m.(The Guardian) 
Celtic have pulled out of a deal to sign Nafto Novopolotsk defender Dmitry Verkhovtsov after inviting the Belarus international over for a trial. (Daily Record) 
Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov is refusing to fund manager Csaba Laszlo's bid to sign Plymouth striker Steven Maclean and Charlton frontman Izale McLeod. (Daily Record)
Wigan have made a shock move to sign Ivory Coast centre half Steve Gohouri from German side Borussia Monchengladbach.(Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United striker Jamie Ward is set to sign a new deal despite interest from West Brom.(Daily Mirror) 
Derby, Nottingham Forest and Ipswich are all chasing in-form Swindon striker Charlie Austin. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Bolton midfielder Peter Reid, currently assistant boss at Stoke, is being lined up as Wanderers' next manager after Gary Megson was sacked on Wednesday.(Daily Express) 
Reid could be installed on a caretaker basis until the end of the season.(The Times) 
Bolton will turn to Darren Ferguson as their next manager if they fail to persuade Burnley boss Owen Coyle to replace Megson. (Daily Telegraph)
Mark Hughes, sacked as Manchester City boss before Christmas, is not interested in the vacant Bolton job and Coyle and former Wigan boss Paul Jewell have also ruled out the possibility of taking charge at the Reebok Stadium.(Daily Mail) 
Megson is understood to be a major contender for the vacant managerial post at Sheffield Wednesday.(The Independent) 
Preston chairman Derek Shaw has admitted that Darren Ferguson is in the frame to succeed Alan Irvine, who was sacked earlier this week, as North End boss. Former Motherwell manager Jim Gannon is also believed to be on Shaw's shortlist. (The Sun) 
Doncaster boss Sean O'Driscoll is another of Shaw's targets to be the next Preston manager.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has told Jose Mourinho to forget any ideas of a shock return to Stamford Bridge, after the former Blues boss revealed he plans to take charge of an English club next season.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Former Wimbledon hardman Vinnie Jones has been offered $1m to team up with his old friend Paul Gascoigne in the next Celebrity Big Brother.(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Roma are close to signing out-of-favour Bayern Munich and Italy striker Luca Toni, who has been linked with both West Ham and Chelsea. (Reuters)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Craig Bellamy has rubbished claims he wants to quit Manchester City and denies he led a player rebellion in the wake of Mark Hughes' sacking.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is attempting to sign veteran Real Madrid midfielder Guti.(Daily Mirror) 
Harry Redknapp has paved the way for Roman Pavlyuchenko's Tottenham exit and says he would not necessarily need a replacement if the Russian quit White Hart Lane in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James has refused to rule out a January switch to Spurs as he attempts to ensure he is England's No 1 at the World Cup.(Sun) 
Manchester City are on the brink of signing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba, 33, who has fallen out with boss Jose Mourinho.(Daily Mail) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini wants record signing Robinho to remain at Eastlands, despite the the 25-year-old Brazilian striker being linked with a move away from the club next month. Mancini said: "The important thing for me is that Robinho stays here because he can earn a place in the history of the club." (Various) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth are being sued by French side Lens over alleged unpaid transfer fees for striker Aruna Dindane and defender Nadir Belhadj.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted for the first time Chelsea are low on confidence, despite his side still heading the Premier League table.(Sun) 
Former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson has set his sights on becoming the Reading new boss after Brendan Rodgers was sacked by the Royals earlier this month.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

South Korean playmaker Ki Sung Yueng has told his new Celtic team-mates to just call him Dave to avoid confusion. "Communication is so important if players are to be comfortable with each other," the 20-year-old said helpfully. (Daily Record)
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is planning to make his first trip back to Stamford Bridge since he was sacked to watch his former club Chelsea play Fulham on Monday.(Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Portsmouth goalkeeper David James admits he is "flattered" by the interest of Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp and would be keen on a move to White Hart Lane to boost his England World Cup chances.(Sunday Telegraph) 
Fernando Torres is ready to quit Liverpool if they fail to qualify for the Champions League this season.(News of the World) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is considering splashing out on a new striker in the January transfer window, with Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh top of his wanted list.(Mail on Sunday) 
Or Wenger could launch a £12million January bid for Toulouse's French international striker Andre Pierre Gignac.(News of the World) 
Arsenal have also emerged as shock contenders to sign Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy.(Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester United are ready to challenge Roberto Mancini's City for £12m-rated Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini. (News of the World) 
Birmingham are ready to launch an £8 raid for Wigan's former Newcastle's winger Charles N'Zogbia.(News of the World) 
Carlo Ancelotti will make a transfer window U-turn by offering a British record £45million for Bayern Munich's France winger Franck Ribery.(People) 
Manchester United striker Frederico Macheda, 18, is being linked with a loan move to Real Zaragoza.(News of the World) 
Liverpool are poised to mount a major effort to sign former Lazio striker Goran Pandev on a free transfer next month in a bid to boost their flagging season.(People) 
Ambitious Stoke manager Tony Pulis could make a suprise three-pronged raid for Liverpool misfit Ryan Babel, Aston Villa's Emile Heskey and Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones(News of the World) 
Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba has told new Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini he would love to move to Eastlands.(People) 
Sunderland have launched an attempt to hijack right-back Danny Simpson’s move from Manchester United to Newcastle.(Daily Star Sunday) 
Tottenham's Scotland fullback Alan Hutton is a January target for Stoke and Fulham.(News of the World) 
And Hutton's fellow out-of-favour Tottenham team-mate David Bentley is also attracting interest from spanish side Aletico Madrid.(News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Jose Mourinho snubbed Manchester City's offer to become their coach because his dream is to step in when Sir Alex Ferguson finally retires at Manchester United. (Mail on Sunday) 
Manchester City believe they can lure Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in the summer as they see newly-appointed coach Roberto Mancini as just a stopgap. City have still not ruled out trying to persuade Jose Mourinho to take over either.(Sunday Express) 
Former Birmingham owners David Gold and David Sullivan will pull the plug on West Ham takeover talks on January 7.(News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Newcastle may sit top of the Championship but the club is being forced to implement a clutch of cost-cutting measures at St James' Park - including switching off the escalator inside the new Milburn Stand during the week.(News of the World)

www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Argentine striker Sergio Aguero will be offered to Chelsea and Manchester rivals United and City for £40m by his club Atletico Madrid. Chelsea were favourites to sign the 21-year-old, but discussions on his personal terms have stalled.(The Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keen to sign Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy despite branding the player a "nuisance". Bellamy, one of City's top performers this season, was reportedly unhappy at the sacking of Blues manager Mark Hughes. (The Times)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is desperate to sign a target man in January, with Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones, Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz and Liverpool old boy Emile Heskey all on his wanted list.(The Mirror) 
Manchester United will offload 22-year-old Serbian winger Zoran Tosic in January. Tosic signed last January in a £7m deal, but has yet to start a game for the club.(The Mirror) 
Meanwhile, City could bolster their attack by moving for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini. The 25-year-old averages a goal every other game in Serie A.(The Sun) 
Striker Luca Toni could make a January move to Chelsea, with the Blues forced to cope without Didier Drogba, among others during, the African Cup of Nations. Toni, 32, was top scorer for Bayern Munich last season, but has been linked with a move since exiting the ground after being substituted in a recent match.(The Sun) 
Wolves will look to tempt Craig Gardner from Aston Villa in January. The £3m-rated midfielder could move in search of first-team football. (The Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has told rivals City that he will outlast 20 more managers at Eastlands, having already seen 14 come and go. Ferguson, 68, has hinted he could retire within the next two years.(The Times) 
Ferguson, though, has been rocked by the news that striker Dimitar Berbatov requires knee surgery and will be out for three months.(The Sun) 
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, 25, will be offered a new long-term contract to stave off interest from Real Madrid.(The Times) 
Michael Dawson could have played his way into England's World Cup squad. The Spurs centre back started the season as fourth choice at club level, but injuries and a string of fine performances have seen club manager Redknapp push his case to England coach Fabio Capello.(Daily Star) 
However, Michael Owen is still unlikely to make the plane despite his recent Champions League hat-trick against Wolfsburg. Capello will only pick the striker if he gets more regular football for Manchester United.(The Sun) 
And Owen's Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand could also be a doubt for South Africa, with club manager Ferguson admitting there is "no light" in terms of his recovery from a back injury.(The Independent) 

AND FINALLY

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti could see his extremities turn blue if he goes back on a promise not to sign anyone during the January transfer window.
The Premier League leaders, who have had a transfer ban suspended, will be deprived of several first-team players during the African Cup of Nations, but Ancelotti has promised to run naked in the snow if they dip their toe into the winter market.(Daily Star)

www.bbc.co.uk