Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard has emerged as a £30m-target for Real Madrid next summer.(The Sun) 
Tottenham are battling it out with Inter Milan for 18-year-old Ghanaian full-back Gladson Awako.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea are ready to embark on a £60m spending spree in January if Fifa suspend the transfer ban hanging over them, with Inter Milan's Patrick Vieira, Benfica winger Angel di Maria, Valencia's David Villa and Aston Villa's Emile Heskey all being considered.(Daily Express) 
Roma's Daniele de Rossi, Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero and Manchester City talisman Robinho could also be on Chelsea's shopping list in January with the Blues losing key men to the African Cup of Nations.(The Sun) 
Leeds have slapped a £3m price tag on striker Jermaine Beckford in a bid to keep him at Elland Road until the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal and AC Milan have joined the race to sign West Ham's Swiss utility man Valon Behrami.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Rafael Benitez is receiving words of wisdom from Liverpool legend Kenny Dalglish to try to resolve his problems at Anfield.(The Sun) 
Arsene Wenger admits he feels sorry he let West Ham's Matthew Upson leave Arsenal and says he has thought about bringing him back to the club.(The Independent) 
Mark Hughes has conceded that Manchester City defender Micah Richards has plateaued as a player and currently has little chance of forcing his way into Fabio Capello's plans for South Africa next summer.(Independent) 
Boss Fabio Capello insisted he would not be happy if England won a match courtesy of a dive by one of his players.(Daily Mail) 
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Michael Owen deserves a hero's reception when he runs out for Manchester United at Anfield tomorrow and has claimed the former Liverpool striker remains one of the best goalscorers in world football.(Daily Mail) 
Nemanja Vidic says he has put his Liverpool nightmares of last season behind him and is ready to restore his reputation as one of the Premier League's finest defenders.(Daily Mirror) 
Fabio Capello says the coaching style he hopes will inspire England to World Cup glory draws heavily from techniques he has picked up from interest in volleyball, baseball, rugby union and ice hockey.(Guardian) 
Rafa Benitez maintains he is the right man to lead Liverpool and believes his vision for the club will still result in a golden future.(Daily Express) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United fans plan to arrive for their clash with Liverpool at Anfield sporting masks of United legend Eric Cantona, in reference to a banner unfurled in 1994 which read: "Au revoir, Cantona and Man United. Come back when you've won 18." Other fans plan to wear T-shirts showing former Kop idol Michael Owen celebrating a goal with the tag: "Welcome to Manchester".(The Sun)
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

AC Milan want Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham to return to the San Siro in January for a second loan spell, which would keep alive the England player's World Cup hopes.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City are intent on continuing their pursuit of Joleon Lescott with a £22m bid for the Everton defender despite the insistence of Toffees boss David Moyes that the 26-year-old is not for sale.(The Times) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has failed in his bid to make Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi his first big-name signing at Stamford Bridge. (The Sun) 
But Ancelotti could make a surprise £17m move for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini(on photo). (Daily Express) 
Bayern Munich have stepped up their pursuit of Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa and urged the Blues to keep their word over allowing him to join them for about £15m.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko will see out the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge after rejecting a move to former club Dynamo Kiev. (Daily Star) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has been challenged by Blackburn to treble his bid for Rovers defender Stephen Warnock to £12m or forget the deal.(Daily Mirror) 
O'Neill is also keen to bring Tottenham midfielders David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas to Villa Park. (The Guardian) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp could be forced back into the transfer market after learning that centre-back Jonathan Woodgate faces at least two months on the sidelines following surgery on a groin problem.(Daily Mirror)
And Redknapp is set to up his offer for Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko from £12m to £15.5m, although the French club want £25m.(The Sun) 
Wolves are set to sign Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne, who had a loan spell at Molineux last season, on a season-long loan deal. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham hope to sign Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni and Barcelona front man Eidur Gudjohnsen by the end of the transfer window, initially on a loan basis. (The Guardian) 
The Hammers are interested in Napoli defender Leandro Rinaudo, with boss Gianfranco Zola keen to bring the 6ft 4in centre-back in on loan if he loses Matthew Upson or James Collins. (Daily Mail) 
Defender Lucas Neill could be set for a return to Upton Park after the former West Ham skipper revealed he is considering a contract offer from Zola. (The Sun) 
Derby manager Nigel Clough is ready to sign experienced goalkeeper Jimmy Walker on a free transfer from West Ham. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has gone back to his former club Wigan with a £10m offer for midfielder Lee Cattermole. (Daily Mirror )
Blackburn are giving a trial to former Real Madrid right-back Michel Salgado. (The Sun) 
Rovers are leading a three-club chase with Wigan and Birmingham for Rennes winger Olivier Thomert.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are on the trail of 6ft 4in Borussia Dortmund centre-back Neven Subotic, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis ready to make a £12m offer for the 20-year-old Serb who is also attracting interest from Everton.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham are adamant that defender Brede Hangeland will not leave unless Arsenal shatter the club's £12m transfer reocrd, which was paid by Manchester United for Louis Saha. (The Guardian) 
The Cottagers are eyeing a £4m move for Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City winger Martin Petrov would not be surprised if he was sold by the club this summer, with Tottenham keen on the Bulgaria international. (The Sun) 
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is being monitored by a host of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Portsmouth, Wigan, Hull and Sunderland.(Independent) 
Former Liverpool, Chelsea and Middlesbrough midfielder Boudewijn Zenden claims he is in talks with Hull, Blackburn and Portsmouth over a return to the Premier League.(Independent) 
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers is planning a double swoop on his old club Watford for midfielder Jobi McAnuff and striker Tommy Smith. (Daily Mirror) 
Turkish club Besiktas are poised to land Reading midfielder Jem Karacan in a £1m deal.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung is set to revive his bid to buy Birmingham City in a £70m deal. (The Sun) 
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is preparing for a hostile reception when he attends the club's home Championship match against Reading on Saturday. (Daily Mail) 
If Ashley fails to sell Newcastle this week he will stay at St James' Park for another two years and appoint David O'Leary as manager with a brief to make the club viable for another attempted sale in 2011.(Daily Mail) 
Any hope Arsenal's Spanish-born goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has of playing for England if they qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals appears to be over after the coach of the national side Fabio Capello dismissed the idea.(The Sun) 
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has warned boss Rafael Benitez that Xabi Alonso will be virtually irreplaceable after the midfielder was sold to Real Madrid. (Daily Star)

AND FINALLY

Former Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic striker John Hartson says "I have so much to live for" after winning the first stage of his fight against cancer. (The Sun)
Sunderland midfielder Grant Leadbitter appeared at Gateshead magistrates court on Monday pleading special reasons why he should not be banned for a speeding offence. After being clocked at 112mph, the 23-year-old said he thought he was being followed by a car full of angry Newcastle fans before discovering that it was actually the police.(The Guardian) 
Liverpool stars Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres will have a Masterchef-style cook off to discover who is Anfield's best chef. October's final will be held in Carragher's city centre sports restaurant, with chef Marco Pierre White adding expert comments and post-meal analysis. (The Sun) 
Michela Quattrociocche, the fiancee of new Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, says she dreams of marrying the Italian international one day, and added: "Ours is a love that gives you cramps in the stomach." (The Sun)
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