Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni has edged closer to a move to West Ham after refusing to play for the German side's reserves.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United and Liverpool are battling it out for Real Sociedad winger Antoine Griezmann.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies will consider his future at the club in January over a contract row.(Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United are handing a trial to French striker Vincent Pericard, who is a free agent. (Daily Mirror) 
Leeds are targeting Oldham winger Chris Taylor and are offering defender Alan Sheehan in exchange.(Daily Mirror) 
Notts County are hoping to pip Sheffield United and Coventry to the loan signing of Birmingham winger Gary McSheffrey.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth players will demand answers from new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim after they were not paid their wages this month.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio has revealed how manager Rafael Benitez erupted with fury like never before after their Champions League defeat to Fiorentina on Tuesday. (The Guardian) 
Middlesbrough defender David Wheater has conceded the Championship club, who were relegated from the Premier League in May, are struggling with the physical nature of life in English football's second tier and are also finding it hard to cope with 'flying elbows.'(Daily Mirror) 
Brighton defender Jim McNulty has been welcomed back to the squad after spending eight months on the sidelines following the removal of a kidney. (Daily Star)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Striker Didier Drogba is ready to sign a new contract and stay at Chelsea. (Daily Mirror) 
Premier League newcomers Wolves and Birmingham are both battling to sign Manchester City keeper Joe Hart on loan. (Daily Mail) 
Out-of-contract Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is considering a three-year deal to finish his career in Switzerland with Basle.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham are preparing a bid for £4.5m-rated West Bromwich Albion winger Chris Brunt.(Daily Mail) 
Tuncay, Afonso Alves, Stewart Downing and David Wheater will be just some of the names leaving Middlesbrough after they were relegated to the Championship. (Daily Express)
Everton and Fulham are tracking Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Everton winger Andy van der Meyde is training with Blackburn in the hope of winning a deal there. (Daily Mirror) 
Aberdeen captain Scott Severin could decide to stay if the club improve their contract offer after qualifying for the Europa League. (Daily Express) 
Madjid Bougherra says there is no way he will leave Rangers in the summer after the defender helped Rangers win the Scottish title and a place in the Champions League group stages. (Daily Mirror)
Hearts want to re-sign Paul Hartley and the midfielder is happy to return to Tynecastle if Celtic fail to offer him a new contract. (The Sun) 
Bruno Aguiar has confirmed on his Facebook page that he will leave Hearts after the midfielder rejected a new contract. (The Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP 

Sunderland are lining up Celtic manager Gordon Strachan to replace Ricky Sbragia, who resigned as Black Cats boss on Sunday. (Daily Mirror)
Frank Rijkaard, Martin Jol and Slaven Bilic are also believed to be on Sunderland's shortlist to replace Sbragia. (Daily Mirror) 
Gordon Strachan is poised to quit Celtic as manager, with a statement expected this week and Sunderland targeting the former Southampton boss. (The Sun)
Motherwell's Mark McGhee has emerged as favourite to succeed Gordon Strachan as Celtic manager. (The Sun) 
But Burnley's Owen Coyle, West Brom's Tony Mowbray and former West Ham manager Alan Curbishley will also feature on Celtic's shortlist. (The Sun)
Motherwell's Mark McGhee is favourite to succeed Jimmy Calderwood as manager of Aberdeen. (The Scotsman) 
Aberdeen midfielder Ricky Foster says the club have made a mistake by forcing out manager Jimmy Calderwood. (Daily Express)

AND FINALLY 

Shear drop, Sob on the Tyne, Sheer agony, Tears on the Tyne and Down and out are just some of the back-page headlines relating to Newcastle's relegation. (Various)
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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Real Madrid are confident of landing Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso for £23m if Florentino Perez is appointed president again.(The Sun) 
Inter Milan are preparing a double-swoop for Chelsea duo Ricardo Carvalho and Jon Mikel Obi and hope to land the pair for £21m. (Daily Express) 
Meanwhile Chelsea are confident they can hold off the advances of Barcelona and tie left-back Ashley Cole to a new deal. (The Guardian) 
Manchester United have been warned they face stiff competition to land Wigan winger Antonio Valencia.(The Sun) 
Aston Villa are prepared to lose £9m and let Gareth Barry run out the remainder of his contract, rather than sell him to a Premier League rival.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are preparing a £10m bid for Portsmouth right-back Glen Johnson. (Daily Star) 
However, Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez may be prepared to pay as much as £15m for the Portsmouth man. (Daily Mail) 
Middlesbrough will slap a £9m price tag on defender David Wheater if they are relegated to the Championship on Sunday. (The Sun) 
Wheater is wanted by Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill who is hopeful of landing the centre-back for £7m. (Daily Star)
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has been assured he has a future at the club. (Daily Express) 
Chelsea are leading the chase for Wolfsburg's £6m-rated striker Edin Dzeko. (Daily Mirror)
Olympiakos are set to offer Blackburn £2m for striker Matt Derbyshire, who is on loan at the Greek side. (Daily Mirror) 
Joseph Yobo looks set to leave Everton after turning down a new deal at the club. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham have joined Wigan, Middlesbrough, West Brom and Celtic in the chase for Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher. (Scottish Daily Mail)
Celtic outcast Bobo Balde has agreed to try and win a move to Birmingham City. ( Daily Record) 
Guinea international Balde must prove his fitness and desire during a trial period if he wants a move to Birmingham. (Scottish Sun) 
Palermo lead the race to take Massimo Donati back to Italy from an unhappy spell at Celtic. (Various)
Lazio have been linked with a move for Rangers playmaker Pedro Mendes. (Daily Express)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea are set to confirm AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager as early as next week. (Daily Star)
Celtic want David Moyes to become their new manager next season.(The Sun) 
Alan Shearer has given the strongest hint yet that he will stay on as Newcastle manager, even if the club are relegated on Sunday.(The Sun) 
However, assistant manager Iain Dowie has cast doubt over Shearer's long-term involvement at the club. (The Telegraph) 
Hull striker Dean Windass is set to land a role as player-coach, alongside Colin Todd, at League Two side Darlington. (Daily Mirror)
Exeter boss Paul Tisdale has emerged as the leading contender to replace Steve Coppell as Reading manager. (The Sun) 
Newcastle coach Colin Calderwood is on the short-list to become the new Chesterfield manager. (Daily Mirror)
Falkirk boss John Hughes is the leading contender for the Blackpool job, while Ayr United's Brian Reid is also in the running. (The Herald) 

AND FINALLY 

Former world player of the year Luis Figo is considering an offer to play in the Chinese Super League. (Chinese sports newspaper Titan Sports)
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