Sunderland - Chelsea

Sunderland perhaps made a great deal selling Bent for 24mill, but on the other hand that left them without too much options in attack. For tonight’s game, Danny Welbeck is sidelined which should mean Asamoah Gyan will be alone in front line (new signing Muntari isn’t available). Without intention to put his qualities in doubt, he’s best as support forward and don’t think he alone is capable to seriously harm Chelsea’s back four. Sunderland have very good home record with just one defeat (Blackpool 0-2) out of 11 games. They stayed undefeated against Gunners (1-1) and Man Utd (0-0). However, against Chelsea they have unreal stats. 3-0 won at Stamford ended a run of 11 consecutive defeats (last five at home).

Chelsea started to show some signs of waking up with two league wins against Blackburn at home 2-0 and Bolton away 4-0. Torres won’t be in a team tonight, but his arrival (as well as capture of David Luiz) should be a real boost and recover of title hopes. On the other hand, failure at the Stadium of Light would end it very fast. Chelsea have the best defensive record (19 goals conceded) with Cech impressing lately, Drogba has returned something of his old shape, Anelka scored 6 goals in last 5 league games against Sunderland and I believe in their good display tonight.

Despite that very good record against Sunderland, Chelsea won four of mentioned five at Stadium of Light by one. Bearing in mind their humiliation in reverse fixture, I think it could be something more.

Bet: Chelsea -0.75
Odd: 1.98 Pinnacle, bet365
Stake: 8/10

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Premier League Top Scorer – Football Betting Odds and Tips

In terms of individual success, it’s every striker’s dream to become the Premier League’s Top Scorer. Let’s take a look at the betting odds and hopefully select some profitable football tips.

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Premier League Top Scorer

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The Barclays Golden Boot is awarded to the footballer who accumulates the most goals in any given league campaign. Previous winners include Alan Shearer, Michael Owen, Cristiano Ronaldo and four-time-winner Thierry Henry.

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Manchester United-striker Wayne Rooney heads the betting market at 9/2 along with World Cup-winner Fernando Torres. Liverpool-born Rooney notched up 26 goals in the league last season while Torres scored an impressive 18 league goals from just twenty-two appearances, but worryingly, both players failed to find the net in the World Cup Finals.

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Last year’s Premier League Top Scorer was Didier Drogba, who is available in the betting at 11/2. Now a two-time-winner of the Golden Boot, Drogba fired 29 goals from thirty-two appearances last season. Although temperamental, the 32-year-old Ivorian striker has fantastic awareness, control and chemistry with his teammates. Drogba is also an immense figure on the football field, to the point that he gives Chelsea a psychological advantage over the opposition. But, at odds of 11/2, I’m swerving the Chelsea striker. Any niggling injuries could see the ageing Drogba sidelined for sustained periods throughout the Premier League campaign.

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Arsenal forward Robin van Persie is next in the betting at 10/1. Despite being sidelined for most of the season, the Dutchman netted 9 times for The Gunners last term. He is more accustomed with assisting his teammates with scoring opportunities so for that reason alone he represents no value at the current odds. New Arsenal signing Marouane Chamakh will likely partner van Persie up front and the Morrocan, who netted 56 goals for Bordeaux, is priced at 33/1 to be leading scorer in this season’s Premier League.

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Big-spending Manchester City will likely start the league season with the strike partnership of Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor. The Argentinian is priced at 12/1 while the former Arsenal striker is available at an eye-catching 25/1. City are likely to offload Welsh international Craig Bellamy, but if he remains at the City of Manchester Stadium, he is currently available at 50/1 to become the Premier League’s Top Scorer.

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Tottenham’s Jermaine Defoe is available at 18/1 in the betting. The England striker found the net 18 times in the league last season and should be be noted for the shortlist. Defoe’s club and international teammate Peter Crouch is priced at 40/1 while Russian frontman Roman Pavlyuchenko is 66/1. Out-of-favour striker Robbie Keane isn’t available in the betting but following extensive pre-season training, the Irishman looks in tip-top shape and could spring a surprise this season at large betting odds.

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Midfield maestro’s Frank Lampard, 25/1, Steven Gerrard 30/1, Cesc Fabregas 33/1 and Tim Cahill 80/1 will be popular with the betting public while Chelsea’s ticking time-bomb Nicolas Anelka 20/1 seems likely to be opposed following his foolish antics during this summer’s World Cup. Distressed Sunderland striker Darren Bent is available at 18/1 while the relaxed, yet sloppy Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is priced at 40/1. Of the remaining footballers in the betting for the Premier League Top Scorer, Louis Saha 40/1, and Hugo Rodellega 66/1 both stand out as decent betting propositions.

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Betting Tip: Wayne Rooney 9/2

Frank Lampard scored 22 goals in the Premier League last season and at 25/1 he may represent a small bit of value against those at the head of the betting, but this year I expect more fireworks from Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney. Following the departure of Cristiano Ronaldo to Real Madrid, 24-year-old Rooney revelled in his more advanced role last season, notching up an impressive tally of 26 league goals. Once again he will be United’s highest goalscorer and as he continues his education higher up the pitch, I expect Wayne Rooney to be crowned Premier League Top Scorer.

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See all the odds.

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Monday's World Cup round-up

Euro 2008 champions Spain have been warned by goalkeeper Jose Reina that they cannot afford to "live off the past" as they prepare for Monday's make-or-break World Cup match against Honduras.
He said: "This side has been playing for five years together, I think we've been doing things well and doing a good job but we can't live off our past - we have to prove again more than ever that we can be in that group of teams who can win the World Cup and we have to recover from the defeat by Switzerland."

New Zealand Herald correspondent Michael Brown has called his country's 1-1 draw with Italy "mind-blowing".
He wrote: "Little, old New Zealand with just 25 professional footballers - Italy has 3541. A country which had played just four World Cup matches before this morning drew with one which has won four World Cup titles. Crazy." 
New Zealand Prime Minister John Key said of the result: "The All Whites have surprised everybody and stunned the footballing world." 

North Korea will broadcast its World Cup match against Portugal live on Monday evening, its official television station said.
The Korean Central TV Broadcasting Station aired only recorded footage of the team's first group match against Brazil and the last time a North Korea game was shown live to the nation was the World Cup qualifier against Iran in June 2009.

Ivory Coast striker Didier Drogba has come out in support of his Chelsea team-mate Nicolas Anelka after he was kicked out of France's World Cup squad.
Anelka was sent home after a verbal assault on France coach Raymond Domenech 
Drogba, quoted on news24.com in South Africa, said: "He has been a team-mate for two-and-a-half years. Yes, I support him. I wish him good luck, it's a difficult time for him. He is very strong mentally, he's a competitor. I was surprised he was kicked out of the team." 

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer has criticised the France team - only a week after he launched an attack on England.
In a column for a South African newspaper, the ex-Germany skipper and World Cup winner said: "Everyone must have realised that there was something wrong with the French team following their 2-0 defeat to Mexico. Everyone in the team seemed to be playing for themselves. They were lifeless."
Beckenbauer caused controversy last week when he attacked England over their playing style after the 1-1 draw with the United States.
But after England's 0-0 draw with Algeria he said: "I am not going to criticise England this time because all the bigger teams have taken a step backwards."

www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's World Cup round-up

Reports in the American media suggest the referee who disallowed a last-gasp goal for the United States in their 2-2 draw against Slovenia may have taken charge of his last match at this World Cup.
Fifa sources have apparently suggested that Malawian official Koman Coulibaly's performance in the Group C encounter is to be assessed by the governing body's refereeing committee, and he may not be assigned any more games in the competition.

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon will have an operation after the World Cup on the back problem which could rule him out of the rest of the tournament. It means he could miss up to four months of the Italian domestic season.
Buffon, who was substituted in his team's opening group match against Paraguay, has a herniated disc and will not feature against New Zealand. The 32-year-old has delayed surgery in the hope of playing some further part in South Africa. 

Didier Drogba is being tipped to start for the Ivory Coast in their match against Brazil on Sunday after making a steady recovery from a fractured elbow.
"Do not be surprised if Drogba starts," said coach Sven-Goran Eriksson, who brought the Chelsea striker on as a second-half substitute in the 0-0 draw with Portugal.

Brazil goalkeeper Julio Cesar has defended coach Dunga's abrasive style - and likened him to Jose Mourinho, who led Italian side Inter Milan to the treble last season.
Julio Cesar, who played under Mourinho at the San Siro, said: "Dunga is only putting in place a work philosophy. Mourinho did exactly the same as what Dunga is doing now. We won everything with this work philosophy." 

France midfielder Jeremy Toulalan has admitted that his side have failed to operate as a team in South Africa, despite having a number of talented individuals.
The French, beaten by Mexico in their last match, are struggling to make the second round and Toulalan said: "The difference between us and Mexico is that they are playing as a team, and we have 11 individuals. We have high-quality players. What we missed was being a collective on the pitch."

Germany coach Joachim Loew remains convinced his team will still progress to the second round despite the shock defeat against Serbia that means a loss against Ghana could eliminate them from the competition.
"It is obvious that we are going to be under more pressure now, but we will make the round of 16," insisted Loew, who admitted to being "devastated" by the Serbia result. 

Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz believes Paraguay are capable of reaching the quarter-finals for the first time in the country's history.
"We want to go at least to the quarter-finals. In Paraguayan history it's never been done," declared the striker, who came on as a substitute in the 1-1 draw against Italy.

www.bbc.co.uk

Great day!

Chelsea -2.5 ah @ 1.90 WON

Drogba to score hat-trick @ 11.00 WON

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Chelsea 8 - 0 Wigan Athletic

5 - 0 D. Drogba  63.min
6 - 0 D. Drogba (pen.)  68.min
7 - 0 D. Drogba  80.min
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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.

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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.

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Friday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Chelsea's Joe Cole, 28, will seek a move away from the Premier League if he cannot agree a new deal with the club this summer - with Serie A giants AC Milan and Inter Milan both keen on the England midfielder.(goal.com) 
Denmark defender Simon Kjaer, who has been linked with Manchester United and Liverpool, is likely to move to Juventus if he chooses to leave Champions League chasing Palermo.(imscouting.com) 
Real Madrid officials have met with the representatives of Wolfsburg's Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko, 24, who has been watched by Manchester United and Chelsea.(imscouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Real Madrid are ready to make a £30m bid for Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard.(Daily Mirror)
England midfielder Joe Cole, 28, wants to join Champions League qualifiers Tottenham when his Chelsea contract ends this summer, despite interest from Manchester City and Liverpool.(the Sun) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will be given a £40m transfer kitty for the summer - and Manchester United's former Spurs midfielder Michael Carrick is on the wanted list along with Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy.(Daily Star) 
Fluminense hope to agree a deal with Chelsea midfielder Deco, 32, who wants to leave Stamford Bridge.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal are eyeing Villarreal's Spanish goalkeeper Diego Lopez, 28, who cost £5m from Real Madrid.(the Sun) 
Sunderland have joined the chase for Estudiantes' Argentina striker Mauro Boselli, 24, with Wigan, Blackburn and Birmingham also monitoring the situation for the £8m-rated player.(Daily Mail) 
Blackburn and Aston Villa have joined Wigan in the race to sign Sporting Gijon defender Roberto Canella. (Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa want to sign Crystal Palace's 19-year-old defender Nathaniel Clyne to replace Luke Young who is eager to return to London. (Daily Mirror) 
Fulham have enquired about striker Frederic Piquionne, 31, who is on loan at Portsmouth from Lyon and will be available for £4m. (Daily Mail) 
Bolton are favourites to sign Ivory Coast forward Aruna Dindane from Portsmouth for £2.7m. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez will offer Swansea £2.5m for midfielder Darren Pratley.(the Sun) 
And the Latics are also set to win the race for Hamilton midfielder James McArthur in a £1.2m deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Wolves could launch a £1m bid for Dundee United striker David Goodwillie. (the Sun)
Hull midfielder Dean Marney, 26, is poised to join Burnley in a £1m deal.(Daily Mail) 
Meanwhile, Hull are also ready to sell £2m-rated defender Kamil Zayatte to French side St Etienne. (Daily Mirror) 
 
OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City will give boss Roberto Mancini the cash to launch another major assault on the top four after City's Abu Dhabi owner Sheikh Mansour backed the Italian to remain at Eastlands.(the Sun) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez will hold further talks with the club hierarchy to resolve his future after both parties exchanged "issues of concern" at a meeting on Thursday. (the Guardian) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is due to receive a seven-figure bonus and an improved contract after guiding the club into the top four in the Premier League. (the Guardian) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is set to axe eight players including George McCartney and David Healy in a summer clear-out. (Daily Mail) 
Hopes of a fans takeover at Manchester United have suffered a blow after it emerged the Glazer family rejected a £1.5bn Middle Eastern-takeover bid last year.(Daily Telegraph) 
Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has denied suggestions he is prepared to leave Anfield and insisted he wants to see out his career with the club.(Daily Telegraph) 
Rangers defender David Weir has been named Scotland's player of the year four days before his 40th birthday - but says he does not know if he has a future at Ibrox.(the Times) 
Fifa has warned Brazil it is "not on the right path" with its preparations to host the 2014 World Cup.(Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Frank Lampard will let Didier Drogba be Chelsea's penalty-taker against Wigan on Sunday in order to help the Ivory Coast striker win the Golden Boot ahead of Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. (the Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are favourites to sign Italian under-21 international Mario Balotelli from Internazionale, after the 19-year-old's agent ruled out a move for the £15m-valued striker to Inter's local rivals AC Milan.(Caughtoffside.com) 
The Gunners are also chasing Real Zaragoza midfielder Ander Herrera and are mulling over the Spanish side's £7m vaulation of the 20-year-old.(The Sun) 
Chelsea want to sign Everton pair Steven Pienaar and Jack Rodwell, and will undertake a summer clear-out to raise funds for the transfers. (Caughtoffside.com) 
Wigan will let in-form winger Charles N'Zogbia leave the club in the summer if one of the Premier League's big guns comes calling, according to Latics manager Roberto Martinez.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United will turn down Bolton and Birmingham's requests to sign winger Tom Cleverley on loan. (Daily Star)
Albert Riera wants to stay at "great" Liverpool after his move to Spartak Moscow broke down.(imscouting.com) 
Everton winger Dan Gosling will ignore interest from Manchester United and Arsenal and sign a new long-term deal at the club.(Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich have agreed a £100,000 fee with Brentford for Dutch central defender Pim Balkestein. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Wayne Rooney will be fit for the World Cup after suffering a suspected 'grade one' ligament tear in Manchester United's Champions League first leg defeat by Bayern Munich. The striker is expected to be out for between three and four weeks. (Daily Mail) 
Didier Drogba is a major doubt for Chelsea's top-of-the-table Premier League showdown against United on Saturday after sitting out the last two days of the Blues' training with a knock. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool boss manager Rafa Benitez has not ruled out Alberto Aquilani missing the rest of the season as he waits to learn the full extent of the Italian's ankle injury.(Daily Mail) 
Leicester manager Nigel Pearson is on the shortlist to succeed Tony Mowbray as the new boss of Celtic.(Daily Mail) 
The Football League's bottom side, Darlington, are poised to name former Barnsley boss Simon Davey as their new manager.(Daily Mail) 
Nenad Milijas will quit Wolves at the end of the season - if he cannot convince Mick McCarthy he has a long-term future at Molineux. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY 

Chelsea midfielder Florent Malouda has told Manchester United how to stop Blues striker Didier Drogba - make him laugh. "That's the best way to defend against him," said Malouda, ahead of the sides' crucial Premier League match on Saturday.(The Sun) 
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has backed plans for referees to use a motorised two-wheeled personal transporter to help them keep up with speedy players. (The Sun) 

West Ham will brave ridicule next season by wearing pink on their home shirts as part of a new sponsorship deal with adult retailers Ann Summers.(Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Atletico Madrid keeper David de Gea rejected Wigan last year because his dream move would be joining Manchester United.(Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth are trying to sell Nadir Belhadj to Russian side CSKA Moscow for £4m - but about £1m is owed to his former club Lens, who want the amount settled in full. (Daily Mirror) 
Striker Eidur Gudjohnsen has been told by his French club Monaco to forget about making his loan move to Tottenham permanent. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has stepped up the chase for 21-year-old Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham want former England manager Steve McClaren, who is currently in charge of Dutch side Twente Enschede and on the verge of winning the title, to be their new boss next season - but need Gianfranco Zola to keep them in the Premier League first. (Daily Mirror) 
Current England boss Fabio Capello has tipped Aston Villa midfielder James Milner to be his surprise package at this summer's World Cup finals in South Africa.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are confident captain Cesc Fabregas will be fit to face his former club Barcelona in the Champions League quarter-final first leg at the Emirates on Wednesday.(The Independent) 
Meanwhile, self-confessed Arsenal fan Thierry Henry says he is feeling emotional about his return to north London as a Barca player.(Daily Express) 
Iain Dowie could get the Hull manager's job permanently, even if the Tigers are relegated this season.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson loves playing against the best teams in the Champions League and declared: "We've got our cake and we're eating it."(Daily Mail) 
Landing Sven-Goran Eriksson as the new Ivory Coast manager is a dream come true, according to the Elephants' Chelsea striker Didier Drogba.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha, an England Under-21 regular, could switch to the Nigeria national side so he can play in the World Cup.(Daily Mail) 
Barry Ferguson is set to head a delegation of Birmingham players for a crunch meeting with the club's new owners over improved contracts.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Referee Mike Dean, who awarded Blackburn a controversial penalty in their 1-0 win at rivals Burnley on Sunday, will take charge of Saturday's crunch match in the Premier League between Manchester United and Chelsea at Old Trafford.(Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Preston 2-2 Sheff Wed

Sheffield Wednesday scored twice in three minutes as they came from behind to earn a draw on manager Alan Irvine's return to Preston North End.
Billy Jones saw a shot blocked by Darren Purse but Neil Mellor reacted quickly to put North End ahead with a low right-foot strike. 
Lee Grant denied Mellor before Paul Coutts scored with a low strike. 
But Andy Lonergan failed to stop Tommy Miller's 30-yard strike and Marcus Tudgay equalised with a lofted finish. 
It was Irvine's first visit to Deepdale since he was sacked as Preston manager in December.
And his struggling team might have collected all three points but Lonergan made two excellent late saves to deny Leon Clarke.

www.bbc.co.uk

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Chelsea 0 - 1 Inter Milan (agg 1 - 3)

Jose Mourinho returned to Stamford Bridge in triumph as Inter Milan sent Chelsea crashing out of the Champions League.
Samuel Eto's clinical strike 11 minutes from time settled a scrappy encounter and sealed a place in the quarter-finals for Mourinho at the expense of the club he left in 2007 after a hugely successful three-and-a-half years. 
And the misery for Chelsea and coach Carlo Ancelotti was complete when Didier Drogba was sent off in the closing minutes after a penalty area clash with Thiago Motta. 
Mourinho's Inter were able to keep a subdued Chelsea at arm's length for the majority of a tense evening littered with fouls and spells of ill-feeling, with even the self-appointed "Special One" being targeted for abuse by the supporters who once idolised him as frustration spread around Stamford Bridge in the closing moments. 
He celebrated in relatively muted fashion when Eto'o capped a spell of Inter pressure with the crucial goal, after Diego Milito had missed the chance to seal Chelsea's fate even earlier.  
Chelsea had their moments in a frantic first half, with Michael Ballack shooting just wide and Nicolas Anelka seeing a close-range effort cleared off the line by Motta, while keeper Julio Cesar saved well from Florent Malouda after the break. 
And Chelsea were also left claiming they were victims of a clear injustice in the first half when Drogba was dragged to the ground by Walter Samuel as they wrestled to reach a corner. 
This apart, Inter were able to restrict Chelsea, who failed to show the wit and guile required to break them down, demonstrating the defensive discipline and resilience that is the trademark of any Mourinho team. 
He did not milk Inter's win at the final whistle, but Mourinho may just appreciate the irony of the fact that he has ended Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's dream of bringing the Champions League to Stamford Bridge. 
For Ancelotti and Chelsea, the task is now to regroup and refocus their sights on the Premier League and the FA Cup.
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal midfielder and captain Cesc Fabregas is set to rejoin Barcelona in the summer. The 22-year-old Spaniard is contracted to the Gunners until the end of the 2013/2014 campaign but is unhappy with the team's lack of ambition. (Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo)
Paris St Germain's bid to sign Manchester United midfielder Anderson fell through because the French club were reluctant to pay the Brazilian's wages.(Daily Mail)
Sunderland missed out on landing Egypt winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi after his club ENPPI rejected the Black Cats' bid of £2m.(Daily Mail) 
One of the most unusual deals on deadline day was Mido's move to West Ham - where he will be on the lowest wages for a player in the Premier League. The Egypt striker signed on a six-month loan from Middlesbrough for £1,000 a week and Hammers owner David Sullivan called the deal "one of the most amazing of all time".(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Beleaguered Chelsea defender John Terry will tell England manager Fabio Capello that he will not relinquish the captain's armband for the national team.(Daily Mirror) 
However, others report the Chelsea centre-half is considering resigning as skipper of England ahead of talks with Capello on Friday. It follows newspaper allegations of an affair with the former girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge.(The Independent)
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge could be on the verge of quitting international football following the fall-out of Terry's alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend.(The Times) 
David Beckham has revealed his thoughts on returning to Old Trafford in an AC Milan shirt ahead of this month's Champions League clash. The England midfielder, on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, said: "The thought of playing United always gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much."(Daily Express) 
Midfielder Park Ji-Sung has warned Chelsea that Manchester United will not capitulate as the Premier League title race heats up.(The Sun) 
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor thanked his Manchester City "family" for providing support following the deadly gun attacks on Togo's football team in Angola in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Fiorentina and ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu, who tested positive for the banned substance sibutramine last week, has been labelled a "child" by the Italian club's sporting director Pantaleo Corvino.(The Sun) 
Striker Wayne Rooney is confident that Manchester United can set a new Premier League record and win four successive titles.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea missed Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, on Africa Cup of Nations duty, throughout January but still won all five games. The strikers are set to feature for the Blues in Tuesday's game at Hull and Frank Lampard said: 'When they were away people spoke about us struggling. We've done well and now we will be even stronger."(Daily Mail) 
Portuguese winger Nani says he is back to his best after a stunning performance in Manchester United's 3-1 win at Arsenal. The £17.3m signing in 2007 said: "The manager has shown confidence in me, I have been given more time on the pitch and that has given me belief in myself."(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been busy reflecting on the defeat at the hands of Manchester United. The Spaniard said: "I felt very well but when you find yourself 2-0 or 3-0 down, it's difficult. Even Lionel Messi would struggle to do anything."(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

It wasn't the most dramatic of transfer deadline days, with less than £20m being splashed out in the final 24 hours of the window.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Carling Cup

Blackburn 3-3 Chelsea

Blackburn dumped Chelsea out of the Carling Cup in a penalty shoot-out to set up a semi-final with Aston Villa.
Nikola Kalinic put Rovers ahead from six yards before a header from substitute Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou's finish sent Chelsea in front. 
Hilario failed to deal with a deflected Brett Emerton cross and Benni McCarthy scored a penalty, but Paulo Ferreira levelled at 3-3 deep into extra-time. 
Gael Kakuta missed the crucial spot kick as Rovers won the shoot-out 4-3. 
The 18-year-old Kakuta, who Chelsea controversially signed from Lens, struck the ball straight at Paul Robinson, who had earlier sensationally tipped Michael Ballack's spot kick on to the post. 
Premier League leaders Chelsea went into the tie unbeaten in nine games while Carlo Ancelotti's team had not conceded in their previous four matches. 
But the Italian will not be winning the Carling Cup in his first season in English football after his team produced a largely below-par performance at Ewood Park.
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Man City 3-0 Arsenal

Manchester City deservedly sealed a place in the Carling Cup semi-final against arch-rivals Manchester United after beating a youthful Arsenal side at vibrant Eastlands.
Carlos Tevez's spectacular strike five minutes after half-time put City on the path into the last four and a stunning angled drive from Shaun Wright-Phillips sealed the victory for Mark Hughes' side. 
Substitute Vladimir Weiss wrapped up City's triumph with an emphatic finish a minute from time and rounded off a miserable night for Arsenal and manager Arsene Wenger. 
City had the better of an encounter that failed to touch the heights - but their jubilant fans were in no mood to complain as they celebrated a win that moves them a step closer to a first Wembley cup final in 28 years.
For Arsenal boss Wenger, it was more disappointment as his traditionally revamped Carling Cup side crashed to defeat just days after his more familiar line-up was dismantled by Chelsea at the Emirates. 
And his disappointment was demonstrated when he pointedly refused to shake hands with opposite number Hughes at the final whistle - an action that left the City boss accusing his Arsenal counterpart of being ungracious in defeat. 
Wenger, without a trophy since the FA Cup win against Manchester United in Cardiff in 2005, saw his much-heralded youngsters eventually overpowered by City as the opportunity to advance to a major final was sacrificed in favour of giving experience to his emerging talent.
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are set to make a surprise move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards, if the Eastlands outfit decide to offload the player as a result of his inconsistent form.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says he does not expect to make any new signings in January, unless his side suffers any injuries. This is despite the club having the transfer ban imposed on it by Fifa for inducing Gael Kakuta to break his contract suspended by the Court of Arbitration for Sport.(The Sun) 
Cash-strapped West Ham are ready to offload England goalkeeper Robert Green in January if they receive a bid in the region of £5m.(Daily Mirror) 
Wolves are eyeing up a January move for Aston Villa's £3m-rated England under-21 international midfielder Craig Gardner.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal head a clutch of Premier League teams chasing Plymouth's 15-year-old midfield starlet Daniel Hart.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton boss David Moyes is chasing PSV Eindhoven's Serbian striker Danko Lazovic - after giving up on his fellow countryman Milan Jovanovic, who plays for Standard Liege.(Daily Mirror) 
New Portsmouth manager Avram Grant says that he will be searching for new players to help strengthen his side in January and boost their hopes of avoiding relegation this season.(The Guardian) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that striker Didier Drogba, who scored two goals for Chelsea as they beat the Gunners 3-0 on Sunday, actually did very little in the match at the Emirates. (Various)
After Chelsea's victory over Arsenal, which sent the Blues five points clear at the top of the Premier League, captain John Terry declared that his side's performance was "the stuff of champions". (The Sun) 
Kettering Town manager and goalkeeper Lee Harper, whose side earned an FA Cup second-round replay at Leeds following a 1-1 draw with the Yorkshire side on Sunday, will delay retiring from playing in order to help the club try to earn a clash at Manchester United, who await the winner in the third round. (Daily Star)
West Ham striker Carlton Cole's chances of playing for England at the World Cup in South Africa next year have suffered a major blow after it was revealed he suffered knee ligament damage during the Hammers' 5-3 win over Burnley on Saturday and faces at least four months on the sidelines. (The Sun) 
England's bid to host the 2018 World Cup was given a boost on Sunday night when Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva pledged his support, saying "It is time for the UK to host it again". (Various)
Hull defender Paul McShane was involved in a tunnel bust-up after his side's 1-1 draw at Manchester City on Saturday as he attempted to get to Craig Bellamy with whom he argued on the pitch just before the final whistle. (The Sun) 
Hull manager Phil Brown says he has made an attempt to tone down his touchline demeanour in order to help his side improve their form. "I'm just conscious of my role," said Brown. "I wouldn't say more conscious, just conscious of my role and the effect it can have."(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has warned his players they face the axe unless they start to perform against sides below them in the league table. Following losses at Stoke, Burnley and Birmingham this season, the Black Cats fell to a 1-0 defeat to Wigan on Saturday. (The Sun) 
Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini has insisted he is happy to stay at the club and to prove his loyalty he has revealed that the club received offers for him in the summer but he stayed in order to help United return to the Premier League. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Ipswich manager Roy Keane says that a trip to see the Australian rugby union team beat Wales 33-12 at the Millennium Stadium on Saturday helped inspire his side to their 2-1 victory at Cardiff on Sunday. (Daily Mirror)
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Arsenal 0-3 Chelsea

Premier League leaders Chelsea left Arsenal's title challenge reeling by beating the Gunners to increase the gap to 11 points on their London rivals.
Striker Didier Drogba guided an Ashley Cole cross into the top corner to put the visitors ahead. 
Another Ashley Cole delivery was then diverted into his own net by Arsenal defender Thomas Vermaelen. 
Drogba put an elaborate seal on a deserved victory when he powered in a 25-yard free-kick late on. 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger had said the game was a moment for his players to show their strength but, instead, the defeat only served to blow a massive hole in his side's title hopes.
Chelsea, however, move five points clear of Manchester United at the top of the table and have now kept clean sheets in their previous six Premier League matches. 
The last time Arsenal had been beaten at home was by Chelsea in May and, despite five free-scoring wins at the Emirates Stadium so far this season, the Blues again showed their power was superior to Arsenal's panache.
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has urged Blues manager Carlo Ancelotti to sign French midfielder Patrick Vieira from Inter Milan in January.(The Sun) 
Another Inter player in demand is midfielder Sulley Muntari, who is being tracked by Tottenham.(The Sun) 
Former Liverpool winger Bolo Zenden is keen to join Sunderland and will train with Steve Bruce's side in a bid to win a deal.(Daily Mirror) 
European champions Barcelona are believed to be weighing up a January move for Arsenal full-back Emmanuel Eboue.(The Sun) 
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is wanted by Italian side Juventus, who are preparing a £3m bid.(Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster and manager Sir Alex Ferguson were involved in a dressing-room bust-up after the draw with Sunderland, after the Scot pointed the finger at the England man for his part in Kenwyne Jones's goal for the Black Cats.(Daily Star) 
Portsmouth manager Paul Hart is facing the axe, as new owner Ali Al Faraj is keen on installing a bigger name in charge at Fratton Park.(Daily Mirror)
In addition, new Pompey owner Al Faraj has promised a spending spree in the January window to save the club from relegation.(Daily Mirror) 
Mike Ashley's long running quest to sell Newcastle United has taken a new twist after City sources confirmed that a new South African bidder had emerged.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has been left stunned by quotes attributed to Reds' co-owner George Gillett, who says any failures on the pitch are down to the Spaniard and not himself and American co-owner Tom Hicks.(The Sun) 
However, Benitez will be given a £12m transfer kitty this January by his American bosses in an attempt to salvage the club's title bid.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou is set to become an unlikely beneficiary of Chelsea's transfer ban, with the 23-year-old set to sign a new contract.(The Times) 
Manchester City forward Robinho, who broke a bone in his ankle six weeks ago on international duty, is targeting a return to action against Fulham on 25 October, a month ahead of schedule.(The Sun) 
David Sullivan will step up his efforts to buy West Ham next week when he gets the £25m from Carson Yeung's buyout at Birmingham.(Daily Mirror) 
The outgoing Blues chief has also taken a swipe at Birmingham fans, who he claims have forced him out of the club.(Daily Mirror) 
Hull midfielder Geovanni has revealed he snubbed a return to Brazil in favour of pledging the rest of his career to the Tigers, with whom he recently signed a new three year deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Iain Dowie is being lined up as Director of Football at Notts County so Sven Goran Eriksson can move higher up on the Meadow Lane board.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United's French midfielder Gabriel Obertan has taken up gardening in a bid to help him cope with his injury hell. He has yet to play since signing from Bordeaux in a £3m deal in July because of a back problem.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given has joked that in-form Blues striker Craig Bellamy is so demanding of high standards from his teammates that he "probably moans in his sleep".(Daily Mirror)
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool are expected to use some of the £30m they gained from the sale of Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid to make an £18m offer for Roma midfielder Alberto Aquilani.(The Independent) 
Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour is also linked with a move to Anfield and his agent Paul Stefani says he would not turn down a move to Liverpool. (The Independent) 
Italian side AC Milan are preparing a £31m bid for Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas.(The Sun) 
Darren Bent's transfer to Sunderland has still not been completed, despite the Tottenham striker passing a medical on Monday. (Daily Star) 
Sunderland, meanwhile, are set to sign Lyon defender John Mensah on a season-long loan deal. (The Sun) 
The Black Cats are also keeping tabs on Tottenham centre-back Michael Dawson.(The Sun) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has failed with a £5.5m bid for Sevilla centre-back Federico Fazio. (The Sun) 
Wenger says he will wait to sign Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer next season, rather than improve his £6m offer for the striker this summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham hope to sign Blackburn defender Christopher Samba for £10m to help ease their defensive crisis.(The Sun) 
Manchester United will use their friendly with Valencia to run the rule over midfielder David Silva and forward David Villa. (Daily Star) 
Stoke City want to take injury-prone Everton striker James Vaughan on loan. (Daily Mail) 
Hull are set to sign Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore and have agreed a £3m deal for Stoke midfielder Seyi Olofinjana. (Daily Mail) 
Burnley are in talks with Independiente winger Fernando Guerrero. (Daily Mail)
South African midfielder Kagiso Dikgacoi claims he has secured a move to Fulham from Golden Arrows after impressing on trial at Craven Cottage.(The Independent) 
Southampton are interested in signing former Birmingham defender Radhi Jaidi. (Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich are set to sign Watford striker Tamas Priskin in a £1.2m deal. (Daily Mirror)
Bristol City have told striker Lee Trundle that he is surplus to requirements at Ashton Gate. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has agreed a new three-year contract at the club worth over £100,000 a week. (The Sun) 
Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong has been fined two weeks wages for refusing to travel to play in a friendly at Dundee United, adding to speculation he may be about to leave for Tottenham.(Daily Mail) 
Crystal Palace have been banned from signing players due to a dispute over unpaid bonuses and signing-on fees from last season.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has written off Liverpool's title chances, claiming he has more chance of achieving a hole in one in golf. (The Sun) 
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham is being considered for a goodwill ambassador's role at former club Manchester United when he hangs up his boots.(The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Beckham and his wife Victoria are in negotiations to buy a £10m luxury home in Chelsea, sparking rumours of a move to the west London club. (The Sun) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is being haunted by a vacuum cleaner that keeps turning itself on. (Daily Star) 
Northampton's players will turn out for free on the opening day of the season with their wages being split between the club's eight nominated charities. (Daily Star)
It has been revealed that Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez suffered his recent heel problem after slipping in the shower. Tevez is in danger of missing the start of the season. (The Guardian)
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Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Defender Joleon Lescott will write to Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and ask to join big-spending Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)
However, Lescott has been told that despite his desire to leave Goodison Park he will not be allowed to move to Eastlands. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City will call a halt to their pursuit of Lescott if they cannot get him to Eastlands by the end of the week. (The Sun) 
With Xabi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid imminent, Liverpool will replace the midfielder with Roma's Alberto Aquilani. (Daily Mirror) 
The Reds have agreed a deal in principle with Roma and will splash out £20m on the Italian 25-year-old. (The Sun) 
Arsenal are on the verge of signing Chelsea's Ivory Coast forward Salomon Kalou for £8m. (The Sun) 
Chelsea have moved closer to the £8m signing of AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who could arrive in time for Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)
The Blues, meanwhile, have dismissed speculation linking midfielder Joe Cole with a move to London rivals Tottenham. (The Independent) 
Having completed a medical on Monday, Tottenham striker Darren Bent is expected to finally seal his £12m transfer to Sunderland on Tuesday. (Daily Express) 
Bent's departure will pave the way for Spurs to step up their pursuit of Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. (Daily Express) 
Everton are preparing a £12m bid for Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour. (Daily Mirror)
However, Defour is also on Liverpool's wish list as they look to bolster their midfield options. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham are confident they can persuade right-back Lucas Neill to remain at the club.(The Independent) 
Bolton are looking to sign Valencia midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo on a free transfer. (The Sun) 
Hull will turn their attentions to Tottenham full-back Pascal Chimbonda, if their bid for Newcastle defender Habib Beye fails.(The Sun) 
Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong is ready to hand in a transfer request in order to get a move to Tottenham or Manchester City. (Daily Mirror) 
Hull will battle it out with Fulham for Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore. (Daily Star)
Nottingham Forest have launched a £2m bid for Bolton defender Danny Shittu. (Daily Star) 
Striker Amr Zaki could join Portsmouth on a season-long loan from Egyptian side El Zamalek.(The Independent) 
Hamilton Accies are close to deals for Leicester midfielder James Wesolowski and Spanish defender Luis Rubiales. (Various) 
Frozen-out Rangers forward Alan Gow is a target for Plymouth. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is set to commit himself to the Blues by signing a new three-year contract. (Daily Express)
Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate may need another hernia operation, ruling him out of the first month of the 2009/10 Premier League season. (Daily Mail) 
Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Viera, who is wanted by both Arsenal and Tottenham, has been told he will need to resolve his future if he is to win back his place in the French national side.(Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth have warned they may have to sell more players to survive their financial troubles. (The Sun) 
Veteran winger Ryan Giggs has revealed how training ground bust-ups are a regular occurrence at Manchester United, but help combat fatigue and keep the squad competitive.(Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

Former Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo's legs have been insured for £90m by his new club Real Madrid.(The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Ronaldo's old house in Alderley Edge, Cheshire has been snapped up by new Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor for £5.5m. The former Arsenal striker beat off competition from team-mates Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez as well as Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia. (The Sun) 
Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage has revealed he has a sleepwalking problem that once resulted in him dragging a team-mate out of bed, having imagined a train was going to hit the building.(Daily Star) 
Russia fans have been told to drink whisky on their trip to Wales for September's World Cup qualifier to avoid catching swine flu. (Daily Express)
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Girondins Bordeaux - EA Guingamp

I'll be out whole day, so won't post gossip column for Saturday. But, have a nice little pick for the evening. ; )

In the previous season, Bordeaux made a first class surprise and conquer the French Ligue 1. Thankfully to amazing streak of twelve competitive wins in a row, they finished as the champions, leaving behind Olympique de Marseille and hard favorites Olympique Lyonnais. Now, nobody dares to say anything about retaining the title, but ambitions are highest and 24.5 million euros has been already spent on transfer market. Only important player who left the squad is centre-back Souleymane Diawara (signed for Marseille) and boss Laurent Blanc is looking for his replacement. UK press have been writing a lot about Moroccan striker Marouane Chamakh and his expected move to Premier League. For now he stays at the club, but will have additional motive in this game, to show himself in the best shape. Bordeaux already played three games in the preparation for new season. First a 1-1 draw against Brest, then defeat against Toulouse 0-1 and in the third game lads showed something from the last season shine, defeating Olympique de Marseille 2-1. Blanc will have all squad available, which means killer trio Gourcuff, Cavenaghi, Chamakh in attacking line.

If Bordeaux made a surprise winning a title, than in Guingamp’s case we can talk about sensation. Club last five years compete in second league, finished the previous season at 13th place with just ten victories in 38 games. It seems they still try to recover from 2003., when four big stars, Florent Malouda, Didier Drogba, Nestor Fabbri and Juan-Luis Montero left the club. However, Guingamp made a big victory at the Stade de France in the Cup final, over Stade Rennais FC 2-1 with two goals by excellent Brazilian Eduardo Ribeiro (went to RC Lens). Beside the opportunity to compete in UEFA Europa League, Guingamp will face the national champions in Super Cup. Game will be played in Montreal – Canada and it attracted very big interest from foreign broadcasters. So, beside the sport’s motives, club officials see a nice opportunity for a free advertising. This will be their first game in preparation for the new season. Boss Victor Zvunka has no injury concerns. 

This game has been moved to Quebec with the aim to promote French football abroad and national officials proudly announced the live TV coverage will see the match beamed into homes worldwide from Argentina to Greece. And of course, a promotion of French football demands goals. I think both sides will forget the formality of the game and will try to play attractive and to score one goal more. Additional reason for my bet is artificial pitch in Montreal, ball will move much faster which can cause some errors in defence lines. Bwin offer 2.20. Over.

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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano says the £35m figure they have been quoted for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso means they are close to pulling out of any deal to sign him.(Independent) 
The Spanish club have spent about £170m this summer but the £69m asking price for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is one step too far and could open the door for Chelsea to sign the French international.(Guardian) 
But Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Ribery and he will become a galactico next summer.(Independent) 
Wayne Bridge gave Manchester City reason to believe they could sign Chelsea captain John Terry when he signed for them from the Stamford Bridge club in January 2009. City are now preparing a third bid for Terry.(Independent) 
Terry is upset Chelsea have not been in contact with him since City's recent £30m bid for him and wants talks with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.(The Sun) 
Arsenal's desire to sign combative midfielder Felipe Melo (on photo) from Fiorentina could result in them trading Emmanuel Eboue and Philippe Senderos as part of any deal. (Daily Express) 
Everton have tabled a £13m bid for Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour after having an initial £9m offer rejected by the Belgium outfit.(Independent) 
Tottenham will fight it out with Sunderland to sign Republic of Ireland central defender Richard Dunne from Manchester City.(The Sun) 
Spurs also want Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross and are prepared to offer £2m plus midfielder Didier Zokora into the deal.(The Sun) 
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler's stint in Australia could be a short one as Tranmere boss John barnes wants to make a move for his former Anfield team-mate. (The Sun) 
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told Egyptian striker Amr Zaki to forget any thoughts about a return to the club because of his lack of discipline.(The Sun) 
Latics boss Roberto Martinez will try to sign striker Jason Scotland from former club Swansea.(Daily Star) 
West Brom have put a £4m price tag on midfielder Jonathan Greening, who is courting the interest of Fulham.(Daily Express) 
Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez is set for a move to Roma but, while the Italian club want him on loan, the Magpies want to get back the £5.2m they paid for the Argentine.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Bordeaux boss and ex-Manchester United defender Laurent Blanc says midfielder Gabriel Obertan, who the French club are set to sell to the Old Trafford outfit, has a lot to learn.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba says his behaviour after the Champions League defeat by Barcelona was not "right" and still bothers him.(Daily Mirror) 
The uncertainty surrounding Newcastle's ownership could spark a player revolt at the Tyneside club.(Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Real Madrid's club shop sold nearly 3,000 club Cristiano Ronaldo shirts in the first two hours on Tuesday and were all-but sold out by closing time. Kaka sold just 600 on the first day after his unveiling.(Independent) 
Arsenal fans have launched their own Michael Owen-style brochure in a send up trying to sell striker Emmanuel Adebayor to any interested club.(Daily Mirror)
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Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are poised to hijack Manchester United's £25m bid to sign 21-year-old striker Karim Benzema from Lyon.(News of the World) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson will intensify negotiations to for £45m Atletico Madrid playmaker Sergio Aguero and complete the £14m signing of Wigan striker Luis Antonio Valencia. (Sunday Mail) 
Manchester City have completed a £25m swoop for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o, 28, and they are expected to announce that they have also signed Carlos Tevez. (News of the World) 
Chelsea will make a new £50m offer for AC Milan's Brazilian striker Pato after their initial £45m bid for the 19-year-old was rejected. 
Meanwhile, Blues striker Didier Drogba, midfielder Michael Essien and defender Ashley Cole are to be offered new £125,000-a-week deals, but Joe Cole and Jose Bosingwa could be on their way out of Stamford Bridge. (News of the World) 
Chelsea are also set to test Bayern Munich's resolve with a £50m bid for French winger Franck Ribery.(Sunday Express )
Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant is agonising over a switch across Stanley Park to join Everton. (News of the World) 
Xabi Alonso's future at Anfield depends on Real Madrid's bid to sign David Villa from Valencia. If Real fail to purchase the striker, they will meet Liverpool's £25m asking price for Alonso. (News of the World)
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has urged manager Rafael Benitez to try and sign one of his Spanish international team-mates David Villa, David Silva or Juan Mata, who all play for Valencia. (News of the World) 
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley expects to receive two bids for the club this week which could determine Alan Shearer's long-term future at St James' Park.(Sunday Mirror) 
Aston Villa are ready to make a £5m swoop for German international Tim Borowski, 29, who plays in midfield for Bayern Munich.(News of the World) 
Stoke are ready to smash their transfer record and spend £6m on Newcastle's Nigerian striker Obafemi Martins. But they are likely to face competition from Everton, Aston Villa and Tottenham.(News of the World) 
West Ham want to bring Anton Ferdinand back to Upton Park from Sunderland in a cut-price deal. New Black Cats boss Steve Bruce does not want the 24-year-old, who moved to Wearside last summer, and Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola will make a £2m bid.(News of the World) 
Meanwhile, Bruce is ready to make a £5m bid for Rangers 24-year-old midfielder Steven Davis.(News of the World) 
Southampton could this week be forced to sell former England Under-21 midfielder Andrew Surman just to meet the club's wage bill. (The Sun)
QPR are expected to head a queue of clubs willing to pay a cut-price £400,000 for the 22-year-old who has made 133 appearances for the Saints.(Sunday Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle face a £750,000 wage bill for strikers Michael Owen and Mark Viduka, even though the pair may not play for the club again.
Both players' deals expire on Tuesday, but they have a clause in their contracts that means they will be paid for another month if they do not sign for clubs in July.(News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Brazil and Real Madrid playmaker Kaka has delivered a stinging blow to Manchester City by revealing that they were not a big enough club to tempt him to the Premier League. (News of the World)
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