Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United will be under pressure to sell off up to 15 players at the end of the season to help clear their rising debt, reported to be about £716m. Striker Michael Owen and keeper Ben Foster are likely to be top of the list for the axe.(Daily Star) 
Veteran former Scotland striker Paul Dickov, a free agent after leaving Leicester in January, will join League One title hopefuls Leeds on Monday.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Five Chelsea players have pledged their support to former team-mate Wayne Bridge in the wake of their captain John Terry's alleged affair with the Manchester City defender's former partner.(Daily Mail) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane sympathises with Bridge's decision to quit England, claiming "getting the big contract, the Bentley and the blonde" has replaced playing the international game as "the pinnacle" for players. (Daily Mail) 
Olympic and world sprint champion Usain Bolt is desperate for Manchester United to beat Aston Villa in Sunday's Carling Cup final. He will be watching in his Kingston home and said: "I want to be celebrating at the end."(The Sun) 
Milton Keynes Dons manager Paul Ince is facing the axe, with former Watford and Reading boss Brendan Rodgers being lined up to replace him. (Daily Mail) 
Reading have decided not to appeal against Jobi McAnuff's red card in the FA Cup fifth-round replay victory over West Brom, ruling the winger out of the Royals' quarter-final clash against Aston Villa.(Daily Mail) 
The Premier League could introduce fines if members fail to stick to an agreement made at the start of the season on giving interviews to rights holders. It could lead to Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson speaking to the BBC once again. Ferguson fell out with the corporation after a 2004 documentary about his son Jason. (The Independent) 
Rangers manager Walter Smith has told goalkeeper Allan McGregor, who this week claimed he was attacked at a city centre taxi rank, he is on his last chance over his off-the-field antics. (The Sun)
Rangers' Walter Smith says it is understandable that striker Kris Boyd has called off contract talks because of the uncertainty over the club's finances and the manager's future. (Various) 
Scotland's under-fire referees will be wined and dined by the Scottish Football Association before next week's friendly with Czech Republic as a defiant show of support to officials. (The Sun)
Rangers striker Kenny Miller has hit back at Celtic's claims that they get a raw deal from referees, saying he suffered a harsh red card against Dundee United that ruled him out of the last Old Firm derby. (Various) 

AND FINALLY

Former Manchester United and Aston Villa striker Dwight Yorke is in reflective mood ahead of the Carling Cup final. When asked about a premature end to a four-year Old Trafford career in 2002, he said: "Would I give up the women and nights out for another year at United? Would that make me happy? Would that make me the person I am today? I'm not so sure."(Daily Express)
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Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Notts County defender Sol Campbell could be offered a route back into football by struggling Premier League club Hull.(Sunday Mirror) 
Or, Campbell was in talks with championship side Ipswich hours after walking out on Notts County on Wednesday.(Sunday Express) 
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has demanded £45m from the club's owners to sign Valencia forward David Villa. (Sunday People)
Arsenal are increasingly resigned to losing captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona in the summer.(Sunday Express) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will launch a January transfer bid for West Ham defender Matthew Upson.(News of the World) 
Redknapp is also keen on Bolton centre-half Gary Cahill but will have to come up with £20m to land the Englishman. (Sunday People) 
Manchester United have been given first option on signing Sporting Lisbon keeper Rui Patricio.(News of the World) 
Or, Manchester United will offer Inter Milan £20m for Brazilian keeper Juilo Cesar. (Sunday People) 
Everton manager David Moyes hopes to sign Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson for £6m in January. (News of the World) 
But, Middlesbrough will offer Johnson a massive 800% pay rise to tempt the 22-year-old to stay at the Championship club. (Sunday People) 
Aston Villa are keen on Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop as he looks for a long-term replacement for Brad Friedel. (Sunday People)
Arsenal's 19-year-old right-back Gavin Hoyte is wanted by Derby County on loan. (Sunday People) 
Cameroon midfielder Modeste M'Bami has snubbed an offer from Wigan of a one-month contract at the club. (Sunday People)
Everton are battling it out with Bolton for Maccabi Haifa's 23-year-old midfielder Lior Rafaelov. (Sunday Mirror) 
Newcastle and Middlesbrough are fighting to sign West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite on loan. (Sunday Mirror)
Wigan look to be favourites to capture £2m-rated SK Brann winger Erik Huseklepp. (Sunday Mirror) 
Arsenal striker Carlos Vela could be in line for a surprise move to Spanish club Xerez in the January transfer window. (Sunday Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is favourite to succeed under-fire Paul Hart at Portsmouth. (Daily Star Sunday) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson is ready to move from his role as Notts County's director of football and replace current manager Ian McPharland.(Sunday Expresss) 
Meanwhile, Sol Campbell claims that broken promises and the failure to land big-name players were the reasons behind his early Notts County exit. (News of the World) 
In his explosive new book, former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke claims a bust-up with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson led him to drink.(News of the World) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been warned by specialist knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman that he may never recover from the tendinitis that has kept him out of action for a year.(News of the World) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is in talks with an Arab prince to sell a 25% stake in the club for £125m.(Sunday Mirror) 
Blackburn striker El Hadji Diouf and team-mate Ryan Nelson were involved in a dressing room punch-up following last Sunday's 3-0 defeat by Everton.(News of the World) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who is out of contract at the end of the season, is yet to be offered a new deal by Craven Cottage chiefs. (Sunday People) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United keeper Edwin van der Sar says he will not retire from football until he has won the Champions League again.(Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed how he placed a bet at the start of the season on former Old Trafford winger Cristiano Ronaldo to be the top scorer in Spain at new club Real Madrid.(Mail on Sunday)
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