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

Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Germany captain Michael Ballack insists his international career is not over despite missing the World Cup after injuring his ankle playing for Chelsea in the FA Cup final. "I won't let my international career come to an end because of a foul like this," said the 33-year-old (Press Association).
Tottenham have joined Arsenal in the chase for Dynamo Kiev's Senegalese defender Pape Diakhate.(goal.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are prepared to allow Anderson leave Old Trafford in a player-swap-plus-cash deal to land £38m-rated Benfica winger Angel di Maria.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester City have entered the race to sign Bayern Munich's £50m-rated winger Franck Ribery. Barcelona and Real Madrid have dropped out because of the player's personal problems, thus leaving City and Manchester United as the only serious interested parties.(Footylatest.com) 
Ajax have told Manchester United that it will cost £35m to persuade them to sell Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez this summer.(Daily Mirror) 
The potential stumbling block surrounding the return of Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona could involve the transfer fee, with Arsenal not prepared to accept less than £50m.(Footylatest.com) 
Barcelona are ready to spend £70m to thwart Chelsea's interest and bring Liverpool's Spanish international striker Fernando Torres to the Nou Camp.(Daily Express) 
Manchester United are set to table a bid of £20m for Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell, with boss Sir Alex Ferguson hoping his offer will see off Chelsea, who are reported to have tabled a bid of £16m.(Footylatest.com) 
The agent of Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has quashed reports that the 32-year-old Italy star is heading for a Premier League club this summer. (The Sun) 
Liverpool are preparing a double swoop for Manchester City's Stephen Ireland and Chelsea's Joe Cole. The Anfield club are confident they have sufficient funds to finance both fees, and hope to persuade Cole to take a lower wage.(Footylatest.com) 
West Ham have rejected bids from Fulham, Birmingham and Stoke for striker Carlton Cole as none of their offers matched the Hammers' £15m valuation.(Daily Telegraph) 
Beaten League One play-off side Huddersfield are keen on Falkirk midfielder Scott Arfield and Rangers defender Steven Smith.(Daily Record) 
Celtic are interested in signing defender Sol Campbell, who is a free agent after his deal at Arsenal expired, although the Gunners are thought to be keen to keep hold of him. (The Sun) 
Veteran midfielder Nick Barmby, 36, is close to agreeing a one-year contract extension with Hull (The Sun). 
But Jimmy Bullard could be leaving the KC Stadium for a season-long loan at Celtic.(Daily Star) 
Bolton have seen off competition from Blackburn, Wolves and Greek champions Panathinaikos to win the race to sign Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane after his loan spell at Portsmouth. (The Sun) 
Hearts are interested in taking Burnley's former Rangers striker Steven Thompson back to Scotland after his contract with the Turf Moor club expired.(Daily Express) 
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton says he expects to have money to spend in the summer but has ruled out making wholesale changes to the squad that won the Championship this season. (Daily Express) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Juventus are set to confirm Luigi del Neri as their new manager after running out of patience with Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez.(Daily Telegraph) 
Owen Hargreaves wants showdown talks with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to know what he told England boss Fabio Capello about his fitness, after the midfielder was left out of the England World Cup squad.(The Sun) 
Sunderland have passed on the chance to sign striker Benjani on a permanent basis after his loan spell from Manchester City came to an end.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea's Michael Ballack is considering legal action against Portsmouth's Kevin Prince-Boateng over the challenge in the FA Cup final that ruled the Germany captain out of the World Cup.(Daily Express) 
Uefa president Michel Platini says England's 2018 World Cup bid can survive the embarrassment of the Lord Triesman affair.(the Guardian) 
Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies will hold crisis talks with club owner Nigel Doughty on Friday after discussing his potential availability for other jobs in television interviews.(the Guardian) 
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart has been told by England boss Fabio Capello that he has an equal chance of being first choice keeper at the World Cup as David James and Robert Green.(Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Rotherham striker Drewe Broughton could need to find a stand-in best man for his summer wedding as first choice, West Ham defender Matthew Upson, could be at the World Cup with England. (The Sun)
Welshman Ryan Giggs says he will be cheering on England at the World Cup but says Spain are overwhelming favourites to win the tournament.(Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery has told a German television channel he hopes to decide where his future lies "in the next 10 days". The Frenchman claims Real Madrid, Barcelona and Chelsea are all interested in signing him. (The Guardian) 
Bayern Munich are determined to keep hold of Franck Ribery and will snub any £40m bids for Franck Ribery from Chelsea and Real Madrid even if it means the France international leaves on a free transfer in 2011.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City are closing in on a £11m deal to sign Hamburg's 6ft 3in Germany international defender Jerome Boateng, the younger brother of Portsmouth's Kevin Prince. (The Guardian) 
Real Madrid hope to fend off competition from Manchester United by signing 24-year-old Spanish striker David Silva from Valencia in a £22m pre-World Cup deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack could be heading for a reunion with former Blues boss Jose Mourinho at Inter Milan after admitting there have been no talks over renewing his Stamford Bridge contract, which ends this summer.(Daily Mail) 
Mourinho is increasingly confident that he can tempt Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard to quit Anfield for a move to Inter.(Daily Mail) 
Palermo are hopeful of agreeing a summer loan deal for Manchester United striker Federico Macheda.(Daily Star) 
Olympiakos want to sign Liverpool's Fabio Aurelio, and the Brazilian defender could join Hungarian Krisztian Nemeth in Greece, with AEK Athens keen to extend the Anfield striker's loan spell at the club.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has stepped up his bid to sign Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris as his long-term replacement for Edwin van der Sar.(Daily Mail) 
Barcelona have denied claims by Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood that they have promised not to make a summer bid for Cesc Fabregas.(Portuguese newspaper Abola)
Sunderland midfielder Steed Malbranque, wanted by Bordeaux and Marseille, has ruled out a return to France, with the former Lyon man intent on staying on Wearside.(Daily Mirror) 
Nottingham Forest hope to lure midfielder Darren Pratley from Championship rivals Swansea with a £2m summer swoop. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has recovered from the ankle injury that has sidelined him for two games and will return for Saturday's derby game at Manchester City. (The Sun) 
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is on a shortlist to succeed Marcello Lippi as Italy manager after this summer's World Cup.(Daily Mail) 
World Cup organisers have called on Fifa to overhaul the way tickets will be sold for the 2014 tournament in Brazil as they begin a race against time to sell half a million tickets for this year's event in South Africa.(The Guardian) 
In-form Stoke winger Matthew Etherington will open talks with the Potters next week over a new £30,000-a-week deal. (Daily Mirror) 
The Premier League will deny FA Cup finalists Portsmouth their dream of playing in the Europa League next season, unless the south-coast club can come out of administration and pay off all their debts by the end of the season. (Daily Mirror) 
Southampton manager Alan Pardew has emerged as a shock contender to be the new Celtic boss.(Daily Record) 
Juventus's hopes of tempting Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to become their new manager rest on them overhauling Palermo and finishing fourth in Serie A this season.(Daily Telegraph) 
Benitez's agent, Manuel Garcia Quillon, claims a Chinese investor wants to buy Liverpool on condition that the Spaniard remains as Reds boss.(Spanish newspaper AS)
Manchester City winger Adam Johnson has played his way into England boss Fabio Capello's World Cup plans and will be named in the Italian's provisional 30-man squad next month. (Daily Mirror) 
The Red Knights consortium that is considering a bid to take over Manchester United are expected to finalise their proposal to make an offer for the club by the end of this week, with an approach expected at the end of the season.(The Guardian) 
Fernando Torres is on course to return from the knee injury which kept him out of the goalless draw with Fulham. The Spaniard "will do whatever it takes to be ready" to face his old club Atletico Madrid in the Europa League semi-final next week, according to an unnamed team-mate. (Daily Mirror) 
Relegation-threatened Crystal Palace are just three weeks away from 'meltdown' - manager Paul Hart is poised to quit the financially stricken Championship club to join Tottenham's coaching staff, first-team coach John Pemberton is off to Sheffield United, while the Croydon side's ground, Selhurst Park, is at risk from developers. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Former England star John Barnes will reprise his legendary rap from New Order's 1990 World Cup song 'World in Motion' for a TV advert.(The Guardian) 
Real Madrid claim they have already recovered the £80m it cost them to buy Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United through sales of replica shirts bearing the Portuguese star's name.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Man Utd 3-2 Bayern Munich (agg 4-4)

Arjen Robben's spectacular late strike wrecked Manchester United's hopes of reaching a third successive Champions League final as he sent Bayern Munich through on away goals at Old Trafford.
The former Chelsea star rifled in a magnificent volley from Franck Ribery's corner with 16 minutes left to stun United after they looked to be cruising into the semi-finals as they went 3-0 up before the interval to establish a two-goal aggregate lead. 
Robben capped a dismal week for United that has seen them lose the Premier League leadership and crash out of the Champions League - also ending English interest in the tournament after Arsenal's exit against Barcelona. 
Wayne Rooney was in Sir Alex Ferguson's starting line-up as he completed a remarkable recovery from the ankle ligament injury he sustained in Bayern's 2-1 win against United in the Allianz Arena eight days ago. 
And he was quickly a thorn in Bayern's side, setting up Darron Gibson's opener after just three minutes. United looked on course for the last four when Nani turned in Antonio Valencia's cross four minutes later to put them ahead in the tie.
Bayern were being run ragged and Nani capped United's complete supremacy when he scored his second and their third as half-time approached - but the whole mood and shape of the tie was turned when Ivica Olic took advantage of poor defending to bundle home a crucial goal before the interval. 
Louis van Gaal's side suddenly discovered hope, and a measure of composure, their cause being helped when Rafael was sent off after 50 minutes following his second yellow card for a foul on Ribery. 
Ferguson responded by replacing Rooney, who had been limping heavily earlier, with John O'Shea, but the momentum had swung dramatically to Bayern and Robben's wonder goal capped a period of pressure. 
United had no Rooney to call on for the finale and they did not have the inspiration to mount a trademark late surge as the Premier League's last representative went out of a tournament in which they have exerted so much influence in recent seasons. 
Ferguson must now gather his team for a final assault on a fourth successive title, but there is no doubt they have taken three heavy blows as they attempt to add more silverware to the Carling Cup won against Aston Villa. 
And he will also hope Rooney has not sustained further damage to his ankle in this lost cause.
www.bbc.co.uk

Bayern Munich 2-1 Man Utd

Ivica Olic grabbed an injury-time winner as Bayern Munich drew first blood in their Champions League quarter-final with Manchester United.
United had taken the lead after just 66 seconds when Wayne Rooney volleyed in six yards out from Nani's free-kick. 
But Franck Ribery's deflected free-kick set up a dramatic finale, rounded off by Olic's cool run and finish after a defensive error by Patrice Evra. 
United's misery was made complete when Rooney limped off with an ankle injury. 
And the England striker's injury could yet prove to be the major story of the night, with the 24-year-old apparently in severe pain after turning over on his ankle in the build-up to Bayern's winner. 
Either way, it was a poor night for United, who failed to build on Rooney's opener, allowing Bayern to take control of a tie now nicely poised ahead of the second leg at Old Trafford on 7 April.
Sir Alex Ferguson's side will comfort themselves in the knowledge that they have that away goal, but should Rooney be missing in a week's time it is clear United have plenty of work to do to combat a Bayern side who are likely to be buoyed by the return of key winger Arjen Robben after a calf problem.And while United must wait and see if he is fit to start the second leg or, indeed, Sunday's Premier League match with Chelsea, England coach Fabio Capello will also undoubtedly be interested in news on the severity of the frontman's injury.

www.bbc.co.uk

Bayern Munchen - Manchester United

Bayern  are approaching the finish of the season with hopes they can win the title and to progress as far as it is possible in CL. At Saturday will face Schalke in something like league final. In CL they turned the corner in Turin with a sensational win over Juve. But, after recent happenings in Italian club, I’m wondering in a real value of that achievement. In previous round, they knocked Fiorentina with two not so convincing performances. Boss van Gaal has serious problems with his key players. Robben (14 goals) suffered an injury at Saturday and was substituted. Many mind-games regarding his appearance, but I think we can’t expect his maximum anyway. Ribery has an ankle injury. He’ll surely appear, but I question his dedication to this game as he already “changed the club”, also he couldn’t be proud on his recent form. Key striker, Mario Gomez has just recovered from an injury and I don’t think he’s fully fit. And probably real key man, native Bavarian Schweinsteiger, is suspended. Wouldn’t write them off from tonight’s game, but those four are best players in my opinion.

 

As the season comes to end, United have been improving their performance and have noticed seven competitive wins in a row. With a return of Rio and Vidic got the iron in defence line and with Rooney in a sensational shape they can hope in a successful finish. As Bayern, they’ll also face main contender for domain title, Chelsea at Saturday. Sir Alex was gambling vs. Bolton, resting Ferdinand and Rooney and both are fit. No other injury concerns. United haven’t lost any of previous 16 away games in CL! Ferguson will probably set his favorite formation is such occasions, 4-5-1 and hope for another 1-0 win.

 

For me, visitors are clear favorites for progress. They’re technically and tactically better, in a better shape and have more self-confidence. I definitely can not fully exclude a probability of a scoring draw. Ferguson would be satisfied, I think. But on the other hand, I don’t think Bayern have a chance to win. Odds are not so high, but worth a shot. Dnb 2.

.

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

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Sought-after Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has turned down a move to Chelsea and will instead switch to a club in Spain this summer, partly because his wife would hate the English weather.(The Sun) 
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wants Palermo striker Edinson Cavani.(Daily Mail) 
Palermo, meanwhile, have their sights set on a bid for Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen, with Rovers hoping to take midfielder Mark Bresciano in the other direction.(The Sun) 
Liverpool's Spanish winger Albert Riera is ready to quit Anfield for a loan move to Spartak Moscow in a bid to save his World Cup dream.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City are also in talks with Grenoble over a summer switch for their France Under-21 midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, who will be out of contract at the end of the season.(The Sun) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is keen on Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara, who is currently on loan at Portsmouth.(Daily Mirror) 
Nice striker Loic Remy says he still wants to join Arsenal, despite his move collapsing in January due to a £13m asking price.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will turn to Notts County goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel next season if he cannot land Joe Hart on loan again.(The Sun) 
McLeish has revealed Birmingham have held talks with Rangers striker Kris Boyd's representatives, but that the Scotland international is also talking to other clubs. (The Times)
Portsmouth left-back Dusko Tosic, 25, looks set to join QPR on Thursday after a proposed move to Swansea fell through. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Chelsea boss Glenn Hoddle is being lined up for a dramatic return to management in place of West Ham's Gianfranco Zola.(Daily Mirror) 
Actually, former Man City boss Mark Hughes is the man the Upton Park club want to replace their struggling Italian gaffer.(Daily Star) 
Hughes is also on a three-man shortlist to lead Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup.(The Guardian) 
Zola has been told to submit a dossier to West Ham's owners to convince them that he can save the Hammers from the drop.(Daily Mail) 
West Ham striker Benni McCarthy has admitted he and his team-mates "hid" during their woeful 3-1 defeat at home to Wolves on Tuesday.(The Sun) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has not trained since their 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, prompting fears he is still troubled by on-going knee problems.(The Independent) 
Balram Chainrai, Portsmouth's fourth owner in their turbulent season, could remain in charge of the club for the long term.(The Guardian) 
Man City manager Roberto Mancini and Everton boss David Moyes could face an FA rap after squaring up during their sides' game at Eastlands on Tuesday. (Various) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, on the brink of a return after injury, has revealed he still needs painkilling injections to get him through training and matches.(The Sun) 
QPR manager Neil Warnock has been handed a £10m summer war chest to take the Loftus Road outfit into the Premier League.(The Sun) 
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner says he is an injury doubt for Saturday's away game at Birmingham.(Daily Mirror) 
Southampton could hand 16-year-old midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a shock call-up for Sunday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final with Carlisle. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has told his team-mates to make sure they are not only remembered for playing pretty football.(Daily Star) 
David Beckham has lost his place at the top of France Football magazine's annual survey of the top earners in the game to Barcelona's Lionel Messi. The Argentine earned £29.6m last year in salary and endorsements, £2.3m ahead of Beckham. (The Independent)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Aston Villa are considering a move for Manchester United's reserve Polish goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak. (Daily Mail) 
Reports in Italy claim Juventus would be prepared to let goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon sign for Manchester City for a fee in the region of £32m. (The Times) 
France winger Franck Ribery remains coy over his future at Bayern Munich amid continued interest from Chelsea, Real Madrid and Barcelona. Ribery's current contract expires at the end of the season, but German side Bayern have given him until the end of March to decide his plans.(IM Scouting) 
French striker Frederic Piquionne wants to remain in England after his loan spell at Portsmouth finishes at the end of the season. The 31-year-old looks set to leave cash-strapped Pompey but does not want to return to his parent club Lyon. (IM Scouting) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Rafael Benitez would earn an instant £16m payment if Liverpool sacked the under-pressure manager in the summer because of a clause in the Spaniard's five-year contract.(Daily Mail) 
But should the Anfield club accept an investment offer of £100m from private equity firm Rhone Group, the Reds could afford to hang on to their coveted stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres. (Daily Mail)
However, Benitez fears that striker Torres will seek to leave Anfield if Liverpool fail to finish fourth in the Premier League to qualify for next season's Champions League.(The Guardian) 
Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho is claiming 'home advantage' ahead of Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg tie at former club Chelsea. Mourinho, who led the Blues to six trophies in three years, said: "Everybody knows Mourinho doesn't lose at Stamford Bridge. My record is unbeatable." (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Mourinho has refused to let his Inter players train at Stamford Bridge, fearing Chelsea spies may attempt to learn his tactical plans. The Italian side hold a 2-1 lead from the first leg.(Daily Star) 
Kasper Schmeichel, the son of Manchester United legend Peter, is good enough to play in the Premier League again, according to the keeper's Notts County manager Steve Cotterill. (Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Hull manager Phil Brown has been ordered not to talk to his teenage midfielder Tom Cairney. Brown has received a letter from the 19-year-old's legal representatives after the club tried to open contract negotiations.(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole is set to quit the club on a free transfer in the summer. The Blues have reportedly offered him a one-year extension, incorporating a 40% pay-cut, to his current deal which expires at the end of the season.(Daily Star) 
Brazilian midfielder Sandro is preparing himself for a £6m summer move to Tottenham from current club Internacionale by learning English.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham are sounding out clubs in Belgium about taking Zambian left-back Emmanuel Mbola on loan after the London club agreed a £1m deal to sign the teenager from Armenian club Yerevan.(Daily Mirror) 
Celtic are keen to recruit Arsenal striker Jay Simpson for next season after watching him in action for QPR, where he is on loan for the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery, who is a target for the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid, says he will resolve his future before the summer.(imscouting.com) 
Birmingham City and Wolves are both trailing Crystal Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton hit man James Vaughan is joining Leicester City's promotion push - to the fury of Championship rivals Derby County, who had the striker on loan earlier this season and had hoped to re-sign him.(Daily Mirror) 
Fulham striker Erik Nevland will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of this season to join his former team Viking Stavanger.(Daily Express) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has challenged striker Wayne Rooney to beat former United winger Cristiano Ronaldo's United goal record of 42 during the 2007/08 season. The England man took his tally to 30 for the season with a brace in United's 4-0 Champions League win over Milan on Wednesday.(The Sun) 
England boss Fabio Capello says Rooney is one of the three best players in the world; putting the striker on a par with Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.(The Sun) 
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who started the season playing for League Two side Notts County, is eyeing a shock re-call to the England side.(The Sun) 
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has called a crisis meeting of his players in an attempt to stamp out the discord that threatens the very fabric of the club. In recent weeks, the Spanish coach has been dismayed by what he sees as "negative body language" from his players as they struggle to keep themselves in the race for a top-four finish.(Daily Mirror) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who enjoyed managerial spells with Udinese and Inter Milan prior to taking over at Craven Cottage, has admitted he would like to coach again in Italy before the end of his career.(Daily Mirror) 
The backlash towards Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has begun following the club's Champions League exit at the hands of Lyon on Wednesday. The front page of Madrid based newspaper Marca this morning says "Adio Champions, Adios Pellegrini. Fuera" which translates as "Goodbye Champions [League], Goodbye Pellegrini. Out."(imscouting.com) 
Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink has agreed to manage Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup in South Africa - providing he can negotiate an early release from his contract as Russia coach, which runs until mid-July. After the World Cup, Hiddink will take over as coach of Turkey.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Newcastle stars like Alan Smith and Kevin Nolan will be asked to take a pay cut if the Magpies win promotion to the Premier League because they are still on lucrative contracts handed to them prior to the club's relegation from the top flight last season.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

.

Real Madrid    1 - 1    Lyon

1 - 0 C. Ronaldo  6.min.

1 - 1 M. Pjanic  75.min.

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery admits Chelsea are "very interested" in him and expects his future to be decided before the end of March. (Daily Mail) 
Wigan are weighing up a move for Egypt's right-back Ahmed Al-Muhammadi after he impressed against England last week.(Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa are the latest club to monitor Cardiff City full-back Adam Matthews, with Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal also interested in the 18-year-old.(Daily Mail) 
Rochdale can look forward to a predicted £1m windfall from the sale of centre-half Craig Dawson, who is being tracked by Tottenham and Fulham.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea captain John Terry's celebration of his goal against Stoke, in which he rolled up his shirt sleeve and pointed to his captain's armband, dominates the back pages. Selections include: "Terry Up In Arms" (Daily Star), "Barmy Army" (Daily Mirror) and "Listen To The Band" (The Sun).
Manchester United defender Wes Brown fears his World Cup dream is over after breaking a bone in his left foot.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Rafael Benitez has assured Alberto Aquilani that he is not the "forgotten man of Liverpool", despite having to sacrifice the Italian midfielder's adjustment to English football in the race for a critical place in next season's Champions League.(The Guardian) 
AC Milan midfielder David Beckham believes the Italian club can cause a surprise at Old Trafford on Wednesday and knock Manchester United out of the Champions League, despite losing the first leg 3-2 in the San Siro. (Daily Mail) 
The battle for control of Manchester United is expected to intensify this week with the appointment of official banking advisers to the Red Knights, the group of City financiers who are trying to seize control of the club.(The Guardian) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp believes all Premier League managers will eventually be foreign.(Daily Telegraph) 
The Football Association may withhold the £600,000 prize money and television income that Portsmouth have earned by reaching the FA Cup semi-finals, then divert it to pay off some of the £3m in transfer fees Pompey owe to other clubs.(The Times) 
That, however, may be the least of Portsmouth's problems. The FA may dump the club out of the entire Cup competition as a result of their debts.(Daily Express) 
Wigan's Victor Moses may opt to join Nigeria's World Cup squad after being overlooked by Stuart Pearce for the England Under-21 team.(Daily Mirror) 
West Ham's new owners will offer goalkeeper Robert Green an improved contract in a bid to keep the England player at Upton Park.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Fabio Capello's love of golf is one of the reasons the Italian wants to stay on as England coach for the next two years. The former AC Milan boss has become addicted to the sport since arriving in the country and now plays a couple of times a week.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Theo Walcott has explained that his goal celebration against Burnley, which involved pointing to an imaginary watch on his wrist, was an attempt to dodge a fine for missing the team bus. "I was late for the bus the night before, so that's why I was pointing to a watch," he said. "I probably will get a fine but I'll take it. I shouldn't be late but I just got caught in traffic. Maybe it will be forgotten about now!"(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday gossip

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich are set to open negotiations with their French star Franck Ribery as the Bundesliga side bid to stop the midfielder leaving for Real Madrid or Manchester United.(IMScouting)
Birmingham City are interested in signing Kris Boyd from Rangers, with Blues set to send scouts to see the striker play for Scotland against the Czech Republic on Wednesday. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal have become the latest Premier League club to monitor West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans (on photo), who is believed to command a price tag of £6m. (Daily Mail)
John Rooney, the 19-year-old younger brother of Manchester United superstar Wayne, will have a second trial for Nigel Clough's Derby County this week.(Various)
Liverpool's highly-rated new 15-year-old striker, Raheem Sterling, who has been signed from QPR, was enticed to Anfield with a £300,000 contract offer. (Daily Mirror)
Sheffield United and Carlisle are both chasing York City striker Richard Brodie, who is joint top-scorer in the Blue Square Premier league with 20 goals so far this season. (The Sun)
Burnley manager Brian Laws wants to sign 29-year-old Cameroon international winger Salomon Olembe, who is a free agent after leaving Turkish team Kayserispor. (Daily Mirror)
. 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea defender John Terry is seething over Craig Bellamy's insults, directed at the former England captain after Manchester City's 4-2 win on Saturday, saying: "People in glass houses shouldn't throw stones."(Various)
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is keen to leave the Italian club to take over as the Real Madrid manager, should current boss Manuel Pellegrini be sacked by the Spanish giants, according to Spanish daily Sport.(IMScouting)
Aaron Ramsey's broken leg is not as bad as the fracture suffered by team-mate Eduardo, and the Wales international could return for the north Londoners in only six months' time.(Daily Mirror)
Midfielder Jack Wilshere will not be recalled prematurely to Arsenal from his loan spell with Bolton, despite his club-mate Ramsey's injury which has reduced Gunners boss Arsene Wenger's options in the centre of midfield. (Daily Mirror)
AC Milan midfielder Alexandre Pato may miss his team's Champions League second leg tie against Manchester United on 10 March after the Brazilian international hurt his right thigh in the Rossoneri's 3-1 Serie A victory over Atalanta on Sunday. (Daily Mail)
Blackburn striker El-Hadji Diouf was warned by police following his confrontation with Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, which spilled into the tunnel at half-time, during the home side's 2-1 Premier League win at Anfield on Sunday.(Daily Mirror)
Cardiff City boss Dave Jones is considering leaving the financially stricken Championship club in the summer after being told by chairman Peter Ridsdale that he must sell players and rely on free transfers in the close-season.(Daily Mirror)
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone will have a scan on his right foot on Monday after leaving White Hart Lane on crutches following Spurs' 2-1 victory over Everton. (The Daily Telegraph)
Charlton midfielder Nicky Bailey has branded Southend manager Steve Tilson "a total disgrace" for claiming that he feigned injury in the incident which led to the sending off of the Shrimpers' Jean Francois Christophe in the Addicks' 2-1 away win on Saturday. (Daily Mirror)
England coach Fabio Capello, Liverpool's Rafael Benitez and Fiorentina coach Cesare Prandelli all feature on a Juventus shortlist to replace Alberto Zaccheroni at the Turin club in the summer. (IMScouting)
Celtic have lodged an appeal with the Scottish FA over Scott Brown's red card in Sunday's Old Firm derby defeat.(Daily Record)
Southampton have been given a record 44,000 ticket allocation for their Johnstone's Paint Trophy final against Carlisle at Wembley on 28 March. (The Sun)

AND FINALLY

Saturday's Stamford Bridge referee Mike Dean reversed the pre-match handshake protocol by asking Manchester City captain Shay Given to lead his away team down the Chelsea line, thereby avoiding an even more embarrassing situation for John Terry which would have seen the home skipper standing in front of Wayne Bridge demanding a reaction. (Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has admitted he is tempted to link up with his France team-mate Thierry Henry at Barcelona.(The Guardian) 
Arsenal are closing in on the signing of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh after his proposed move to Liverpool collapsed. (The Times) 
Barcelona and Sevilla have targeted Madjid Bougherra after the Rangers defender impressed during the Africa Cup of Nations. (Daily Record)
Rangers defender Stevie Smith says he will almost certainly reject the offer of a new contract in the search for regular first-team football. (Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool have emerged as a takeover target for the seventh-richest man in the world, Indian Mukesh Ambani. (The Times) 
But, India's wealthiest man Mukesh Ambani has denied British newspaper reports on Tuesday that he is considering a takeover of Liverpool. (AFP) 
Arsenal have written to Barcelona to demand the Spanish giants stop their public campaign to try and sign midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Mirror) 
New West Ham owner David Sullivan reckons any Birmingham fans who abuse him at Wednesday's game are fools after declaring his regime at the Blues the best in the club's history. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham co-owner David Gold has fanned the flames of controversy before the clash at Upton Park by saying the Hammers are bigger than the Blues. (The Times) 
Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller will keep his place in the squad for Tuesday's Premier League match at Wigan despite being arrested on suspicion of assault. (The Times) 
Mark Hughes is weighing up whether to become Turkey's new manager, two months after he was sacked by Manchester City. (Daily Mail) 

But Hughes could be in line to replace manager Gianfranco Zola should West Ham continue to struggle while Russia coach Guus Hiddink has also been linked to the vacant job at Turkey. (The Times)

His successor at City, Roberto Mancini, is under increasing pressure to ensure that the Blues qualify for the Champions League.(Daily Mail) 

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola and his players will be asked to take a 25% pay cut at the end of the season. (The Sun) 
Ian Holloway has axed three of his Blackpool players for Tuesday's game at Sheffield Wednesday after they were spotted in a nightclub on Saturday night, hours after their 2-1 defeat by Leicester. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, the new England captain, is still agonising over whether he should withdraw his appeal against a four-match violent-conduct ban as a gesture of goodwill to the Football Association. (Daily Telegraph) 
Former Bradford striker Dean Windass is among the favourites to replace Stuart McCall as boss of the Bantams. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Kieron Dyer's time at West Ham could cost the club a staggering £30m over the course of his four-year contract. The midfielder has started only five league matches in his two-and-a-half years at Upton Park and has yet to score.(Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has not ruled out a move to England. He said: "Last season, I had many possibilities with Manchester United, Real, Barcelona or Chelsea. I hope I'll have the same ones plus Bayern next summer."(The Sun) 
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has declared his love for London, and Barcelona. He said: "All of my life I have been dressing the Barca colours. I had to leave and I have seen also other things that I have enjoyed a lot. When I retire from football, I will live in Barcelona. But I love London a lot, me and my family love London." (Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool are confident of beating AC Milan and Valencia to the signature of Milan Jovanovic, who is available on a free transfer from Standard Liege in the summer.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United could offer a contract to Sogndal defender Even Hovland, who has been on trial with the club. Everton are also interested in the 20-year-old Norwegian.(Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa midfielder Isaiah Osbourne is set to join Queens Park Rangers when the loan window reopens next week.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea midfielder Deco has accused Arsenal of being Premier League bottlers ahead of Sunday's crunch game between the sides at Stamford Bridge.(The Sun) 
And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger admits his young side have a mental problem when they come up against the likes of Chelsea or Manchester United.(The Sun) 
Wenger believes that finishing third in the Premier League is better achievement than winning the FA Cup.(Daily Telegraph) 
Everton boss David Moyes believes his side has been in the shadow of city rivals Liverpool because there has been years of overspending at Anfield.(Daily Star) 
Just hours before facing cash-strapped Portsmouth, Manchester United's boss expressed his sympathies for Pompey boss Avram Grant. Sir Alex Ferguson said: "When you see what's happening there, you have to feel for him. It can't be easy. How he's coping, you can only imagine."(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand has not yet been officially told that he is replacing John Terry as England captain.(The Sun) 
Terry is poised to lose £20m in sponsorship revenue over the next four years after being stripped of the England captaincy.(The Sun) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has warned winger Morten Gamst Pedersen, who has been linked with a move to Turkish giants Fenerbahce, not to string the club along during contract talks.(Daily Mirror) 
Nottingham Forest boss Billy Davies is angry that his club's transfer panel, headed by former Tottenham manager David Pleat, did not sign anyone during the January transfer window despite bids for Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses and Swansea midfielder Darren Pratley.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Birmingham keeper Joe Hart is willing to take a penalty if selected for England at the World Cup. He said: "Stuart Pearce saw me take one in the semi-final of the European Under 21 Championship last summer. Fortunately, I scored. But I'd happily take one again."(Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona are piling the pressure on Arsenal, with the Spanish giants planning a £40m summer swoop for midfielder Cesc Fabregas.(The Sun) 
Barcelona are also interested in another Gunners player, midfielder Emmanuel Eboue. (The Sun) 
Fulham are to battle it out with Arsenal for QPR's 15-year-old striker Raheem Sterling.(Daily Mirror) 
Crisis club Portsmouth face the loss of striker Aruna Dindane in the next week - if French side Lens do not receive the £3.5m owed for his transfer.(Daily Mirror) 
Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen will consider his future at the club if he is dropped in favour of new arrival Asmir Begovic on Saturday. (The Sun) 
Birmingham midfielder Gary McSheffrey will make his loan move to Leeds permanent if the Elland Road outfit are promoted to the Championship this season. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United's England Under-20 midfielder Matty James is set to join Preston on loan. (Daily Mirror) 
Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery has set a March deadline for deciding his future at the club. Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all shown an interest in the winger. (The Times) 
Preston defender Sean St Ledger has blasted club chairman Derek Shaw for denying him a dream move to Celtic.(Daily Record) 
Liverpool are hoping to bring 14-year-old Danish forward Alexander Jacobsen, who is at FC Copenhagen, into their academy. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

England manager Fabio Capello will give Chelsea defender John Terry the chance to quit as England captain following newspaper revelations about his private life.(The Sun) 
Capello's hopes of having Owen Hargreaves fit for the World Cup finals have suffered another blow after Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson removed the midfielder from his Champions League squad. (The Times) 
Hong Kong businessman Balram Chainrai, who has so far lent Portsmouth £20m, is exercising his right to seize control after the cash-strapped club failed to honour their repayments to him.(The Sun) 
Chainrai has taken over the 90% shareholding held by Ali Al Faraj to become Portsmouth's fourth owner in a year. (The Guardian) 
Manchester City have rejected Real Madrid's claims that they scuppered a last-minute £16.3m transfer for midfielder Fernando Gago.(The Independent) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs believes team-mate Wayne Rooney is about to join Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid duo Kaka and Cristiano Ronaldo in being seen as the best players in the world. (Daily Star) 
Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, who is on loan at AC Milan, has signed up for an Italian cookery course. "It's something I've always wanted to do," said the former England captain. (Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho is battling it out with former club Chelsea and Manchester United for £15m-rated Benfica winger Angel di Maria. (Daily Mail) 
Chelsea are leading the chase to sign Racing Santander's Spanish midfielder Sergio Canales who is also being tracked by Arsenal and Manchester City. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool are also monitoring 18-year-old Canales. (Daily Star)
Manchester United could cash in on star striker Wayne Rooney to help ease the club's debts. Spanish giants Real Madrid and Barcelona are considering £70m bids for the England international.(The Sun) 
Bayern Munich playmaker Franck Ribery admits that Chelsea or Real Madrid are in a straight fight for his services should he leave the Bundesliga side.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are considering a move for Everton striker Louis Saha whose contract negotiations at the club have broken down. Tottenham and Liverpool are also said to be keen. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham have had a £5m bid for Benfica forward Javier Saviola turned down by the Portuguese club for "sporting reasons". (Daily Mirror)
Bordeaux's in-demand striker Marouane Chamakh has promised a decision soon on his future. Arsenal and Liverpool are both believed to be keen on signing him on a cut-price deal with his contract due to expire at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Out-of-favour Birmingham forward Gary McSheffrey could attempt to resurrect his career with a move to Championship side Sheffield United.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have replaced city rivals Manchester United in a partnership agreement with Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon. The deal will give City first option should Sporting sell any of their players. (The Guardian) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce insists it will take a "mind-blowing" offer to prise striker Kenwyne Jones away from the Black Cats and doubts if the clubs who want to buy him would prove able - or willing - to meet the necessary price.(The Guardian) 
Bruce has denied making a £5m bid to take Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland to the Stadium of Light.(The Independent) 
Former Wigan striker Amr Zaki, currently at Egyptian side Zamalek, has been offered to Stoke City, Sunderland, and Blackburn Rovers.(The Times) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is weighing up a £5m move for Mallorca forward Aritz Aduriz which may see striker Hugo Rodallega leave the DW Stadium.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth could lose Aruna Dindane with parent club Lens set to recall the striker early from his loan spell at Pompey. The French side fear the Premier League outfit lack the funds to make the deal permanent.(The Guardian) 
Birmingham City and Wolves have expressed an interest in Hull midfielder Stephen Hunt who may be offloaded if the cash-strapped club are forced to sell players. (The Times) 
Fulham have agreed a loan deal for Roma's 20-year-old striker Stefano Okaka, although the player has yet to sign off on the temporary switch.(The Independent) 
Wolves are set to offer £1.5m for Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford but Newcastle are still leading the fight to sign the 26-year-old.(Daily Mail) 
But Newcastle boss Chris Hughton has warned Leeds that unless a deal is tied up swiftly for Beckford he will turn his attentions to a loan deal for Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood.(Daily Mirror) 
New Bolton manager Owen Coyle could offer Beckford the chance to play for his side after expressing interest in the unsettled forward. (The Guardian) 
Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin doubts whether manager Arsene Wenger will make any signings during the transfer window.(Daily Star) 
Derby striker Luke Varney will become Sheffield Wednesday manager Alan Irvine's first signing at Hillsborough.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Joe Cole's contract talks with Chelsea have stalled over the wage demands of the England international, who is free to leave for nothing at the end of the season.(The Times) 
Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks has suggested in an email to a supporter that the summer transfer market will be a "big" one for the Premier League club. "Our debt is very managable (sic) [see Man U] and we never use player sales for debt service," said Hicks. "Our interest on £200m is about £16m. The new stadium will be the game changer. Managing director Christian [Purslow] is working very hard on it. Jan is a poor-quality market. The summer window will be big."(Daily Mirror) 
The Glazer family, which owns Manchester United, has personally borrowed £10m from the club, according to financial results released yesterday.(The Guardian) 
West Ham could have new owners within 24 hours although investment company Intermarket, who made the highest bid for the club, missed a deadline to prove it had the cash to finance a £100m takeover.(The Times) 
Burnley are set to spring a major surprise by naming former Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws as their new manager.(Daily Mail) 
Alternatively, Doncaster manager Sean O'Driscoll could be taking charge at Turf Moor but Burnley will have to pay £1m compensation to get their man. Full story: (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Chelsea captain John Terry says his leadership qualities were evident even when he was coming through the ranks at Stamford Bridge. As a youngster he shouted at former Blue Gianfranco Zola for giving the ball away in a reserve match, earning the praise of Italian manager Gianluca Vialli.(The Independent) 
Despite postponing their Premier League clash with Tottenham at the weekend because of icy conditions around Anfield, Liverpool were still encouraging fans to take tours of the stadium throughout the cold weather. (Daily Mail)
AC Milan and LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has revealed his latest tattoo. The 34-year-old has an image of Jesus Christ sitting on the cross inked into his side.(Daily Mirror) 
West Ham's league game with Wolves on Sunday was postponed because of an incorrect weather forecast for more snow.(Daily Mail)

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

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has made signing Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery his top priority and is ready to pay a British record £45m for the Frenchman and make him the highest paid player in the Premier League.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has warned the rest of the Premier League that Abramovich may go on a spending spree in the January transfer window.(Daily Express) 
Manchester United and Everton are trailing 18-year-old Antwerp midfielder Geoffrey Hairemans. The Belgian teenager has already spent a week training with United. (The Sun)
Sheffield United defender Matt Kilgannon, 25, will join Newcastle in a £2m deal in the New Year. The centre-back's arrival is likely to hasten Fabricio Coloccini's departure to Spain. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Paul Gascoigne has returned to Newcastle in a bid to reignite his coaching career. The former England and Newcastle midfielder is working alongside Peter Beardsley at the club's Academy.(Daily Express) 
Arsenal's record signing Andrey Arshavin has admitted he did not want to play football in the aftermath of Russia's failure to qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals.(Daily Express) 
Carlo Ancelotti says he wants to stay as Chelsea manager for the next 20 years and build an empire just like Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger have done at Manchester United and Arsenal respectively. (Various)
Sven-Goran Eriksson has demanded the immediate payment of a seven-figure sum of money he believes he is owed by Notts County's owners Qadbank Investments.(Guardian) 

AND FINALLY

Film director and Bath fan Ken Loach has dreamed about getting former Manchester United star Eric Cantona, 43, to play for his side if they reach the FA Cup third round for the first time in 15 years.(The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are hoping to win the race with Real Madrid for Bayern Munich's £45m-rated French midfielder Franck Ribery in January.(The Sun) 
The Blues' pursuit of Ribery has been given a boost by Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness conceding the player will leave the German club if he does not believe they are ambitious enough.(Daily Mail) 
Bayern have revealed that they turned down a £70m bid from Chelsea for Ribery in the summer. (Daily Star)
AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso - a target for Manchester City - has no intention of leaving the Italian club, according to their coach Leonardo. (Daily Mail) 
Derby want to sign Leicester striker DJ Campbell on loan before the window for short-term deals closes later this week.(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a fight to keep his Dutch coach Rene Meulensteen, with wealthy Qatar desperate to appoint him as their national boss.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool face an injury crisis ahead of their must-win Champions League match with Hungarian side Debrecen on Tuesday, with major doubts over the fitness of Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano. The Reds are already without striker Fernando Torres.(Daily Mirror )
Cash-strapped Charlton may be forced to sell a number of players, including star midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, this January as their financial woes increase. The club may also face administration next summer if a new investor is not found.(Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich boss Roy Keane is on the brink of being sacked by the Suffolk club following a series of meetings on Sunday regarding his future. Town currently sit second bottom of the Championship. (Daily Star) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville says that a lack of strength in depth could ultimately prove England's undoing at the World Cup in South Africa next year.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that his side "lacked desire and sharpness" as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Cleaners in Ireland have decided their Henry vacuum cleaners really suck - after Thierry Henry's handball ended the nation's World Cup dream. Angry workers can't bear to look at the smiley-faced machines. Some have painted out the word "Henry" while others have daubed over its cheerful face.(The Sun) 
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has revealed that a change of boots before the game with Wigan on Sunday helped him to score five in Spurs' 9-1 win.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville has joined his manager Alex Ferguson in blasting players who rely entirely on their agents and said: "A player doesn't need to pay between five and 15% of his wages to a guy to set up a bank account or buy him a new fridge." (Various)
Damien Duff's Fulham team-mates have been helping him get over his World Cup heartache following the Republic of Ireland's defeat by France in the play-offs by taking the mickey out of the winger. "He likes to take the mickey, so he is getting a bit back," said Cottagers midfielder Jonathan Greening. "But he is a great character and he will bounce back." (Various)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona are closing in on a deal for Manchester City forward Robinho. Initially, the European Champions will pay a £6m "arrangement fee" to take the player on loan in January ahead of a permanent move in the summer.(The Sun) 
Alternatively, Robinho's reluctance to move on loan to the Nou Camp as opposed to a permanent deal could scupper the deal.(Daily Mail) 
City manager Mark Hughes is keen on bringing highly rated, 14-year-old QPR striker Raheem Sterling to Eastlands. Hughes is willing to offer the London club £1m plus two of his fringe players on loan.(Daily Mirror) 
After having their request for a 'stay' on the transfer ban imposed by Fifa for being found guilty of inducing Gaël Kakuta to break his contract, Chelsea have made Franck Ribery their top transfer target and hope to sign the Bayern Munich midfielder when the January window opens.(Daily Telegraph) 
However, Manchester United and Manchester City are set to rival Chelsea for the signing of Ribery after reports suggested Bayern Munich are ready to cash in on the French international.(Independent)  
Blackburn Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is chasing Hadjuk Split's Bosnian winger Senijad Ibricic.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, who was courted by Sunderland, West Ham and Arsenal in the summer.(Daily Mail) 
Bolton are weighing up a £3m move for Everton striker James Vaughan, ending Derby's hopes of taking the player on loan.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher believes he is being targeted by referees because of the comments made about him by Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger in September. Wenger accused one unnamed player, believed to be Fletcher, of constantly getting away with fouls against his side when the sides met at Old Trafford in August.(Various) 
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner is set to undergo a hernia operation and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea defender Ashley Cole faces a race against time to be fit to face former club Arsenal on 29 November. The England international played against Manchester United on Sunday with a depressed fracture of the tibia, which he aggravated during the match.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure wants his younger brother, Barcelona midfielder Yaya, to join him at Eastlands.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Blackpool boss Ian Holloway wore a £12.99 charity shop suit for last Saturday's win over Scunthorpe as a forfeit dished out by his players. "Anybody who has been late or forgotten their kit faces a hearing and I was found guilty," said Holloway. (The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk