TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is ready to offload Emmanuel Adebayor, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Wayne Bridge and Stephen Ireland and will make a £50m bid for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres.(The Sun)
Real Madrid are preparing to launch a £20m move for Manchester United's France defender Patrice Evra, with Arsenal's Gael Clichy, Chelsea's Ashley Cole and Fiorentina's Juan Manuel Vargas the other left-backs on the Spanish side's summer shortlist. (Daily Mail)
Barcelona are ready to make a summer bid for Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, who is valued at about £8m.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester City could make a move for Bayern Munich's 32-year-old striker Luca Toni, who is currently on loan at Italian side Roma.(imscouting.com)
Argentina striker Carlos Tevez is on the verge of demanding a transfer from Manchester City, with Liverpool ready to pay £18m.(footylatest.com)
Birmingham will make a £5m bid for Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster if Manchester City's Joe Hart does not return to them on loan next season. (The Sun)
West Brom have put a £12m price tag on sought-after midfielder Graham Dorrans. West Ham have had a £4m bid rejected, while Arsenal, Manchester City and Everton are also interested in the Scotland international.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester City and Aston Villa are competing to sign PSV Eindhoven's Bulgarian international right-back Stanislav Manolev, 24, for £5m.(Daily Mail)
Sunderland are prepared to spend £5m to make defender Alan Hutton's loan switch from Tottenham a permanent one.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester United have made a move for Estudiantes striker Mauro Boselli, whose arrival will be made possible by the sale of Bulgarian forward Dimitar Berbatov in the summer.(footylatest.com)
Everton have emerged as favourites to beat Fulham to the signature of Wigan defender Paul Scharner, with the Austrian likely to be part of a clear-out at the DW Stadium this summer. (Daily Mail)
Wigan's clear-out will also include defender Mario Melchiot and midfielders Jason Koumas and Olivier Kapo.(Daily Mirror)
Stoke are also planning a squad revamp as manager Tony Pulis tries to restore dressing-room harmony at the club. As many as 10 players, including James Beattie, Tuncay, Liam Lawrence and Dave Kitson, could be moving on.(The Guardian)
Tottenham, Blackburn and Birmingham have all been placed on alert after Notts County agreed to release goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel on a free transfer at the end of the season. (The Sun)
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is considering a loan bid for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, who is having a temporary spell at Celtic. However, Spurs would prefer a permanent £8m deal.(Daily Mail)
McCarthy also wants Hull winger Stephen Hunt for £3m as well as Tigers centre-half Kamil Zayatte.(Daily Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola's spell at Upton Park is almost certainly over after co-owner David Sullivan said the Italian "might resign at the end of the season".(Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United have lined up two replacements in case manager Sir Alex Ferguson decides to retire this summer.(The Sun)
Liverpool will not stand in the way of manager Rafael Benitez if he wishes to join Italian side Juventus in the summer.(The Independent)
Portsmouth fear that goalkeeper David James will make his final appearance for Pompey in the FA Cup final against Chelsea on 15 May as the cash-strapped club cannot afford to offer him a new deal.(Daily Mirror)
Uefa president Michel Platini says tighter financial regulation would have prevented the money problems at Portsmouth and said: "I'm not in favour of the big liberalism of what has happened to the English clubs."(The Times)
Portsmouth are ready to go to the Court of Arbitration for Sport as they attempt to play in the Europa League next season.(Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who has missed the last two matches with a groin strain, says he is fit to return for Sunday's trip to Sunderland.(The Sun)
The agent representing Blackburn midfielder Morten Gamst Pedersen says the Norwegian international wants to stay at the club.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester City youngster Alex Nimely, 19, will become the latest academy graduate to pledge his future to the club when he signs a new four-year contract.(Daily Mail)
Crystal Palace midfielder Neil Danns has apologised to the club's fans after being sent off for a headbutt during the 1-1 draw with West Brom on Monday. He will now miss the relegation showdown with Sheffield Wednesday on Sunday. (Daily Express)
AND FINALLY
Manchester United's new strips for next season have been photographed - with the look reminiscent of what the club used to wear in the 1980s.(The Sun)
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Showing posts with label Gianfranco Zola. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gianfranco Zola. Show all posts
Wednesday's gossip column
Tuesday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Atletico Madrid playmaker Sergio Aguero has expressed his admiration for Chelsea, describing them as "one of the most feared clubs in Europe" and London as being "a really amazing city to live in". The Blues have been linked with a big-money move for the Argentina international.(Daily Express)
Barcelona are mulling over a move for Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy. The Catalan giants could offer about £10m for a player they tried to sign last summer.(The Guardian)
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy's relationship with manager Roberto Mancini has reached breaking point, with the Wales international wanting a move from Eastlands in the summer if the Italian remains in charge.(Daily Mail)
Liverpool are weighing up an offer for Bolton defender Gary Cahill. Reds boss Rafael Benitez believes £12m may be enough to prise the 24-year-old away from the Reebok Stadium.(Caught Offside)
Arsenal's Eduardo could be heading to Ligue 1 side Lyon, with the likely arrival of Marouane Chamakh expected to displace the Croatia striker in manager Arsene Wenger's plans.(Caught Offside)
Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish wants to take Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster on loan next season.(Daily Mirror)
Ajax manager Martin Jol has told former club Tottenham that they are not big enough to sign striker Luis Suarez.(The Sun)
Everton are close to wrapping up a deal to sign 24-year-old Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani.(Footylatest)
Blackburn are hoping to seal a £5m deal with Lech Poznan for Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski.(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida is set to head to Atletico Madrid at the end of the season when his contract with the Gunners runs out. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United's £10m winger Zoran Tosic has said he wants to make his loan move to Cologne permanent after scoring four goals in his last three games. (Daily Mirror)
Midfielder Paul Scharner will leave Wigan in the summer and claims that Fulham, Everton, Aston Villa and Sunderland are all looking to sign him up.(Daily Mail)
Slovakia's Vladimir Weiss, the midfielder on loan at Bolton from Manchester City, is set to return to Eastlands next season after growing frustrated with a lack of starts for the Trotters.(Daily Star)
Manchester United are chasing Newcastle's 17-year-old Slovenian midfielder Haris Vuckic, who has made three first-team appearances for the Magpies this season.(Daily Mail)
OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola will be replaced by former England boss Steve McClaren, currently in charge of Dutch side FC Twente, at the end of the season if the Hammers stay up.(Daily Mail)
England coach Fabio Capello is considering calling Michael Dawson into his World Cup squad after being impressed by the Tottenham defender's recent performances.(Daily Mail)
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien could return after four months out against Stoke on Sunday.(Daily Mirror)
AND FINALLY
Al Pacino's American football film Any Given Sunday and Invictus, which recounts South Africa's win at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, were part of the entertainment on board Barcelona's team bus. The European champions are travelling by road to the first leg of their Champions league semi-final againt play Inter Milan.(The Independent)
Ipswich manager Roy Keane says he wants to sign "four or five real men" next season and will axe up to half his current squad. (Daily Mail)
Celtic striker Robbie Keane has been voted the club's player of the year, despite only arriving on loan from Tottenham in February. The Republic of Ireland international has scored 13 goals in 15 games. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko has claimed Chelsea were fortunate not to lose 6-1 rather than 2-1 at White Hart Lane on Saturday. He describes the Blues players as being "too confident of victory" before the match.(Daily Star)
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Monday gossip column
BREAKING GOSSIP
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas has held a secret meeting with Barcelona president Joan Laporta in Morocco where he is on holiday recovering from a leg fracture. The Spanish champions have denied that they have an informal agreement with Arsenal not attempt to attempt to buy the 22-year-old this summer.(imscouting.com)
Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is a summer target for AC Milan.(goal.com)
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic could be on his way to Juventus in a swap deal which would see goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon arriving at Old Trafford.(Footylatest)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to make a £9m bid for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart after losing patience with current first-choice stopper Manuel Almunia.(caughtoffside.com)
The Gunners may also move for Bolton defender Gary Cahill to replace William Gallas, who is out of contract at the end of the season.(Footylatest)
Tottenham could tempt Everton playmaker Steven Pienaar away from Goodison Park with a £14m summer bid.(caughtoffside.com)
Chelsea will make a decision on the future of on-loan defender Michael Mancienne this week but Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has warned that the England Under-21 star, who has been the star performer for the Molineux club this season, is not good enough to play for the London side yet.(Daily Mail)
Ipswich have become the latest club to join the race for Scunthorpe's £1m-rated striker Gary Hooper.(Daily Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will leave Inter Milan to replace Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson at the Old Trafford helm at the end of next season.(Daily Star)
Manchester United skipper Gary Neville has warned Chelsea that his side are ready to pounce for the Premier League title if Carlo Ancelotti's side slip up again.(Daily Mirror)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is relieved that the club rejected advances from both Manchester City and Inter Milan for Welsh international defender Gareth Bale last summer.(Daily Mail)
Manager Roberto Mancini insists Manchester City will clinch fourth spot and a Champions League place - despite their last-gasp defeat by Manchester United and Tottenham's win over Chelsea.(Daily Mirror)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez claims it was unrealistic to expect the Reds to win the Premier League title this season, despite last season's second-place finish.(Daily Mirror)
Newcastle's Argentina defender Fabricio Coloccini faces a race to be fit for this summer's World Cup finals after he was almost certainly ruled out for the rest of Newcastle's Championship season with a hamstring injury.(Daily Mail)
Burnley midfielder Robbie Blake is stalling over a new contract at Turf Moor as he is concerned he may struggle for regular first-team football next season.(Daily Mirror)
AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has denied that Brazilian Leonardo could be about to quit as manager after growing unhappy with a lack of money to make transfers.(Daily Mirror)
AND FINALLY
Former Leeds and Manchester City defender Danny Mills completed the Brighton Marathon in a wheelchair, making his way round the course in in two hours, 43 minutes to raise money and awareness for the spina bifida charity ASBAH. (Daily Mail)
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola believes a tricky season in charge of the Hammers has given him the equivalent of five years of managerial experience.(Daily Express)
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan forced his team to leave behind £250 worth of pizza as they boarded the team bus to travel back from their 2-0 defeat by West Brom. The former Celtic boss was so annoyed by his team throwing away their faint play-off hopes that they had to go without their post-match food. (Daily Express)
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Tuesday's gossip column
BREAKING GOSSIP
Wigan are unlikely to make goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic's loan move from Sporting Lisbon permanent at the end of the season.(imscouting.com)
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal are on the trail of £10m-rated Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega with Latics boss Roberto Martinez already lining up Espanyol forward Jose Callejon as a replacement.(The Sun)
Juventus are lining up a £12m bid for Tottenham's Wales international full-back Gareth Bale in the summer.(caughtoffside.com)
AC Milan are set to beat Manchester United to the signing of France international forward Karim Benzema by offering Real Madrid a swap deal involving Brazilian striker Pato.(imscouting.com)
Midfielder Boudewijn Zenden is not sure that he has done enough to earn a new Sunderland contract, despite his spectacular volleyed goal against Tottenham on Saturday.(Daily Star)
Roberto Mancini is in negotiations with his former club Inter Milan to bring striker Mario Balotelli, who has fallen out with Jose Mourinho, to Manchester City.(caughtoffside.com)
Martin O'Neill is planning to offer Tottenham £11m for striker Robbie Keane, who is currently on loan at the Aston Villa manager's former club Celtic.(caughtoffside.com)
Arsenal are monitoring Paris St Germain midfielder Clement Chantome after the 22-year-old voiced his dissatisfaction with life at the Ligue 1 side.(Daily Mirror)
Major League Soccer chiefs are hoping to tempt a raft of French stars to bring their careers to a lucrative end in the United States' domestic league. Barcelona forward Thierry Henry, Villareal midfielder Robert Pires and Manchester City anchorman Patrick Vieira will all be approached.(imscouting.com)
Celtic are on the trail of Southampton's £2m-rated England Under-21 midfielder Adam Lallana.(The Sun)
Sunderland's on-loan Tottenham right-back, Alan Hutton, is being chased by Newcastle, who clinched promotion to England's top flight on Monday. (Daily Express)
Former Rangers player John Brown has urged defender Danny Wilson to resist a move to Liverpool or Tottenham to stay at Ibrox. (Daily Record)
OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says that midfielder Joe Cole will "definitely" sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.(The Sun)
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan left out Gary O'Neil for Monday's night match against Plymouth with the midfielder one match away from triggering a £1m payment to former club Portsmouth.(Daily Star)
Fabio Capello has been reassured that Manchester United will not play Wayne Rooney against Bayern Munich if there is any risk to his long-term fitness.(Daily Mail)
Manager Arsene Wenger will include Sol Campbell in the heart of his Arsenal defence for their Champions League second-leg quarter-final match against Barcelona.(The Sun)
Bayern Munich are set to welcome back winger Arjen Robben and defender Daniel van Buyten from injury for Wednesday's trip to Old Trafford.(The Sun)
Liverpool are the underdogs in the race for fourth place in the Premier League and Champions League qualification, according to captain Steven Gerrard.(The Guardian)
Vejle Boldklub left-back Euan Holden says he would consider a call to the Scotland squad despite older brother Stuart, of Bolton, having chosen to play for the USA. (Various)
AND FINALLY
Gianfranco Zola has invoked Bill Shankly's famous line about football being "more important than life or death" as he tries to inspire West Ham for their fight against the drop.(Daily Mail)
Iran's girls' football team have been ejected from the Youth Olympic Games because Fifa rules prevent players wearing Islamic headscarves.(Herald Sun)
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Monday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Tottenham could extend striker Eidur Gudjohnsen's loan for a further 12 months. The Monaco player has scored two goals in his last three appearances and impressed in top scorer Jermain Defoe's absence.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester United are considering a move for 24-year-old Schalke goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who is valued by the Bundesliga club at about £10m. (Daily Mirror)
Bolton, Birmingham and Preston are keeping tabs on Manchester United's England Under-21 international Tom Cleverley, currently on loan at Watford.(Daily Mail)
Defender Liam Ridgewell will look to leave St Andrew's unless Blues stump up a new four-year, £20,000-a-week deal for the in-form 25-year-old.(Daily Mirror)
Hull misfit Geovanni is in talks with Greek side AEK Athens as the Brazilian hopes to leave the KC Stadium, where his £25,000-a-week wages are set to be cut by 40%. (Daily Mail)
And Geovanni's team-mate, midfielder Jimmy Bullard, will be top of Newcastle's shopping list if the Magpies secure promotion to the Premier League. Bullard, 30, has only started eight games since a £5m move 14 months ago but scored in Saturday's win against his former club Fulham.(The Sun)
Derby County manager Nigel Clough is chasing Den Haag midfielder Danny Buijs.(Daily Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Roy Keane will be sacked as Ipswich manager this week, although he could make a quick return to work, with Celtic considering making him Tony Mowbray's successor.(The Guardian)
But West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola will remain in his post at least until the end of the season, despite a six-game losing streak that has left the Hammers only a point above the relegation zone. The Italian, who said he would consider his future in the wake of Saturday's loss to Stoke, has the backing of senior players.(The Times)
Or, Zola will not return to the club after taking flight to Sardinia following Saturday's home loss.(The Independent)
However, a friend of Zola's has spoken to him and learnt that he has no intention of walking out on the job and will be in charge for Sunday's trip to Everton.(Daily Mail)
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas faces a race to be fit for Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first-leg against Barcelona. The former Barca trainee could be joined on the sidelines by Abou Diaby, while Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta will miss the tie with a hamstring strain.(The Guardian)
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic fears being banned for four of the club's remaining six Premier League matches after appearing to catch Bolton's Johan Elmander with an elbow during Saturday's 4-0 victory.(Daily Mirror)
A group of Rangers fans have taken the first tentative steps towards a potential takeover of the club. The Rangers Supporters Trust has sent an exploratory document and members hope to buy the shares of majority shareholder and former chairman Sir David Murray.(Daily Mirror)
Chris Hughton has confirmed he will remain as Newcastle manager next season and insists he is keen to keep both striker Andy Carroll and captain Steven Taylor at the club, despite the pair allegedly being involved in a training-ground row that left Taylor with a broken jaw.(Daily Mirror)
AND FINALLY
Football fans will be given the right to buy their club under new proposals announced by the Labour government. Under the proposal, fan groups would get priority over other bidders. (The Times)
West Ham had a novel approach to combating Stoke midfielder Rory Delap's long throws on Saturday - deploying advertising hoardings within feet of the pitch. They even made an announcement over the public address system for a ball boy to replace a hoarding that had been knocked over. (The Sun)
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EPL initial thoughts
At the first glance,I can’t see any losing points for top three.All have more than decent records against Villa,Birmingham and Bolton.Arsenal and Chelsea should go in over,as well.
A question for million dollars is does Zola remind you on Shearer (or Southgate)?Still can not imagine West Ham in Championship,but wouldn’t dare even to think about backing them again.Especially at that price.
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Friday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City will revive an £11m move for Hamburg's German defender Jerome Boateng in the summer and are also keen on highly-rated Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, 20.(Daily Mail)
Everton are being linked with a move for Dinamo Zagreb's Croatian centre-forward Mario Mandzukic, 23.(Daily Mail)
Lokomotiv Moscow have not given up on signing Roman Pavlyuchenko from Tottenham.(Daily Mail)
Spurs could be lining up a summer move for Lazio's former Aston Villa midfielder Thomas 'The Hammer' Hitzlsperger, 27, after the German struggled to settle in Italy.(The Sun)
Nice striker Loic Remy is keen to join Arsenal in the summer.(TribalFootball.com)
The Gunners have been rebuffed in their attempts to sign Stuttgart's 15-year-old goalkeeper Odessas Vlachidimos for £1m.(Daily Mail)
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, reportedly involved in a training ground bust-up with team-mate Andy Carroll, will leave this summer with Everton and Aston Villa chasing the 24-year-old.(The Sun)
Portsmouth have been offered £250,000 by Spartak Moscow to terminate Quincy Owusu-Abeyie's loan early and send him back to the Russian side. (Daily Mail)
Birmingham are ready to offer Matthew Taylor an escape route from Bolton by bidding £2m for the unhappy 28-year-old this summer.(The Sun)
Stoke City are interested in Congo-born Belgian striker Christian Benteke, 19, who is on loan at KV Kortrijk from Standard Liege.(Daily Mail)
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is reportedly keen on Nantes youngster Jonathan Nanizayamo.(Daily Mirror)
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy is plotting a double raid on cash-strapped Portsmouth with a joint £1.5m bid for Tommy Smith and Aaron Mokoena.(The Sun)
Everton want to lure Bristol City youngster Christian Ribeiro to Goodison Park.(TribalFootball.com)
Nottingham Forest have suffered more transfer frustration after failing to land Aston Villa left-back Wilfred Bouma on loan.(Daily Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola banned team co-owner David Sullivan from a meeting with his players after their relationship broke down in the wake of Sullivan's highly critical open letter to fans.(Daily Mail)
Zola says he is confident he can keep the Hammers in the Premier League, but is less confident he will still be manager next season.(Daily Express)
Norwich boss Paul Lambert, a former Celtic player, is the favourite to succeed Tony Mowbray on a permanent basis as manager of the Bhoys - with Henrik Larsson an outside bet.(The Times)
Craig Bellamy is being investigated by Manchester City after allegations of an incident in the players' tunnel at the end of their 2-0 defeat by Everton on Wednesday.(Daily Mail)
Meanwhile, Everton want an apology from Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook after he had a VIP fan and his wife thrown out of Eastlands.(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has told his players their Premier League game against Birmingham on Saturday is the "priority" over next week's Champions League meeting with Barcelona.(Daily Mirror)
Wenger has suspended contract talks with stars such as William Gallas and Mikael Silvestre, refusing to discuss terms until crucial matches are out of the way.(The Guardian)
Meanwhile, the Gunners could welcome back Dutch striker Robin van Persie within three weeks as he continues to make progress after an ankle ligament injury.(The Sun)
Chelsea defender Paulo Ferreira has revealed some of Chelsea's older players fear they will never win the Champions League after last week's last 16 defeat to Inter Milan.(Daily Star)
No such worries at Liverpool, where midfielder Javier Mascherano has pledged his future to the club and expects to sign a new contract soon.(PremierLeague.com)
Though Reds legend Phil Thompson has urged stars Steven Gerrard and Fernando Torres to threaten to quit the club unless there is real investment in the playing squad at Anfield.(The Sun)
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant will ask Tottenham's permission to let on-loan midfielder Jamie O'Hara play in the two sides' FA Cup semi-final meeting next month.(Daily Mirror)
England fans are angry that the team will play three Euro 2012 qualifiers on Fridays so that players can return to their clubs a day early.(The Guardian)
Portsmouth's Ricardo Rocha has accused Chelsea star Florent Malouda of setting out to hurt him with a swipe of the elbow during the teams' Premier League clash on Wednesday.(Daily Mail)
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has moved a step closer to a return after being pulled out of a reserves game to train with the first team.(Daily Mirror)
Sven-Goran Eriksson, Mark Hughes and Bernd Schuster will find out on Friday which one of them is to coach Ivory Coast at the World Cup in South Africa this summer. (Daily Express)
Burnley are facing a mass exodus in the summer after refusing to give in to players' wage demands, with 11 first-teamers out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Former Peterborough manager Mark Cooper has emerged as the favourite to replace Steve Staunton as boss of Darlington.(The Sun)
AND FINALLY
Paul Gascoigne confronted an imposter who posed as him on social networking site Twitter, taking a photo of himself in front of a TV news channel displaying the date and time to prove he was the real Gazza.(Daily Star)
Riot police in Brazil restored order in a league match between Genus and Moto Clube by baton-charging and then pepper-spraying the players.(The Sun)
Three-time world player of the year Ronaldo has apologised for making an obscene gesture to fans of his Corinthians team in Brazil after their defeat by Paulista.(NBC)
Juventus goalkeeper Antonio Chimenti was so upset after conceding a 35-yarder against Sampdoria that he broke his hand punching a dressing room table. (The Sun)
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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)
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West Ham 1-3 Wolverhampton
Wolves made a huge leap towards Premier League safety with a crushing victory over fellow strugglers West Ham.
The visitors went close when Kevin Foley hit the bar and took the lead when a scuffed James Tomkins pass-back fell to Kevin Doyle who fired home.
David Jones set up Ronald Zubar to fire in and then passed to Matthew Jarvis who blasted in for a fine third.
Scott Parker hit a post for West Ham in the first half, leaving Guillermo Franco to chip in a late consolation.
Despite a spirited fightback in the closing stages, the Hammers overall lacked ideas and confidence and boss Gianfranco Zola will be very concerned as he prepares for the final seven games currently three points away from the drop zone.
After a weekend dominated by talk of an invigorated title race, Tuesday night saw the teams at the other end of the Premier League taking centre stage.
West Ham, in 17th spot, were facing the team one place above them with Zola calling the clash "a massive six pointer" as he desperately sought to avoid a fifth successive league defeat.
Mick McCarthy's pre-match motivational speech to his players are likely to have pointed towards their opponents recalling star players after a rested few days with Zola having 'targeted' Wolves.
The Italian boss did indeed bring back fit-again skipper Parker, along with two strikers who did not start in the 2-0 loss at Arsenal, Carlton Cole and Benni McCarthy, but it was the visitors who ripped open a very nervous defence inside seven minutes.
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West Ham - Wolverhampton
Six pointer game. Despite the decent team quality, Hammers are first above the line and have three points more. Zola has got an ultimatum from the board to get 4 points in next two games (Stoke next) to safe his job. Some rumors say he’s gone anyway (Hughes as successor), but I’ll wouldn’t consider it seriously. He has good rating in the dressing room and I believe players will give everything to keep his boss. West Ham have four consecutive defeats. Arsenal, Chelsea and Man Utd on the road were expected epilogues, while only failure came at home vs
Oppositely from West Ham, Wolves play over their real capabilities. Considering their team quality, (in my opinion) they should relegate. They usually score after set pieces, while lack of creativity and fighting spirit are main characteristics of their play. They’re, however, in a good shape. Four points from last two games (both away), win vs.
West Ham will be fully motivated. They’ll be under a pressure, but I think they used to cope with it (
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Monday's gossip column
BREAKING GOSSIP
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has told Dutch television he is now "medically fit" and will return to training this week following his long injury lay-off.(IMScouting)
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Midfielder Joe Cole, 28, will be the first victim of a "purge of older players" at Chelsea now that their Champions League dream has ended for another season.(The Times)
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish concedes a move for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has been shelved because of the striker's red-hot form.(Daily Mirror)
Derby boss Nigel Clough wants to sign former Rams striker Tommy Smith from crisis-club Portsmouth on loan for the rest of the season.(Daily Mirror)
Blackburn are keen on 24-year-old Egyptian playmaker Shikabala. (Daily Mail)
Roma and Celtic are lining up to swoop for Portsmouth full-back Nadi Belhadj, thought to be available for £2m. (Daily Mail)
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney raised concerns over his fitness as he limped away from Old Trafford after his side's 2-1 victory over Liverpool.(Daily Mail)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has hit out at England boss Fabio Capello for not looking to keeper Chris Kirkland.(Daily Mail)
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola paid Arsenal the ultimate tribute by claiming they are a better footballing team than his beloved Chelsea.(Daily Mirror)
Lionel Messi underlined the Champions League task Arsenal face with a hat-trick in Barcelona's 4-2 away win over Real Zaragoza - but Manchester United fans may take heart from Bayern Munich's 2-1 defeat by Eintracht Frankfurt, the former's first Bundesliga loss in 20 games. (The Times)
AND FINALLY
If England reach the 2010 World Cup final, fans watching them go all the way could pay as much as £6,400 - or £3,000 just to see one group game.(The Sun)
A band of 180 Rochdale fans walked the 14 miles to see their side face Accrington Stanley on Saturday, to be rewarded with six goals and two sendings-off in a 4-2 victory. (Daily Mail)
Reading's Matthew Mills, under fire having gestured obscenely at a section of the club's own supporters in their midweek victory over QPR, vaulted advertising boards to hand his shirt to fans as a peace offering after their 1-1 draw at Middlesbrough. (Daily Express)
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Sunday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has opened the door to a sensational return to Old Trafford for Cristiano Ronaldo, who he sold to Real Madrid for £80m last summer.(Sunday Express)
Ferguson is also locked in negotiations with Chelsea to sign Joe Cole who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. (People)
Manchester United are also eager to sign Everton's young stars Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell, while Everton boss David Moyes would like to bag Manchester City's Stephen Ireland.(News of the World)
But Ireland could be spoilt for choice this summer as Everton's Merseyside rivals Liverpool are thought to want his signature too.(Sunday Mirror)
Spanish giants Real Madrid have made Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard their number one transfer target and believe they can tempt the midfielder away from Anfield with a £30m bid. (People)
Liverpool winger Albert Riera is a £6m target for Spanish side Villarreal, who are looking for a replacement for Robert Pires who is set to depart at the end of the season. (Sunday Mirror)
Manchester City are preparing a £45m bid for Real Madrid 's Argentinian stars Gonzalo Higuain and Fernando Gago. Higuain is Real's top scorer this season with 18 goals while City also tried to sign Gago in January.(IM Scouting)
Chelsea and Manchester United face competition from Spanish side Barcelona in the race to sign Benfica winger Angel Di Maria. Di Maria has a buyout clause of 50m Euros (£45m) in his contract, but his Portuguese side would accept 25m Euros (£22m).(IM Scouting)
Portuguese international midfielder Deco expects to leave Chelsea at the end of the season and hopes to join Brazilian side Corinthians.(IM Scouting)
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is eyeing Birmingham duo Liam Ridgewell and Sebastian Larsson. Both players are out of contract at the end of the season. (News of the World)
OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is preparing for a summer exit from Anfield after reaching "the end of his tether" while billionaire New Yorkers line up a £100m takeover bid of the club.(News of the World)
Ashley Cole's World Cup hopes are virtually over after it was revealed he would not play again for Chelsea this season. The left-back broke his left ankle on 11 February against Everton and has had three pins inserted in the bone. (News of the World)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has emerged as a contender to replace Marcello Lippi in charge of the Italian national team when the 61 year-old steps down after the World Cup in South Africa.(The Sunday Telegraph)
Meanwhile, City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, who has spent around £200m on transfers and £100m a year on wages, claims football in Britain - and across Europe - is on the road to ruin. He has also hinted he could favour the introduction of a salary cap.(Mail on Sunday)
David Beckham has admitted he is not a certainty to make Fabio Capello's England squad for the World Cup in South Africa. The 34-year-old midfielder would become the first Englishman to play in four tournaments if selected.(Mail on Sunday)
The Football Association has sold its entire allocation of 29,000 tickets for the World Cup. (Sunday Express)
Portsmouth are on the brink of securing their fifth owner of a chaotic season with property tycoon Rob Lloyd fronting a consortium intending to buy the crisis-ridden club.(The Sunday Telegraph)
AND FINALLY
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has come out in support of his former club Manchester United, reckoning Manchester City will never overcome their rivals.(Sunday Mirror)
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Saturday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City are targeting Benfica's Paraguayan star Oscar Cardozo. The striker, and free-kick specialist, has scored 18 league goals this season.(Daily Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool are keeping a close eye on Alex McLeish's contract talks at Birmingham, with a view to bringing in the Scot as a replacement for current Reds boss Rafael Benitez at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says the desire to become the first team to win four consecutive league titles and a record 19th in all is driving him on this season. (Daily Mirror)
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has told his goalkeeper Paul Robinson that it is not too late for him to be included in England boss Fabio Capello's World Cup plans.(Daily Mirror)
And Aston Villa duo Ashley Young and Gabriel Agbonlahor have been told similar by their boss Martin O'Neill despite missing out on Capello's last squad.(Daily Star)
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon's World Cup dreams are in tatters though after Spurs boss Harry Redknapp admitted he had no idea whether the 22-year-old would play again this season. Lennon has been out with a groin problem since December.(The Sun)
Stoke striker Tuncay Sanli is taking his former club Middlesbrough to court. He claims they owe him more than £500,000 in image, sporting and economic rights.(Daily Mail)
Everton are ready to offer 10 players new long-term deals in an attempt to ward of interest from other clubs.(Daily Mirror)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has told Shaun Wright-Phillips to stop talking about his desire for a new contract and concentrate on earning one on the pitch. (Daily Mail)
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola reckons 10 points from their final 10 games of the season will be enough to keep his side in the Premier League. The Hammers currently have 27 points.(Daily Express)
The 2012 football season will be put back by one week to accommodate the London Olympic Games which runs from 27 July to 12 August.(Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has admitted he would "do a Thierry Henry" and handle the ball if it meant getting England through to the World Cup final.(The Sun)
American sports franchise Club 9 Sports claim they are close to a deal to invest in Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday.(Daily Mail)
AND FINALLY
Fulham striker Bobby Zamora clearly does not rate his chances of making the England World Cup squad - he has already booked a holiday in Las Vegas during the tournament.(Daily Telegraph)
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Great day
Newcastle 3 - 0 Preston
Newcastle moved five points clear at the top of the Championship as they kept up their unbeaten home record.
The Magpies took only three minutes to score, Peter Lovenkrands' attempted cross clearing Preston keeper Andy Lonergan and dropping inside the post.
Top scorer Kevin Nolan doubled the lead after half-time when he burst into the penalty area and slotted in his 12th goal of the season.
Substitute Ryan Taylor fired in the third in injury time.
West Brom could narrow Newcastle's lead when they face Bristol City on Sunday.
But the Magpies' promotion chase shows no sign of letting up after a comfortable win over Preston, who had their chances but lost to a far more clinical side.
Newcastle boss Chris Hughton:
"I think it is the most important thing.
"We know West Brom and Nottingham Forest are one or two wins away from being a lot closer to us or being above us so we can't afford to lose focus.
"Our preparation has to be the same and our mental attitude going into every game has to be the same."
Preston boss Darren Ferguson:
"It was never a 3-0 game, that flatters Newcastle massively.
"They'll have a good chance of winning promotion if they get referees like today. You have to have strong referees, especially against Newcastle, and he wasn't strong enough.
"Overall I was pleased with the performance, if we play like that we'll be OK."
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West Ham 3 - 0 Hull City
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West Ham turned on the style to make it two wins in a row for the first time this season as fellow relegation strugglers Hull were reduced to 10 men.
Valon Behrami capped a surging run with a third-minute opener after exchanging passes with Guillermo Franco.
And Hull's problems increased shortly after the break when Craig Fagan was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Julien Faubert fed Carlton Cole for a slotted second before completing the win with a thumping late effort.
It was West Ham's fourth consecutive clean sheet at home, and the emphatic scoreline - not to mention the buoyant nature of the display against a relegation rival - will surely please manager Gianfranco Zola.
The Hammers came out of the blocks at lightning speed and although they did not build on their overall superiority until after Fagan's dismissal, their performance was brimming with a brio and belief that have too often been missing this season.
They were aided and abetted by a Hull side who, rarely in it apart from a brief spell of pressure before the break, were left with a mountain to climb after Fagan's departure.
The result leaves Phil Brown's side just a point above the drop zone.
Hull manager Phil Brown:
"It was self-inflicted, we had a game plan but it was unhinged by poor decision-making.
"The sending-off was also self-inflicted, it was a poor decision by Craig Fagan to make the tug because he was already in the book.
"The first diagnosis of Anthony Gardner's injury isn't good, he has a problem with both his tibia and fibula.
"It was a bad day at the office to say the least."
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola:
"It was a good performance; we can do better, but the difference was the way we started.
"We were solid throughout the game and the second goal was important for us.
"Robert Green's save was worth a goal to us, because it allowed us to reorganise at half-time.
"The whole team is getting better; the more confidence you get, the more the players can give."
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Sunday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Barcelona are budgeting for a £60m summer deal for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Sunday Mirror)
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has revealed he snubbed offers to join Chelsea and Manchester City last summer.(News of the World)
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic could be a summer target for Manchester City.(Sunday Times)
And United are believed to be lining up Palermo's £10m-rated Danish defender Simon Kjaer as a replacement for Vidic. (News of the World)
Also attracting United's interest is Bolton midfielder Mark Davies - although they face a battle with Liverpool for the 21-year-old.(News of the World)
Yet another transfer target for United is striker Karim Benzema, who appears to be out of favour at Real Madrid and could be available for £18m. (News of the World)
Blackburn are interested in Manchester City striker Benjani, who is currently on loan at Sunderland. (News of the World)
Everton boss David Moyes has put Nedum Onuoha at the top of his wanted list, and is ready to offer £4m for the Manchester City defender. (News of the World)
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips' future is up in the air after a breakdown in contract talks at the club. (News of the World)
Arsenal have beaten Liverpool and Tottenham to the signing of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, who will join them in the summer on a fee transfer but will still cost them £16m in wages and add-ons. (Various)
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is hoping to secure a permanent deal for on-loan striker Christian Benitez to ward off interest from West Ham.(The People)
Hull are lining up a double swoop for Derby's right-back Nicky Hunt and midfielder Paul Green. (The People)
Blackburn are chasing Standard Liege's Congo international striker Dieumerci Mbokani. (The People)
Lokomotiv Moscow are planning to make a take-it-or-leave-it offer for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko . (The People)
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed he would happily splash £20m on Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in the summer. (Daily Star)
Mancini is also chasing Fiorentina defender Alessandro Gamberini, who plays at centre-back and has seven caps for Italy. (Daily Star Sunday)
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has yet to sign a new deal at the club and could be tempted to return to Italy with Palermo. (Daily Star Sunday)
Portsmouth are interested in signing ex-Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda, who has left Galatasaray. (Daily Star Sunday)
Arsenal defender William Gallas has been targeted by AC Milan, with the Italians hoping to land the centre-back on a free transfer in the summer. (Daily Star Sunday)
Birmingham and Wigan are fighting it out to sign Real Mallorca striker Aritz Aduriz. (Daily Star Sunday)
Chelsea are monitoring 16-year-old Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, despite his father insisting his son will not be allowed to leave Belgium before he turns 18.(Mail on Sunday)
The Blues are also keen on Newcastle centre-back Steven Taylor and are ready to pay £9m to secure his signature. (Sunday Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United's 39-year-old goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar looks set to sign a new one-year contract worth £5m.(Mail on Sunday)
West Ham co-owner David Gold has come out in support of rivals Portsmouth, saying the Premier League should not let the south coast club go out of business.(Mail on Sunday)
Stoke City's Matthew Etherington admits to having squandered £1.5m gambling on horse racing, greyhounds and in card schools.(Mail on Sunday)
Everton have put a £30m price tag on teenager Jack Rodwell in a bid to keep interest from Manchester United at bay.(Sunday Mirror)
Wayne Bridge is set to snub John Terry and refuse to shake his hand when the pair come face-to-face for Chelsea's home match against Manchester City. Only 24 hours later, the pair are due to meet up again for an England squad get-together. (The People)
Neil Warnock is ready to walk out on crisis club Crystal Palace to take over as a manager of QPR. (The People)
Gianfranco Zola is considering his future as West Ham manager as he is so incensed by remarks made by the club's new co-owner David Sullivan over wage cuts.(The People)
Wigan's Paul Scharner is ready to quit the club when his contract runs out in the summer, with Fulham and Stoke believed to be keen on him. (The People)
Hull midfielder George Boateng is to be rewarded with an offer of a new deal at the club after turning around his season since he was stripped of the captaincy. (The People)
Portsmouth could be sold off for as little as £1. New owner Balram Chainrai is desperate to offload the club and wants only to recover the £17m he is owed and to ensure that other debts of £60m are met.(Sunday Express)
City banker Keith Harris is confident funds can be raised to buy the Glazer family out of their ownership of Manchester United by the end of the season - if the Americans are willing to sell.(Mail on Sunday)
Former Scotland boss Craig Brown is on being targeted by Nigeria, who are looking for a manager to lead them in this summer's World Cup in South Africa. (Star on Sunday)
AND FINALLY
Ronaldo says never say never to a return to Manchester United as he reveals how he misses his Old Trafford "family". (News of the World)
Football could become the first sport in the country to be controlled by a state-appointed regulator in the wake of a run of financial crises that have beset a number of leading clubs. (Sunday Telegraph)
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Wednesday's gossip column
BREAKING GOSSIP
Barcelona in a statement have "flatly denied" they have reached an agreement with Cesc Fabregas which would see the Arsenal captain return to the Nou Camp at the end of the season. (Press Association)
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Chelsea's first summer target will be Barcelona's £30m-rated right-back Dani Alves. (Daily Star)
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has reached a verbal agreement with Barcelona to join the Catalan club from next season. (Cadena Ser radio)
Manchester United are on the hunt for Roma's 15-year-olds Valerio Verre and Filippo Cipriani.(Daily Mail)
Wigan and Sunderland will renew their interest in Paraguay international Cristian Riveros over the summer. The midfielder currently plays for Mexican side Cruz Azul.(Daily Mail)
Arsenal have beaten Liverpool to the signature of Marouane Chamakh. The Bordeaux striker is set to agree a five-year, £50,000-a-week deal with the Gunners.(The Mirror)
Serbian striker Milan Jovanovic has ignored interest from Manchester City and Birmingham and has agreed to join Liverpool this summer. (The Mirror)
Millwall are on the verge of signing Crawley Town forward Charles Ademeno in a bargain £120,000 deal. (The Mirror)
Out-of-favour Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has admitted he may be forced to look for a new club after failing to force his way into new manager Robert Mancini's plans.(The Times)
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Indian businessman Subrata Roy is to step up his pursuit of a takeover of Liverpool. Fellow Indian Mukesh Ambani is also a potential investor, despite issuing a denial on Tuesday.(The Times)
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola is facing the axe if his side fail to beat Birmingham on Wednesday. (Daily Star)
Arsenal defender William Gallas is set to quit Arsenal over a row about the length of his contract extension at the Gunners.(The Mirror)
Meanwhile, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has admitted that when it comes to signing the world's best players, the Gunners cannot afford the top stars. (The Times)
Queens Park Rangers' former majority shareholder Antonio Caliendo has asked the Football Association to investigate the sale of the club to Flavio Briatore.(The Daily Telegraph)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says getting Spurs into the Champions League would be his greatest achievement as a manager.(The Mirror)
Bolton are seeking a second opinion in the case of Gary Cahill's blood clot - a condition that could end the defender's World Cup dream.(The Mirror)
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Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard is scenting blood. He has described Arsenal as a "wounded animal" and believes the Reds will soon catch them up in the Premier League table.(Daily Mail)
Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has claimed that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson tried to sell winger Cristiano Ronaldo to Barcelona and has also said the Scotsman "is no friend of Real Madrid." (Spanish Eurosport)
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Tuesday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Barcelona are stepping up their attempt to sign Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney, and are prepared to offer him wages of £8m a year after tax.(Daily Star)
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is in talks with Real Madrid with a view to signing former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy on a free transfer.(Daily Telegraph)
And Redknapp has had a bid for out-of-favour goalkeeper Ben Foster rejected by Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard is ready to quit the club he joined as a nine-year-old two decades ago. Real Madrid, Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan and Premier League big spenders Manchester City are believed to be interested in a deal.(Daily Mail)
Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford is planning to leave the League One club in the summer for a move to Everton.(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has held further talks with the father and agent of Racing Santander's Spanish midfielder Sergio Canales. Real Madrid, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool are also interested in the 18-year-old.(Daily Mail)
Liverpool star Fernando Torres has urged the club to buy a top Spanish striker - such as Valencia's David Silva or David Villa - while under-fire Reds boss Rafael Benitez is pondering a £12m bid for Sunderland forward Kenwyne Jones.(The Sun)
However, Benitez's attempt to sign Jones has hit the rocks as Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is holding out for a £10m cash deal.(Daily Express)
Bruce wants Wigan's £7m-rated left-back Maynor Figueroa and is willing to sacrifice midfielder Kieran Richardson to land him.(Daily Star)
Sunderland are preparing a bid for Benfica's veteran Portuguese striker Nuno Gomes.(The Independent)
French side Lille want to sign Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul for £10m, with cash-strapped Pompey willing to accept the offer.(Daily Mirror)
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James has been told that he must drop his wage demands if he is to secure a move away from Fratton Park.(Daily Star)
Zenit St Petersburg say they have pulled out of the race to sign Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.(The Guardian)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to splash out on Fulham's England under-21 giant centre-half Chris Smalling - in a stunning £7m deal. (Daily Mirror)
Birmingham City have been told they can have Celtic winger Aiden McGeady, if they match the asking price.(The Sun)
And Birmingham are interested in FC Moscow forward Maxi Lopez, who has been on loan at Gremio in Brazil.(The Times)
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has made an offer for Standard Liege striker Milan Jovanovic.(Daily Mail)
Tottenham have watched Bordeaux defender Mathieu Chalme as they try and offload Alan Hutton. (Daily Telegraph)
Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses has revealed he cannot wait for his crack at the big time as his inevitable exit from the Londoners draws closer.(Daily Mail)
Burnley are speaking to Monaco striker Frederic Nimani, and could sign the French Under-21 international on loan.(Daily Mirror)
Wolves are keen on Stoke striker James Beattie and Hull winger Stephen Hunt.(Daily Mail)
Philippe Senderos is weighing up his options before deciding whether to join Celtic, Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich or Everton on loan from Arsenal. (Daily Mail/The Herald)
OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea are waiting to discover the extent of midfielder Michael Essien's knee injury, amid fears that the Ghanaian could be out for the rest of the season.(The Times)
The Glazer family, the controversial owners of Manchester United, could take £600m out of the club over the next seven years in dividends, interest and fees coming out of a bond issue.(Daily Telegraph)
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola could be replaced by former Manchester City manager Mark Hughes if David Gold and David Sullivan complete their takeover of the club.(Daily Mirror)
However, Gold and Sullivan will announce that Zola's position is safe when they take control of the club.(Daily Star)
Barcelona have shrugged off claims that coach Pep Guardiola will replace Sir Alex Ferguson as the next manager of Manchester United.(The Sun)
French winger Jerome Rothen, on a season-long loan from Paris St Germain, was in Glasgow on Monday to prove to Rangers he is still too sick to play after two months off with swine flu. (Daily Record)
Celtic and Rangers are on the verge of clinching a £1.5m per year deal with Tennent's to replace Carling as the Old Firm's shirt sponsor. (Daily Record/Daily Express)
AND FINALLY
Manchester United defender Gary Neville has stoked the flames ahead of Tuesday's Carling Cup semi-final first leg against rivals Manchester City by claiming his club were right to get rid of City striker Carlos Tevez as he was over-priced.(Daily Telegraph)
And former United winger David Beckham has told City's fans that they will never be bigger than the Old Trafford club. He also said that he would never join City, no matter how much money they offered him.(Daily Mirror)
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Monday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Portsmouth have told Manchester City and Sunderland they want £14m for defender Younes Kaboul.(Daily Mail)
Stoke City have made an approach to sign striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, who has played only 13 minutes in the league for Real Madrid this season. (Times)
Birmingham have told Sunderland to drop their £14m valuation of Kenwyne Jones if they want to offload the striker. City have made it clear they will pay £10m for Jones.(Daily Mirror)
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is trying to take defender Nedum Onuoha, 23, on loan from Manchester City. (The Sun)
Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo has rejected Hull City to join Spanish club Malaga on loan.(Daily Mail)
Nottingham Forest have made a £3m bid for Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses.(Daily Mail)
But, according to some, Moses is close to agreeing a £3.5m move to Manchester City after the Eastlands club spent the weekend talking terms with Palace for the 19-year-old.(Daily Star)
West Ham are in talks about signing Portugal striker Nuno Gomes, who has scored four goals for Benfica this season. (The Times)
However, Hammers boss Gianfranco Zola will apparently redouble his efforts to bring either Monaco striker Eidur Gudjohnsen or Zenit St Petersburg forward Sergei Kornilenko to Upton Park. (Daily Express)
Spanish holding midfielder Michel, 24, will join Birmingham City from Sporting Gijon for £2.5m, subject to a medical. (The Independent)
Schalke striker Kevin Kuranyi has turned down a £3.5m move to Sunderland after holding talks with club officials and his agents in Bavaria.(The Independent)
The Black Cats are apparently ready to swoop for Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas. The deal would result in the 29-year-old Club America player joining Sunderland on loan for the rest of the season before making a permanent switch if he settles in England. (Daily Mirror)
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is in a £10m battle with Birmingham to sign Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega. (Daily Mirror)
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy wants to sign Jamie O'Hara from Tottenham but the midfielder, whose loan spell at Portsmouth ended recently, will have to have special permission as the Premier League does not allow players to have three clubs in one season.(Daily Mirror)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is ready to make a £4m bid for Brazilian centre-half Joao Carlos after failing to sign the 28-year-old from Belgian side Genk last summer.(The Sun)
OTHER GOSSIP
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, whose current contract runs out at the end of next season, has told his players they have 18 months to convince him to stay on as boss for the rest of his life.(The Sun)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed striker Dimitar Berbatov has been suffering with a knee injury that may need surgery.(The Guardian)
New Manchester City midfielder Patrick Vieira will have to wait to make his debut for Roberto Mancini's outfit because of a calf injury.(The Guardian)
Burnley have made MK Dons manager Paul Ince a shock candidate to become their new boss. (The Sun)
Manchester City 'super spy' Jim Cassell, whose role at Eastlands has been reduced, is wanted by Tottenham.(Daily Mirror)
Liverpool fans group The Spirit of Shankly are demanding Tom Hicks Jnr quits over his alleged foul-mouthed email rant to a supporter who had written to express his fears for the Reds' future. (The Sun)
AND FINALLY
England midfielder David Beckham wowed Turin with a sexy display - and also starred on the pitch following his loan move from LA Galaxy to AC Milan. Beckham helped set up Milan's third goal in the 3-0 win at third-placed Juventus but also impressed the home side's female fans with a pitchside change of shorts.(The Sun)
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Thursday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is keeping tabs on striker Craig Bellamy should new Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini ditch the Wales international in January's transfer window. However, Redknapp must sell before he can buy, with Roman Pavlyuchenko the likely candidate to fund Bellamy's arrival. (The Sun)
Redknapp is also tracking former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy, as well as West Ham defender Mathew Upson and Liverpool winger Ryan Babel.(Daily Mirror)
Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul is one of Mancini's January transfer targets. The Italian is lining up a potential £8m swoop for the Frenchman. (The Sun)
Mancini is also keeping tabs on Palermo's Danish central defender Simon Kjaer, who is also attracting interest from Manchester United. (Daily Star)
Aston Villa are ready to outbid Liverpool to land £12m-rated Sunderland striker Kenwyn Jones.(The Sun)
But Stoke boss Tony Pulis is also keen on the Trinidad and Tobago international. (Daily Star)
Portsmouth may not be able to extend Jamie O'Hara's loan stay from Spurs because of the club's transfer embargo preventing them from bringing in new players.(The Sun)
Newcastle are lining up a move for Rangers striker Kris Boyd in the new year. (Daily Mirror)
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola could be resigned to losing defender Matthew Upson in January. (The Times)
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce must sell before he can make a swoop for Stoke striker James Beattie.(The Sun)
OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti faces a crisis up front after losing all his strikers for Monday's derby against Fulham. (The Times)
Ipswich manager Roy Keane believes former Manchester United team-mate Mark Hughes should never have joined Manchester City. "I wouldn't have got involved with City - never," he said.(The Sun)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has revealed he held talks with Steven Gerrard about the midfielder's struggle for form. (The Guardian)
Manchester City chief executive Garry Cook has suggested Liverpool sounded out Roberto Mancini as a replacement for Rafael Benitez before the Italian moved to Eastlands. (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United look set to give striker Mame Biram Diouf his debut next month after the Senegal international was finally granted a work permit.(Daily Mail)
AND FINALLY
Liverpool want "placenta doctor" Marijana Kovacevic to take up a permanent role with the club. The Serb, who has worked with players such as Robin van Persie as well as Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun, uses fluid from the placenta of a horse to treat injuries.(Daily Mail)
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Monday's gossip column
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen has his heart set on a January move to Scottish Premier League side Celtic as he is desperate to play in the Champions League. (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa are leading the chase to sign £4m-rated Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans from Championship outfit West Brom. Birmingham City, Everton, Sunderland and Stoke City have also shown an interest in the 22-year-old.(The Mirror)
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson is preparing a £3m January bid for Wigan midfielder Paul Scharner.(The Mirror)
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is hoping to sign Brazilian striker Adriano on the cheap in January in a bid to help lead his team away from the relegation zone.( The Sun)
Former France international midfielder Camel Meriem is hoping to swap Monaco for Blackburn Rovers in January - as long as he can prove his fitness in a trial at the club this week.(The Mirror)
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United owners the Glazers have issued a firm "not for sale" response to claims a Bangkok-based Chinese consortium were preparing a £1bn takeover bid.(Daily Star)
Arsenal were spurred on to their come-from-behind victory over Liverpool on Sunday after being ripped into by "furious" manager Arsene Wenger at half-time, the Frenchman telling his players they were "not fit to wear the shirt". (Various)
Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto must offer an apology to the club and its supporters if he hopes to play for the Londoners again following an angry confrontation with a fan during Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Wolves.(The Sun)
Former Burnley manager Steve Cotterill is the front-runner to succeed Brian Laws, who left the Owls over the weekend, as Sheffield Wednesday manager.(The Mirror)
Chelsea keeper Petr Cech has hit out at the club's supporters after they jeered the players at the end of Saturday's 3-3 home draw with Everton. "I was very surprised to hear the boos because this was our first Premier League draw at home all season. I don't understand it."(The Sun)
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes believes referee Mark Clattenburg's dislike of Craig Bellamy as a person influenced his decision to send the striker off in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Bolton.(The Mirror)
League Two outfit Notts County could be forced to sell the likes of Kasper Schmeichel and Lee Hughes in January after their change of ownership, while uncertainty still surrounds the future of director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson.(Daily Mail)
AND FINALLY
West Ham striker Carlton Cole has revealed how he flouted England coach Fabio Capello's strict dietary rules by sneaking a bottle of tomato ketchup into the national side's training camps. "Fabio is a disciplinarian. You need to live by his rules or you will not be involved. But I didn't know how strict the diet was. I was dying and needed something on my pasta."(The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk
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