Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal have suffered a blow in their efforts to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh after Italian side Juventus moved in for the player.(Daily Mirror) 
However, Chamakh's representatives are pushing for further talks with both Arsenal and West Ham after holding a meeting with Juventus in Turin on Wednesday.(Daily Mail) 
Norwich defender Gary Doherty has admitted that he expects to leave Carrow Road in the coming weeks after falling out of favour with new manager Paul Lambert.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill and midfielder Nigel Reo Coker had a training ground bust-up on Thursday which saw the pair wrestle each other to the ground.(The Sun) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says that his dug-out strop during the Champions League match against Besiktas in Turkey on Tuesday was because he was spat on by home fans and not because he was substituted.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has begged manager Mark Hughes to play him against former side Manchester United in the derby match between the sides this Sunday.(Daily Mirror) 
England are planning a friendly with Japan in Austria as part of coach Fabio Capello's World Cup warm-up programme.(Daily Mail)
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is set to give midfielder Olivier Kapo a second chance to kick start his career at Wigan after he was seemingly on his way out of the club under former manager Steve Bruce.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Liverpool, Blackburn and Newcastle manager Graeme Souness says he never wants to manage again because he is not prepared to deal with rich, opinionated modern footballers.(Daily Star) 
Former Chelsea coach Avram Grant is being lined up as the new coach of Poland. (Daily Mail) 
Former Nottingham Forest coach John Pemberton is in line to take the manager's job at Lincoln City.(Daily Mirror) 
Burnley manager Owen Coyle believes Sunderland boss Steve Bruce can manage the England team in the future. (Daily Star)

AND FINALLY

Derby midfielder Robbie Savage has revealed that Rams defender Jermaine Johnson, who was set to join up with his new Stafford Rangers team-mates at a service station after agreeing a loan move to the club, got on the wrong coach and ended up travelling down the motorway with Tamworth FC.(Daily Mirror)
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Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

The true cost of taking Carlos Tevez to Manchester City from rivals United may have cost the Eastlands club an astonishing £47m. (The Times) 
But a spokesman for Kia Joorabchian, who fronts the company that effectively owned Tevez before his switch to Eastlands, insists that figure is "not true". (Independent) 
Cardiff midfielder Joe Ledley has rejected the club's first offer of a new contract.(Daily Mail) 
Mexico striker Guillermo Franco claims he has signed a one-year deal with West Ham, bringing to an end Gianfranco Zola's long search for a new forward.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea intend to open new contract talks with Salomon Kalou to fend off an approach from former boss Jose Mourinho, the Inter Milan manager.(Daily Mail) 
Former Middlesbrough and Newcastle striker Mark Viduka is returning home to live in Australia, according to his agent.(The WorldGame.com.au) 
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson expects negotiations over a new contract for Arsenal and Everton target Brede Hangeland to speed up now the transfer window has closed.(Metro) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Goalkeeper Pepe Reina fears Liverpool's title assault may already be over after just four games. (The Sun) 
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has taken a swipe at Manchester City by insisting their money is not guaranteed to give them success.(Sun) 
Emmanuel Adebayor claims he wanted to stay at Arsenal but was forced to leave the club and join Manchester City because of financial reasons. (Times) 
Scotland manager George Burley has demanded showdown talks with the Scottish FA after learning that it's bosses will discuss his possible sacking next week and are considering Gordon Strachan and Craig Levein as replacements. (Daily Record) 
Former Rangers and Liverpool manager Graeme Souness says he does not want the job of Scotland's national coach at this stage in his career. (Daily Mail)
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray fears that midfielder Scott Brown might have to undergo another operation on his injured ankle. (The Sun) 
Celtic midfielder Scott Brown may need to rest his injured ankle and will visit a specialist later this month. (Various)
Henry McLeish, who is leading a wide-ranging review of Scottish football, says the government must provide money to improve facilities. (Daily Mail)
Emmanuel Adebayor claims he will not forgive Arsenal fans for the way they have treated him for as long as he lives.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has earmarked Owen Hargreaves for a return to action in early November.(Times) 

.

AND FINALLY

Dimitar Berbatov has revealed chats with his grandad while helping with the gardening back in Bulgaria persuaded him to quit Spurs for Manchester United. "My grandfather is a very wise man and a great man to talk to. When I am home in the summer I will go to his allotment and help him dig. The allotment has been the place for some great chats and it was there where we talked about me moving to a club where I could win major trophies and I asked him what he thought about Manchester United," he said.(The Sun)
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