Premier League betting - two picks

It's good reasoning as always, but quite frankly I'm lazy to type. 
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Liverpool - Tottenham
Bet: Liverpool -0.75
Odd: 1.95 Stan James
Stake: 8/10

Wigan - West Ham 
Bet: Wigan -0.5
Odd: 2.08 Pinnacle
Stake: 7/10 
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Another great night

Tottenham 4 - 0 Bolton

Roman Pavlyuchenko continued his resurgence to fire Tottenham into the FA Cup quarter-finals as Bolton proved the architects of their own undoing.
Pavlyuchenko tucked in the opener for Spurs from Luka Modric's flicked pass. 
Jussi Jaaskelainen was at fault for the first of two Bolton own goals, the ball deflecting in off his leg as he failed to deal with a Wilson Palacios centre. 
Gareth Bale's cross later went in off Andrew O'Brien before Pavlyuchenko drilled in a Danny Rose centre late on. 
For the oft-overlooked Pavlyuchenko, who made a strong case for his inclusion by scoring twice following his late introduction in Tottenham's weekend victory at Wigan, the evening added further lustre to an impressive record in the domestic cups. 
Pavlyuchenko has played second fiddle to Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch this season, but on a night when Tottenham rarely needed to be at their flowing best, the Russian's second brace in three days brought his cup tally to 13 goals in 13 matches. 
With his side locked in a Premier League relegation battle, there is little that the Bolton manager Owen Coyle would not give for that level of return just now.
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:
"It's great to see Pavlyuchenko score four gopals in two games, he's in great form and let's hope he can keep that up to the end of the season. 
"It's difficult for Bolton, because Owen has obviously got the league on his mind, but things are going well for us. 
"It will be a difficult game at Craven Cottage, but we can only focus on the next game, and that's Everton in the league.
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WBA. 2 - 3 Reading

1-0 R. Koren  6.min.
1-1 J. Kebe  9.min.
2-1 R. Koren  47.min.
2-2 B. Howard  90.min.
2-3 G. Sigurdsson  95.min.
www.bbc.co.uk

Tottenham - Bolton

This is a repeating match and winner will face Fulham on the road in the next round. In the first game, Spurs were better rival and unlucky stayed empty handed. In the Premier, they’re in the race for the 4th place, but with the lack of the names in FA Cup Redknapp may see a chance for winning the trophy. At first game as it’s expected for tonight Redknapp rotated the squad, but the fact is those fringe players are actually very good. And in games against physically based teams (as Bolton surely are) they have obvious technical advantage. Tottenham will be without defender Ledley King because of a thigh injury. Arry’s key, Aaron Lennon also misses out after suffering a setback in his recovery from a groin problem, while Younes Kaboul and Kyle Walker are cup-tied. Roman Pavlyuchenko came from the bench and scored twice in last round vs. Wigan and he’s expected to start the game. Gudjohnsen will also get a chance, but more likely in the second half. 

Bolton are facing the tough times trying to avoid relegation. They’re first under the line, with one point less than 17th Hull City. In the previous round, they suffered a hard defeat on the road vs. Blackburn 0-3, while at Saturday (Tottenham will play their game at Sunday) will face Wolves in six points game. Boss Owen Coyle has already stated he’ll rotate the squad and rest some players. However, I don’t expect too much missings and see his talks more like a psychological game. But, real problem for Coyle is Wanderers scored just one goal in last six competitive games (against Spurs in first game)! On-loan midfielder Weiss and Wilshere are cup-tied, while Steinsson (def), Basham (def) and Davies (mid) are injured. Wanderers are without a win in 11 competitive games on the road. 

Tottenham have very good record in FA Cup and they’re very strong at home. Only big name they can face in the next rounds is Chelsea (or Man.City) and they really have a chance to win a trophy. On the other hand Bolton will defend and wait their chance in counter-attack or set-pieces, but true is they’ll be competitive only until first conceded goal. Home win with -1.5 handicap.

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Stoke - Man.City Considering City's psychology, this game definitelly looks like betting on red/black on roulette. Will avoid it.

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WBA - Reading Won't underestimate Reading and will follow their high scoring trend. Over 2.5

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Tuesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Spurs are keeping tabs on 17-year-old Cameroon striker Steve Leo Beleck who currently plays for Greek side Panthrakikos Komotini.(imscouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has blocked a £10.5m move back to Russia with Lokomotiv Moscow for out-of-favour striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham are eyeing a deal for Paraguay's 16-year-old striker Juan Iturbe. The Cerro Porteno player has been on the shopping list of Real Madrid and Manchester United, with the Hammers looking at a £2m deal at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham want to begin talks on keeping hold of keeper Joe Hart, who is on loan from Manchester City until the end of the season. Birmingham manager Alex McLeish said: "Joe loves his team-mates and he loves the club. When you have a feelgood factor, then players can give their best form and play without fear."(Daily Mail) 
Derby manager Nigel Clough has revealed he wants to sign a striker on loan this week, with either Arsenal's Gilles Sunu or Everton's James Vaughan in his sights. (Daily Mail) 
Sunderland are the latest club to be linked with West Brom's £6m-rated Scottish midfielder Graham Dorrans. (Daily Mail)
Real Mallorca defender Ivan Ramis has not given up hope of winning a move to Celtic in the summer. (Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Goalkeeper Petr Cech has said he wants to stay at Chelsea for another 10 years - providing he can maintain the high standards he has rediscovered in the last month. (The Guardian) 
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is odds on to leave Anfield if the Reds fail to finish in the top four of the Premier League, while Arsenal captain and midfielder Cesc Fabregas will walk out on the Gunners if they do not win the title or the Champions League.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is being lined up for a return to action against Wigan on Sunday having been sidelined with a groin injury since the end of December. (The Sun) 
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho claims Chelsea are not as good as they were when he was manager. He left in 2007 and speaking ahead of the Champions League clash with the Blues next week, Mourinho said: "You should have stuck with me if you wanted to win more titles." (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney had a police escort to see him through passport control after arriving at the airport only 35 minutes before the flight to Italy for the Champions League match against AC Milan.(The Sun) 
Former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp has completed his coaching badge course with the Dutch football federation (KNVB). The clearly ambitious Dutchman said last year: "I would advise everyone to work in England, as a player or a coach, it just breathes football. It is fantastic for the game."( imscouting.com) 

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AND FINALLY

A Premier League club is mulling over a purchase of an Indian Premier League team. Cricket's shorter format is expanding rapidly and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi said: "I can confirm an English Premier League club has approached us about buying a team. They are probably one of the most famous football clubs."(The Times)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is set to join former team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo at Real Madrid in a £20m deal.(Daily Mail) 
Real Madrid legend Raul has been linked with a move to the United States to join New York Red Bulls at the end of the season.(The Independent) 
Coventry are planning a summer bid for Derby striker Rob Hulse after having an approach to sign him on loan rejected earlier this week.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea defender Alex is wanted by German club Bayern Munich.(Daily Mirror) 
Mikael Silvestre is set to leave Arsenal after being snubbed by boss Arsene Wenger for last Wednesday's clash with Liverpool.(Daily Mirror) 
Marouane Chamakh will be an Arsenal player this summer after agreeing to a four-year, £10.4million deal.(Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Kolo Toure believes Patrick Vieira's "winning mentality" can help Manchester City end their 41-year wait for FA Cup success.(The Guardian) 
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp says he will not sacrifice his club's FA Cup ambitions in favour of Tottenham's bid to break into the top four.(The Guardian) 
Manager Carlo Ancelotti has laid down the law to his wayward Chelsea stars and warned: "If our form starts to suffer, I will act".(Daily Express) 
Wayne Rooney has revealed that he is limited to five sponsorship deals by his Manchester United manager, Sir Alex Ferguson.(Independent) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed the full story behind his chaotic seven months at Notts County and the bizarre sequence of events that began with hopes of a multi-million-pound revival for the Football League's oldest club only to end with it on the brink of financial collapse.(Guardian) 
Manager Roberto Mancini is to net a £9million three-year contract extension from Manchester City's wealthy owners.(Sun) 

AND FINALLY

England manager Fabio Capello has urged Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson to rest Wayne Rooney to keep him fresh for this summer's World Cup in South Africa.(Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wolverhampton 1-0 Tottenham

Struggling Wolves completed a league double over Tottenham with a much-needed and deserved home win which lifts them out of the relegation zone.
Wolves' early endeavour was rewarded when Matt Jarvis's cross was side-footed home first time by David Jones. 
Earlier, Niko Kranjcar had seen a glorious chance from 12 yards superbly saved by home keeper Marcus Hahnemann. 
Wolves' lead was rarely troubled in the second half, with Wilson Palacios's late shot Spurs' only effort on target. 
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy testified to a shattered dressing room after Birmingham staged a late comeback to win last Sunday's West Midlands derby 2-1.
However, the spirit and determination McCarthy lauded in his struggling team during the defeat at St Andrews was again evident in abundance, justifying the manager's decision to make only one change to the side with debutant Adlene Guedioura replacing Michael Mancienne. 
The French midfielder, on loan from Belgian club Charleroi, made a great start to his Wolves career, demonstrating grit and guile in equal measure: epitomising his side's performance. 
In contrast, Tottenham were lacklustre and a shadow of the side that has spent much of this season aspiring to a top-four finish. 
As a result of their draw with Aston Villa on Saturday, Spurs dropped out of the Champions League qualification places for the first time since Boxing Day, and after Manchester City's win over Bolton on Tuesday and the failure to earn points here they now find themselves sixth. 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp made five changes to his side, including bringing in on-loan Eidur Gudjohnsen for his debut.
Wolves manager Mick McCarthy:
"After the weekend we needed a performance and a victory and we got it. 
"Teamwork was the key. We've got a terrific team of lads and they've worked hard and deserved that victory. 
"It's been proved this season that teams like us can get points off the big teams. We've got Chelsea and Manchester United coming up, who's to say we won't take points off them?" 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp:
"I'm very disappointed. It was probably our worst performance of the season. 
"We had loads of the ball and were camped in their half second half but never really threatened enough to score. 
"They worked hard and closed us down and made it difficult for us and we never overcame that tonight."
www.bbc.co.uk

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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OTHER GOSSIP

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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AND FINALLY

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)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Fulham's hopes of signing FC Basel striker Marco Streller, 28, have ended. The Cottagers were rumoured to be lining up a £6m bid for the Swiss international, but he has opted to stay in his homeland. (IM Scouting) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Owen Coyle is set to make his third signing as Bolton manager by winning the race to sign Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere on loan. (The Sun) 
Manchester City have bid for Middlesbrough's highly rated winger Adam Johnson. (Press Association) 
Or Johnson will reject a move to the Premier League to help Boro win promotion from the Championship this season.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is lining up goalkeeping cover for Heurelho Gomes, even though the Brazilian has been given the all-clear after a shoulder problem. Coventry's Kieren Westwood, Watford's Scott Loach and Peterborough's Joe Lewis are all in the frame.(Daily Mirror) 
Marlon Harewood will become a free agent in the summer, with Aston Villa allowing the striker to see out the remainder of his contract, which ends in June.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham and Birmingham have opened talks over the sale of Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko.(Daily Mirror) 
West Ham are furious with Tottenham for beating them to the signing of Monaco striker Eidur Gudjohnsen.(The Sun) 
Birmingham central defender Martin Taylor, 30, is in talks to join Newcastle on loan for the rest of the season. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough have made a £3.5m offer to Celtic for Australia striker Scott McDonald. (The Sun)
Celtic are in a four-way fight with Blackburn Rovers, Everton and Sevilla to land Barcelona winger Jeffren Suarez. (Daily Express) 
Pedro Mendes' proposed transfer to Sporting Lisbon has collapsed because of the Rangers midfielder's £25,000-per-week wage demand. (The Sun)
Southampton are in transfer talks with Falkirk after increasing their offer for Bairns midfielder Scott Arfield by a third to £400,000 rising to £1m with add-ons, but Preston and Huddersfield are also interested. (Daily Express) 
Blackpool have failed in a £70,000 bid for Motherwell defender Steven Saunders, with the Scottish Premier League club putting a £500,000 price tag on the 18-year-old's head. (Daily Express)

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United midfielder Anderson is set to be fined after missing training on Monday.(Daily Mirror) 
However, Anderson could be heading for the exit door at Old Trafford after it was claimed he also flew back home to Brazil without club permission.(Daily Mirror) 
Juventus are to appoint Claudio Gentile as interim manager before they step up attempts to persuade Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez to join them in the summer. (Daily Mail) 
Former England Under-21 manager Peter Taylor is being lined up as the next Notts County manager. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Tottenham midfielder John Bostock is at the centre of a row with his club after his father rang a radio station to criticise Spurs manager Harry Redknapp.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Valencia forward David Villa has given the clearest indication yet that he is prepared to move to the Premier League. Manchester United and Liverpool have both been linked to the Spain striker. (Spanish Newspaper AS) 
"I like the Premier League a lot. There are a lot of very important teams in England, who play very good football," said Villa. 
"It's the league I follow the most, along with La Liga - and I've got a lot of friends playing there." 
Manchester City have made a bid of about £15m for Real Madrid's Argentine midfielder Fernando Gago, 23. (Spanish newspaper Marca)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

A delegation from Santos, Robinho's former club in Brazil, is set to meet Manchester City officials in England this week and several other clubs, led by Benfica, have registered an official interest in the former Real Madrid player.(The Guardian) 
Robinho says he is leaving Manchester City to return to Brazil in an attempt to save his World Cup dream.(Daily Mirror) 
The 26-year-old will take a pay cut from the reported £100,000-a-week he is on at City to join the Brazilian outfit. (IMScouting) 
The deal that will result in Robinho returning to Santos gives Manchester City first refusal on two of the club's hottest prospects - forward Neymar, 17, and attacking midfielder Paulo Henrique Ganso, 20. (IMScouting) 
Liverpool have offered Standard Liege striker Milan Jovanovic, 28, a three-year deal, with the option for a further 12 months, in a bid to land the Serbian on a free transfer this summer. (Daily Express)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to make a last-minute swoop for Palermo's 20-year-old Danish defender Simon Kjaer.(Daily Mirror) 
West Ham are set to end James Beattie's Stoke nightmare by jumping in with a £3m offer for the former England striker.(The Sun) 
French striker Toifilou Maoulida, 30, has hinted he could be set to leave Lens for the Premier League, with West Ham, Wigan and Stoke interested.(Daily Mail) 
Preston boss Darren Ferguson hopes to complete the loan signing of striker Danny Welbeck from his father's club Manchester United.(Daily Mail) 
Newcastle's plans to sign Marlon Harewood on loan once again from Aston Villa have suffered a blow after the striker broke a bone in his foot in training last week.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City are weighing up the prospect of a loan deal to sign Roma right-back Marco Motta, who has fallen out of favour with manager Claudio Ranieri. ( Daily Mail) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is chasing Hadjuk Split's highly rated Bosnian midfielder Senijad Ibricic for a second time. (Daily Mirror) 
Dynamo Moscow want to sign Liverpool's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun and are prepared to pay £7m for the 29-year-old.(Daily Mail) 
Zimbabwe striker Benjani, 31, is set to complete his £3m move from Manchester City to West Ham on Monday. (Daily Mirror) 
Villarreal's Argentine striker Marco Ruben, 23, is set to arrive in England on Monday to clinch a £7m switch to Wigan Athletic.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton boss David Moyes has confirmed he would be interested in signing AC Milan's Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar if he became available.(Daily Mirror) 
While Everton look at ways to raise Huntelaar's £65,000-a-week wages, the Dutchman is also interesting Tottenham, Arsenal and Liverpool.(Daily Mail) 
Turkish giants Galatasaray are on the brink of agreeing a deal to sign Tottenham's Mexican forward Giovani dos Santos on loan. (The Times)

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United are set to make Wayne Rooney their highest-paid player on £150,000 a week to fend off interest from Spanish sides Barcelona and Real Madrid. (Daily Mirror) 
Rooney, who scored four times in the win over Hull on Saturday, will shred England boss Fabio Capello's nerves by refusing a break between now and the end of the season.(Daily Star) 
The Glazer family are planning to spend another £54m of Manchester United's cash to fight their huge debt.(The Sun) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville - who was involved in a spat with Manchester City's Carlos Tevez last week - has added fuel to the fire ahead of their Carling Cup semi-final, second leg on Wednesday by claiming City did not deserve to win the first game at Eastlands.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth could anger even more of their fans by naming only three substitutes for Tuesday's Premier League relegation showdown with West Ham.(The Sun) 
Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy says he has joined Hamburg from Real Madrid to win back his place in the Holland team before this summer's World Cup in South Africa.(Daily Telegraph) 
Barcelona's Brazilian right-back Dani Alves, 26, is in talks over an extension to his current deal at the Camp Nou, although Chelsea and Manchester City are monitoring developments.(IMScouting) 

AND FINALLY

Although Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks is close to completing the sale of the Texas Rangers baseball team for a fee in excess of $500m (about £310m), none of the proceeds are expected to be ploughed into the Anfield club.(The Times) 
Plans for TV election debates have been thrown into doubt by the Champions League semi-finals. Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg were set to debate on the three Wednesdays before 6 May but Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal could be playing on those nights, causing a scheduling clash.(The Sun) 
Transworld - who published Jamie Carragher and Steven Gerrard's big-selling autobiographies - have won the race to publish the official life story of Manchester United club captain Gary Neville. However, the book will only come out when Neville leaves Old Trafford. (Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

West Ham are considering a move to take out-of-favour striker Jo from Everton. The Brazilian is currently on a season-long loan at Goodison Park from Manchester City. (Daily Post) 
Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford has been linked with a summer move to Everton, who are reported to have agreed a pre-contract with the striker, whose contract expires at the end of the season. However, Whites manager Simon Grayson said: "Pre-contract agreements aren't binding so both parties could pull out at any time. If he bangs in another 20 goals, there might be bigger teams than Everton coming in for him." (Press Association) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

West Ham's new owners could try to lure Fulham striker Bobby Zamora back to Upton Park, 18 months after he left the club.(Daily Mirror) 
And Tottenham full-back Alan Hutton could also be on his way to West Ham, with Bordeaux's Mathieu Chalme his replacement in the Spurs defence.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth defender Younes Kaboul could be in line for a return to Tottenham as Ledley King and Jonathan Woodgate's injury troubles continue.(The Guardian) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will move for Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy - but only if he can offload misfit Roman Pavlyuchenko.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea could be forced to go back on their "no transfer window signings" pledge if midfielder Michael Essien's knee injury rules him out for an extended period of time.(The Independent) 
Manchester United and Chelsea are battling it out to sign 18-year-old Spanish attacking midfielder Sergio Canales, who can leave Racing Santander in the summer when his contract runs out.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn want to take Uruguay international midfielder Sebastian Eguren on loan from Spanish club Villarreal, where he has fallen out of favour.(Daily Mirror) 
But striker Benni McCarthy could be heading out of Blackburn, with Turkish side Galatasaray keen to sign him.(Daily Mail)
Galatasaray are also monitoring Ryan Babel's situation at Liverpool after the winger fell out with manager Rafael Benitez.(The Times) 
Liverpool's Fernando Torres has urged Benitez to sign either of the striker's international colleagues David Villa or David Silva from Valencia to partner him in attack.(Daily Mirror) 
Midfielder Mathieu Flamini could become yet another ex-Arsenal player to join Manchester City - on loan from AC Milan.(Daily Mirror) 
AC Milan striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar could also be heading to England in a bid to get regular first-team football ahead of the World Cup, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Tottenham likely to be interested.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham and Hull are weighing up former Tottenham striker Mido, who is still officially a Middlesbrough player but is on loan at Zamalek where he has been since last summer.(Daily Mail) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis has tabled a £4m bid for Middlesbrough midfielder Gary O'Neil.(Daily Mail) 
Middlesbrough may use some of that cash to sign striker Leon Best from Coventry.(Daily Mail) 
Celtic manager Tony Mowbray has shocked Scott Brown by telling the Scotland midfielder he has no future at the club and will be sold during January. (Daily Record) 
Celtic are locked in a five-way battle with clubs in Italy, Spain and Ukraine to sign 18-year-old Sporting Lisbon attacking midfielder Rabiu Ibrahim. (Daily Express)
Celtic will pay £200,000 in compensation when they sign 19-year-old Norway Under-21 centre-half Thomas Rogne, formerly of Staebek. (Various) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham technical director Gianluca Nani will be sacked on Wednesday, only 24 hours after David Sullivan and David Gold took over the club. (Daily Star)
Portsmouth have 21 days to pay their £7.5m tax and VAT bill or face a winding-up petition in the High Court on February 10. With no new investment in sight the club are likely to have to sell players to raise the money or risk becoming the first Premier League club to go into administration.(The Sun) 
Football Association director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking has warned England does not have enough depth of young talent and he does not know where the next Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard will come from.(Daily Mirror) 
Newcastle midfielder Alan Smith has called on owner Mike Ashley to splash the cash this month to bolster the club's promotion bid.(Daily Star) 
Brazil legend Pele has tipped Spain to win this year's World Cup, saying they are the best team in the world at the moment, and he predicts that Argentina will struggle.(Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill says the current crop of players at the club is the best for 20 years.(The Times) 
Plymouth Argyle have ordered Aberdeen and Hearts target Steven MacLean to train with their youths in an attempt to force him out of the club. (Daily Record)
Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has angrily denied claims by his New Zealand counterpart that they had asked for £250,000 to play a friendly, saying that manager Craig Levein did not want the match at all. (Various) 

AND FINALLY

Arsenal new boy Samuel Galindo (on photo) has been caught up in an elaborate spoof, when a Bolivian TV station claimed it had a copy of his passport stating he was 20 years old and not 17 as was said when the midfielder joined the Gunners. (Daily Mirror)

England captain John Terry has secretly put his mansion and his mum's home up for sale, hoping to raise £11.5m to fund his life as a country gent. He is hoping to use the money to buy a country pile.(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

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)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool are on the verge of signing Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones on loan, with the 25-year-old Trinidad and Tobago star seen as perfect cover for the injured Fernando Torres. (Daily Mail) 
Netherlands striker Ryan Babel will be swiftly shipped out of Liverpool after a row with manager Rafa Benitez sealed his fate and cost him a week's wages. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has though ruled out a straight swap between Babel and Jones. Bruce said: "The one thing I am trying to do is build the squad and build the squad to improve. The last thing I want to be doing is trade or anything like that."(The Independent) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp could make a new and final move to sign goalkeeper David James - and save some money for Portsmouth, who are in huge debt and currently have a transfer embargo. Stoke ended their interest in James last week.(Daily Mirror)
Brazilian Robinho looks to be heading out of Manchester City after suffering the embarrassment of being substituted by manager Roberto Mancini 51 minutes after coming off the bench at Everton.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea want to keep hold of midfielder Joe Cole, who is out of contract at the end of the season. The England star has been linked with a summer move to Tottenham. Blues chairman Bruce Buck said: "I am personally a big fan of Joe Cole and we are in discussions with his agent and hopefully that will be sorted out soon."(Daily Express) 
Newcastle could be set to take on Peruvian striker Nolberto Solano for a third time after missing out on Jermaine Beckford, who has decided to stay with Leeds.(Daily Mirror) 
Cash-strapped West Ham have slapped a staggering £15m price tag on England midfielder Scott Parker.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool are battling with AC Milan over the services of striker Milan Jovanovic, 28, who is out of contract at Standard Liege at the end of the season.(The Sun) 
Dundee United have rejected a £75,000 bid from Blackpool for Scotland's 21-year-old centre-half Garry Kenneth.(Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United centre-back Rio Ferdinand could make a shock return against neighbours Manchester City in the Carling Cup semi-final on Tuesday. It would be the England star's first game in three months after struggling with a back problem.(Daily Star) 
Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has undergone successful keyhole surgery on his right knee. Talking from the Barcelona hospital, the surgeon said: "If there are no problems, Fernando will be OK in six weeks."(The Sun) 
Manchester United supporters fighting the Glazer family's ownership of the club are contemplating asking manager Sir Alex Ferguson to make the ultimate sacrifice and resign in protest.(The Guardian) 
West Brom will pay tribute to the victims of the Haiti earthquake tragedy by wearing special logos on their shirts in their Championship clash with Newcastle on Monday night.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Premier League referee Mark Halsey is looking to be back in action within four weeks as he continues his battle with throat cancer. The 48-year-old said: "I didn't realise how popular I was as a ref but I suppose when I come back I won't be so popular!"(The Sun)

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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool have beaten off their rivals by securing the signature of striker Marouane Chamakh for £25m. Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus were all after the Bordeaux man, who is out of contract at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keeping a close eye on Stamford Bridge following reports that Joe Cole's contract negotiations at Chelsea are stumbling. The England midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea may be about to lose out to AC Milan in the battle to sign Wolfsburg forward Edin Dzeko but the London club are about to turn their attentions to Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Fellaini's father said: "Marouane belongs at a really top club and will only get better."(Daily Mail)
Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko looks set to end his White Hart Lane nightmare by joining Zenit St Petersburg, who have tabled a £10.2m bid for the Russia striker. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham have agreed personal terms with Internacional's 20-year-old midfielder Sandro and are set to complete a £6m deal for the Brazilian.(The Guardian) 
Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood is being lined up for a move to Leeds United, with boss Simon Grayson looking for a short-term replacement for Jermaine Beckford, who looks set to depart Elland Road.(The Sun) 
Tottenham are set to make a shock move to bring former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who is currently at AC Milan, back to north London.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal look to have beaten Everton to the signing of Real America's Bolivian attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth have rejected Sunderland's bid of £5m, plus Anton Ferdinand, for French defender Younes Kaboul.(Daily Mail) 
Galatasaray have tabled an £800,000 offer for defender Lucas Neill who joined Everton on a free transfer less than four months ago.(The Times) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has received assurances that he will be able to reinvest some or all of the money raised by the potential sale of forward Ryan Babel.(The Times) 
Newcastle United want to sign Bolton defender Danny Shittu - after missing out on Sheffield United's Matthew Kilgallon. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan is keen on QPR winger Wayne Routledge. (Daily Mail) 
Routledge's arrival could signal the departure of Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson to Sunderland. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Kilmarnock want Tommy McLean to take over as interim boss following the departure of Jim Jefferies.(Daily Record) 
England manager Fabio Capello is set to give a full international debut to Joe Hart in the friendly against Egypt at Wembley on 3 March. The Manchester City goalkeeper is currently on loan at Birmingham.(The Times) 
England's 2018 World Cup bid team will tread cautiously when they set off on a mission to Angola to lobby African football officials after tensions were raised by the instant reaction of figures in the English game to the gun attack on the Togo team that resulted in the death of three people.(The Times) 
Liverpool are set to ditch Anfield's heritage and sell naming rights for the new stadium in Stanley Park. (Daily Mail) 
Former Birmingham City owners David Sullivan and David Gold are closing in on a £50m takeover of West Ham.(Daily Mirror) 
Under-fire Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has two games to save his job, with growing unrest from the fans and the club's board. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has backed his Gunners team-mate Sol Campbell to win an England recall. Campbell is set to return to Arsenal on a free transfer after leaving Notts County in September after only one game.(Daily Mail)

www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are ready to swoop for £36m Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko, the Stamford Bridge outfit are ready to offer straight cash for the big Bosnian front man, where as fellow suitors AC Milan want to try and do a swap deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp says striker Robbie Keane will only leave White Hart Lane if someone offers £50m for him. Aston Villa and Celtic are interested in the 29-year-old Republic of Ireland forward. (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Spurs are locked in a £7m race with Lyon to sign Dinamo Zagreb defender Dejan Lovren, 20.(The Sun) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed he is considering re-signing Sol Campbell - it would be the first time Wenger has re-signed a player for the Gunners.(Daily Mirror) 
However, despite having a transfer budget of about £35m, Wenger insists he does not need to buy a striker as Nicklas Bendtner is set to resume full training next week. (The Independent) 
Liverpool are tracking Wolves utility man Richard Stearman, the 22-year-old can play right-back and centre-half and manager Rafael Benitez sees the former England under-21 man as ideal cover for the injured Glen Johnson. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is ready to table a £4m bid for Sporting Gijon's Spain Under-21 left-back Roberto Canella - who also interests Aston Villa. (The Sun)
Fulham are considering a move for 26-year-old Panathinaikos winger Dimitris Salpigidis. The Greece international, who is available for £1m, has also attracted interest from Birmingham and Stoke. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham have made a bid to sign Belarus striker Sergey Kornilenko, 26, on loan from Zenit St Petersburg. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester City are keen on signing Crystal Palace's £5m-rated 19-year-old striker Victor Moses. Palace are understood to have already received a £1.5m offer from Championship side West Brom. (The Independent) 
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is hopeful of signing a new striker next week. With Carlton Cole out injured, the Hammers have been linked with former Upton Park man Marlon Harewood, surplus to requirements at Aston Villa. Stoke's James Beattie and Eidur Gudjohnson of Monaco are also in the frame. (Daily Star) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce insists striker Kenwyne Jones is not for sale. Birmingham are weighing up an £11m bid for the Trinidad & Tobago star while Liverpool, Arsenal and Stoke are all admirers of the big striker. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle fans have pledged more than £50m to buy out owner Mike Ashley and take control of the club. The scheme is fronted by the Newcastle United Supporters Trust. (The Mirror)
Burnley are set to offer Leeds boss Simon Grayson five times his current pay deal to become their new boss after Owen Coyle left for Bolton. (The Mirror) 
Manchester City have insisted on a six-month get-out clause with new midfielder Patrick Vieira, just in case the former Arsenal star fails to make the grade at Eastlands.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has sent out a clear message to Real Madrid and Barcelona - Cesc Fabregas will still be an Arsenal player next season. The 22-year-old midfielder's contract runs to 2015. (The Sun) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti has warned midfielder Joe Cole that his performances will have to improve if he wants to be part of England's World Cup squad. (Daily Mirror) 
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has emerged as a leading contender to replace Owen Coyle at Burnley.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is so fed up with freezing conditions ruining training that will take his players to Dubai if Saturday's game at Birmingham is called off.(The Sun)

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Tuesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Real Madrid have made Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic their prime transfer target for 2010 and Sir Alex Ferguson has already identified Porto's Bruno Alves as his replacement.-Marca.com (in Spanish) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

West Ham are planning a January bid for former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu, who is now playing for Italian side Fiorentina.(Daily Mirror)
Meanwhile, West Ham's chances of landing Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni are over after the Italian declared he would not sign for any club other than Roma. (Daily Mirror)
The Hammers, who are without injured forward Carlton Cole, are looking to recall striker Freddie Sears from his loan spell at Crystal Palace.(The Sun) 
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez will offload strikers Ryan Babel and Andriy Voronin as well as defender Andrea Dossena so that he can fund a move for Galatasary winger Arda Turan. (The Sun) 
Manchester United winger Nani is set to leave Old Trafford with his representatives talking to clubs in Spain and Italy.(The Independent) 
Nani could be part of a deal that brings Benfica winger Angel Di Maria to Old Trafford. (The Guardian) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp may turn to former club Portsmouth in January, with goalkeeper Asmir Begovic the target. (The Sun) 
Alternatively Spurs may also move for Begovic's team-mate keeper David James, leaving Portsmouth to pursue Adelaide stopper Eugene Galekovic.(The Sun) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is lining up a £9m offer for West Ham midfielder Scott Parker, who is also attracting interest from Tottenham and Liverpool.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton have moved closer to signing Real Madrid midfielder Guti after he turned down a move to Turkish side Besiktas.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn Rovers are lining up a loan move for Marseille midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa. (Daily Mirror) 
Rovers boss Sam Allardyce is also keen on Saint-Etienne's Algerian midfielder Amine Linganzi Koumba.(The Sun) 
Birmingham are set to make German international striker Kevin Kuranyi the best paid player in the club's history. (Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham are also targeting £4m-rated Peterborough striker Aaron McLean as they look to bolster their European charge.(The Sun) 
West Brom have bid £1.5m for Crystal Palace striker Victor Moses. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Chelsea boss and current Inter Milan manager Jose Mourinho says he is eyeing up a return to the Premier League. (The Sun) 
Portsmouth's players are set to miss out on being paid on time for the third time this season as their cash crisis continues.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov believes no-one can stop the club winning the Premier League this season.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Roma are close to signing out-of-favour Bayern Munich and Italy striker Luca Toni, who has been linked with both West Ham and Chelsea. (Reuters)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Craig Bellamy has rubbished claims he wants to quit Manchester City and denies he led a player rebellion in the wake of Mark Hughes' sacking.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is attempting to sign veteran Real Madrid midfielder Guti.(Daily Mirror) 
Harry Redknapp has paved the way for Roman Pavlyuchenko's Tottenham exit and says he would not necessarily need a replacement if the Russian quit White Hart Lane in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth goalkeeper David James has refused to rule out a January switch to Spurs as he attempts to ensure he is England's No 1 at the World Cup.(Sun) 
Manchester City are on the brink of signing Inter Milan defender Ivan Cordoba, 33, who has fallen out with boss Jose Mourinho.(Daily Mail) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini wants record signing Robinho to remain at Eastlands, despite the the 25-year-old Brazilian striker being linked with a move away from the club next month. Mancini said: "The important thing for me is that Robinho stays here because he can earn a place in the history of the club." (Various) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth are being sued by French side Lens over alleged unpaid transfer fees for striker Aruna Dindane and defender Nadir Belhadj.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Carlo Ancelotti has admitted for the first time Chelsea are low on confidence, despite his side still heading the Premier League table.(Sun) 
Former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson has set his sights on becoming the Reading new boss after Brendan Rodgers was sacked by the Royals earlier this month.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

South Korean playmaker Ki Sung Yueng has told his new Celtic team-mates to just call him Dave to avoid confusion. "Communication is so important if players are to be comfortable with each other," the 20-year-old said helpfully. (Daily Record)
Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho is planning to make his first trip back to Stamford Bridge since he was sacked to watch his former club Chelsea play Fulham on Monday.(Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Argentine striker Sergio Aguero will be offered to Chelsea and Manchester rivals United and City for £40m by his club Atletico Madrid. Chelsea were favourites to sign the 21-year-old, but discussions on his personal terms have stalled.(The Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keen to sign Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy despite branding the player a "nuisance". Bellamy, one of City's top performers this season, was reportedly unhappy at the sacking of Blues manager Mark Hughes. (The Times)
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is desperate to sign a target man in January, with Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones, Manchester City's Roque Santa Cruz and Liverpool old boy Emile Heskey all on his wanted list.(The Mirror) 
Manchester United will offload 22-year-old Serbian winger Zoran Tosic in January. Tosic signed last January in a £7m deal, but has yet to start a game for the club.(The Mirror) 
Meanwhile, City could bolster their attack by moving for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini. The 25-year-old averages a goal every other game in Serie A.(The Sun) 
Striker Luca Toni could make a January move to Chelsea, with the Blues forced to cope without Didier Drogba, among others during, the African Cup of Nations. Toni, 32, was top scorer for Bayern Munich last season, but has been linked with a move since exiting the ground after being substituted in a recent match.(The Sun) 
Wolves will look to tempt Craig Gardner from Aston Villa in January. The £3m-rated midfielder could move in search of first-team football. (The Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has told rivals City that he will outlast 20 more managers at Eastlands, having already seen 14 come and go. Ferguson, 68, has hinted he could retire within the next two years.(The Times) 
Ferguson, though, has been rocked by the news that striker Dimitar Berbatov requires knee surgery and will be out for three months.(The Sun) 
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, 25, will be offered a new long-term contract to stave off interest from Real Madrid.(The Times) 
Michael Dawson could have played his way into England's World Cup squad. The Spurs centre back started the season as fourth choice at club level, but injuries and a string of fine performances have seen club manager Redknapp push his case to England coach Fabio Capello.(Daily Star) 
However, Michael Owen is still unlikely to make the plane despite his recent Champions League hat-trick against Wolfsburg. Capello will only pick the striker if he gets more regular football for Manchester United.(The Sun) 
And Owen's Manchester United team-mate Rio Ferdinand could also be a doubt for South Africa, with club manager Ferguson admitting there is "no light" in terms of his recovery from a back injury.(The Independent) 

AND FINALLY

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti could see his extremities turn blue if he goes back on a promise not to sign anyone during the January transfer window.
The Premier League leaders, who have had a transfer ban suspended, will be deprived of several first-team players during the African Cup of Nations, but Ancelotti has promised to run naked in the snow if they dip their toe into the winter market.(Daily Star)

www.bbc.co.uk

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)

www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will spend up to £55m in the January transfer window to boost his side's title challenge, with £40m-rated Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero and Monaco midfielder Jerko Leko top of his wish list and Ajax forward Luis Suarez, Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi and Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell seen as back-up options.(The Sun) 
Chelsea are worried Manchester City will gazump them with a bid for Aguero and want to push through a deal for the Argentina international in the next few days. (The Times) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy and goalkeeper Shay Given are considering quitting the club in protest over the sacking of former manager Mark Hughes. (The Sun) 
New Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will hope to beat Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool to the signing of Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer and his other targets include Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini, Rubin Kazan left-back Cristian Ansaldi, Osasuna right-back Cesar Azpilicueta, Sporting Lisbon centre-back Daniel Carrico, Sampdoria forward Antonio Cassano, AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso and CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham are ready to sell Robbie Keane to Celtic in January but want goalkeeper Artur Boruc as part of the deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Or, Keane will stay at White Hart Lane and remain club captain - despite angering Harry Redknapp by organising the club's Christmas party in Dublin behind the manager's back. (The Sun) 
Blackburn hope to re-sign James Beattie and will offer Jason Roberts to Stoke City in a swap deal for the striker, who began his career at Ewood Park. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is planning a swoop for Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford. (Daily Mirror) 
Roma have joined Barcelona, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham, Sunderland, Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham and German side Hoffenheim in the race to sign £5m-rated Crystal Palace forward Victor Moses. (Daily Mail) 
Blackburn and Everton will battle it out to sign Tottenham's Scotland full-back Alan Hutton for £4m in January. (Daily Express) 
West Ham hope to hijack Celtic's £2.5m swoop for Tours FC striker Olivier Giroud, who has also been targeted by Monaco, Toulouse, Valenciennes and Montpellier. (Daily Record) 
Former Chelsea striker Mateja Kezman has been offered to West Ham by French club Paris St Germain, who are looking to offload the Serbian frontman. (Daily Mirror) 
Matthew Upson could leave West Ham in January after admitting he is unsure whether he will still be at Upton Park at the end of the season. (Daily Express) 
Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has set up a loan deal for Benfica defender Miguel Vitor, who will move to Fratton Park in January if the club's transfer embargo is lifted. (Daily Mirror) 
Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is lining up a £1m move for Birmingham midfielder Lee Carsley, 35, who has been told he can leave the Blues and is also wanted by Ipswich. (Daily Express)
Celtic hope to beat Hull, Bolton, Burnley and Newcastle to the £1m signing of Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon.(Daily Record) 
Barnsley are close to signing Ivory Coast defender Steve Gohouri on loan from German side Borussia Monchengladbach until the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Hearts will hold talks with Charlton striker Izale McLeod this week about taking the former England Under-21 star on loan in January.(Daily Record) 
Bournemouth and Notts County both want to sign Bangor City striker Chris Sharp, the son of former Everton and Scotland striker Graham Sharp. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has drawn a line under the row over his squad's secret Christmas party after the 16 players involved each agreed to make a £20,000 donation to the club's Tottenham Hotspur Foundation charity. (Daily Mirror) 
Or, the 16 Spurs player were told to pay £5,000 each - pulling in a total of £80,000 for good causes. (The Sun) 
A furious Redknapp read the riot act to his players over the party incident and they have agreed to make a donation to charities which could amount to £1m.(Daily Star) 
The meeting between Redknapp and his players was frank but amicable, with them apologising for their conduct but pointing out they could not be fined as they had not breached the terms of their contracts and the Spurs boss agreeing for them to make donations totalling £300,000 to a charity. (The Guardian) 
Or, Redknapp chose not to fine his players and instead ordered them to pay £2,000 each - about the same amount they paid for their secret night out in Dublin - to a charity. (The Independent) 
Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, who is still to start a Premier League game for the Reds following his £20m summer move from Roma, has flown to Belgrade to receive treatment on his calf injury from controversial 'placenta doctor' Marijana Kovacevic. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been told he will have to sell players before he can add to his squad in the January transfer window and plans to offload Ryan Babel, Andriy Voronin, Andrea Dossena and/or Philipp Degan to raise funds. If buyers cannot be found, Benitez will be restricted to making loan signings. (The Guardian) 
Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho, who succeeded Roberto Mancini as Inter Milan boss 18 months ago, is tipping the Italian to be a big success at Manchester City.(The Sun) 
Mancini hit City's players with a double training-sesssion on Tuesday, just 24 hours after meeting them for the first time. (Daily Express) 
There is deep-seated anger in the Manchester City squad over Mark Hughes's sacking, especially among the the club's British and Irish players, despite chief executive Garry Cook's claims that there is no player rebellion at Eastlands. (Daily Telegraph) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has won his battle with new Blues owner Carson Yeung over the club's transfer policy in January and has been told the Blues will only sign players the manager approves. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has ruled out making any signings in January to ease Manchester United's defensive injury crisis.(The Guardian) 
Dundee United boss Craig Levein will officially be named Scotland's new manager on Tuesday. (The Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

Ipswich boss Roy Keane walks his dogs at midnight to avoid bumping into angry Town fans.(Daily Star)

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona have stated they will "fight" to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas next season and are ready to bid £40m for him.(The Sun) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is set to make a £6m bid for Wigan left-back Maynor Figueroa, and will raise the funds by selling Gareth Bale. (Daily Mirror) 
Redknapp is also poised to make a move for Chile's highly-rated striker Humberto Suazo, who plays for Mexican side Monterrey.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton are weighing up a cut-price deal for Atletico Madrid midfielder Maxi Rodriguez. (Daily Mirror) 
The Toffees are also close to securing a loan deal for LA Galaxy striker Landon Donovan. (The Independent)
Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen is looking for a return to the Premier League after falling out with his boss at Monaco. (The Sun) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is still unsure whether to pay £1.4m to make Ivan Klasnic's loan move from Nantes a permanent deal. (Daily Mirror) 
Hull boss Phil Brown has been told to slash £6m of the club's wage bill be selling players during the January transfer window. (The Sun) 
Alex McLeish has told Birmingham owner Carson Yeung that signing "galaticos" next month could wreck City's brilliant form.(Daily Mirror) 
On-loan winger Jerome Rothen wants to quit Rangers and return to Paris St Germain in January. (Various) 
Jerome Rothen will be told by Rangers he no longer figures in their plans and that he can return to Paris St Germain in January as the on-loan winger returns from a bout of reported swine flu. (Daily Record)
West Ham are set to bid for 18-year-old Belgian winger Geoffrey Hairemans, who plays for Royal Antwerp. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Bolton defender Ivan Campo is having a trial at Cypriot club AEK Larnaca. (Daily Mirror)
Crystal Palace have given a trial to Dutch side Heerenveen's Bonavnture Kalou, the brother of Chelsea striker Salomon. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

The Scottish FA has approached Dundee United for permission to speak to Craig Levein about the Scotland manager's vacancy. (The Guardian)
Dundee United chairman Stephen Thompson is unlikely to reject the Scottish Fa's request to speak to Craig Levein about the national manager's job. (Daily Record) 
Wolves fans who travelled to see their weakened side lose at Manchester United on Tuesday have bombarded the club with demands for their money back.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Portsmouth boss Paul Hart will be appointed as the new manager of QPR on Thursday, with Mick Harford as his assistant. (Daily Mirror) 
Reading have put ex-Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate at the top of their wish list of names to fill their vacant manager's position.(The Sun) 
Or, Reading are pondering a move for former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson to take over from sacked boss Brendan Rogers. (Daily Mirror) 
Alternatively, Steve Coppell is in line for a return as Reading manager. (Daily Star)
Former Watford boss Graham Taylor has revealed he fears for the club's future as the Hornets veer towards administration.(Daily Mirror) 
Real Zaragoza want Gus Poyet to become their new manager, despite the Uruguayan having signed an 18-month deal at Brighton just over a month ago.(The Sun) 
Hearts midfielder Laryea Kingston is on a collision course with his club again after ruling himself out of action for seven weeks, saying he has another hamstring strain while set to report for African Cup of Nations duty with Ghana. (Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

David Beckham is hoping AC Milan draw Manchester United in the Champions League knockout phase so he can return to Old Trafford with the Italians, whom he joins on loan in the new year, and knock out his old team.(The Sun) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has compared defender Maynor Figueroa to France legend Zinedine Zidane after the left-back scored a 60-yard free-kick last Saturday. (The Sun)

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