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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Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has met with John Terry and believes the defender is happy to stay at Stamford Bridge despite talk of a £30m offer from Manchester City. The Blues plan to make Terry their best-paid player.(The Sun) 
City are increasingly confident of tempting Terry to Eastlands despite Chelsea's offer of a new contract which would make the 28-year-old England captain their highest-paid player.(Daily Mirror) 
Meanwhile, City have given Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o 24 hours to sign for them or miss out on becoming the best-paid player in English football. (Daily Mirror)
Barcelona have stepped up their pursuit of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas after club president Joan Laporta claimed signing the £40m-rated Spaniard is high on their agenda this summer. (The Sun) 
Fabregas is at the centre of a potential bidding war between Barcelona and Real Madrid. (Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal appear to have missed out on Fiorentina midfielder Felipe Melo and manager Arsene Wenger now wants to sign Ever Banega, Valencia's 21-year-old Argentine midfielder. (Daily Telegraph) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has attempted to quell speculation over the futures of Xabi Alonso and Javier Mascherano by insisting both players "owe Liverpool a lot". (The Sun) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has made a club record £12m bid for Darren Bent. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira has no intention of joining Birmingham. (The Sun) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is facing a battle to keep John Carew as Tottenham prepare a £5m bid for the striker. (Daily Express) 
Everton are preparing a new £4m bid for Sheffield United right-back Kyle Naughton, who is also attracting interest from Aston Villa. (Daily Mirror)
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is in talks with Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell over a £5m move. Bruce has also accepted a £5m offer from Ipswich for midfielder Dean Whitehead and striker Daryl Murphy.(Daily Mail) 
Stoke are willing pay a club-record £6m for Rennes midfielder Stephane Mbia. (The Sun) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis will offer the French club £10m to beat off competition from Everton and Marseille for Cameroon international Mbia. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City midfielder Gelson Fernandes is joining St Etienne in a £2m deal. (Daily Mail)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez looks set to beat off competition from Hull for the signing of Swansea striker Jason Scotland. (The Sun) 
Blackburn want £3m for Fulham target Keith Andrews - more than double what they paid MK Dons for the midfielder's services. (Daily Mirror)
Middlesbrough are closing in on former Sheffield United striker Danny Webber, who is also being chased by Ipswich and Crystal Palace. (Daily Star) 
Sheffield Wednesday striker Marcus Tudgay has pleaded with the Owls to let him talk to newly promoted Premier League side Burnley.(The Sun) 
Coventry left-back Danny Fox is being chased by Celtic, West Brom, Reading and Nottingham Forest. (Daily Mirror) 
Barnsley could beat Norwich to sign out-of-favour Crystal Palace striker Alan Lee. (Daily Mirror)
Bolton manager Gary Megson is planning to secure defender Gary Cahill on a new long-term contract before the start of the new season amid interest from Arsenal. (Daily Express)
Plymouth manager Paul Sturrock is poised to smash the club's transfer record with a £1m bid for Ipswich striker Danny Haynes. (Daily Star)
Reading boss Brendan Rodgers is planning to raid former club Chelsea with a double loan swoop for defenders Ryan Bertrand and Jack Cork. (Daily Star) 


OTHER GOSSIP

Gordon Strachan is being lined up for a shock return to Southampton as manager of the League One club. (The Sun) 
Alan Shearer is said to be "tearing his hair out" as the impasse at Newcastle continues. (The Guardian) 
Arsenal goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has urged manager Arsene Wenger to "work harder" to deliver success to the club. (Daily Mirror)
Stewart Downing's hopes of playing for England in the 2010 World Cup are hanging in the balance after he was ruled out until Christmas, potentially wrecking a move to Aston Villa or Tottenham. (Daily Mirror) 
Boro strikers Mido and Afonso Alves have been fined £100,000 after turning up late for pre-season training.(The Sun) 
Manchester United's new signing Gabriel Obertan says he was shocked to join the Old Trafford club and admits he will only be a bit-part player for them this season.(The Sun) 
Simon Davies could miss the start of Fulham's Europa League campaign - the midfielder needed surgery on a foot fracture and has yet to resume full training. (Daily Express)
Portsmouth managerial target Roberto Mancini wants a substantial transfer budget guaranteed before deciding whether to accept the job. (Daily Mirror) 
Joey Barton will play for Newcastle in a pre-season friendly on Saturday, two months after the midfielder was told he would never play for them again.(Various)
 
AND FINALLY

He might be better known for his footballing talents but, away from the pitch, Hull's Brazilian forward Giovanni is also a church pastor. The 29-year-old joined the Brazilian New Hope Fellowship Church in Hulme, Manchester, when he was at Manchester City and regularly preaches sermons.(The Sun) 
US President Barack Obama seemed distinctly unimpressed as he was presented with a singed Brazil shirt by the country's leader Luiz Inacio da Silva. A late Brazil goal denied the USA a shock victory in the Confederations Cup Final in South Africa two weeks ago. (Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester United are to open a string of themed cafes in India. (Daily Star)
England midfielder David Beckham has admitted that he named his son Cruz after actor and friend Tom Cruise. (Daily Star)
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Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has agreed a two-year extension to his current contract at Anfield. The England ace's deal on Merseyside still had two years before it expired, but the Reds have moved to secure their star asset. (Skysports)

Barcelona president Joan Laporta has admitted he wants to sign Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas, with the fee for the 21-year-old reported to be £45m. (Various) 
Tottenham will attempt to sign Manchester City's Martin Petrov as the Bulgarian left winger has dropped down the pecking order at Eastlands. (The Sun) 
Spurs manager Harry Redknapp is also keeping an eye on 29-year-old Paraguay defender Paulo Cesar da Silva, who will be available on a free transfer in the summer. (Daily Mirror) 
Gelson Fernandes has said he needs to quit Man City, but admitted it will be difficult to leave "the richest club in the world." (The Sun) 
Fulham are lining up a move for 17-year-old Algerian goalkeeper Abendour Merzoukim, who would be available on a free transfer. (The Sun) 
Birmingham are favourites to sign Charlton midfielder Nicky Bailey, who is valued at £1.3m. (Daily Mirror) 
Crystal Palace, Ipswich and MK Dons are all eyeing a £1m move for Bristol Rovers striker Rickie Lambert. (Daily Star)  

OTHER GOSSIP 

Alan Shearer's first task as Newcastle manager was to lay down the law to his players by banning them from pubs and nightclubs in the city. (Various) 
Arsene Wenger says he will not leave Arsenal before his contract expires in 2011. (Various) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson is eyeing a return to Premier League management after the Swede was sacked as manager of Mexico. (The Sun) 
Man City manager Mark Hughes has hinted that he could leave star forward Robinho on the bench for this weekend's trip to Arsenal because he is struggling to cope with the physical demands of the Premier League. (Various) 
Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has revealed that he was hit in the face by Germany team-mate Lukas Podolski after a disagreement on the pitch during their World Cup qualifying win in Wales. (The Sun) 
George Burley named Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor on the bench against Iceland despite their breach of team discipline to avoid mutiny in the dressing room. (The Herald) 
Scottish FA president George Peat is demanding a full report into the breach of team discipline - paving the way for further sanctions against the Rangers pair. (various) 
And Tartan Army spokesman Hamish Husband believes the duo will find it difficult to win the hearts of the Scotland supporters again. (The Sun) 
George Burley will ban alcohol from future Scotland squads following the controversy. (Various) 
Meanwhile, Barcelona and Iceland striker Eidur Gudjohnsen says Scotland are stronger without Ferguson and McGregor. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY 

Peter Crouch says Rio Ferdinand was the reason behind his robotic goal celebration during England's 2-1 win over Ukraine at Wembley. The Portsmouth striker vowed never to perform the dance at Wembley again, but did when Ferdinand shouted at him "to pull the rope". (The Sun)
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