Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham hope to sign Arsenal target Marouane Chamakh on a free transfer, as the Bordeaux striker is out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Mail)
Bolton insist that they will not cash in on defender Gary Cahill in the January transfer window. (Daily Star) 
But with defender Joleon Lescott injured and Kolo Toure departing for the African Nations Cup in January, Manchester City are the latest club rumoured to be interested in Cahill.(Daily Express) 
Arsenal want QPR wonderkid Raheem Sterling and are considering a player-plus-cash deal involving Gunners striker Jay Simpson.(Daily Mirror) 
Gunners manager Arsene Wenger says the club will not be "busy" in the January transfer window, also urging football to get its financial house in order.(Daily Telegraph) 
New QPR boss Paul Hart wants to make Gillingham's £1.5m-rated striker Simeon Jackson his first signing.(Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham are stepping up their efforts to sign Schalke's Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi. (Daily Mirror) 
And Birmingham manager Alex McLeish says he will bring in "two or three" new players in January as he looks to maintain their fine season. (The Independent) 
Stoke City say they will listen to offers for striker James Beattie in January's transfer window after his dressing-room altercation with manager Tony Pulis.(The Times) 
Wolves are interested in West Bromwich Albion's Slovenia midfielder Robert Koren. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes is set to be axed this weekend - even if his side beat Sunderland at Eastlands on Friday.(The Sun) 
Russia boss Guus Hiddink and former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann are on Manchester City's wanted list to replace Hughes.(The Sun) 
And Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has refused to rule himself out of the running to replace Hughes at City.(Daily Star) 
But City striker Carlos Tevez has urged the club not to "panic" and sack Hughes with former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini waiting in the wings to take over. (Daily Telegraph) 
West Ham's director of football Gianluca Nani is coming under pressure within the club to justify his signings, with the club languishing in the relegation zone. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Northern Ireland and Fulham Lawrie Sanchez boss has declared an interest in the vacant manager's job at Reading. (The Times)

.

AND FINALLY

The total amount in fines that Tottenham's players will have to pay for their secret Christmas party in Dublin is £1.3m.(Daily Mirror)

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Hull City - Everton

Home side is in the run of four games at home without a defeat. Two wins (Wigan and Stoke) and two draws (Portsmouth and West Ham). Midfield playmaker, Jimmy Bullard, recovered from the injury (returned against Stoke), team improved the attacking potential, moved from relegation zone and manager Phil Brown still keeps his job. The problem is, their defense line is the worst in Premier (only Wigan conceded more, but thankfully to London’s disaster). That defense will miss regular right-back, Bernard Mendy who will serve a one-game ban after his sending-off against West Ham, while goalie, Boaz Myhill, will face a late fitness tests. The same situation, as with Myhill, is with midfielder Seyi Olofinjana. The Tigers will fight for all three points, although their last win against Everton was at old stadium Boothferry Park back in December 1952.

Everton play a season much under all expectations. David Moyes has had a lots of injury players since the league started. They have only one win (West Ham 2-1, away) in last nine competitive games. Defense line hasn’t been performing well, since the departure of Joleon Lescott. Two other defenders who Moyes imagined to be key in back line, Jagielka and Neville, are long-term injured. However, they have plenty of players who make a goal scoring threat and I think (hope Moyes too) Everton will have more chances if attack and try to play for a goal more, than to defend. Yakubu and Saha should cause a lots of problems for Hull’s shaky defense. Fellaini and Bilyaletdinov are suspended, while Steven Pienaar is finally set to return, but could appear only against Liverpool on Sunday.

This is their second meeting at KC Stadium this season. In League Cup, Everton made a convincing 4-0 win and that’s probably the reason for such low odds for away win. It seems both teams have much more potential in attacks than in back lines. I expect another open game and goals on both sides. Betfair offer 2.14, Pinnacle 2.12. Over.

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Everton - AEK

Everton started new Premier League campaign with three defeats from opening four games and although Moyes and other officials claim opposite, Joleon Lescot’s departure is a big hit for club from Goodison. Defence line is so far the weakest link on the pitch. Another hit came from medical report as another key defender and skipper, Phil Neville, is likely to be out for three months with knee ligament damage. Silvain Distin and Joseph Yobo simply need some time to gel up, while new signing from Atletico Madrid John Heitinga is ineligible for Europa League. But, that’s not the end, another defender, Tony Hibbert, is suspended. So, serious problem have become a real headache. Good news are Everton is still a big favorite tonight and between resting key players and winning for raising self confidence, David Moyes will very probably choose the second option (as in previous occasions). £10mill. weight signing from Locomotiv Moscow, Diniyar Bilyaletdinov, will finally make his full debut (so far just three minutes on the pitch). Other players if fully fit and only dilemma is will Moyes rest some of his keys for Blackburn at Sunday. 

Beside they finished fourth in the previous campaign in domain league, AEK is probably the best Greek club beside Olympiakos and Pao. They started domain campaign with both opening wins, while in European previous round eliminated decent Romanians – Vaslui (1-2 away, 3-0 at home). They’re typical represent of Greek football. Players with great technical skill, they have a high level of fighting spirit and their play is really nice to watch. But, at the same tame, shaky defences (AEK’s goalie-Sebastian Saja is in more than decent shape, though) and lack of physical strength and tactics usually bring a bad outcome when they play in European competitions. AEK have noticed just a single win in last eleven European games on the road and their record is especially bad when they play against British clubs (Everton haven’t lost at home in Europe for about four years, btw.). No big missings for tonight match and despite AEK can produce some good display and score, they’re still underdogs at Goodison Park. Their chances are in underestimating by the opponent and in Everton’s defence line.

Home side will try to return some of their self confidence and fill the Greek’s net, but at the same time their problems in defence line shouldn’t be overlooked. AEK will try to make some mess and avoid defeat at least, but true is anything except Everton’s win would be a first class surprise. However, I see goals on both sides and odds on over are more than acceptable. 2.12 at Pinnacle. Over.

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Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Brazilian midfielder Anderson has been told he can leave Manchester United after reacting badly to being omitted from the starting line-up for the Community Shield defeat by Chelsea.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City have completed the £24m signing of England defender Joleon Lescott from Everton.(The Sun) 
Chelsea are keeping tabs on Benfica's talented trio - Angel di Maria, who plays in midfield, defender David Luiz and winger Fabio Coentrao.(The Sun) 
West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola has flown out to Italy to complete the signing of Livorno striker Alessandro Diamanti.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic, linked this summer with Barcelona, has pledged his immediate future to the Old Trafford club.(Daily Star) 
Ipswich boss Roy Keane has axed several members of his first-team squad and told them they will never play for him again.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has paid tribute to a new slimline Andy Reid after the midfielder lost 9kg and 22mm of body fat in the summer. Reid celebrated by scoring twice in the 4-1 Carling Cup win over Norwich on Monday.(The Sun)
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Saturday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Carlo Ancelotti insists Andriy Shevchenko has a future at Stamford Bridge, despite the fact that the Ukrainian has played just one game in the last 15 months for Chelsea. (Press Association)
Holland midfielder Wesley Sneijder, who has been linked with Manchester United, Aston Villa and Arsenal during the summer, is resisting pressure from Real Madrid to accept a move away from the Spanish giants. (Reuters) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Everton have given up the fight to keep England defender Joleon Lescott and agreed to sell him to Manchester City for £22m. (Daily Mail) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger could still make a last-ditch bid to bring former skipper Patrick Vieira back to the club from Inter Milan before the transfer deadline. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is poised to sign Blackburn defender Stephen Warnock for around £8m. (Daily Mirror)
Livorno say that West Ham United’s offer for striker Alessandro Diamanti is considerably short of their £8 million valuation. (Times) 
Fulham are considering a move for Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos and Newcastle defender Stephen Taylor. (Times) 
Everton boss David Moyes is chasing Spartak Moscow winger Vladimir Bystrov (Daily Mail) 
Celtic boss Tony Mowbray does not expect Aiden McGeady to leave Parkhead after the Republic of Ireland Winger was linked to Tottenham. (Press and Journal) 
Gianfranco Zola has set up a meeting with Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh on Monday to try and persuade the Moroccan to join West Ham. (Daily Mirror) 
Bolton boss Gary Megson is weighing up a move for former Valencia striker Miguel Angel Angulo. (Daily Mirror) 
Nottingham Forest are lining up a £1m bid for Charlton's Nicky Baily. (Daily Mirror) 
Defender David Wheater has given a declaration of loyality to Middlesbrough, insisting he could not picture himself playing for anyone else. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Sir Alex Ferguson has backed misfiring strikers Michael Owen and Dimitar Berbatov to start finding the net for Manchester United. (Sun) 
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes says he is unfazed by other clubs' criticisms of his massive summer spending spree.(The Sun) 
Arsene Wenger has blasted the decision to press Theo Walcott into action for the both the senior and under-21 England teams this summer as "selfish". (Daily Mirror) 
Gianfranco Zola insists he has no intention of quitting West Ham after denying he is under pressure to sell players. (Metro) 
Alex McLeish's job looks to be safe Birmingham City prepare for takeover talks with Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung. (The Scotsman) 

AND FINALLY

Blackburn striker Jason Roberts never takes his Premier League wages for granted after revealing his first pay packet as an unknown non-league player: "That would be £15-a-week with Hayes." (Daily Mirror)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City are set to make a renewed £20m cash-plus-players offer to Everton in an attempt to finally land defender Joleon Lescott. (The Sun) 
Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has told Manchester United and Chelsea to forget about signing him after pledging his future to the German club. (The Sun) 
Liverpool are considering a bid for Bilbao's £10m-rated central defender Fernando Amorebieta (on photo). (The Sun) 
The Reds have also enquired about Dynamo Kiev central defender Pape Diakhate and have been quoted a price of £7m. (Daily Mail) 
Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero, who is a target for Chelsea, will not be sold so late in the transfer window according to a report in Spain. (The Times) 
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is ready to hand in a transfer request in order to force through a move to Everton.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is hoping to join Newcastle if Taylor leaves St James' Park. (Daily Mail) 
Stoke have agreed a £5m fee with West Ham for central defender James Collins. (The Sun) 
The Potters will also increase their £2.5m offer for Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth.(The Daily Mail) 
Manchester United could beat Liverpool and Everton to the signing of Stoke centre-back Ryan Shawcross. (Daily Mail) 
The injury crisis that has left United with five unfit defenders could force manager Sir Alex Ferguson to dip into the transfer market.(The Times) 
Portsmouth are chasing Amajita's South African striker Dino Ndlovu. (The Sun) 
Hull hope to complete the £12m signing of Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo in the next 24 hours. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham are interested in Manchester City winger Martin Petrov as well as Sunderland's Kieran Richardson. (Daily Mail) 
Spurs, meanwhile, have denied making a £10m bid for Celtic midfielder Scott Brown. 
Full story: (Daily Mail)
Burnley will look to tie up a deal for Manchester United right-back Richard Eckersley before the two sides meet on Wednesday. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are expected to complete the season-long loan signing of defender John Mensah from Lyon on Monday.(The Times) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Arab businessman Soulaiman Al Fahim's takeover of Portsmouth is in danger of collapsing.(Daily Mirror)
Norwich City want Scunthorpe boss Nigel Adkins to be their next manager following the sacking of Bryan Gunn. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester City's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez has offered Oasis stars Liam and Noel Gallagher free Latin dance classes in exchange for a music masterclass for his band Piola Vago. (The Sun) 
England midfielder David Beckham has hit out at the standard of refereeing in the MLS after the LA Galaxy star was sent off for the ninth time in his career, following a studs-up challenge on Seattle's Peter Vagenas. (The Sun)
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

AC Milan want Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham to return to the San Siro in January for a second loan spell, which would keep alive the England player's World Cup hopes.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City are intent on continuing their pursuit of Joleon Lescott with a £22m bid for the Everton defender despite the insistence of Toffees boss David Moyes that the 26-year-old is not for sale.(The Times) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has failed in his bid to make Roma midfielder Daniele de Rossi his first big-name signing at Stamford Bridge. (The Sun) 
But Ancelotti could make a surprise £17m move for Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini(on photo). (Daily Express) 
Bayern Munich have stepped up their pursuit of Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa and urged the Blues to keep their word over allowing him to join them for about £15m.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko will see out the final year of his contract at Stamford Bridge after rejecting a move to former club Dynamo Kiev. (Daily Star) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has been challenged by Blackburn to treble his bid for Rovers defender Stephen Warnock to £12m or forget the deal.(Daily Mirror) 
O'Neill is also keen to bring Tottenham midfielders David Bentley and Jermaine Jenas to Villa Park. (The Guardian) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp could be forced back into the transfer market after learning that centre-back Jonathan Woodgate faces at least two months on the sidelines following surgery on a groin problem.(Daily Mirror)
And Redknapp is set to up his offer for Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko from £12m to £15.5m, although the French club want £25m.(The Sun) 
Wolves are set to sign Chelsea defender Michael Mancienne, who had a loan spell at Molineux last season, on a season-long loan deal. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham hope to sign Bayern Munich striker Luca Toni and Barcelona front man Eidur Gudjohnsen by the end of the transfer window, initially on a loan basis. (The Guardian) 
The Hammers are interested in Napoli defender Leandro Rinaudo, with boss Gianfranco Zola keen to bring the 6ft 4in centre-back in on loan if he loses Matthew Upson or James Collins. (Daily Mail) 
Defender Lucas Neill could be set for a return to Upton Park after the former West Ham skipper revealed he is considering a contract offer from Zola. (The Sun) 
Derby manager Nigel Clough is ready to sign experienced goalkeeper Jimmy Walker on a free transfer from West Ham. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has gone back to his former club Wigan with a £10m offer for midfielder Lee Cattermole. (Daily Mirror )
Blackburn are giving a trial to former Real Madrid right-back Michel Salgado. (The Sun) 
Rovers are leading a three-club chase with Wigan and Birmingham for Rennes winger Olivier Thomert.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are on the trail of 6ft 4in Borussia Dortmund centre-back Neven Subotic, with chief executive Ivan Gazidis ready to make a £12m offer for the 20-year-old Serb who is also attracting interest from Everton.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham are adamant that defender Brede Hangeland will not leave unless Arsenal shatter the club's £12m transfer reocrd, which was paid by Manchester United for Louis Saha. (The Guardian) 
The Cottagers are eyeing a £4m move for Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City winger Martin Petrov would not be surprised if he was sold by the club this summer, with Tottenham keen on the Bulgaria international. (The Sun) 
Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul is being monitored by a host of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal, Portsmouth, Wigan, Hull and Sunderland.(Independent) 
Former Liverpool, Chelsea and Middlesbrough midfielder Boudewijn Zenden claims he is in talks with Hull, Blackburn and Portsmouth over a return to the Premier League.(Independent) 
Reading manager Brendan Rodgers is planning a double swoop on his old club Watford for midfielder Jobi McAnuff and striker Tommy Smith. (Daily Mirror) 
Turkish club Besiktas are poised to land Reading midfielder Jem Karacan in a £1m deal.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung is set to revive his bid to buy Birmingham City in a £70m deal. (The Sun) 
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is preparing for a hostile reception when he attends the club's home Championship match against Reading on Saturday. (Daily Mail) 
If Ashley fails to sell Newcastle this week he will stay at St James' Park for another two years and appoint David O'Leary as manager with a brief to make the club viable for another attempted sale in 2011.(Daily Mail) 
Any hope Arsenal's Spanish-born goalkeeper Manuel Almunia has of playing for England if they qualify for the 2010 World Cup finals appears to be over after the coach of the national side Fabio Capello dismissed the idea.(The Sun) 
Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina has warned boss Rafael Benitez that Xabi Alonso will be virtually irreplaceable after the midfielder was sold to Real Madrid. (Daily Star)

AND FINALLY

Former Arsenal, West Ham and Celtic striker John Hartson says "I have so much to live for" after winning the first stage of his fight against cancer. (The Sun)
Sunderland midfielder Grant Leadbitter appeared at Gateshead magistrates court on Monday pleading special reasons why he should not be banned for a speeding offence. After being clocked at 112mph, the 23-year-old said he thought he was being followed by a car full of angry Newcastle fans before discovering that it was actually the police.(The Guardian) 
Liverpool stars Steven Gerrard, Jamie Carragher and Fernando Torres will have a Masterchef-style cook off to discover who is Anfield's best chef. October's final will be held in Carragher's city centre sports restaurant, with chef Marco Pierre White adding expert comments and post-meal analysis. (The Sun) 
Michela Quattrociocche, the fiancee of new Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani, says she dreams of marrying the Italian international one day, and added: "Ours is a love that gives you cramps in the stomach." (The Sun)
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Tuesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Aston Villa deny manager Martin O'Neill is interested in signing forward Tuncay from Middlesbrough.(Birmingham Post) 
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will fly to Germany to try and tie up a £40m move for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery.(The Sun) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona have warned their fans that they will not spend over the odds to bring Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas back to the Nou Camp. (The Sun)
Joleon Lescott is finally bound for Manchester City after the Eastlands club made a final offer of £20m to Everton for the defender's services. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham's £15m-rated Matthew Upson has given Manchester City further hope in their hunt for a central defender by rejecting contract extension talks at Upton Park. (The Telegraph) 
But City manager Mark Hughes may prefer to turn his attentions to securing an Eastlands return for Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin. (The Independent) 
Everton are lining up a £14m bid for Paris St Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon. (The Sun) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has told Arsenal they will have to stump up £15m if they are to take centre-back Brede Hangeland across London. (Daily Mail) 
Everton are still hopeful of landing Arsenal's Switzerland international defender Philippe Senderos. (The Independent) 
Aston Villa are preparing a raid on Championship outfit Middlesbrough with defender Robert Huth and Turkey international striker Tuncay in their sights. (The Guardian) 
Defender David Weather could also be leaving the Riverside for Villa Park if boss Martin O'Neill decides to pursue his interest in the England Under-21 international. (Daily Star)
Hull are closing in on the signature of Reading's Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Hunt. (Various) 
The Tigers are also poised to offer free agent Henri Camara a contract after the striker's departure from Wigan. (The Times) 
Fulham have agreed a £2.5m deal for striker Kalu Uche from Spanish side Almeria.(The Times) 
Hull are also in the market for former Liverpool midfielder Boudewijn Zenden.(The Sun) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish wants to sign Rangers defender Gregory Vignal who he managed during his time at Ibrox.(The Sun) 
Wolves are considering a bid for former Marseille midfielder Modeste M'Bami. (Daily Mail)
Midfielder Radoslav Kovac is close to signing a permanent deal to join West Ham from Spartak Moscow after a successful loan spell last season. (Various) 
Defender Sol Campbell, whose contract with Portsmouth ran out earlier this summer, is considering an offer to join Notts County. (Daily Express)
Arsenal are to step up their interest in Newcastle goalkeeper Tim Krul after the Dutchman's impressive opening-day performance against West Brom. (Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn are poised to pounce for out-of-contract defender Michel Salgado after the Spanish international departed Real Madrid.(Daily Mirror) 
West Brom have signed free agent Jerome Thomas after the midfielder's deal at Portsmouth expired. (Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is also close to landing Nantes midfielder Aurelien Capoue on a season-long loan. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Midfielder Javier Mascherano is ready to commit his future to Liverpool after manager Rafael Benitez blocked a possible move to Barcelona. (Daily Telegraph)
Former Chelsea boss Avram Grant has been offered a return to management by friend and Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov. (Daily Express) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane wants to make former Manchester United coach Brian Kidd his right-hand man at Portman Road. (Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

Manchester City have admitted that they forgot to tell the Football Association of Wales that striker Craig Bellamy would not be joining up with his international team-mates for Wednesday's friendly against Montenegro. Officials were left bemused by his non-appearance. (Various)
Football Association chairman Lord Triesman was soaked by the sprinkler system while inspecting the Wembley pitch ahead of the Sunday's Community Shield match between Chelsea and Manchester United.(Daily Mail) 
Middlesbrough defender Andrew Taylor is to launch Platinum Players, a website designed to protect professional footballers from being ripped off. (The Guardian)
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Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Defender Joleon Lescott will write to Everton chairman Bill Kenwright and ask to join big-spending Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)
However, Lescott has been told that despite his desire to leave Goodison Park he will not be allowed to move to Eastlands. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City will call a halt to their pursuit of Lescott if they cannot get him to Eastlands by the end of the week. (The Sun) 
With Xabi Alonso's departure to Real Madrid imminent, Liverpool will replace the midfielder with Roma's Alberto Aquilani. (Daily Mirror) 
The Reds have agreed a deal in principle with Roma and will splash out £20m on the Italian 25-year-old. (The Sun) 
Arsenal are on the verge of signing Chelsea's Ivory Coast forward Salomon Kalou for £8m. (The Sun) 
Chelsea have moved closer to the £8m signing of AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo, who could arrive in time for Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)
The Blues, meanwhile, have dismissed speculation linking midfielder Joe Cole with a move to London rivals Tottenham. (The Independent) 
Having completed a medical on Monday, Tottenham striker Darren Bent is expected to finally seal his £12m transfer to Sunderland on Tuesday. (Daily Express) 
Bent's departure will pave the way for Spurs to step up their pursuit of Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. (Daily Express) 
Everton are preparing a £12m bid for Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour. (Daily Mirror)
However, Defour is also on Liverpool's wish list as they look to bolster their midfield options. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham are confident they can persuade right-back Lucas Neill to remain at the club.(The Independent) 
Bolton are looking to sign Valencia midfielder Miguel Angel Angulo on a free transfer. (The Sun) 
Hull will turn their attentions to Tottenham full-back Pascal Chimbonda, if their bid for Newcastle defender Habib Beye fails.(The Sun) 
Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong is ready to hand in a transfer request in order to get a move to Tottenham or Manchester City. (Daily Mirror) 
Hull will battle it out with Fulham for Villarreal striker Jozy Altidore. (Daily Star)
Nottingham Forest have launched a £2m bid for Bolton defender Danny Shittu. (Daily Star) 
Striker Amr Zaki could join Portsmouth on a season-long loan from Egyptian side El Zamalek.(The Independent) 
Hamilton Accies are close to deals for Leicester midfielder James Wesolowski and Spanish defender Luis Rubiales. (Various) 
Frozen-out Rangers forward Alan Gow is a target for Plymouth. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is set to commit himself to the Blues by signing a new three-year contract. (Daily Express)
Tottenham defender Jonathan Woodgate may need another hernia operation, ruling him out of the first month of the 2009/10 Premier League season. (Daily Mail) 
Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Viera, who is wanted by both Arsenal and Tottenham, has been told he will need to resolve his future if he is to win back his place in the French national side.(Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth have warned they may have to sell more players to survive their financial troubles. (The Sun) 
Veteran winger Ryan Giggs has revealed how training ground bust-ups are a regular occurrence at Manchester United, but help combat fatigue and keep the squad competitive.(Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

Former Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo's legs have been insured for £90m by his new club Real Madrid.(The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Ronaldo's old house in Alderley Edge, Cheshire has been snapped up by new Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor for £5.5m. The former Arsenal striker beat off competition from team-mates Kolo Toure, Gareth Barry, Carlos Tevez as well as Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia. (The Sun) 
Derby County midfielder Robbie Savage has revealed he has a sleepwalking problem that once resulted in him dragging a team-mate out of bed, having imagined a train was going to hit the building.(Daily Star) 
Russia fans have been told to drink whisky on their trip to Wales for September's World Cup qualifier to avoid catching swine flu. (Daily Express)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea will go on a £100m spending spree this week and hope to sign AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo, Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery and Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero.(Daily Mail) 
Or Chelsea will be priced out of the market and miss out on the signing of Ribery as well as Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. (The Telegraph)
Liverpool have been warned by Valencia that their star forward David Villa is "priceless" and will not be joining the Premier League club. (The Sun) 
The Reds, meanwhile, are refusing to budge on their £30m valuation of midfielder Xabi Alonso, who is wanted by Real Madrid. (Daily Star) 
Liverpool have made a last-ditch attempt to keep Alonso, with Reds manager Rafael Benitez insisting he wants the Spaniard to stay at the club. (Daily Mirror)
But Alonso looks destined to leave after Liverpool's managing director Christian Purslow met his Real Madrid counterpart Jose Angel Sanchez in Barcelona to complete negotiations. (The Telegraph) 
Manchester City are expected to make an improved £20m offer for Everton defender Joleon Lescott.(Daily Star) 
Or Manchester City are set to withdraw their interest in Lescott and will instead pursue Chelsea centre-back Alex. (The Times) 
Everton have been offered Toulouse right back Albin Ebondo after missing out on the signing of Kyle Naughton, who has joined Tottenham from Sheffield United. (The Times) 
Tottenham will offer £10m to Chelsea for midfielder Joe Cole. (Daily Mirror) 
But Tottenham look like they will be beaten to the signature of Newcastle United defender Sebastien Bassong by big-spending Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)
Spurs striker Darren Bent is expected to complete a £12m move to Sunderland on Monday. (The Sun) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is hopeful of beating Tottenham to the £750,000 signing of former Gunners midfielder Patrick Vieira from Inter Milan.(Daily Express) 
But Arsenal have had their £5m bid for Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh dismissed as "ridiculous" by club president Jean-Louis Triaud. (Daily Mirror) 
The Gunners are expected to sell defender Philippe Senderos, who spent last season on loan at AC Milan, to Everton for £6m. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham are interested in Toulouse's £12m-rated midfielder Moussa Sissoko. (The Times)
Spurs are also keeping tabs on Brazilian midfielder Sandro, who plays for Internacional. (The Times) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is hopeful of signing Manchester City striker Benjani and Hajduk Split forward Nikola Kalinic for a combined £11m. (The Sun) 
Birmingham are set to secure the loan signing of Arsenal defender Armand Traore. (The Independent)
The Blues have also been linked with Sporting Gijon midfielder Michel and Aston Villa's Craig Gardner. (The Independent) 
Hull City are not prepared to meet Newcastle United's valuation of £4m for defender Habib Beye.(The Times) 
But Aston Villa are also keen on Beye and could launch a bid for the 31-year-old Senegal player. (The Sun) 
Villa will also battle it out with Inter Milan for Real Madrid's £16m-rated midfielder Wesley Sneijder. (Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is also monitoring Portsmouth defensive duo Sylvain Distin and Sol Campbell. (The Independent) 
Hull have made a £3m bid for Stoke midfielder Seyi Olofinjana. (Daily Mirror)
Portsmouth and England keeper David James has pledged his future to the south-coast club, despite interest from Tottenham. (The Sun) 
Leeds have slapped a £8m price tag on star midfielder Fabian Delph, who is wanted by Manchester City and Everton. (The Sun) 
Fulham are watching Kalmar FF midfielder Rasmus Elm and are preparing a £2.5m bid. (The Times) 
But Everton are also keen on the Swedish international midfielder and may outbid Fulham with £3m. (Daily Mirror)
Fulham have inquired about Sampdoria midfielder Daniele Dessena. (The Sun) 
Newcastle midfielder Geremi is keen on move to Turkish side Besiktas. (Daily Mail)
Lyon defender John Mensah has been offered to Sunderland and Portsmouth. (The Times) 
Wolves are preparing a bid for towering Rapid Vienna striker Stefan Maierholer. (Daily Mail)
Ipswich manager Roy Keane will make an improved £1m bid for Watford striker Tamas Priskin. (Daily Mirror) 
Reading are planning a £2m bid for Doncaster centre-back Matt Mills. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Burnley manager Owen Coyle has revealed the Premier League new boys have only £16m to spend on new signings and player salaries this season. (Daily Mirror) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis says the club's unfashionable image is frustrating him in his bid to sign better quality players. (Daily Express)
Hibernian striker Derek Riordan spent a night in the cells after being refused entry to an Edinburgh nightclub. (Scottish Sun) 
Midfielder Scott Brown, returning from injury, is unlikely to play from the start when Celtic visit Dinamo Moscow on Wednesday. (Times)

AND FINALLY

Los Angeles Galaxy and England midfielder David Beckham is to star alongside governor of California and former actor Arnold Schwarzenegger in a television advertisement to promote tourism in the American state.(The Sun) 
Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo's new mansion in Spain will cost £8m and boasts 36 rooms. (The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool will reluctantly sell midfielder Xabi Alonso to Real Madrid in the next few days. Although manager Rafael Benitez wanted £35m for the 27-year-old, the fee is likely to be under £30m.(Daily Express) 
Everton defender Joleon Lescott is ready to tell manager David Moyes that he wants to join big-spending Manchester City.(Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough have received a £9m offer for Turkish striker Tuncay. Aston Villa, Everton and Tottenham are also interested in the 27-year-old.(Daily Mail) 
Stoke have joined the list of clubs chasing Tottenham striker Darren Bent.(The Sun) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp has made a cash-plus-player deal offer for Hull centre-half Michael Turner. Pascal Chimbonda has been offered to Hull manager Phil Brown. (Daily Mirror) 
AC Milan and Inter Milan are both interested in Manchester City midfielder Elano.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth are talking to winger Stephen Hunt over a £3.5m transfer after Reading dropped their asking price.(Daily Mail) 
Bolton defender Nicky Hunt has been told he can leave the Reebok Stadium following the arrival of Sam Ricketts. (Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea are lining up a swap deal with AC Milan in order to land midfielder Andrea Pirlo. As part of the package, striker Claudio Pizarro and defender Michael Mancienne would head to Italy.(Daily Star) 
Utility player Emmanuel Eboue is set to become the latest player to leave Arsenal by signing a five-year deal with Fiorentina. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth want to take Wigan forward Amr Zaki on loan. (Daily Mirror)
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has made a £1.7m bid for Celta Vigo's Algerian striker Kamel Ghilas.(The Sun) 
And Allardyce has been given the all-clear by Chelsea to sign striker Franco Di Santo on loan. (Daily Mirror)
West Bromwich Albion are interested in Wigan forward Marlon King. (Daily Mirror) 

.

OTHER GOSSIP

It looks like Alan Shearer will not be Newcastle manager for the new season as BBC presenter Gary Lineker says the former Magpies and England striker will once again be joining him on Match Of The Day.(The Sun) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has suffered another setback in his recovery from knee surgery and could be out until Christmas. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City have struck a deal with Arsenal for the £15m signing of defender Kolo Toure, who will double his wages at Eastlands.(Daily Mail) 
Toure's departure from Arsenal to Manchester City is set to spark a defender merry-go-round this summer. Joleon Lescott will also move to Eastlands from Everton, with Tottenham's Alan Hutton and City's Nedum Onuoha replacing him at Goodison Park, while Arsenal are to move for Fulham's Brede Hangeland. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City and Bolton are leading the chase for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso (on photo), who is valued at about £15m. (The Sun) 
Real Madrid have said that Liverpool's £30m valuation of midfielder Xabi Alonso is unrealistic. The Spanish club are not willing to pay more than £24m.(Daily Telegraph) 
Burnley are ready to make an improved bid for Sheffield Wednesday striker Marcus Tudgay. (Daily Mirror)
West Ham are struggling to keep defender Lucas Neill at the club after contract talks broke down. Turkish side Galatasaray are favourites to sign the 31-year-old. (The Sun) 
West Ham striker Dean Ashton is wanted by Hull after they failed to sign Bobby Zamora from Fulham.(Daily Express) 
Aston Villa are interested in Blackburn's £6m-rated defender Stephen Warnock.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal have joined the list of clubs linked with Roma striker Mirko Vucinic. (Daily Telegraph)
Hull are poised to join Everton in the race for Tottenham defender Alan Hutton.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth are closing in on the signing of Hadjuk Split striker Nikola Kalinic as a replacement for Peter Crouch, who has joined Tottenham. (Various)
And Pompey have offered defender Sylvain Distin a new contract to fight off Aston Villa's £3m bid. (Daily Mirror) 
Fulham midfielder Danny Murphy and Portsmouth winger John Utaka are both targets for Stoke.(Daily Mail) 
Wigan have told former boss Steve Bruce, who is now at Sunderland, not to make another bid for midfielder Lee Cattermole.(The Sun) 
Everton manager David Moyes has launched a £7m bid for Alan Hutton after the Scotland defender was deemed surplus to requirements at Tottenham Hotspur. (Daily Record)
Kilmarnock have agreed a contract with freed Rotherham striker Mark Burchill subject to a medical. (Various) 
Plymouth have put in a cash offer to Amiens for Reda Johnson and are likely to beat Aberdeen to the defender's signature. (Daily Record)

.

OTHER GOSSIP

Inter Milan's ex-Chelsea coach Jose Mourinho says he wants to succeed Sir Alex Ferguson as manager of Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)
Barcelona's former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry has denied reports that he told another ex-Gunners favourite, Patrick Vieira, to sign for arch rivals Tottenham, although he did tell Spurs boss Harry Redknapp the Inter Milan midfielder "would be a brilliant signing". However, Henry added: "I am Arsenal through and through. I'd never advise anyone to sign for Tottenham."(The Sun) 
Kilmarnock have withdrawn their offer of a coaching post to retiring midfielder Gary Locke. (The Times)
Dinamo Moscow assistant Alexsandr Smirnov says he learned little about Celtic on Sunday because Tony Mowbray played his reserve side in the 2-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur. (Daily Record) 
Celtic are set to name Lisbon Lion and former captain and manager Billy McNeill as the club's official ambassador. (The Sun)
Scotland manager George Burley has written to Sir Alex Ferguson asking for Darren Fletcher to be rested for Man Utd's Community Shield match against Chelsea ahead of the World Cup qualifier in Norway. (Daily Record) 
Steau Bucharest president Gigi Becali says Motherwell have no chance of beating his team in Thursday's Europa League qualifier. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY

Chelsea captain John Terry has revealed the level of influence he has at Stamford Bridge in his first interview since rejecting Manchester City's overtures. Terry says he is among a trio of players, along with midfielder Frank Lampard and striker Didier Drogba, who give advice to owner Roman Abramovich.(Various)
Darren Bent really was a last-minute withdrawal from Tottenham's pre-season tour to China as his move to Sunderland gathered pace on Monday night. The striker was strapped in his seat just before take off when the call came that the two clubs were close to agreeing a deal. His bags were retrieved from the hold of the plane before he travelled north to begin talks. (Various)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham and Manchester City will offer England midfielder David Beckham a chance to return to the Premier League from the United States when Los Angeles Galaxy's Major League Soccer season finishes in October.(The Sun) 
Manchester City's Brazilian midfielder Elano, 28, could move on a season-long loan to German club Cologne or Inter Milan after being told not to join the club's pre-season tour of South Africa.(The Independent) 
And City are still confident they can complete a deal for Chelsea defender John Terry, with the Eastlands outfit ready to up their offer to £40m for the 28-year-old. (Daily Star) 
Everton defender Joleon Lescott will plead with manager David Moyes to allow him to speak to Manchester City over a move, with City expected to make an improved £18m offer for the England international. (The Times) 
Everton are on the verge of signing Sweden international midfielder Rasmus Elm, 21, from Kalmar. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill wants Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas in a £10m deal.(The Sun) 
And 26-year-old Jenas is also a target for Inter Milan who will use some of the £40m they expect to receive from Barcelona for striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.(The Guardian) 
Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker is a £3m target for Championship side Middlesbrough. Boro would also consider taking the 25-year-old as part of a a swap deal for Turkish striker Tuncay Sanli, who they value at £5m.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham look likely to miss out on Real Madrid's Dutch striker Klaas Jan-Huntelaar who is set for £18m move to Stuttgart. (Daily Mirror) 
Bordeaux's Morocco international striker Marauane Chamakh, 25, has given up hope of signing for Arsenal but will still consider a switch to the Premier League with Sunderland, Blackburn, Tottenham and Fulham all interested.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool defender Andrea Dossena is being targeted by Italian side Napoli. (The Times)
Bolton manager Gary Megson has made a £2m bid for Hull midfielder Sam Ricketts, 27. Full story: (Daily Star) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce will end his interest in Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole after failing with a £6m bid. (Daily Star)
And Sunderland expect to find out on Tuesday whether they have been successful in their £12m bid to sign Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch. (The Telegraph) 
Portsmouth want Espanyol's former Liverpool defender Steve Finnan, 33, to replace Glen Johnson. (Daily Mirror)
Birmingham have lined up a £4m offer for Reading's 27-year-old winger Stephen Hunt. (Daily Star) 
Leicester boss Nigel Pearson wants former Reading striker Leroy Lita. The 24-year-old is a free agent. (Daily Star)
Glasgow Rangers Algerian international defender Madjid Bougherra has snubbed a £4m move to Bordeaux and will only leave the Scottish side for a team in the English Premier League. (Daily Record) 


OTHER GOSSIP

League Two side Notts County are lining up a move for former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson after the club was taken over by a Middle Eastern consortium. (The Sun) 
Frank Lampard has backed his new Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti to be as successful at the club as former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho. "I don't think Ancelotti will have any issue with stepping out of Mourinho's shadow whatsoever," he said. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth's £60m takeover by United Arab Emirates businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim should be completed on Tuesday - preventing Pompey from becoming the first Premier League club to go into administration. (Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes Cristiano Ronaldo's love for the club could result in the winger returning to the club in the future. "He may come back, you never know... He loved United," said Ferguson. (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Ferguson has claimed Argentine striker Carlos Tevez was "not worth" the £25m Manchester City paid for him. (The Guardian)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

.

Liverpool are set to offer £20m for Aston Villa winger Ashley Young.(News of the World) 

Villa have rejected an £18m opening offer for Young from Tottenham, saying they value the player at £30m. (The Sunday Times) 
Arsenal poised to bid £10m for Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh to replace Emmanuel Adebayor.(News of the World) 
Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc says he would like Chamakh's future to be resolved by Thursday. (The Observer) 
Everton have slapped a £30m price tag on centre-back Joleon Lescott, which is double Manchester City's current bid.(News of the World) 
Tottenham are close to capturing Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch after tabling a £12m offer in the last 24 hours, beating off competition from Fulham and Sunderland.(News of the World) 
Spurs will find out on Monday if Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will reject an £18m transfer to Stuttgart in favour of a move to White Hart Lane.(The Mail on Sunday) 
Chelsea and Tottenham are considering making a move for David Beckham, while AC Milan, who had the LA Galaxy midfielder on loan last season, are also interested.(The Mail on Sunday) 
Hull want to take Manchester City striker Benjani on a season-long loan. (News of the World) 
Bolton will try to hijack Portsmouth's bid to sign Hull defender Sam Ricketts. (News of the World) 
Former Newcastle striker Lomana LuaLua may quit Qatar club Al-Arabi to join Stoke. (News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea are set to report Manchester City boss Mark Hughes to the Premier League for 'tapping up' John Terry.(News of the World) 
Manchester City's Middle Eastern owners are ready to spend more than $1bn (£610m) on transfer fees and wages in their first year in control of the club.(The Sunday Times) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes Gunners' fans resentment over Emmanuel Adebayor's dalliance with AC Milan and Barcelona last summer drove the Togo striker to join Manchester City.(The Mail on Sunday) 
David Beckham has tipped Chelsea to win the Premier League title this season - because of their new boss Carlo Ancelotti. (News of the World) 
Steve McMahon has been told to find another £30m if he wants to take control at Newcastle. The former Liverpool player's Profitable Group made a £70m bid for the club on Friday. (News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Carlos Tevez has bought former Manchester United team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo's old home for £4m. The Argentine striker, who has just joined Manchester City, will be neighbours with another former team-mate at Old Trafford, Rio Ferdinand. (News of the World)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Bordeaux coach Laurent Blanc says the club have not received any bids for striker Marouane Chamakh (on photo), despite reported interest from a number of Premier League clubs, including Arsenal. (Press Association)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool will intensify their efforts to sign Valencia playmaker David Silva. (The Times) 
Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch will decide over the weekend whether to join Sunderland or Fulham after both clubs made a £12m bid for the England international.(Daily Star) 
Pompey may also allow full-back Sylvain Distin to leave the club, with Aston Villa poised to bid about £3m. (The Independent)
Manchester City's hopes of completing a deal for Emmanuel Adebayor are in the balance as the Arsenal striker is keen on a move to Chelsea.(The Times) 
Meanwhile, City are set to make an improved offer for Everton defender Joleon Lescott after having a £15m bid rejected. (The Times) 
Should Lescott leave Goodison Park, the Toffees would consider West Ham defender Matthew Upson as a replacement.(The Times) 
Hull are ready to offer Newcastle £3m over three years to sign midfielder Joey Barton.(The Sun) 
Sunderland have been told it will cost them £5m to sign Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.(Daily Mirror) 
The Black Cats have also made an enquiry about Tottenham defender Alan Hutton. (The Times) 
And Spurs could sell another defender, Pascal Chimbonda, to Blackburn. (The Times) 
Reading are ready to lower their £5.5m asking price for winger Stephen Hunt after receiving no bids. (Daily Star) 
Manchester City striker Ched Evans will complete a £1.5m move switch to Sheffield United next week.(Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa have made Leeds a 'take it or leave it' offer of £4m plus add-ons for midfielder Fabian Delph.(Daily Mirror) 
But Tottenham are ready to join the bidding for Delph. (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, Spurs have been given until the start of next week to agree a fee with Real Madrid for striker Klass-Jan Huntelaar. (Daily Express) 
Stoke midfielder Seyi Olifinjana is in talks to join French club Monaco. (Daily Star)
Wigan are hopeful of signing Espanyol centre-back Roman Golobart on a free transfer. (The Sun) 
The Latics are also pressing ahead with their move for Crystal Palace winger Victor Moses. (Daily Mail)
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart is giving a trial to Zimbabwe left-back Onismor Bhasera. (Daily Star) 
Wolves are optimistic they can beat Celtic and Wigan to the signature of Hamilton midfielder James McCarthy. (Daily Star)
But Tottenham have joined the race for Accies' in-demand teenager McCarthy with a £2.7m bid. (The Herald) 
Dundee United have offered Argentine striker Damian Casalinuovo a deal after the 22-year-old impressed on trial. (Various)
Bordeaux have called off their bid for Madjid Bougherra because the defender is happy at Rangers. (Daily Record) 
Former Celtic defender Bobo Balde is training with Wolves after failing to win a deal at Birmingham. (Daily Express)
Barnsley are close to tying up a deal for former Darlington keeper David Preece. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Emmanuel Adebayor is locked in a row with Arsenal over a £2m loyalty bonus. The Manchester City-bound striker says he is owed the cash because he did not put in a transfer request.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says there will be no 'untouchables' at the club, insisting there are no guaranteed places in his first team. (Daily Star) 
Former Liverpool midfielder Steve McMahon is confident his Profitable Group consortium will complete their takeover of Newcastle in the next few days.(Daily Star) 
New Southampton boss Alan Pardew will offer new deals to strikers Jason Euell and Stern John.(Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester City have taunted rivals Manchester United by putting up a Carlos Tevez poster in the city centre declaring: Welcome to Manchester. City signed the Argentine striker from their neighbours this week. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United's interest in Gremio's Douglas Costa is cooling after the Brazilian club demanded £20m for the teenage forward.(The Times) 
Manchester City have tested Everton's determination to hang on to defender Joleon Lescott by submitting a £15m bid to Goodison Park. (Various)
City will make a £30m move for Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan if they fail to agree personal terms with Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor. (Daily Mail) 
Real Madrid are confident that an improved bid of around £32m will be enough to prise Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso away from Liverpool.
If Alonso does depart for the Bernabeu, Valencia midfielder David Silva would be top of Reds' boss Rafael Benitez's shopping list. (Daily Mirror) 
Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal has told clubs in pursuit of midfielder Franck Ribery that it is now too close to the start of the season for the France midfielder to leave. (Daily Telegraph)
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill has denied that there has been any approach for winger Ashley Young after rumours that Tottenham and Chelsea were mulling over £25m bids.(The Times) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has entered the £12m race for Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch.(The Sun) 
Hodgson is also considering a move for Columbia international forward Fredy Montero who plays for Major League Soccer side Seattle Sounders. (Daily Star) 
Tottenham are poised to add to their forward line with the signing of Real Madrid's Alvaro Negredo.(The Sun) 
Spurs are also holding out hope of landing Real Madrid and Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar despite Stuttgart already having had a £17m bid accepted for the player. (The Times) 
Sheffield United pair Kyle Naughton and Kyle Walker, both right-backs, will move to White Hart Lane in a deal worth a total of £8m after Tottenham stole a march on Everton who were also interested.(The Independent) 
Leeds' highly-rated midfielder Fabian Delph (on photo) has attracted an offer from Tottenham, but is also being chased by Fulham.(The Times) 
Arsenal will attempt to lure defender Brede Hangeland from Fulham with the offer of Philippe Senderos as part of a deal worth around £10m. (Daily Star)
Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh has claimed that a move to Arsenal would be "perfect". (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth centre-back Sylvain Distin is ready to take a pay-cut in order to seal a £2m move to Aston Villa.(The Sun) 
Chelsea have told Portugal international defender Ricardo Carvalho that he will be staying at Stamford Bridge after a possible move to Inter Milan fell through.(The Sun) 
Carvalho could be joined by Serbia midfielder Nemanja Matic who is close to tying up a £5m move from MFK Kosice to Chelsea.(The Sun) 
Blackburn are ready to splash £2.5m on Rapid Vienna forward Erwin Hoffer as a replacement for Roque Santa Cruz. (The Sun) 
Valencia targetman Nikola Zigic is also in Blackburn's sights, but there are 15 clubs in the hunt for the Serbia striker according to his agent.(The Independent) 
Wigan Athletic are in negotiations with Crystal Palace over a possible switch for £5m-rated midfielder Victor Moses.(The Times) 
Midfielder Dean Whitehead could be on his way from Sunderland to Stoke in a £5m switch. (Daily Star)
Birmingham are keen to sign £5m-rated midfielder Craig Gardner from Aston Villa ahead of their return to the Premier League. (Daily Star) 
Hamilton's 18-year-old midfielder James McCarthy is set to sign for Wigan after turning down a move to Wolves. (The Sun) 
Sporting Lisbon are back in talks with Manchester City over a possible loan move for striker Felipe Caicedo.(The Sun) 
Sheffield Wednesday forward Marcus Tudgay is ready to to submit a transfer request to try and force through a £2m move to Burnley. (The Times) 
Sunderland's attempts to sign defender Nathaniel Clyne from Crystal Palace have been frustrated with the Eagles holding out for £5m. (The Sun) 
Out-of-contract winger Jerome Thomas could be thrown a Premier League lifeline by Hull City after an ill-fated spell at Portsmouth. (Daily Mirror)
St Johnstone manager Derek McInnes is hopeful of bringing former Millwall colleague Filipe Morais to McDiarmid Park. (Daily Record) 

OTHER GOSSIP

LA Galaxy and England midfielder David Beckham has revealed that he would only move back to the Premier League with Manchester United. (Various)
Beckham also believes that John Terry will not turn his back on boyhood club Chelsea to move to Manchester City. (Various) 
Chelsea's Joe Cole will miss the start of the season after the midfielder underwent surgery on his troublesome knee. (Various)
Former Middlesbrough boss Bryan Robson has turned down an offer to coach Iranian Premier League side Persepolis Theran to stay as a Manchester United ambassador. (Daily Mail) 
Striker Carlos Tevez has revealed that big-spending Real Madrid made an approach for him before he finalised his move to Manchester City.(Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Oasis's Noel Gallagher does not want Chelsea captain John Terry at his beloved Manchester City. "He's got funny eyes and he's a cry baby," he said. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

AC Milan are targeting Real Madrid striker Klaas Jan Huntelaar and Sevilla's Luis Fabiano.(Reuters)


TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City are ready to make Chelsea defender John Terry the highest paid player in the Premier League by offering the England captain weekly wages of £300,000.(The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Real Madrid are ready to move for fellow Blues defender Ashley Cole who has rejected a new deal at Chelsea.(The Sun) 
Chelsea are preparing a big-money offer for Wolfsburg's goal sensation Edin Dzeko. (Daily Mirror)
Out-of-favour Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been offered a deal by Ukrainian side Dynamo Kiev.(The Times) 
Liverpool will insist on taking Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo in a swap deal before allowing midfielder Xabi Alonso to move to the Bernebau.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool are being put off by Udinese's £18m asking price for Swiss midfielder Gokhan Inler. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham striker Darren Bent has opened talks with Sunderland and is on the verge of a £10m move to the Stadium of Light.(The Sun) 
Sunderland's £9m keeper Craig Gordon says he is ready to stay at the club and fight for his place after falling out of favour last season.\(The Sun) 
The Black Cats are battling it out with Arsenal for the £12m signature of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says he will not stand in striker Emmanuel Adebayor's way if he wants to quit the Gunners.(The Sun) 
Gunners striker Robin van Persie is set to end speculation linking him with a move away from Arsenal by signing a new contract that will keep him at the club until 2014.(The Independent) 
Manchester City striker Felipe Caicedo is wanted by Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon. (The Telegraph) 
Everton defender Joleon Lescott could be forced into handing in a transfer request if he is to get his £15m move to Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)
Everton are ready to end the stand-off between themselves and Cardiff City and move for £5m-rated midfielder Joe Ledley.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth are set to make a £7m bid for Olympiacos's Argentine midfielder Fernando Belluschi. (Daily Mirror)
Blackburn are set to move for veteran 35-year-old Italian striker Christian Vieri. (Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn have also inquired about Paris St Germain's £2.5m-rated left-winger Jerome Rothen. (The Times) 
Bolton are closing in on West Brom defender Paul Robinson and Swansea midfielder Ferrie Bodde. (The Sun) 
New Wigan manager Roberto Martinez says he has no plans to sell star midfielder Lee Cattermole, who is being targeted by Liverpool and Tottenham.(The Sun) 
Newcastle have been told they must sell striker Obafemi Martins and defender Babricio Coloccini to help smooth the sale of the club. (The Times) 
Meanwhile, Birmingham City are considering a loan bid for midfielder Joey Barton.(The Times) 
Defender Lucas Neill is ready for a U-turn and could return to Upton Park and sign a new contract at West Ham. (Daily Mail) 
Birmingham are interested in Middlesbrough striker Jeremie Aliadiere who is available for around £3.5m. (Daily Mail)
Reading are set to launch a £1m bid for Nottingham Forest striker Nathan Tyson. (The Sun) 
Wolves have dismissed speculation linking them with a £1.5m move for Leicester City striker Andrew Keogh. (The Independent) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Malaysian media mogul Ananda Krishman has been revealed as the billionaire who is hoping to buy Newcastle United.(The Sun) 
Argentine striker Carlos Tevez has vowed he will shout in Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson's face if he scores against the Red Devils next season. (Daily Mirror) 
Former West Ham striker Tony Cottee has rejoined the club as an ambassador charged with raising the Hammers' profile at home and abroad. (The Independent) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has suffered his first injury before the new season has even begun. Rooney suffered cuts and bruises to his head after slipping on the deck of his luxury yacht in St Tropez. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery says he wants to leave the German club to join Karim Benzema at Real Madrid.L'Equipe ((in French))

TRANSFER GOSSIP

New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has delayed his arrival in London as he attempts to lure striker Alexandre Pato from his former club AC Milan.(The Sun)
Barcelona are preparing to make a £25m bid for Liverpool's Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.(Daily Mirror)
The proposed deal to take Ricardo Carvalho and Deco from Chelsea to Inter Milan could collapse over the London club's insistence that they want £12m for the duo.(Daily Telegraph)
Forward Carlos Tevez will be unveiled as a Manchester City player on Monday next week, after agreeing terms of about £120,000 a week.(Daily Mirro)
Former Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira has been offered £100,000 a week by Birmingham as they try to sign the Frenchman from Inter Milan.(The Sun)
Chelsea are closing in on the signing of AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo. (Daily Express) 
And the Blues are refusing to give up in their chase of Bayern Munish winger Franck Ribery.(Daily Mail)
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is facing the prospect of being priced out of signing Everton defender Joleon Lescott. Everton value the centre half at £20m, which is £5m more than Hughes is willing to pay.(Daily Star)
Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey could be set for a £4m move to Everton after turning down the offer of a new contract at Craven Cottage.(The Sun)
New Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is keen to sort out a quick deal for Honduras midfielder Hendry Thomas as Sunderland are also interested. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa are ready to launch a bid of £3.5m plus midfielder Barry Bannan for Wigan defender Titus Bramble. (Daily Star)
And Villa boss Martin O'Neill is exploring the possibility of signing Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing - even though the winger will be out until October with a foot injury.(Daily Mail)
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is lining up a bid for Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt, and is also close to completing the signing of Chile forward Humberto Suazo.(The Sun)
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce will not be making a bid for Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton. (Daily Star) 
Burnley are interested in Hamilton midfielder James McCarthy, according to the Scottish club.(The Scotsman)
Birmingham want Arsenal left-back Armand Traore on a season-long loan.(The Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal defender William Gallas says he will not sign a new contract with the Gunners and will walk away from the Emirates for free when his deal expires next summer if he is not allowed to leave this year. Inter Milan are interested in the 31-year-old.(Daily Mirror)
Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is on the brink of signing a new four-year deal with the club, which is thought to be in the region of £120,000 a week.(The Times)
Broadcast giants Sky and ESPN have teamed up to force the SPL into agreeing a cut-price bail-out television deal worth less than the previous Setanta contract. (Daily Record)
Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has called for the Premier League to consider a salary cap as a way of encouraging greater competition.(The Guardian)


AND FINALLY

Newcastle's players returned to work on Wednesday as the club prepares for life in the Championship.
Striker Obafemi Martins turned up late with midfielder Joey Barton back at the club for the first time since he was told to stay away from the training ground by caretaker boss Alan Shearer. Martins is apparently now on £65,000 a week, after earning a £5,000 a week pay rise under the terms of his contract.(The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas has dismissed speculation linking him to a move to Manchester United. The 28-year-old told AS: "There is nothing at all from Manchester (United) or any other club."(The Sun)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is interested in signing Atletico Madrid's £45m-rated striker Sergio Aguero after giving up on Valencia forward David Villa. (Daily Star) 
Arsenal have offered Emmanuel Adebayor to AC Milan and Inter Milan as the Gunners are eager to offload the striker but will not sell him to Premier League rivals Chelsea. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City will make a £15m bid for Everton centre-back Joleon Lescott in the next 48 hours.(Daily Mirror) 
City's Brazilian forward Robinho has urged the club to buy Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o.(The Sun) 
Michael Essien's agent claims the midfielder could leave Chelsea this summer if the likes of "Real Madrid, Barcelona or some other club" make an offer.(The Sun) 
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has put Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch top of his wish list as a replacement for striker Roque Santa Cruz. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa are set to bid £1m for German goalkeeper Gerhard Tremmel from Energie Cottbus.(Daily Mirror) 
Celtic want to sign £5m-rated Fulham striker Diomansay Kamara. (Daily Mirror) 
The Scottish giants are also close to signing Swindon forward Simon Cox for £2.5m. (Daily Star)
Greek club Larissa are keen on signing Celtic striker Jan Vennegor of Hesselink. (Scottish Sun) 
Hearts are weighing up a move for out-of-contract Finnish striker Shefki Kuqi, who was last at Crystal Palace. (Daily Mail)
Bolton boss Gary Megson is set to pull out of a move for West Brom left-back Paul Robinson as the £1m asking price is twice the amount he wants to pay. (Various) 
Reading face a double bid from Sunderland for winger Stephen Hunt and striker Kevin Doyle.(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are also closing in on Tottenham striker Darren Bent - but they will need to match the Londoners' £10m valuation. (Daily Star) 
Nottingham Forest have made a final bid of £2.5m for Doncaster defender Matt Mills. (Daily Star)
Former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira is in talks over a move from Inter Milan to Paris St Germain. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez says the £18.5m the club has paid to sign right-back Glen Johnson from Portsmouth is over the odds.(The Sun) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger refused to include striker Nicklas Bendtner as part of the deal that brought Ajax defender Thomas Vermaelen to the Emirates Stadium. (The Sun) 
Tottenham goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes has pleaded with manager Harry Rednapp not to sell him. (Various)
Burnley midfielder Graham Alexander is set to sign a new one-year deal with the club and at 37 he will be the oldest player in the Premier League. (Various) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce will hold talks with defender Nyron Nosworthy, who fears he is on his way out of the club with no offer of a new deal. (Various)
Stockport County do not have a kit to play in next season after having to auction off their strip to repay debts to manufacturers Diadora. (The Sun) 
Former Sunderland managers Malcolm Crosby and Ricky Sbragia are interested in forming a double act at Motherwell. (Daily Mail)
But Motherwell chairman wants the new manager to make club skipper Stephen Craigan his assistant. (Daily Express)
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