Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea and Tottenham are eyeing up a £13m move for Everton's Steven Pienaar following rumours that the midfielder wants to play Champions League football.(Caughtoffside.com) 
Liverpool are planning an audacious move for Real Madrid striker Raul and want the 32-year-old to partner fellow Spaniard Fernando Torres up front.(Caughtoffside.com) 
Albert Riera's proposed switch from Liverpool to Spartak Moscow has stalled after the 27-year-old winger failed to agree personal terms. (Daily Mail) 
Blackburn are ready to sign striker Aruna Dindane in a £2m deal - and let him play on for Portsmouth to save his FA Cup and World Cup dreams.(Daily Mirror) 
Ghana forward Quincy Owusu-Abeyie has left Portsmouth, where he was on loan from Spartak Moscow, and joined Qatar side Al Saad on a permanent deal.(IM Scouting) 
Chelsea midfielder Deco could be on his way to Fluminese. The Brazilian side are trying to get the 32-year-old midfielder on the cheap but Corinthians and Flamingo are also interested.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal are checking out Japanese striker Takayuki Morimoto and may try to prise him away from Serie A side Catania with a £9m bid.(Caughtoffside.com) 
The Gunners have also made a £9m offer for Real Zaragoza 's 20-year-old midfielder Ander Herrera, according to Spanish paper AS. (IM Scouting) 
Bolton manager Owen Coyle wants midfielder Jack Wilshere, 18, to stay for another season following a string of impressive performances since moving on loan from Arsenal in January. (Daily Star) 
Liverpool are lining up a £3m summer bid for 18-year-old Rangers defender Danny Wilson.(Scottish Sun) 
Wigan are strong favourites to land Hamilton's James McArthur after stepping up their interest in the midfielder. (Daily Mail)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea's director of football Frank Arnesen would like to bring in former Dutch and Ajax coach Marco van Basten, 45, as a possible replacement for under-fire boss Carlo Ancelotti. Van Basten has been out of the game for a year since since resigning as Ajax coach in May 2009. (IM Scouting) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is not leaving Villa Park and instead has held a crunch meeting with his players in which he demanded a vast improvement after their 7-1 defeat at Chelsea on Saturday.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell is set to sign a new four-and-a-half-year deal with the Toffees, earning him £25,000 a week. The news will disappoint Manchester United and Chelsea, who have had their eyes on the 19-year-old.(Daily Mirror) 
Blackburn midfielder Martin Olsson will not be charged with improper conduct, despite admitting that he dived to win his side a penalty against Burnley on Sunday.(Daily Mail) 
West Ham's joint-chairman David Sullivan is in Dubai seeking new investment in the club. (The Sun) 
Prime Minister Gordon Brown has offered to help Cowdenbeath, with the cash-strapped Fife club's future uncertain.(Scotsman) 

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AND FINALLY

Liverpool midfielder Alberto Aquilani has had a ticking-off - not from boss Rafael Benitez but his English teacher. The Italian, who joined the Merseyside club from Roma eight months ago, said: "I'm not having regular lessons at the moment. At first I did but it has been difficult more recently and my English teacher is angry about this."(The Sun)

www.bbc.co.uk

Netherlands - Norway

Netherlands is the first European selection that booked the place in South Africa. Football pundits were suspicious when Bert van Marwijk inherited Marco van Basten on position of national team coach. But, with the performances in group 9, he silented them all. All six wins, with 14 goals scored and just two conceded. At home, they look masterful. All three wins, with nine goals scored and not a single goal conceded. It is hard to say what is the biggest strength of this squad. Attacking potential with players like Huntelaar, Van Persie, Robben, Kuyt, or Van der Vaart, or defence line which conceded just two goals from six games. Tonight will be celebrating atmosphere. Home side will play without any pressure, but with intention to repay the fan’s support with another win. Except Nigel de Jong, all players are available. Bert van Marwijk and players have been telling the press that they want to win and to go on holidays with a good feeling. Even with the mixed eleven, Dutch would be the favorites.

Norway’s current shape looks totally opposite than Dutch’s. They’re winless in four games, with three draws and home defeat (0-1) against tonight’s opponent. Coach Age Hareide lost his job and he was replaced with well-known name Morten Olsen. Olsen has already two times led Norway to World Cup, but this time it looks like mission impossible. Watching the group table, their position isn’t hopeless, as they need three points to involve in fight for place number two. But, two goalless draws on the road don’t make this travel too optimistic. And Rotterdam surely isn’t a place where You want to correct the mistakes. At saturday in Macedonia, beside showing the old imperfection with no scoring (John Carew was one-on-one with goalie), Norway was outplayed. The mood was additionally decreased when the skipper and probably the best player Brede Hangeland got the suspending yellow card. Odd Grenland midfielder Simen Brenne are also out through injury and have been replaced by Rosenborg's Alexander Tettey. Norway has nothing to wait, than to attack.

With anything less than three points, Norway will end this campaign and must attack. Dutch will appreciate that manner and will try to bury their hopes and greeting the fans with another convincing victory. I think Netherlands is the favorite, but also think Norway can score. My choice is goals. Pinnacle offers 2.05. Over.

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