Sunday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Liverpool may make a summer move for Manchester City defender Micah Richards with an offer of £12m.(caughtoffside.com) 
Manchester United are preparing a £20m bid for Real Madrid attacker Rafael Van der Vaart according to the Spanish press.(IMScouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Inter Milan boss Jose Mourinho may move for Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard after agreeing a four-year £40m deal to take over as Real Madrid manager next season. Inter right-back Maicon is likely to be his first signing at the Bernabeu.(Sunday Times) 
James Milner has told friends that he wants to join Liverpool. Manchester United, Manchester City and Chelsea are also desperate to sign Aston Villa's 24-year-old England midfielder.(News of the World)
Liverpool are lining up Wolfsburg's Edin Dzeko, who was the German Bundesliga's top scorer with 26 goals last season, to replace Fernando Torres. Chelsea and Manchester City are poised to make massive bids to sign the Spanish striker.(News of the World) 
Chelsea are poised to launch a £26m bid for Tottenham playmaker Luka Modric. (Mail on Sunday) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has failed to change the mind of captain Cesc Fabregas who is determined to return to boyhood club Barcelona this summer.(News of the World) 
Republic of Ireland midfielder Stephen Ireland, 23, has told Manchester City that he wants to leave the club.(Sunday Mirror) 
City are also looking to offload temperamental Brazilian star Robinho. The club is hoping he has an outstanding World Cup so they can recoup at least £25m of the £32.5m they forked out when signing him from Real Madrid in August 2008. (Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester City are still looking to flex their spending muscles by offering £20m for Everton's 28-year-old midfielder Mikel Arteta. Arsenal are likely to provide the main competition as they search for a replacement for the seemingly Barcelona-bound Cesc Fabregas.(Mail on Sunday) 
Everton have emerged as contenders for the signature of Manchester City's unsettled striker Craig Bellamy. Tottenham are also in the race for the Wales international.(News of the World) 
Robbie Keane is set to move from Tottenham to Aston Villa in a £15m deal. Villa are ready to meet the asking price, particularly if they pick up £30m for James Milner from either Manchester City or Chelsea. (Sunday Mirror) 
Villa are also in the market for Valencia pair Nikola Zigic and Miguel. The Serbian striker and Portuguese defender would cost a combined £9.5m.(News of the World) 
Joe Cole could renew his acquaintance with Harry Redknapp as Tottenham close in on the England midfielder who has yet to agree a new contract with Chelsea. Spurs boss Redknapp handed Cole his debut as a teenager when he was in charge at West Ham.(Sunday Mirror) 
Celtic winger Aiden McGeady is faced with a choice between Birmingham and Russian side Spartak Moscow as he contemplates a £6m move away from Parkhead.(News of the World) 
Hull will have to offload midfielder Jimmy Bullard this summer as his £45,000-a-week wages are too much for the relegated side to afford in the Championship.(News of the World) 
Bolton boss Owen Coyle hopes to sign Portsmouth striker David Nugent who he took on loan during his time with Burnley last season.(News of the World) 
Sunderland are beating Aston Villa and Newcastle in the battle for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha.(News of the World) 
Newcastle are confident that they can tie up a deal to take Manchester United winger Tom Cleverley on loan for next season. The 20-year-old spent last season at Watford.(News of the World) 
The Magpies are also close to a deal for French winger Bernard Mendy who has left Hull as a free agent.(News of the World) 
Ajax striker Luis Suarez has told his employers that he will only leave the Amsterdam club for Manchester United. (Sunday Express)
Wigan are set to sign up Tenerife centre-half Jose Antonio Culebras on a free transfer. (News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Wayne Rooney is not fully fit after it emerged that the England striker is still having treatment on his injured right ankle.(News of the World) 
Everton midfielder Jack Rodwell will turn down the chance to move to Manchester United or Arsenal and sign a new long-term deal at Goodison Park.(News of the World) 
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is being offered £5m to quit Anfield and manage the United Arab Emirates.(Mail on Sunday) 
Former Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate will be offered a return to management by Portsmouth.(News of the World) 
Avram Grant's first task on being appointed West Ham manager will be to trim co-owner David Sullivan's list of transfer targets from 32 names to just 6.(News of the World) 
Notts County manager Steve Cotterill has emerged as Portsmouth's top target to replace Avram Grant as manager. Cotterill, 45, led County to the League Two title, but only had a contract until the end of the season.(Sunday Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Cesc Fabregas will be paid half his annual salary before he has even kicked a ball for Barcelona should the 23-year-old complete his move from Arsenal. The midfielder, who is expected to earn about £160,000-a-week, will immediately be paid £4.16m.(Sunday Mirror)

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Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has reportedly agreed a deal to stay on as Gunners boss until 2013. The earlier-than-anticipated verbal agreement is a huge boost to the club's hopes of hanging on to marquee players such as striker Robin van Persie and particularly midfielder Cesc Fabregas.(goal.com) 
Ben Foster has accepted he will have to leave Manchester United to revive his flagging career. "I want to be playing football. I am not interested in just hanging around and I would go if the club wanted to sell me," admitted Foster, who has played 13 times for United this season. (Press Association Sport) 
Paris Saint Germain defender Mamadou Sakho has hinted that he is interested in leaving the Ligue 1 side, alerting Arsenal who have long been linked with the 20-year-old. "The Europa League is good but my absolute dream is the Champions League. I have personal goals and I'm thinking," Sakho told French newspaper L'Equipe. (imscouting.com)

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea hope to catch fellow-suitors Manchester City cold with a dramatic move for Fernando Torres and are willing to table a British record transfer fee, that could reach £70m, for the Liverpool striker.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United are hopeful of tying up a £16m deal for CSKA Moscow midfielder Milos Krasic this summer.(caughtoffside.com) 
Alternatively, Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants to bring just one player to Old Trafford this summer and this is Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric.(footylatest.com) 
Argentine newspaper Ole reports that highly sought after Benfica winger Angel Di Maria has agreed a move to Real Madrid , rejecting overtures from both Manchester United and Chelsea.(imscouting.com) 
Parma are keen to sign striker Valeri Bojinov on a permanent deal from Manchester City after a successful loan spell at the mid-table Serie A side. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is hoping to secure a deal to snap up Serbian international striker Marko Pantelic from Ajax this summer.(caughtoffside.com) 
Striker Ivan Klasnic's hopes of a long-term stay at Bolton, following his loan spell at the Reebok this season, are in doubt with his French club Nantes trying to find him a new home.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal are reportedly considering making a bid to sign Sampdoria striker Giampaolo Pazzini this summer. (caughtoffside.com) 
The Gunners have also been alerted to the availability of Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon who has expressed an interest in moving to the Emirates following the failure of his club Juventus to qualify for next season's Champions League. (The Sun) 
Alternatively, Arsenal are readying a move for Manchester City keeper Joe Hart, who has spent the season on loan at Birmingham.(The Guardian)
West Ham have emerged as shock contenders to re-sign midfielder Joe Cole from Chelsea. The player, who swapped Upton Park for Stamford Bridge in the summer of 2003, is out of contract this summer.(caughtoffside.com) 
West Ham are preparing to make an improved bid of £5m for West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans - despite Albion valuing him at £10m. (Daily Mail) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is planning a £9m double raid on former club Wigan for defender Maynor Figueroa and goalkeeper Chris Kirkland.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham are prepared to offer striker Robbie Keane to Everton in exchange for midfielder Steven Pienaar.(Daily Mirror) 
Stoke have made a £4m bid for Ipswich midfielder and captain Jon Walters.(The Sun) 
Newcastle are eyeing up a move for Reading midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson. The 20-year-old has bagged 20 goals in 38 starts in his first season and collected Reading's Player of the Year title.(Daily Mirror) 
Wolves have joined the race to sign striker Frederic Piquionne, who has impressed on loan at Portsmouth from French club Lyon this season. The player is also wanted by Blackburn and Birmingham.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are set to increased their offer for Rangers defender Danny Wilson over the next 48 hours to a minimum £2m. (Daily Mail) 
Lee Naylor wants to do a U-turn on his decision to leave Celtic for English football and hopes caretaker Neil Lennon will offer him a new contract if he is given the manager's job permanently. (the Sun)
Defender Mark Reynolds hopes Motherwell will sell him in the summer rather than lose him for nothing when his contract runs out at the end of next season. (Various) 
Walsall have released Rhys Weston from his contract by mutual consent, paving the defender's way to a possible switch to Motherwell after last week's trial at Fir Park. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool could be forced to choose between keeping manager Rafa Benitez or striker Fernando Torres. Benitez will deliver a series of ultimatums designed to increase his power at the club this week, but the manager's relationship with Torres has cooled to such an extent that if he stays the striker could leave.(The Sun) 
Anfield legend Kenny Dalglish could return to Liverpool as temporary boss, with Ian Rush as his assistant, if current Reds manager Rafael Benitez quits the club to join Italian side Juventus.(Daily Mirror) 
Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed to rebuild his Manchester United side over the summer, even if they snatch the title from Chelsea this season. United are one point behind the Blues heading into this weekend's final game. (Daily Mirror) 
French striker Karim Benzema has played down his chances of a move to Manchester United, claiming he wants to stay at Real Madrid "forever". (Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell believes he may have played his way back into Fabio Capello's England plans for South Africa this summer. Campbell, whose last appearances for his country came during Steve McClaren's ill-fated Euro 2008 qualifying campaign, has performed well for the Gunners since rejoining them in January after a spell with League Two side Notts County.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Tottenham boss Martin Jol, now in charge at Dutch side Ajax, says he would love to manage in England again. "It's not that I have unfinished business in England, but I'd love another crack at it," he said.(The Sun) 
Former Burnley boss Steve Cotterill is favourite to take over as Coventry manager after Chris Coleman was axed on Tuesday.(The Sun) 
Alternatively, former Leeds boss Gary McAllister could retake the reigns at Coventry. The ex-Scotland player left the Sky Blues in January 2004 for personal reasons.(Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester United are close to agreeing a four-year contract extension with defender Jonny Evans.(Daily Express) 
Stoke winger Matthew Etherington is ready to sign a new four-year deal with the club.(The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Wolves striker Michael Kightly has apologised to the club's fans for his poor season which has seen him out of action since November with an ankle injury. (Daily Mirror)

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Laval 2 - 1 Caen

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Atletico Madrid playmaker Sergio Aguero has expressed his admiration for Chelsea, describing them as "one of the most feared clubs in Europe" and London as being "a really amazing city to live in". The Blues have been linked with a big-money move for the Argentina international.(Daily Express) 
Barcelona are mulling over a move for Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy. The Catalan giants could offer about £10m for a player they tried to sign last summer.(The Guardian) 
Manchester City striker Craig Bellamy's relationship with manager Roberto Mancini has reached breaking point, with the Wales international wanting a move from Eastlands in the summer if the Italian remains in charge.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool are weighing up an offer for Bolton defender Gary Cahill. Reds boss Rafael Benitez believes £12m may be enough to prise the 24-year-old away from the Reebok Stadium.(Caught Offside) 
Arsenal's Eduardo could be heading to Ligue 1 side Lyon, with the likely arrival of Marouane Chamakh expected to displace the Croatia striker in manager Arsene Wenger's plans.(Caught Offside) 
Birmingham City boss Alex McLeish wants to take Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster on loan next season.(Daily Mirror) 
Ajax manager Martin Jol has told former club Tottenham that they are not big enough to sign striker Luis Suarez.(The Sun) 
Everton are close to wrapping up a deal to sign 24-year-old Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani.(Footylatest) 
Blackburn are hoping to seal a £5m deal with Lech Poznan for Poland international striker Robert Lewandowski.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Fran Merida is set to head to Atletico Madrid at the end of the season when his contract with the Gunners runs out. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester United's £10m winger Zoran Tosic has said he wants to make his loan move to Cologne permanent after scoring four goals in his last three games. (Daily Mirror)
Midfielder Paul Scharner will leave Wigan in the summer and claims that Fulham, Everton, Aston Villa and Sunderland are all looking to sign him up.(Daily Mail) 
Slovakia's Vladimir Weiss, the midfielder on loan at Bolton from Manchester City, is set to return to Eastlands next season after growing frustrated with a lack of starts for the Trotters.(Daily Star)
Manchester United are chasing Newcastle's 17-year-old Slovenian midfielder Haris Vuckic, who has made three first-team appearances for the Magpies this season.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola will be replaced by former England boss Steve McClaren, currently in charge of Dutch side FC Twente, at the end of the season if the Hammers stay up.(Daily Mail) 
England coach Fabio Capello is considering calling Michael Dawson into his World Cup squad after being impressed by the Tottenham defender's recent performances.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien could return after four months out against Stoke on Sunday.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Al Pacino's American football film Any Given Sunday and Invictus, which recounts South Africa's win at the 1995 Rugby World Cup, were part of the entertainment on board Barcelona's team bus. The European champions are travelling by road to the first leg of their Champions league semi-final againt play Inter Milan.(The Independent) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane says he wants to sign "four or five real men" next season and will axe up to half his current squad. (Daily Mail) 
Celtic striker Robbie Keane has been voted the club's player of the year, despite only arriving on loan from Tottenham in February. The Republic of Ireland international has scored 13 goals in 15 games. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko has claimed Chelsea were fortunate not to lose 6-1 rather than 2-1 at White Hart Lane on Saturday. He describes the Blues players as being "too confident of victory" before the match.(Daily Star)
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Friday's gossip

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United turned down the chance to sign Valencia striker David Villa. With United burdened by debts in excess of £700m, the £40m fee quoted by the Spanish side will have to be lowered if a deal is to be done.(The Guardian)
Manchester City are planning a surprise move for Bayern Munich striker, and Manchester United conqueror, Ivica Olic after the Croatia star impressed boss Roberto Mancini.(Daily Mail)
Mancini made the trip to Anfield on Thursday night to take a look at Benfica left winger Angel di Maria as he considers whether to bid for the Argentina international.(Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa midfielder James Milner is a summer target for Manchester United with Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema also in Sir Alex Ferguson's sights.(Daily Mirror)
Bordeaux striker Maroaune Chamakh's move to Arsenal is all but done, with the Morocco international expected to sign a four-year deal at the Emirates.(Daily Mail)
AC Milan's France midfielder Mathieu Flamini, 25, has quashed speculation linking him with Lyon and Manchester City - saying he wants to remain with the Italian side.(goal.com)
Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson is attracting interest from Newcastle and Sunderland with Tynesiders' boss Chris Hughton weighing up a £2m bid.(The Sun)
But Larsson may be persuaded to stay and try and force his way back into the Birmingham starting line-up with a one-year contract extension on the table at St Andrew's. Defender Liam Ridgewell has been offered another two years.(Daily Mirror)
Tottenham are weighing up a move for Real Madrid midfielder Guti with the 33-year-old former Spain international expected to be available on a free transfer this summer.(Daily Mail)
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler, 34, will join Sydney FC after the financial collapse of his current club North Queensland Fury.(Daily Mail)
Sporting Lisbon are lining up a move for Chelsea goalkeeper Hilario.(Daily Mail)

OTHER GOSSIP

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has said that Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson failed to accept defeat like a gentleman after his side's Champions league quarter-final defeat to the German side.(The Sun)
United right-back Rafael da Silva was left in tears after his dismissal reduced Ferguson's side to 10 men early in the second half.(The Sun)
Defeat against Hull at the weekend could spell the end of Brian Laws' tenure as Burnley manager.(Daily Mail)
Liverpool owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett are considering standing aside as co-chairman of the club. British Airways chairman Martin Broughton has been sounded out about the role.(Daily Telegraph)
American billionaire Stan Kroenke could launch a bid to take full control of Arsenal if he decides to sell his shareholding in American football franchise the St Louis Rams.(The Independent)
Striker James Beattie has suffered another snub at Stoke with teenage rookie Louis Moult ahead of him in the pecking order for this weekend's clash with Wolves.(Daily Mail)
Rangers chairman Alastair Johnston says keeping manager Walter Smith at Ibrox next season is a "high priority" but admits he can not guarantee the former Everton and Scotland boss money to spend on new players in the summer.(Daily Record)
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie could make his return from a serious ankle injury in Wednesday's derby against Tottenham.(Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

On-loan Celtic striker Robbie Keane's top-of-the-range Range Rover was seized by police after a worker at the garage it was being repaired in took it for an unauthorised late-night spin.(Daily Record)
Ipswich manager Roy Keane says he can feel the presence of legendary Nottingham Forest boss Brian Clough every time he returns to the City Ground.(Daily Mail)
After their loss to Manchester United in the Carling Cup final at Wembley in February, manager Martin O'Neill has demanded Aston Villa change their suits, their hotel and stay in London one night rather than three ahead of the FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea.(Daily Mirror)
Notts County striker Luke Rodgers could be lining up alongside Barcelona striker Thierry Henry next season if both complete expected summer moves to Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls.(Daily Mail)
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Tuesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Wigan are unlikely to make goalkeeper Vladimir Stojkovic's loan move from Sporting Lisbon permanent at the end of the season.(imscouting.com) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are on the trail of £10m-rated Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega with Latics boss Roberto Martinez already lining up Espanyol forward Jose Callejon as a replacement.(The Sun) 
Juventus are lining up a £12m bid for Tottenham's Wales international full-back Gareth Bale in the summer.(caughtoffside.com) 
AC Milan are set to beat Manchester United to the signing of France international forward Karim Benzema by offering Real Madrid a swap deal involving Brazilian striker Pato.(imscouting.com)
Midfielder Boudewijn Zenden is not sure that he has done enough to earn a new Sunderland contract, despite his spectacular volleyed goal against Tottenham on Saturday.(Daily Star) 
Roberto Mancini is in negotiations with his former club Inter Milan to bring striker Mario Balotelli, who has fallen out with Jose Mourinho, to Manchester City.(caughtoffside.com) 
Martin O'Neill is planning to offer Tottenham £11m for striker Robbie Keane, who is currently on loan at the Aston Villa manager's former club Celtic.(caughtoffside.com) 
Arsenal are monitoring Paris St Germain midfielder Clement Chantome after the 22-year-old voiced his dissatisfaction with life at the Ligue 1 side.(Daily Mirror) 
Major League Soccer chiefs are hoping to tempt a raft of French stars to bring their careers to a lucrative end in the United States' domestic league. Barcelona forward Thierry Henry, Villareal midfielder Robert Pires and Manchester City anchorman Patrick Vieira will all be approached.(imscouting.com) 
Celtic are on the trail of Southampton's £2m-rated England Under-21 midfielder Adam Lallana.(The Sun)
Sunderland's on-loan Tottenham right-back, Alan Hutton, is being chased by Newcastle, who clinched promotion to England's top flight on Monday. (Daily Express) 
Former Rangers player John Brown has urged defender Danny Wilson to resist a move to Liverpool or Tottenham to stay at Ibrox. (Daily Record)

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says that midfielder Joe Cole will "definitely" sign a new contract at Stamford Bridge.(The Sun) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan left out Gary O'Neil for Monday's night match against Plymouth with the midfielder one match away from triggering a £1m payment to former club Portsmouth.(Daily Star) 
Fabio Capello has been reassured that Manchester United will not play Wayne Rooney against Bayern Munich if there is any risk to his long-term fitness.(Daily Mail) 
Manager Arsene Wenger will include Sol Campbell in the heart of his Arsenal defence for their Champions League second-leg quarter-final match against Barcelona.(The Sun) 
Bayern Munich are set to welcome back winger Arjen Robben and defender Daniel van Buyten from injury for Wednesday's trip to Old Trafford.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are the underdogs in the race for fourth place in the Premier League and Champions League qualification, according to captain Steven Gerrard.(The Guardian) 
Vejle Boldklub left-back Euan Holden says he would consider a call to the Scotland squad despite older brother Stuart, of Bolton, having chosen to play for the USA. (Various)

AND FINALLY

Gianfranco Zola has invoked Bill Shankly's famous line about football being "more important than life or death" as he tries to inspire West Ham for their fight against the drop.(Daily Mail) 
Iran's girls' football team have been ejected from the Youth Olympic Games because Fifa rules prevent players wearing Islamic headscarves.(Herald Sun)
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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has sanctioned a £50m bid for Liverpool striker Fernando Torres. (Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has been assured that he will keep his job, despite a clear-out of the playing staff that will result in midfielders Joe Cole and Deco heading through the Stamford Bridge exit.(Daily Mirror)
Celtic's hopes of hanging on to on-loan striker Robbie Keane may be over, with Aston Villa targeting a £9m summer move for the Tottenham player.(Daily Mirror) 
Alternatively, Villa could make a move for Wigan's £15m-rated forward Hugo Rodallega.(Daily Mail) 
Juventus president Jean Claude Blanc has quashed Arsenal's hopes of reviving a bid for midfield anchorman Felipe Melo. (The Sun)
Celtic may be interested in signing QPR's Argentine midfielder Alejandro Faurlin in the summer.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko wants to help Spurs secure a Champions League place but admits he may not be at the club next season.(Daily Mail) 
Palermo centre-back Simon Kjaer has invited Liverpool and Manchester United to make a big-money approach to back up their reported interest.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool winger Albert Riera has hit out at manager Rafael Benitez and said: "His dialogue with the players is practically zero." Riera also branded the Reds a "sinking ship".(Marca in Spanish) 
In the wake of their Champions League defeat by Inter Milan, Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich challenged his players to prove they are worth their pay packets and threatened manager Carlo Ancelotti with the sack unless he wins the Premier League title.(Daily Mail) 
The Glazer family are weighing up another round of refinancing to stave off the challenge to their ownership of Manchester United posed by a group of businessmen dubbed the Red Knights.(The Times) 
Liverpool's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks have been given three weeks to decide whether to accept an investment offer of £100m from the New York-based Rhone Group.(The Independent) 
Prospective Portsmouth owner Rob Lloyd remains optimistic he can clinch a deal for the troubled club, despite administrator Andrew Andronikou's doubts over the group he fronts.(The Telegraph) 
Celtic could play Scotland in a testimonial match at Parkhead on 16 May for injured Hoops defender John Kennedy. (Daily Record) 
West Ham risk upsetting some of their big-name players after withholding image rights payments as part of a tax investigation.(The Guardian) 
Aaron Lennon could give Tottenham and England a welcome boost by returning from his groin injury for the game against Chelsea on 17 April.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Fulham forward Bobby Zamora believes that age is catching up with Juventus defender Fabio Cannavaro and that he might find some success against the 36-year-old in their Europa League second-leg match on Thursday evening.(The Independent) 
Reading defender Matt Mills has apologised to Reading fans after making an abusive gesture at them in reaction to barracking during the Royals' 1-0 win over QPR on Tuesday.(The Sun) 

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Sunday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has admitted that his chances of signing Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko are all but over. (Sunday Mercury) 
Middlesbrough are bracing themselves for a second, take-it-or-leave-it £7m bid from Manchester City for winger Adam Johnson. (Sunday Sun) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Spurs striker Robbie Keane could be on his way to Sunderland after Black Cats manager Steve Bruce made a £9m offer for the Tottenham forward.(News of the World) 
Keane's arrival at the Stadium of Light could signal the departure of Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones to Liverpool. (Sunday Mirror) 
Liverpool midfielder Yossi Benayoun is set to quit Liverpool after becoming disillusioned with life at Anfield. (News of the World) 
Wolves' £4m bid for Stephen Hunt has been rejected by Hull City who say the winger is staying put. (Sunday Mirror) 
Wolves and Fulham are battling it out to sign Egypt striker Mohamed Gedo, who has impressed at the Africa Cup of Nations.(Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester United striker Michael Owen could be on his way out of Old Trafford in the summer having failed to impress manager Alex Ferguson.(Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester City are set to pip Inter Milan to the signing of Parma's £7m midfielder McDonald Mariga.(Mail on Sunday) 
Sunderland are poised to sign Crystal Palace defender Nathaniel Clyne.(Sunday Mirror) 
Wigan look to have won the race to sign Crystal Palace's £2.5m-rated striker Victor Moses.(Mail on Sunday) 
Thierry Henry looks set to leave Barcelona in the summer with the Spanish giants tracking Valencia's David Silva or Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery to fill the left side of their attack. (Mail on Sunday) 
Arsenal manager has revealed he has £30m to spend with Valencia's David Villa and Bordeaux's Marouane Chamakh on his wish list.(Mail on Sunday) 
Wenger is also keeping tabs on Real Madrid winger Pablo Sarabia, who is a free agent at the end of the season. (News of the World) 
Both of Barcelona's presidential candidates have put Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas top of their wanted list.(News of the World) 
Tottenham are trying to sign Manchester United keeper Ben Foster after a move for Portsmouth stopper Asmir Begovic fell through on Saturday. (News of the World) 
Fiorentina are lining up a loan move for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlychenko.(News of the World) 
West Ham are interested in taking Spurs right-back Alan Hutton on loan. (News of the World) 
Rangers have rejected a £3.5m offer from Sunderland for Algeria defender Madjid Bougherra. (News of the World)
Celtic have upped their bid for Preston North End central defender Sean St Ledger by a third to £3m. (Sunday Mail) 
Cardiff City sources say Celtic will have to pay more than £5m if they want striker Ross McCormack. (News of the World/Sunday Herald)
Cardiff City striker Ross McCormack says he would be interested in a switch to Celtic should the club he supported as a boy make an approach. (Sunday Mail) 
Celtic are locked in talks with Real Mallorca over the transfer of defender Ivan Ramis after increasing their offer to £2m. (Sunday Mail)
Celtic are closing in on a loan deal for Fulham forward Diomansy Kamara, who worked with manager Tony Mowbray at West Brom. (Sunday Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP

Juventus have agreed terms with Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez for him to manage the Serie A club next season. (The Independent) 
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge is set to give up his England career following the John Terry allegations. (Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney is set to ignore interest from Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid and sign a new four-year contract worth £24m in the summer.(Sunday Express) 
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Saar is closer than ever to his club after he was allowed three weeks off to care for his wife after she had suffered a brain haemorrhage just before Christmas.(Sunday Mirror) 
Portsmouth narrowly avoided becoming the first Premier League club to go into administration after raising vital funds from the sale of defender Younes Kaboul to Tottenham on Saturday.(Sunday Mirror) 
But Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie has revealed that the cash-strapped club are only weeks away from going bust.(News of the World) 
Striker Robin van Persie is to hand Arsenal's title push a boost with a return to fitness from his ankle injury in March rather than April or May as feared. (Mail on Sunday) 
West Ham midfielder Kieron Dyer has been given a month to prove his fitness or face being forced into retirement.(News of the World) 

AND FINALLY

Wayne Rooney is at the centre of a legal battle over his future earnings and will appear in court on Monday to defend himself against a multi-million-pound lawsuit. (Sunday Mirror)
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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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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Ajax striker Luis Suarez has become one of Chelsea's key targets in the January transfer window. The club are preparing a spending spree that will see them through a potential transfer ban in the summer as punishment for the Gael Kakuta affair.(The Independent) 
Liverpool are targeting Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko in a surprise January move that could result in Reds forward Ryan Babel heading in the opposite direction. (Daily Mail) 
Full-back Andrea Dossena may have played his last game for the Anfield club, with Roma ready to take the Italy international back to Serie A in January. (The Times) 
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has ruled out a move to the Premier League, insisting he is happy at the Nou Camp.(The Sun) 
Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is interested in signing former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistlerooy.(The Sun) 
Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill has warned Fenerbahce that striker John Carew is not for sale.(The Sun) 
Tottenham striker Robbie Keane will not be allowed to leave White Hart Lane for Celtic in January. (Daily Express)
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is keen on Rangers midfielder DaMarcus Beasley.(Daily Mirror) 
The Cottagers are making a £1m move for teenage striker Raheem Sterling from neighbours QPR.(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are tracking Belgium Under-21 goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.(The Sun) 
Watford want to keep on-loan Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury for the rest of the season but they will ask the Gunners to pay half of his wages. (The Sun) 
Doncaster midfielder Brian Stock is a £1.5m target for Reading manager Brendan Rodgers. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is ready to commit himself to another 12 months at Old Trafford if the 39-year-old Dutchman, who is under contract until the summer of 2010, is offered a new deal. (The Sun) 
Portsmouth may have to sell their top players in the new year unless they can find £18m by the start of January to service outstanding debts. (The Sun) 
Former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate and ex-Peterborough boss Darren Ferguson are favourites to replace Jim Magilton if the former Northern Ireland midfielder parts company with QPR.(Daily Telegraph) 
MK Dons boss Paul Ince and former Charlton and West Ham manager Alan Curbishley are also in the running to take over at Loftus Road if Magilton departs. (Daily Star) 
Former Reading manager Steve Coppell is another in the frame. (Daily Express)
Paul Sturrock's future as Plymouth boss will be discussed at a board meeting on Thursday, with former England striker Paul Mariner, who is head coach at the club, set to replace the Scot. (The Sun) 
Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson's future as director of football at Notts County may be decided on Thursday, with the League Two club on the brink of new ownership.(Daily Mail) 
Eriksson is set to launch a takeover bid for Notts County after owners Munto Finance put the club up for sale.(Daily Mirror) 
Former Portsmouth manager Tony Adams is set to become the new boss of Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls and is keen for Barcelona striker and former Arsenal team-mate Thierry Henry to join him. (The Sun) 
Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has quelled speculation that they are lining up Dan Petrescu as the next Scotland boss, revealing that the former Chelsea player has not even been selected for an interview yet.(The Times) 

AND FINALLY

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has signed a lucrative new deal - as a children's author. The 20-year-old England international has been signed by a top publisher after he wrote two stories for fun about a hero schoolboy, who happens to be a soccer wonderkid. His tales are poised to go on sale in April. (The Sun) 
Germany could gain a crucial advantage over their 2010 World Cup rivals after the new Adidas Jabulani ball, which will be used at the finals, was introduced into the Bundesliga last weekend. (The Sun) 
Oldham will charge just £2 for fans to watch Saturday's League One clash against Exeter.(The Sun)
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Tuesday's column

BREAKING GOSSIP

The United States are keen on England's proposed training base for next year's World Cup. England boss Fabio Capello has been impressed with the Royal Bafokeng sports campus near Rustenburg but has delayed a final decision as he was unhappy with the grass on the training pitches. (Daily Mirror)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City could make a £12m bid for Bayern Munich defender Philipp Lahm in January.(The Sun)
Aston Villa striker John Carew is a £5m target for Turkish giants Fenerbahce.(Daily Mirror)
West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola is planning to make a move for former Inter Milan striker Adriano, who is available on a free transfer from Brazilian side Flamengo.(The Sun)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has played down rumours of a move for Wolfsburg striker Edin Dzeko next summer. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham's out-of-favour striker Robbie Keane is a loan target for Celtic.(Daily Mirror)
Portsmouth's Algerian midfielder Nadir Belhadj is frustrated at being on the bench and is willing to quit the club in January in order to make sure of a place at the World Cup.(The Sun)
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez has arranged a behind-closed-doors match in order to take a look at Angola defender Francisco Zuela, who plays for Russian side FC Kuban.(Daily Mirror)
Liverpool will complete the signing of highly-rated 16-year-old Kristján Gauti Emilsson later this week. The central defender, who plays for Icelandic champions FH, has also had trials with Manchester United and Rangers.(Daily Mail)
Barcelona winger Jeffren Suarez, who was once a target for Arsenal, has been offered to Wigan, Blackburn and Everton. (Daily Mirror)
Nottingham Forest are to make a £2m offer for Plymouth striker Jamie Mackie. (The Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

England manager Fabio Capello will not allow David Beckham to act as an ambassador for the country's 2018 World Cup bid during next year's tournament in South Africa.(The Sun)
Stoke manager Tony Pulis has apologised to his squad following reports of a bust-up with striker James Beattie after the 2-0 defeat by Arsenal.(Daily Mail)
Football's governing body Fifa has stopped Aston Villa's signing of Australian midfielder Reece Caira. Fifa rules state that the 16-year-old cannot play until he is 18, in January 2011.(Daily Mirror)
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti says it is his midfield, and not goalkeeper Petr Cech, that is to blame for the defeat at Manchester City.(The Guardian)


AND FINALLY

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas admits his side are facing an uphill battle this season, because they are too small. The side that took to the field against Stoke on Saturday had the shortest average height of any of the Premier League clubs.(The Sun)
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Tottenham 2-0 Sunderland

Sunderland were left to rue a host of missed chances and wasted possession as Tottenham returned to winning ways with a smash-and-grab victory.
Robbie Keane put Spurs ahead when he bundled in Peter Crouch's knock-down and Tom Huddlestone wrapped up victory with a fierce 20-yarder on 70 minutes. 
But, goals aside, Sunderland dominated, with Andy Reid striking the post and Heurelho Gomes making crucial saves. 
The most vital came from Darren Bent's penalty after his foul on the striker. 
After league defeats to Stoke and rivals Arsenal, the three points were most welcome for a Tottenham side with ambitions of breaking into the top four. 
But on another day the Londoners could have been put to the sword by a vibrant Sunderland side, who will wonder how they failed to get anything out of a match they controlled for long periods.
Few will feel the pain more than Bent, whose return to Tottenham - a club at which he spent two years, so often on the sidelines - dominated much of the pre-match talk. 
The 25-year-old could barely have hoped to have come into the game on better form having bagged eight goals in 11 appearances this season, but his impression of White Hart Lane will hardly have been enhanced by a miserable afternoon. 
First he had to watch on as Keane, one of the main reasons he missed out on first-team football at Spurs at the back end of last season, grabbed the opener.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp:
"We got away with it a bit today. We couldn't get going and Sunderland looked very, very good.
"Our keeper was fantastic and we've clawed out a result - sometimes football works like that. A couple of weeks ago we battered Stoke and lost. 
"As for their penalty - Gomes says he's tried to get out of the way of the player and got kicked in the chest. I haven't seen it yet but, even if it was a penalty, I don't think he should've got a red card - Bent was going away from goal and sometimes we're too quick to send players off. 
"I'd honestly say that even if it was my player who'd got brought down." 

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce:
"Sometimes in football you have a day like today - since the beach ball incident at Liverpool we've run out of luck and we've been out of luck again today.
"The best opportunities and possession were ours, but we've not taken them and come away with nothing. 
"The turning point today was the second-half penalty incident. Darren Bent was through on goal, it's a goal-scoring opportunity, and by the letter of the law their keeper should be sent off. 
"Instead it's just a yellow card and he's had the chance to save the penalty. If we're playing 10 men who knows? Still, I'm delighted with the way we played - we completely bossed the game - that's football sometimes."

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Double for decent Tuesday

Tottenham 2 - 0 Everton 

Tottenham shrugged off Everton to book their place in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
Robbie Keane wasted a Spurs chance when his shot hit a post but Tom Huddlestone atoned for his team-mate by half-volleying in David Bentley cross. 
Keane earned a penalty after a foul by Sylvain Distin and, after Tim Howard had saved his initial strike, he scored following a goalmouth melee. 
Everton rarely looked like staging a comeback as Spurs saw out the game. 
The main disappointment for Spurs was the form of Roman Pavlyuchenko, who made a rare start in the first ever meeting between the two sides in the League Cup. 
Spurs boss Harry Redknapp had a visit from Russia manager Guus Hiddink recently to discuss how to get the best out of the striker.
Pavlyuchenko is propping up the Spurs pecking order of forwards and is also struggling to keep his starting place in Hiddink's side.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp on David Bentley:
"He's got to play like that and put that effort in. Aaron (Lennon) has played so well, he's not had the opportunity. 
"His attitude was not as good in training as it could be and I spoke to him about that. 
"He accepts that and is determined to put that right."
.

Portsmouth 4 - 0 Stoke 
Frederic Piquionne was the star as Portsmouth put their poor league form to one side to easily qualify for the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup.
The much-changed hosts were always in control after Piquionne headed past Steve Simonsen on 17 minutes. 
The on-loan Lyon striker then turned provider for Danny Webber to cut in and drive home, before stabbing in his side's third after a Simonsen mistake. 
Kanu added a fourth from close range late on to cap a dominant display. 
The Carling Cup has provided some welcome relief from a horrendous start to the Premier League season for Portsmouth, and Paul Hart's side can now look forward to a place in the quarter-finals. 
Tony Pulis had illustrated the Carling Cup's order in his priority list this season by making 10 changes to the side that beat Spurs at the weekend, but Stoke were still surprising lacklustre throughout. 
Piquionne was one of seven changes for Pompey, but he certainly made a strong case for a starting place against Wigan on Saturday.
Portsmouth boss Paul Hart:
"Obviously we need to take a little bit of that into our league performances. The players were determined to put a performance in. 
"I was pleased to get a clean sheet - the more of those we rack up the better chance we have of winning matches. 
"And on top of that, the number of chances we created was pleasing." 
Stoke manager Tony Pulis:
"The four we conceded were very poor goals to give away and were typified by Glenn Whelan falling over the ball for their fourth. 
"When we got in Pompey's final third there were at least five times where our final ball was absolutely shocking. 
"If we'd picked people out we'd have had great opportunities ourselves."
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Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane could be out of White Hart Lane in the January transfer window, with Glasgow giants Celtic leading the chase for the 29-year-old.(The Sun) 
Out-of-favour Inter Milan midfielder Patrick Vieira could return to England in the new year as he tries to secure a place in France's World Cup squad.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United have been told that they will have to pay £20m if they want to lure defender Gary Cahill from Bolton next summer.(Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester City are chasing Gremio's 19-year-old defender Mario Figueira Fernandes. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan, who won £2m in damages after winning his case against the club for constructive dismissal, was forced to sign Uruguayan midfielder Ignacio Gonzalez because ex-director of football Dennis Wise wanted to keep two agents happy.(Various) 
Birmingham managing director Karren Brady is leaving the club with a severance package worth over £1m.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick is set to start in one of England's World Cup qualifiers next week, either in Ukraine or at home to Belarus.(The Sun) 
And England boss Fabio Capello is also expected to play West Ham striker Carlton Cole against Ukraine.(Daily Star) 
Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim had been called to a meeting with Premier League chairman Dave Richards and chief executive Richard Scudamore to explain his position before he was admitted to hospital.(The Sun) 
And Al Fahim's tenure at Pompey could be over if he does not find £16.5m to keep the club afloat by 15 October.(Daily Mail) 
Notts County's bid to have their takeover approved by the Football League has been boosted by the news that a major backer is set to go public next week. (Daily Mirror)
Former Arsenal and Tottenham defender Sol Campbell is to ask the Premier League for special dispensation so that he can join a top-flight club before the January transfer window, after he quit Notts County last month.(The Guardian) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger, who this week became the club's longest-serving manager, believes former players Thierry Henry, Lee Dixon, Steve Bould, Tony Adams and Nigel Winterburn could succeed him at the Emirates Stadium.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti says there is nothing sinister to be read into owner Roman Abramovich flying in to watch training this week, coming as it did after the defeat by Wigan and the unconvincing victory over Apoel Nicosia in midweek.(The Independent) 

AND FINALLY

Hull manager Phil Brown is so angry with his players following the 6-1 defeat at Liverpool that he has banned them from the club canteen. "It is a strange punishment but the manager feels it is time they quite literally stop getting everything on a plate," says a club insider.(The Sun)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham striker Robbie Keane has emerged as a transfer target for Celtic boss Tony Mowbray.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea have agreed in principle to sign 17-year-old Croatian goalkeeper Matej Delac from Inter Zapresic for about £2m. However, unless the Blues win an appeal over their transfers ban, they will not be able to sign him until January 2011. (Daily Mail) 
Wigan striker Marlon King has been linked with a loan move to Championship side Sheffield United (Daily Mirror) 
Former Manchester City defender Michael Ball is being targeted by Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson. The 29-year-old is currently without a club. (Daily Mirror) 
Preston defender Sean St Ledger will be recruited to help strengthen Middlesbrough's rearguard in a £3m deal.(Daily Mirror) 
Roy Keane's Ipswich are hoping to agree a loan deal for Bolton's Nigerian defender Danny Shittu. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City striker Emmanuel Adebayor could be handed a six-match ban by the Football Association for his clash with Robin van Persie, who claims he was deliberately stamped on, and the goal celebration in the game against the Togo international's former club Arsenal. (Daily Star)
Or Adebayor's punishment may consist of a four-match suspension.(Daily Mirror) 
Reading may be the next club in line for a big-money takeover, with chairman John Madejski weighing up a £80m deal to sell the Championship club to a Middle Eastern consortium. (The Sun) 
George Burley is poised to axe assistants Steven Pressley and Tommy McLean if he keeps his job as national manager after a review by the Scottish FA. (The Scotsman) 
Rangers manager Walter Smith saved Madjid Bougherra from a second red card by telling the defender to say sorry for the outburst that led to him being sent off against Motherwell on Saturday. (The Sun)
St Johnstone defender Dave Mackay has accused St Mirren midfielder Stephen McGinn of cheating by diving to win a penalty in Saturday's 1-1 draw. (Various) 
St Mirren manager Gus MacPherson has complained that his side have had novice referees in three of their four games this season. (The Sun)
Hibernian striker Colin Nish, who was sent off in injury time in the 2-0 defeat by Hamilton, claims he is being targeted by referees. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

There were no draws in the Premier League this weekend and there have only been three in the 46 top-flight matches played in England so far this season. (The Sun)
John McVeigh is to appeal against a four-year touchline ban from the junior FA after allegedly hitting a referee with his own notebook, after which the former Partick Thistle and Airdrie boss resigned as Lanark United manager. (The Sun)
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Tottenham 2 - 1 Liverpool

Liverpool's quest to end a 20-year wait to win the title started with the disappointment of an opening-day defeat against Spurs at White Hart Lane.
Rafael Benitez can have few complaints as Liverpool - heavily tipped to end Manchester United's run of three successive Premier League titles - delivered a lame display which lacked attacking invention and genuine quality. 
Spurs, in contrast, showed the greater ambition and the scenes of delight at the final whistle reflected the renewed optimism felt by Harry Redknapp and his players at claiming one of the top flight's prized scalps. 
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Keane wasted three glorious openings before Benoit Assou-Ekotto's thunderous drive gave Spurs a deserved lead a minute before the interval. 
Spurs keeper Heurelho Gomes' rush of blood threw Liverpool a lifeline they barely merited after 56 minutes when he dashed from goal and brought down Glen Johnson, allowing Steven Gerrard to level from the spot.
But Spurs were swiftly back in front when defender Sebastien Bassong marked a hugely promising debut following his £8m switch from Newcastle by heading Luka Modric's free-kick past Pepe Reina. 
Liverpool finally sparked into life and were infuriated when referee Phil Dowd dismissed late claims for a penalty after substitute Andriy Voronin tumbled under a challenge from Assou-Ekotto. 
It capped Liverpool's intense frustration and assistant manager Sammy Lee was sent from the dug-out after an exchange with the fourth official. 
Liverpool also have an injury worry over defender Martin Skrtel, who struggled throughout with a jaw injury after a clash of heads with Jamie Carragher. 
Benitez 's side failed to make a serious attacking impact on Spurs, with Fernando Torres well-shackled by Bassong and Ledley King, and their midfield lacking cohesion without the departed Xabi Alonso. 
Spurs were comfortably the more accomplished side, with Wilson Palacios and the gifted Modric dovetailing well in midfield and their reshaped defence looking assured throughout. 
White Hart Lane proved a bogey ground for Liverpool last season, with one of only two Premier League defeats at Spurs - and boss Benitez will be hoping this represents little more than a false start. 

Redknapp gave Keane the nod ahead of new boy Peter Crouch in attack - and he was not short of opportunities in a first half that started slowly but ended with Spurs in command.

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