Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea boss Carlo Ancelotti is considering a bid for Benfica's £10m-rated Brazilian defender David Luiz. Manchester United and Real Madrid are also interested in the 22-year-old. (Daily Mirror) 
Cesc Fabregas will resist interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid and decide to stay at Arsenal, according to the man who discovered the Gunners star. Scout Francis Cagigao said reports he had agreed to join Barca in the summer were wide of the mark. (Daily Mail) 
Real Madrid have stated their intention to keep new signing Sergio Canales for the long term, by slapping a massive 150m Euro (£135m) release clause on the 19 year-old's contract. Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea are all reportedly interested in the attacking midfielder. (IM Scouting) 
Manchester United are tracking Dinamo Zagreb playmaker Milan Badeli. The 21-year-old Croatian is also attracting interest from German sides Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. (IM Scouting) 
Italian giants Juventus have joined Manchester City in the chase for Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain. The 22-year-old is also reported to have a 150m euro release clause. (IM Scouting) 
Blackburn outcast Steven Reid is set to join Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday on loan until the end of the season. (Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland are in talks with Paraguay star Cristian Riveros. Manager Steve Bruce wants to sign the midfielder from Mexican side Cruz Azul before the World Cup. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa defender Habib Beye has threatened to quit Aston Villa - barely seven months after joining them from Newcastle. The 32-year-old Senegal international is upset at his lack of first-team opportunities. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle United managing director Derek Llambias says the club has been taken off the market because no-one was willing to bid enough money for it. (Daily Telegraph) 
Manchester City keeper Shay Given insists Brazilian forward Robinho, who is on loan at his boyhood club Santos, will return to Eastlands next season. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Fulham defender Chris Smalling has admitted that his summer move to Manchester United came as a complete surprise to him. The 20-year-old was working as a waiter 18 months ago. (Daily Mail)
www.bbc.co.uk

Hamburg 3-1 Man City

Manchester City were emphatically beaten by Hamburg in the first leg of their quarter-final to leave their Uefa Cup hopes hanging by a thread. 
Stephen Ireland slotted the visitors ahead after 35 seconds but they were under constant pressure after that. 
Joris Mathijsen headed Hamburg level before Piotr Trochowski converted a penalty after Micah Richards' handball. 
Jose Paolo Guerrero then fired in from close range at the far post to put the German side firmly in the driving seat. 
The home side would have been in an even stronger position had it not been for City keeper Shay Given's heroics as the visitors' defensive frailties away from home were again exposed. 
Hamburg boss Martin Jol would have been confident about the chances of his joint Bundesliga leaders ahead of the game, especially as he had won all six of his games against City while in charge of Tottenham.
Hamburg: Rost, Benjamin, Gravgaard, Mathijsen, Jansen, Pitroipa, Jarolim, Aogo, Trochowski, Petric, Olic (Guerrero 71). 
Subs Not Used: Hesl, Ndjeng, Rincon, Schmidt, Torun. 
Booked: Trochowski, Pitroipa. 
Goals: Mathijsen 9, Trochowski 64 pen, Guerrero 79. 

Man City: Given, Richards, Dunne, Onuoha, Bridge (Garrido 46), Wright-Phillips (Fernandes 83), Zabaleta, Ireland, Sturridge (Mwaruwari 62), Bellamy, Robinho. 
Subs Not Used: Hart, Elano, Petrov, Berti. 
Booked: Bellamy, Given. 
Goals: Ireland 1. 

Att: 50,500 
Ref: Olegario Benquerenca (Portugal).
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