Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Sought-after Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery has turned down a move to Chelsea and will instead switch to a club in Spain this summer, partly because his wife would hate the English weather.(The Sun) 
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini wants Palermo striker Edinson Cavani.(Daily Mail) 
Palermo, meanwhile, have their sights set on a bid for Blackburn winger Morten Gamst Pedersen, with Rovers hoping to take midfielder Mark Bresciano in the other direction.(The Sun) 
Liverpool's Spanish winger Albert Riera is ready to quit Anfield for a loan move to Spartak Moscow in a bid to save his World Cup dream.(Daily Star) 
Manchester City are also in talks with Grenoble over a summer switch for their France Under-21 midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, who will be out of contract at the end of the season.(The Sun) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is keen on Tottenham midfielder Jamie O'Hara, who is currently on loan at Portsmouth.(Daily Mirror) 
Nice striker Loic Remy says he still wants to join Arsenal, despite his move collapsing in January due to a £13m asking price.(Daily Mail) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will turn to Notts County goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel next season if he cannot land Joe Hart on loan again.(The Sun) 
McLeish has revealed Birmingham have held talks with Rangers striker Kris Boyd's representatives, but that the Scotland international is also talking to other clubs. (The Times)
Portsmouth left-back Dusko Tosic, 25, looks set to join QPR on Thursday after a proposed move to Swansea fell through. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Chelsea boss Glenn Hoddle is being lined up for a dramatic return to management in place of West Ham's Gianfranco Zola.(Daily Mirror) 
Actually, former Man City boss Mark Hughes is the man the Upton Park club want to replace their struggling Italian gaffer.(Daily Star) 
Hughes is also on a three-man shortlist to lead Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup.(The Guardian) 
Zola has been told to submit a dossier to West Ham's owners to convince them that he can save the Hammers from the drop.(Daily Mail) 
West Ham striker Benni McCarthy has admitted he and his team-mates "hid" during their woeful 3-1 defeat at home to Wolves on Tuesday.(The Sun) 
Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney has not trained since their 2-1 win over Liverpool on Sunday, prompting fears he is still troubled by on-going knee problems.(The Independent) 
Balram Chainrai, Portsmouth's fourth owner in their turbulent season, could remain in charge of the club for the long term.(The Guardian) 
Man City manager Roberto Mancini and Everton boss David Moyes could face an FA rap after squaring up during their sides' game at Eastlands on Tuesday. (Various) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves, on the brink of a return after injury, has revealed he still needs painkilling injections to get him through training and matches.(The Sun) 
QPR manager Neil Warnock has been handed a £10m summer war chest to take the Loftus Road outfit into the Premier League.(The Sun) 
Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner says he is an injury doubt for Saturday's away game at Birmingham.(Daily Mirror) 
Southampton could hand 16-year-old midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain a shock call-up for Sunday's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final with Carlisle. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has told his team-mates to make sure they are not only remembered for playing pretty football.(Daily Star) 
David Beckham has lost his place at the top of France Football magazine's annual survey of the top earners in the game to Barcelona's Lionel Messi. The Argentine earned £29.6m last year in salary and endorsements, £2.3m ahead of Beckham. (The Independent)

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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole is set to quit the club on a free transfer in the summer. The Blues have reportedly offered him a one-year extension, incorporating a 40% pay-cut, to his current deal which expires at the end of the season.(Daily Star) 
Brazilian midfielder Sandro is preparing himself for a £6m summer move to Tottenham from current club Internacionale by learning English.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham are sounding out clubs in Belgium about taking Zambian left-back Emmanuel Mbola on loan after the London club agreed a £1m deal to sign the teenager from Armenian club Yerevan.(Daily Mirror) 
Celtic are keen to recruit Arsenal striker Jay Simpson for next season after watching him in action for QPR, where he is on loan for the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery, who is a target for the likes of Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid, says he will resolve his future before the summer.(imscouting.com) 
Birmingham City and Wolves are both trailing Crystal Palace full-back Nathaniel Clyne.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton hit man James Vaughan is joining Leicester City's promotion push - to the fury of Championship rivals Derby County, who had the striker on loan earlier this season and had hoped to re-sign him.(Daily Mirror) 
Fulham striker Erik Nevland will leave the club on a free transfer at the end of this season to join his former team Viking Stavanger.(Daily Express) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson has challenged striker Wayne Rooney to beat former United winger Cristiano Ronaldo's United goal record of 42 during the 2007/08 season. The England man took his tally to 30 for the season with a brace in United's 4-0 Champions League win over Milan on Wednesday.(The Sun) 
England boss Fabio Capello says Rooney is one of the three best players in the world; putting the striker on a par with Barcelona's Argentine forward Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Portuguese winger Cristiano Ronaldo.(The Sun) 
Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who started the season playing for League Two side Notts County, is eyeing a shock re-call to the England side.(The Sun) 
Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has called a crisis meeting of his players in an attempt to stamp out the discord that threatens the very fabric of the club. In recent weeks, the Spanish coach has been dismayed by what he sees as "negative body language" from his players as they struggle to keep themselves in the race for a top-four finish.(Daily Mirror) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who enjoyed managerial spells with Udinese and Inter Milan prior to taking over at Craven Cottage, has admitted he would like to coach again in Italy before the end of his career.(Daily Mirror) 
The backlash towards Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini has begun following the club's Champions League exit at the hands of Lyon on Wednesday. The front page of Madrid based newspaper Marca this morning says "Adio Champions, Adios Pellegrini. Fuera" which translates as "Goodbye Champions [League], Goodbye Pellegrini. Out."(imscouting.com) 
Former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink has agreed to manage Ivory Coast at this summer's World Cup in South Africa - providing he can negotiate an early release from his contract as Russia coach, which runs until mid-July. After the World Cup, Hiddink will take over as coach of Turkey.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

Newcastle stars like Alan Smith and Kevin Nolan will be asked to take a pay cut if the Magpies win promotion to the Premier League because they are still on lucrative contracts handed to them prior to the club's relegation from the top flight last season.(Daily Mirror)

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Real Madrid    1 - 1    Lyon

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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool have beaten off their rivals by securing the signature of striker Marouane Chamakh for £25m. Arsenal, Inter Milan and Juventus were all after the Bordeaux man, who is out of contract at the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is keeping a close eye on Stamford Bridge following reports that Joe Cole's contract negotiations at Chelsea are stumbling. The England midfielder is out of contract at the end of the season.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea may be about to lose out to AC Milan in the battle to sign Wolfsburg forward Edin Dzeko but the London club are about to turn their attentions to Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini. Fellaini's father said: "Marouane belongs at a really top club and will only get better."(Daily Mail)
Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko looks set to end his White Hart Lane nightmare by joining Zenit St Petersburg, who have tabled a £10.2m bid for the Russia striker. (Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham have agreed personal terms with Internacional's 20-year-old midfielder Sandro and are set to complete a £6m deal for the Brazilian.(The Guardian) 
Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood is being lined up for a move to Leeds United, with boss Simon Grayson looking for a short-term replacement for Jermaine Beckford, who looks set to depart Elland Road.(The Sun) 
Tottenham are set to make a shock move to bring former Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini, who is currently at AC Milan, back to north London.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal look to have beaten Everton to the signing of Real America's Bolivian attacking midfielder Samuel Galindo.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth have rejected Sunderland's bid of £5m, plus Anton Ferdinand, for French defender Younes Kaboul.(Daily Mail) 
Galatasaray have tabled an £800,000 offer for defender Lucas Neill who joined Everton on a free transfer less than four months ago.(The Times) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has received assurances that he will be able to reinvest some or all of the money raised by the potential sale of forward Ryan Babel.(The Times) 
Newcastle United want to sign Bolton defender Danny Shittu - after missing out on Sheffield United's Matthew Kilgallon. (Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan is keen on QPR winger Wayne Routledge. (Daily Mail) 
Routledge's arrival could signal the departure of Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson to Sunderland. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Kilmarnock want Tommy McLean to take over as interim boss following the departure of Jim Jefferies.(Daily Record) 
England manager Fabio Capello is set to give a full international debut to Joe Hart in the friendly against Egypt at Wembley on 3 March. The Manchester City goalkeeper is currently on loan at Birmingham.(The Times) 
England's 2018 World Cup bid team will tread cautiously when they set off on a mission to Angola to lobby African football officials after tensions were raised by the instant reaction of figures in the English game to the gun attack on the Togo team that resulted in the death of three people.(The Times) 
Liverpool are set to ditch Anfield's heritage and sell naming rights for the new stadium in Stanley Park. (Daily Mail) 
Former Birmingham City owners David Sullivan and David Gold are closing in on a £50m takeover of West Ham.(Daily Mirror) 
Under-fire Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce has two games to save his job, with growing unrest from the fans and the club's board. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Former Arsenal defender Martin Keown has backed his Gunners team-mate Sol Campbell to win an England recall. Campbell is set to return to Arsenal on a free transfer after leaving Notts County in September after only one game.(Daily Mail)

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Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Defender Sol Campbell is set for a shock return to Arsenal, but only if manager Arsene Wenger sells Philippe Senderos in the January transfer window.(Daily Mirror) 
Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola is delaying signing a new contract with the club until they can guarantee the signing of Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.(Daily Star) 
However, Spanish rivals Real Madrid are preparing to derail Barcelona's attempt to sign Fabregas. President Florentino Perez and director general Jorge Valdano have held talks about a £43m bid.(The Sun)
Manchester City are on the verge of signing Argentine defender Cristian Ansaldi for £4m from Rubin Kazan. (The Times) 
Liverpool have entered the race to sign Marouane Chamakh with the offer of a pre-contract agreement for the Bordeaux striker, who can leave the French club for nothing at the end of the season.(The Guardian) 
Wolves have made a £3m offer for Hull winger Stephen Hunt.(The Sun) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is willing to make Kenwyne Jones the club's highest earner if he can lure him from Sunderland, but is unwilling to pay the £11m the Black Cats want for the striker.(The Times) 
Former Chelsea striker Eidur Gudjohnsen, who is now at Monaco, is closing in on a £2m move to Blackburn.(The Sun) 
But Gudjohnsen is also wanted by West Ham and Tottenham.(Daily Mirror) 
Middlesbrough manager Gordon Strachan has blocked Austrian defender Emanuel Pogatetz's proposed £1.5m move to Greek club Panathinaikos.(Daily Mail) 
Hull boss Phil Brown is chasing Aston Villa striker Marlon Harewood, who is currently on loan at Championship side Newcastle.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are expected to conclude a £1.5m deal for Atletico Madrid winger Maxi Rodriguez in the next 24 hours.(The Times) 
And Reds boss Rafael Benitez also wants to sign Reading goalkeeper Adam Federici for £2m.(The Sun) 
Winger John Utaka is set to start an exodus at cash-strapped Portsmouth by joining French side Sochaux. (Daily Mirror) 
Defender Younes Kaboul is also expected to leave Portsmouth, with Sunderland keen on the former Spurs player.(Daily Mail) 
Stoke City are considering a £1m move for ex-Wigan striker Amr Zaki, while Marseille enquire about Bolton striker Johan Elmander's availability. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham want to sign striker James Beattie on loan but Stoke say they will only consider a permanent transfer.(The Times) 
Arsenal, Tottenham and Manchester City are sending scouts to Crystal Palace's home game on Saturday as the race hots up for striker Victor Moses.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

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) 
Norwich manager Paul Lambert has emerged as a leading contender to replace Owen Coyle at Burnley.(Daily Mail) 
Or Burnley want to talk to Simon Grayson about becoming their new manager.(Daily Mirror) 
Swansea boss Paulo Sousa has also been linked with the vacant job at Turf Moor.(The Guardian) 
In a bid to keep striker Kris Boyd at Ibrox, Rangers are promising to make him one of their best-paid players - on a salary of £18,000 a week. Boyd has been linked with moves to Birmingham and Middlesbrough.(Daily Record) 
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney is set to become club captain next season should Gary Neville retire in the summer.(The Sun) 
And United defender Rio Ferdinand could make his long-awaited comeback from injury in the home game with Burnley on 16 January.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti could offer the club's 21-year-old Serbian Nemanja Matic the chance to take over the first team's holding midfielder role in the absence of Michael Essien and John Mikel Obi.(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) 
Thirty-three-year-old Patrick Vieira, who would have been out of contract in the summer, will pick up a weekly wage of £100,000 at Manchester City. The Guardian's report fails to mention whether he will also receive a final-salary pension. (The Guardian)

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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is weighing up a January loan move for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has claimed that Brazilian forward Robinho wants to stay at Eastlands despite reported interest from Barcelona. (Daily Mirror) 
Scottish Premier League side Celtic have entered the race to sign Coventry striker Leon Best.(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce has been given the go ahead to launch a £12m double raid for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson and Wigan defender Maynor Figueroa.(The Sun) 
Liverpool have been told that West Ham striker Carlton Cole will cost the Anfield club £20m.(The Sun) 
Arsenal are keeping tabs on Barcelona's Israeli winger Gai Assulin.(The Sun) 
The Gunners meanwhile look set to revive their interest in Crystal Palace forward Victor Moses after the Championship club dropped their asking price to £5m.(Daily Star) 
Former England defender Sol Campbell, who walked out on Notts County in September, will be signed by Newcastle United in January. (The Sun) 
Everton lead the chase for Benfica's £13m-rated defensive midfielder Javier Garcia. (The Sun) 
Southampton are set to bid £500,000 for Macclesfield forward John Rooney, who is the younger brother of England and Manchester United star Wayne.(The Sun) 
Manchester City winger Donal McDermott is wanted on loan by Scunthorpe. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United winger Nani has accused his club manager Sir Alex Ferguson of mismanaging his career.(The Sun) 
The Football Association are poised to offer Fulham manager Roy Hodgson the job of coaching Great Britain's football team at the 2012 Olympics in London.(Daily Express) 
Former Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson has dismissed claims that he already has another job lined up after leaving the Championship club on Tuesday. (Daily Express) 
Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland has claimed that top players tried to sabotage Mark Hughes' rein at the club when he first arrived at Eastlands. (Daily Mirror) 
Ireland's team-mate defender Nedum Onuoha could turn his back on England and instead play for Nigeria.(Daily Star) 
Plans for a radical overhaul of the Premier League, to include the introduction of Scottish sides Celtic and Rangers, are expected to face rejection at Thursday's Premier League chairmen's meeting. (Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

England star David Beckham says he plans to stay in the United States even after he retires from the game, because he enjoys his "normal life" in Beverley Hills.(Daily Star)

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Thursday's gossip

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are planning a £12m January swoop for Benfica's Argentine winger Angel Di Maria, who impressed in the Europa League against Everton last month. (Daily Mirror)  
Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City are weighing up a January move for CSKA Moscow winger Milos Krasic. (Daily Mail)
German side Hertha Berlin are trying to sign former England defender Sol Campbell, 35, on an 18-month contract. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal's teenage Spanish striker Fran Merida hopes to sign a new contract with the Gunners despite interest from Atletico Madrid and a host of other La Liga clubs.(The Sun)
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce hopes to strike a cut-price £4m deal for Nacional Madeira midfielder Ruben Micael. (Daily Mirror)
Hong Kong striker Chan Siu-ki is set to begin a trial spell with Tottenham. Chan has scored 22 goals in 27 appearances for his club, Hong Kong champions South China. (Daily Mail)
Bolton are ready to launch a £4m bid for Newcastle United striker Andy Carroll, who Wanderers boss Gary Megson sees as a long-term replacement for Kevin Davies. (The Sun)
Notts County have joined Ipswich and Coventry in the race to sign Sheffield Wednesday defender Richard Wood, who is out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Norwich and Bournemouth are competing for the signature of Cambridge United striker Chris Holroyd. (Daily Star)
Notts County have handed a trial to 31-year-old former Porto, Deportivo La Coruna and Juventus defender Jorge Andrade. (Daily Mail)

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez insists he does not fear for his job despite the Reds' hopes of progressing in the Champions League looking unlikely following Wednesday's draw with Lyon. (The Sun)
Newcastle United's revenue was halved from £100m to £50m following their relegation from the Premier League last season.(Daily Mirror)
The Magpies will not receive a penny in extra sponsorship before the end of the season as a result of renaming their stadium. (The Times)
Manchester United's Scotland midfielder Darren Fletcher hopes a pain-killing injection will allow him to delay an ankle operation until the end of the season. (The Sun)
But Fletcher's United team-mate Rio Ferdinand is out for up to six weeks after finally admitting defeat in his battle with a long-standing back injury. (The Sun)
Ferdinand could still face Chelsea on Sunday but, if he does miss out, the defender will not be considered for England's friendly with Brazil on 14 November.(Daily Mail)
Manchester United defender Patrice Evra admits he has a miserable record against Chelsea, saying "every time I play them something bad happens" and is determined to triumph in Sunday's Premier League showdown at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Mirror)
West Ham striker Carlton Cole and Aston Villa front-man Emile Heskey are both doubtful for England's game with Brazil after picking up injuries in the Hammers' 2-1 win over Villa on Wednesday - and their absence could mean a recall for Manchester United's Michael Owen. (Daily Mail)
Chelsea defender Jose Bosingwa is facing a knee operation which could keep him out for up to a month. (Daily Express)
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce believes key midfielder Lee Cattermole can return from a medial ligament injury a month sooner than expected - and could be back in action by Christmas. (Daily Star)
Hull City owner Russell Bartlett has been forced to pay his own money into the club to fund the Tigers' day-to-day trading. The Tigers, who have an annual wage bill of £38m, are struggling to meet their financial commitments.The Guardian)
Portsmouth have described the tax evasion charge facing their chief executive Peter Storrie as "a joke" and have vowed to fight it. (Daily Mirror)
Former Notts County defender Sol Campbell has hit back at claims that he walked out on the Magpies halfway through a training session, saying he had a hamstring injury when he left the League Two club in September. (The Sun)

AND FINALLY

Cardiff City have been warned not to stay overnight in Swansea ahead of Saturday's South Wales derby. Bluebirds boss Dave Jones said: "The police have advised us to stay out of the Swansea area in case fans set off fire alarms to try to wake us up." (The Sun)
Derby defender Jay McEveley has revealed how he cheated death two weeks ago when his heart stopped for two minutes during a routine operation to repair a fractured cheekbone. (Daily Star)
Burnley defnder Tyrone Mears, who faces his first club Manchester City on Saturday, could have been a rugby league star and signed a contract with Warrington Wolves before switching his attention to football. (The Sun)
Celtic boss Tony Mowbray has dismissed statistics showing his side are the most shot-shy team in the Europa League with just 13 shots in their three matches so far. Mowbray said: "My first reaction is to say I'm not interested in what Uefa's computer shows up." (Daily Record)
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Monday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Manchester City could be on the verge of establishing a link with French side AC Arles-Avignon which would see City loaning young players to the Ligue 2 outfit in order that they receive game time.(The Sun) 
Yossi Benayoun's agent maintains the midfielder is happy at Liverpool and not planning a summer exit to Manchester City. "It is a great compliment that there is interest from high level teams across Europe, but Yossi is very happy at Liverpool and only in the summer agreed a new four-year contract," said Ronen Kastav.(Virgin Media) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is once again preparing to raid former club Portsmouth to sign England keeper David James for £1m in January. Since taking over at Spurs, Redknapp has signed Jermain Defoe, Peter Crouch and Niko Kranjcar from Pompey.(The Sun) 
European champions Barcelona are closing in on a January swoop for Manchester City forward Robinho, with sporting director Txiki Begiristain saying that the Brazilian is "a very interesting footballer and could play for us in the Champions League".(Daily Mirror) 
Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell - who left Notts County in September after only one game - wants a short-term loan move to a Championship club to earn a Premier League return in January. (Daily Mirror) 
Stoke are lining up a move for Huddersfield's highly-rated goalkeeper Alex Smithies, but they may have to part with £3m in order to land the 19-year-old. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City are planning a shock January raid for Liverpool's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

England coach Fabio Capello was refused a handshake by referee Damir Skomina after subjecting the official to a four-minute rant in the tunnel in the aftermath of England's 1-0 World Cup qualifying defeat to Ukraine on Saturday. Capello was incensed by the decision to send off Robert Green and the confusion caused by the ref's original incorrect decision to dismiss Rio Ferdinand in the 13th minute of the match in Dnipropetrovsk.(The Sun) 
Striker Emile Heskey concedes he may have to leave Aston Villa - for whom he has started only one Premier League game this season - in January to keep alive his hopes of a place in England boss Fabio Capello's squad for the 2010 World Cup finals.(The Sun) 
Chelsea and England defender John Terry has admitted he sledged former Blues teammate Andriy Shevchenko prior to the striker's penalty miss for Ukraine in their 1-0 World Cup qualifying victory over England on Saturday.(The Sun)
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is unlikely to escape a touchline ban, despite apologising to referee Alan Wiley for questioning the official's fitness.(Daily Mirror) 
Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo is confident he will be back on the pitch sooner than expected despite being told he faces around a month on the sidelines. Ronaldo limped out of Portugal's 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Hungary on Saturday and medical tests indicated he would be out of action for "three to four weeks". (Press Association)
Former Leeds boss Dennis Wise, who until earlier this year was executive director of football at Newcastle, and ex-Chelsea striker Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink are set to make dramatic returns to football - with non-League Chalfont St Peter and Woking respectively.(The Sun) 
Ipswich midfielder Owen Garvan says he fears he has played his last game for the club after revealing that manager Roy Keane has not spoken to him in recent weeks. Garvan has not featured at all in the last eight games for Ipswich, who sit bottom of the Championship without a league win yet this season.(Daily Mirror) 
Hong Kong tycoon Carson Yeung's new Birmingham regime begins today following his takeover at St Andrews and the new ownership team will sit down with Blues manager Alex McLeish this week to discuss their working relationship and potential transfer targets.(Daily Mirror) 
Tyneside businessman Barry Moat is set for crunch talks with Newcastle chiefs on Tuesday over his proposed £100m takeover of the north-east club.(The Sun) 
Liverpool owner Tom Hicks will allow co-owner George Gillett to sell his 50% stake in the club should the latter find a buyer. American Hicks, who is not interested in selling his own 50% stake in the club, has the right of veto over any proposed sale of Gillett's shares but he is willing to forgo this.(The Times) 
Huddersfield manager Lee Clark says he has no intention of selling star striker Jordan Rhodes, who has scored 11 goals since joining from Ipswich in the summer. "There is no price on Jordan's head," said Clark. "I don't have to worry about him being sold because we have a very wealthy owner."(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Argentina coach Diego Maradona celebrated his side's last-minute winner against Peru in the crucial World Cup qualifier in Buenos Aires with a jubilant belly slide. Martin Palermo's goal, which secured a 2-1 win over Peru, lifted Argentina to fourth place, with a game to go in the South American group, from which the top four qualify.(Daily Star) 
The internet coverage of England's match with Ukraine - the first national team match to be shown exclusively online - has been hailed a success by Kentaro and Perform, the companies behind the transmission, after nearly half a million people subscribed to the programme. (The Guardian)
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Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who left League Two Notts County last month after only one game with the club, is in talks to join West Brom.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Manchester City forward Robinho are the two main targets for European champions Barcelona this summer. Fabregas, though, has refused to respond to recent Spanish media rumours about a potential move. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal and Manchester City are ready to do battle for the signature of Barcelona's veteran defender Carles Puyol, according to reports in Spain.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of Inter Milan defender Maicon believes Manchester United have upped their interest in the Brazilian but insists there are no offers on the table. "United's interest in my client is not something new," he said. "They have been following him for a while."(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will be given the funds to bring at least three new players to Eastlands this January to boost their Premier League title bid.(Daily Mail)
Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent expects to reopen negotiations over the Tottenham Hotspur striker's proposed moved to Zenit St Petersburg this January.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has put a number of European clubs on alert by admitting his client could leave Serie A club Fiorentina in January.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Icelandic biscuit baron Eggert Magnusson is plotting to return as the new owner of West Ham. The 62-year-old previously held a 5% stake in the club from November 2006 to December 2007 as the figurehead of the consortium largely backed by Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who relinquished control of the club in June 2009.(The Sun) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is flying to Saudi Arabia next week for talks in a bid to sell his 50% stake in the club to Prince Faisal bin Fahd.(Daily Mirror )
Birmingham chairman David Gold is close to resigning and is set to follow David Sullivan and Karren Brady out of St Andrews following the takeover of the club by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards fears the club could be thrown into financial ruin if current owners the Glazer family decide to leave Old Trafford.(Daily Mail)
The FA will call upon David Beckham and the Royal Family to boost their 2018 World Cup bid after the campaign was attacked by Fifa vice-president Jack Warner on Wednesday.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has revealed that regular chats with boss Arsene Wenger have given him confidence to believe he can fulfil his potential.(The Sun) 
Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, now with Dinamo Kiev has launched an attack on his former boss at Chelsea Jose Mourinho, saying that the now Inter Milan boss rarely spoke to him during his time at Stamford Bridge.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton striker Louis Saha has admitted he almost quit football after being driven to the depths of despair by an injury jinx that wrecked his Manchester United career.(Daily Mail) 
Hull striker Caleb Folan, currently on loan at Middlesbrough, has hit back at Tigers manager Phil Brown, saying comments the latter made about the players attitude in training were "pathetic" and "childish".(Daily Star) 
Ipswich striker Kevin Lisbie, currently on loan at Colchester, says he would find it difficult to play under Town manager Roy Keane again after being told he was surplus to requirements at Portman Road this summer.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Burnley manager Owen Coyle, 43, played 72 minutes as a striker for the club's reserve side on Wednesday after injuries and international calls left them short of players.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have sent club doctor Jamie Butler on a 7,000 mile trip to Argentina to ensure that Pablo Zabaleta, who has a hamstring injury, is not selected by his country for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Peru and Uruguay.(Daily Mirror)
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Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Notts County defender Sol Campbell could be offered a route back into football by struggling Premier League club Hull.(Sunday Mirror) 
Or, Campbell was in talks with championship side Ipswich hours after walking out on Notts County on Wednesday.(Sunday Express) 
Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has demanded £45m from the club's owners to sign Valencia forward David Villa. (Sunday People)
Arsenal are increasingly resigned to losing captain Cesc Fabregas to Barcelona in the summer.(Sunday Express) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp will launch a January transfer bid for West Ham defender Matthew Upson.(News of the World) 
Redknapp is also keen on Bolton centre-half Gary Cahill but will have to come up with £20m to land the Englishman. (Sunday People) 
Manchester United have been given first option on signing Sporting Lisbon keeper Rui Patricio.(News of the World) 
Or, Manchester United will offer Inter Milan £20m for Brazilian keeper Juilo Cesar. (Sunday People) 
Everton manager David Moyes hopes to sign Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson for £6m in January. (News of the World) 
But, Middlesbrough will offer Johnson a massive 800% pay rise to tempt the 22-year-old to stay at the Championship club. (Sunday People) 
Aston Villa are keen on Sunderland keeper Marton Fulop as he looks for a long-term replacement for Brad Friedel. (Sunday People)
Arsenal's 19-year-old right-back Gavin Hoyte is wanted by Derby County on loan. (Sunday People) 
Cameroon midfielder Modeste M'Bami has snubbed an offer from Wigan of a one-month contract at the club. (Sunday People)
Everton are battling it out with Bolton for Maccabi Haifa's 23-year-old midfielder Lior Rafaelov. (Sunday Mirror) 
Newcastle and Middlesbrough are fighting to sign West Brom defender Abdoulaye Meite on loan. (Sunday Mirror)
Wigan look to be favourites to capture £2m-rated SK Brann winger Erik Huseklepp. (Sunday Mirror) 
Arsenal striker Carlos Vela could be in line for a surprise move to Spanish club Xerez in the January transfer window. (Sunday Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is favourite to succeed under-fire Paul Hart at Portsmouth. (Daily Star Sunday) 
Sven-Goran Eriksson is ready to move from his role as Notts County's director of football and replace current manager Ian McPharland.(Sunday Expresss) 
Meanwhile, Sol Campbell claims that broken promises and the failure to land big-name players were the reasons behind his early Notts County exit. (News of the World) 
In his explosive new book, former Manchester United striker Dwight Yorke claims a bust-up with former manager Sir Alex Ferguson led him to drink.(News of the World) 
Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been warned by specialist knee surgeon Dr Richard Steadman that he may never recover from the tendinitis that has kept him out of action for a year.(News of the World) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is in talks with an Arab prince to sell a 25% stake in the club for £125m.(Sunday Mirror) 
Blackburn striker El Hadji Diouf and team-mate Ryan Nelson were involved in a dressing room punch-up following last Sunday's 3-0 defeat by Everton.(News of the World) 
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson, who is out of contract at the end of the season, is yet to be offered a new deal by Craven Cottage chiefs. (Sunday People) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United keeper Edwin van der Sar says he will not retire from football until he has won the Champions League again.(Sunday Mirror) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed how he placed a bet at the start of the season on former Old Trafford winger Cristiano Ronaldo to be the top scorer in Spain at new club Real Madrid.(Mail on Sunday)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Bolton defender Gary Cahill is being tracked by Italian giants Juventus following a glowing reference from England boss Fabio Capello. AC Milan are also interested in the 23-year-old.(Daily Mirror) 
Bolton manager Gary Megson says he is not prepared to sell striker Johan Elmander, despite a disappointing record in front of goal and the arrival of loan signing from Nantes, Ivan Klasnic, this summer.(The Sun) 
Wigan manager Roberto Martinez will decide on Thursday whether to offer a contract to Cameroon midfielder Modeste M'Bami, who has been on trial with the club since the start of the season.(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United are becoming increasingly concerned by defender Rio Ferdinand's persistent injury problems.(The Times) 
Former Tottenham and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell quit Notts County because he hated his debut match against Morecambe so much.(Daily Mirror) 
Campbell walked out of Notts County because he did not believe the promised investment from the club's new owners would materialise.(The Independent) 
Hull's Carling Cup defeat at home to Everton leaves under-pressure manager Phil Brown with only four matches to save his job. After the game against Liverpool this weekend, Hull then face fellow strugglers Wigan, Fulham and Portsmouth.(The Sun) 
Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar, 38, will decide in December whether this season will be his last.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez faces a battle to keep pace with the biggest clubs in Europe as leaked documents reveal that his net summer spending is locked at £20m until 2014. That figure also includes wage increases.(The Independent) 
Football Association chairman Lord Triesman and chief executive Ian Watmore have dismissed suggestions that Fabio Capello will stand down as England manager after the 2010 World Cup.(Daily Mail) 
Former Tranmere boss Ronnie Moore could be heading back to Rovers to replace John Barnes, if the ex-Liverpool winger fails to halt the club's slide down the League One table.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth owner Sulaiman Al Fahim says the Premier League strugglers are unlikely to buy new players in the January transfer window.(The Guardian) 
Liverpool's Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano has been cleared of any wrongdoing following his clash with Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford during Tuesday's Carling Cup match.(Daily Mail) 
Uganda's FA has dropped its compensation claim following manager Csaba Laszlo's move to Hearts last year. (The Sun)
Dundee United manager Craig Levein has escaped punishment from the Scottish FA after comments about the referees involved in defeats by Celtic and Hearts last season. (The Times) 
Scotland manager George Burley says he is ready to omit players from his squad for next month's friendly against Japan if they are not 100% fit. (The Sun)
Celtic midfielder Scott Brown says he does not want to be rested for club or country because of a niggling injury. (Daily Express) 
Former Rangers midfielder Charlie Adam is poised for a Scotland re-call after starring for new club Blackpool. (Daily Mail)
Preston's former Celtic and Sunderland winger Ross Wallace could also be named in the Scotland squad to face Japan. (Daily Mail) 
Robert Snodgrass hopes his impressive display for Leeds against Liverpool in the Carling Cup will earn him a Scotland call-up. (Various)

AND FINALLY

West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green has given an honest assessment of his club's performances this season following the Carling Cup defeat by Bolton on Tuesday. "We're getting above ourselves, thinking we're better than we are at the moment. We're in a position where we have to get results."(Daily Mirror)
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Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Brazilian star Ronaldinho denies he is thinking of retiring before his AC Milan contract expires in 2011, and adds he is "very happy" at the Italian club.Marca (Spanish) 

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham striker Giovani Dos Santos is being offered a move to Deportivo La Coruna as he pursues a bid to play for Mexico in the World Cup. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa are keen to loan striker Marlon Harewood to Newcastle for three months. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Former Tottenham and Arsenal defender Sol Campbell has quit Notts County after only one game, having agreed a £40,000-a-week deal at the end of August.(Daily Mail) 
Former Newcastle manager Kevin Keegan is on track to win his legal battle with Magpies owner Mike Ashley, which could net the ex-England boss £8m compensation. Keegan is seeking constructive dismissal after quitting his St James' Park role a year ago.(Daily Star) 
Everton are furious after Blackburn's El Hadji Diouf, in an interview on Senegalese radio, claimed their fans hurled bananas at him on Sunday. Police are investigating the striker for alleged racial abuse of a ball-boy in Rovers' 3-0 defeat.(The Sun) 
Former Republic of Ireland boss Steve Staunton has emerged as favourite for the Rotherham managerial post. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster may be dropped for Saturday's match at Stoke City, with Tomas Kuszczak set to be given a starting place. (The Sun)

AND FINALLY

The football "yob" look of the 1980s is making a big comeback following the release of hooligan flick The Firm, with sales of sportswear brands such as Fila and Sergio Tacchini soaring.(Daily Star)
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Friday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Spanish club Rayo Vallecano have confirmed that Wigan have completed the signing of midfielder Mohamed Diame. (skysports.com) 
Lyon defender John Mensah is on the verge of sealing a season-long loan move to Sunderland after passing a medical.(Northern Echo) 

.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is making a new £2m bid to bring Portsmouth goalkeeper David James to White Hart Lane. (Daily Mirror) 
Another player leaving Portsmouth could be defender Sylvain Distin, who is attracting interest from Everton. (Daily Mirror) 
Meanwhile, Pompey defender Sol Campbell has held talks with Sven-Goran Eriksson over a move to Notts County. (Daily Mirror)
Pompey are in talks to sign Bolton centre-back Danny Shittu and midfielder Gavin McCann.(The Sun) 
Chelsea aim to lure Brazilian striker Alexandre Pato from AC Milan in a £40m deal - but not until next summer. (Daily Mirror)
Everton have agreed a £6m deal with Newcastle for centre-half Steven Taylor but the England Under-21 international's wage demands could be a stumbling block. (Daily Mirror) 
Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is plotting a last-ditch bid for West Ham defender James Collins. (The Sun) 
The Hammers are trying to rush through the sale of Collins to Villa and the signing of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh before Sunday's game against Tottenham. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham are confident of agreeing a deal to sign Chamakh after raising their offer to about £7m plus a 20% sell-on clause.(The Times )
Hull boss Phil Brown will bid £4m for Portsmouth striker David Nugent after being snubbed by Real Madrid forward Alvaro Negredo.(The Sun) 
Brown is aiming to make Lokomotiv Moscow striker Haminu Draman his fifth signing this summer, with the Ghanaian likely to cost around £3m.(The Independent) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is ready to release forwards Marcus Bent and Gary McSheffrey.(The Sun) 
Wigan are close to a £3m deal for Crystal Palace winger Victor Moses. (Daily Mirror) 
Latics manager Roberto Martinez is set to step up his bid to sign Sheffield United defender Matthew Kilgallon in a £4m deal. (Daily Star) 
Spanish club Espanyol have made a bid to sign Newcastle defender Fabricio Coloccini - but want the English club to carry on paying part of the Argentine's £40,000-a-week wages. (Daily Mirror) 
Derby striker Rob Hulse has ruled out a switch to Middlesbrough after being linked with a £5m move to the Riverside. (The Independent) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool defender Daniel Agger faces up to two months on the sidelines after being booked in for surgery on his back injury. (Daily Mail )
Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole has signed a new four-year contract to make him the world's highest-paid full-back on £120,000 a week. (The Sun) 
Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung has moved closer to his £81.5m takeover of Birmingham after putting down a £3m deposit and making clear his intention to offer £1 per share.(Daily Mail) 
Newcastle managing director Derek Llambias believes a consortium being led by local businessman Barry Moat are closing in on a £100m deal to buy the Championship club.(Daily Mail) 
Magpies owner Mike Ashley has given Moat a deadline of 1700 BST on Friday to buy the club.(The Times)
Steve Bruce has revealed his ambition to one day manage Manchester United and admits he is using Sunderland as a stepping-stone to the Old Trafford hotseat. (Daily Express) 

AND FINALLY

Premier League stars have opened a campaign to get all African children into schooling. Portsmouth's David James, Kanu and Aaron Mokoena and Mikael Silvestre and Gael Clichy of Arsenal pledged support for the 1 Goal initiative linked to next year's World Cup in South Africa. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard says Manchester United will never make up for the loss of winger Cristiano Ronaldo, unless they sign Barcelona forward Lionel Messi.(Daily Mirror)
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Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United have been stunned by claims from Nemanja Vidic's agent that the centre-back wants a move to Barcelona. (Daily Mirror) 
However, Vidic's adviser Paolo Fabbri has denied quotes attributed to him in the Spanish media that the Serbian international had been tempted by an offer to join the European champions.(Daily Expres) 
Everton boss David Moyes is set to make a £12 million double raid for Tottenham midfielder David Bentley and defender Alan Hutton.
Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is seriously considering an amazing switch to Notts County after being offered a player/coach role by County director of football Sven Goran Eriksson.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool have made a £2m swoop for AEK Athens centre-half Sotiris Kyrgiakos.(The Sun) 
The Reds are also keeping tabs on Stoke's Ryan Shawcross, although the Potters are desperate to keep hold of the defender.(Daily Mail) 
West Ham defender James Collins has rejected a £5m move to Stoke.(The Sun) 
Hull are set to bid for Aston Villa's unsettled defender Luke Young.(Daily Mirror) 
Forward Victor Moses wants to quit Crystal Palace after being left out of their starting line-up against Ipswich last night.(Daily Mirror) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp has ruled out a move for Portsmouth goalkeeper David James.(Independent) 
Redknapp is preparing an £8m bid for Celtic midfielder Scott Brown.(Daily Telegraph) 
Hull are also in the running to sign Campbell, but the Tigers are set to miss out on Real Madrid striker Alvaro Negredo who is set to join Real Zaragoza.(Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce remains hopeful of pushing through a season-long loan deal for Lyon defender John Mensah.(Daily Telegraph) 
West Brom midfielder Jonathan Greening is set to sign for Fulham.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has told striker Fernando Torres to stop arguing with defenders and focus on scoring. (Daily Mail) 
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp says that the rest of the Premier League is envious of Spurs for having Croatian midfielder Luka Modric in their squad. (Daily Express) 
Newcastle have opened talks with Tyneside businessman Barry Moat over a possible takeover at St James' Park. (Independent) 
Moat's group though is battling it out with two unnamed consortia for the club.(Daily Express) 
Manchester United are preparing to offer defender Nemanja Vidic a new contract amid uncertainty about his long-term future. (The Times) 
Hull midfielder Ian Ashbee's career is hanging in the balance as he faces surgery on knee ligaments he ruptured last May. (The Sun) 
Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor insists the club can still succeed this term without Gareth Barry and Martin Laursen. (Daily Mirror) 
Coventry boss Chris Coleman says he needs more funds for players if the side are to push for promotion this season. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

The Manchester United players have assigned defender Patrice Evra as their pre-match DJ but are demanding when it comes to his music choices. "I have to change it every time," said Evra. (The Sun) 
Chelsea new-boy Nemanja Matic almost signed for Middlesbrough in January but the midfielder was put off by the weather. (The Sun) 
Birmingham's new left-back Gregory Vignal, previously with Liverpool and Portsmouth, was convinced to return to England after receiving advice from Manchester United legend Eric Cantona at a bullfight. (The Sun)
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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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Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Liverpool and Newcastle striker Michael Owen will have to take a 50% pay cut - to £50,000-a-week - and pass a stringent medical before making a shock move to Manchester United.(The Sun) 
Actually, Owen could be offered a basic wage of a paltry £20,000-a-week, with performance-related bonuses taking him close to the £110,000-a-week he earned at Newcastle.(Daily Mail) 
Chelsea are the only club to have submitted a formal bid, of about £40m, for Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery - but the French international wants to join Real Madrid.(Daily Telegraph) 
Real Madrid have put their bid for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso on hold, until mid-July when his former club Real Sociedad will no longer be entitled to a percentage of the fee.(The Sun) 
Liverpool are steeling themselves for two bids worth nearly a combined £60m from Real Madrid and Barcelona for Alonso and his fellow midfielder Javier Mascherano. (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United will make a £16m move for Sevilla's 28-year-old Brazilian striker Luis Fabiano, but face competition from AC Milan.(Daily Mirror) 
Barcelona have risked the wrath of Arsenal by making an approach for midfielder Cesc Fabregas.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is considering a shock move to Championship club Newcastle United.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea are close to signing Man City youngster Daniel Sturridge and and CSKA Moscow left-back Yuri Zhirkov.(Daily Telegraph) 
AC Milan could make a remarkable £12m bid for Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch if they fail to sign Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor.(The Sun) 
Fulham are also keen on Pompey's giant hitman, preparing a £10m bid.(Daily Mail) 
Aston Villa are weighing up a potential £8m bid for 22-year-old Swedish striker Marcus Berg, who impressed at the recent Euro Under-21 Championship.(Daily Star) 
Tottenham will have to pay £12m to sign Lille's 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder Michel Bastos.(Daily Mail) 
Goalkeeper Kelvin Davis, 32, will seal his move from Southampton to West Ham on Monday.(The Sun) 
Hull boss Phil Brown could be set to offer veteran midfielder Dietmar Hamann a 12-month contract after he was released by Manchester City.(Daily Mirror) 
West Brom have rejected a £2m bid from Fulham for captain Jonathan Greening. (Daily Star) Everton are set to raid Leeds to sign highly-rated defender Luke Garbutt in a £1m deal. (Daily Star)
Wolves will complete the £2m signing of Sunderland defender Greg Halford, 24, on Friday. (The Sun) 
Stoke are set to make a £5m bid for Manchester City's Zimbabwean striker Benjani.(Daily Star) 
Watford have accepted a £1.8m bid from Sheffield United for their player of the year Tommy Smith, 28. (The Sun) 
Nottingham Forest are set to sign Preston's Paul McKenna and QPR's Lee Camp in the next 48 hours. (Daily Star)
Norwich are close to signing Crystal Palace striker Alan Lee, 30, in a deal which could take goalkeeper Stuart Nelson, 27, the other way. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is hoping to sell the club to a Malaysian group - after a secret trip by the prospective buyers on Thursday. (Various)
Ipswich boss Roy Keane has told Bristol City manager Gary Johnson to "mind his own business" after Johnson said he thought the Tractor Boys would sign Lee Martin from Man Utd. (Daily Mirror) 
New West Brom boss Roberto di Matteo insists he will decide on signings, not sporting director Dan Ashworth.(Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

In four years at Newcastle, Michael Owen started 65 games and scored 30 goals. He is reported to have cost the relegated club an eye-watering £41m in fees and wages. (Various)
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Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Striker Didier Drogba is ready to sign a new contract and stay at Chelsea. (Daily Mirror) 
Premier League newcomers Wolves and Birmingham are both battling to sign Manchester City keeper Joe Hart on loan. (Daily Mail) 
Out-of-contract Portsmouth defender Sol Campbell is considering a three-year deal to finish his career in Switzerland with Basle.(Daily Mail) 
Fulham are preparing a bid for £4.5m-rated West Bromwich Albion winger Chris Brunt.(Daily Mail) 
Tuncay, Afonso Alves, Stewart Downing and David Wheater will be just some of the names leaving Middlesbrough after they were relegated to the Championship. (Daily Express)
Everton and Fulham are tracking Aston Villa midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Everton winger Andy van der Meyde is training with Blackburn in the hope of winning a deal there. (Daily Mirror) 
Aberdeen captain Scott Severin could decide to stay if the club improve their contract offer after qualifying for the Europa League. (Daily Express) 
Madjid Bougherra says there is no way he will leave Rangers in the summer after the defender helped Rangers win the Scottish title and a place in the Champions League group stages. (Daily Mirror)
Hearts want to re-sign Paul Hartley and the midfielder is happy to return to Tynecastle if Celtic fail to offer him a new contract. (The Sun) 
Bruno Aguiar has confirmed on his Facebook page that he will leave Hearts after the midfielder rejected a new contract. (The Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP 

Sunderland are lining up Celtic manager Gordon Strachan to replace Ricky Sbragia, who resigned as Black Cats boss on Sunday. (Daily Mirror)
Frank Rijkaard, Martin Jol and Slaven Bilic are also believed to be on Sunderland's shortlist to replace Sbragia. (Daily Mirror) 
Gordon Strachan is poised to quit Celtic as manager, with a statement expected this week and Sunderland targeting the former Southampton boss. (The Sun)
Motherwell's Mark McGhee has emerged as favourite to succeed Gordon Strachan as Celtic manager. (The Sun) 
But Burnley's Owen Coyle, West Brom's Tony Mowbray and former West Ham manager Alan Curbishley will also feature on Celtic's shortlist. (The Sun)
Motherwell's Mark McGhee is favourite to succeed Jimmy Calderwood as manager of Aberdeen. (The Scotsman) 
Aberdeen midfielder Ricky Foster says the club have made a mistake by forcing out manager Jimmy Calderwood. (Daily Express)

AND FINALLY 

Shear drop, Sob on the Tyne, Sheer agony, Tears on the Tyne and Down and out are just some of the back-page headlines relating to Newcastle's relegation. (Various)
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