Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Real Madrid are keen on Chelsea defender Ashley Cole, who is thought to be interested in such a move, with Manchester United's Patrice Evra a back-up target if the Spanish club fail to land the England international.(Daily Mirror) 
Juventus midfielder Felipe Melo, who is a target for Arsenal, could be on his way out of the Italian club after arguing with fans during the draw with Siena last weekend.(Daily Mail) 
AC Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has told midfielder David Beckham, who had been on loan at the Italian club from Los Angeles Galaxy, he can return next year if he wants to after recovering from his Achilles tendon injury. (Daily Star) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge will be out for a month after undergoing groin surgery.(The Sun) 
Arsenal captain Cesc Fabregas could be back from his hamstring injury for the game against West Ham this weekend after missing the last two matches.(Daily Mirror) 
Burnley have already started their search for a new manager as current boss Brian Laws is on the brink of getting the boot at Turf Moor.(The Sun) 
Italy's World Cup-winning coach Marcello Lippi says he is unimpressed by the success of English clubs in the Champions League as there is nothing English about them. He also says Italy's top teams are similarly unrepresentative of the country.(Daily Mail) 
Uefa president Michel Platini is still keen on adding extra officials. "Either we add referees or we use replays. I'm for the human option," he told an Italian television show.(The Independent) 
Defender Calum Davenport has played his last game for West Ham after agreeing a £250,000 pay-off.(The Sun) 
Goalkeeper Paul Robinson's injury could result in Blackburn recalling goalkeeper Mark Bunn from loan at Sheffield United - and he may make his Premier League debut against Chelsea on Sunday.(Daily Mirror) 
Sheffield United could be forced to make major cutbacks if they fail to win promotion back to the Premier League this season.(Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane locked his players in the dressing for 90 minutes after the 2-1 defeat at Watford on Tuesday night. (The Times)

AND FINALLY

He may not be playing at the World Cup but England midfielder David Beckham could still be in South Africa after receiving plenty of television offers for the tournament.(The Sun) 
Former England boss Sven-Goran Eriksson could be at the World Cup as manager of the Ivory Coast but faces competition from ex-France coach Philippe Troussier.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville, 35, is hoping for a shock England recall in time for the World Cup, three years after winning the last of his 85 caps.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

England midfielder Joe Cole is poised for a summer move to long-time admirers Manchester United if there is no agreement on a new contract at Chelsea.(Sunday Express) 
Manchester City are planning to take striker Gonzalo Higuain away from Real Madrid this summer after the Argentine international turned down the La Liga club's latest improved contract offer. (News of the World) 
Liverpool will offer Fernando Torres substantially greater rewards on his image rights to fend off bids from Manchester City and Barcelona. (News of the World) 
Everton plan to splash the cash this summer by offering current Goodison Park stars improved contracts, as opposed to spending their money on big name transfers.(News of the World) 
Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas has started taking Italian lessons as he prepares for a move to Inter Milan in the close-season.(Sunday Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth fans are lining up launching a new side to groundshare with Havant & Waterlooville if their club go under. (The Observer) 
Wayne Bridge will not end his self-imposed England exile, dashing manager Fabio Capello's hopes of changing the Manchester City defender's mind before the World Cup.(Sunday Mirror) 
Capello will tell the seven players who have failed to make his final 23-man World Cup squad the bad news at a sudden-death team meeting in Austria following the friendly against Japan in Graz on 30 May.(News of the World) 
European football chiefs have vowed to ban clubs who consistently make a loss and only survive because of subsidies from their billionaire owners.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool will delay talks over a new contract with defender Jamie Carragher, who has just over a year left on his current deal, until next year. (News of the World) 
Fabio Aurelio, though, is unlikely to remain at Anfield beyond the summer when his deal expires after a season dogged by injuries. (News of the World) 
Manchester United defender John O'Shea is poised to make a miraculous return to action, possibly within the next couple of weeks, after originally being ruled out for the remainder of the season with a blood clot last November.(News of the World) 
Manchester City striker Robinho, now on loan at Brazilian side Santos, has taken a swipe at Eastlands manager Roberto Mancini, claiming the Italian "has a lack of ability". (Sunday Mirror) 
City are set to unveil plans for a £50m training ground as part of a £500m development of the land surrounding their Eastlands stadium. (Sunday Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

A new Premier League-endorsed scheme aimed at teenage football talent hopes to eradicate the 'spoilt rich kid' image of England's top footballers following the recent headline-grabbing antics of Ashley Cole and John Terry.(News of the World) 
England striker Peter Crouch has ruled out marrying girlfriend Abbey Clancy this summer because "the World Cup is the most important thing".(News of the World)

www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Joe Cole could leave Chelsea in the summer after negotiations stalled on a new contract with the 28-year-old demanding in excess of £100,000 a week. Tottenham, Manchester United and Liverpool are interested in taking the England midfielder on a free transfer. (Daily Mail) 
Juventus are targeting Arsenal striker Robin van Persie in exchange for Brazilian midfielder Felipe Melo. The Turin club are open to a deal, but would be looking to land either Van Persie, Gael Clichy or Bacary Sagna as part of the transfer. (Daily Mail) 
Juventus will also move for Bayern Munich's French winger Franck Ribery - putting Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid on alert.(imscouting.com) 
German playmaker Mesut Ozil, 21, has rejected a new deal at Werder Breman, clearing the way for a £15m move to Arsenal in the summer - although Juventus, Barcelona and Real Madrid are also interested.(Daily Star) 
Meanwhile, Arsenal defender William Gallas, 32, is a free-transfer target for Italian side Roma.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United are lining up a £9m move for Croatia Under-21 star Milan Badelj. The Dinamo Zagreb playmaker has been labelled the new Luka Modric. (Daily Mail) 
Palermo's 20-year-old centre back Simon Kjaer will snub approaches from Manchester United and Tottenham because he wants to play alongside fellow Dane Daniel Agger at Liverpool. (Daily Mirror) 
Wigan are keen on Espanyol striker Jose Callejon, 23, and hope to strike a deal at the end of the season. (imscouting.com) 
Sheffield Wednesday have joined Swansea in the race to sign Rochdale's 19-year-old defender Craig Dawson. (Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Russia have approached Fabio Capello about becoming their new coach after the World Cup. The new head of Russia's Football Union, Sergei Fursenko, held informal talks with the England manager at Stamford Bridge last Saturday, over a deal which could more than double his net income. (The Guardian) 
Capello will attempt to talk Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge out of international retirement before he names his provisional 30-man squad for the World Cup on 11 May. (The Independent) 
Chelsea officials have sent a specialist sports psychologist to France to help Ashley Cole overcome his broken ankle and split from wife Cheryl Cole. (Daily Mail) 
Ian Wright has launched a scathing attack on Manchester City over their treatment of his son Shaun Wright-Phillips. Former Arsenal star Wright accused City chiefs Garry Cook and Brian Marwood of treating the England winger "like a youth team player." (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham have withdrawn the offer of a new contract to midfielder Valon Behrami, with co-owner David Sullivan keen to cash in on the Switzerland international in the summer - much to boss Gianfranco Zola's despair.(Daily Telegraph) 
Liverpool insist the club has had no contact with the Abu Dhabi royal family regarding a bid for the Anfield outfit. (Daily Star) 
Wigan's French left-winger Charles N'Zogbia would play for England, if he was asked - the 23-year-old qualifies through residency having lived in England since 2004. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

New QPR manager Neil Warnock has instructed his players to wear shinpads in training to step up the intensity of the sessions.(Daily Mirror)

www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Striker Fernando Torres says he would rather move to Spanish side Barcelona, than stay in English football if he is forced to leave Liverpool. The Reds may have to sell Torres, 25, to help repay the club's financial debt with Chelsea and Manchester City interested. (IM Scouting) 
Manchester City are on red alert as Real Madrid's top scorer Gonzalo Higuain has turned down a new contract offer amid reputed interest from the Eastlands outfit.(Daily Mail) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has revealed that he retains an interest in Brazil and Juventus defensive midfielder Felipe Melo, as he plans for the longer term without the stricken Aaron Ramsey.(The Guardian) 
Wigan and Stoke are keen on Serbian defender Dusko Tosic, who is a free agent after leaving cash-strapped Portsmouth.(The Daily Mail) 
David Beckham will return to to play for LA Galaxy in the United States after the World Cup. The England midfielder, 34, is currently on loan with Italian side AC Milan. (The Sun) 
Everton are leading the chase for West Brom's highly-rated Graham Dorrans. The Scottish midfielder, 22, has hit 13 goals this term. (The Sun) 
Manchester United midfielder Nani has urged manager Sir Alex Ferguson to press ahead with his bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso. Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal are all interested in the 23-year-old.(The Sun) 
Bolton boss Owen Coyle wants to sign United States midfielder Stuart Holden on a full-time deal after his impressive start at the Reebok Stadium. The 24-year-old is on a short-term contract to the end of the season.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Portsmouth will be offered a staggering £32m rescue deal from the Premier League to pay their tax bill and avoid going bust this season. (Daily Mirror) 
Defender Wayne Bridge will play for England again, according to his Manchester City team-mate Kolo Toure. (The Telegraph) 
Russia's bid to stage the World Cup in 2018 could be set to benefit from the political and financial firepower of Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich. (The Telegraph) 
Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has poured cold water over reports suggesting he will quit the Blues to take over as Italy boss after this summer's World Cup. (The Sun) 
Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed he quite fancies the Italian job, but not just yet: "Now I'm thinking only of City. I will be here many years." (The Sun) 
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone faces a long injury lay-off after a scan revealed he suffered ankle ligament damage against Everton. (The Daily Mail) 

.

AND FINALLY

England captain Steven Gerrard says his wife, Alex Curran, will not be at the World Cup in South Africa with him, unless they reach the semi-finals. (Various)
www.bbc.co.uk

dark saturday

Chelsea 2-4 Man City

Manchester City inflicted Chelsea's first home Premier League defeat this season in a game which began with Wayne Bridge refusing John Terry's handshake.
Frank Lampard's low strike put Chelsea ahead but Carlos Tevez equalised after a long ball was not dealt with, before Craig Bellamy shot beyond Hilario. 
Tevez scored a penalty after Juliano Belletti saw red for a trip on Gareth Barry before a Bellamy tap-in. 
Michael Ballack also saw red and Lampard scored a consolation penalty. 
City had failed to score in their previous seven visits to Stamford Bridge, while Chelsea had only conceded eight at home in the Premier League all season. 
But those statistics were rendered meaningless on an afternoon of triumph for City coach and former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini, who pitted his wits in the Premier League for the first time against ex-AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti. 
City saw their hopes of silverware this season ended by their FA Cup defeat at Stoke in midweek but they boosted their prospects of a top-four finish by completing the double over Chelsea for the first time since 1957.
With Manchester United not in league action this weekend, victory would have taken Chelsea four points clear at the top of the Premier League. 
But it was a disastrous afternoon for Ancelotti, whose side had only dropped points in one previous home game this season, a 3-3 draw with Everton. 
What's more, his team lacked discipline after the break and were vulnerable in defence, with Hilario looking particularly suspect.
.

Swansea 1 - 0 Peterborough

David Cotterill extended promotion-chasing Swansea City's unbeaten run to 12 games and pushed bottom club Peterborough closer to relegation.
Cotterill struck from the spot after Charlie Lee brought him down. 
Nathan Dyer had an effort cleared off the line while keeper Joe Lewis denied Ferrie Bodde and Lee Trundle. 
Lee Frecklington put a header wide for the Posh but Swansea's biggest worry was the injuries to midfielder duo Bodde and Darren Pratley. 
Bodde was making his return from five months out with a knee problem and the Dutchman's exit after just 28 minutes raised question marks as to whether he was ready to play. 
It was the third time in 15 months Bodde has suffered an injury to his left knee. In November 2008 he suffered cruiciate ligament damage and then broke down after eight minutes of his starting return against Sheffield United last September. 606: DEBATE 
Give your thoughts on Swansea v Peterborough 
The double-blow will add to manager Paulo Sousa's midfield woes with Joe Allen, Andrea Orlandi and Jordi Lopez already sidelined. 
But the fourth-placed Swans kept their focus on the job in hand and are seven points off an automatic promotion spot and eight ahead of Sheffield United in seventh. 
Peterborough remain 10 points adrift of safety and winless on the road.
www.bbc.co.uk

Chelsea - Man City

Chelsea played an exhausting match in Italy at Wednesday, but Man.Utd. are on just point behind and they have to continue collecting the points. Good thing is they, despite a defeat, made a good result. At Stamford they have a brilliant record in Premier with 12 wins from 13 games (and draw vs. Everton 3-3), scored 38 goals and conceded just 8! Bad thing is they lost Cech for at least a month and Hilario will take his place. There’s nothing much to say about Chelsea and their shape. They’re most quality team in Premier, playing without turbulence through the season and they’re desperate to win. Beside mentioned Cech, Ancelotti will miss Bosingwa, Deco, Essien and Ashley Cole. In last 8 games against City at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea won 7 and drew one game with goal difference 20-1!

It seems the “honeymoon” for Mancini in Manchester has been finished as they won just once in last six competitive games. Considering their players’ quality they should be just behind Chelsea, but problem is motivation, as they could attract only specific kind of players that evaluate material motives (money) before sport’s. Robinho for example has already left the club, while Adebayor looks bored and not interested (got 4 games ban at Stoke and won’t appear, btw.). There’s also unrest in the dressing room between Mancini and the players. Started with Bellamy (who else?), continue with other players who are dissatisfied with training sessions and progress with Tevez’ trip to Argentina. Tevez has returned to England and will play, but was accused from Mancini for lack of fitness (got response “I don’t care”). This issue is getting on importance as Argentinean is the best goal scorer with 19 goals, second is Adebayor with 9 and with Bellamy that’s almost all attacking potential for Citizens. Also, the reason for Tevez’ trip to home was his wife who just had a birth before the date and his concentration today will be questionable. City also played a game at Wednesday and were knocked from the Cup at Stoke after 120 minutes. Their away shape isn’t something to be proud on as they have won just one of their last 11 league matches on the road. 

This game will also have a tension as “old friends”, Terry and Bridge will have to face each other which could include rest of the players. As the result I can see few more yellow cards and maybe one red on the visitors side (can’t to not think on Bellamy). Considering all, this game is a derby only on a paper. The Blues are hard favorites and anything less than a win with 2-3 goals margin would be a first class surprise. Odd isn’t too high, but considering the risk looks adequate. Home win with -1 asian handicap.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona defender Dani Alves has ruled out a move to Chelsea but has admitted to being flattered with their reported interest in him.(The Independent) 
Former Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson had planned on luring LA Galaxy and England midfielder David Beckham to Meadow Lane as a part of ex-owners Munto Finance's ambitious plans for the club. This was before the full extent of the financial problems at Notts became clear and Munto sold the club.(Daily Telegraph) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge quit England because of ex-Chelsea team-mate John Terry's failure to apologise over his alleged affair with his former partner, Vanessa Perroncel.(Daily Mail) 
England coach Fabio Capello will try to persuade left-back Bridge to change his mind and join the Italian's World Cup squad for South Africa this summer. (Various) 
Everton left-back Leighton Baines is likely to benefit from Bridge's decision to quit the national squad by being given a call-up to face Egypt in a friendly on Wednesday 3 March. First-choice left-back Ashley Cole is out after undergoing surgery on a broken foot.(Daily Star) 
Alternatively, Capello could turn to Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock, who has recovered early from a shin injury that threatened to end his season.(Daily Express) 
"Friends" of Terry claim Bridge has long been considered a "bottler" in the dressing room as the bad feeling between the pair shows no sign of abating.(The Guardian) 
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott is set to deputise for Tottenham's Aaron Lennon on the right wing for England's friendly against Egypt in five days time.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is definitely out of his side's Champions League second leg match at Old Trafford against AC Milan on 10 March.(Daily Mail) 
Bournemouth have been served another winding-up petition by Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs, with a hearing set for 31 March over an outstanding debt of £314,000 the club owes in tax.(Bournemouth Echo) 
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez has returned from compassionate leave in Argentina following the premature birth of his second daughter, and is in contention to face Chelsea on Saturday. (Daily Mail) 
Roberto Mancini's tenure at Manchester City is coming under intense boardroom scrutiny for the first time after a run of two wins in eight matches. The Italian was only appointed to the City job in December last year.(Daily Mail) 
The Football Association is considering switching the majority of FA Cup matches to midweek to make it "more relevant".(Daily Mail) 
Neil Warnock has moved a step closer to becoming the new QPR boss after beginning compensation talks with current employers Crystal Palace. (Daily Mail) 

AND FINALLY

England boss Fabio Capello's World Cup worries for the summer tournament in South Africa mounted last night as it emerged the England WAGs are planning their own base-camp 15 miles from the squad's Rustenburg headquarters.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are monitoring the progress of 18-year-old Ajax playmaker Christian Eriksen after receiving a recommendation from former Gunners striker Dennis Bergkamp.(Daily Mirror) 
Guinea international Kamil Zayatte wants to quit Hull during the summer and is targeting a move to Manchester United, Arsenal or Chelsea. (Daily Mail) 
Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure has ruled out a move to the Premier League, despite claiming that Manchester City and Arsenal are keen to sign him.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton are eyeing a trio of players from Norweigan club Molde. Defenders Knut Olav Rindaroy, Magne Simonsen and Vegard Forren have all impressed the club's scouts.(imscouting.com) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Wayne Bridge is considering ruling himself out of England's World Cup plans because he cannot stand the prospect of sharing a dressing room with Chelsea defender John Terry, who is alleged to have had an affair with the Manchester City defender's former girlfriend.(The Guardian) 
England manager Fabio Capello will be at Stamford Bridge on Saturday to watch Terry's Chelsea take on Bridge's Manchester City.(The Guardian) 
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson believes defender Rio Ferdinand may have to re-evaluate his international career and limit his appearances amid growing concerns over his recurring back problems.(The Guardian) 
Ferdinand could still be fit to play in the Carling Cup final on Sunday and is likely to lead England in next week's friendly against Egypt.(Daily Star) 
Robin van Persie could return from his ankle injury in early April, according to Netherlands coach Bert van Marwijk. The Arsenal striker had been expected to miss the rest of the season after rupturing ligaments on international duty in November.(The Independent) 
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo says he would love to play with his former Manchester United teammate Wayne Rooney again one day.(imscouting.com) 
Portugal coach Carlos Queiroz says Rooney is still not in the same class as Ronaldo, despite the ex-Everton star's heroics this season.(The Times) 
West Ham sporting director Gianluca Nani is set to leave the club in the next 24 hours as new owners David Sullivan and David Gold continue to trim the club's huge debts. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth owner Balram Chainrai is likely to have his £17m loans to the club repaid in full if Pompey go into administration, while other creditors like Sacha Gaydamak bear the cost of the Premier League outfit's meltdown. (Daily Telegraph) 
Pompey chief executive Peter Storrie insists he will not be sacked if the club go into administration.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth's Serbian defender Dusko Tosic is ready to leave the club on a free transfer after the Premier League withheld his registration.(Daily Mail) 
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant was sent home from training by Real Zaragoza after showing up late for the third time in two weeks.(Daily Mail) 

.

AND FINALLY

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez was quizzed about why he has put on weight since the Reds' Champions League triumph in 2005 during a bizarre press conference in Bucharest, prior to the Europa League last-32 return leg with Unirea Urziceni. "It is the stress of having to answer so many questions from the press," said the Spaniard. "Thank you and goodnight."(Daily Mail)
Everton duo Joseph Yobo and Yakubu were kicked off the club's flight to Lisbon on Wednesday because officials were unhappy with their documents. The Nigerian pair eventually took a late-night flight via Amsterdam with Toffees fans ahead of the Europa League clash with Sporting.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City are planning a £140m bid in the summer for Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard and striker Fernando Torres. (News of the World) 
Spanish striker David Villa is ready to quit Valencia for Chelsea this summer with Real Madrid indicating that they will stick with French star Karim Benzema. (News of the World) 
Manchester United are lining up a swoop for £10m-rated Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso. The versatile 23-year-old, who can also operate in defence, was watched by United scouts in Sporting's 2-1 Europa League loss at Everton on Tuesday.(Sunday Mirror) 
French striker Thierry Henry is set for Barcelona's exit door having just netted just twice in 13 appearances this season for Pep Guardiola's team.(Sunday Mirror) 
Chelsea are closing in on a £36m move for Benfica's 22-year-old highly-rated forward Angel di Maria. (News of the World) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Brazilian forward Robinho has revealed he rejected a move to Barcelona when he left Manchester City during the January transfer window. The former Real Madrid winger is on a six-month loan at his original club Santos.(imscouting.com) 
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is facing a players' revolt. The Italian admitted last week he had a spat with striker Craig Bellamy and it seems a growing number of players are unhappy with the sporadic nature of the training sessions.(Mail on Sunday) 
Real Madrid are keen on securing the managerial services of Jose Mourinho, but would have to pay up to €7.5m (£6.5m) to break his contract at Inter Milan. The pressure on Real's current coach Manuel Pellegrini increased following Tuesday's defeat by Lyons in the Champions League.(Sunday Times) 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger will be in Real's sights should Pellegrini be shown the door and Mourinho decides not to go to Spain.(Daily Mail) 
Edwin van der Sar is close to signing a new contract with Manchester United after deciding to play on beyond his 40th birthday. The Dutch goalkeeper recently returned to action following a serious illness suffered by his wife Annemarie.(Sunday Mirror) 
Man City defender Wayne Bridge will happily line up with Chelsea's John Terry when England play Egypt in a friendly next month. A confidant of Bridge, whose ex-girlfriend was at the centre of an alleged affair with Terry, said: "He is still anxious to play for his country and won't allow the Terry furore to blind his judgement."(Sunday Express) 
Arsenal are considering breaking their contract structure by offering defender William Gallas a new two-year deal. The Gunners normally offer players aged over 32 one-year deals.(imscouting.com) 
Former England striker Gary Lineker believes Martin O'Neill is the ideal man to take over from Sir Alex Ferguson when the Scot decides to retire at Manchester United.(Daily Mail) 
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp insists his side can pip Manchester City, Aston Villa and Liverpool to the fourth and final Champions League slot this season.(Daily Telegraph) 
Redknapp also looks set to reward defender Ledley King, who suffers from a chronic knee problem, with a new one-year contract extension in the summer.(Daily Mail) 
Manchester United winger Nani is set to hold talks over a new four-year deal on the back of a recent surge in form for the Portuguese star.(News of the World) 
Manchester City winger and £7m signing Adam Johnson says he wants to be the club's equivalent to Ryan Giggs.(Sunday Times) 

.

AND FINALLY

Man United striker Wayne Rooney says Fabio Capello has been "fantastic" as England boss and revealed some of his training tactics. Rooney said: "He records everything and he once had Glen Johnson going over a tape of a throw-in for 30 minutes because he wasn't happy with it. I was almost falling asleep!" (Daily Star)
www.bbc.co.uk

Saturday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Robinho has cleared his house, sold his car, shipped his possessions back to Brazil and told his representatives to arrange a permanent move away from Manchester City in the summer. The striker is currently on loan at Santos in his home country.(Daily Mail) 
Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano said he will never be tempted by Manchester City's millions saying: "You cannot buy history." (The Times) 
Man City's plans to sign Barcelona midfielder Yaya Toure could hit a snag with the Spanish giants keen to use Toure as bait to secure the services of Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas.(Daily Mail) 
Everton want in-demand Stephen Pienaar to sign a new contract to prevent Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Manchester City from snapping up the South African midfielder.(Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Everton boss David Moyes has revealed how his former striker Wayne Rooney - now at Manchester United - apologised a year ago for libellous claims made in his autobiography. Relations between the pair became strained but Moyes said: "Wayne phoned me up a year ago to apologise for his book and to say that the things he'd put in his book were wrong, and he'd made a mistake."(The Guardian) 
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge has told England boss Fabio Capello he will have no problem lining up alongside John Terry. Bridge will be hoping he makes the squad for next month's friendly with Egypt following Terry's alleged affair with Bridge's ex-girlfriend.(The Sun) 
Man City boss Roberto Mancini has denied he has fallen out with striker Craig Bellamy, following a reported bust-up in training. Mancini says their differences had been "resolved".(WalesOnline.com) 
QPR are hoping to bring in Neil Warnock, currently at Crystal Palace, as the new manager now Flavio Briatore has stepped down as chairman. Mick Harford has yet to win in six games as manager at Loftus Road.(Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish wants to have the final say on all transfers before committing to a new contract. The Scot was unhappy with the owners after being pressured into signing Argentine Mauro Boselli in January. "Contracts can be compromised if players are brought in without a manager's permission," he said.(Daily Mail) 
Portsmouth could have a fifth owner this season after a Hong Kong-based investment company showed its interest in buying out the current owner, Balram Chainrai.(The Guardian) 
England boss Fabio Capello will be at Craven Cottage on Sunday with Fulham striker Bobby Zamora hoping to add to his 14-goal tally this season against Birmingham. The 29-year-old has yet to feature in an England senior squad and could be called up for the friendly with Egypt on 3 March. (Daily Star)

AND FINALLY

Fulham owner Mohamed Al Fayed has said sorry to Shakhtar Donetsk after players were refused entry to his shop Harrods. The Ukraine club lost to Fulham in the Europa League on Thursday. A club spokesman said: "The billionaire is very upset over this incident and has made his apologies."(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona are budgeting for a £60m summer deal for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Sunday Mirror) 
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has revealed he snubbed offers to join Chelsea and Manchester City last summer.(News of the World) 
Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic could be a summer target for Manchester City.(Sunday Times) 
And United are believed to be lining up Palermo's £10m-rated Danish defender Simon Kjaer as a replacement for Vidic. (News of the World) 
Also attracting United's interest is Bolton midfielder Mark Davies - although they face a battle with Liverpool for the 21-year-old.(News of the World) 
Yet another transfer target for United is striker Karim Benzema, who appears to be out of favour at Real Madrid and could be available for £18m. (News of the World) 
Blackburn are interested in Manchester City striker Benjani, who is currently on loan at Sunderland. (News of the World)
Everton boss David Moyes has put Nedum Onuoha at the top of his wanted list, and is ready to offer £4m for the Manchester City defender. (News of the World) 
Manchester City winger Shaun Wright-Phillips' future is up in the air after a breakdown in contract talks at the club. (News of the World)
Arsenal have beaten Liverpool and Tottenham to the signing of Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh, who will join them in the summer on a fee transfer but will still cost them £16m in wages and add-ons. (Various) 
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is hoping to secure a permanent deal for on-loan striker Christian Benitez to ward off interest from West Ham.(The People) 
Hull are lining up a double swoop for Derby's right-back Nicky Hunt and midfielder Paul Green. (The People) 
Blackburn are chasing Standard Liege's Congo international striker Dieumerci Mbokani. (The People)
Lokomotiv Moscow are planning to make a take-it-or-leave-it offer for Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko . (The People) 
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed he would happily splash £20m on Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli in the summer. (Daily Star)
Mancini is also chasing Fiorentina defender Alessandro Gamberini, who plays at centre-back and has seven caps for Italy. (Daily Star Sunday) 
West Ham midfielder Valon Behrami has yet to sign a new deal at the club and could be tempted to return to Italy with Palermo. (Daily Star Sunday)
Portsmouth are interested in signing ex-Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda, who has left Galatasaray. (Daily Star Sunday) 
Arsenal defender William Gallas has been targeted by AC Milan, with the Italians hoping to land the centre-back on a free transfer in the summer. (Daily Star Sunday)
Birmingham and Wigan are fighting it out to sign Real Mallorca striker Aritz Aduriz. (Daily Star Sunday) 
Chelsea are monitoring 16-year-old Anderlecht striker Romelu Lukaku, despite his father insisting his son will not be allowed to leave Belgium before he turns 18.(Mail on Sunday) 
The Blues are also keen on Newcastle centre-back Steven Taylor and are ready to pay £9m to secure his signature. (Sunday Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United's 39-year-old goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar looks set to sign a new one-year contract worth £5m.(Mail on Sunday) 
West Ham co-owner David Gold has come out in support of rivals Portsmouth, saying the Premier League should not let the south coast club go out of business.(Mail on Sunday) 
Stoke City's Matthew Etherington admits to having squandered £1.5m gambling on horse racing, greyhounds and in card schools.(Mail on Sunday) 
Everton have put a £30m price tag on teenager Jack Rodwell in a bid to keep interest from Manchester United at bay.(Sunday Mirror) 
Wayne Bridge is set to snub John Terry and refuse to shake his hand when the pair come face-to-face for Chelsea's home match against Manchester City. Only 24 hours later, the pair are due to meet up again for an England squad get-together. (The People) 
Neil Warnock is ready to walk out on crisis club Crystal Palace to take over as a manager of QPR. (The People) 
Gianfranco Zola is considering his future as West Ham manager as he is so incensed by remarks made by the club's new co-owner David Sullivan over wage cuts.(The People) 
Wigan's Paul Scharner is ready to quit the club when his contract runs out in the summer, with Fulham and Stoke believed to be keen on him. (The People) 
Hull midfielder George Boateng is to be rewarded with an offer of a new deal at the club after turning around his season since he was stripped of the captaincy. (The People)
Portsmouth could be sold off for as little as £1. New owner Balram Chainrai is desperate to offload the club and wants only to recover the £17m he is owed and to ensure that other debts of £60m are met.(Sunday Express) 
City banker Keith Harris is confident funds can be raised to buy the Glazer family out of their ownership of Manchester United by the end of the season - if the Americans are willing to sell.(Mail on Sunday) 
Former Scotland boss Craig Brown is on being targeted by Nigeria, who are looking for a manager to lead them in this summer's World Cup in South Africa. (Star on Sunday) 

AND FINALLY

Ronaldo says never say never to a return to Manchester United as he reveals how he misses his Old Trafford "family". (News of the World) 
Football could become the first sport in the country to be controlled by a state-appointed regulator in the wake of a run of financial crises that have beset a number of leading clubs. (Sunday Telegraph)
www.bbc.co.uk

Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Portsmouth could lose on-loan Algerian midfielder Hassan Yebda because they cannot afford the £4m it would take to buy him from Benfica.(The Daily Mirror) 
But Pompey could be in the running for former Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda, who has been released by Galatasaray on a free.(The Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland have not given up their interest in Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas in the summer - despite the player being in hospital at the moment after being shot in the head last month.(Daily Star) 
Manchester United are interested in bringing Benfica's Brazilian Under-20 international defender David Luiz to Old Trafford.(The Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

The Premier League could advance Portsmouth their end-of-season payment to help the club stay afloat, provided the other Premier League clubs all agree.(The Daily Mail) 
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole is drooling over his old club's performances this season and says Wayne Rooney is in the form of his life.(The Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland, 23, feels liberated under new manager Roberto Mancini because he feels he was played out of position by previous boss Mark Hughes.(The Daily Mirror) 
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan says he is glad his mind games have worked after the team responded to talk of a pay cut with their first win of the year when they beat Birmingham on Wednesday night.(The Sun) 
Former Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson could be on his way to the World Cup as Nigeria and North Korea both want the Swede to take over as manager.(The Daily Mirror) 
Wayne Bridge has been warned he can forget about going to the World Cup if he boycotts England's next game against Egypt on 3 March.(The Independent) 
England's home weekend international fixtures could be moved to Friday nights from the autumn onwards.(Daily Express) 
Hibernian defender Sol Bamba says his Ivory Coast team-mates wanted to pull out of last month's Africa Cup of Nations after receiving death threats after the attack on the Togo team, and only the nation's president persuaded them to take part(Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher says the fact their second-top scorer this season is own goals by opponents - 10 goals - is because they put opponents under so much pressure.(The Sun)
www.bbc.co.uk

Sunday's gossip column

JOHN TERRY GOSSIP

England manager Fabio Capello told John Terry to "get some help" for issues in his private life when he axed the Chelsea defender as his skipper on Friday.(News of the World) 
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge, who has been in the spotlight over allegations that his former girlfriend had a relationship with Terry, is still part of Capello's plans and will be selected for the friendly with Egypt on 3 March.(Sunday Mirror) 
John Terry could take some time out of the game to try and resolve issues in his private life.(Sunday Express) 
Capello sacked Terry to protect the Chelsea defender amid concerns about the impact the continued media pressure would have on the player.(Sunday Telegraph) 

.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson wants Everton star Jack Rodwell to come to Old Trafford in the summer.(News of the World) 
But Ferguson has lost out to Real Madrid in the race to sign Racing Santander's 18-year-old Spanish midfielder Sergio Canales.(The People) 
Liverpool's Martin Skrtel is an £8m summer target for Italian Serie A side Juventus.(News of the World) 
Juventus are also planning a £13m raid for Tottenham defender Gareth Bale.(The People) 
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is prepared to let Stephen Ireland leave Eastlands in the summer, which will alert the likes of Manchester United, Liverpool and Spurs.(Daily Mail) 
Mancini says he is planning a bid for Inter Milan forward Mario Balotelli, who has repeatedly clashed with his manager Jose Mourinho.(News of the World) 
Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh says he wants to join Arsenal when his contract expires in the summer.(imscouting.com) 
Stoke striker James Beattie was close to a £2m move to Fulham in January but his demands for £60,000 a week scuppered the deal.(Sunday Mirror) 
Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is preparing to offload £20m of talent in the summer. Anton Ferdinand, Kieran Richardson and Kenwyne Jones - who were all bought by previous boss Roy Keane - will be the ones to leave.(News of the World) 
Everton, Liverpool and Spurs are all in the chase for Hull's 19-year-old midfield starlet Tom Cairney.(Sunday Mirror) 
West Ham defender Matthew Upson will be sold in the summer.(The People) 
Chelsea could make a move for Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic at the end of the season.(Sunday Mirror) 
Birmingham's loan striker Christian Benitez says he wants to join the club on a permanent basis.(The People) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal will offer Cesc Fabregas a £30m deal in a bid to keep the talismanic captain at the north London club.(Sunday Mirror) 
Jose Mourinho could buy himself out of his £5.5m contract with Inter Milan to make a return to the Premier League.(News of the World) 
Chelsea are ready to axe goalkeeper Petr Cech from the first team at the end of the season if his form does not improve.(The People) 
Manchester City striker Benjani failed medicals at West Ham and Blackburn before sealing a loan switch to Sunderland.(The People) 
Aston Villa's James Milner has done enough to impress Capello and looks set to be included in his World Cup squad. (News of the World) 
But Adam Johnson's chance of joining him could be on the line if the young winger does not get enough games at his new club, Manchester City.(Mail on Sunday) 
Johnson almost joined rivals United in January. The former Middlesbrough player was given a secret tour of United's training ground and met with Sir Alex Ferguson but the Premier League champions did not follow up their interest.(The People) 
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand, who has replaced Terry as England skipper, has been visiting a specialist sports physician in an attempt to save his career. (News of the World) 
And Ferdinand is ready to drop his fight against a Football Association ban in order to keep in with Capello.(Sunday Times) 
Manchester United fans are preparing to boycott season tickets in their protest against the club's owners.(Mail on Sunday) 
Manchester City forward Robinho, currently on loan at Brazilian side Santos, is paying £10,000 a week on security amid fears he could be targeted by kidnappers.(Sunday Mirror) 
Portugal manager Carlos Queiroz was involved in an altercation with a television reporter at Lisbon airport en route to the draw for the Euro 2010 qualifiers.(Sunday Times) 

AND FINALLY

Beleaguered Portsmouth are facing more troubles after they failed to pay their overdue electricity bill. (News of the World) 
Tottenham failed to sign goalkeeper Asmir Begovic last month because of an appointment mix-up. The Bosnian player was set to join Spurs in a £2m deal from Portsmouth but was not too happy at meeting rival Stipe Pletikosa, who was also having a medical at the same time. Begovic pulled out of the move and joined Stoke instead.(Sunday Mirror) 
In a bid to raise morale at Manchester United, the ruling Glazer family will treat staff to a day out at the Carling Cup final against Aston Villa later this month.(News of the World)
www.bbc.co.uk

Tuesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal midfielder and captain Cesc Fabregas is set to rejoin Barcelona in the summer. The 22-year-old Spaniard is contracted to the Gunners until the end of the 2013/2014 campaign but is unhappy with the team's lack of ambition. (Spanish newspaper El Mundo Deportivo)
Paris St Germain's bid to sign Manchester United midfielder Anderson fell through because the French club were reluctant to pay the Brazilian's wages.(Daily Mail)
Sunderland missed out on landing Egypt winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi after his club ENPPI rejected the Black Cats' bid of £2m.(Daily Mail) 
One of the most unusual deals on deadline day was Mido's move to West Ham - where he will be on the lowest wages for a player in the Premier League. The Egypt striker signed on a six-month loan from Middlesbrough for £1,000 a week and Hammers owner David Sullivan called the deal "one of the most amazing of all time".(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Beleaguered Chelsea defender John Terry will tell England manager Fabio Capello that he will not relinquish the captain's armband for the national team.(Daily Mirror) 
However, others report the Chelsea centre-half is considering resigning as skipper of England ahead of talks with Capello on Friday. It follows newspaper allegations of an affair with the former girlfriend of England team-mate Wayne Bridge.(The Independent)
Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge could be on the verge of quitting international football following the fall-out of Terry's alleged affair with his ex-girlfriend.(The Times) 
David Beckham has revealed his thoughts on returning to Old Trafford in an AC Milan shirt ahead of this month's Champions League clash. The England midfielder, on loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, said: "The thought of playing United always gives me that sick feeling because I missed the club so much."(Daily Express) 
Midfielder Park Ji-Sung has warned Chelsea that Manchester United will not capitulate as the Premier League title race heats up.(The Sun) 
Striker Emmanuel Adebayor thanked his Manchester City "family" for providing support following the deadly gun attacks on Togo's football team in Angola in January.(Daily Mirror) 
Fiorentina and ex-Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu, who tested positive for the banned substance sibutramine last week, has been labelled a "child" by the Italian club's sporting director Pantaleo Corvino.(The Sun) 
Striker Wayne Rooney is confident that Manchester United can set a new Premier League record and win four successive titles.(Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea missed Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou, on Africa Cup of Nations duty, throughout January but still won all five games. The strikers are set to feature for the Blues in Tuesday's game at Hull and Frank Lampard said: 'When they were away people spoke about us struggling. We've done well and now we will be even stronger."(Daily Mail) 
Portuguese winger Nani says he is back to his best after a stunning performance in Manchester United's 3-1 win at Arsenal. The £17.3m signing in 2007 said: "The manager has shown confidence in me, I have been given more time on the pitch and that has given me belief in myself."(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has been busy reflecting on the defeat at the hands of Manchester United. The Spaniard said: "I felt very well but when you find yourself 2-0 or 3-0 down, it's difficult. Even Lionel Messi would struggle to do anything."(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

It wasn't the most dramatic of transfer deadline days, with less than £20m being splashed out in the final 24 hours of the window.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Big-spending Manchester City are set to make a transfer deadline day £20m offer for Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago. (Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City look set to beat Inter Milan to the £7m signing of Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga.(The Sun)
Manchester City are also likely to submit a fresh £6m bid for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson.(Daily Mail) 
But Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Wolves have also expressed an interest in 22-year-old Johnson. (The Times) 
Fulham are keen to seal a loan deal for Aston Villa defender Nicky Shorey.(Sky Sports)
Stoke City are to renew their interest in keeper David James after failing to complete a £3m deal for his Portsmouth team-mate Asmir Begovic. (Daily Mirror) 
Or Tottenham are keen on Pompey's James after Stoke hijacked their attempts to sign keeper Begovic.(Daily Mail)
Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has pleaded with the London club to sell him to ambitious Birmingham City. (Daily Mirror) 
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will turn to FC Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko after moves for Pavlyuchenko and Portsmouth's Aruna Dindane stalled.(Daily Mail) 
Tottenham and Scotland defender Alan Hutton will sign for Sunderland as Black Cats manager Steve Bruce seeks a breakthrough in solving his right-back problems. (Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich manager Roy Keane is set to raid former club Sunderland for striker Daryl Murphy.(Daily Mail) 
West Ham and Tottenham are in talks over striker Robbie Keane.(Daily Mirror) 
The Hammers are also interested in Frederic Piquionne, who is on loan at Portsmouth, and Daniele Cacia, of Reggina.(The Times) 
Stoke striker James Beattie is considering a £3m switch to Sunderland after the Black Cats gave up on Robbie Keane and Manchester City forward Benjani. (Daily Mail) 
Stoke boss Tony Pulis wants to bring winger Jermaine Pennant back to England from Real Zaragoza. (The Sun) 
Leeds are to launch a bid for Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, possibly opening the door for forward Jermaine Beckford to leave Elland Road.(The Sun) 
Wolves are to offer £5m to Hull for midfielder Stephen Hunt and are keen to take Everton striker James Vaughan on loan. (Daily Mail) 
Blackburn themselves are to make a late loan move for Ivory Coast striker Dindane, who is currently on loan at Portsmouth from Lens.(Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth are hoping to seal a loan deal for Sunderland's central defender Nyron Nosworthy.(The Sun) 
Hull trio, winger Peter Halmosi, utility player Kevin Kilbane and midfielder Bryan Hughes are all set to leave the KC Stadium on Monday. (Daily Mail) 
High-flying championship side Nottingham Forest have tabled a £2m bid for Swansea midfielder Darren Pratley.(Daily Mirror) 
Rangers boss Water Smith wants to sign Bolton's Nigerian centre-half Danny Shittu on a free transfer. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge will have talks with England this week about his international future following the allegations about his national side's captain John Terry over the weekend. (Daily Mirror) 
Chelsea defender John Terry is on the verge of quitting his position as England captain following the weekend revelations about his private life. (Daily Star) 

AND FINALLY

Nottingham Forest manager Billy Davies has accused Derby counterpart Nigel Clough of a "cowardly" assault during the stoppage time melee between the two clubs on Saturday. (The Independent)
www.bbc.co.uk

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)
www.bbc.co.uk

Bolton Wand. - Manchester City

Bolton hold the second place from the bottom and even now it’s obvious they’ll face a hard fight to avoid relegation. They’ve noticed five defeats (four in Premier) in last six competitive games and conceded huge 18 goals (scored just three)! After two rounds on the road, they’ll play at home two times and those two encounters against Manchester City and West Ham will maybe determine the final outcome for the lads from Reebok Stadium. In the previous round, Bolton lost against direct opponent for relegation, Wolwerhampton, 2-1 and that game like some before showed Gary Megson’s 4-5-1 formation works much better when team defends than when is forced to attack. Good news is skipper Kevin Davies has served his suspension and returned to the squad, while midfielder Mustapha Riga and defender Danny Shittu are doubtful. Long time sidelined are Sean Davis and Joey O'Brien.

After historic run of seven draws in Premier that caused many turbulences inside the club, Mark Hughes saved his job with a win against Arsenal in Carling Cup 3-0. Just three days later, they defeated the giants 2-1 and returned the good atmosphere in the dressing room. Well, Premier title is probably lost, but City is at sixth place and just two points from Champions League spot. In my opinion, main problem is Citizens can attract only players with specific mental profile and Hughes always has a difficult task to motivate them, especially in situation where all promises about title has been evaporated. However, against London clubs team just proved the potential they surely have. Craig Bellamy and Vladimir Weiss got H1N1 flu, but have been recovering very well and wouldn’t be surprise if they’re ready for the game. Micah Richards, Stephen Ireland and Wayne Bridge all got the knock against Chelsea and their appearance is under a question mark.

Bolton and City will have opposite motives in this game. While hosts will struggle to extend their Premier League life, visitors will try to collect as much points till Christmas as will launch them in the space for Champions League. The problem for City could be it’s seems too easy. This could be a surprise of a day in England and my decision is to back Wanderers.  If you follow with double chance 1x, wait. Odd on City will drop.

Available free bets, bonus offers and promotions:
Expekt - First deposit bonus up to €35 / £25 for all new customers
Make your first deposit at expekt.com and we will immediately double your money up to max €35 / £25. Take these 3 easy steps to start profiting from sports betting: 1.Register an account with expekt.com here. 2.Deposit a minimum of €10 into your expekt.com account. 3.Send an email to 35eurbonus@expekt.com with your customer number and deposit amount included. The bonus amount up to €35/£25 will be added to your account within 48 h

Wednesday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

Schalke 04's German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is being tracked by Manchester United according to the player's agent Thomas Kroth. (German newspaper Bild)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea look set to shake off competition from Inter Milan to seal a £40m-plus deal for Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero. (Daily Mirror)
Or, Atletico Madrid have turned down a £44m offer for Argentinean Aguero and are holding out for the £50m they believe he is worth. (Daily Star) 
Former Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant, who is currently with Real Zaragoza, is a target for Aston Villa.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge and right-back Micah Richards are facing the axe as manager Mark Hughes looks to sharpen up his defence.(The Sun) 
Holland defender Gregory Van der Wiel has said he is committed to Ajax despite interest from Manchester City.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United, neighbours City, Arsenal and Chelsea are all interested in CSKA Moscow's £9m-rated playmaker Milos Krasic. (Daily Mail) 
West Ham's owners have insisted they do not have to sell £10m-rated Matthew Upson in January despite the club's financial problems. (Daily Star)
Birmingham City manager Alex McLeish is ready to make a £6m bid for Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko. (Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal forward Andrey Arshavin feels that manager Arsene Wenger will need to go on a spending spree to save Arsenal's season. (The Sun) 
Wenger looks set to renew his interest in Bordeaux forward Marouane Chamakh but the French side are adamant that the Morroco international will not be leaving in January. (Daily Star) 
Other players interesting Wenger include Andre-Pierre Gignac of Toulouse, AC Milan's Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, Mario Balotelli of Inter Milan and Sampdoria's Giampaolo Pazzini. (The Sun) 
Spartak Moscow's Brazilian striker Welliton could be involved in a swap deal with Tottenham forward Roman Pavlyuchenko. (Daily Mail) 
Hull want to cash in on Crystal Palace's money problems by launching a cut-price £1m move for former Newcastle and Charlton midfielder Darren Ambrose. (Daily Star) 
League Two side Notts County are targeting former England striker Francis Jeffers who is out of favour at Sheffield Wednesday. (Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Fears are growing that West Ham striker Carlton Cole may need an operation after a scan revealed serious knee ligament damage. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Derby's mascot Rammie the Ram has written a letter of apology to Reading's Brian Howard for claiming the midfielder was faking injury, when in fact he had fractured his jaw. (The Sun) 
Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez believes that former United team-mate Wayne Rooney is a better player than international colleague and Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi. (Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Real Madrid director general Jorge Valdano says the £35m figure they have been quoted for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso means they are close to pulling out of any deal to sign him.(Independent) 
The Spanish club have spent about £170m this summer but the £69m asking price for Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery is one step too far and could open the door for Chelsea to sign the French international.(Guardian) 
But Real Madrid have agreed a deal with Ribery and he will become a galactico next summer.(Independent) 
Wayne Bridge gave Manchester City reason to believe they could sign Chelsea captain John Terry when he signed for them from the Stamford Bridge club in January 2009. City are now preparing a third bid for Terry.(Independent) 
Terry is upset Chelsea have not been in contact with him since City's recent £30m bid for him and wants talks with Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich.(The Sun) 
Arsenal's desire to sign combative midfielder Felipe Melo (on photo) from Fiorentina could result in them trading Emmanuel Eboue and Philippe Senderos as part of any deal. (Daily Express) 
Everton have tabled a £13m bid for Standard Liege midfielder Steven Defour after having an initial £9m offer rejected by the Belgium outfit.(Independent) 
Tottenham will fight it out with Sunderland to sign Republic of Ireland central defender Richard Dunne from Manchester City.(The Sun) 
Spurs also want Stoke defender Ryan Shawcross and are prepared to offer £2m plus midfielder Didier Zokora into the deal.(The Sun) 
Former Liverpool striker Robbie Fowler's stint in Australia could be a short one as Tranmere boss John barnes wants to make a move for his former Anfield team-mate. (The Sun) 
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told Egyptian striker Amr Zaki to forget any thoughts about a return to the club because of his lack of discipline.(The Sun) 
Latics boss Roberto Martinez will try to sign striker Jason Scotland from former club Swansea.(Daily Star) 
West Brom have put a £4m price tag on midfielder Jonathan Greening, who is courting the interest of Fulham.(Daily Express) 
Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez is set for a move to Roma but, while the Italian club want him on loan, the Magpies want to get back the £5.2m they paid for the Argentine.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Bordeaux boss and ex-Manchester United defender Laurent Blanc says midfielder Gabriel Obertan, who the French club are set to sell to the Old Trafford outfit, has a lot to learn.(Daily Star) 
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba says his behaviour after the Champions League defeat by Barcelona was not "right" and still bothers him.(Daily Mirror) 
The uncertainty surrounding Newcastle's ownership could spark a player revolt at the Tyneside club.(Daily Telegraph) 

AND FINALLY

Real Madrid's club shop sold nearly 3,000 club Cristiano Ronaldo shirts in the first two hours on Tuesday and were all-but sold out by closing time. Kaka sold just 600 on the first day after his unveiling.(Independent) 
Arsenal fans have launched their own Michael Owen-style brochure in a send up trying to sell striker Emmanuel Adebayor to any interested club.(Daily Mirror)
www.bbc.co.uk

A good day in the office

I still have my touch.

City lost again. While I was wondering why Stephen Ireland and Wayne Bridge are not injured and where I got that info, Ireland scored in 37th second! But, at the end 3-1 is real picture of the game. Werder and Udinese played, as I thought an open game. Future transfer-market star, Diego scored twice, many unused goal opportunities on both sides, but again 3-1 and more than enough for my over. Greuther Furth let the points go, making my gamble bet foolishly low. We'll keep the eye on You, lads. At the end, to make my day completely perfect, took care Barca who comfortably beat TAU and realized my gamble since 15 days ago. Final four starts at May the 1st, CSKA is next, who knows, maybe they can conquer the Europe (and realize another gamble,he-he). Conclusion: Everything looks so easy, sometimes.

Perfect thursday is just good starting position for coming weekend. Some games will be played tonight, I'll check Millwall game, we'll watch another derby in Championship: Reading FC - Sheffield United. Maybe I'll post some analyze later. Stay tuned.