February Football gossip 2007

[McFLY]

Thursday 22nd February gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Liverpool have just paid £1.5m for Argentina midfielder Javier Mascherano. (Daily Express)

Burnley are looking to sign Sheffield United's out-of-favour defender David Sommeil. (Daily Mirror)

Nottingham Forest boss Colin Calderwood has failed with a £250,000 bid for Gillingham's Matt Jarvis. (Daily Star)

Aston Villa star Liam Ridgewell has no intention of going to Championship promotion contenders Birmingham on loan. (The Independent)


OTHER GOSSIP
Middlesbrough forward Malcolm Christie is hoping to earn a new deal following his injury nightmare. (Daily Mirror)

Man Utd's Cristiano Ronaldo could miss Saturday's game against Fulham after injuring his foot kicking water bottles. (The Sun)

Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy may not play against Bayer Leverkusen after a row with boss Mark Hughes. (The Sun)

QPR boss John Gregory has been offered a new contract even if the club are relegated. (The Sun)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has told Kevin Nolan to improve his game to earn an England call-up. (The Sun)

Bradford will wait until the summer to lure Stuart McCall back from Sheffield United. (Daily Star)

Southampton defender Alexander Ostlund could miss the run-in after picking up a serious ankle injury. (Daily Star)

Portsmouth defender Lauren has been ruled out for a month with a torn thigh. (Daily Star)

Chris Powell believes his former boss Alan Curbishley has little time to save himself from the sack at West Ham. (Daily Star)

Man Utd striker Louis Saha said Lille should be "ashamed" for their attempt to walk off the pitch. (Daily Star)

Plymouth have been banned from talking about their FA Cup quarter-final at home to Watford. (Daily Star)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to a major summer spending spree, thanks to the Emirates Stadium move. (Daily Star)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp has been boosted by the return to fitness of Pedro Mendes. (Daily Express)

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood is desperate to get Craig Brewster to sign a new contract. (Daily Record)

Dunfermline Athletic are close to giving Rangers reject Fabrice Fernandes a second chance in Scottish football, following his release from Beitar Jerusalem during the January transfer window. (Express)


AND FINALLY...
Celtic's Shunsuke Nakamura did not get any sleep after failing to score from two free-kicks against AC Milan. (Daily Record)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 23th February gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Bolton will have sizeable transfer funds made available - if they qualify for Europe next season. (The Sun)

Phil Bardsley hopes that his loan move from Manchester United to Aston Villa can be made permanent. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea want to run the rule over Plymouth teenager Dan Gosling. (Daily Mirror)

Reading defender Andre Bikey wants his future sorted before the end of the season. (Daily Star)

Kilmarnock have opened talks with Clyde over the transfer of midfielder Craig Bryson. (Daily Express)

Aberdeen striker Dyran Daal rejected offers from Dutch clubs to play on as an amateur with in hope of winning a contract for next season. (Various)

Leicester City owner Milan Mandaric is targeting a £1.5m swoop to make Geoff Horsfield and Jason Jarrett's loan moves permanent. (Daily Star)

Injured Hibernian striker Chris Killen says he is likely to accept an offer of a new one-year contract. (The Sun)

Mauricio Pinilla is edging closer to an exit from Hearts with benefactors set to fund the striker's return to Universidad de Chile. (The Herald)


OTHER GOSSIP
England captain John Terry is almost certain to miss March's Euro 2008 qualifiers with injury. (Various)

Alan Pardew says there will be no room for sentiment when his Charlton team play West Ham in Saturday's relegation six-pointer. (Daily Mirror)

Dundee lost out in a fixture battle with rivals Dundee United on the toss of a coin. (Various)

West Ham defender Anton Ferdinand says the Hammers' players let down former manager Alan Pardew. (The Sun)

Arsene Wenger has hit out at managers overstating their achievements - in a thinly-veiled slight aimed at Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho. (Various)

Manchester United legend Gary Pallister says David Beckham should be recalled to the England team. (The Sun)

Everton fans are lining up a protest on Saturday against chairman Bill Kenwright's lack of investment in the club. (Daily Mirror)

LA Galaxy have admitted their interest in Thomas Gravesen after his agent said that the midfielder will not accept being a Celtic substitute for long. (The Scotsman)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan says he left Gravesen out the side against AC Milan because Evander Sno was a more disciplined midfielder. (Daily Mail)

Scotland goalkeeper David Marshall will return to Celtic from his loan with Norwich after being ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. (Various)

Lokomotiv Moscow striker Garry O'Connor will undergo a groin operation ahead of the new Russian league season. (Various)

Hearts have bought offices next to Tynecastle necessary to make way for their new main stand development. (The Scotsman)

Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy believes the golf-club karaoke row at the club inspired them to victory over Barcelona. (Daily Mirror)

Wembley will definitely be ready to host this season's FA Cup final. (Daily Express)

England coach Steve McClaren will watch David Beckham early in March - to decide whether he still has what it takes to cut it in the national team. (Daily Star)

Derby boss Billy Davies could leave the club - even if they win promotion to the Premiership. (Daily Mirror)

Michael Bridges' Hull career could be over after he was sent off for a headbutt in a reserve game. (Daily Mail)

Coventry City are in "the early stages" of talks with an unnamed investor about a possible takeover of the club. (The Independent)

Scotland forward James McFadden is hopeful of being fit to face Italy next month after returning to training with Everton. (Daily Mail)


AND FINALLY...
Struggling West Ham striker Carlos Tevez says he might have to see a witch doctor - because he believes he is under a jinx. (Daily Star)

Former England star Paul Gascoigne enjoyed the hospitality at Canadian popstress's Nelly Furtado's after-show party following her Hammersmith Apollo gig - but didn't know who she was. (Daily Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 26th February gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Rangers are the latest club to show an interest in Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell. (Mirror)

Liverpool's John Arne Riise insists he wants Craig Bellamy to stay at the club, despite his row with the Welsh striker last week. (Sun)

Wigan are tracking Bayer Leverkusen's Brazilian centre-back Juan. (Mirror)

West Brom striker Nathan Ellington has withdrawn his transfer request. (Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Arsenal and Chelsea face the wrath of the FA after the ugly scenes at the end of the Carling Cup final. (Various)

A Chelsea "insider" thought John Terry had brain damage after being knocked unconcious in the second-half of the final in Cardiff. (Mirror)

Skipper Terry was back in time to join in the post-match party after checking himself out of hospital. (Various)

Keeley, today's Page Three 'stunna', is "delighted" JT is OK. (Sun)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce says defeat at Tottenham has blown the club's chances of getting into the Champions League. (Sun)

Tottenham will appeal the red card Robbie Keane received in the win over Bolton. (Star)

Everton manager David Moyes has set his sights on turning the club into regular European qualifiers. (Various)

Inverness Caledonian Thistle players were in tears after Celtic's late comeback in the Scottish Cup quarter-finals. (Record)

Dunfermline chief John Yorkston has threatened to take Hearts to court over non-payment of ticket cash. (Record)

Having been dropped for the trip to Fulham, Manchester United skipper Gary Neville will also be on the bench for Tuesday's FA Cup tie at Reading. (Sun)

Ryan Giggs says this Manchester United team has the potential to be the best he has ever played in. (Mirror)

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate led a rendition of 'Hallelujah Mark Viduka' to the Australian striker after his role in the win over Reading. (Various)


AND FINALLY...
Winger Cristiano Ronaldo has claimed he is the best dancer and dresser at Manchester United. Englishmen can only dance when they are drunk and Louis Saha has the worst wardrobe of clothes at the club. (Sun)

Colin Montgomerie was impressed after seeing Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko play golf recently. "He looks good," said Monty. "Hits the ball miles." (Times)

Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard says photos showing Brazilian playmaker Ronaldinho sporting a bit of a belly are a "trick of the light". (Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 28th February gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Liverpool are considering a swoop for Barcelona striker Samuel Eto'o* who has also been linked with Arsenal and Chelsea. (Daily Mirror* The Sun)

The Reds have also been linked with a move for £6m-rated Udinese striker Vincenzo Iaquinta. (Daily Mirror)

Athletico Madrid will bid £6m for Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf. (Mirror)

Real Madrid are prepared to break the world transfer record of £48m to land Manchester United star Cristiano Ronaldo this summer. (The Times)

Manchester City could make a summer move for Numancia keeper Juan Pablo who is available on a free. (Various)

Stoke City want Oldham striker Chris Porter on loan. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal have dropped their interest in prolific Kilmarnock striker Steven Naismith. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea captain John Terry has been sidelined indefinitely by the head injury he suffered in the Carling Cup final. (Daily Express)

Former West Ham chairman Terence Brown has quit the board at Upton Park. (Various)

Sir Alex Ferguson says he will stay on as Manchester United manager for at least another two years. (The Sun)

Seville coach Juande Ramos wants to be the next Chelsea manager if Jose Mourinho steps down. (Daily Star)

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich snubbed his Carling Cup winners for a third time when he failed to turn up at a celebratory meal on Monday. (The Sun)

Arjen Robben was fuming after being left out of Chelsea's Carling Cup starting XI. (Daily Mail)

Tottenham defender Ledley King could be back from injury next month. (Various)

Ray Ranson is set to fail in his £70m attempt to take control of Manchester City as the club's board prefer an American consortium. (Independent)

Southampton are lining up former manager Lawrie McMenemy as their new chairman. (Daily Mirror* Daily Mail)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has apologised for his side's part in the Carling Cup final brawl. (Various)

Newcastle striker Michael Owen wants to be fit to play in England's first game at the new Wembley in May. (Mirror)

Sheffield United left-back Chris Armstrong could be set for a call-up by Scotland boss Alex McLeish. (Mirror)

Hearts chairman Roman Romanov has declared war on the Old Firm and vowed to fight to overhaul the Scottish Football Association. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY...
Manchester United have signed identical Brazilian teenage twins Fabio and Rafael Silva* from Brazilian side Fluminese. (The Sun)

The FA is set to make up for lost time and revenue by cramming as many events as possible in at the new Wembley Stadium in the next few months. (Mail)