March Football gossip 2007

[McFLY]

TRANSFER RUMOURS
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley told defender Anton Ferdinand that he has no future at the club. (The Sun)

Watford's on-loan keeper Ben Foster will return to Manchester United next season and challenge Edwin van der Sar for the number one spot. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is pushing through a move for Plymouth teenager Dan Gosling. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has told Atletico Madrid the bidding for El-Hadji Diouf starts at £10m. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth want to sign Rennes' £3m-rated midfielder Arnold Mvuemba after a spell on loan. (Daily Mirror)

Wigan's Swedish international midfielder Andreas Johansson wants to quit the club this summer. (Daily Mirror)

Southampton's 19-goal striker Grzegorz Rasiak is wanted by Rangers. (Daily Star)

Torquay boss Colin Lee is trying to lure ex-Everton striker Michael Branch to help their relegation battle. (Daily Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham could have points deducted as the Premier League investigates the signings of Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez. (Various)

And the Hammers' woes have worsened with the news striker Dean Ashton may not play again this season. (Daily Express)

West Ham will have a clear-out this summer - with a whole team set to depart. (The Times)

Chelsea skipper John Terry was last night given the all-clear following a brain scan, after suffering from dizzy spells, nausea and headaches. (Daily Star)

Terry has undergone a second brain scan and will soon have a third. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger accused one of the Carling Cup final linesmen of telling lies over Emmanuel Adebayor's involvement in the fracas at the Millennium. (Various)

Wenger has called for Chelsea star Frank Lampard to back Adebayor over the incident that could see Adebayor banned. (The Times)

Middlesbrough skipper George Boateng says he could retire if he lifts the FA Cup at Wembley this season. (Various)

An American consortium is close to clinching a £5m deal to takeover Millwall. (Various)

Former Wimbledon and Cardiff owner Sam Hammam could be preparing a bid for QPR, along with former Crystal Palace chief Ron Noades. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo is the best player in the world. (Daily Mail)

Newcastle midfielder Emre is facing a second racism charge after Watford's Al Bangura sent written evidence to the FA. (Daily Mail)

Meanwhile, the Magpies are ready to go to war over Fifa's £1m offer of compensation for striker Michael Owen's World Cup injury. (Daily Mail)

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has been given an early 60th birthday present - he has been cleared of any wrongdoing by the FA after a 15-month investigation into betting surrounding his move from Southampton to Pompey. (Daily Express)

Rangers have vowed to fight Allan McGregor's two-match ban from Uefa. (Daily Record)

Chelsea head of scouting and youth development Frank Arnesen has defended the club's youth set-up amid criticism from manager Jose Mourinho. (The Times, The Sun)

Manchester United paid out £40m to service the costs of the debt used to finance Malcolm Glazer's £800m takeover. (Daily Telegraph)

Former England assistant coach Tord Grip has urged Steve McClaren to recall outcast David Beckham. (The Sun)


AND FINALLY...
Seven seasons after Roy Keane blasted their fans for a lack of passion, Manchester United m anager Sir Alex Ferguson has launched an attack on the Old Trafford prawn sandwich brigade. (Various)

Sports manufacturers Umbro signed a £2m shirt deal with Hearts, partly because of the publicity surrounding the club because of controversial owner Vladimir Romanov. (Daily Record)

 

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Friday 2nd March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready to launch an audacious swoop for Arsenal's Jeremie Aliadiere. (Daily Mirror)

Fulham will sell ex-England defender Zat Knight this summer. (The Sun)

Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf is set for a row with Bolton after holding talks with Atletico Madrid. (Daily Mirror)

Kilmarnock boss Jim Jefferies has told the club's fans to forget about any big-money signings. (Daily Record)

Oldham boss John Sheridan has swooped for Sheffield Wednesday striker Leon Clarke - weeks after he signed for the Owls. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool striker Craig Bellamy has admitted he had "lost it" with John Arne Riise during the Reds' pre-season trip to Portugal. (Daily Mirror)

Bellamy also says he "hates" the way football is now and says he sometimes feels "embarrassed" to be a footballer. (Daily Mirror)

West Ham will be charged with fielding two ineligible players on Friday - with a points deduction almost certain to follow. (Daily Express)

David Beckham is ready to fight to win back his place in the England team. (The Sun)

But England coach Steve McClaren fears that if he names Becks in his next England squad he will weaken his position as manager. (Daily Mirror)

The FA has handed a 13-page list of demands to the Tel Aviv hotel where England will be staying ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifier in Israel. (Daily Mirror)

Arsene Wenger faces a touchline ban after his midweek outburst against a linesman at the Carling Cup final. (Various)

Motherwell say that fans found guilty of racist taunts will be banned from Fir Park for life. (Daily Record)

Man City boss Stuart Pearce says top managers should lay off referees. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has vowed to stick his Championship manager-of-the-month award in his garage because he does not want "pats on the back". (Various)

West Ham legend Phil Parkes says some current Hammers players would not have made the reserves in his day. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea midfielder Claude Makelele has told Manchester United that if they lose to Liverpool on Saturday, they lose the chance of the title. (Daily Star)

Reading defender Andre Bikey - on-loan from Lokomotiv Moscow - said he was so scared of being attacked in Russia that he bought a gun. (The Sun)

Former Celtic star Tommy Gemmell says Celtic can go all the way to the Champions League final - if they beat AC Milan next week. (Daily Record)

Former England assistant boss Tord Grip says Manchester United's failure to sign Henrik Larsson on a permanent deal could cost them the title. (The Sun)

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has backed Arsene Wenger, claiming that he too has fallen victim to "lying" officials. (Daily Express)


AND FINALLY...
More than 30,000 tickets for April's Johnstone's Paint Trophy final between Bristol Rovers and Doncaster will have to be reprinted - because they had the wrong date on them. (Daily Mirror)

David Beckham has denied his move to LA Galaxy is motivated by a desire to launch an acting career - because he admits he is a rubbish actor. (The Sun)

A sports psychologist claims that fans' chants about Wayne Rooney's weight are affecting the Manchester United striker's form. (Daily Star)

 

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Saturday 3rd March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas says he is likely to return to Spain one day for the sake of his girlfriend, who is from Catalonia. (Sun)

Manchester United want Sporting Lisbon's 20-year-old winger Nani to join them in the summer. (Guardian)

Wigan's Leighton Baines has hinted he will leave if the club are relegated. (Times)

St Mirren defender Kirk Broadfoot could be set for a £75,000 move to Rangers. (Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham could be thrown out of the Premiership if found guilty of breaking rules when signing Javier Mascherano and Carlos Tevez. (Daily Mail)

The Hammers could sue former chairman Terry Brown if punished. (Sun)

West Ham could be thrown out of next season's FA Cup because Tevez played in the competition. (Daily Express)

Jonathan Woodgate has confirmed he turned down Newcastle in favour of a move to Middlesbrough. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea's top scorer Didier Drogba says winning a third successive Premiership title would mean more than finishing as the division's top scorer. (Sun)

Portsmouth's Pedro Mendes could miss the rest of the season with ankle ligament damage. (Daily Express)

Liverpool winger Harry Kewell will finally return from injury this month. (Daily Mail)

Portsmouth's Dejan Stefanovic says Chelsea are boring and Manchester United deserve to win the title. (Sun)

South Africa coach Carlos Alberto Parreira expects Benni McCarthy to end his two-year exile from the national team soon. (Sun)

The Norwegian FA may complain to Fifa after Manchester United put Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in for surgery, ruling him out of two international games. (Mail)

Manchester City's Sun Jihai says his family do not like life in England, cannot speak English and football "is the only reason I am here". (Mail)

Arsene Wenger says he would not stop defending his Arsenal players even if he was "put up against a wall and shot" by the football authorities (Express).

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock says better-known players get preferential treatment from referees than some of his less high-profile players. (Mirror)

Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce says they could still get sucked into the relegation dogfight. (Mirror)

West Brom have promised to reduce season ticket prices by 25% next season even if they are promoted to the Premiership. (Mirror)

Barcelona are looking into the possibility of pre-season friendlies against Dundee United and Hibs. (Various)


AND FINALLY...
Celtic club shop staff were left red-faced after trying to sell players Paul Telfer and Lee Naylor tickets to enter a draw for a chance to meet the players and tour the stadium. (Record)

Michael Owen says his experience at Real Madrid taught him living abroad was not for him and he rarely looks for their results. (Times)

 

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Sunday 4th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Portsmouth keeper David James is wanted by Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate to replace Mark Schwarzer. (People)

And Boro are also poised to make a new bid for West Brom winger Zoltan Gera. (News of the World)

Aston Villa are prepared to offer Tottenham £8m plus striker Juan Pablo Angel for Robbie Keane. (News of the World)

Leicester City want to bring Australian World Cup star Jason Culina to the Walkers Stadium in the summer. (Sunday Express)

Arsenal are considering moving for CSKA Moscow keeper Igor Akinfeev, 20. (News of the World)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane will move for John O'Shea, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Thomas Gravesen if the Black Cats make it back to the Premiership. (People, News of the World)

Spurs boss Martin Jol will bid for West Brom defender Curtis Davies and Liverpool striker Peter Crouch in the summer. (People)

Tottenham are also lining up an £8m swoop for giant Serb Nikola Zigic, who plays for Racing Santander. (News of the World)

Bolton's Henrik Pedersen says he "would not hesitate" if he received an offer from another club as he is unhappy at being played out of position (News of the World).

Manchester United and Aston Villa are keeping tabs on Wolves winger Michael Kightly just months after he joined the club from Conference side Grays (News of the World).

Coventry boss Iain Dowie wants to sign winger Michael Hughes from Crystal Palace (People).

Wigan want Newcastle's Antoine Sibierski if Lee McCulloch ends up moving to Rangers (Mirror).


OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham's team morale is being ruined by massive gambling sessions between players. (Observer)

Anton Ferdinand admitted he lied to West Ham by pretending he was visiting his sick grandmother while he was out partying in South Carolina. (News of the World)

Steve McClaren will resist the temptation to recall former England captain David Beckham to his next squad. (Sunday Express)

John Terry revealed that there were fears he nearly died after his sickening Carling Cup final head injury last week. (News of the World)

Newcastle are resigned to losing Emre in the summer, whatever the outcome of an FA charge that he used racially-aggravated words in a game at Everton on December 30. (Sunday Express)

Liverpool's Craig Bellamy escaped a heavy fine for his row with John Arne Riise because he offered to donate a big cash sum to charity (Sunday Express).

Blackburn's Robbie Savage says he has lost a stone in weight through depression after breaking his leg in January (Sunday Express).

Sunderland boss Roy Keane says the secret of his success so far has been learning to control his temper on the touchline and save it for the dressing room (Mirror).


AND FINALLY...
England skipper John Terry, who boasts a best check-out of 160, could concentrate on a darts career when he hangs up his boots. (Sunday Express)

Juventus manager Didier Deschamps says he would love to sign Steven Gerrard and would "ride to the airport on a bike to pick him up" if he were to join (News of the World).

Chelsea's Ricardo Carvalho says he would not celebrate if he scored against his former side Porto in the Champions League, because he owes his career to the club (Mirror).

Barcelona are reportedly interested in 15-year-old Crystal Palace academy player John Bostock (Mirror).

Former Millwall and Liverpool winger Jimmy Carter now lives in a castle in Scotland where he works as a property developer (The Football Paper).

Unionist politician David Burnside leads a consortium interested in buying Sir David Murray's stake in Rangers. (Sunday Herald)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 5th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham are ready to do a £2m deal to sign Bordeaux winger Henri Saviet, who is only 16. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool are set to sign Cambridge City left-back Danny Blanchett after the 19-year-old was handed a trial last month. (Daily Mirror)

Sixteen-year-old Ross County midfielder Gary Mackay Steven is poised for a six-figure transfer to Liverpool. (The Sun)

Aston Villa striker Luke Moore has rejected a loan move to Stoke. (Various)

St Mirren defender Kirk Broadfoot will finalise a pre-contract agreement with Rangers this week. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham manager Alan Curbishley has admitted he would not be surprised if he was sacked after his team lost 4-3 in a thriller against Tottenham on Sunday, which leaves the Hammers at the bottom of the Premiership table. (Various)

Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura will play through the pain barrier against AC Milan in the Champions League after experiencing discomfort in his arm since breaking a bone in his hand. (Daily Record)

Celtic defender Stephen Mcmanus must prove his fitness by Tuesday if he is to play against AC Milan. (Various)

Celtic players will share in a £4m bonus if they defeat AC Milan in the Champions League and clinch the Scottish title. (Sun)

Doubts have surfaced over whether Chelsea captain John Terry will be fit for England's Euro 2008 qualifiers this month after he suffered a head injury in the Carling Cup final. (The Independent)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is set to take a risk on injured striker Thierry Henry for the Champions League tie against PSV Eindhoven. (Daily Express)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has told Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson he will not be silenced. (Various)

Police are investigating alleged spitting by Airdrie reserve goalkeeper Lee Hollis during Saturday's 3-0 defeat by Hamilton. (Sun)

Hibernian manager John Collins says he is looking for a new goalkeeper after Simon Brown's errors in Sunday's 2-0 defeat by Rangers. (The Scotsman)

Motherwell manager Maurice Malpas has called on the Scottish FA to take action against outspoken Hearts owner Vladimir Romanov. (Various)


AND FINALLY...
Adidas intend to mount a nationwide art exhibition of the doodles Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham and other sports stars have made for the company's latest advertising campaign. (Daily Mail)

 

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Tuesday 6th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal are weighing up a £6m summer swoop for Ajax winger Ryan Babel. (Daily Mirror)

Fulham are targeting Manchester City defender Sylvain Distin. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea will recall striker Hernan Crespo from his loan spell at Inter Milan in the summer. (Daily Express)

Leicester are poised to sign former Celtic and Aston Villa winger Didier Agathe on a free. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton are favourites to sign highly-rated Crystal Palace midfielder Tom Soares. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth want West Ham midfielder Yossi Benayoun. (Daily Mail)

Valencia striker David Villa says he is flattered that Liverpool and Chelsea want to sign him. (Daily Star)

Rangers will sign St Mirren defender Kirk Broadfoot on Tuesday on a pre-contract agreement. (Daily Record)

Gretna have moved to take Hibernian goalkeeper Zibi Malkowski on emergency loan. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
West Ham boss Alan Curbishley's strict new regime includes a ban on playing cards and fines if players are late for training. (Sun)

West Ham will axe 16 players in the summer. (Daily Express)

Among them will be Anton Ferdinand, Nigel Reo-Coker, Dean Ashton, Carlos Tevez and Lucas Neill - but Matthew Upson will stay. (The Sun)

Hammers chairman Eggert Magnusson may also be on his way in the summer as the club's owners are unhappy with his running of the club. (Daily Express)

Lucky United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has been told he can have the cash to sign the best players in Europe in the summer. (The Sun)

England coach Steve McClaren was already going off the idea of recalling David Beckham even before the Real Madrid man was injured. (Daily Mail)

Reading striker Dave Kitson is poised to sign a new three-year contract. (Daily Mirror)

Lucky United have ruled out any last-ditch attempt to keep Henrik Larsson at Old Trafford. (Daily Mail)

Celtic defender Stephen McManus has vowed to play through the pain of a groin injury to face AC Milan. (Daily Mail)

Wolves defender Jackie McNamara is set to be recalled for Scotland's Euro 2008 qualifiers against Georgia and Italy. (Daily Express)


AND FINALLY...
Arsenal and Chelsea's reserves staged a re-run of the Carling Cup final brawl in a match at Aldershot on Monday. The flashpoint came when Mart Poom dropped a corner. This time, there were no red cards, only bookings for Arsenal's Gavin Hoyte and Chelsea's Ben Sahar and Sam Hutchinson. (Sun)

 

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Wednesday 7th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal are weighing up a summer move for centre-back Jonathan Woodgate, who is currently on loan at Middlesbrough from Real Madrid. (Express)

Rangers have joined the race to lure Preston striker David Nugent. (Various)

West Ham have put West Brom defender Curtis Davies at the top of their summer shopping list. (Mirror)

Sheffield United are ready to splash the cash to the tune of £7m in the summer in the hope of landing Lucky United's Alan Smith. (Star)

Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell has told Celtic and Rangers he is not interested in a move to Scottish football. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg, Arsenal's longest serving current player, wants to end his career at the club. (Times)

Striker Thierry Henry is not guaranteed a place in Arsenal's starting XI against PSV Eindhoven. (Independent)

Elsewhere, he is. Manager Arsene Wenger is willing to take a risk on his fit-again talismanic skipper. (Various)

Gunners boss Wenger has compiled a video to present to the Football Association to prove his club are being unfairly punished. (Express)

Lille coach Claude Puel has accused "violent" Manchester United fans of causing trouble in the Champions League first leg tie two weeks ago. (Various)

Lucky United striker Louis Saha has sustained a thigh injury, but his absence will not result in Henrik Larsson staying at the club. (Various)

Osasuna striker Roberto Soldado will miss Thursday's Uefa Cup tie against Rangers through injury. (Daily Record)

Norwegian police are investigating the transfer of Jon Obi Mikel from Lyn Oslo amid suspicions of contract forgery. Lucky United and Chelsea are not implicated. (Guardian)

David Moores sat in the Liverpool directors' box as chairman for the last time against Barcelona. (Independent)

Belarus FA chief Gennady Nevyglas has claimed that Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich pays the £1.4m salary of Russia boss Guus Hiddink. (Sun)

The average age of Premiership crowds is 43 and fewer than 10% are under 24. (Guardian)


AND FINALLY...
Not satisifed with brawling during the match, Celtic Marseilles women's team ambushed rivals VGA Saint-Maur at the local train station. (Times)

 

[McFLY]

Thursday 8th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Claude Makelele could leave Chelsea after only being offered a one-year contract extension. (Independent)

Barcelona are ready to pounce after Frank Lampard's negotiations with Chelsea over a new contract stalled. (Daily Mirror)

Lyon defender Eric Abidal has set his sights on a move to Arsenal - although he says he could be tempted by Barcelona. (Daily Mirror)

Rangers deny they are about to bid for Preston's David Nugent. (Independent)

Derby have targeted Portsmouth defender Andy O'Brien after Michael Johnson suffered an injury. (Daily Star)

Coventry want to take out-of-favour Birmingham midfielder Julian Gray on loan. (Daily Star)

Racing Santander striker Nikola Zigic says Bolton and Tottenham have shown an interest in signing him. (Independent)

Atletico Madrid have renewed their interest in Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta. (Independent)


OTHER GOSSIP
Real Madrid boss Fabio Capello is on the verge of losing his job after his side went out of Europe. (Guardian)

Valencia have been told they will not thrown out of the Champions League despite Tuesday's brawl with Inter Milan. (Times)

A mystery American businessman has visited Manchester City ahead of a possible bid. (Daily Mirror)

Leeds boss Dennis Wise has told veteran Gary Kelly his career at the club is over. (Daily Mirror)

Vincenzo Montella could be ready to change his mind and make his Fulham loan move permanent. (Daily Star)

Liverpool striker Peter Crouch will again delay surgery on his broken nose because he wants to keep playing. (Daily Mail)

Jamie Carragher's Liverpool team-mates believe the defender should start regularly for England. (Daily Mail)

A "rogue agent" has threatened to force Bolton pair Tal Ben Haim and Idan Tal to stay in Israel if they travel there to play England. (Daily Express)

Spanish midfielder Fran Merida, 17, has signed a four-year professional contract with Arsenal. (Independent)

Partick Thistle striker Mark Roberts should face St Johnstone on Saturday after recovering from injury. (Daily Express)


AND FINALLY...
Barcelona winger Lionel Messi says Liverpool won their Champions League clash by playing "ugly and dirty". (Sun)

Celtic midfielder Jiri Jarosik says the referee should have awarded the Glasgow club a penalty in the extra-time Champions League defeat by AC Milan. (The Herald)

Rangers boss Walter Smith says he has no qualms over playing keeper Stefan Klos against Osasuna in the Uefa Cup - after the German recovered from a serious knee injury which has sidelined him for two years. (The Scotsman)

 

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Friday 9th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United may have to break their wage structure and pay Cristiano Ronaldo more than £120,000-a-week to stop him from joining Real Madrid or Barcelona. (The Times)

PSV Eindhoven coach Ronald Koeman is a candidate to succeed Jose Mourinho if he leaves Chelsea in the summer. (Daily Express)

Fulham will mount an audacious bid to sign Barcelona's French defender Lilian Thuram, 35, at the end of the season. (The Sun)

Everton have joined the list of clubs tracking Wolves hot-shot Michael Kightly. (Daily Star)

PSV Eindhoven hero Alex says he would love to play in England with Chelsea - who hold his signature - but fears work permit problems will prevent him from doing so. (The Sun)

Preston have admitted they will lose hot-shot striker David Nugent if they fail to win promotion to the Premiership. (Daily Mirror)

Crystal Palace boss Peter Taylor has blasted Chelsea and Arsenal for trying to poach 15-year-old midfielder John Bostock. (Daily Express)

Radostin Kishishev has told Charlton he would rather help Leeds' relegation battle from the Championship. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko says he has complained about Jose Mourinho and has been played out of position. (Daily Mirror)

Mourinho, 44, will quit management at the age of 55 after fulfilling his ambition to coach the Portuguese national side. (The Guardian)

Arsenal captain Thierry Henry fears he will be out for the rest of the season with groin and stomach injuries. (The Sun)

West Ham defender Lucas Neill insists there is no rift between the players at Upton Park. (Daily Express)

David Beckham believes Sir Alex Ferguson will win another treble at Manchester United this season. (Various)

Birmingham managing director Karren Brady has promised they will "spend, spend, spend" if they get promoted this season. (The Sun)

Sheffield United have offered to make defender Jacob Mellis their highest paid teenager - to stop him heading to Liverpool. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool midfielder John Arne Riise is pursuing his former agent Einar Baardsen through the Norwegian courts for around £3m. (The Independent)

Reds striker Peter Crouch could be out for a month after deciding to have surgery on Friday to fix his broken nose. (Daily Star)

Referee Konrad Plauntz admitted Paolo Maldini did handle in the box during Celtic's Champions League tie against AC Milan on Wednesday. (Daily Record)

Former Celtic captain Tom Boyd says England manager Steve McClaren cannot continue to ignore Lee Naylor after the left-back's display against AC Milan. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY...
Ian Wright is set to take his first steps into management by joining Reading's coaching staff - on work experience - until the end of the season. (Daily Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 10th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea skipper John Terry could be on his way out of Stamford Bridge after contract negotiations stalled. (Various)

Tottenham are favourites to land Charlton striker Darren Bent if the Addicks are relegated this season. (The Sun)

Liverpool are likely to accept a summer bid from Aston Villa for Craig Bellamy. (Daily Mirror)

French side Marseille are lining up a summer move for West Ham striker Carlos Tevez. (Daily Mail)

Hearts' head coach Valdas Ivanauskas will step down in the next few days (Daily Star and various)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has hinted captain Neil Lennon will be offered a new contract at the end of the season. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sacked Charlton manager Les Reed is considering returning to the club in an overseas development role. (The Sun)

Sven-Goran Eriksson has agreed a deal to manage a Premiership side next season, according to his girlfriend Nancy Dell'Olio. (Daily Telegraph)


AND FINALLY...
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho was spotted taking his children for a burger in the McDonald's in Clacton. (The Sun)

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 11th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is planning a fresh raid on former club Porto to sign "strike sensation" Ricardo Quaresma, who will cost in excess of £15m.

The Stamford Bridge club have also entered the race to sign Sevilla's £18m-rated right-back Daniel Alves. (The People)

Chelsea are closing in on Valencia's Portuguese full-back Miguel for £10.5m and are also keen on Feyenoord's Canadian midfielder Johnathan de Guzman, who would cost around £2m. (News of the World)

Southampton's Gareth Bale will go to the "highest bidder" in the summer after the club turned down a £10.5m bid from Spurs in the transfer window. (News of the World)

Chelsea have offered £45m for Valencia striker David Villa. (Sunday Express)

Jonathan Woodgate will snub offers from Arsenal, Newcastle and Liverpool to agree a permanent deal with Middlesbrough costing the club £6m. (Sunday Mirror)

Aston Villa will sign PSV striker Arouna Kone for £7.7m. (News of the World)

Arsene Wenger has been given £20m to bolster his squad in the summer despite his side's early exit from the Champions League. (Sunday Mirror)

Real Madrid want Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez to succeed Fabio Capello as manager. (NOTW)


OTHER GOSSIP
The Premiership's top four will set a ceiling of £100,000 a week for their top players' wages meaning the likes of Frank Lampard, John Terry and Cristiano Ronaldo will be disappointed in their contract negotiations. (The Observer)

John Terry's contract talks with Chelsea have broken down after he demanded a 10-year deal and a guarantee he would always be the club's highest paid player. (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea's Joe Cole is targeting the Champions League quarter-final against Valencia for his return from long-term injury. (Various)

Chelsea's potential Premiership decider with Manchester United is likely to be played on Wednesday 9 May, four days before the end of the season, as the fixture is currently pencilled in for FA Cup semi-final weekend. (Observer)

Sir Alex Ferguson says he will carry on at Manchester United for at least two more years and adds that assistant Carlos Queiroz is the ideal man to take over from him when he goes. (Mail on Sunday)

Manchester City defender Richard Dunne says the club's foreign players are taking too long settle in and prove their worth. (NOTW)


AND FINALLY...
West Ham say that problem gambling within the squad is 'an area of concern' that they hope to 'eradicate'... meanwhile, still going strong is the club's exclusive endorsement deal with Pinnacle Casino. "Pinnacle Casino reflects the strong values our football club represents," West Ham director Scott Duxbury said back in September. (Observer)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 12th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal face a battle to keep Denilson, with Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona keeping tabs on the Brazilian midfielder. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea winger Arjen Robben is being lined up for a £16m move to Barcelona. (The Sun)

Manchester City have joined the race to sign Preston striker David Nugent in the summer. (Various)

Reading midfielder Steve Sidwell will snub a host of Premiership clubs, including Newcastle, Everton and Aston Villa, and remain with the Royals if they qualify for Europe. (The Sun)

Wigan boss Paul Jewell is joining the chase for Luton defender Leon Barnett. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom's Zoltan Gera is a £3m target for both Middlesbrough and Nuremburg. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Portsmouth striker Kanu has refused to sign a new one-year deal with the club and will wait until the end of the season before deciding on his future. (Various)

Georgian legend Temuri Katsbaia says his side will shock Scotland boss Alex McLeish in his first match in charge on 24 March. (Daily Record)

Bradford are hopeful of luring former Bantams player Stuart McCall to join them in a managerial role. (Daily Mail)

England boss Steve McClaren faces a nervous Monday on 19 March, as the two FA Cup replays could involve as many as 16 of his potential squad for the Euro qualifiers against Andorra and Israel. (Various)

Rangers boss Walter Smith has challenged his side to use Sunday's Old Firm victory as motivation to mount a strong title challenge next season. (The Scotsman)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan said his side failed to cope with the shock of losing a goal in Sunday's Old Firm defeat after spurning a number of chances in the first half. (The Scotsman)

Scotland boss Alex McLeish said Celtic keeper Artur Boruc was at fault for Ugo Ehiogu's winner in the Old Firm game at Celtic Park. (The Sun)


AND FINALLY...
Watford boss Adrian Boothroyd was so impressed by the performance of on-loan Ben Foster in Sunday's FA Cup win at Plymouth that he has tipped the goalkeeper to become the world's best stopper. (Various)

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 13th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal want to sign Julio Baptista, who is on loan from Real Madrid, in a permanent £8m deal this summer. (Daily Mirror)

Rangers manager Walter Smith is considering a summer move for Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright. (Daily Record)

Leeds want to bring back Manchester City defender Danny Mills on loan. (Various)

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Chris Brunt will quit the club in the summer and join Charlton in a £2m deal. (Daily Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City have already decided to get rid of manager Stuart Pearce - even if he turns their season around - and replace him with either Sam Allardyce or Paul Jewell. (The Sun)

Chelsea are furious with manager Jose Mourinho for talking about his desire to one day become Real Madrid manager. (Daily Star)

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry will be out for five months with groin and stomach injuries but has pledged to remain at the club for the rest of his career. (The Sun)

Spurs boss Martin Jol was told by the club's board to play striker Dimitar Berbatov in the FA Cup tie at Chelsea on Sunday. (Independent)

Everton pair Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs will be offered new deals to keep them at Everton for at least another year. (Daily Mail)

Former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness is interested in buying into his former club Southampton as his chances of a Wolves takeover have faded. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to miss Saturday's game against Bolton because of the calf injury he suffered during the warm-up to last weekend's FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough. (The Sun)

Former Nottingham Forest boss Gary Megson is favourite to become the new boss of Huddersfield after the departure of Peter Jackson. (Daily Mirror)

Though ex-Hull boss Phil Parkinson is actually top of the Terriers wish-list. (The Sun)

Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard will train through the summer to ensure he is ready for the start of next season following the knee ligament injury he suffered last September. (Daily Star)

William Gallas has blamed Arsenal's recent cup exits on a lack of goals. (Daily Star)

Birmingham are in talks with the city council to build a 55,000-capacity stadium on a site close to their St Andrews home. (Daily Telegraph)

Brothers Peter and Jimmy Marr will today end their 10-year reign at Dundee by resigning as directors of the Dens Park club. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY...
Derby boss Billy Davies reckons he has conned Manchester United out of £3-4m by signing influential midfielder David Jones for just £1m from the Old Trafford side in January. (Daily Star)

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 14th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Inter Milan have put Arsenal striker Thierry Henry on their summer hit-list of transfer targets as they believe they can lure him to Serie A. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea have not offered Claude Makelele a new contract as punishment for speaking out against owner Roman Abramovich. (Various)

Blues boss Jose Mourinho has been told Porto defender Pepe will cost £14m to buy this summer. (Daily Mirror)

Blackburn are preparing a bumper deal to make sure Benni McCarthy is still at the club next season. (Daily Mail)

Rovers are hoping to strengthen their defence this summer with the signing of Southampton's Chris Baird. (Daily Express, Daily Star)

Everton's Mikel Arteta will be offered a long-term deal to keep him from the clutches of Atletico Madrid. (Daily Mail, Express)

Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer says fellow Australian Mark Viduka is close to signing a new deal with the club. (The Sun)

Hearts player Laryea Kingston fears being axed by the club after he recieved a misconduct charge over his comments to referee Steve Conroy after being red-carded in Saturday's 1-0 defeat by Aberdeen. (Daily Record)

Motherwell midfielder Shaun Fagan has been told he can leave Fir Park and is interesting Dundee and Irish clubs Galway United and Sligo Rovers. (Daily Express) Hibernian have signed teenage Iranian striker Shana Haji on a short-term deal after the youngster impressed during a two-week trial. (Daily Record)

Scottish Second Division side Cowdenbeath are to free Craig Smart just six weeks after signing him from East Fife. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
England players have told coach Steve McClaren not to pick Manchester City midfielder Joey Barton because of his attitude. (Daily Express)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will take the Real Madrid job if they agree to sign Frank Lampard. (The Sun)

Mourinho has apparently already been lined up by the Spanish giants and wants to take Lampard with him. (Daily Star)

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre is out for the season with a dislocated shoulder. (The Sun)

Manchester City boss Stuart Pearce could lose his job tonight, but his team have already revolted and are fighting with each other. (Daily Mirror)

Pearce could miss out on the England Under-21 job as the FA is keen on Watford's Aidy Boothroyd. (The Sun)

Chelsea skipper John Terry will make his return from a head injury against City tonight. (Various)

Americans Thomas Hicks and George Gillett Jr have borrowed nearly £300m from the Bank of Scotland in order to fund their takeover of Liverpool. (The Guardian)

Former Liverpool and Scotland star Graeme Souness is prepared to spend £13m to buy Southampton. (Daily Mail)

After walking away from the club, Jimmy Marr says he and brother Peter spent about £10m during their decade in charge of Scottish First Division side Dundee. (Daily Mail)


AND FINALLY...
The Football Association's lawyers have got involved after tickets for the England Under-21 game at the new Wembley stadium on 24 March were being sold for 25 times their value on an internet auction site. (The Times)

Former Manchester United star David Beckham finally ended his rift with manager Sir Alex Ferguson during his visit to Old Trafford for the charity game against a European XI. (Various)

 

[McFLY]

Thursday 15th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Millwall are planning a bold move to bring back Teddy Sheringham on loan from West Ham. (The Sun)

Celtic striker Kenny Miller is ready to return to England next season, with Everton leading the chase for the Scot. (Daily Mirror)

Everton and England striker Andy Johnson is keen to return to London as he is homesick. (Daily Express)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is ready to swoop for Athletic Bilbao defender Mikel San Jose. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth have joined Manchester United, Aston Villa and Everton have joined the race to sign Wolves' star Michael Kightly. (Daily Mail)

Middlesbrough keeper Mark Schwarzer is ready to turn down a move to Bayern Munich to stay at the Riverside. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City will decide on manager Stuart Pearce's future today - with ex-boss Peter Reid a possible replacement. (Daily Mirror)

Preston striker David Nugent is on standby for a shock England call-up. (Various)

Nugent apparently would have mixed emotions about a call-up as he has eyes on scoring the first goal at the new Wembley stadium for the Under-21s. (The Times, Daily Star)

Lokomotiv Moscow striker Gary O'Connor's Scotland career is in doubt after coach Alex McLeish left him out of his first Scotland squad. (Daily Record)

Wembley stadium is emerging as a candidate to host the opening and closing ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics. (Guardian)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez wants urgent talks with the club's new owners to discuss their future for the club. (Various)

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is confident Olof Mellberg and Gavin McCann will sign new deals. (Daily Mirror)

Former chairman Terry Brown resigned from the West Ham board because he was worried about the money being spent on players and wages. (Daily Express)

Arsenal legend Ian Wright has joined Ryman League side Ashford Town as director of football strategy. (Daily Star)


AND FINALLY...
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, who is in the middle of a divorce that could cost him £1.5bn, could end up another £250m out of pocket if he decides to sack manager Jose Mourinho and bring in another boss this summer. (The Sun)

Two Belarus players that Hearts were interested in have put a move to Tynecastle in doubt by being caught drunk on a train. (Daily Record)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 16th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Juventus held talks with the agent of Chelsea star Frank Lampard. (The Sun)

The Italian side are plotting a £70m raid on the Premiership - with Lampard, Arsenal's Gilberto Silva and Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze on their hit-list. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has blamed the club's failure to buy anyone in the January transfer market on owner Roman Abramovich's marital problems. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko says he has no plans to quit the club and loves working for manager Jose Mourinho. (Daily Star)

Spanish reports have claimed Real Madrid are to go all out to sign Cristiano Ronaldo this summer and they have a verbal agreement with the Manchester United winger. (The Guardian)

Liverpool are weighing up a summer move for Tottenham's in-form striker Dimitar Berbatov, with Peter Crouch possibly moving back to White Hart Lane. (The Independent)

Liverpool have agreed to pay a six-figure fee to Ross County for 17-year-old midfielder Gary Mackay Steven. (Daily Star)

Bolton and Southampton are interested in signing Dundee defender Paul Dickson. (Daily Star)

Everton are set to sign Swindon teenager Lukas Jutkiewicz in the summer for £500,000. (Various)

Gillingham midfielder Matt Jarvis will join Nottingham Forest in the summer after rejecting a new deal. (Daily Star)

Plymouth are set to lose Tony Capaldi after contract negotiations broke down. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Angry Premiership clubs have threatened to ban promotion to the Premiership if penalty shoot-outs are brought in to decide Football League games. (The Sun)

Fulham manager Chris Coleman will be the surprise name on Manchester City's shortlist if they decide to sack Stuart Pearce. (The Guardian)

Pearce will be given a £100,000 pay-off from City - even though he is not entitled to compensation. (The Sun)

Reading manager Steve Coppell will break the habit of a lifetime by signing a two-year contract with the Royals. (Daily Star, Sun)

Manchester United are down to the bare bones for their crucial Premiership tie with Bolton this weekend. (Daily Express)

Defender Rio Ferdinand is an injury worry for United and England as he has suffered a cracked rib. (The Sun)

Manchester United keeper Ben Foster, who is on loan at Watford, will be given a new contract at Old Trafford this summer. (Daily Mirror)

England manager Steve McClaren will have just one full-scale practice session before their crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel. (Daily Express)

Joe Kinnear and Mick Harford have emerged as the favourites to succeed the sacked Mike Newell at Luton. (Daily Mirror)

The Football Association is considering hosting both FA Cup semi-finals at Villa Park this season. (The Guardian)

Arsenal's majority shareholder Danny Fiszman made a £3.9m killing by selling off some of his stake in the club. (The Times)

Fulham defender Franck Queudrue has thrown his hat into the ring for an England call-up - even though he is French. (The Times)

Rangers fans want Osasuna kicked out of the Uefa Cup over the police battering they received in Pamplona. (Daily Record)

Spanish police insist they were right to use batons against Rangers fans in the stand during Wednesday's Uefa Cup tie against Osasuna. (Various)

Uefa delegate Mano Mavrokoukoulakis says Rangers have to stop fans travelling abroad without official tickets. (Daily Express)

Kilmarnock players will receive a club record one-off bonus of about £5,000 per man if they win the CIS Insurance Cup final on Sunday. (Daily Star)

Henrik Larsson reckons Celtic would be more than capable of competing in the English Premiership. (Various)


AND FINALLY...
West Ham's Argentine striker Carlos Tevez has fallen in love with the fish and chips in England. (Daily Mail)

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock, who turned down the chance to manage Chelsea 15 years ago, has admitted he would probably take the job if the Blues decide to look for a new manager this summer. (The Sun, Express)

Warnock called Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon to try to get the club to change their policy of only allowing one mascot for the away team so his son and daughter could move be at Stamford Bridge, but Kenyon did not return his call. (Daily Express)

Hull manager Phil Brown will appear naked in the club magazine after making the pledge in order to help the club win the buy-a-player promotion. (The Times)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 17th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Cristiano Ronaldo is set to sign a five-year £28m contract and remain with Manchester United. (The Sun)

However, it is reported Real Madrid are ready to step in following the rejection of Ronaldo's £140,000 a week wage demands at Old Trafford. (The Guardian)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says he will not stand in the way of John Terry and Frank Lampard if they decide to play overseas. (Daily Mirror)

Spanish giants Barcelona are preparing a £16m bid for Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso in the summer. (Daily Star)

Fulham are considering signing Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia for next season. (Daily Express)

Reading boss Steve Coppell is close to signing defender Andre Bikey on a permanent basis. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sunderland manager Roy Keane has called the omission of Liam Miller and David Connolly from the Republic of Ireland squad a "disgrace". (various)

Chelsea star Arjen Robben's father has dismissed claims that his son has been negotiating an extension to his contract at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Star)

Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd has backed Glenn Roeder to guide the club to greater things next season with Titus Bramble expected to be shown the exit. (Daily Telegraph)

Arsenal's Arsene Wenger reveals he wanted to sign Everton striker Andrew Johnson but had been put off by his price. (Various)

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is not a happy man following Steve McClaren's decision to leave defender Gareth Barry out of the England squad. (Various)

With the Premiership title race hotting up, Fergie insists his Manchester United side are not bottlers and have the "guts and determination" to go all the way. (Daily Express)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has warned new American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks that glory will not come quickly at Anfield. "We are close to the top two... but not as close as we think." (Daily Mirror)

After being dropped from the England squad on Friday, Joey Barton is hoping that 12 minutes against Spain will not prove the full extent of his international career. (The Times)

Libor Sionko last night told Rangers boss Walter Smith to play him or sell him. (Daily Record)

Aberdeen star Michael Hart has claimed the Dons have no fear about facing Rangers at Ibrox as they have more quality in their team. (The Sun)


AND FINALLY...
Man City defender Micah Richards reveals he hung up on Steve McClaren when the England boss called him to say he had made the squad. (The Independent)

The Israel coach has ordered his team not to stay in Tel Aviv before their game with England to prevent them getting caught up in another call-girl scandal. (Daily Mirror)

Kilmarnock's request to have a training session on the turf of Hampden to help prepare for the CIS Cup final was received with a resounding 'no'. (Daily Record)

While 90-year-old Hibs fan Maude MacFarlane is praying her team can lift the Scottish Cup for the first time in her life.

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 18th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham boss Martin Jol values in-form striker Dimitar Berbatov at over £40m, but insists he would never sell the Bulgarian despite reported interest from Manchester United and Liverpool (Various).

West Ham want to sign Ole Gunnar Solskjaer in the summer whether or not they are relegated (News of the World).

Bayern Munich's Owen Hargreaves says Manchester United is the only team he wants to join as they have made such an effort to sign him (News of the World).

Everton are interested in signing Blackburn's Michael Gray, who will be out of contract in the summer (News of the World).

Inter Milan want to sign Chelsea's John Terry (Mail on Sunday).

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is still tracking Marseille winger Franck Ribery (Express).

QPR striker Kevin Gallen, who is currently on loan at Plymouth, will leave Loftus Road in the summer, with Leicester one of the clubs keen to sign him (Mirror).

Jason Roberts could leave Blackburn in the summer after failing to regain his first-team place after recovering from injury (People).

Spurs will sign West Brom defender Curtis Davies for £7m in the summer, with Anthony Gardner possibly going in the other direction (News of the World).

Rangers want David Weir to stay at Ibrox until the summer of 2008. (Sunday Post)

OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez still tops Real Madrid's managerial wish-list for the summer (Mirror).

Steve McClaren has hailed Spurs winger Aaron Lennon, saying the youngster could be England's equivalent to Cristiano Ronaldo in coming years (Independent).

The Premier League is to introduce 'Hawkeye' equipment to rule whether or not the ball has crossed the line for the 2008-09 season (Various)

Birmingham could be fined points after their game with Leeds was called off at short notice because the newly-laid pitch was unplayable (Various).

Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson's next job will be at Marseille (Mirror).

Luton want Colchester assistant boss Mick Harford as their new manager to replace Mike Newell, with Plymouth's Tim Breacker also on the shortlist (Mirror).

Derby boss Billy Davies will leave in the summer whether or not they get promoted because of tensions with managing director Mike Horton (Various).

Barcelona's Frank Rijkaard is top of Chelsea's list if manager Jose Mourinho leaves in the summer (People).

Roman Abramovich could be under pressure from the Russian government to sell Chelsea to help fund a bid for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Express).

Fifa president Sepp Blatter is backing a joint bid from Ukraine and Poland to host the 2012 European Championships (Times).

AZ Alkmaar's Kew Jaliens has accused Newcastle's Nicky Butt of "animalistic" behaviour in the teams' Uefa Cup match last week (News of the World).

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has blasted England boss Steve McClaren for overlooking left-back Lee Naylor. (Sunday Post)

Rangers winger Chris Burke is an injury doubt for Scotland's Euro 2008 double-header against Georgia and Italy. (Sunday Post)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan has criticised the decision to schedule his side's league match with Falkirk on the same day as the CIS Insurance Cup final. (Sunday Post)


AND FINALLY...
Israel have called in Uri Geller to help with positive thinking ahead of their Euro 2008 qualifier with England (Mail on Sunday).

Uefa have refused to rule out the possibility of staging a Champions League game in Asia as a promotional event (Mirror).

 

[McFLY]

Monday 19th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Blackburn are to send 18-year-old defender Eddie Nolan to Stockport on loan to give him some first-team experience ahead of next season. (Daily Mirror)

Rangers are ready to gamble on troubled West Ham goalkeeper Roy Carroll with a summer swoop to bring him to Ibrox. (Scottish Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
England midfielder Frank Lampard has insisted that he wants to remain at Chelsea, despite reports linking him to Barcelona. (The Sun)

Everton striker Victor Anichebe, 18, wants a bumper new contract after breaking into the first team. (Daily Mirror)

Sylvain Distin says Manchester City's foreign players did not take kindly to fellow defender Richard Dunne's recent criticism of them. (Star)

Blackburn's Stephen Warnock wants refs who blunder to serve bans after his side's controversial loss to West Ham in which Howard Webb officiated. (Sun)

Preston striker David Nugent is set for a call-up to the England squad because of an injury to Darren Bent. (Various)

Rangers bosses are set to meet with fans as fears grow that Ibrox may be closed because of sectarian chanting. (Daily Record)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan has denied any title nerves after the loss to Falkirk. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY...
Tottenham boss Martin Jol "hates" it when Chelsea's Jose Mourinho calls himself the Special One. He added he thinks Watford boss Aidy Boothroyd has done "maybe a better job than the champions of England".

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 20th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal are ready to beat Manchester United to the signing of Norwegian defender Havard Nordtveit, 16. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa will pay whatever it takes to sign Nigel Reo-Coker from West Ham at the end of the season. (Daily Mirror)

Hull City are ready to rival Leeds in a bid to sign Danny Mills on loan from Manchester City before Thursday's deadline. (Daily Mail)

Watford and Reading are competing for Millwall midfielder Marvin Elliott, whose contract runs out at the end of the season. (Daily Star)

Crystal Palace are lining up a £450,000 summer swoop for Lincoln left-back Jeff Hughes. (Daily Star)

Plymouth are in talks with Chelsea about keeping teenage sensation Scott Sinclair at Home Park for next season. (Daily Mirror)

Didier Drogba's younger brother Joel hopes to win a contract with Leyton Orient and will play for their reserves on Tuesday. (The Times)


OTHER GOSSIP
Former England captain David Beckham has told his old international team-mates that they have too much class to fail to qualify for Euro 2008. (The Sun)

Middlesbrough branded Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo a "cheat" after they were knocked out of the FA Cup at Old Trafford. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes new Fifa rules allowing players over 28 to buy out their contracts could see a collapse of the transfer market. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has branded Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate a "disgrace" for fielding a weakened team against Manchester City. (The Sun)

Spurs face a Football Association fine after a fan ran on to the pitch to attack Chelsea's Frank Lampard following Monday's FA Cup tie. (Daily Express)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce has refused to rule himself out of taking over at Manchester City if Stuart Pearce is sacked. (Daily Mirror)

Israel skipper Yossi Benayoun fears a niggling knee problem will rule him out of their Euro 2008 qualifier with England on Saturday. (Daily Express)

Arsenal defender William Gallas is fed up with playing pretty football - because it is not getting results. (Daily Star)

Rangers worry that Uefa will close their Ibrox stadium for European ties next season as they study internet footage of fans' sectarian chanting in Spain last week. (Daily Record)

AND FINALLY...
Craig Brown says Hibernian manager John Collins loved turning out for Scotland so much he actually paid to play for them at Euro 96. (Daily Record)