October Football gossip 2007

[McFLY]

TRANSFER RUMOURS & OTHER GOSSIP
Fulham pair Collins John and Moritz Volz are January transfer targets for Southampton. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool are lining up a deal for 16-year-old Hamilton youngster James McCarthy. (Daily Mirror)

Hull are interested in signing Middlesbrough's Andy Davies in an £800,000 deal. (Daily Mirror)

Hong Kong tycoon Carson Yeung has assured Birmingham he will complete a £50m takeover by the end of the year. (The Sun)

Jussi Jasskelainen's agent has confirmed the Finland goalkeeper is unlikely to sign a new contract at Bolton and wants to join old boss Sam Allardyce at Newcastle. (Daily Mail)

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neil expects to see his name eventually added to the list of possible managerial sackings. (The Sun)

Arsenal want manager Arsene Wenger to prolong his dynasty at Arsenal by signing him up until 2015. (Daily Express)

The Lithuanian FA is demanding an apology from Scottish FA chief executive Gordon Smith over his comments about a "dive" by Saulius Mikoliunas during a recent international. (Daily Record)

The Scottish Football League will launch an inquiry after Saturday's Division Three match between Albion Rovers and Forfar Athletic was postponed because the latter's team bus was stuck in a traffic jam. (Daily Express)

St Mirren defender David van Zanten has branded Hearts' Michael Stewart a cheat after winning a controversial penalty on Sunday. (Various)


CHELSEA RUMOURS
Chelsea's players have been told to get used to having Avram Grant as manager because owner Roman Abramovich will give him time to make his mark. (The Sun)

Chelsea have been forced to sideline John Terry from playing after their captain vowed he would carry on to help his underperforming side, despite fracturing his cheekbone against Fulham. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Fulham goalkeepers Anti Niemi and Kasey Keller are massive fans of Death Metal, according to team-mate Moritz Volz. (The Times)

Kolo Toure swapped shirts with West Ham's Henri Camara on Saturday - and then promptly threw it to the Arsenal fans in the away section. (Daily Mirror)

Singer Mariah Carey reckons she is a distant relative of Chelsea's Ashley Cole, with her grandmother hailing from the same Alabama area as the England full-back's ancestors. (The Sun)

Lyon chairman Michel Aulas says he'll feed Barry Ferguson free whisky to stop the Rangers midfielder playing well against the French side in the Champions League. (Various)

 

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Tuesday 02nd October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
England and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has been offered a shock return to the Premier League, with Sunderland manager Roy Keane wanting to offer him a six-month loan deal. (Daily Mirror)

Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho, who is being targeted by Chelsea, has no desire to leave Barcelona. (Various)

Derby manager Billy Davies is ready to launch a £6m spending spree in the January transfer window. (Daily Star)

Ipswich are targeting Birmingham striker Rowan Vine for a possible loan deal. (Daily Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has blamed owner Roman Abramovich for his failure to win the Champions League. (Various)

Meanwhile, Abramovich is considering adding Gianfranco Zola to his coaching staff in an attempt to win back Chelsea fans. (Various)

Former Chelsea manager Gianluca Vialli and ex-Leicester boss Martin Allen are favourites to succeed John Gregory at the QPR helm. (Various)

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov, who has a stake in Arsenal, held talks about buying into Liverpool and Tottenham - but pulled out because of his "love affair" with the Gunners. (Various)

West Ham striker Dean Ashton is set to be handed an England recall. (Various)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes West Ham midfielder Mark Noble should have been given a red card for his tackle on Alexander Hleb on Saturday. (Daily Star)

Joey Barton's Newcastle debut has been put back a month although he is set to play in Tuesday's reserve game against former club Manchester City. (Various)

An internet petition against Labour MP John Reid taking over as Celtic chairman has been started by some of the club's fans. (The Scotsman)

Celtic midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura will meet doctors today to decide whether he can play for Celtic against AC Milan in the Champions League. (Daily Record)

Brahim Hemdani is again likely to return to Rangers' midfield in the Champions League against Lyon despite being left out of SPL matches. (Various)


AND FINALLY
The worst match-fixing attempt ever has earned Cameroon side Bamboutos a double relegation after their captain Koss Roger gave an envelope containing cash to Federal skipper Nkouma Rim on the pitch - minutes later Rim let Roger score in his side's 3-2 win. (Various)

 

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Wednesday 03rd October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Hull manager Phil Brown is planning a second bid to sign ex-Inter Milan and Lazio striker Christian Vieri from Fiorentina, after initial attempts broke down in the summer. (Various)

Both Watford and Coventry are looking to sign Shrewsbury central defender Kelvin Langmead. (The Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea boss Avram Grant is set to risk the wrath of owner Roman Abramovich by leaving striker Andriy Shevchenko out of the starting line-up for Wednesday's Champions League tie with Valencia. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, Rafa Benitez has said he does not want "excuses from top players" ahead of Liverpool's Champions League encounter with Marseille. (The Sun)

And Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati has spoken of his desire to prove a point to AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti when the two sides meet at Celtic Park - Donati struggled for starts under Ancelotti at Milan. (Various)

Alisher Usmanov has said he will not let former Gunners vice-chairman David Dein's relationship with the Arsenal board stand in the way of a takeover at the club. (Guardian)

Former Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has emerged ahead of Gianluca Vialli as favourite to replace sacked QPR manager John Gregory. (The Mirror)

Newcastle and England striker Michael Owen has made a limited return to training just three days after undergoing surgery on his stomach. (Daily Star)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is backing Kanu to make the 20 starts this season that are a condition of the veteran striker earning a renewed contract at Pompey. (The Mirror)

Reading's Glen Little could be out for up to six months after surgery on an ankle injury. (Daily Star)

Port Vale are looking at Notts County boss Steve Thompson as a replacement for Martin Foyle. (The Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has ordered his squad to take English lessons in order to continue their impressive start to the season. The Swede has 15 nationalities represented in his squad and believes improved communication on the pitch will lead to even better results. (Various)

 

[McFLY]

Thursday 04th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey is attracting interest from Aston Villa, Fulham and Manchester City. (Mirror)

Luton midfielder David Bell is being watched by Portsmouth and West Brom - the Hatters have already turned down a £500,000 offer from QPR. (Sun)

Reading and Bolton are keeping tabs on £3m-rated Metz striker Babacar Gueye. (Various)

Argentine midfielder Fernando Screpis has confirmed he will join Hearts in January after a short-term deal with Kaunas. (Various)


OTHER GOSSIP
Jose Mourinho has targeted Spanish side Real Madrid or Italian giants AC Milan to make his return after his departure from Chelsea. (Sun)

Ashley Cole's wife, Cheryl, has revealed the defender felt paranoid at Arsenal because nobody spoke English in the dressing room. (Mirror)

Tottenham are looking into moving to a new stadium in Enfield. (Guardian)

Hibernian plan to build a new east stand to bring the capacity of Easter Road Stadium up to 20,000. (Various)

US sports tycoon Stan Kroenke's ambitions at Arsenal have been thwarted by Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov's interest. (Guardian)

Meanwhile, Kroenke is at Arsenal and has met the board for the first time and been shown around the Emirates Stadium. (Various)

Sunderland defender Nyron Nosworthy has been called into the Jamaica squad for the first time for a friendly against Ghana in London. (Telegraph)

Steve McMahon has emerged as favourite to take the vacant managerial position at Gillingham. The 46-year-old has also managed at Blackpool and Swindon. (Sun)

Rangers could appeal against the yellow card shown to David Weir following a dive by Lyon's Juninho. (Daily Mail)


AND FINALLY
West Ham are tipped to knock Arsenal off the top of the Premier League of personalised car registrations. The number plate WE57 HAM is for sale and expected to fetch more than the £36,000 someone paid for AR53 NAL. (Times)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 05th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester City star Micah Richards' talks about a new contract have stalled over the club's refusal to grant him an escape clause. (Mirror)

QPR want former England boss Glenn Hoddle to succeed sacked John Gregory at Loftus Road. (Various)

Ajax boss Henk Ten Cate has agreed to work under Avram Grant at Chelsea as assistant coach and former Scotland captain Gary McAllister may also join the backroom staff. (Sun)

Ten Cate will not work under Grant and has demanded assurances he would be part of a Dutch team headed by Russia coach Guus Hiddink. (Guardian)


OTHER GOSSIP
Ajax have made Spurs boss Martin Jol their top target as current coach Henk Ten Cate prepares to join Avram Grant at Chelsea. (Mirror)

Former England keeper Peter Shilton has emerged as a surprise candidate to take over at Port Vale. (Mirror)

West Ham striker Craig Bellamy could be back in two weeks after having a groin operation performed by Michael Owen's surgeon in Germany. (Various)

Steve Bruce hopes to discover if he has a long-term future as Birmingham boss. A new two-year deal hinges on Carson Yeung's imminent takeover at St Andrews. (Sun)

Frank Lampard has told England boss Steve McClaren he will be fit for the crucial European Championship qualifiers against Russia and Estonia. (Sun)

Everton boss David Moyes and former star Wayne Rooney face a High Court date in May after talks aimed at settling a libel wrangle broke down. (Express)

AC Milan keeper Dida will face a Uefa investigation as well as Celtic after his altercation with a fan at Parkhead. (Independent)

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has urged Uefa to ban Dida after his theatrics at Celtic. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
A poll in Italian newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport took more than 60,000 votes by noon on Thursday in an online poll on Dida - with 83% calling on Milan and Uefa to punish the Brazilian. (Mail)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 06th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham want Mark Hughes to take over at White Hart Lane if Martin Jol is lured to Ajax. (Mirror)

Manchester rivals United and City are locked in a battle for teenage Nigerian striker Macauley Christantus, top scorer at the Under-17 World Cup. (Sun)

Chelsea are in the frame to sign Barcelona's 18-year-old midfielder Giovani Dos Santos, hailed as the "new Ronaldinho". (Sun)

Jermain Defoe has begged the Tottenham board to keep Martin Jol, even though he is unable to secure a regular starting place. (Various)

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood wants to tie up Zander Diamond, Scott Severin, Michael Hart, Jamie Langfield, Barry Nicholson and Steve Lovell on long-term contracts. (Record)

Rafael Benitez has denied that his split from assistant manager Pako Ayesteran is the reason for Liverpool's recent loss of form. (Daily Telegraph)

Martin Jol admits he tried to bring Liverpool striker Fernando Torres to White Hart Lane last season but couldn't afford him after buying Dimitar Berbatov. (Mirror)

West Ham defender John Panstil has told his agent to find him a new club after failing to secure a place in the side under Alan Curbishley (Mirror).

Graham Kavanagh wants to stay at Sheffield Wednesday after being put out on loan by Sunderland boss Roy Keane. (Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
England boss Steve McClaren is ready to leave out skipper John Terry for next Saturday's Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia because he is on a booking and could miss the trip to Russia four days later. (Various)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has urged Steve McClaren to use common sense over Michael Owen's fitness for the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers. (Daily Express)

Avram Grant insists he and not Henk ten Cate will be in charge of Chelsea if the Dutchman joins the Stamford Bridge coaching team. (Sun)

Uefa has decided not to take action against Juninho for the Lyon midfielder's dive during the Champions League match against Rangers. (Star)

Uefa general secretary David Taylor says AC Milan's decision not to challenge Wednesday's Champions League result will not prevent the Scottish champions being disciplined for a fan invading the pitch. (Sun)


AND FINALLY
Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri admits he would like to manage England one day. "They have great players," he says. (Sun)

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson viewed a great week of results for Scottish football by remarking "the master race is back". (Record)

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 07th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Striker Peter Crouch insists he will not be forced out of Anfield even if he is not in Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez's plans. (Sunday Mirror)

Manchester United's £17m summer signing Anderson may be heading back to Portugal on loan after struggling to break into the first team. (Sunday Mirror)

Gilberto Silva has told Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger he will quit the club if he doesn't get a regular starting place. (People)

Aston Villa will make a fresh bid in January for Liverpool full-back John Arne Riise, but face competition from Newcastle. (News of the World)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is interested in West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green, and could make an offer of cash plus defender Justin Hoyte. (News of the World)

Tottenham are making Russian left-sided midfielder Andrey Arshavin a transfer target in January. (People)

Javier Mascherano may be prepared to quit Liverpool if the club fail to come up with a bumper new deal. (Record)

Nicolas Anelka admits he is waiting for a "big club" to come in for him in the January transfer window. (Star)

Real Madrid have indicated they would take both Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba if they decided to quit Chelsea (People).

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has won the battle to take back Manchester United defenders Jonny Evans and Danny Simpson on loan in January. (Sunday Mirror)

Barnsley have put a £3m price tag on captain Brian Howard to deter Premier League clubs. (News of the World)


OTHER GOSSIP
Terry Venables has emerged as a shock contender to return to Loftus Road as the new manager of QPR. (People)

Everton are the target of a takeover bid by a mystery South African businessman. (People)

Gianfranco Zola has rejected an approach to join Chelsea's coaching staff. (Observer)

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan will sack boss Peter Taylor during the two-week international break and replace him with Neil Warnock. (People)

Some foreign owners want to scrap relegation from the Premier League to protect their investment. (Sunday Express)

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley could offer the club to David Sullivan for £220m. (News of the World)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce is worried that foreign investment in the Premier League will lead to fewer English managers and hamper the FA's search for Steve McClaren's successor. (Sunday Telegraph)

Seville coach Juande Ramos has employed a teacher to help him improve his English, with an eye to a move to the Premier League next summer. (Sunday Express)


AND FINALLY
So many players at Birmingham have bought big new 4x4s since they were promoted to the Premiership that the white lines in the club's car park have had to be widened. (Sunday Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Monday 08th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Aston Villa want to make goalkeeper Scott Carson's loan move from Liverpool a permanent one. (Various)

Sunderland are targeting Manchester United defender Ryan Shawcross, who is currently on loan at Stoke. (Daily Mirror)

Southampton are set to pip Hull and Norwich in the battle to land Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies. (Daily Mirror)

Birmingham may not be able to afford to offer Maik Taylor a new contract if Blues are relegated this season, with the goalkeeper's current deal ending next summer. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United are stepping up their interest in Sporting Lisbon defender Miguel Veloso and also monitoring Nigeria striker Macauley Chrisantus. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool are eyeing St Etienne's attacking midfielder Pascal Feindouno. (Daily Mail)

Rangers striker Nacho Novo says he will consider his future in January if he fails to break into the first-team at Ibrox. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
Birmingham manager Steve Bruce has been told not to expect a new contract when Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung pushes through his £50m takeover of the club in November. (Daily Star)

Chelsea manager Avram Grant had to placate Andriy Shevchenko in the dressing room after the Champions League win over Valencia because the striker wanted to know why he had remained an unused substitute. (The Guardian)

Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson was deemed to be at fault for the first goal in Sunday's 2-2 draw with Liverpool, which has increased the pressure on England boss Steve McClaren to axe him for this month's Euro 2008 qualifiers. (The Sun)

Spurs boss Martin Jol has backed Robinson to play for England. (Daily Mirror)

Wolves keeper Wayne Hennessey hopes to be fit for Wales' Euro 2008 qualifiers against Cyprus and San Marino, despite bruising a hip against Coventry. (The Sun)

Iain Dowie has vowed to battle on as Coventry boss, despite the resignation of the man who brought him to the club - managing director Paul Fletcher. (Various)

Southampton legend and ex-playmaker Matt Le Tissier says his lack of fitness may have stopped him making it to the first-team in the current game, despite his talent. (Times)

West Ham keeper Robert Green is bemused at being overlooked by England manager Steve McClaren. (Daily Express)

France winger Frank Ribery believes group rivals Scotland will have only themselves to blame if they fail to qualify for Euro 2008. (Daily Record)

Scotland midfielder Paul Hartley has been ruled out of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Ukraine and Georgia after suffering a hamstring strain in Celtic's 2-1 victory against Gretna.


AND FINALLY
Reading winger Glen Little delayed his flight home from Sweden following Achilles tendon surgery because of a deep vein thrombosis scare. (The Sun)

Former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock's wife Sharon gave him a hint to return to management last week. He walked into his kitchen to see her cutting a 10% off voucher from a packet of cereal and he said: "I know I am out of work but that is a bit over the top, isn't it?" (Daily Mirror)

House prices in a road named after a Hull City hero in the North Humberside suburb of Hessle - Windass Court, in recognition of striker Dean - have risen by 125% in just over four years. (Daily Mirror)

 

[McFLY]

Tuesday 09th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal are ready to battle it out with Manchester United for the signature of £20m-rated Sporting Lisbon youngster Miguel Veloso. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea are set to bring in a number of high-profile Dutch players, beginning with the signing of Ajax striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson has been told by the club's billionaire owner, Thaksin Shinawatra, to bring in more players in the January transfer window. (Various)

And Eriksson has set his sights on Tottenham's £12m-rated striker Jermain Defoe. (Daily Express)

Sheffield United and Wolves are in a fight to land Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson on loan. (Daily Mail)

Aston Villa hope to complete the deal this week for Togo midfielder Moustapha Salifou, who been training in Switzerland while waiting for international clearance. (The Times)

Tottenham are closing in on Russia captain Andrei Arshavin, the 26-year-old Zenit St Petersburg midfielder. (The Sun)

Forfar have signed striker Chris Mackie on loan from Alloa ahead of their Scottish Third Division clash with Albion Rovers. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
Michael Owen has revealed he will defy Sam Allardyce and play in both of England's Euro 2008 qualifiers despite the Newcastle boss having concerns about Owen's ability to play two games in four days so soon after undergoing surgery. (Various)

Chelsea are planning to lure Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard to Stamford Bridge next summer as a permanent replacement for Avram Grant. (Daily Mail)

And the Blues are closing on Ajax coach Henk ten Cate, who they want to become their number two behind Avram Grant. (The Times)

Spurs boss Martin Jol had hoped to leave his post at the north London club in order to manage Ajax - as a replacement for Ten Cate. But the Amsterdam giants will instead promote their youth team coach Adrie Koster. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester City defender Micah Richards has revealed his desire to play for Arsenal one day, saying he would take the opportunity to sign for the club should it come his way. (Daily Mirror)

Former Chelsea keeper Mark Bosnich is certain he can return to the Premier League despite having not played since 2003 when he was sacked by the Blues for failing a drugs test. (Daily Mail)

Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf has quit playing for Senegal. He claims his country have a scheduled friendly in a week's time but do not even have opposition lined up. (Daily Mail)

Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez has dismissed speculation his position is under threat, saying "it is early days yet". (The Independent)

Matthew Etherington is in talks to extend his contract at West Ham after overcoming gambling problems. (The Times)

Manchester United winger Lee Martin is to hold talks with a number of Championship clubs over a loan move, with Stoke and Plymouth thought to be favourites to land the 20-year-old. (The Times)

Crystal Palace have lined up Neil Warnock as a replacement for sacked manager Peter Taylor. (Various)

Gary Caldwell is the latest potential Scotland casualty ahead of the crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Ukraine at Hampden on Saturday. (Daily Express)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan is poised to sign a new improved contract with the SPL champions.(Daily Mail)


AND FINALLY
Legend Pele will be at Bramall Lane to watch Sheffield United play Ipswich on 6 November. The man widely considered to be the greatest player of all time will be in attendance as part of the Blades' proposed link up with Brazilian club side Sao Paulo. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United and Manchester City stars are set to do battle over a £3m house that has not yet been built. The "ultimate" pad in Worsley has parking space for eight cars, and outdoors spa, a sauna and a swimming pool.

 

[McFLY]

Wednesday 10th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsene Wenger wants to buy West Ham goalkeeper Robert Green. The £6m-rated stopper is fed up with consistently being overlooked by England boss Steve McClaren and wants to boost his chances of an international call-up with a move to the Emirates. (The Sun)

Wenger is also stepping up his pursuit of Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso, although reports in Portugal suggest Manchester United have first option on his transfer. (Daily Mail)

Dynamo Kiev are plotting a loan bid to take Chelsea's Andriy Shevchenko back to the club where he made his name. (Daily Mirror)

Southampton have won the race to sign Middlesbrough defender Andrew Davies. The England under-21 international will sign a three-month loan deal with a view to a permanent move in January. (Daily Star)

Wolves are set to sign Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson on a three-month loan deal. (Daily Star)

China midfielder Li Tie has been axed by Sheffield United after failing to start a game since arriving at Bramall Lane 14 months ago. (Daily Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
The tension between Michael Owen and his Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce stretches back nearly two years. The Magpies striker was written off by Allardyce before the 2006 World Cup and Owen's insistence on playing for England against Estonia and Russia is in order to prove Allardyce wrong. (The Sun)

Owen's Newcastle team-mate Joey Barton has launched another attack on England, claiming players get carried away with representing their country. Barton, who has one England cap, declared he is no longer interested in international football. (Daily Mail)

Steve Clarke will stay at Chelsea after talks with club bosses on Tuesday. The Scot, number two under former boss Jose Mourinho, has signed a new £500,000-a-year deal to work alongside Henk ten Cate. (The Sun)

Delia Smith is set to quit her role as Norwich's main director and sell on her shares worth £8m. The celebrity TV cook is to hand over the club within the next month to a couple who own a mortgage-lending company. (The Sun)

Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann is poised to sign a one-year contract extension at Eastlands. (The Sun)

Hamann's team-mate Micah Richards is ready to sign a new deal at City that will quadruple his wages with a £14m contract. (Daily Mirror)

Paul Kemsley wants to increase his stake in Tottenham and lead a £250m takeover. (The Sun)

Manchester United teenager Anderson has been taken to task over his flamboyant lifestyle and warned he is in danger of putting his Old Trafford future in jeopardy. (Daily Mail)

Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz is facing six weeks out of action with a tendon injury. (The Sun)

Paul Jewell is the favourite to take over as boss at Norwich following Peter Grant's exit. (Daily Mirror)

Neil Warnock will take over as Crystal Palace boss and make Keith Curle a coach at Selhurst Park. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton boss Sammy Lee has held discussions with coach Gary Speed to determine whether they can save their working relationship. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Fifa will experiment by using three referees in matches at the Club World Cup in December. The plan is to have two extra goalmouth officials, while goal line technology will also be tested. (The Sun)

France coach Raymond Domench has ordered his players to study James McFadden's long-range striking ability. Domenech wants his stars to start hitting shots from 30 yards or more instead of trying to walk the ball into the net. (Various)

 

[McFLY]

Thursday 11th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea are concerned Frank Lampard could be a disruptive influence following the dismissal of Jose Mourinho and are prepared to sell the midfielder, with Real Madrid lining up a £9m bid when the transfer window opens in January. Didier Drogba could also leave following Mourinho's exit. (Daily Mirror)

New Chelsea boss Avram Grant wants to buy Brazilian Kaka from AC Milan even if he costs £100m. (Daily Express)

Man City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will try to sign Jens Lehmann from Arsenal for £1m in the January transfer window. (The Sun)

Eriksson, meanwhile, will be able to buy Peter Crouch for £8m from Liverpool in the January transfer window. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack insists that he is happy at the club and wants to sees out the remaining two years of his contract. (The Sun)

Javier Mascherano has attempted to end speculation over his future by declaring he wants to sign a long-term deal with Liverpool. (The Sun)

Leicester boss Gary Megson wants to sign Collins John from Fulham on loan. (Various)

Sunderland have decided against signing former Manchester City midfielder Kiki Musampa after a trial at the club. (The Independent)


OTHER GOSSIP
John Terry could miss England's games against Estonia and Russia after injuring his knee in training on Wednesday. (Various)

Gareth Barry - and not Frank Lampard - will partner Steven Gerrard in the centre of England's midfield against Estonia on Saturday. (Various)

Gary Speed will be offered a coaching role at Newcastle if he cannot sort out his differences with Bolton boss Sammy Lee. (Daily Mail)

Man Utd defender Gary Neville has suffered another setback from his ankle ligament injury. (Daily Star)

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce wants face-to-face talks with prospective new owner Carson Yeung to discuss his position at the club. (Daily Telegraph)

Gillingham want sacked Crystal Palace boss Peter Taylor to become their new manager. (Various)

LA Galaxy star David Beckham has been told by doctors that he is not ready to return from his knee ligament injury. (The Sun)

Arsenal youngster Fran Merida has been told he must pay Barcelona £2.1m after leaving them for the Gunners, but the Premier League club are set to foot the bill. (Various)

Blackburn are unsure how long Roque Santa Cruz will be sidelined after a scan revealed tendonitis of the knee. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James has revealed how he has now become a committed environmentalist - banning bonfires from his garden. (The Sun)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 12th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is desperate to sign Newcastle's England striker Michael Owen in the January transfer window, for about £15m. (The Sun)

Francesco Guidolin - the Italian set to be appointed QPR's new boss - will be given £20m to spend and he wants to sign Alessandro del Piero. (Daily Mirror, Daily Express)

Liverpool are weighing up a move for Athletic Bilbao defender Fernando Amorebieta, 22. (Various)

Reds boss Rafa Benitez wants £12m for striker Peter Crouch, with Manchester City and Portsmouth leading the race. (Daily Mirror)

Nicklas Bendtner has told Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger - pick me or I'll quit. (The Sun)

Harry Redknapp says Portsmouth will not be signing Sierra Leone striker Mohamed Kallon, despite a recent trial. (Independent)

Osasuna will renew their interest in Celtic midfielder Evander Sno in January. (The Sun)

Falkirk and German clubs are interested in Motherwell's trialist goalkeeper, Henri Sillanpaa, presently of VPS Vaasa. (The Sun)

Dunfermline hope to extend Norwich goalkeeper Paul Gallacher's loan period until the end of the season. (The Sun)

Barnsley have asked Everton boss David Moyes to allow Brazilian midfielder Anderson de Silva to stay at Oakwell for a further month. (Daily Star)

Hull striker Michael Bridges is set to complete a loan move to Australian outfit Sydney FC. (Various)

Manchester City defender Shaleum Logan, 19, has joined Grimsby on a month's loan. (Daily Star)

Charlton boss Alan Pardew has denied reports claiming Arsenal midfielder Alex Song has been training with the club. (Independent)

Managerless Norwich are trying to sign West Brom misfit John Hartson, 32, on loan. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Captain John Terry is a major doubt for England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia on Wednesday. (Daily Star)

Actually, Terry could face a long spell on the sidelines after it emerged he could require surgery on his injured knee. (Daily Mail)

Wayne Rooney says it is time to end his three-and-a-half year goal drought in competitive internationals when England play Estonia on Saturday. (The Sun)

Micah Richards is determined to keep his place at right-back even when Gary Neville returns to full fitness. (The Sun)

England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce is backing Gabriel Agbonlahor to be the next player to step up to the senior squad. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Speed quit as Bolton first-team coach after a series of bust-ups with manager Sammy Lee. (The Sun)

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has told Wales manager John Toshack to stay out of his affairs after Toshack wondered why Freddy Eastwood was not in the team. (Various)

Kenny Jackett has been revealed as the new manager of League One Millwall. (The Sun)

Hibernian manager John Collins rejected an approach to become QPR's new boss. (The Scotsman)

Hearts' Steve Banks believes that Craig Gordon has proven himself the best goalkeeper in Britain since moving from Tynecastle to Sunderland. (Various)

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer wants Scotland to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals. (Daily Mail)

Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko wants France and Italy to qualify for Euro 2008 ahead of Scotland. (Various)

Former St Mirren and Scotland Under-21 defender Sergei Baltacha wants land of his birth Ukraine to beat Scotland on Saturday. (Daily Express)

Blackpool keeper Rhys Evans - on loan at Bradford - has blasted the Seasiders' fans, claiming he was made scapegoat for their poor start last season. (The Sun)


AND FINALLY
Wayne Rooney says he is "boring. I hate the spotlight. I'm a family man." He also likes going round his auntie's. (Various)

Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he is in love - with 40,000 Mancunians. (The Sun)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 13th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are close to signing Partizan Belgrade star Stevan Jovetic for £7m. The 17-year-old Montenegro international has scored six goals for his club side this season. (The Sun).

Arsenal could face a fight for midfielder Cesc Fabregas if Barcelona are interested in the Spain international, according to his agent. (Daily Express, The Guardian)

Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho has denied rumours he wants to leave Chelsea. (The Sun)

Celtic will offer midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura a contract for life to ensure the Japanese international spends the rest of his playing days at Parkhead. (Daily Record)

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp wants to raid former club and south-coast rivals Southampton to sign winger Nathan Dyer. (The Sun)

Recently sacked Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor could set for a quick return to management with Gillingham. (The Sun)

Millwall want to fill their manager vacancy with high-flying Tranmere's Ronnie Moore. (Daily Mirror).

Stoke are keen to take Sheffield United's out-of-favour centre-half Chris Lucketti on loan. (Daily Mirror)

Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming has signed a new 18-month contract. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
England skipper Steven Gerrard has sent a good luck message to the England rugby team ahead of their Rugby World Cup semi-final against France in Paris. (Daily Star).

Chelsea captain John Terry will play in England's crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia on Wednesday. (Daily Star)

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic is hoping England will do his side a favour and beat Russia on Wednesday in Moscow, a victory that would cement Croatia's qualification for Euro 2008 - if Croatia beat Israel on Saturday. (The Guardian).

Manchester United boss sir Alex Ferguson could be on a collision course with the Football Association after branding England's friendly against France in March 2008 "stupid". (Various)

Midfielder Kevin Nolan has vowed to fight for his place in the Bolton line-up after failing to make the squad for their last two matches. (The Sun)

Chelsea manager Avram Grant is keen to strengthen his coaching staff by recruiting Rennes goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon. (The Sun).

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he is the number one keeper at Arsenal - despite claims by Manuel Almunia that he is the better player. (The Sun)

Liverpool's Fernando Torres tore a muscle in his right leg training with Spain and could be out for 10 days, which could rule him out of the Merseyside derby against Everton (The Guardian).

Uefa president Michel Platini says European law will halt any plans to limit the number of foreign players in club competitions by 2010. (The Guardian).

Harry Kewell could be set to return to training with Liverpool after recovering from a groin injury sustained while on international duty for Australia in July. (The Times)

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell could be fit to face Rangers despite pulling out of the Scotland squad through injury. (The Sun)

Falkirk will play host to Sunderland on 15 November in the testimonial match for defender Andy Lawrie. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Manchester United winger Ryan Giggs said he was close to swapping football for rugby league. "If I hadn't been spotted I would have gone the other way." (Daily Mirror)

 

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Sunday 14th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Nicolas Anelka could make a dramatic return to Manchester City as manager Sven-Goran Eriksson looks to strengthen his strike force. (News of the World)

Meanwhile Eriksson is also eyeing up Newcastle striker Michael Owen in a cut-price £6m deal. (Sunday Mirror)

Liverpool have not given up on their pursuit of former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze. The Reds are keen to bring the Real Madrid defender back to England. (News of the World)

Stuart Pearce has no intention of leaving his post as England under-21s manager to take charge at QPR. (The People)

West Ham manager Alan Curbishley will tempt Everton with a £12m bid for England striker Andy Johnson. (The People)

Manchester United want to keep Rio Ferdinand at Old Trafford for life - but the England star will demand wage parity with top earners Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney. (News of the World)

West Ham are considering appointing a technical director to compete with the top teams in the Premier League. (Sunday Mirror)

Valencia are set to take Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva to Spain in a £7m deal. (News of the World)

Manchester United keeper Ben Foster hinted he may have to move away from Old Trafford to get his career back on track. (Sunday Mirror)

Tottenham and Arsenal are keeping tabs on Monaco's French whizzkid Yohan Mollo. (News of the World)

Chelsea are among a group of leading European clubs interested in signing £12m-rated Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta. (The People)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will be given a substantial budget to strengthen his squad in January. (Sunday Post)


OTHER GOSSIP
England defender Micah Richards insists he will stand firm in the face of any potential racist taunts in Russia on Wednesday. (News of the World)

Meanwhile Richards says he is ready to become the next England captain. (Sunday Express)

Jose Mourinho believes Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will be a failure if he doesn't win Premier League this season. (News of the World)

PSV Eindhoven coach Ronald Koeman believes Chelsea have made a mistake in appointing Dutch compatriot Henk ten Cate as assistant manager. (Sunday Mirror)

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce has raided old club Bolton to land goalkeeping coach Fred Barber. (Sunday Express)

Record signing Darren Bent believes Spurs have the ability to go all the way in the Uefa Cup. (Sunday Mirror)

Oldham-born Hearts winger Andrew Driver has been told he is not eligible to play for Scotland's senior side despite having been a schoolboy international. (Scotland On Sunday)

Ukraine coach Oleg Blokhin confirmed that he will tender his resignation after defeat by Scotland ended their Euro 2008 qualification hopes. (Sunday Mail)

Scotland Under-21 caretaker coach Maurice Malpas hopes to be given the job permanently after the 3-0 win over Lithuania. (Sunday Post)


AND FINALLY
AC Milan star Kaka believes Cristiano Ronaldo should forget any aspirations for the Fifa's World Player of the Year award as he's a shoe-in for the title. (Sunday Mirror)

 

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Monday 15th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
England striker Michael Owen has a release clause in his Newcastle contract that would let him leave for only £6m. (The Times)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is set to be among those ready to test Newcastle with a bid for Owen. (The Daily Telegraph)

Striker Shefki Kuqi will meet new Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock to discover whether he has a future at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United full-back Phil Bardsley is set to sign for Bryan Robson's Sheffield United. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea youngster Scott Sinclair could be farmed out on loan to Sunderland after being sent home after breaking a curfew when on England Under-19 duty. (Daily Mirror).


OTHER GOSSIP
David Beckham will launch his bid to get back into the England squad when he makes his Los Angeles Galaxy comeback on Thursday. (Daily Telegraph)

Fernando Torres could miss Liverpool's next match - Saturday's Merseyside derby against Everton - after picking up a thigh strain in training for Spain. (The Sun)

Chelsea boss Avram Grant will attain the coaching qualifications needed to manage in the Premier League in a two-week programme in February. (Daily Mail)

Arsenal have been given a boost because striker Emmanuel Adebayor's Togo side failed to qualify for the African Nations Cup, meaning he will not miss any games for the Gunners at the end of January. (Daily Mirror)

Former Germany World Cup winner Pierre Littbarski wants the vacant Norwich City job and would keep Ian Crook as his assistant. (The Sun)

Former England manager Terry Venables has condemned the England fans who boo Frank Lampard as "appalling". (The Sun)


AND FINALLY
Liverpool forward Ryan Babel was only on the bench for Holland's Euro 2008 qualifier against Romania because of oversleeping. (The Times)

Midfielder Joe Cole is keen to rid himself of his Zizou nickname at Chelsea, after French legend Zinedine Zidane, because he doesn't think he matches up. (The Sun)

 

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Tuesday 16th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea are eyeing a move for £20m-rated Dutch international Rafael van der Vaart, currently playing in Germany with Hamburg. (Various)

Gilberto Silva could be heading to Italy as Juventus are ready to make a £5m move for the out-of-favour Arsenal midfielder. (The Sun)

Manchester United face competition from Real Madrid for Partizan Belgrade's 17-year-old striker Stevan Jovetic. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson is keeping tabs on midfielder Miguel Tevez, younger brother of striker Carlos. The 17-year-old has just finished a two-week trial with Manchester United. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City's Rolando Bianchi could be on his way back to Italy, with Napoli and Torino interested in the £8.8m summer signing from Reggina. (Daily Mail)

Sweden international goalkeeper Andreas Isaksson is also keen on a move away from Eastlands. (Daily Mirror)

Leicester City are after Chelsea full-back Ryan Bertrand, currently on loan at Oldham. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho could be in line to take over as England boss - if Steve McClaren fails to guide the country to qualification for Euro 2008. (The Times)

England's players will be covered by an insurance indemnity of up to £100,000 a week if they suffer injuries against Russia on the plastic pitch in Moscow. (The Guardian)

The Scottish Football Association will net £5m if Alex McLeish's side reach the Euro 2008 finals. (Daily Record)

Everton's Joleon Lescott has got the surprise nod to start at left-back for England ahead of Reading's Nicky Shorey for Wednesday's Euro 2008 showdown against Russia. (The Sun).

Liverpool's Fernando Torres insists he will be fit for the Merseyside derby - despite picking up a thigh injury on international duty for Spain. (Daily Mirror)

Former England star David Platt believes Gareth Barry should leave Aston Villa if he wants to become an England great. (Daily Star)

England Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce has criticised the supporters of the senior team who booed Frank Lampard in the 3-0 win over Estonia on Saturday. (The Times)


AND FINALLY
England fans who prefer to watch their team shirtless will be pleased to hear the weather will not be too cold in Moscow. Temperatures can dip below freezing at this time of year but the forecast is expected to be around three to four degrees at kick-off at 4pm. (The Times)

 

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Wednesday 17th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Newcastle reveal there are no more get-out clauses in Michael Owen's contract. The club say they will decide when Owen leaves. (Daily Star)

Gary Speed could be heading to Sheffield United on loan after falling out with Bolton manager Sammy Lee. (Various)

Blackburn and Wigan are tracking Barnsley's German goalkeeper Heinz Muller. (Daily Mirror)

Notts County are lining up Brian Little after sacking Steve Thompson. The former Villa boss also interests Port Vale and Gillingham. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov has dropped his demand for a place on the board and will vote for the current set-up at Thursday's AGM. (The Sun)

Tottenham vice-chairman Paul Kemsley has resigned to concentrate on his business interests in America. (The Guardian)

Southampton are bracing themselves for a bid from former Manchester City for defender Ray Ranson. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea manager Avram Grant will begin studying for his Uefa pro licence next year according to the Israel FA. (Daily Star)


AND FINALLY
Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon was stopped recently by American immigration officers at JFK airport because he shares a name with a Mexican thief. (Daily Express)

 

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Thursday 18th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea face competition from Italian giants Inter Milan for the signature of Hamburg's £20m-rated Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart in January. (The Sun)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has told clubs lining up a bid for striker Peter Crouch that they are wasting their time. (The Sun)

Manchester United are tracking Partizan Belgrade's Stevan Jovetic, the 17-year-old striker who could cost £7m. (Daily Mail)

Roma are preparing a January transfer window bid for unsettled Manchester City striker Rolando Bianchi. (Various)

Arsenal will welcome back Mexican striker Carlos Vela, 18, in January. He is on loan with Osasuna and soon qualifies for a Spanish passport, meaning he can move to England. (Daily Mirror)

Portuguese legend Luis Figo, 35, says he could join David Beckham in Major League Soccer in the United States. (Daily Mirror)

Wolves winger Lewis Gobern is a target for Crewe. (Daily Star)

Manchester United defender Phil Bardsley is refusing to rule out a permanent £1m move to Sheffield United, where he is currently on loan. (Daily Mirror)

Kilmarnock striker Colin Nish, 26, has turned down the club's offer of a new contract and could leave at the end of the season. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
England's defeat in Russia almost certainly spells the end of Steve McClaren's tenure as manager. (Various)

Russia coach Guus Hiddink said he outhought McClaren tactically to earn victory in Moscow. (The Guardian)

Football Association chiefs will ignore the clamour for a homegrown boss if McClaren goes - with Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger and Jurgen Klinsmann all in the running. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton chairman Phil Gartside wants to get in Real Sociedad coach Chris Coleman to replaced the sacked Sammy Lee. (Daily Mail)

However, on Wednesday, Birmingham refused to give Gartside permission to speak to their boss Steve Bruce. (The Sun)

Actually - the Trotters want Paul Jewell to end his five-month exile from the game. (Daily Star)

Or do they? Gary Megson, Graeme Souness and John Collins are really the ones on the Bolton shortlist. (Daily Mirror)

Meanwhile, League Managers' Association chief Howard Wilkinson has accused Bolton of "burying bad news" by firing Lee on a day when England were playing. (The Sun)

Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves says his injury nightmare is over and he can start to prove himself to the supporters. (The Sun)

France striker Thierry Henry broke Michel Platini's goalscoring record when he struck his 42nd and 43rd goals in the 2-0 win against Lithuania. (Various)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has told £6m signing Alan Smith to clean up his act - Smith is banned for Monday's game against Tottenham. (The Sun)

Chris Mort, the Magpies chairman, insists the club have never tried to prevent Michael Owen from playing for England. (Daily Telegraph)

Welsh striker John Hartson admits he could retire if his three-month loan spell at Norwich does not work out. (The Sun)

Mark Stimson will be appointed the new manager of Gillingham within the next 24 hours. (Daily Star)

Preston keeper Wayne Henderson will be out until the new year after a back operation on Wednesday. (Various)

Ian McParland - who had a caretaker spell in charge of Nottingham Forest - will be named the new boss of Notts County by the end of the week. (Daily Express)

Injured Rangers defender Steven Smith has vowed to play again, despite being out of action since December with a recurring pelvic injury. (Daily Record)

Dunfermline are threatening legal action against Hearts over £40,000 of unpaid ticket money. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
BBC Radio 5live commentators Alan Green, Mike Ingham and Graham Taylor were forced to describe the action from Moscow on mobile phones as their booked ISDN lines were not available.

If England fail to qualify for Euro 2008, it will cost the economy at least £1.25bn. (Daily Star)

Rio Ferdinand had gone 1,021 minutes without conceding a goal for Manchester United and England before Roman Pavluchenko struck. His next spell lasted four minutes. (The Times)

 

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Friday 19th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Both Chelsea and Middlesbrough are eyeing up a possible move for £3m-rated Danish centre-half Simon Kjaer, 19, from FC Midtjylland. (The Sun)

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is planning a £2.5m raid on Steaua Bucharest for Romania midfielder Nicolae Dica. (Mirror)

Manchester United are to offer a contract to Carlos Tevez's attacking midfielder brother Miguel. (Mirror)

Manchester City are keeping tabs on Palermo's Brazilian striker Amauri and Australian midfielder Mark Bresciano. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Glenn Hoddle and Gary Megson have joined the list of possible Bolton targets to replace axed manager Sammy Lee. (Mirror)

Arsene Wenger insists there will one day be a strong contingent of English players coming through the youth ranks into his first team squad. (Mirror)

Sven-Goran Eriksson has backed Steve McClaren by insisting expectations of England success are too high. (Daily Star)

Wales boss John Toshack says the fans were right to boo his side's lacklustre 2-1 win in San Marino. (Mirror)

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson is likely to be the first casualty if Steve McClaren is axed as England boss. (Times)

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton could be fired before his team's final Euro 2008 match away to Wales on 17 November. (Times)

Nemanja Vidic believes the demands of international football on Manchester United's players could ruin their title hopes. (Daily Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Sunderland players have their wages cut the lower down the Premier League they drop, chairman Niall Quinn has revealed.

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 20th October gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are preparing a second bid to sign Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho from Barcelona. (Daily Star)

And Sporting Lisbon midfielder Miguel Veloso wants to move to Old Trafford to play with fellow Portugese Cristiano Ronaldo and Nani.

Jens Lehmann is heading for a showdown with Arsene Wenger over his Arsenal future after being left out of the squad to face Bolton. (Sun)

Chelsea boss Avram Grant is ready to make a controversial new signing, by bringing in old mate Michael Emenalo as his new chief scout. (Mirror)

Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is ready to bid for 17-year-old Nigerian striker Macauley Christantus. (Sun)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has urged the board to stump up more cash so he can boost his squad in the January transfer window. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sam Allardyce has refused to rule himself out of the running for the England job if Steve McClaren gets the sack. (Mirror)

Leicester won't allow Gary Megson to talk to Bolton about succeeding axed manager Sammy Lee. (Mirror)

Yossi Benayoun wants Israel to beat Russia next month and help England qualify for Euro 2008. (Mirror)

Terry Venables has urged the FA not to sack Steve McClaren if England fail to make next year's finals. (Mirror)

Sports finance expert Roger Faulkner is in secret talks to take over Derby County. (Sun)

Steve Bruce will be unable to talk about his Birmingham future as prospective new owner Carson Yeung pulled out of Saturday's trip to Manchester City. (Sun)


AND FINALLY
Dimitar Berbatov grew up idolising former Newcastle striker and BBC football pundit Alan Shearer and even wore a Newcastle shirt in bed. (Various)