March Football gossip 2008

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Wednesday 05th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Juventus boss Claudio Ranieri will try to sign Frank Lampard from his ex-club Chelsea in the summer. (The Sun)

Blackburn hope to keep David Bentley out of the clutches of bigger clubs by offering him a new deal. (Various)

Tottenham are closing in on Espanyol keeper Carlos Kameni, who will replace Paul Robinson as number one. (Various)

Liam Miller's poor timekeeping has not put off Major League Soccer's Toronto, who want him and Sunderland team-mate Ross Wallace. (Daily Star)

Nottingham Forest want to sign out-of-favour Wolves striker Freddy Eastwood on loan. (Daily Star)

Atletico Madrid have added Liverpool keeper Pepe Reina to a wanted list including Reds boss Rafael Benitez and midfielder Xabi Alonso. (Daily Mirror)

Dundee have signed Hibs midfielder Patrick Noubissie on loan until the end of the season. (Daily Mail)


OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is not scared of drawing a fellow English team in the last eight of the Champions League. (Various)

Middlesbrough may ditch their policy of not complaining to officials if decisions keep going against them for showing respect to referees. (D Mail)

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc says he should have saved Xavi's shot in the 1-0 Champions League defeat by Barcelona. (Various)

Captain Stephen McManus says the side must eradicate basic mistakes if they are to progress in the tournament. (Various)

Strikers Ivan Klasnic and Hugo Almeida are injury doubts ahead of Werder Bremen's Uefa Cup tie against Rangers at Ibrox. (Daily Express)

Rangers striker Kris Boyd says the Ibrox club will be regarded as one of the favourites to lift the Uefa Cup if they beat Bremen over two legs. (The Scotsman)


AND FINALLY
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan and some of his players took to the catwalk as they put their struggles aside to raise money for cancer charities. (Daily Mirror)

On the modelling front, Joe Cole was being snapped in Chelsea's new home shirt when a van backed into his car. (Daily Mail)

 

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Thursday 06th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
AC Milan are set to make a £20m bid for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in the summer. (Daily Mirror)

Blackburn are poised to offer former AC Milan midfielder Johann Vogel a short-term contract. (The Sun)

West Brom want to sign on-loan Hearts striker Roman Bednar in a permanent £2m deal. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal have joined the list of clubs trailing young Cardiff City midfielder Aaron Ramsey. (Daily Mirror)

Coventry City boss Chris Coleman wants to take defenders Carlos Bocanegra and Dejan Stefanovic on loan from his old club Fulham. (Daily Mirror)

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley still hopes to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell in a £5m deal. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan is set to sign Senegal defender Lamine Diatta to bolster his squad. (Daily Express)

Diatta has passed a medical and agreed a deal until the end of the season. (Daily Star)


OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, Aston Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor and Newcastle winger James Milner are in line for England call-ups. (The Times)

Dubai International Capital could still reach a deal with George Gillett for his 50% stake in Liverpool. (Various)

Former Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce says the current problems at St James' Park are not his fault. (Daily Telegraph)

Celtic boss Gordon Strachan's job is safe even if he fails to win the Scottish Premier League this season, according to Bhoys chief executive Peter Lawwell. (Daily Record)

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc feels he was unfairly booked for clapping Hibernian fans after his side's win at Easter Road on Saturday. (Daily Record)

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney says he will never quit the Premier League because it is the best in the world. (Various)

Arsenal may have beaten AC Milan at the San Siro on Tuesday but Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland thinks they will struggle against his side this weekend because of the muddy pitch at the JJB Stadium. (Daily Mirror)

German side Hamburg want Croatia boss Slaven Bilic to be their new manager. (Daily Star)

Chelsea boss Avram Grant predicts his side will be drawn to face Liverpool in the Champions League semi-finals for the third time in four years. (Various)

Uefa president Michel Platini will be at St Johnstone's Scottish Cup quarter-final tie with St Mirren on Saturday. (Daily Record)

Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher is set to win his first full cap against Croatia on 26 March. (Daily Record)

Micky Adams, Paul Simpson and Chris Casper are competing for the vacant manager's job at Shrewsbury. (Star)


AND FINALLY
Stockport County are selling a million pixels on their website for £1 each in an attempt to raise £1m to buy back Edgeley Park. (Various)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has introduced bingo to his squad - hosting sessions when the team gets together before matches. (The Sun)

Strictly Come Dancing star Alesha Dixon has been on a string of dates with Aston Villa striker John Carew. (The Sun)

West Brom will have to play at least 108 minutes of football to beat Bristol Rovers in Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final. Research by Cup sponsors E.ON shows Rovers players effectively run for an extra 18 minutes because of their boggy home pitch, where they have scored four times in the last 10 minutes during their run.

 

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Friday 07th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal, Reading and Portsmouth are tracking Ryan Gates, 12, who has scored 95 goals for Havant and Waterlooville Under-12s this season. (Various)

AC Milan will offer £15m for Chelsea striker Didier Drogba in the summer. (The Sun)

Manchester United and Arsenal target Karim Benzema will sign a new long-term deal with Lyon. (The Sun)

Blackburn have handed a trial to former Manchester United midfielder Quinton Fortune. (Daily Mirror)

Derby have told Rangers they will have to pay £2m for striker Kenny Miller in the summer. (Daily Mirror)

Juventus are keen on Manchester City defender Micah Richards and Arsenal left-back Gael Clichy. (Daily Mail)

Senegal defender Lamine Diatta has rejected an offer to join Newcastle United. (Daily Mail)

Newcastle centre-back Steven Taylor is set to agree an improved deal - if the Magpies avoid relegation. (Daily Mail)

Wolves are poised for a £1m-plus summer bid for Hearts defender and captain Christophe Berra. (The Sun)

West Brom are confident of signing on-loan Roman Bednar for £2.3m from Hearts in the summer. (The Herald/The Scotsman)

Everton will not move to sign midfielder Thomas Gravesen when his loan period ends in the summer. (The Sun)

Aberdeen contract rebels Lee Miller and Barry Nicholson have until next week to accept new contract offers. (Record)

Defender Ross Tokely has done a U-turn and decided to stay with Inverness Caledonian Thistle beyond the summer. (The Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sir Alex Ferguson will step down as Manchester United manager in 2011, when he is 69. (Daily Mirror)

Fifa president Sepp Blatter wants life bans for players guilty of reckless challenges. (The Times)

Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he would love to get his old job back at Stamford Bridge. (The Sun)

David Beckham wants to extend his England career until the 2010 World Cup finals. (Daily Mirror)

BBC pundit and former England striker Gary Lineker could become the face of the Football Association's bid to host the 2018 World Cup. (Daily Express)

A multi-million pound takeover at Sheffield Wednesday could collapse unless boss Brian Laws keeps the Owls in the Championship. (Daily Star)

Chelsea defender John Terry feels his side's style of play is as pleasing on the eye as Arsenal's. (The Guardian)

Lawyers representing Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks will travel to Dubai next week for talks with Dubai International Capital (DIC). (Various)

DIC could complete a deal for the Reds this weekend. (Daily Telegraph)

Liverpool frontman Dirk Kuyt believes his Anfield team-mate Fernando Torres is the best striker in the world at the moment. (Various)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has rejected claims by ex-Gunner David Bentley that Theo Walcott must leave the Emirates Stadium to be a success. (Various)

Sheffield United want ex-England boss Graham Taylor to be head of football at Bramall Lane. (Daily Mail)

East Lothian businessman Eddie Ramsay is in talks about buying Livingston and making Almondvale a leading greyhound racing venue. (Daily Record)

Stirling Albion chairman Peter McKenzie has dismissed reports that the club will sell Forthbank and ground-share with Alloa Athletic next season. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Barnsley have offered Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich a free pie if he turns up at Oakwell for Saturday's FA Cup quarter-final. (Daily Star)

Chelsea defender Ricardo Carvalho needed to drink two bottles of beer from the press-room bar before he could present a post-match urine sample for drug testers after his side's win over Olympiakos on Wednesday night. (The Guardian)

Alan Shearer pulled on his old Newcastle kit on Thursday as he prepared for the Sport Relief Super Cycle challenge at the Magpies' training ground. (various)

Dundee striker Derek Lyle is out of his side's Scottish Cup tie with Queen of the South after falling through his coffee table. (Daily Record)

 

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Saturday 08th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Chelsea have told Didier Drogba they will not stand in his way if he wants to leave this summer - as long as he helps them win silverware this season. (Daily Express)

Tottenham are closing in on Carlos Kameni after the Cameroon keeper got the all-clear to leave Espanyol. (Daily Mirror)

Middlesbrough midfielder Fabio Rochemback wants to move back to his former club Sporting Lisbon. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United's hopes of luring Lyon striker Karim Benzema could be over after he looked set to agree an extension to his contract with the French club. (Daily Telegraph).

Chelsea could be poised to step in with a late offer for Benzema, 20, with Andriy Shevchenko likely to be off-loaded in the summer, possibly to former club AC Milan. (Daily Mirror)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sir Alex Ferguson insists he will still be managing Manchester United at the age of 70. (Various)

Croatia boss Slaven Bilic reckons Arsenal striker Eduardo will make a full recovery from his broken leg. (The Sun)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez insists he was right not to bring back former striker Michael Owen but sign Spaniard Fernando Torres instead. (Various)

Everton striker James Vaughan could miss the rest of the season after a knee operation on Monday. (The Sun)

West Brom midfielder Filipe Teixeira faces up to eight months on the sidelines with cruciate ligament damage. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he will consider the Intertoto Cup route into Europe next season if his side fails to qualify through the Premier League. (Various)

Liverpool could soon be owned jointly by American Tom Hicks and the Dubai International Capital after they looked on the brink of an agreement. (Various)

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson wants to stay on as manager next season - even if they are relegated from the Premier League. (Times)

Former Leeds, Coventry and Middlesbrough striker Noel Whelan is a contender to become manager of East Stirling.


AND FINALLY
Michael Ballack reckons Chelsea's resurgence since their Carling Cup final defeat to Tottenham was down to skipper John Terry's insistence on a team-bonding paint-balling trip the following week. (Guardian)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger can expect a nice bottle of red from Wigan boss Steve Bruce, who is still grateful for the Frenchman lending him three players key to him getting promoted with ex-club Birmingham last season.

 

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Tuesday 25th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is interested in signing Lyon's £17m-rated winger Hatem Ben Arfa. (Various)

The Gunners boss is also keen on Barnsley goalkeeper Heinz Muller, who would cost about £2m. (The Sun)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba remains determined to leave the Stamford Bridge club and has told friends he will do so in the summer. (The Times)

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is preparing a £4m bid for Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard. (The Times)

Wigan manager Steve Bruce is interested in signing Derby midfielder David Jones and is ready to bid £1m. (Telegraph)

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos has his eye on £8m-rated Udinese defender Andrea Dossena. (Daily Mirror)

Everton boss David Moyes has bid £6m for Standard Liege midfielder Marouane Fellaini, but the Belgian club are holding out for £10m. (The Sun)

Aston Villa are keen on £5m-rated Hull keeper Boaz Myhill, who has just been called up by Wales. (Daily Express)

Manchester City striker Emile Mpenza is wanted by Leicester. (Daily Mirror)

Meanwhile, Hull have been told to forget about trying to sign on-loan Manchester United striker Fraizer Campbell permanently. (Daily Express)

Celtic are poised to make a £3m offer to Manchester City for on-loan Greek striker Georgios Samaras. (Daily Star)

Dundee United manager Craig Levein says he is unable to afford Cardiff's £200,000 asking price for on-loan Willo Flood. (Various)

Barnsley are to sign defender Aurelien Collin from Scottish Premier League crisis club Gretna. (Daily Mirror)

Gretna's Aurelien Collin and Michael Buscher will learn on Tuesday if they will be allowed by Fifa to leave the club and sign for another one. (Various)

Striker Fabian Yantorno is expected to leave Gretna as the cash-strapped club cannot afford medical treatment on his knee. (The Herald)

Bolton defender Abdoulaye Meite has turned down the chance to join Ipswich on loan, despite the clubs agreeing a deal. (The Independent)

Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher says he is happy to remain at Easter Road next season despite being watched by Real Madrid. (Various)


OTHER GOSSIP
As England prepare to face France in Wednesday's friendly, Brazil legend Jairzinho has claimed that English players lack basic skills. (The Telegraph)

Stuart Pearce has revealed it was he not coach Fabio Capello who gave the team-talk to the England side before they went out to play Switzerland last month. Pearce says it is to avoid any uncertainty that may arise because of Capello's basic grasp of the English language. (Various)

However, Capello was able to make himself understood during an impressive training session on Monday when he stopped this players to ask: "Why can't you play like this for your country? Why can you play like this in training but not in a match situation?" (Daily Mail)

It is widely expected that Capello will hand John Terry the England captain's armband on Wednesday. (Various)

Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher will win his Scotland debut on his 21st birthday against Croatia. (Various)

Former Rangers striker Dado Prso has been asked to join Croatia's coaching staff for the Euro 2008 championships. (Daily Star)

Dubai International Capital is set to complete a £400m takeover of Liverpool in the next three weeks, according to a source close to the proposed deal. (The Independent)

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley wants to sell the club - and is ready to accept a knockdown price of £200m, which is £150m less than his original asking price. (The Sun)

Arsenal midfielder Gilberto is ready to quit the club after being left out of the squad for the 2-1 defeat at Chelsea on Sunday. (The Sun)

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has criticised striker John Utaka after his lacklustre performance in the 2-0- defeat at Tottenham. "He is so laid back, you have to keep at him," said Redknapp. (Various)

Blackburn forward Jason Roberts has admitted his future may lie away from the club as he seeks first-team football. (The Times)

Manchester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel will seek advice from his father, Peter, before deciding whether to leave the club. (Various)

Arsenal's William Gallas faces a fight to hang on the captaincy amid reports he has upset his team-mates as a well as manager Arsene Wenger. (Daily Mirror)

Gunners goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has hinted he will retire at the end of the season, when his contract expires. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Former Wimbledon hardman Vinnie Jones is set to continue his movie career by playing a vampire in his next role. (Daily Mirror)

Celtic midfielder Scott Brown says he did not deserve any of his 13 yellow cards this season. (Various)

 

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Wednesday 26th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is an £8m target for Spanish giants Real Madrid, who will also offer Ruben de la Red as part of the deal. (The Sun)

Defender John Arne Riise is another player who could leave Anfield, with the Norwegian unhappy at his continued spell on the bench. (The Sun)

Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is lining up a £7m move for Barcelona's Mexican wonderkid Giovani Dos Santos. (Daily Mirror)

But Manchester City's out-of-favour striker Emile Mpenza has told Eriksson that he will not leave the club for a Championship side. Cardiff and Leicester are said to be interested in the Belgian. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea are said to be keen on Hajduk Split striker Nikola Kalinic. (The Sun)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is close to agreeing a £5m deal for Serbian midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. (The Sun)

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is preparing a £3m bid for Crystal Palace's Sean Scannell. (Daily Star)

Derby County are prepared to lose £2m in an attempt to offload out-of-favour striker Robert Earnshaw. (Daily Star)

Middlesbrough are one of two Premier League clubs interested in Fulham's Steven Davis after his successful loan with Rangers. (Daily Mail)

West Ham defender George McCartney has played down speculation linking him with Rangers. (Daily Mail)

Celtic goalkeeper Artur Boruc would welcome a new challenge at a new club next season. (Various)

Former Celtic striker John Hartson says Rangers made an approach to sign him after he had moved to West Brom. (The Sun)

Promotion-chasing Stoke are trying to sign striker Diomansy Kamara on loan from Fulham for the rest of the season. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are lining up Colchester keeper Dean Gerken for £500,000. (The Sun)

Leeds United are hoping to land striker Enoch Showunmi from Bristol City until the end of the season as they bid to boost their promotion push. (Daily Mail)

Ipswich and Norwich are leading the race to sign Newcastle's out-of-favour striker Shola Ameobi. (Daily Mirror)

Ipswich boss Jim Magilton is also lining up a £1m bid for Nottingham Forest midfielder Sammy Clingan. (Daily Star)

Chris Innes is poised to join Morton after the defender was made redundant by Gretna. (The Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sunderland's Trinidad and Tobago duo Carlos Edwards and Kenwyne Jones could be barred from playing against West Ham on Saturday. Their country want Fifa to impose the five-day rule after the pair withdrew from Wednesday's friendly with Jamaica. (Various)

Arsenal's Gilberto wants to prove that he is worthy of a new contract, despite spending much of this season on the substitutes' bench. The midfielder will get a chance to impress in Brazil's friendly with Sweden at the Emirates Stadium. (The Sun)

Celtic are trying to organise a post-season tour of Japan to prevent the Scottish Premier League extending the season to help title rivals Rangers ease their fixture congestion. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
Arsenal's Eduardo says he has yet to receive an apology from Birmingham's Martin Taylor, who broke the striker's leg in a challenge in February. However, Eduardo says that when an apology finally arrives he will forgive and forget. (Daily Mirror)

Coventry defender Arjan de Zeeuw will pursue a career in medicine after he retires from football at the end of the season. (The Sun)

Caring Didier Drogba has revealed how he once donated a kitbag to a homeless man after a Champions League match. (Daily Express)

Coach Fabio Capello is said to be behind England's new smart look, with players travelling in suits as opposed to the tracksuits they donned during Steve McClaren's reign. (The Sun)

 

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Thursday 27th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has been identified as the man to replace current Barcelona boss Frank Rijkaard. The Spaniard is also the target of Real Madrid, Valencia and Atletico Madrid. (Various)

The Catalan giants look set for a summer overhaul, with Ronaldinho likely to leave for a cut-price £12m at the end of the season - putting Chelsea on red alert. (The Sun)

But the Blues could be more interested in tempting Barca's highly rated teenage striker Gal Assulin, who has also caught the eye of Manchester City scouts, to Stamford Bridge. (Daily Star)

Goalkeeper Ben Foster's bid to go out on loan to the Championship has been blocked by Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson. (Daily Mirror)

Mark Schwarzer is Celtic's number one choice to replace unsettled keeper Artur Boruc, who is a target for Aston Villa. (Daily Mirror)

Stoke manager Tony Pulis is on the verge of signing Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi on loan to boost his Premier League promotion hopes. (Various)

Newcastle may replace Ameobi with Sam Vokes after the Wales Under-21 international admitted he could leave Bournemouth for St James' Park in the summer. (The Independent)

Derby County are ready to make midfielder Hossam Ghaly's loan move permanent in a £2m end-of-season deal. (Daily Star)

Bolton Wanderers manager Gary Megson may make a second bid for Blackburn striker Jason Roberts after failing with a move in the January transfer window. (The Independent)

German side Wolfsburg have emerged as possible summer bidders for Celtic midfielder Massimo Donati. (Daily Record)


OTHER GOSSIP
Los Angeles Galaxy's David Beckham will not be retiring from international football as the 100-cap midfielder insists he can be part of England boss Fabio Capello's long-term plans. (Daily Star)

Martin Taylor wants to visit Eduardo again after the Arsenal striker revealed he does not remember the Birmingham defender meeting him to apologise in the wake of his horror injury last month. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland have resolved their row with the Trinidad and Tobago Football Federation, leaving Carlos Edwards and Kenwyne Jones clear to play against West Ham United on Saturday. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Arsenal captain William Gallas has revealed he has no "mates" at the Emirates. "They are more like acquaintances," he said. "Really, it's the guys at [former club] Chelsea. It always gives me pleasure to see them again." (The Independent)

 

[McFLY]

Friday 28th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is interested in signing Barcelona's Brazilian striker Ronaldinho, who could cost as little as £12m. (Various)

Chelsea will bid £12m for Croatia playmaker Luka Modric. (Daily Star)

Newcastle are interested in Atletico Madrid's former Arsenal winger Jose Antonio Reyes. (Various)

Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso insists he will not be leaving the club this summer, despite being linked with Spanish giants Real Madrid. (The Times)

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes has moved to warn off clubs who may want to enquire about David Bentley, saying the midfielder is not for sale. (Various)

Real Madrid are preparing a £3.6m summer move for Hibernian's 21-year-old striker Steven Fletcher. (Scottish Sun)

Defender John Pantsil will quit West Ham this summer. (The Sun)

Fulham will release David Healy in the summer, with Ipswich the striker's likely destination. (The Times)

Manchester United defender Jonny Evans has indicated he would consider making his loan move to Sunderland a permanent transfer. (Various)

Manchester City expect to lose one of their goalkeepers this summer, with Andreas Isaksson or Kasper Schmeichel set to leave. (The Times)

Middlesbrough's England Under-21 winger Adam Johnson has hinted he may leave the club in order to play regular first-team football. (Daily Express)


OTHER GOSSIP
John Terry has been assured he will be given an opportunity to stake his claim for the England captaincy, while it has emerged Wayne Rooney is also a candidate for the role. (Various)

But fellow centre-back Rio Ferdinand, who was skipper for Wednesday's 1-0 friendly defeat against France in Paris, has made it clear he wants to retain the job. (Various)

Coach Fabio Capello has claimed David Beckham can be England's answer to Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo. (Various)

Meanwhile, striker Michael Owen has said he was not clear about his role when he came on for England against France, and suggested journalists should ask Capello what he was trying to achieve if they wanted clarification. (Various)

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson has questioned the commitment of striker Jari Litmanen, who signed for the club in January. "He has not played one game in a Fulham shirt but he has played two matches for Finland," said Hodgson. (Various)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has backed his captain William Gallas after speculation his team-mates are unhappy with the defender's leadership style. (Various)

Celtic want an explanation from the Scottish FA for sending Barry Robson home from international duty against his will. (Daily Record)


AND FINALLY
An incredible two-thirds of football fans questioned in a survey believe that following the sport is a complete waste of money and are considering switching to rugby instead. Eight out of 10 fans feel players' wages are "offensive", while 67% are bored of the 'big four' clubs dominating the Premier League. (Daily Star)

 

[McFLY]

Saturday 29th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Tottenham could allow Paul Robinson, Aaron Lennon, Jermaine Jenas, Tom Huddlestone and Darren Bent to leave as boss Juande Ramos looks to whittle down his English contingent. (Daily Express)

Chelsea are poised to make a £25m summer move for Barcelona play-maker Xavi Hernandez. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham defender Michael Dawson could be a target of Newcastle, after Kevin Keegan lost out to Spurs for Jonathan Woodgate. (Express)

Spurs coach Juande Ramos is considering bids for Valencia's David Villa, Real Zaragoza's Diego Milito, Toulouse striker Johan Elmander and even Barcelona's Ronaldinho to fill the void left by the departing players. (Express)

Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer is being targeted by Italian side Fiorentina for next season. (Sun)

Derby could allow midfielder Stephen Pearson's loan move to Stoke to become permanent in the summer for £1.5m. (Sun)

Lyon's Sweden midfielder Kim Kallstrom, 25, is keen on a summer switch to Everton. (Sun)

Birmingham, Derby and Sheffield United are all tracking Nottingham Forest winger Kris Commons, while while striker Nathan Tyson is a target for Bristol City, Norwich and Leicester. (Daily Mirror)

Hard-up Gretna could be left with just one keeper on their books with Pole Artur Krysiak set to depart on an Under-19 international call-up and Birmingham ready to pounce. (Sun)


OTHER GOSSIP
Kevin Keegan has warned his underachieving stars to prove to him they deserve to stay at Newcastle in their remaining matches this season. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is keen to extend his stay at the club beyond the end of his existing three-year contract. (Various)

Manager Gary Megson has played down rumours of dressing room unrest at struggling Bolton. (Various)

Former Celtic captain Paul Lambert - currently boss at Wycombe - would love to return to Parkhead as manager one day. (Various)


AND FINALLY
Tottenham caused hundreds of pounds worth of damage to the Carling Cup at a post-final party, with the base broken when it was dropped while photographs were being taken. The cup is now at the Football League's jewellers being repaired. (Daily Express)

 

[McFLY]

Sunday 30th March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will make Frank Lampard his number one target if he takes over at Inter Milan. (Sunday Express)

But Mourinho has denied meeting Inter president Massimo Moratti for talks, saying: "It is just false to say that I am on the point of signing a contract with Inter Milan." (Independent)

Spurs will let Paul Robinson leave White Hart Lane for £2m in the summer, with Middlesbrough and Aston Villa believed to be interested in the England keeper. (The People)

Newcastle are chasing Seville's unsettled Brazil striker Luis Fabiano, 27, who is rated at £8m. (News of the World)

The Magpies will be busy in the summer as they are also targeting Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon and former Arsenal wideman, Jose Antonio Reyes. (The People)

Manchester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel, currently on loan at Coventry, is set to make a transfer request at the end of the season. The Dane has a buy-out clause in his contract believed to be in the region of £2.5m. (News of the World)

Liverpool could move for Schalke's Brazilian full-back Rafinha in the summer, while Reds boss Rafael Benitez has also been linked with two young players from South America. (Mail on Sunday)

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes is ready to take on Everton in a £4.5m battle for Heerenveen's American midfielder Michael Bradley. (The People)

Scott Carson is preparing for a return to Anfield after Aston Villa told the goalkeeper's representatives that they would not meet Liverpool's £9m asking price. (News of the World)

Turkish rivals Galatasaray and Fenerbahce will offer £5m to Middlesbrough for striker Tuncay Sanli. (News of the World)


OTHER GOSSIP
Sir Alex Ferguson is considering an offer to MK Dons boss Paul Ince to join his coaching team at Manchester United. (The People)

Defender Patrice Evra - who is in the final year of his three-year deal - admitted he is unsure of his Manchester United future after negotiations over a new contract stalled. (News of the World)

Stoke have agreed to pay a £575,000 'transfer fee' for their loan of Shola Ameobi, making the striker the most expensive loanee in English club history. The final figure could be near £1m if Stoke claim promotion via the play-offs. (Mail on Sunday)

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is planning a pre-season 'sweat camp' for his players instead of a lucrative summer tour. (News of the World)

Uefa president Michel Platini says he will stop Premier League clubs from buying 16-year-old footballers from abroad. "The first football contract a player signs should be for the club who train him," said Platini. (Mail on Sunday)

Aston Villa are finalising a shirt sponsorship deal with children's charity, Acorns, that will see the club forfeit up to £2m to carry the name of the children's hospice charity on their shirts next season. (News of the World)

George Burley has appointed Bobby Williamson, Paul Hegarty, Alex Smith and Frank Coulston to scout Scotland's World Cup opponents. (News of the World)

Dumitru Copil, the 18-year-old midfielder named by World Soccer among the game's 50 most exciting talents, has returned to Romania because of homesickness after joining Hearts. (Sunday Mail)

Hearts caretaker boss Stevie Frail says Dumitru Copil still has a future at Tynecastle despite walking out on the club. (News of the World)

Livingston face legal action from West Lothian Council over £300,000 of unpaid rent. (Sunday Mail)

Dundee chief executive Dave MacKinnon has rejected claims that the club face going into administration once more. (News of the World)

Former Celtic defender and Livingston scout Dariusz Wdowcyk is being investigated by Polish police probing match-fixing. (News of the World)


AND FINALLY
Middlesbrough goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has co-written a children's adventure book - Megs and the Vootball Kids - which is about a football-mad kid from Liverpool who emigrates to Australia. (Various)

Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond celebrated his 23rd birthday decked out in Celtic gear. (Sunday Mail)

 

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Monday 31st March gossip column

TRANSFER RUMOURS
Portsmouth captain Sol Campbell is set to use a get-out clause in his contract to join Villarreal in the summer. (Daily Mirror)

Harry Redknapp is already lining up a replacement with a £5m move for 25-year-old Ghana international Jon Mensah, currently with Rennes, in the offing. (Various)

Jose Mourinho has been given a week to decide if he wants to become the new manager of Inter Milan. (The Sun)

Coventry boss Chris Coleman is preparing a £2m summer move for Wolves striker Freddy Eastwood. (Daily Mirror)

Kilmarnock are preparing a move for out-of-favour Aberdeen striker Steve Lovell. (The Herald)

Gretna goalkeeper Greg Fleming is being chased by Motherwell, Morton and Oldham. (The Herald)


OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea manager Avram Grant has criticised Premier League officials for rearranging their trip to Everton to 17 April, three days after a match with Wigan. (Various)

Spurs boss Juande Ramos has threatened to wield the axe following his team's woeful collapse against Newcastle. (Daily Mirror)

Rangers boss Walter Smith has insisted his players withdrew from Scotland's friendly against Croatia with genuine injuries. (Daily Record)

Derby manager Paul Jewell has vowed to rebuild his side in the Championship next term. (Daily Mirror)

Brazilian Gilberto looks set to stay with Arsenal after passing his UK citizenship test, and is expected to apply for a British passport within a year. (Daily Star)

MK Dons boss Paul Ince has pledged to remain with the club after guiding them to Johnstone's Paint Trophy glory. (Daily Star)

West Brom's veteran striker Kevin Phillips is poised to sign a new one-year extension to his contract. (Mirror)


AND FINALLY
Reading boss Steve Coppell says he has not heard from the Football Association about a campaign of respect and admits he does not know who Lord Triesman (the FA chairman) is. (The Sun)