The Rumour Mill

[A Bit High]

Tottenham are lining up a bid for Wigan striker Amr Zaki, who missed the defeat by Everton at the weekend after failing to return from international duty with Egypt.

Spurs are set to offload striker Darren Bent in a summer shake-up.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is also tracking Serbian international left-back Ivan Obradovic, who plays for Partizan Belgrade.

Portsmouth midfielder Nico Kranjcar is being lined up for a £10m move to Greek side Panathinaikos.

Pompey are set to offload striker Theofanis Gekas at the end of the season, with Zenit St Petersburg interested.

Fulham will battle it out with Celtic for Coventry midfielder Aron Gunnarsson.

Everton are keen on Huddersfield goalkeeper Alex Smithies.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are lining up a £1m bid for Bristol Rovers' 26-goal striker Ricky Lambert.

PSV Eindhoven hope landing Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink's former coach Frank Rutten will help persuade the Dutch start to return to Holland.

Dundee have targeted Queen of the South's Stephen Dobbie to spearhead their attack next season.



OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea players are campaigning for the return of former manager Jose Mourinho, who is coach of Inter Milan, if interim Blues boss Guus Hiddink leaves Stamford Bridge in the summer.

But Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has identified AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti as the next boss of the Blues if he cannot convince Hiddink to stay.

Newcastle will pay former executive director of football Dennis Wise a £1.5m pay-off to leave the club.

West Ham are set to claim compensation from the Football Association following Carlton Cole's groin injury while on England duty.

Manchester United have been accused of turning football into a "cattle market" by Lazio over the deal that brought striker Federico Macheda to Old Trafford as a 16-year-old in 2007.

Rangers have missed out on the opportunity to sign Manchester United's hot-shot Federico Macheda on loan next season following his wonder goal against Aston Villa.

AND FINALLY
It has been revealed that Manchester United's teenage sensation Federico Macheda earns 'only' £35,000 a year.

The 17-year-old Italian was offered a job as a pizza delivery boy by a friend in Sale as a fall-back if his football career failed.

 

[Sheeds]

Everton manager David Moyes is preparing a summer bid for Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas.

I want Everton to sign Huddlestone.

 

[Californication]

I want Everton to sign Huddlestone.

Huddlestone can pick out a pass; not sure if he brings much else to the table if I am being honest.

 

[FFCPat]

Zamora linked to... Villareal.

 

[Big Kitty]

"It has been revealed that Manchester United's teenage sensation Federico Macheda earns 'only' £35,000 a year."

Poor bastard

 

[TorresIsGod]

Yeah, poor bastard.

Whatever he wins in his career with Utd will be tarnished.

 

[A Bit High]

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has told Chelsea he is ready to take over from interim manager Guus Hiddink at Stamford Bridge this summer.

However, Milan vice-president Adriano Galliani has insisted that neither Ancelotti nor their Brazilian playmaker Kaka will be leaving the Italian club.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is planning a £5m swoop for highly rated Porto left-back Aly Cissokho, who impressed in the Portuguese side's 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Tuesday.

Another Porto player who could be heading to Tottenham is striker Wason Renteria, who says that the London club have contacted him about a possible summer transfer.

Manchester City have set their sights on cash-strapped Atletico Madrid's Argentine striker Sergio Aguero.

Everton right-back Lars Jacobsen could be leaving the club in the summer to join Bayern Munich after making only one appearance for the Blues, in last month's 2-1 defeat to Portsmouth.

Zenit St Peterburg striker Pavel Pogrebnyak is keen on a move to England, so long as it is to "one of the strongest teams".

West Brom midfielder James Morrison says he would have to weigh up his options should an offer from another Premier League team should West Brom be relegated.

Celtic striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink says he would like to go back to Holland and rejoin his old club PSV Eindhoven, but he's not in a hurry to do so.

Hearts winger Deividas Cesnauskis has instructed his agent to find him a new club outside the UK for next season.


OTHER GOSSIP
Former Tottenham manager and current Hamburg boss Martin Jol has put Premier League clubs on alert by stating he would like to return to England.

Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor says the spectacular overhead kick he executed against Villarreal on Tuesday night is the best goal he has scored.

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock says he has no intention of quitting this summer, despite the club's poor season.

QPR boss Paulo Sousa is on the verge of being sacked after his position at the club was weakened by the termination of assistant manager Bruno Oliveira's contract on Monday.

Former England manager Steve McClaren, who is currently at the helm of FC Twente, has backed his former club Middlesbrough to escape relegation this season.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola has insisted he was right to splash out £5.5m on winger Savio and has backed the 19-year-old to come good.

Former Southampton chairman Rupert Lowe has refused to rule out a return to the Saints if it would help the club.

 

[bus24]

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is planning a £5m swoop for highly rated Porto left-back Aly Cissokho, who impressed in the Portuguese side's 2-2 draw with Manchester United on Tuesday.

**** off saggy face.

He's ours. As 1-4 indicates.

Really impressed with him given he's played about 5 games for them.

Former Tottenham manager and current Hamburg boss Martin Jol has put Premier League clubs on alert by stating he would like to return to England.

He got shafted something chronic.

Good manager.

 

[A Bit High]

Chelsea are willing to pay £40m for 27-year-old Valencia striker David Villa.

Cash-strapped Valencia will actually demand £45m for the Spanish international.

Chelsea are also keen on Tottenham forward Roman Pavlychenko, with manager Gus Hiddink criticising Spurs boss Harry Redknapp's treatment of the player.

Manchester United will offer Fraizer Campbell - currently loaned out to Spurs - a new long term contract in the summer.

Fulham are lining up a bid to land England Under-21 star Adam Lallana from Southampton.

Chelsea are preparing a £10m swoop for Paris St Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon.

Fulham will continue their quest to sign Spurs duo Gareth Bale and Tom Huddlestone at the end of the season.

Manchester United are closing in on 18-year-old Brazilian star Douglas Costa from Gremio.


OTHER GOSSIP
Ahead of their clash with Liverpool, Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has laid into Reds boss Rafa Benitez by saying he loves "whingeing and moaning".

Bayern Munich, fresh from a 4-0 drubbing by Barcelona in the Champions League, want Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger to replace Jurgen Klinsmann as manager and are willing to pay the Frenchman £5m a year.

SFA chief Gordon Smith has made a U-turn in the row over Barry Ferguson and Allan McGregor's Scotland future. A day after saying they could return, Smith has now written off their hopes of playing for Scotland again.

Spurs manager Harry Redknapp reckons his midfielder Tom Huddlestone could be as good as Glenn Hoddle.

Former Newcastle striker Les Ferdinand reckons the club's temporary boss Alan Shearer will not leave St James' Park if he fails to prevent relegation from the Premier League.


AND FINALLY
Shearer has been grabbing advice from Newcastle's former bosses such as Kenny Dalglish, Sir Bobby Robson and Kevin Keegan. Their message to him was: "Welcome to the madhouse".

 

[bus24]

Fulham are lining up a bid to land England Under-21 star Adam Lallana from Southampton.

I like him.

Poor old Southampton.

Chelsea are preparing a £10m swoop for Paris St Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon.

He dominated for PSG last night.

Ahead of their clash with Liverpool, Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has laid into Reds boss Rafa Benitez by saying he loves "whingeing and moaning".

Coming from that fat ****?

I've got nothing against Blackburn, but I'd LOVE IT if we helped relegate this utter **** from the Premiership.

 

[A Bit High]

Wigan striker Amr Zaki insists he has cleared the air with manager Steve Bruce and is looking forward to playing for the Latics again.

AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti says "I exclude the possibility" after being asked whether he will be joining Chelsea next season.

TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal are poised for a £12m summer raid on Paris Saint-Germain for 19-year-old defender Mamadou Sakho.

Spanish side Atletico Madrid are ready to fork out £9m for Chelsea centre-back Alex.

Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is trying to persuade Gareth Barry to stay at the club and out of Liverpool's clutches.

Dutch striker Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink is hoping to secure a new contract with Celtic.

Midfielder Julian Gray has moved to end speculation he may quit Fulham in the summer.

Hearts midfielder Saulius Mikoliunas' future is in doubt after talks to extend his contract stalled.

Arsenal winger Theo Walcott has hinted he is ready to commit his future to the Gunners.

OTHER GOSSIP
AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti will get £1m for every trophy he wins if he becomes the new Chelsea manager in the summer.

Sir Alex Ferguson reckons he has begun to wind up Liverpool rival Rafael Benitez by hinting Chelsea could become a bigger title threat.

Ferguson has also hinted he wouldn't mind Jose Mourinho taking over at Old Trafford when he retires.

And Ferguson has also revealed he will quit as Manchester United boss if he wins two more Champions League titles.

Carlo Ancelotti's move to Chelsea has already been discussed by owner Roman Abramovich.

Arsenal are planning to offer boss Arsene Wenger a new contract at the end of the season in a bid to entice him to stay at the club.

 

[Kaan]

And Ferguson has also revealed he will quit as Manchester United boss if he wins two more Champions League titles.

He'll be coaching for another 20 years if thats the case.

 

[A Bit High]

Man City have targeted Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta and will bid £35m for the playmaker.

City are also planning to splash the cash on Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, while Liverpool will try to sign right-back Glen Johnson from the cash-strapped south-coast club.

City will face competition for Crouch from Blackburn, who are keen on taking the England international to Ewood Park.

Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill will have to trim his squad if the club fail to earn a Champions League spot.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/259995/MARTIN-ONEILL-BRACED-FOR-CLEAROUT.html
Liverpool centre-back Daniel Agger says he does not know if he will be at the club next year as talks continue about a new deal.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/260028/DANIEL-AGGER-WAITS-ON-DEAL.html

OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says none of his squad are "immune" from criticism and he has spoken to star player Cristiano Ronaldo over the winger's attitude.

United face problems off the pitch. They must pay £1.1bn in debt over the next nine years and may have to sell Ronaldo and other players to ease the financial strain.

Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is set to sell his Montreal Canadiens hockey side for £272m to put the pressure on Reds counterpart Tom Hicks as their refinancing deal of the club approaches.

Chelsea have been warned off trying to lure AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti to Stamford Bridge.

Ancelotti blamed a shoulder injury for leaving David Beckham on the bench for AC Milan's win over Chievo on Saturday.

Chelsea captain John Terry says he wants Guus Hiddink to stay as manager beyond the end of the season and calms stories that the Blues players want Jose Mourinho back as manager.

Queens Park Rangers will again try to persuade Malaga boss Antonia Tapia to take over as their manager following the exit of Paulo Sousa.

But QPR are ready to offer ex-Blackburn boss Paul Ince a route back into the game by giving him the job.

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/spo...gers-looking-for-fifth-boss-in-18-months.html
Alternatively, Dennis Wise could take over. (


AND FINALLY
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has told Sir Alex Ferguson to forget playing mind games because he does not understand the Scot's accent.

Chelsea defender Ashley Cole says Liverpool would have been happy "even if it was five" following his side's rampant 3-1 win at Anfield in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.

 

[Fwoy]

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has told Sir Alex Ferguson to forget playing mind games because he does not understand the Scot's accent.

I LOL'd

 

[BarcaRulz]

Man City have targeted Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta and will bid £35m for the playmaker.

HAHAHA! That's a nice one. He would be our best player if we didn't have the worlds best in our team.

And £35m, what are they stupid? If they were willing to fork out 100M for Kaka then at least show some respect for Iniesta, IMO he's been better than Kaka this season by far.

 

[Embers]

Can someone explain to me why City wont give Sturridge the 40k a week he wants. He is a hell of a talent and is clearly deserving of it. Fact of the matter is when you pay Craig Bellamy in the region of 70-100k a striker who is clearly on the same level as him like Sturridge is and should expect wages in a similar field.

In the end Sturridge wants half of what Bellamy earns. WTF is wrong with that demand? City may say he has a attitude problem but doesnt Bellamy in the end. Its a touch hypocritical really. I think Hughes decided in about August he didnt want Sturridge anymore, Even if he scored 20 goals in the season he was gone by the looks of it.

I hope we have a snap at him. Cole Sturridge with a side of Ashton would be sexy however I think hes off to Villa personally. Carew Sturridge with a side of Agbonlahor is equally as sexy however

 

[apollo_creed]

Can someone explain to me why City wont give Sturridge the 40k a week he wants. He is a hell of a talent and is clearly deserving of it. Fact of the matter is when you pay Craig Bellamy in the region of 70-100k a striker who is clearly on the same level as him like Sturridge is and should expect wages in a similar field.

In the end Sturridge wants half of what Bellamy earns. WTF is wrong with that demand? City may say he has a attitude problem but doesnt Bellamy in the end. Its a touch hypocritical really. I think Hughes decided in about August he didnt want Sturridge anymore, Even if he scored 20 goals in the season he was gone by the looks of it.

I hope we have a snap at him. Cole Sturridge with a side of Ashton would be sexy however I think hes off to Villa personally. Carew Sturridge with a side of Agbonlahor is equally as sexy however

yep. he looked really good last night.

close control, passing, vision. stupid if they don't give him that sort of money.

 

[Pie Legend]

The people at the academy down at COMS rate him very highly. Just seems Hughes doesnt fancy him, the stupid twat.

The kid will be a gun soon enough.

 

[TorresIsGod]

Can someone explain to me why City wont give Sturridge the 40k a week he wants. He is a hell of a talent and is clearly deserving of it. Fact of the matter is when you pay Craig Bellamy in the region of 70-100k a striker who is clearly on the same level as him like Sturridge is and should expect wages in a similar field.

In the end Sturridge wants half of what Bellamy earns. WTF is wrong with that demand? City may say he has a attitude problem but doesnt Bellamy in the end. Its a touch hypocritical really. I think Hughes decided in about August he didnt want Sturridge anymore, Even if he scored 20 goals in the season he was gone by the looks of it.

I hope we have a snap at him. Cole Sturridge with a side of Ashton would be sexy however I think hes off to Villa personally. Carew Sturridge with a side of Agbonlahor is equally as sexy however

They cant afford it.

They've already offered Macheda a 5-year contract worth 1.5m pounds per week.

 

[moomba]

HAHAHA! That's a nice one. He would be our best player if we didn't have the worlds best in our team.

And £35m, what are they stupid? If they were willing to fork out 100M for Kaka then at least show some respect for Iniesta, IMO he's been better than Kaka this season by far.

Don't believe everything you read in the paper, we'll be signing half your team otherwise.

 

[moomba]

Can someone explain to me why City wont give Sturridge the 40k a week he wants.

Giving big money contracts to young, talented but unproven players is a recipe for disaster. Look at Richards and Johnson, the last two to get the big bucks on long term contracts, both have gone downhill ever since.

I think Sturridge will sign, he doesn't deserve £40k a week (Bellamy is irrelevant, he doesnt deserve 20p a week) and I doubt he'll get it.

 

[A Bit High]

Manchester City and Inter Milan have joined Liverpool in the contest to sign Lazio striker Mauro Zarate this summer.

TRANSFER GOSSIP
Liverpool are monitoring Lazio star Mauro Zarate with a view to a summer swoop for the striker.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is targeting Sunderland striker Kenwyne Jones.

Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready to bid for Swansea's 24-goal goal machine Jason Scotland.

Championship promotion candidates Birmingham want Portsmouth goalkeeper Jamie Ashdown, who has rejected a fresh contract at Fratton Park.

Aston Villa are unlikely to pay the £15m Standard Liege want for their midfielder Steven Defour.

Dundee United manager Craig Levein is keeping tabs on Huddersfied striker Danny Cadamarteri.

Celtic are preparing a double swoop on Swansea, with defender Angel Rangel joining midfielder Jordi Gomez on the Glasgow giant's wanted list.


OTHER GOSSIP
Portsmouth insist executive chairman Peter Storrie was not paid £2m last year, despite evidence contained in the club's financial results. (

Southampton may sell their St Mary's home to the local council and lease it back at a reduced rate.

Wolves will ignore its salary cap of £10,000 a week to keep stars like Wayne Hennessey and Karl Henry.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/sport/footb...yne-hennessey-and-karl-henry-115875-21279850/Clyde have moved closer to closure after North Lanarkshire Council threw out a rescue plan.

Creditors of Liverpool owner Tom Hicks say Hicks Sports Group is in default on debts of £351m.

Bayern Munich coach Jurgen Klinsmann is unlikely to be sacked after following up the win in the Bundesliga with a 1-1 draw against Barcelona.


AND FINALLY
Weekly football classes in Edinburgh for pre-school children as young as 18 months are so popular there is now a lengthy waiting list for applicants.

 

[A Bit High]

Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho is confident Zlatan Ibrahimovic will stay with the Serie A team because no club will be willing to fork out the huge sums needed to buy the Swedish forward.

"I don't expect there to be an offer for Ibra in the summer because everyone knows an offer of 40, 50 or 60 million euros would be rejected immediately," said Mourinho.
"No one will be able to make an offer of 100 million (£88m) I'm absolutely certain no offers will arrive because clubs don't make stupid offers. They don't make stupidly low offers and a stupidly high one won't arrive."


TRANSFER GOSSIP
Liverpool striker Andriy Voronin expects to return to England once his loan spell at Hertha Berlin finishes. The Ukranian would like to stay on in Berlin after scoring 11 goals in the Bundesliga this season but the two clubs could not agree a deal.

Arsenal's Emmanuel Adebayor and Russian international Yuri Zhirkov head a £50m hit list of summer transfer targets being considered by Chelsea as part of the deal to bring AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti to Stamford Bridge.

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has issued a hands off warning to the Spanish giants hoping to tempt Xabi Alonso out of Anfield. Real Madrid and Barcelona have been linked with the Liverpool ace, who nearly left last summer.

Benitez has also hinted Spanish side Valencia have wrecked any potential deal for forward David Silva. The Liverpool boss claims the 23-year-old is no longer a £20m target for Liverpool because officials leaked his interest in the player to the media

But if Liverpool are to end their wait for a league title they will have to do it within "a few years" or they will have to do it without Fernando Torres after the Spaniard said he would like to play in the Italian league one day.

Manchester United's bid for glory on five fronts is unfolding against a backdrop of growing instability, with Carlos Tevez joining Cristiano Ronaldo in contemplating a future away from Old Trafford, possibly in tandem at Real Madrid next season.

Robin van Persie and Cesc Fabregas appear to have ruled out leaving Arsenal after Arsene Wenger's team reached the semi-finals of the Champions League.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola wants to sign Swansea's Spanish right-back Angel Rangel as a replacement for out-of-contract Lucas Neill. Rangel, 26, has also been tracked by Manchester City with the Swans looking for £4m.

Aston Villa are lining up a £6m bid for Leeds' highly-rated youngster Fabien Delph. Boss Martin O'Neill wantes Delph, 19, to replace Gareth Barry if he joins Liverpool this summer.

Blackburn are tracking 19-year-old Austrian striker Mark Arnautovic who plays for Dutch side FC Twente.

Derby defender Andy Todd, 34, is wanted by Australian club Perth Glory when he becomes a free agent in the summer.

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is ready to make a £2m bid for Bolton defender Danny Shittu, 28, this summer. McLeish wants to bring the Nigerian international to St Andrews even if Blues do not get promoted.

Celtic are tracking Costa Rica international winger Junior Diaz, who plays for Polish side Wisla Krakow.

Scotland forward Ross McCormack has been told he will be allowed to leave Cardiff if they miss out on promotion to the Premier League.

Aberdeen skipper Scott Severin has warned he could be the latest player to quit Pittodrie for an out-of-contract move to England.


OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes will be given one more season to prove himself at Eastlands.

Brazilian star Romario is in the frame to become QPR boss. Romario, 43, quit playing last year and had a brief spell in charge of Vasco Da Gama.

West Ham United will be taken over by a consortium of international banks in the coming weeks. Icelandic government-appointed officials running the stricken investment bank Straumur are set to to take control from Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson at Upton Park.

West Ham boss Gianfranco Zola wants Matthew Upson to sign a new contract. Upson, 29, has two years left on his contract and has hinted he wants European football before making a decision.

Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn insists he is 100% behind boss Ricky Sbragia.

Arsenal's Champions League hero Theo Walcott is finally on the verge of signing a new contract that will make him one of the club's highest-paid players.

Fulham boss Roy Hodgson says highly-rated Norwegian central defender Brede Hangeland may stay at Craven Cottage.

Pedro Mendes is stunned that his Rangers team-mate Kris Boyd is not in the running for the PFA Scotland Player of the Year.

TV firm Setanta want to renegotiate their four-year £125m deal with the SPL, which is due to begin in 2010/11.

QPR could be former West Ham boss Alan Pardew's next managerial port of call.

AND FINALLY
Wayne Rooney made a fool of former Everton goalkeeper Neville Southall - when he was just 11 years old. The Manchester United striker was Everton mascot in 1995 and, while warming up with the Welsh goalkeeper, he continually chipped the ball over Southall's head into the net

 

[bus24]

But if Liverpool are to end their wait for a league title they will have to do it within "a few years" or they will have to do it without Fernando Torres after the Spaniard said he would like to play in the Italian league one day.

Haha

I see the Manc media machine has swung into gear late in the season.

No one wants to play in Italy. Which makes it even more bullshit than it was before. Which is technically impossible, though I guess.

 

[Beamdogg]

Why would Torres leave to play in Italy. He has Stevie G giving him the best delivery he could get. He has extended his contract so has no intentions of playing there in the near future.