The Rumour Mill

[TorresIsGod]

What has happened to Miguel Veloso?

Last year he was rejected a 20mil move to us saying he is a top 4 player, and now he is set for a 6mil move to Bolton

Well, he's taking a step up from Spurs.

 

[FFCPat]

Someone posted on a Fulham forum that Aliadiere will be our first signing. Was dismissed as crap and then The Sun reported it hours later. So either some hack has been reading a forum (wouldn't be the first time) or there's some truth in it.

I don't know much about him, from what I've read he's talented but inconsistent? Anyway, it'd be unlikely that he'd be able to get in the team ahead of Dempsey, maybe Davies but he sounds like a depth player to me.

 

[AG]

Someone posted on a Fulham forum that Aliadiere will be our first signing. Was dismissed as crap and then The Sun reported it hours later. So either some hack has been reading a forum (wouldn't be the first time) or there's some truth in it.

I don't know much about him, from what I've read he's talented but inconsistent? Anyway, it'd be unlikely that he'd be able to get in the team ahead of Dempsey, maybe Davies but he sounds like a depth player to me.

Out of 38 games you might get 5 very good games from him. I dont think he's inconsistent, just one of those players who was brilliant as a junior and is overrated now. He's hard to judge because at times he can look very impressive but he goes missing for a massive amount of time during games. Not good enough for Fulham.

 

[TorresIsGod]

He's good enough for Fulham when he plays Arsenal. That's about it.

He's not good, he's over-rated, he slows flashes of brilliance once in a blue moon.

He's got a temper and can be prone to making a disgusting challenge.

STAY AWAY!

 

[A Bit High]

BREAKING GOSSIP
2220 BST: David Beckham claims he will not be joining Carlo Ancelotti at Stamford Bridge should the AC Milan coach move to Chelsea in the summer.
However, the England midfielder didn't rule out the chance of a return to Real Madrid.

2025 BST: Former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini says he is "flattered" to be linked with the vacant Sunderland manager's job.
He said: "Having completed a year of media commitments I'm now ready to return to full-time management. Ideally I would like that to be in the Premier League. I want to test myself against the very best."

1135 BST: Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has put a price tag on winger Franck Ribery of "at least 100m euros (£87m)".
"If I hear that there was an offer for 125m euros for Kaka, then Ribery has a market value of at least 100m," said Hoeness.

1130 BST: Former Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood insists he has given no thought to the prospect of replacing Mixu Paatelainen as Hibernian manager.


TRANSFER GOSSIP
Everton manager David Moyes wants to offer Newcastle striker Michael Owen a chance to extend his Premier League career.

Newcastle striker Obafemi Martins is set to undergo groin surgery, putting on hold his proposed £7.5m move to Italian side Fiorentina.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is ready to overhaul his squad over the summer with utility player Emmanuel Eboue, striker Emmanuel Adebayor and defender William Gallas the likely departures.

Russia and CSKA Moscow left-back Yuri Zhirkov will join Chelsea this summer for a fee of £18.6m.

West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green has turned down the offer of a new contract, which will alert London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal.

Bolton want to give Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes one final season of first-team football.

Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov is questioning his Old Trafford future after being left on the bench for Wednesday's Champions League final.

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas will have worried his bosses in London with comments that it would be a dream to play for Champions League winners Barcelona.

Real Madrid presidential hopeful Florentino Perez has claimed "an agreement" is in place for Manchester United winger Cristiano Ronaldo to join the club.

Winger Stewart Downing has been told he can leave relegated Middlesbrough, as long as it is not for Tottenham.

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has no intention of leaving the club over the summer, and according to his agent, he wants to honour the three years left on his contract.

New Ipswich boss Roy Keane could make a £500,000 bid for QPR defender Damien Delaney.


OTHER GOSSIP
Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United boss Sir Alex, is wanted by Wigan to replace the Sunderland-bound Steve Bruce.

Darren Ferguson is also wanted by Reading but a row over his compensation fee could scupper a move to the Madejski Stadium.

Celtic could make a surprise move for West Ham number two Steve Clarke as they look to fill the managerial vacancy left by Gordon Strachan's departure.

Portsmouth could have problems if prospective new owner Dr Sulaiman Al Fahim wants to appoint a new manager, as Pompey have already agreed terms with caretaker boss Paul Hart.

The consequences of Newcastle's relegation from the Premier League has been brought into stark reality with the news that 120 administrative and commercial staff are set to lose their jobs.

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner wants to sign a new contract with the club, even though his current deal does not expire until 2012.

 

[moomba]

1135 BST: Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has put a price tag on winger Franck Ribery of "at least 100m euros (£87m)".
"If I hear that there was an offer for 125m euros for Kaka, then Ribery has a market value of at least 100m," said Hoeness.

Whinges about the Kaka deal being bad for football, and isn't so bothered when the money is going to his club. Twat.

Winger Stewart Downing has been told he can leave relegated Middlesbrough, as long as it is not for Tottenham.

Ha ha ha

Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton has no intention of leaving the club over the summer, and according to his agent, he wants to honour the three years left on his contract.

Of cour$£ h£ want$ to $tay and honour his contract. H£s quite the philanthropi£t i$ our Jo£y.

 

[apollo_creed]

BREAKING GOSSIP
2025 BST: Former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini says he is "flattered" to be linked with the vacant Sunderland manager's job.
He said: "Having completed a year of media commitments I'm now ready to return to full-time management. Ideally I would like that to be in the Premier League. I want to test myself against the very best."

$$$$

TRANSFER GOSSIP
Everton manager David Moyes wants to offer Newcastle striker Michael Owen a chance to extend his Premier League career.

Please Everton. Take him!

I'm almost certain Villa will sign him and between me, you and whoever you want to tell - I DON'T WANT TO SIGN OWEN!

West Ham goalkeeper Rob Green has turned down the offer of a new contract, which will alert London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal.

**** off.

Gomes is a better keeper and after December finished the season in better form than any other keeper in the league. He's a better shot stopper than Green and is a better keeper. Redknapp was just singing his praises the other day.

Winger Stewart Downing has been told he can leave relegated Middlesbrough, as long as it is not for Tottenham.

You know you want him Man City - Downing and SWP on either side. Wow!

 

[Perth Swans]

http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/sport/334930/Eastlands-bosses-believe-they-have-clinched-deal.html

MANCHESTER CITY believe they have won a £42million race for Carlos Tevez and Gareth Barry.

The richest club in the world are ready to rubber-stamp a £32m deal to steal Tevez away from city rivals United. And they will offer £10m-rated Barry £90,000 a week to see off Liverpool, Arsenal and Spurs.

The move for Argentinian striker Tevez, 25, also blows Liverpool and Chelsea out of the chase with City happy to meet Kia Joorabchian's £32m asking price.

Liverpool's bid for the former West Ham forward was the lowest offer received. Boss Mark Hughes will also pay Tevez nearly £140,000 a week in a four-year deal.

Joorabchian will have one final meeting with Old Trafford chiefs this week to find out whether Sir Alex Ferguson sees Tevez as anything more than a bit-part player.

Those assurances are unlikely - leaving the way clear for City.

Hughes is in the Middle East to talk about transfer targets with City's Abu Dhabi owners and has made it clear he sees Tevez as vital to the club.

City are much further down the road with Tevez than Barry. But they are confident their financial clout will get them the Aston Villa captain.

Liverpool felt they were in pole position after their abortive attempt to land Barry, 28, last summer.

But the Reds are unable to match the Arabs' vast wealth.Barry could yet decide he values Champions League football over money but Eastlands officials are confident of getting their man.

Interesting...

 

[A Bit High]

TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City believe they have won the race to sign Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez and Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry - for a combined fee of £42m.

And City are also lining up a £30m bid for Barcelona's Champions League-winning striker Samuel Eto'o.

Barcelona are poised to offer £40m for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Manchester United could bid £15m for Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar as a replacement for Carlos Tevez.

AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti will this week be confirmed as the new manager of FA Cup winners Chelsea, with the club preparing to step up their chase of £50m Atletico Madrid forward Sergio Aguero.

Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is wanted by both Tottenham and West Ham.

Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez says he would like to join Liverpool.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp wants to lure Chelsea winger Joe Cole, who played under him at West Ham, to White Hart Lane.

Chelsea and Liverpool are battling it out for Paris St Germain midfielder Stephane Sessegnon - who is rated at about £12m.

Steve Bruce wants Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch when he takes the manager's job at Sunderland.

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is willing to pay £8m for Sunderland midfielder Kieran Richardson.

Fulham are set to make a £5m bid for Standard Liege striker Dieumerci Mbokani.

And Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is also interested in £6m-rated winger Momo, who plays for Spanish side Xerez CD.

Beaten FA Cup finalists Everton have been tracking Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic.

Liverpool's players have told manager Rafael Benitez that he should bring Newcastle striker Michael Owen back to Anfield.

Newcastle defender Jose Enrique says he wants to stay at the relegated club.

Stoke sent scouts to the Republic of Ireland match this week, in order to watch Nigeria full-back Chibuzor Okonkwo.

And Stoke boss Tony Pulis is closing in on the signing of Real Mallorca striker Juan Arango.

Everton are leading the race for Leeds United's £7m-rated midfielder Fabian Delph.

Manchester United will not let midfielder Paul Scholes leave Old Trafford, despite reported interest from Stoke and Bolton.

Bolton manager Gary Megson has made a £6m offer for Spurs midfielder Tom Huddlestone.

Huddlestone will be part of a mass exodus from Tottenham this summer. The other players up for sale are Didier Zokora, Gareth Bale, David Bentley, Heurelho Gomes, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent.

Sunderland's new manager will be encouraged to make a bid for Bent in the summer.

Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak is unhappy he has not had more first-team opportunities at Old Trafford and wants to go out on loan.

Blackburn are facing up to the prospect of losing Benni McCarthy, Stephen Warnock and Chris Samba over the summer.

However, Manchester City defender Tal Ben-Haim is likely to join up with his old boss Sam Allardyce at Blackburn.

Portsmouth duo Peter Crouch and Glen Johnson are not yet willing to commit their futures to the club until they receive assurances from the club's prospective new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim.

Blackburn are tracking Egyptian midfielder Mahmoud Abdel Razek Fadlallah, who is valued at £3.6m by his club Zamalek.

Liverpool are chasing Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson.

West Ham midfielder Lee Bowyer is closing in on a free transfer to Birmingham.

Birmingham want Cardiff striker Ross McCormack and Manchester United defender Danny Simpson as they prepare for life in the Premier League.

Gordon Strachan's departure from Celtic has ended the chances of Barcelona left-back Sylvinho joining the Glasgow club.

Swansea have withdrawn their interest in James McCarthy saying they cannot afford the Hamilton midfielder.


OTHER GOSSIP
Portsmouth's prospective new owner Sulaiman Al Fahim wants to bring Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp back to Fratton Park.

Manager Alan Shearer's future at Newcastle has been thrown into doubt after owner Mike Ashley put the club up for sale.

England manager Fabio Capello says it was Theo Walcott's decision to play in this summer's European Under-21 Championship - a move which has angered his Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.

Former England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson, who is a candidate for the Portsmouth job, is wanted by Portuguese side Sporting Lisbon.

Croatia manager Slaven Bilic has joined Eriksson in the race to become Portsmouth manager.

Paul Jewell is being lined up for a return to Wigan, should manager Steve Bruce move to Sunderland.

Bruce became interested in the Sunderland job when Wigan chairman Dave Whelan told him to cut the club's wage bill by £4m.

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce is prepared to sign a new contract with the club and will hope that by saving Rovers from relegation, he can negotiate an improved transfer kitty.

Former Celtic manager Wim Jansen wants to return as director of football, with Tony Adams in charge of the first-team and Henrik Larsson as coach.

But Wim Jansen and fellow Dutchman Co Adriaanse have ruled themselves out of the Celtic manager's job.

West Brom's Tony Mowbray and Dundee United's Craig Levein top Celtic's wanted list, with Roy Keane and Alan Curbishley not ruled out.

But Slaven Bilic, Steve Clarke, Frank Rijkaard and Roberto Martinez will not feature on Celtic's shortlist.

Burnley director Brendan Flood says Owen Coyle told him a month ago he would reject an approach from Celtic should their manager's post become vacant.

Rangers manager Walter Smith will have showdown talks with owner David Murray this week about his future and next season's transfer budget.

Former Leyton Orient boss Martin Ling will have talks with Hibernian next week about succeeding Mixu Paatelainen as manager at Easter Road.

Departing Newcastle coach Colin Calderwood is wanted by managerless Hibernian.

Dick Advocaat will leave Zenit St Petersburg to become Belgium coach in January.

QPR have set their sights on Brazilian legend Zico as they look for a new manager, although former Ipswich boss Jim Magilton is favourite to land the job.

Canadian multi-millionaire Jeff Mallett is looking to launching a takeover for Sheffield Wednesday

 

[AG]

Manchester City believe they have won the race to sign Manchester United forward Carlos Tevez and Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry - for a combined fee of £42m.

Not sure why Barry would leave Villa if the Champions League wasn't on offer.

Barcelona are poised to offer £40m for Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

Let the silly season begin.

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp wants to lure Chelsea winger Joe Cole, who played under him at West Ham, to White Hart Lane.

Perfect match. Spud player to a spud club.

Liverpool's players have told manager Rafael Benitez that he should bring Newcastle striker Michael Owen back to Anfield.

Deep down Liverpool supporters are crying in fear. He's past it.

Huddlestone will be part of a mass exodus from Tottenham this summer. The other players up for sale are Didier Zokora, Gareth Bale, David Bentley, Heurelho Gomes, Roman Pavlyuchenko and Darren Bent.

Not sure why he'd get rid of Gomes and both Pavlyuchenko and Bent. Gomes has been very good since his early problems. I think Bent playing for a smallish club would be good for his confidence....oh wait he already is.

Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak is unhappy he has not had more first-team opportunities at Old Trafford and wants to go out on loan.

It's because his name is to hard too hard to spell when they hand in the team sheet.

However, Manchester City defender Tal Ben-Haim is likely to join up with his old boss Sam Allardyce at Blackburn.

How many clubs has this guy failed to play at over the past year and a bit.

 

[bus24]

If Barry leaves for Man City - it's a bit of a black mark on his character/reputation isn't it.....

 

[Embers]

Green needs to stop sooking about money. Reality is theres alot of good goalkeepers out there atm. I love Green as much as the next West Ham fan but hes a idiot if he thinks hes gonna earn as much as a Scott Parker or Matthew Upson.

Barry should go to Arsenal. You know it makes sense

 

[bighughie]

Barry going to Arsenal would be great, he'd slot right into the center of midfield. However, bringing him to Ashburton would be tempered by the improvment we've seen in players like Song and Denilson who're much better players for the games they've had this season.

Barry would start ahead of them and they'd probably regress as players sitting on the bench. Unless there was some wholesale reshuffle and Song became a center back.

Personally, Toure should have been moved to midfield last season and Song to center back. Toures energy and run would have been great in the center of the park, with the added bonus of his screw ups not being on the last line.

 

[jod23]

Barry going to Arsenal would be great, he'd slot right into the center of midfield. However, bringing him to Ashburton would be tempered by the improvment we've seen in players like Song and Denilson who're much better players for the games they've had this season.

Barry would start ahead of them and they'd probably regress as players sitting on the bench. Unless there was some wholesale reshuffle and Song became a center back.

Personally, Toure should have been moved to midfield last season and Song to center back. Toures energy and run would have been great in the center of the park, with the added bonus of his screw ups not being on the last line.

This is Arsenal's problem though. It's always about bringing through those young players. Why buy an established Premier League veteran who would massively improve your midfield stocks when you can continue to blood Wilshere and Diaby and Song and Denilson and four other 12 year old kids. You wonder why Arsenal havent won a trophy in years.

 

[jod23]

If Barry leaves Villa, it will surely be for us, not City. I dont know Barry obviously but is he the type of guy who goes where the money is? I wouldnt have thought so. From everything that ive read, he wants to play CL football. He wont get that at City.

 

[AG]

This is Arsenal's problem though. It's always about bringing through those young players. Why buy an established Premier League veteran who would massively improve your midfield stocks when you can continue to blood Wilshere and Diaby and Song and Denilson and four other 12 year old kids. You wonder why Arsenal havent won a trophy in years.

Buy a first class DM who starts as many games as possible. Even go and get Gilberto back if you can't get anyone. Sell Diaby and Denilson. Use Song as backup. Ramsey and Wilshere as the development players, who play in the Carling Cup and maybe the odd game throughout the season. Games like Stoke game at the end of the season is when Ramsey and Wilshere should be playing. Nothing to play for, so there isn't too much pressure on them. Gibbs showed what happens when you throw inexperienced players in the deep end.

 

[AG]

If Barry leaves Villa, it will surely be for us, not City. I dont know Barry obviously but is he the type of guy who goes where the money is? I wouldnt have thought so. From everything that ive read, he wants to play CL football. He wont get that at City.

Maybe he's been talking to Lucas Neill.

 

[bighughie]

Buy a first class DM who starts as many games as possible. Even go and get Gilberto back if you can't get anyone. Sell Diaby and Denilson. Use Song as backup. Ramsey and Wilshere as the development players, who play in the Carling Cup and maybe the odd game throughout the season. Games like Stoke game at the end of the season is when Ramsey and Wilshere should be playing. Nothing to play for, so there isn't too much pressure on them. Gibbs showed what happens when you throw inexperienced players in the deep end.

This kind of knee jerk reaction is completely unwarranted. We should be adding to our squad, not dumping players who should be very handy squad players.
Our problem has always been depth, selling players like Diaby and Denilson who've shown good signs in the last season and then promoting even less experienced youth players like Ramsey and Wilshere to replace them is the issue.
We've tossed enough fringe players who've turned out to be pretty handy the last few seasons, it's time we kept players like Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner and added more quality at the top end, not brought in more kids.

 

[Boro]

We've tossed enough fringe players who've turned out to be pretty handy the last few seasons, it's time we kept players like Denilson, Diaby, Bendtner and added more quality at the top end, not brought in more kids.

I agree, it would have been better for all concerned if you had kept Hoyte and Aliadierre instead of hoisting them on poor old Boro...Want them back?

 

[bighughie]

Diarra, Bentley, Sidwell, blah blah. There's enough former Arsenal youth floating round the EPL to form a fairly decent team.

God, i would have even killed to have Big Phil around at some points of the last season.

 

[Bulldog1954]

He's good enough for Fulham when he plays Arsenal. That's about it.

He's not good, he's over-rated, he slows flashes of brilliance once in a blue moon.

He's got a temper and can be prone to making a disgusting challenge.

STAY AWAY!

Prone to making disgusting challenges, are you serious?

He is very very quick, tries hard but has no end product at all

 

[bus24]

The decision to let Diarra go for sweet **** all was a disaster.

 

[bus24]

Peterborough manager Darren Ferguson, son of Manchester United boss Sir Alex, is wanted by Wigan to replace the Sunderland-bound Steve Bruce.

Oh, sensational...

Fathead leaves and they replace him with Ginsoaks son.

Unbelievable, but hardly unexpected. Hilarious.

 

[bighughie]

The decision to let Diarra go for sweet **** all was a disaster.

Exactly. Look, I'm not saying we shouldnt have sold these players. I'm just trying to point out that there are heaps of players who used to play for Arsenal still running round at the highest level whilst at the same time we're struggling for depth.

We've been regarded as a selling club for years and allowed the best of our talent to be enticed away without replacing them. I'm sick of us turning youngsters into quality players, selling them on and replacing them with either noone or more youngsters.

I'll be happy if we can keep our squad from last season together (except for Silvestre, please leave) and add to it. Rather than have to start again.

again.

 

[Boro]

Prone to making disgusting challenges, are you serious?

He is very very quick, tries hard but has no end product at all

I'm trying to think of one bad challenge he has ever made and can't think of one? I'm sure TIG must have a game or two in mind. I don't think making challenges is really in his game

He is quick yes. Tries hard? I guess, maybe. No end product, that understates it a bit the guy couldn't finish his dinner