Thursday, July 2, 2009

Thursday's gossip column

Transfers Other gossip And finally

BREAKING GOSSIP

1203 BST: Aston Villa have dismissed speculation linking them with a move for Wigan defender Titus Bramble, reportedly worth £3.5m plus midfielder Barry Bannan. (Press Association)

1156 BST: Lyon want Real Madrid's Dutch striker Ruud Van Nistelrooy to replace Karim Benzema who has agreed to join the Spanish side.
Full story: Marca (in Spanish)

1124 BST:Barcelona are set to bid £17m for Liverpool midfielder Javier Mascherano after Barca's technical director received permission from Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez to make an offer.
Full story: Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish)

1111 BST: Sunderland defender Greg Halford is in line for a £2m transfer to Premier League newcomers Wolves.
Full story: Wolverhampton Express & Star

1045 BST: Valencia striker David Villa has disappointed his potential suitors in England by telling Barcelona's technical director Txiqui Begiristain that "I only want to go to Barca" at a secret meeting.
Full story: Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish)

0835 BST: Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery says he wants to leave the German club to join Karim Benzema at Real Madrid.
Full story: L'Equipe (in French)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

New Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has delayed his arrival in London as he attempts to lure striker Alexandre Pato from his former club AC Milan.
Full story: The Sun

Barcelona are preparing to make a £25m bid for Liverpool's Argentine midfielder Javier Mascherano.
Full story: Daily Mirror

The proposed deal to take Ricardo Carvalho and Deco from Chelsea to Inter Milan could collapse over the London club's insistence that they want £12m for the duo.
Full story: Daily Telegraph

Forward Carlos Tevez will be unveiled as a Manchester City player on Monday next week, after agreeing terms of about £120,000-a-week.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Former Arsenal skipper Patrick Vieira has been offered £100,000-a-week by Birmingham as they try to sign the Frenchman from Inter Milan.
Full story: The Sun

Chelsea are closing in on the signing of AC Milan midfielder Andrea Pirlo. (Daily Express)

And the Blues are refusing to give up in their chase of Bayern Munish winger Franck Ribery.
Full story: Daily Mail

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes is facing the prospect of being priced out of signing Everton defender Joleon Lescott. Everton value the centre half at £20m, which is £5m more than Hughes is willing to pay.
Full story: Daily Star

Fulham midfielder Clint Dempsey could be set for a £4m move to Everton after turning down the offer of a new contract at Craven Cottage.
Full story: The Sun

New Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is keen to sort out a quick deal for Honduras midfielder Hendry Thomas as Sunderland are also interested. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa are ready to launch a bid of £3.5m plus midfielder Barry Bannan for Wigan defender Titus Bramble. (Daily Star)

And Villa boss Martin O'Neill is exploring the possibility of signing Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing - even though the winger will be out until October with a foot injury.
Full story: Daily Mail

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce is lining up a bid for Reading midfielder Stephen Hunt, and is also close to completing the signing of Chile forward Humberto Suazo.
Full story: The Sun

Blackburn manager Sam Allardyce will not be making a bid for Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton. (Daily Star)

Burnley are interested in Hamilton midfielder James McCarthy, according to the Scottish club.
Full story: The Scotsman

Birmingham want Arsenal left-back Armand Traore on a season-long loan.
Full story: The Sun

Celtic's bid to lure Marc-Antoine Fortune has taken another twist, with the Nancy striker's team-mate Landry NGuemo set to make a switch to Glasgow after agreeing a move.
Full story: Daily Record

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal defender William Gallas says he will not sign a new contract with the Gunners and will walk away from the Emirates for free when his deal expires next summer if he is not allowed to leave this year. Inter Milan are interested in the 31-year-old.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Chelsea left-back Ashley Cole is on the brink of signing a new four-year deal with the club, which is thought to be in the region of £120,000-a-week.
Full story: The Times

Broadcast giants Sky and ESPN have teamed up to force the SPL into agreeing a cut-price bail-out television deal worth less than the previous Setanta contract.
Full story: Daily Record

Arsenal chief executive Ivan Gazidis has called for the Premier League to consider a salary cap as a way of encouraging greater competition.
Full story: The Guardian

Celtic defender Bobo Balde insists the club owe him more than £200,000 and has taken his case to PFA Scotland, the players' union.
Full story: The Herald

AND FINALLY

Newcastle's players returned to work on Wednesday as the club prepares for life in the Championship.

Striker Obafemi Martins turned up late with midfielder Joey Barton back at the club for the first time since he was told to stay away from the training ground by caretaker boss Alan Shearer. Martins is apparently now on £65,000 a week, after earning a £5,000-a-week pay rise under the terms of his contract.
Full story: The Sun

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