BBC SPORT | Football | Gossip (original) (raw)

TRANSFER RUMOURS

Blackburn want Chelsea's Steve Sidwell to replace Robbie Savage. Sunderland are also interested in taking Sidwell on loan (News of the World).

Middlesbrough could sell Stewart Downing if there is no progress in his contract talks. Tottenham and Everton would be interested (Express).

Manchester United have made Dimitar Berbatov their number one transfer target but are determined not to be held to ransom for him by Tottenham (Mail).

Arsenal are set to win the race for Gillingham teenager Luke Freeman, who became the youngest player in FA Cup history when he played for the Gills in this season's first round, aged 15 years and 233 days (Mail).

Charlton are keeping tabs on non-league striker Stuart Fleetwood, who has scored 26 goals for Forest Green this season (News of the World).

Tottenham have already lined up Swedish striker Johan Elmander, who plays for French side Toulouse, as Dimitar Berbatov's replacement (Express).

Rangers are poised to beat Birmingham to the loan signing of Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher. (People)

Birmingham have had a �1.5m offer for left-back David Murphy rejected by Hibernian but will launch a new bid. (Mirror)

Goalkeeper Artur Boruc's new contract with Celtic is worth �5.5m over three-and-a-half years. (Sunday Mail)

Artur Boruc's new contract with Celtic is worth �10m. (News of the World)

Rangers have rejected the chance to sign Monaco left-back Jeremy Barthod. (various)

Dundee United goalkeeper Grzegorz Szamotulski could be set to join Cardiff when his contract ends in January. (Scotland On Sunday)

Wolves have entered the race to sign Celtic forward Derek Riordan. (Sunday Mail)

Celtic will offer �2m plus Derek Riordan to Burnley for striker Kyle Lafferty. (People)

Aberdeen defender Zander Diamond appears likely to reject the club's offer of a new contract. (Sunday Mail)

Dundee United have laughed off a �175,000 offer from Blackpool for striker Noel Hunt. (People)

Kilmarnock striker Colin Nish is poised to reject a new contract and sign a more lucrative deal with Oldham. (various)

Gretna hope to sign Motherwell midfielder Simon Mensing ahead of his former club, St Johnstone. (Scotland On Sunday)

Hibernian are interested in taking their former captain, Ian Murray, on loan from Norwich. (News of the World)

OTHER GOSSIP

Jermain Defoe is close to agreeing a new five-year deal at Tottenham that will double his current wages (News of the World).

Manchester City are ready to triple goalkeeper Joe Hart's wages to ward off interest from Liverpool (News of the World).

Luton boss Kevin Blackwell says the football family, FA and Football League "haven't helped the club one bit" in their current financial struggle (Express).

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has told friends he thinks he will leave the club in the summer, with Jurgen Klinsmann his possible replacement (Express).

Sammy Lee is being lined up as Wolves' next manager if Mick McCarthy cannot turn things round at Molineux (News of the World)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane says he was "ashamed" by their 3-0 home FA Cup loss to Wigan (Observer).

Kevin Keegan could be a surprise candidate for the Hearts manager's job along with Nevio Scala. (Sunday Times)

Turun Palloseura coach Mixu Paatelainen has emerged as favourite for the Hibernian manager's job. (Scotland On Sunday)

Nottingham Forest player-coach Neil Lennon has entered the race to be Hibernian manager. (Scotland On Sunday)

Motherwell are planning to name a stand in honour of their late captain, Phil O'Donnell. (Scotland On Sunday)

Rangers captain Barry Ferguson dedicated his goalagainst Dundee United to his friend, Phil O'Donnell. (various)

AND FINALLY

Burnley striker Ade Akinbiyi has revealed the club banned him from going to the weights room because he had lost pace by bulking up his muscles so much (Express)

Wigan's Ryan Taylor is considering a career as a professional poker player when he quits playing (Express).

Leicester boss Ian Holloway says his midfielders in the FA Cup loss to Southampton were so young "they should have been playing in nappies" (Mail).

Swedish side �rgryte have rejected the chance to hire Diego Maradona for the club's centenary match on moral grounds, saying "he doesn't represent the values we stand for" (Observer).

Former Manchester United defender David May now runs a South African wine import company (Observer).

Sir Alex Ferguson says he would like Manchester United to draw his son Darren's side Peterborough in the fourth round of the FA Cup - "to give them some money" (Times).

Burnley owner Brendan Flood says his wife makes him buy her a diamond every time he buys a new player for the club (Independent).