Monday's Gossip

[Barney 0]

TRANSFER RUMOURS

 

Arsenal are set to smash their transfer record with a £15m swoop for Argentine striker Rodrigo Palacio, who plays for Boca Juniors. (The Sun)

 

Striker Marlon Harewood has agreed a move to Wigan after being told he can leave West Ham. (Daily Mirror)

 

Real Madrid have tabled a £13.5m bid for Chelsea winger Arjen Robben. (The Sun)

 

Manchester City striker Darius Vassell is set to be allowed to leave the club for about £1.5m following the arrival of Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager. (Daily Mirror)

 

Manchester United are so confident of signing striker Carlos Tevez from West Ham that they have booked a medical for the Argentine on Wednesday. (The Sun)

 

Hearts keeper Craig Gordon wants to join Sunderland. (Mirror)

 

Charles N'Zogbia will tell Newcastle he wants to leave, with Fulham and Bolton in the market for the winger. (Mirror)

 

Curtis Davies has resigned as West Brom captain after the club turned down his transfer request. (Mirror)

 

Portsmouth are giving a trial to Brazilian striker Geovanni Mauricio, a former Barcelona player. (Mirror)

 

Middlesbrough and Blackburn are preparing to swoop for Everton striker James Beattie but could be put off by the £4m price tag. (Daily Mail)

 

Alan Smith will join Manchester United on their Asian tour despite doubts over his future. (Independent)

 

Newcastle will open talks with Fulham defender Franck Queudrue on Monday about a £2m move. (Daily Mail)

 

Sunderland could move for Celtic defender Bobo Balde. (Daily Mail)

 

Manchester United's decision to block Gabriel Heinze's move to Liverpool has revived Real Madrid's interest in the Argentine. (Daily Mail)

 

Newcastle are also hopeful of signing left-back Heinze and the club are also hopeful of holding on to Obafemi Martins. (Daily Telegraph)

 

Getafe are close to wrapping up a £1.5m deal for Charlton winger Dennis Rommedahl. (Daily Mail)

 

Chelsea will open negotiations with Sevilla over Daniel Alves when they return from their US tour. Sevilla want £20m for the right-back. (Guardian)

 

Striker Kanu is ready to commit himself to Portsmouth for the forthcoming season. (Guardian)

 

Jermain Defoe will turn down a move to Aston Villa because he wants to fight for his place at Tottenham. (Guardian)

 

But Aston Villa are hopeful of tying up a deal for Charlton defender Luke Young. (Times)

 

Middlesbrough and Portsmouth are battling it out to sign Preston winger Simon Whaley. (Times)

 

Sheffield United will need to pay £1m to land Kevin Phillips from West Brom. (Times)

 

But the Blades will miss out on Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen, who has opted to stay put. (Times)

 

 

 

 

OTHER GOSSIP

 

Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge faces a lay-off of at least three months after emergency surgery on a fractured pelvis. He does not know when he suffered the injury but it may have occurred during England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia in June. (Various)

 

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has warned that manager Rafael Benitez's summer spending spree will go to waste unless the club make a strong start to the season. (Various)

 

West Ham are prepared to argue their case for receiving a fee for Carlos Tevez in the courts. (Guardian)

 

 

 

AND FINALLY

 

Britain's number one doubles player Jamie Murray is hopeful of getting to the final at this week's Countrywide Classic tennis event so he will be around to see David Beckham make his LA Galaxy debut against Chelsea on Saturday. (Sun)

 

Chelsea's new link-up with Disney will involve the Blues having a presence at Disneyworld in Florida. Chelsea's business affairs director Paul Smith told BBC Five Live: "We will not only have the branding of the key Disney events but we will be sending over coaching staff to hold clinics and seminars with US coaches in the key parts of the season, leading eventually to a permanent Chelsea feature in Disney in Orlando."

[JawD 99]

Id like to see Zoggy stay and see how he improves. He had a cracking first season but was way off form last season. Not sure how much of that was down to injury / the manager / other but he didnt seem happy at all. Heinze I really cant see coming here due to the other options he has and the rather uninspiring mention of Franck Queudrue Im not that bothered about though could be ok as a squad player, though Id rather see someone else come in.

[Jimbo 175]

If Zoggy thinks life would be better at Fulham or Bolton then let him go, he's clearly clinically insane.

[Guest Patrokles]

'I WANT TO LEAVE'

 

'Alright, you've got a choice between Fulham and Bolton.'

 

'I WANT TO STAY.'

[Dr Gloom 22511]

letting the zog go would be big sam's first mistake

[Papa Lazaru 0]

letting the zog go would be big sam's first mistake

 

I agree, unless Zog makes it clear he doesn't want to be here and isn't committed in which case he will have to let him go. But hopefully its just paper talk and Big Sam will have/will be about to have a talk with Zog and sort things out.

[NJS 4446]

If Zoggy thinks life would be better at Fulham or Bolton then let him go, he's clearly clinically insane.

 

Shades of Bernard/Domi.

 

If a player doesn't realise that its a fresh start and its mainly down to him what he makes of it then decides he doesn't want to stay then sod him.

[BigAl 0]

If the Zog wants to leave then so be it, I like him but BigSam is better off with players that want to stay and be part of his new regime.

[paddy 17]

sky linking us with Lassana Diarra from Chelsea just on now

[Craig 6700]

letting the zog go would be big sam's first mistake

 

A bigger mistake than keeping somone on the payroll who doesn't want to be here?

 

I see your point but if a player wants to leave, there's no rational reasoning for keeping him - sell him while he still can get money for him.

 

Course if it's a case of whether I want him to stay.... of course I do.

[Ketsbaia 0]

sky linking us with Lassana Diarra from Chelsea just on now

 

Love that to come off. I work with a Chelsea fan who rates him very highly.