Monday's Gossip

[Tom 14029]

Cristiano Ronaldo will insist he is allowed to move to Real Madrid in a £68m deal when he returns to Old Trafford to meet manager Sir Alex Ferguson on Tuesday. (www.telegraph.co.uk, 1442 BST)

 

Portsmouth hope to sign Reading left-back Nicky Shorey and Tottenham defender Younes Kaboul before Sunday's Community Shield clash with Manchester United. (Press Association, 1157 BST)

 

Hamburg's Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart has confirmed on his website that he is signing for Real Madrid. (www.vandervaartofficial.com, 1138 BST)

 

The Profitable Group denies it is in talks with Newcastle and does not intend to have talks with the Premier League club. (BBC Sport, 1012 BST)

 

Indian firm Reliance Communications have denied they are in talks about taking over Newcastle, after speculation chairman Anil Ambani was speaking to Magpies owner Mike Ashley. (Reuters, 0831 BST)

 

TRANSFER RUMOURS

 

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is on the brink of signing Liverpool's £16m-rated midfielder Xabi Alonso. (Daily Star)

 

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp will make a £9m swoop for Tottenham's Younes Kaboul and Reading's Nicky Shorey this week. (The Sun)

 

Real Madrid striker Robinho says he wants to sign for Chelsea, who are still chasing a £27m deal for the Brazilian. (Daily Star)

 

Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry's hopes of completing his £18m move to Liverpool now lie in the hands of the Anfield club's American owners. (Daily Star)

 

Fulham have stunned Everton by slicing £4m off their valuation of Andrew Johnson - they will not pay more than £8m after his medical showed signs of an old knee injury. (Daily Mail)

 

But Everton will give Fulham 48 hours to seal a £13m deal for the striker - or order him to return to Goodison Park. (Daily Express)

 

Real Madrid striker Ruud van Nistelrooy reckons Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo will stay at Manchester United for at least another year. (Daily Mirror)

 

Birmingham expect to complete the loan signing of Spartak Moscow's former Arsenal striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie today. (The Sun)

 

Manchester City boss Mark Hughes wants to sign Marseille striker Djibril Cisse on loan. (Daily Mirror)

 

Striker David Nugent is set for a battle with Portsmouth by refusing to join Championship side Ipswich in a £5m deal. (The Sun)

 

Blackburn are making a shock move for Lens French midfielder Julien Sable, 27, although Chievo Verona are also keen on a £1.5m deal. (Daily Mirror)

 

Coventry are close to signing striker Clinton Morrison and defender Stephen Wright on Bosman free transfers. (The Sun)

 

West Ham have quashed reports striker Dean Ashton will be sold to another Premier League club this summer. (Daily Telegraph)

 

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OTHER GOSSIP

 

Premier League bosses have drafted new plans to take clubs around the world, with five mini-tournaments taking place from January 2010 that would be worth £5m plus to each team. (Daily Mirror)

 

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has a week to decide whether he wants to sell the club for £260m to Indian billionaire Anil Ambani. (The Sun)

 

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari reckons Blues misfit Nicolas Anelka has a big part to play for the club this term after a successful pre-season campaign. (Various)

 

Manager Roy Keane will open talks on a new contract at Sunderland at the end of August. (Daily Mirror)

 

Paul Scharner has a £6m 'price clause' in his new contract with Wigan, in case a big club comes in for his services. (Daily Mirror)

 

Striker Didier Drogba will miss the first two games of Chelsea's season as he is still struggling for fitness after a knee injury. (The Sun)

 

Sunderland forward Kenwyne Jones will undergo exploratory knee surgery today that could rule him out for most of the season. (Daily Mail)

 

Former Burnley boss Steve Cotterill has landed a seven-week stint as manager of Minnesota Thunder. (Daily Mail)

 

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AND FINALLY

 

Emmanuel Adebayor, who appeared to want to leave Arsenal during the summer before signing a new deal, was booed by fans during their friendly against Real Madrid, until the striker scored the winner from the penalty spot - and then kissed the club's badge. (Various)

[Besty 4]

People saying Taye Taiwo's (Marseille) agent is here trying to sell him to us...

[Fop 1]

Would it not be easier to assume that absolutely everyone is trying to buy Newcastle, unless there is a specific denial backed up by lie-detector test?

Edited August 4, 2008 by Fop

[Ketsbaia 0]

People saying Taye Taiwo's (Marseille) agent is here trying to sell him to us...

 

People as in randoms or The People?

 

I quite like the look of Taiwo from what i've seen. It's always a risk buying from France but I think he'd be worth a punt.

[Wavey Davey 0]

Fantastic. I look forward to next month's rehashed drivel by NotW/Sun.

[Lazarus 0]

People saying Taye Taiwo's (Marseille) agent is here trying to sell him to us...

One of the best left backs in FM08. FACT!

[Happy Face 29]

People saying Taye Taiwo's (Marseille) agent is here trying to sell him to us...

One of the best left backs in FM08. FACT!

 

Not great on FIFA08 though.

 

Anyone got his PES figures?

 

[Park Life 71]

Would it not be easier to assume that absolutely everyone is trying to buy Newcastle, unless there is a specific denial backed up by lie-detector test?

 

I've got a bid in like.

 

Gonna stitch fat ashley up like a kipper.

Edited August 4, 2008 by Park Life