All the latest Transfer Gossip across Europe

With the January transfer window opening in a matter of days, let's take a look at the latest transfer rumours to be making the headlines, as clubs across Europe get a one last chance this season to shuffle their squads in a final push for success, whether it in the form of trophies, UEFA Champions League/Europa League qualification, or simply to maintain their status in their respective leagues.
As the clock ticks down here is the most recent transfer gossip to be doing the rounds!

Blackburn, Fulham, Bayer Leverkusen, Manchester United, Manchester City, Lille, Olympiakos, Bolton, Chelsea, Everton, Barcelona, New York Red Bulls, Dijon, AC Milan, Liverpool, Racing Club de Avellaneda, Paris Saint Germain, QPR, Arsenal, FC Köln, Olympique Lyonnais, Fiorentina, Tottenham, Spartak Moscow, Lokomotiv Moscow, Anzhi Makhachkala, Watford, Montpellier, Newcastle, Sochaux, Malaga, AS Roma, Leicester City, Doncaster Rovers, Derby County, Middlesbrough, Nottm Forest, West Ham, Valencia, Swindon Town, Huddersfield and Bournemouth..........are all caught up in transfer gossip as we speak.

Here is a round up:

Blackburn boss Steve Kean expects the green light to bid £2 million for unhappy Fulham striker Andy Johnson (right) today - and make him one of the first signings of the winter transfer window. QPR are also keen, but the 30-year-old is not a priority capture for them just now - Daily Mirror and The Guardian

Bayer Leverkusen are desperate to take Dimitar Berbatov back to the Bundesliga and have been in contact with the Manchester United striker - Daily Mail

Manchester City could fuel the rivalry with Manchester United by snapping up two of their best up-and-coming youngsters Ravel Morrison and Paul Pogba.
Both Pogba and Morrison, both 18 years-old are out of contract at the end of season and City are best-placed if neither players agrees a new deal - Daily Express, Daily Mail and footballpress.net

Manchester City are also rumoured to be lining up a £25m swoop for Lille's Eden Hazard (right), who will be immediately loaned back to France for the remainder of this season - skysports.com and The Guardian

Bolton Wanderers defender Gary Cahill has agreed in principal to join Chelsea in January - footballpress.net

Bolton boss Owen Coyle will swoop for New York Red Bulls and USA defender Tim Ream as a replacement for Gary Cahill - Daily Star

Bolton hope toalso sign Josh McEachran on loan from Chelsea, after sending back the unwanted Gaël Kakuta, who's now heading for Dijon - The Guardian

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas insists Chelsea will not be trying to buy Everton's Jack Rodwell when the transfer window reopens.
The Blues were this week linked with a £20million bid for the midfielder, who made his senior England debut last month - sportinglife.com

Chelsea are facing an unexpected battle to keep Oriol Romeu less than six months after signing him. Barcelona are said to want to bring the midfielder, who has broken into Andre Villas-Boas' first team, back to the Nou Camp as a replacement for Serie A-bound Seydou Keita in summer - Daily Mirror

Liverpool target Teo Gutierrez (right) has been made available by his club - but only if his £8m valuation is met. The Racing Club de Avellaneda (of Argentina) forward has been attracting the attention of a number of clubs across Europe and the impending eight game ban Luis Suarez is facing has heightened Liverpool's thoughts of adding another striker to their squad - talkSPORT

AC Milan have dismissed reports that Brazilian star Alexandre Pato has asked for a big-money move to Paris Saint Germain. The forward admitted yesterday that his relationship with Milan coach Massimiliano Allegri is not ideal, and that has only increased speculation of a €50million (£42m) switch to France - skysports.com and Daily Mirror

Manager Arsene Wenger is set to consider offers for Arsenal trio Marouane Chamakh, Andrey Arshavin and Sebastien Squillaci as he looks to make way for possible additions to his squad next month - Caught Offside

Andrey Arshavin appears to be closer than ever to leaving Arsenal with Chelsea among the clubs who could be keen on him - Metro

Arsenal will only make loan signings this January but are preparing a £30m summer spending spree on FC Köln striker Lukas Podolski, Fiorentina midfielder Juan Vargas (right) and Lyon midfielder Yoann Gourcuff. Poldolski and Gourcuff would cost the Gunners a combined fee in the region of £15 million pounds, with Vargas' fee expected to be around £10 million - footballpress.net

Tottenham will consider a move for Blackburn defender Chris Samba when the transfer window opens next week, after missing out on Gary Cahill - Daily Mail

Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent claims the Tottenham Hotspur striker is prepared to join Anzhi Makhachkala unless he receives a better offer in January. The 30 year-old forward is unhappy with his lack of playing time and has been linked with a return to former club Spartak Moscow, along with rivals Lokomotiv Moscow and Queens Park Rangers - skysports.com and sportinglife.com

Blackburn are lining up a bid for £5m-rated Watford striker Marvin Sordell - Daily Star

Montpellier owner Louis Nicollin has ruled out selling striker Olivier Giroud (right) to Newcastle United after claiming the club are 'too small' for the striker. Giroud is reportedly a target for Newcastle in the January transfer window as Alan Pardew seeks to boost his attack after a move for Sochaux's Modibo Maiga collapsed. The French international has also been linked with the likes of Arsenal and Malaga - skysports.com

Tottenham's 25 year-old defender Vedran Corluka looks set to join Italian giants AS Roma - Daily Star and The Sun

Olympiakos have been linked to a move for Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak - The Guardian

Middlesbrough are keen on landing Nottingham Forest striker Ishmael Miller. The 23-year-old only moved to the City Ground in the summer, when Forest paid West Bromwich Albion just over £1million - skysports.com

Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock has ruled out a bid to sign former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb in January. Hleb has spent the first half of the season on loan at Wolfsburg from Barcelona, but the Bundesliga club will not be extending the arrangement - sportinglife.com

Leicester City boss Nigel Pearson insists will not be 'held to ransom' in the January transfer window amid reports he has made a bid for Doncaster Rovers striker Billy Sharp (right). Foxes boss Pearson is keen to improve his squad in the New Year and reports claim that Leicester have offered £3million for Sharp - skysports.com

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce is keen on bringing Valencia defender Ricardo Costa to East London - skysports.com

Derby County manager Nigel Clough is hoping to release several members of his squad during the January transfer window. Midfielder Stephen Pearson, currently on loan at Championship rivals Bristol City, and goalkeeper Stephen Bywater could be among the first to leave the club in the New Year - skysports.com

Swindon Town will give Leon Clarke to Huddersfield on a free after he fell out with manager Paolo di Canio, but have turned down Bournemouth's £500,000 bid for winger Matt Ritchie, whom they rate at £2m - skysports.com and The Guardian

Blackpool have hardest task on epic final day - Betting News with Betfred

versus

It has been a massive season for Blackpool and they now have to do things the hard way as they travel to Manchester United on the final day of the season.

Ian Holloway's side have been the entertainers of the Premier League since their promotion last year, and have received rave reviews from the football world for their adventurous, attacking style of play.
However things have been tough for the Tangerines since the turn of the year, and they are 9/2 with Betfred to record a shock victory at United on Sunday.

They now sit in the bottom three on goal difference, knowing a win is vital if they wish to retain their Premier League status, but United are unbeaten at home this season, dropping just two points out of a possible 54 at home, and will be keen to give the Old Trafford faithful a tremendous send-off as they celebrate winning their record 19th league title.

There are numerous permutations surrounding the final weekend of the season and any two teams from five could be relegated depending on results elsewhere.

A point could be enough for Blackpool (and it is 10/3 the draw at fortress Old Trafford), if Birmingham lose at Tottenham, and/or Wolves lose at home to Blackburn by two goals or more. Should Wolves beat Blackburn then only an 'unexpected' Blackpool victory would see them overtake Rovers.

The Premier League betting odds understandably favour Blackpool to be relegated as have the toughest final game against United, and Betfred go 4/11 that they will be plying their trade in The Championship next season.

What must worry fans of the Seasiders is they have a notoriously leaky defence and travel to a United side capable of scoring a hat-ful, even if Sir Alex Ferguson decides to put out a weakened side with one eye on the Champions League final next week.

Even if Ferguson leaves out some of his star names then those that take to the field will be out to impress the Scotsman, and show him why they deserve a place in the Champions League final squad - so it could be a long old afternoon for Blackpool.

Alex McLeish's Birmingham side are 5/1 to win at White Hart Lane and 8/13 to be relegated in the Premier League betting, but The Blues have been on a shocking run of form of late, recording just two wins in their last twelve league games!

The other team in the relegation mix that we have not yet mentioned are Wigan, who travel to Stoke in their final fixture of the campaign. The Latics have the same number of points as Blackpool but an inferior goal difference than all of their relegation rivals, albeit a marginal one.

It would be close to a a miracle if Blackpool survive – but Ian Holloway is without doubt the man you would most want in charge of a team in a relegation dogfight on the last day of the season.

It has been a breath of fresh air having the Seasiders in the Premier League, but they look set to be one-season wonders but their fans will have been left with some unforgettable memories.

My Tip of the Weekend:

Expect wins for United (4/7), Spurs (4/7), Wigan (17/10) and Wolves (6/5) in the vital games, which would see Birmingham and Blackpool join West Ham in dropping down to the Championship.

Sunday 22nd May:

Manchester Utd v Blackpool, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 1.
Tottenham v Birmingham City, kick-off 4pm, live on Sky Sports 2.

By Drew Swainston
(Guest writer from Betfred on behalf of Beer Footy and Birds!)