All the latest Transfer Gossip across Europe

With the January transfer window closing next Tuesday, there has plenty of talk of possible 'big name' transfers, but little in the way of action so far this month!
The only big money transfer of note was the predicted move of Bolton's Gary Cahill to Chelsea for £7million. Meanwhile there are also lot of loan deals in the pipeline, but can the players, their agents and the clubs agree terms before the transfer window shuts!

As the clock ticks down here is the most recent transfer gossip to be doing the rounds!

Is your club involved?

Chelsea, Shakhtar Donetsk, Lille, PSG, Arsenal, Hanover 96, Manchester United, Bayer Leverkusen, Napoli, Manchester City, Liverpool, Lazio, Arsenal, Real Sociedad, QPR, Tottenham, São Paulo, Bolton, Crystal Palace, Stoke, Everton, Ajax, Inter Milan, Newcastle, Burnley, Watford, Swansea, Blackpool, AZ Alkmaar, Kalmar FF, West Brom, Zenit St Petersburg, Juventus, Cagliari, Sunderland, Blackburn, MK Dons, Nottingham Forest, Leicester, Southend and Shrewsbury are all caught up in transfer gossip as we speak.

Chelsea are also after Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Willian Borges da Silva, but have been told by the Ukrainians that they will have to fork out £25m for the 23-year-old - The Guardian

Lille striker Eden Hazard (right) has admitted Carlo Ancelotti's presence at Paris Saint-Germain is drawing him towards joining the French club. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been linked with the 21-year-old - Inside Futbol

Paris St Germain ended their interest in a January deal for Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez earlier this week, but coach Carlo Ancelotti hopes the French club may be able to sign the Argentine in the future - skysports.com

Chelsea defender Alex has completed a €5 million [£4.1m] transfer to Paris Saint Germain this weekend The Brazilian has signed an 18-month deal with the French Ligue 1 leaders - goal.com

Hannover 96 are keen to sign Senegalese international striker Mame Biram Diouf, 24 on loan from Manchester United - footballpress.net

Chelsea could make a £3m move for Manchester United defensive midfielder Paul Pogba (right). The 18-year-old is out of contract in the summer and has refused to sign a new deal - The Guardian

Manchester United could make a shock move for German midfielder Michael Ballack after Bayer Leverkusen indicated the 35-year-old could be available - Caught Offside

Arsenal striker Carlos Vela is hopeful of extending his loan stay at Real Sociedad and possibly turning it into a permanent switch. The 22-year-old Mexico international has been at the La Liga side since the start of the season - Caught Offside

Edinson Cavani's agent has played down talk of a stunning late switch to Manchester City. It has been suggested in the Italian media that Napoli are bracing themselves for a late move for their 24-year-old Uruguayan striker (right). Liverpool are also rumoured to be keen on the striker - talkSPORT and Caught Offside

Queens Park Rangers hope to sign former Liverpool forward Djibril Cisse from Lazio. The 30-year-old Frenchman would cost £4m, although he may join on loan. Adel Taarabt may head in the opposite direction - The Guardian and skysports.com

Bolton have made a £5m bid for Crystal Palace's England Under-21 international Wilfried Zaha, but face competition from Newcastle and Stoke - Daily Mirror and footballgossip.org.uk

Tottenham are in talks with São Paulo over Brazil Under-20 defender Bruno Uvini - The Guardian

Everton are closing in on Ajax striker Mounir El Hamdaoui (right). The 27-year-old Moroccan could move to Goodison Park on loan before sealing a permanent move for £5m in the summer - talkSPORT

Everton are being linked with Inter Milan striker Luc Castaignos, according to reports from Italy. The Toffees are being linked with the a move for the former Feyenoord youngster, either on loan or in a permanent deal - footballgossip.org.uk

Newcastle United want Burnley striker Jay Rodriguez and Watford's Adrian Mariappa. However Swansea City are also keen on the Watford defender - The Guardian and Daily Mail

AZ Alkmaar have completed the signing of 19 year-old right-back Mattias Johansson from Swedish side Kalmar FF - sportinglife.com

Blackpool are lining up a season-long loan move for West Brom's Czech Republic striker Roman Bednar - skysports.com

West Brom head coach Roy Hodgson is hopeful of concluding a deal to sign Zenit St Petersburg winger Szabolcs Huszti (right), for the remainder of the season - sportinglife.com and The Press Association

Juventus are tracking Belgian international Radja Nainggolan 23, but the midfielder has a deal tying him to Cagliari until June 2014 - footballpress.net

David Dunn has signed a new contract with Blackburn until the summer of 2013 - sportinglife.com

Newcastle United midfielder Alan Smith is set to leave the club for League One side MK Dons - football gossip.org.uk

Nottingham Forest are considering a third bid from Leicester for centre-back Wes Morgan. The Foxes' previous offer was believed to be in the region of £800,000 - sportinglife.com

Sunderland are considering a bid for unsettled Besiktas targetman Hugo Almeida (right), 27, who is rated at £3m - Sunderland Echo

League Two promotion chasers Southend have bolstered their defensive options with the signing of Pat Baldwin from Colchester on a free transfer until the end of the season - skysports.com

Shrewsbury Town have signed Romaine Sawyers on a month-long loan from West Brom - skysports.com

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

All the latest Transfer Gossip across Europe

With international football top of the agenda this week and next, top flight clubs across Europe are able to take a well-earned break from domestic football.
However the transfer rumour mill door continues to revolve, as clubs look to strengthen their sides. Whether it be this January or next summer clubs across Europe are constantly planning for the future, and today some of the biggest clubs in Britain and Europe are the subject of transfer speculation.

Liverpool, Barcelona, Anzhi Makhachkal, Manchester United, Real Madrid, Valencia, Sochaux, Tottenham, Newcastle, Rennes, New York Red Bulls, Arsenal, West Brom, Villarreal, Chelsea, Blackburn Rovers, Napoli, AC Milan, Fiorentina, Wolfsburg, Rosenborg, Espanyol, Fulham, Celtic and Glasgow Rangers are all caught up in transfer gossip as we speak.

Here is a round up:

Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish's has been linked with a move for Barcelona striker David Villa. Reports in Spain say the 29-year-old striker is unhappy at Barcelona and has fallen out with Lionel Messi - The Guardian

Liverpool who were looking at Sochaux midfielder Ryad Boudebouz (right) in May are back in for for the Algerian international. Expect a bid in January - The Guardian

There is also reported interest from Liverpool in Barcelona star Seydou Keita. Russian giants Anzhi Makhachkala, are also keen to land the Mali international - skysports.com

Real Madrid are looking tempt Manchester United captain Nemanja Vidic into making a big money move to the Bernabéu next Summer. The Seriban, who signed a new deal early last season, will have just two years left on his contract at the end of the season - football.co.uk

Manchester United are running the rule over Valencia defender Adil Rami (right) as Sir Alex Ferguson plans for the eventual replacement of both Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Sources in Spain have confirmed the English champions’ interest in the Valencia defender. Rami is thought to have a buy-out clause of €25million in his contract, well within reach for the Red Devils. The Frenchman only joined Valencia in the summer, moving from Lille, the side which he helped to last season’s Ligue 1 title - insidefutbol.com

Alan Pardew’s Newcastle has made a dream start in the Premier League this campaign and are now preparing to bolster their attacking options by signing Tottenham duo Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenkov, both 29, for £20million in the January transfer window - european-football-updates.blogspot.com

Arsenal have entered the race to sign Rennes' 6ft 3in midfielder Tongo Hamed Doumbia, The 22 year-old is rated at £8million - Daily Mail and footylatest.com

New York Red Bulls defender Tim Ream has spoken out on interest from two English Premier League sides. The 24-year-old has been linked with Arsenal, while West Brom are also believed to have asked the American to head over to the Hawthornes on trial. Ream has been in fine form for New York Red Bulls, profiting from playing in the same side as the likes of Thierry Henry and Rafael Marquez - insidefutbol.com

Villarreal are keen to bring in teenage Chelsea striker Romelu Lukaku, 18, on loan in the January transfer window - Daily Mirror

France International midfielder Yann M' Vila (right), 21, who Arsenal made an unsuccessful £20 million bid for on transfer deadline day in August, says he is prepared to leave Rennes - but not until after Euro 2012 - Metro and Daily Mail

Blackburn Rovers and West Ham are thought to be considering a move for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha - The Guardian

West Ham are ready to throw caution to the wind and snap up the lesser known Ferdinand, Rio and Anton's cousin Kane. The 19 year-old Southend midfielder will cost £500,000 - The Sun

AC Milan are weighing up replacing their summer signing Taye Taiwo with Barcelona full-back Maxwell. The 26-year-old has failed to cement his place in the first-team since his move from Marseille in the summer, while Maxwell has found opportunites at Camp Nou few and far between since leaving Milan's great rivals Inter for the European champions two years ago - goal.com and insidefutbol.com

AC Milan are stepping up their efforts to pip Arsenal to the signing of Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo. AC Milan have put together an offer of €3 million for the Fiorentina midfielder. Fiorentina are keen to prevent losing Montolivo on a free transfer in the summer and may accept a cut-price deal for the 26-year-old - sportmediaset.mediaset.it

Chelsea have been linked with Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandzukic (right). The 25-year-old Croatian joined Wolfsburg last year for a fee of €8M from Dinamo Zagreb. Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas is known to be on the lookout for more striking power to add to his squad, especially given that Nicolas Anelka is heading for the exit door and could soon be joined by Didier Drogba - insidefutbol.com

Napoli have played down speculation linking Slovakian midfielder Marek Hamsik with a move away from the club by revealing they expect him to sign a contract extension at the Stadio San Paolo - skysports.com

Rosenborg defender Mikael Lustig would be willing to discuss a move to Celtic, with the Bhoys one of a number of clubs chasing his signature. The Swedish full-back is set to become a free agent in the New Year and his imminent availability is attracting plenty of interest. Premier League outfit Fulham are also known to be in the running, while Spanish side Espanyol are keen to bolster their defensive options.

Glasgow Rangers are considering signing India international strikers Jej Lalpekhlua and Sunil Chettri in the hope of opening up a new market in the subcontinent. The duo will arrive in Glasgow before the end of the month for a trial with Ally McCoist's side - Daily Record

Football's Most Sensational Teen Transfers!

IAN RUSH:
Fee: £300,000 from Chester to Liverpool, aged 18, in 1980.

Rush began his playing career at Football League Third Division side Chester. After impressing in the youth ranks, he made his Chester debut in April 1979 against Sheffield Wednesday and went on to play 34 League games and score 14 goals before
Liverpool payed £300,000 for the 18-year-old in 1980. Rush finally made his Liverpool first-team debut five months after his arrival, in December 1980 in a league game at Ipswich Town, and though it took him a little while to get going he formed a memorable partnership with Kenny Dalglish. In the 1983-84 season Rush scored an incredible 47 goals as Liverpool won an unprecedented treble of League, European Cup and League Cup. Juventus paid £3.2m for him in 1987 and he scored 13 goals in his only season in Italy, before returning to Anfield in 1988. He eventually surpassed Roger Hunt's 245 goals to become the Reds' record hitman with 346 goals in 660 games. Rush won five First Division titles, five League Cups, three FA Cups, the European Cup and was the Club's top scorer nine times, during his incredible career with Liverpool, spanning fifteen seasons. Rush said farewell to Anfield on 20th May 1996.


STEVE MACKENZIE:
Fee: £250,000 from Crystal Palace to Manchester City, aged, 17 in 1979.

After beginning as an apprentice at Crystal Palace, MacKenzie was just a 17-year-old trainee when Manchester City decided to spend a quarter of a million pounds on the Palace midfielder in 1979 - although he had yet to play a single Football League match, so it really was a huge gamble at the time. He gained a reputation for scoring spectacular goals, most notably in the 1981 FA Cup Final replay against Tottenham Hotspur. He left City after two seasons to join West Bromwich Albion where he spent six seasons at the Hawthorns before joining Charlton Athletic. He later had spells with Sheffield Wednesday and Shrewsbury Town. He made 353 career appearances between 1979 and 1994, scoring 41 goals.


STEVE SIMONSEN:
Fee: £3.3 million from Tranmere Rovers to Everton, aged 19, in 1998.

After being released by Nottingham Forest, he started his career at Tranmere Rovers in August 1996 as a trainee. By November 1996 Simonsen had already made his League debut for the club.
At the age of 19, and after just 42 league and cup appearances for the Tranmere first-team, Simonsen was bought by Everton for a record breaking £3.3 million in September 1998 and became Britain's most expensive teenager and goalkeeper.
But despite the price-tag he did not make his Everton debut until the 1999–2000 season, in a League Cup tie against Oxford United. In six seasons at Everton he played just 37 times in all competitions and football's forgotten teenager was given a free transfer to Stoke City in 2004. Simonsen was named as Stoke City player's player of the season in the 2004–05 season. He left Stoke in July 2010 on a free transfer after spending six years at the Potters, and making almost 200 appearances.
He currently plys his trade with League One side Sheffield United.


WAYNE ROONEY:
Fee: £25.6 million from Everton to Manchester United, aged 18, in 2004.

His senior debut for Everton came on 17th August 2002 in a 2–2 home draw against Tottenham. His first senior goals came on 2nd October 2002 as he scored twice in a 3–0 win at Wrexham in the League Cup. These goals meant that Rooney was Everton's youngest-ever goalscorer at the time. On the 19th October, five days before his 17th birthday, Rooney scored a last-minute winning goal against Arsenal.
Rooney signed for Manchester United in 2004 for a fee in excess of £25 million.
He scored a hat-trick on his United debut against Fenerbahce in the Champions League. These goals made Rooney the youngest player to score a hat-trick in the Champions League aged 18 years 335 days.
For his club at least has hardly looked back since. Between 2006-2009 he formed an lethal attacking partnership with Cristiano Ronaldo, in a United side that won a hat-trick of Premier League titles and the Champions League.
The striker has struggled to hit these dizzy heights in the last couple of seasons, but he still holds an impressive career record of 158 goals in 332 appearances for the Red Devils.


WAYNE HARRISON:
Fee: £250,000 from Oldham Athletic to Liverpool, aged, 17 in 1985.

At £250,000 Harrison became the most expensive 17-year-old footballer in the world when he signed for Liverpool in 1985. Harrison had only made five first team appearances for the Latics, though it included a virtuoso performance against the Reds in an FA Youth Cup match. However, injuries wrecked any chance of appearing in a competitive match for Liverpool. First came a horrid fall through a greenhouse where he almost died as a result of loss of blood. Thereafter he suffered double hernia, cartilage, knee and shoulder injuries and on the last reserve game of the 1989-90 season he shattered his knee against Bradford.
After having undergone 23 operations at Anfield, there was no way back for Harrison and he had to retire from football at just 22 years of age. The player's plight was alleviated somewhat by a testimonial game between Oldham and Liverpool in 1992, but sadly Harrison was not even fit enough to turn out on the field for a token appearance.


THEO WALCOTT:
Fee: £5 million (plus clauses) from Southampton to Arsenal, aged 16, in 2006.

Walcott was a product of the Southampton F.C. Academy. The striker became the youngest-ever player at 16 years and 143 days to feature for the Southampton first team, after coming on as a substitute in Southampton's 0–0 draw at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Football League Championship in 2005.
Sven-Goran Eriksson shocked the footballing world by naming the 17-year-old in his 2006 World Cup squad, just five months after Arsenal signed him from Championship side Southampton and before he had even made his Gunners' debut.
On 30 May 2006, Walcott became England's youngest ever senior football player by appearing in a 3–1 friendly win over Hungary at Old Trafford at the age of 17 years and 75 days. Four years later he wasn't even in Fabio Capello's 2010 squad.
He still hasn't hit the expected heights since, due in part to injuries, but Walcott has shown flashes of brilliance. Most notably he produced a stand-out performance against Liverpool in the Champions League, while for England he hit a hat-trick in September 2008 against Croatia in Zagreb to underline his ability.


JERMAINE PENNANT
Fee: £2 million from Notts County to Arsenal, aged 15, in 1999.

Arsenal paid Notts County £2.5m in 1999 for the 15-year-old midfielder, which was a record for a trainee. After the youngster's two spells on loan at Watford and a substitute appearance for the Gunners against Middlesbrough in the League Cup when he was just 16 years 319 days. He scored a hat-trick for Arsene Wenger's side on his full Premier League debut against Southampton in May 2003. Disciplinary problems, including serving 31 days of a three-month prison sentence while on loan at Birmingham City in 2005, has seen him play for six clubs since leaving north London to join the Blues, including three seasons at Liverpool and a spell in Spain with Real Zaragoza.
He is now plying his trade at Stoke City and featured in the 2011 FA Cup final.


CONNOR WICKHAM:
Initial fee: £8.1 million from Ipswich Town to Sunderland, aged 18, in 2011.

After joining Ipswich as a trainee in July 2008, the striker made 72 first-team appearances, coming off the bench 33 times and scoring a total of 15 goals.
Wickham made his first-team debut for Ipswich at the age of 16 years and 11 days against Doncaster Rovers in April 2009.
In May 2010 Wickham helped England to victory in the European Under-17 Championship, scoring the winning goal as they beat Spain 2-1 in the final.
On 29 June 2011, Wickham signed a four year deal with Premier League club Sunderland for a fee of £8 million. The fee has the potential to rise to £12 million over the course of the contract. Wickham made his first competitive appearance for Sunderland when he came on as a substitute in the 1–0 defeat to Newcastle United in the Tyne–Wear derby on 20 August 2011.


GARETH BALE:
Fee: £5 million from Southampton to Tottenham, aged 17, in 2007.

At 16 Bale became the second youngest player after Theo Walcott to play for Southampton when he made his debut against Millwall. His efforts on the south coast were enough to persuade Spurs to spend £5m on him a year later, fending off interest from Manchester United
On a personal level the winger got off to a good start scoring in three of his first five games.
But Spurs were beginning a downturn in fortunes and they failed to win a single game in any of Bale's first 24 Premier League matches he played – a record!
Rumours of a loan move to the Championship were rife just last year, but an injury to Benoit Assou-Ekotto gave him a rare run in the team and he hasn't lost his place since. Last season he captivated the world with stunning performances in the Champions League and topped his year off by picking up the PFA Player of the Year award.


MARK KENNEDY:
Initial Fee: £1.5 million from Millwall to Liverpool, aged 18, in 1995.

Kennedy began his professional career at Millwall, making his senior debut in April 1993 in a win over Charlton, when still only 16. Kennedy joined Liverpool in March 1995 for an initial £1.5 million fee (potentially rising to £2.3 million), making him then the most expensive teenage footballer in British history.
However, opportunities at Anfield were scarce, as he failed to fit into a midfield boasting the likes of Steve McManaman, Patrik Berger and John Barnes. Kennedy was in the starting line-up four times in his first season, but astonishingly was given only one chance in the first eleven over the next three seasons. In total he managed just 21 appearances in all competitions.
In the summer of 1998 he was transferred to Wimbledon for a fee in excess of what Liverpool initially paid for him, despite only making fleeting appearances for the Reds!
Kennedy only spent one season at Wimbledon before signing for Manchester City. Kennedy's career has also seen him turn out for Wolves, Crystal Palace and Cardiff. Kennedy, now 35 currently plays for Championship side Ipswich Town.

The Physio Room - Injury Update

With the new Premier League season only four days away, spare a thought for the English Premier League clubs' physios and medical teams and their 'healing hands.'



However following three nights of rioting in London, England's friendly at Wembley tomorrow night against the Netherlands has been postponed on police advice - which in the light of the seriousness of the trouble is in my opinion the correct decision.



The FA chairman David Bernstein said the FA had consulted with the police, Government and Brent Council, and in a statement said: "We were unable to host the fixture under the terms of our safety certificate or guarantee the safety of the fans."



I am sure there is a peculiar, almost selfish sense of relief on the part of any club manager who had players involved in the England set-up, so close to the opening weekend of the English Premier League season, but no satisfaction in the reason for the postponement.



The English Premier League is littered with 'foreign players' from all over the world, and there are still plenty of international fixtures involving them on Wednesday and Thursday. On that note tonight's game between Ghana and Nigeria at Vicarage Road, Watford has also been postponed for safety reasons. As well as full internationals there are a number of UEFA Under-21 Championship Qualifying games being played tonight and tomorrow.



International teams involved in friendlies with Premier League players on their books include: Scotland, Wales, Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland, France, Spain, Norway, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Austria, Russia, Belgium, Sweden, Brazil, Argentina, Bulgaria, Australia, Croatia, Italy, Mexico, Poland, Denmark and the USA.



Those managers with players involved will be praying all of them return from international duty injury free.



Meanwhile there is a full programme of English Premier League fixtures this weekend, so here is your chance to catch up on which players are definitely out injured, who is doubtful or struggling, and who will be fit to play for their clubs. Also some players are carrying over suspensions picked up at the tail end of last season, so they will also be unavailable for selection.



There are some Premier League teams who have players that are already out before a ball has been kicked, and other clubs have players that are struggling to be fit for the opening fixtures this weekend.



Some of the more high profile players carrying injuries at the moment include: Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen and Jack Wilshire, Aston Villa's Darren Bent, Tottenham's Rafael Van Der Vaart (right), Manchester United's Danny Welbeck , Liverpool's Glen Johnson and Chelsea's Frank Lampard.



Click on the 'link' to find out the latest on your Club's injury woes, and how soon it will be before some of your teams players will be back in action.



Those players that are definitely ruled out through suspension include: Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge (right), Manchester City's Kolo Toure, and Everton's Seamus Coleman.

All The Latest Transfer Gossip

With the English Football League season kicking off a week today and the Premier League season in two weeks time, transfer speculation is rife in the UK and right across Europe at the moment. Some of the biggest names in world football, even at this late stage, do not know where they will be plying their trade this coming season, while many clubs are desperately trying to put the the final touches to their squads before the big kick-off. Although the transfer window remains open until the end of August, I am sure most clubs would like to have their squads in place sooner rather than later, as last minute signings can sometimes be seen as panic buys, often bought at over-inflated prices!

Tottenham, Arsenal, Valencia, Real Madrid, AC Milan, Chelsea, Manchester City, Juventus, AS Roma, Sao Paulo, Liverpol, Palermo, Manchester United, AIK Solna, Lazio, Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, Sporting Lisbon, Fiorentina, Inter Milan, Napoli, Genoa, Bayer Leverkusen, Sunderland, Wigan, Newcastle, Fulham, Liverpool, Bolton, Newcastle, Galatasaray, Blackburn, Everton, Stoke, Wolves, QPR, Birmingham, Lokomotiv Moscow, Marseille, West Ham, Leicester, Fulham, Bolton, Swansea and Nottingham Forest............are all currently caught up in transfer gossip.

Is your club involved?

Tottenham have tabled a bid of around £22m for Arsenal target Juan Mata. The Valencia winger is open to a move to the Premier League and Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is a fan of the 23-year-old but he is yet to make a formal offer - Daily Mirror

Juventus have reached an agreement with AS Roma for forward Mirko Vucinic (right), La Gazzetta dello Sport has revealed. They have now agreed to pay Roma €15 million over the course of three years - soccernews.com & footballpress.net

Roma have also confirmed that Argentine defender Gabriel Heinze will join the club on a free transfer after the player left Marseille in June. Roma have signed the player on a one year deal - Internationalbusinesstimes.com

AC Milan chief Adriano Galliani has reiterated that neither Cesc Fabregas nor Kaka are on the Italian champions' radar this summer.

Arsenal captain Fabregas has been strongly linked with a £40million move to Barcelona this summer, but reports recently emerged that the Rossoneri had joined the hunt for his signature. Chelsea and Manchester City have previously been linked with Real Madrid striker Kaka this summer, while Tottenham are believed to have emerged as his latest suitors - skysports.com

Liverpool and Tottenham are set to go head-to-head for the signature of Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas, according to reports in Brazil - talkSPORT

Palermo president Maurizio Zamparini has revealed that Javier Pastore is on the verge of completing a move to Paris Saint-Germain for a fee in the region of €43m. Chelsea were thought to be chasing the talented youngster's signature, but it appears they have been beaten to the punch by the French Ligue 1 outfit - skysports.com & soccernews.com

Manchester United are tracking another teenage strker - Teteh Bangura (right) of Swedish side AIK Solna. United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has sent brother and chief scout Martin to assess the Sierra Leone international - talkSPORT

After being frustrated in their rumoured £40m pursuit of Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder, Manchester United will switch their attentions to Lazio midfielder and Slovakia captain Marek Hamsik, who is available at a less costly £25m - fanatix.com/football

Despite recent rumours that Arsenal's Danish international Nicklas Bendtner (23) is about to join Sporting Lisbon, Leões chairman Carlos Freitas has reportedly denied it, calling it "just fictitious news" - footballpress.net

Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini has made a move for Fiorentina winger Alessio Cerci, according to reports in Italy - Gazzetta dello Sport

Meanwhile, Manchester City and Inter Milan will hold talks over a swap deal involving strikers Carlos Tevez and Samuel Eto'o this weekend - Daily Telegraph

The agent of Inter Milan forward Goran Pandev has hinted that his client would be interested in a move to Napoli. The FYR Macedonia international rejected a move to Genoa in exchange for Rodrigo Palacio, but his agent has now hinted that Naples is his preferred destination - soccernews.com & footballpress.net

AS Roma star Daniele De Rossi, who is a target from Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United will not be leaving the Stadio Olimpico this summer despite being out of contract in twelve months' time -Internationalbusinesstimes.com

Dimitar Berbatov's agent says the Manchester United striker will not be leaving the club, even if the Premier League champions sign another forward this summer - Inside Futbol

Several English clubs including Wigan, Sunderland and Newcastle are targeting Bayer Leverkusen's Swiss international winger Tranquillo Barnetta (right) - skysports.com

Everton are considering a move to sign Manchester City's Adam Johnson on a season-long loan. Johnson is behind midfielder David Silva in the City pecking order, and may feel he needs a move if he wants to keep his place in the England squad in the run-up to Euro 2012 - Daily Mirror

Having publicly declared he would not leave Tottenham for the northeast of England after Newcastle United showed interest, striker Jermain Defoe could be the subject of a bid by London neighbours Fulham - Footie Online

Liverpool are plotting a £15m double defender deal for Newcastle United's Jose Enrique and Birmingham City's Scott Dann - fanatix.com/football

Bolton Wanderers boss Owen Coyle has set a deadline of this weekend for the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Spurs to come forward with an acceptable bid for defender Gary Cahill - Bolton News

Stoke, Wolves and top-flight newcomers QPR are all thought to be interested in the former Republic of Ireland international Birmingham right-back Stephen Carr - skysports.com

Queens Park Rangers manager Neil Warnock is lining up a loan deal for Manchester City defender Nedum Onuoha - Daily Mail

Warnock also plans to make Tottenham striker Robbie Keane, 31, his last signing of the summer - The Sun

Real Madrid's, French international defender Lassana Diarra (26), has been targeted by Galatasaray, who are ready to offer €8m for him - footballpress.net

Argentinian striker Mariano Pavone, who is a free agent after buying out the remaining year of his contract at Real Betis, has confirmed that talks with Blackburn over a potential move have completely broken down. The 29-year-old had agreed a three-year deal contract at Ewood Park but the Premier League side were unable to finalise the deal - skysports.com

Blackburn are in talks to sign Romania striker Ciprian Marica (right) on a free transfer, having moved ahead of Marseille and Lokomotiv Moscow in the race for his services, after he left German side Stuttgart -Daily Mirror

West Ham have confirmed the signing of midfielder Joey O'Brien on a free transfer after he was released by Bolton earlier this summer - skysports.com

Birmingham City are closing in on the signing of former West Ham United utility player Jonathan Spector. The 25-year-old is available on a free transfer after his contract at West Ham expired - skysports.com

Big-spending Championship side Leicester are to bid £4m-plus for Birmingham striker Cameron Jerome, who is also a target for Premier League sides Stoke, Fulham and Bolton - Daily Mirror

Swansea City have had a third bid of £1.8million turned down by Nottingham Forest for goalkeeper Lee Camp - skysports.com

All The Latest Transfer Gossip

Transfer speculation is rife as we approach the beginning of July. It looks like some of the 'bigger' domestic and European clubs are going to have to pay top dollar to secure the services of some of the players they feel will help them land trophies next season.

On the flip of the coin a lot of players will become free agents on the 1st July.
A free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired, and who is thus eligible to sign for another club. In some instances this gives some of the less affluent clubs the chance to pick up some experienced players without the initial expense of a transfer fee, before personal terms are agreed. However the power is with the players as they use the fact that there is no transfer fee involved to often negotiate a financial package including wages, in excess of what they were earning at their previous club.

Expect some major financial wheeling and dealing to take place in July, as clubs fight it out to lure the most sought after players to 'their' club. Meanwhile many of the free agents will more often than not find they have more than one club to choose from, and it may well all boil down to which club can afford to offer the player the most money!
It is at this time of year in the world of football that the infamous phrase "show me the money," which first came to prominence in the 1996 movie 'Jerry Maguire' seems most apt.

Chelsea, Bayern Munich, AC Milan, Real Madrid, Arsenal, Barcelona, Manchester United, Valencia, Manchester City, Porto, Fiorentina, Partizan Belgrade, AZ Alkmaar, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Liverpool, Blackpool, Bayer Leverkusen, Wigan, Sochaux, Galatasaray, West Brom, Stoke, Birmingham, Monaco, West Ham, Newcastle, Bolton, Crystal Palace, Leicester, Peterborough, Reading, Sunderland, Derby, Barnsley, Dundee United, Cardiff and Tranmere......................are all currently caught up in transfer gossip.

Is your club involved?

Chelsea's Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien is for sale and already attracting interest from various clubs. Bayern Munich have now joined AC Milan and Real Madrid in the chase to sign the 28-year-old, who is worth at least 28 million Euros - footballpress.net

Manchester United are confident of being able to sign Arsenal midfielder Samir Nasri, 23, for £20m - caughtoffside.com

Barcelona have turned down a £15million offer from Manchester United for Spanish Euro Under-21 Championships star Thiago Alcântara (right) - footballpress.net

Alcântara may in fact end up at Arsenal as a makeweight in the Cesc Fábregas deal, though other sources believe that Barcelona are preparing a £31m straight-cash offer for the Arsenal midfielder that should land on a desk in north London sometime today - The Guardian

Arsenal have made Valencia midfielder Juan Mata, another star of Spain's U21 side, their top summer transfer target. The Gunners have offered £18m for the 23-year-old - Daily Mail

Barcelona star David Villa has quashed rumours linking him to Chelsea and Manchester City, claiming he wants to end his career at Barcelona. The 29-year-old joined the Catalans last summer for €40 million and went on to score 23 goals in all competitions as the Spanish giants claimed the double with the Primera Liga and the Champions League - Internationalbusinesstimes.com

Manchester City are lining up a triple swoop for Fiorentina midfielder Alessio Cerci, 23 (right), Partizan Belgrade defender Stefan Savic, 20, and 24-year-old Argentina international keeper Sergio Romero from AZ Alkmaar - The Sun & The Guardian

Manchester City will need to spend a club record £36m if they want to land Brazilian forward Givanildo Vieira de Souza aka 'Hulk' from Porto - Daily Star & The Guardian

Bayern Munich are interested in Manchester United winger and Portugal international Nani. An attempt to sign him will be made if Franck Ribery is sold - footballpress.net

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas will make a double raid on Tottenham with a £60m bid for midfielder Luka Modric and the left-sided Gareth Bale - caughtoffside.com

Bayern Munich admit they are waiting on news in their bids for Manchester City's Jerome Boateng and Bayer Leverkusen's Arturo Vidal. Boateng has already revealed that he has agreed terms with Bayern, but as yet they cannot agree a fee with Manchester City - skysports.com

Liverpool are close to completing the signing of Charlie Adam, the Blackpool midfielder, with Jonjo Shelvey moving in the opposite direction on a season-long loan. The Anfield club are also set to sign Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing (right) - The Independent

If Downing leaves, then Aston Villa boss Alex McLeish plans to spend half of the estimated £18m asking price on Wigan's Charles N'Zogbia as a direct replacement - Daily Mail

Aston Villa are also interested in signing Stoke winger Matthew Etherington as a replacement for Ashley Young - Daily Mail

Aston Villa are plotting an audacious £14million bid to bring James Milner back from Manchester City - The Mirror

Chelsea have been told they can have Arda Turan (right) from Galatasaray, but only if the Turks get £7m and Didier Drogba in return - The Sun & The Guardian

West Brom have joined the race to sign Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge, along with Newcastle, Stoke and Bolton, where he scored eight goals on loan last season - The Sun & The Guardian

Stoke will make a joint bid in the region of £8m for Birmingham duo Scott Dann and Cameron Jerome. Stoke are also keen on £4m-rated Monaco defender Cédric Mongongu. Meanwhile Stoke goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen could be on his way to West Ham - Daily Mirror & The Guardian

Peterborough United's director of football Barry Fry has confirmed the club have accepted an offer from Leicester City for Craig Mackail-Smith - skysports.com

Sochaux starlet Ryad Boudebouz claims Liverpool have expressed an interest in acquiring his services. That has opened the door for Liverpool to make an approach, with tentative discussions regarding a possible move to Anfield already underway - skysports.com

Leicester City are set to win the race to sign Neil Danns (right). The 28-year-old is available on a Bosman transfer as his contract with Crystal Palace is set to expire and he has decided to leave Selhurst Park. A host of clubs have been chasing the midfielder, with both of the Old Firm, Celtic and Rangers, holding talks, and the likes of Bolton, Hull City and Southampton are all understood to have made moves for him - skysports.com

Newcastle are interested in Manchester United midfielder Darron Gibson (23), and will try to hijack his planned move to Sunderland - footballpress.net

Sunderland are also preparing a £7m bid for Reading's Shane Long - The Guardian

Dundee United manager Peter Houston has confirmed talks have been held with several clubs regarding in-demand striker David Goodwillie. SPL champions Rangers have made an approach along with Championship clubs Blackpool and Cardiff. Cardiff are rumoured to be favourites to win the chase - skysports.com

Dale Jennings has signalled his intention to sign for one of the biggest clubs in the world as negotiations with his club Tranmere Rovers and Bayern Munich reached a critical stage last night. Tranmere are understood to have negotiated a package of around £500,000 up front for the 18-year-old striker in a deal that could rise to £1.5 million - The Independent

Derby County defender Miles Addison has agreed to join Barnsley on a six-month loan deal - skysports.com

Congratulations to FC Barcelona - UEFA Champions League Winners 2011

Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1 at Wembley tonight to win the 2011 UEFA Champions League Trophy

'Magical Messi' celebrates after scoring tonight

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!)

Clash of the Titans at Old Trafford - Betting News with Betfred

versus

It has been billed from all quarters as potentially the Premier League title-deciding game of the season, so let's hope Manchester United versus Chelsea is an exciting encounter that lives up to all the pre-match hype.

On countless occasions, the most-hyped Premier League matches tend to disappoint, but when these two sides met at Stamford Bridge back on the 1st March, it was a classic!

The Champions League games failed to match these heights, but the fate of this particular game is very much in Chelsea's hands, as it is they who need to come out fighting and take all three points, if they want to keep their back-to-back title ambitions alive. The Premier League betting makes the Londoner's 9/4 to win the game.

A few months ago Chelsea were on course to drop 18 points behind their Manchester rivals, when they went 1-0 down to United at Stamford Bridge, but they came back to win that game 2-1, and it immediately boosted the confidence around the club, and they have been in sparkling form ever since.

Having taken 25 points from a possible 27 available, the Blues' are snapping at the heels of United, knowing a win at Old Trafford on Sunday and they can draw level with their rivals - and that is something that looked a long shot back in February when they were still in their slump.

If Chelsea can hit top spot with two games remaining the impetus would be with them, but United always manage to step up in the important matches and that is why they cannot be discounted, especially at Old Trafford. The Red Devils are 5/4 to win the match and 2/9 to win the Premier League with Betfred.

Most tipsters in the Premier League title race make United favourites to regain the title, particularly as Ferguson's men have the luxury of knowing a draw on Sunday will be good enough to keep them three points clear, with just a couple of games to play.

Chelsea captain John Terry reckons he "always believed" they could get back into the title race, but they are still outsiders to win the title as United have looked fairly solid, if not setting the world on fire, for many months now.

Chelsea, who are 3/1 to win the title, managed to win this fixture at Old Trafford last season, and the England defender reckons there is "no reason" why they cannot go on and repeat that feat again, and put the outcome of the Premier League title race firmly in their own hands!

My Tip of the Week:

Expect Chelsea to go hell for leather for the win, but United should manage 'their usual trick' and get the goals to hold their rivals. A draw is priced at 23/10, but a 2-2 scoreline also looks appealing at 14/1.
Meanwhile United's on-fire Mexican striker Javie Hernandez is 6/4 to score at anytime in the match, and add to his 19 goals already this season.

Sunday 8th May: Manchester United v Chelsea, kick-off 4.10pm, live on Sky Sports1.

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

All The Latest Transfer Gossip

As the end of the 2010/11 football season approaches, clubs are already putting out 'feelers' in an attempt to lure players to pastures new, as they bid to strengthen their squads in preparation for the start of next season.

In the next month of so the destiny of many clubs will mapped out for them. Some will be preparing for life in a different league as a result of promotion or relegation, and in the dizzy heights of the Premier League, European qualification will be on the agenda. This season's successful clubs will find themselves in the enviable position of having money to spend in the summer, whilst others will be forced to make cuts in their financial budgets.

Player's contracts will also dictate where they ply their trade next season. Some players will be out of contract at the end of this season, while others will be in the final year, perhaps forcing parent clubs to offload certain players in order to raise some funds through transfer fees, and at the sametime lowering their wage bill.

Tottenham, Manchester United, Santos, Barcelona, Chelsea, Liverpool, Schalke, Valencia, Arsenal, Benfica, West Brom, Zenit St Petersburg, West Ham, Chelsea, Newcastle, Malaga, AZ Alkmaar, Bolton, Sunderland, Everton, Manchester City, Sevilla, Bayern Munich, Rennes, Norwich, Swansea, Parma, Fulham and Blackburn Rovers.............are all currently caught up in transfer gossip.

Is your Club involved?

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson will test Tottenham's resolve by making a £35m offer for winger Gareth Bale this summer - caughtoffside.com

Manuel Neuer's agent has rejected reports the goalkeeper has refused to pen a new contract at Schalke. The Germany No.1 (right), has been linked with a host of top European clubs including Arsenal and Manchester United - skysports.com

Chelsea target Neymar has opened the door for a £30m move from Santos to Barcelona by saying he wants to play alongside Lionel Messi in the Catalan club's attack - The Sun

Liverpool are keeping an eye on Benfica midfielder Nicolas Gaitan and have been linked with Valencia playmaker Juan Mata – as have Manchester City and Arsenal - The Guardian

Liverpool have agreed a pre-contract to sign Rennes midfielder Sylvain Marveaux - Skysports.com

Liverpool and Everton are set for a Merseyside transfer tussle over Sevilla winger Diego Perotti (right) this summer - talkSPORT

West Brom have promised themselves a special treat if they avoid relegation, in the unlikely shape of Zenit St Petersburg's Serbian striker Danko Lazovic - The Guardian

West Ham are lining up a surprise £1.5m bid for Chelsea midfielder Jack Cork, who is currently on loan at Burnley - Daily Mirror

Newcastle are ready to raid Malaga for star striker Jose Salomon Rondon - if the Spanish side are relegated from La Liga - talkSPORT

Norwich City captain Grant Holt has signed a new three-year contract to keep him at Carrow Road until 2014 - sportinglife.com

AZ Alkmaar striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson (right) has got the Premier League scouts all excited, with Bolton, Sunderland, West Ham and Everton all ready to battle unnamed Italian and German rivals for the 21-year-old Icelandic international, who would cost £5.5m - The Guardian

Fulham defender John Pantsil is set to leave Craven Cottage at the end of the season, after falling out of favour with manager Mark Hughes - Daily Mail

Chelsea are considering a move to re-sign Arjen Robben, who may be seeking a move in the summer if current club Bayern Munich do not qualify for the Champions League - caughtoffside.com

Striker Fabio Borini is seeking urgent talks with Chelsea as he weighs up interest from Parma and Swansea. The Italy Under-21 striker's contract expires at the end of the season - Daily Mail

Nikola Kalinic's agent insists the striker could be forced to leave Blackburn Rovers in the summer due to his lack of playing time. The 23-year-old Croatian international is happy at Ewood Park, but his agent Tomislav Erceg has admitted that the striker will consider his future in the summer if the situation fails to improve - skysports.com