Thursday's gossip column

[Scottish Mag 3]

TRANSFER RUMOURS

 

 

Striker Mark Viduka, who is out of contract at Middlesbrough, has agreed to join Newcastle. (The Sun)

 

Newcastle midfielder Scott Parker is set to sign for West Ham. (Various)

 

Arsenal are ready to let Thierry Henry leave the club, with Barcelona set to offer £17m, plus forward Samuel Eto'o, for the France striker. (Daily Star)

 

Chelsea will sell Dutch defender Khalid Boulahrouz to Bayern Munich for £3.5m - half of what he cost a year ago. (Daily Mirror)

 

Derby are targeting Aston Villa defender Lee Hendrie. (The Sun)

 

Wigan are taking on Everton in the battle to land Sheffield United captain Phil Jagielka. (Daily Mirror)

 

Ipswich have upped their bid for Blackburn striker Francis Jeffers to £500,000 from £350,000. (Various)

 

Burnley want to beat Southampton to the signature of Polish striker Marek Saganowski, who has been on loan at the Saints from Troyes. (Daily Mirror)

 

Nottingham Forest striker Grant Holt has put in a transfer request. (Various)

 

New Leicester manager Martin Allen may move for striker Izale McLeod from old club MK Dons. (Various)

 

Birmingham are considering a move for Middlesbrough utility player Stuart Parnaby. (The Sun)

 

Lee Camp's move to QPR is in doubt because of Derby's promotion to the Premiership, with the keeper - who had been on loan at Loftus Road - entitled to a pay rise if he stays with the Rams and the Championship side unable to match such terms. (The Sun)

 

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson wants to sign midfielder Jason Koumas from his former club West Brom, plus Manchester United winger Kieran Richardson and Leeds striker David Healy. (The Sun)

 

QPR chairman Gianni Paladini has told Fulham it will take a bid of about £5m to land winger Lee Cook. (Daily Star)

 

Wolves are in pole position to sign Scunthorpe striker Billy Sharp, who is also wanted by Sheffield Wednesday and Norwich, after tabling a £2m bid. (Daily Star)

 

 

Reading want Watford defender Danny Shittu. (Daily Star)

 

Norwich, Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe are battling to sign Rotherham midfielder Martin Woods. (Daily Star)

 

Southampton are weighing up defender Radostin Kishishev, who has been released by Charlton. (Daily Star)

 

 

OTHER GOSSIP

 

 

Brazilian legend Jairzinho has labelled England boss Steve McClaren's decision to recall Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham for the games against Brazil and Estonia "a joke". (The Sun)

 

Brazil playmaker Ronaldinho can't wait to wreck Beckham's return to the England side in Friday's friendly. (Daily Star)

 

Former England striker Trevor Francis, who played for Detroit Express in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s, believes Beckham will regret moving to the United States to join LA Galaxy. (The Sun)

 

The Football Association is ready to schedule England B games around the country instead of staging them at Wembley Stadium following the success of the recent game against Albania at Burnley. (Various)

 

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will stay at Anfield after clear-the-air talks with owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett. (Daily Mirror)

 

Parma boss Claudio Ranieri has agreed to become the new manager of Manchester City - if former Thailand prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra's takeover goes through. (Various)

 

Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate insists he will be fit for next season after knee surgery. (Various)

[khay 8]

Newcastle bits in bold please.