Friday's gossip column

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TRANSFER RUMOURS

Real Madrid are trying to hijack Chelsea's bid for Sevilla full-back Daniel Alves. (Express)

 

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is insisting any deal for Alves is financed by Arjen Robben's move to Real Madrid. (Independent)

 

Chelsea have offered Alves protective security after the Brazilian was barracked by Sevilla fans. (Times)

 

West Ham will see off competition from Portsmouth in the £10m battle for Bolton striker Nicolas Anelka. (Mail)

 

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is ready to splash out £5m on Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones. (Various)

 

Everton will finally complete the signing of Benfica's Manuel Fernandes on Friday for a fee of £6m, which could rise to £8m. (Sun)

 

Middlesbrough misfit Fabio Rochemback is on his way to Benfica. (Mirror)

 

West Brom are preparing to make a shock £3m bid for Aston Villa striker Luke Moore. (Mirror)

 

Middlesbrough are poised to sign Egypt striker Emad Moteab for £2m, paving the way for Yakubu to join Everton. (Sun)

 

Everton will make a club-record £11m bid for Yakubu. (Mail)

 

Wigan are looking at Preston's Matt Hill or Scunthorpe's Marcus Williams as replacement for Leighton Baines. (Independent)

 

 

 

 

OTHER GOSSIP

Tottenham boss Martin Jol has been given the dreaded vote of confidence - two games into the season. (Star)

 

Alan Curbishley could sue Paul Konchesky after the ex-West Ham defender claimed most players do not like the Hammers boss. (Star)

 

Curbishley has six weeks to establish West Ham as European contenders or he will be sacked. (Mirror)

 

England boss Steve McClaren is still considering a recall for much-maligned striker Emile Heskey. (Star)

 

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez has told McClaren he cannot pick Steven Gerrard, even though he will play for the Reds on Sunday. (Mail)

 

Michael Owen will be on the bench when Newcastle take on Aston Villa on Saturday. (Sun)

 

Keeper Thomas Sorensen will be fined by Aston Villa for complaining about the signing of Scott Carson. (Sun)

 

Chelsea are in talks with former Bolton performance director Mike Forde as they look to boost their backroom team. (Guardian)

 

Flavio Briatore, boss of F1 team Renault, will seal a £22m takeover of QPR early next week. (Sun)

 

Cristiano Ronaldo will be fined £90,000 by Manchester United for his sending-off against Portsmouth. (Mail)

 

David Beckham says he will be able to play for England on Wednesday and then turn out for LA Galaxy a day later. (Telegraph)

 

West Ham are threatening to counter-sue Sheffield United over "repeated slurs". (Telegraph)

 

 

 

AND FINALLY

Sven-Goran Eriksson will end his feud with Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson by giving him a £415 bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon red wine when he takes his Manchester City side to Old Trafford on Sunday. (Sun)

 

Rio Ferdinand has revealed Manchester United team-mate Paul Scholes is the only player never to have received the famous hairdryer treatment from Ferguson because he is "too good."

 

New Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce padlocks the training ground at 9.45 every morning so latecomers cannot get in. (Mirror)

[Shearergol 0]

Wigan are looking at Preston's Matt Hill or Scunthorpe's Marcus Williams as replacement for Leighton Baines. (Independent)

 

The Championship version of Kieron Dyer. Got a story about an incident which took place at Glanford Park carpark, but I think I'd be sued if I posted it

[sandman02uk 0]

Wigan are looking at Preston's Matt Hill or Scunthorpe's Marcus Williams as replacement for Leighton Baines. (Independent)

 

The Championship version of Kieron Dyer. Got a story about an incident which took place at Glanford Park carpark, but I think I'd be sued if I posted it

 

you can't tease us like that, then snatch it away at the last second, just add apparently onto the end of the sentence

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Change the names to protect the guilty.

[Shearergol 0]

It involves drink driving, and crashing into the chairman's car. There's a bit more though