Sunday gossip

[Jimbo 133]

TRANSFER RUMOURS

David Bentley will choose between either Liverpool or Chelsea as the Premier League giants wage a £15m fight for the Blackburn star this summer. (News of the World)

 

Tottenham are ready to sell French Under-21 skipper Younes Kaboul with Portsmouth interested in the 22-year-old who cost Spurs £7m. (Mail on Sunday)

 

Manchester City are confident of completing the £10m capture of former Eastlands star Shaun Wright-Phillips from Chelsea in the summer. (News of the World)

 

But Chelsea will be splashing the cash themselves with Roman Abramovich signing off £100m for Avram Grant to target players such as Gareth Barry, Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero and Lyon's Karim Benzema. (Sunday People)

 

Gerard Pique is considering his Manchester United future after Barcelona declared an interest in re-signing the Spanish centre-back. (News of the World)

 

Manchester United and Arsenal are closing in on Cardiff City's 17-year-old, £6m-rated starlet Aaron Ramsey. (Sunday Express)

 

Portsmouth are winning a three-way fight ahead of Newcastle and Aston Villa to secure the services of Liverpool striker Peter Crouch in a £6m deal this summer. (News of the World)

 

Chelsea have been given renewed hope of signing £25m-rated Sevilla full-back Dani Alves after comments from the player hinting he wants to leave the Spanish club. (News of the World)

 

Man United are eyeing £15m-rated defensive midfielder Miguel Veloso of Sporting Lisbon. (Sunday Telegraph)

 

 

 

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OTHER GOSSIP

Rafa Benitez will challenge Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks on claims the American still uses former Germany coach Jurgen Klinnsman as an advisor. (News of the World)

 

Irish horse racing magnates John Magnier and JP McManus - formerly Manchester United's major shareholders - are considering buying into Liverpool and are keen to play a role in the future of the club. (Sunday Express)

 

Manchester City have lost confidence in manager Sven-Goran Eriksson after their slide down the Premier League and are looking to replace him in the summer with Portugal boss Luis Felipe Scolari. (Sunday Times)

 

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted he wants Barcelona to knock Man United out of the Champions League because of his allegiance to Thierry Henry. (Sunday Express)

 

 

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AND FINALLY

Legendary Brazilian left-back Roberto Carlos sprinted after Ashley Cole - not the other way round - to almost beg the England man to swap shirts with him after Fenerbache's defeat at Chelsea on Wednesday evening. (News of the World)

 

After Diego Maradona has been handing out lavish praise to fellow countryman Javier Mascherano, the Liverpool midfielder is set to invite the Argentine hero to watch him play at troubled Anfield. (Mail on Sunday)

 

 

Danish Premier League player Andreas Dahl says he has no regrets about kicking a streaker where it hurts when the naked man invaded the pitch during Nordsjalland's game with AaB. "I know it's the steward's job but why shouldn't I?" he said. "He sure went down fast." (The Observer)

[Del Pede 0]

Danish Premier League player Andreas Dahl says he has no regrets about kicking a streaker where it hurts when the naked man invaded the pitch during Nordsjalland's game with AaB. "I know it's the steward's job but why shouldn't I?" he said. "He sure went down fast." (The Observer)

 

Sligthly off topic, i know, but i felt i should share some video from "the kicking"

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=wlP7rdPN9hM

[Scottish Mag 3]

BOU MAKES KEV CHEER

 

 

KEVIN KEEGAN will launch his revolution at Newcastle United in the summer with a £6million offer for Moroccan international Moubarak Boussoufa.

 

Newcastle boss Keegan is determined to land Anderlecht’s attacking midfielder as he looks to re-shape his squad for next season.

 

Keegan has sent scouts to watch the 23-year-old in Anderlecht’s last three matches and has received encouraging dossiers on the Dutch-born kid who graduated through the Ajax academy.

 

Anderlecht paid their record transfer fee of £2.5m to sign Boussoufa from AA Gent in 2006 and he remains under contract for another two years with the Belgian club.

 

But Anderlecht are aware of Newcastle’s interest and have made it clear they are willing to sell if Keegan will match their £6m valuation.

 

 

RIISE'S NEW IN TOON

 

 

NEWCASTLE will take advantage of John Arne Riise’s Anfield contract snub with a £5m bid for the Norwegian.

 

Riise was hoping for a new deal at Liverpool as his current terms run out in 2009.

 

But Rafa Benitez has shown no intention of opening negotiations leading the out-of-favour left-back to look elsewhere.

 

The Geordies have already made contact with Riise’s representatives with a view to a summer move and Liverpool won't stand in his way.

 

Riise has found himself on the receiving end of Benitez’s rotation policy throughout the season, with Fabio Aurelio now the preferred option at full-back.

 

The 27-year-old joined Liverpool in 2001 but has suffered a slump in form this year.

 

NEWCASTLE LOOK TO REBUILD

 

Sport picturesNewcastle boss Kevin Keegan wants to pair Michael Owen with England strike partner Peter Crouch next season.

 

Keegan will present owner Mike Ashley and chairman Chris Mort with a summer shopping list this week and top of it is a new £20million contract for Owen.

 

But the Magpies manager will also demand Newcastle make five signings and 27-year-old Crouch is one of his top targets, along with Manchester United defender Wes Brown.

 

Crouch may reject the offer of a new contract at Liverpool to try to win regular first-team football and protect his England place. The lanky front man partnered Owen in the second half of England's 1-0 friendly defeat in France last month, but fears Fabio Capello may axe him if he doesn't get regular club football.

 

Keegan knows he will face stiff competition from Portsmouth for the £10m-rated England star, who has played under Harry Redknapp at Pompey and Southampton.

 

Indeed, Redknapp has named Crouch as the player who sparked Portsmouth's amazing rise to prominence over the past few seasons.

 

Redknapp recalled: "We bought Crouchy for £1million from QPR and later sold him to Aston Villa for £5.5m. He did a great job for me, but the money we got for him helped finance bringing in players who helped us win the Championship title and move on in the Premier League."

 

Keegan, however, is hoping that persuading Owen to sign a new four-year deal at Newcastle will make a statement to Crouch and other top Premier League stars.

 

The Toon boss said: "Michael Owen is the first big signing we have to make. I am sure it will be done. He is totally committed here. I see it every day.

 

"It sends a message that not only we are looking for quality but if we have quality we want to keep it."

 

Keegan admits he doesn't know the size of his budget but hopes to find out this week when he holds transfer talks with Ashley and Mort.

 

He added: "I can't answer that until I sit down with the owner and chairman. You don't go to Harrods if you haven't got any money.

 

"We couldn't have those conversations until we were safe.

 

"The big message we are sending out is that we mean business. We want to keep our best players and we want to attract others of the very highest quality."

 

Newcastle chairman Chris Mort sets Europe target for next year

 

Chairman Chris Mort wants Kevin Keegan to march the Toon Army back into Europe next year.

 

Three wins on the spin have taken Keegan's men to safety - now all eyes on Tyneside are looking to the Geordie Messiah's first full season back in charge. Mort said: "There will be a lot of clubs, maybe 10, looking at the top six.

 

"The Champions League positions are more difficult to attain but I would hope we'll be one of the clubs at least aiming for a UEFA Cup slot."

 

Mort has promised to back his manager in the transfer market. But he insisted: "We're not going to spend silly money to try to get immediate success because we don't think that's what the fans want. It's not in the long-term interests of the club."

 

A £50M KEEGAN JACKPOT

 

 

Kevin Keegan will sit down for crunch talks with billionaire owner Mike Ashley in the next 48 hours and draw up a package to tie Michael Owen down to a new four-year deal and issue a £50million wish-list.

 

Keegan believes he has won the battle to convince the England striker to commit the rest of his career to St James Park and now wants Ashley and chairman Chris Mort to act.

 

The Magpies hierarchy are drawing up a deal for the £106,000-a-year contract that could be worth around £20m.

 

And Keegan believes he can get Owen to sign anew deal BEFORE he heralds the beginning of a new era by buying SIX new top-class players.

 

"The Michael Owen signing will be done," said Keegan. "He is the first big signing."

 

Keegan has identified defenders Wes Brown, Richard Dunne and John Arne Riise plus Aaron Lennon, Aiden McGeadyand Jose Antonio Reyes.

 

£4m Aaron off to Toon

 

Aaron Lennon could be off to Newcastle for as little as £4million.

 

People Sport revealed two weeks ago Toon boss Kevin Keegan is leading the race to sign Tottenham's England winger.

 

And with Spurs boss Juande Ramos having decided Lennon has no White Hart Lane future, he will be available for a cut-price fee.

 

Spurs are not interested in a swap deal involving Toon's Charles N'Zogbia.

[luckyluke 1]

Not sure about Lennon, he's got pace but no final ball. Would prefer SWP if we could prise him away from Chelsea.

[Dr Kenneth Noisewater 0]

Not sure about Lennon, he's got pace but no final ball.

 

Totally agree. He's gone backwards over the last 18 months. If he wasn't so quick he'd be a Championship player.

[The Fish 9103]

not really drooling at any of those. I know nothing about Boussoufa to be fair to him, but the rest aren't the players which allow you to challenge teams who have leap frogged you as you stagnate. We will need to make a couple of dramatic signings to catch up with the likes of Everton and Villa.