EVERYTHING SOCCER

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Other Gossip

May 22

Chelsea will bid £22m in the summer for Inter Milan’s Brazilian defender Douglas Maicon, a player wanted by the club’s probable new manager Carlo Ancelotti.
(Full story: Daily Star)

Tottenham and Liverpool are battling it out for the chance to buy Portsmouth and England right-back Glen Johnson.
(Full story: The Sun)

Arsenal are preparing a £15m move for Fulham defender Brede Hangeland.
(Full story: The Sun)

But the Gunners are set to cash in on striker Emmanuel Adebayor with the Togo international unhappy with fans’ criticism of his performances. Chelsea, Inter Milan and AC Milan are possible buyers. (Full story: Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa and Birmingham are leading the chase for Anderlecht midfielder Lucas Biglia, who is rated at £8m.(The Sun)

West Ham are willing to sell injury-prone striker Dean Ashton over the summer and are hoping that Newcastle or Aston Villa might revive their previous interest.
(Full story: Daily Mirror)

Birmingham are looking to land Derby pair Kris Commons and Giles Barnes as Alex McLeish prepares for the Blues’ return to the top flight.
(Full story: Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa defender Zat Knight could cross the city to join up with McLeish’s newly-promoted side.
(Full story: The Guardian)

Newcastle defender Sebastien Bassong has warned the Magpies that he will seek a transfer should the club drop into the Championship. (The Times)

Giant Hibernian defender Rob Jones is being tracked by a host of English league clubs including Bristol City, Derby, Leeds, Swansea, West Brom and Nottingham Forest – with Forest lining up a £1m bid.
(Full story: Bristol Evening Post)

Dundee United have agreed a pre-contract deal with Huddersfield striker Danny Cadamarteri. (Various)

Wigan manager Steve Bruce has shelved plans to swoop for £4m-rated Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher. (Daily Express)

May 21

Chelsea are set to confirm AC Milan manager Carlo Ancelotti as their new manager as early as next week. (Daily Star)

Celtic want David Moyes to become their new manager next season.
(Full story: The Sun)

Alan Shearer has given the strongest hint yet that he will stay on as Newcastle manager, even if the club are relegated on Sunday.
(Full story: The Sun)

However, assistant manager Iain Dowie has cast doubt over Shearer’s long-term involvement at the club. (The Telegraph)

Hull striker Dean Windass is set to land a role as player-coach, alongside Colin Todd, at League Two side Darlington. (Daily Mirror)

Exeter boss Paul Tisdale has emerged as the leading contender to replace Steve Coppell as Reading manager. (The Sun)

Newcastle coach Colin Calderwood is on the short-list to become the new Chesterfield manager. (Daily Mirror)

Falkirk boss John Hughes is the leading contender for the Blackpool job, while Ayr United’s Brian Reid is also in the running.

(Full story: The Herald)

May 19

Arsene Wenger’s future as Arsenal manager has come under more scrutiny. The Frenchman has been stung by criticism in the recent shareholders’ meeting. He is also annoyed by the news that striker Adebayor is set to quit. (Various)
(Full story: The Sun)

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti’s proposed move to the Chelsea managerial helm has taken a twist, with the London club reluctant to employ the Italian’s assistants Mauro Tassotti and Filippo Galli.
(Full story: The Times)

Carlos Tevez’s exit from Old Trafford looks sealed after the Argentine forward failed to attend Manchester United’s player of the year dinner.
(Full story: The Sun)

England’s World Cup-winning legend Geoff Hurst, attending his country’s bid to stage the 2018 World Cup, is a big fan of striker Wayne Rooney. He said: “Winning the World Cup in your own country is huge and I think Rooney can do it.” (Various)

Midfielder Stewart Downing, forward Tuncay, striker Afonso Alves and defender Robert Huth will leave if Middlesbrough are relegated at the weekend. (Daily Mail)
(Full story: Daily Mail)

Willie Miller has called for urgent action by the Scottish Football Association. Aberdeen’s director of football is unhappy after Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty feigned injury on Saturday that led to the sending off of Aberdeen defender Charlie Mulgrew.
(Full story: Daily Record)

Kyle Lafferty says his father was ashamed of his behaviour against Aberdeen on Sunday. (The Sun)

Aberdeen’s Charlie Mulgrew is poised to be cleared on Tuesday after his sending off. (The Herald)

But Madjid Bougherra is likely to lose his appeal against the red card shown to the Rangers defender against Aberdeen. (The Herald)

Falkirk will appeal against the red card shown to Steven Pressley during Saturday’s defeat by St Mirren. (Various)

Motherwell will be confirmed as Uefa Fair Play entrants to the Europa League unless they suffer two red cards in their final game. (Daily Record)

Manchester City’s Stephen Ireland is set to leave Eastlands with the midfielder upset with contract negotiations stalling. (Various)
(Full story: The Sun)

Investors from the United States and the Middle East are lining up a £140m offer for Newcastle United – but it all hangs on the club remaining in the Premier League.
(Full story: The Guardian)

Wigan striker Amr Zaki, who is on loan from Zamalek, insists he was the one to pull the plug on a permanent move. (Daily Mirror)

Everton defender Phil Jagielka is to be rewarded for his efforts this season by being given a new contract, despite a bad knee injury. (The Sun)

England’s 2018 World Cup bid may rest on the Premier League accepting Fifa and Uefa regulations stipulating that a side must contain a minimum of six home-grown players and a maximum of five foreigners. (Daily Express)

Celtic have denied that they have asked Lech Poznan coach Franciszek Smuda to succeed Gordon Strachan as manager. (The Sun)

May 17

Robin Van Persie could be set to leave Arsenal, who are considering cashing in on the striker after contract talks stalled. (Full story: News of the World)

Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger’s summer transfer kitty at Arsenal has been reduced to just £13m.
(Full story: Mail on Sunday)

Mark Hughes wants to bring Benfica pair Luisao and Oscar Cardozo to Manchester City.
(Full story: News of the World)

Michael Owen will take a 50% drop in pay if it helps him secure a summer move away from Newcastle. (Full story: Sunday Express)

But Alan Shearer has asked Newcastle owner Mike Ashley to make sure the services of defender Sebastien Bassong are secured on a permanent basis, to ward off interest from Arsenal.
(Full story: Sunday Telegraph)

Aston Villa have joined Liverpool and Spurs in the queue to sign Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing.
(Full story: News of the World)

Fulham are confident they can lure Paul Scharner from Wigan in a £6m deal.
(Full story: News of the World)

Bolton boss Gary Megson is keen on a £2m deal to sign Joey Barton from Newcastle, but first has to convince the Bolton board the midfielder is worth the gamble.
(Full story: News of the World)

Rangers could miss out on Icelandic international defender Hermann Hreidarsson if they fail to win their first league championship title in four years.
(Full story: Sunday Mail)

Wigan are set to snatch Hibernian striker Steven Fletcher from under Celtic’s noses.


(Full story: News of the World)

May 14

Newcastle manager Alan Shearer insists striker Michael Owen has a big part to play in their relegation battle.
(Full story: The Sun)

Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland is on the verge of signing a new contract at the the club, worth about £80,000 a week. (Various)

Arsenal’s billionaire investors are poised for a showdown over the club’s future strategy, with Alisher Usmanov ready to suggest that Stan Kroenke and others join him in making a commitment to tackle the club’s £318m debt.
(Full story: Daily Telegraph)

Reading want Watford manager Brendan Rogers to replace Steve Coppell, while also on their list of candidates are Tony Adams, Nigel Pearson and Lawrie Sanchez.
(Full story: The Sun)

Also on Reading’s list are Adrian Boothroyd, Phil Parkinson and Gus Poyet. (The Times)

Meanwhile, ex-Royals boss Coppell is being lined up to take on a new role developing future England stars as Premier League chiefs want him to take on a new Head of Youth job. (The Sun)

Colin Calderwood is yet another name being touted as the next boss at QPR. (Daily Mail)

Former Ipswich boss Jim Magilton is in the frame to be the next manager at Loftus Road. (The Sun)

Hearts could send Marius Zaliukas on anger management classes after the defender’s fourth red card of the season. (Various)

Dundee United boss Craig Levein wants an apology from referee Stuart Dougal after refusing Lee Wilkie immediate treatment during Tuesday’s defeat by Celtic. (Various)

But Stuart Dougal rejects Craig Levein’s claim that he treated the Dundee United camp with arrogance during the game. (The Herald)

Rangers director John McClelland has given a lukewarm welcome to suggestions that the Old Firm could be invited into a second tier of the English Premier League. (Various)

August 8

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says that the number of foreigners in the Premier League is not to blame for England’s problems on the international front. (Various)

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez believes he has the best squad at his disposal in his time at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says current Stamford Bridge manager Luiz Felipe Scolari only talks about him to get “free publicity”.

Magpies supremo Mike Ashley insists he has no intention of selling the Tyneside outfit. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney seems to have had a quick recovery from his virus as he is pictured smiling and cheering during the filming of a commercial for a computer game. (Various)

August 1

Furious organisers of Feyenoord’s Jubilee Tournament have blasted Celtic after manager Gordon Strachan and one of his players failed to show at a press conference they were contractually obliged to attend. (Various)

Joey Barton could be hit with a 15-match ban by the Football Association after he was charged with violent conduct for his training ground attack on Ousmane Dabo last year. (Various)

Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp will not be moving to Russia to become the new boss of CSKA Moscow, according to the Fratton Park club. (Daily Telegraph)

AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that the Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko will not return to the San Siro. (Independent)

Jens Lehmann has warned Emmanuel Adebayor he would be making a huge mistake if he left Arsenal this summer. (Various)

Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari insists owner Roman Abramovich has not ordered him to make the Blues play sexy football. (The Sun)

Aston Villa defender Curtis Davies will stun doctors by being fit for the new season after an Achilles operation in March. (The Sun)

July 24

Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez has claimed the Premier League champions should grant team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo his wish and let him join Real Madrid. (The Times)

Midfielder Paul Scholes, who has one year remaining on his Manchester United contract, plans to retire in two years’ time. (Various)

Real Madrid stars Raul and Guti have said they would welcome Manchester United winger Ronaldo with open arms. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea are bracing themselves for another huge increase in player salaries that could take their annual wage bill close to £150m as the recent round of contract renegotiations is set to continue. (The Times)

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has pleaded with Spurs striker Robbie Keane to move to Anfield. (Daily Star)

Manchester United and Portsmouth, who play each other in a friendly in Nigeria on Sunday, must cover up at night and take malaria tablets after Arsenal defender Kolo Toure contracted the disease while in his native Ivory Coast. (The Sun)

Sheffield Wednesday’s proposed takeover has edged a step closer after Wednesdayite, the supporters’ group, urged members to vote in favour of selling their shares. (The Times)

Great Britain must field a football team in the London 2012 Games, says the chairman of the British Olympic Association Lord Moynihan. (Daily Express)

Former Arsenal midfielder Alexander Hleb says “political differences” are undermining boss Arsene Wenger’s plans for the new season. (Daily Telegraph)

Help The Aged has hit out at Sir Alex Ferguson for branding Chelsea a bunch of old-timers.

The charity’s spokesperson Kate Joplin said: “In 2008, age is no longer an acceptable yardstick to measure a person’s worth or potential. There’s a lot to be said for experience.” (The Sun)

July 21

Brazil legend Pele has told England and Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney he needs to “learn how to defend himself, not attack his opponent”. (Various)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has told striker Theo Walcott to establish himself in the first team this season. (Daily Star)

England manager Fabio Capello is under no pressure to get his squad to the World Cup semi-finals, according to the Football Association’s director of football development Sir Trevor Brooking. (Daily Star)

Former Newcastle midfielder Kieron Dyer will be back in training on this week, a year after breaking his leg on his second appearance for West Ham. (Times)

July 18

Goalkeeper Robert Green has revealed he feels “completely under-valued” at West Ham and is now considering his future at the club. (The Sun, Daily Mail)

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has told chairman Niall Quinn he wants money to spend on top players. (Daily Mirror)

Owen Hargreaves’ long-term fitness is worrying Manchester United after the England midfielder pulled out of a pre-season trip to South Africa with a knee problem. (Various)

Kyle Lafferty and Steven Smith have been added to Rangers manager Walter Smith’s growing injury list ahead of the Champions League qualifiers. (Daily Express)

Cristiano Ronaldo hobbled into a nightclub on crutches and partied with stars including Paris Hilton. (The Sun, Daily Mirror)

West Ham stars are fuming at their tour from hell after a travel firm went bust. The Hammers squad are being flown economy class to their pre-season matches in Canada in two separate planes after being led to believe they were flying business class. (The Sun)

July 10

Fifa president Sepp Blatter has told Manchester United they should let winger Cristiano Ronaldo join Real Madrid. (Various)

Manchester United look to have lost another Portuguese in the form of assistant boss Carlos Queiroz, who took over as Portugal manager on Wednesday evening. (Daily Star)

Arsenal full-back Bacary Sagna has voiced his concerns that the club could be out of the title race by March. The Frenchman is worried that there could be a player exodus from the Emirates and believes that will damage the Gunners. (Various)

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate insists he can lead the club into the Champions League. (The Sun)

Manchester City manager Mark Hughes has ordered his foreign stars to get fit quick in order to stave off another post-Christmas slump for the club. Hughes is putting them all through a gruelling boot camp in Germany. (Daily Star)

Reading boss Steve Coppell will tell Ibrahima Sonko he does have a future at the club. The defender refused to play in a reserve game last season, but Coppell insists the episode is now forgotten. (Daily Star)

England and Los Angeles Galaxy midfielder David Beckham has been signed up as the face of fish oil tablets in the United States. A spokesman admitted: “This new deal is a bit less glamorous than David is used to.” (Daily Star)

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has splashed out £250m on the world’s most expensive house. The Russian billionaire paid the record price for a hilltop villa overlooking the French Riviera. (Daily Star)

July 09

Luiz Felipe Scolari claimed he would have become England coach two years ago had the Football Association been willing to wait until after Portugal were eliminated from the 2006 World Cup. (Daily Mirror)

Former Liverpool No2 Pako Ayesteran is a candidate to become Alex Ferguson’s new assistant manager at Manchester United, while Bordeaux boss Laurent Blanc is also in the frame. (The Sun)

Phil Brown is in line for a 100% pay rise at Hull after the Tigers offered him a new three-year deal worth an annual £500,000. (Daily Mirror)

Paul Ince’s transfer kitty has received a £3m boost after Jack Walker’s family, who still own the club, renewed their backing. (Daily Mirror)

Billionaire businessman Peter Cullum is in talks with Norwich owner Delia Smith to buy the club for £20m. (Daily Star)

The former Sunderland and Manchester City manager Peter Reid is to be appointed the new coach of Thailand at the end of July on a four-year deal, according to reports in Bangkok. (The Guardian)

Blackburn Rovers could be the next Premier League club to come under American ownership after a consortium from the United States registered its interest in buying the club. (The Times)

July 07

Manchester United assistant boss Carlos Queiroz is set to take over as Portugal manager. (The Sun)

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is likely to promote from within to replace Queiroz, with Academy boss Brian McClair a leading contender. (Mirror)

Swansea City manager Roberto Martinez has been linked with the United assistant’s job if Queiroz leaves. (The Western Mail)

Hearts will have to pay about £120,000 compensation to Uganda if they are to lure Hungarian Laszlo Csaba to Tynecastle to be their new manager. (Various)

May 26

The consolation for sacked Chelsea boss Avram Grant is that he will replace Sven-Goran Eriksson as Manchester City manager. (Daily Star)

Eriksson is set to become the new coach of Mexico. (Various)

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will hold talks with former Derby boss Billy Davies about becoming the next manager of the Foxes. (Daily Telegraph)

Blackpool boss Simon Grayson is also an option for the Foxes following their relegation to League One. (Mirror)

April 10

Manchester United could provide the opposition for the game where Motherwell rename their main stand after the late Phil O’Donnell (Daily Record).

Avram Grant is under pressure in Israel to stand down from management duties for the second leg of Chelsea’s Champions League semi-final as it falls on Holocaust Memorial Day (The Times).

Defender Rio Ferdinand had blood visibly leaking through his boot during Manchester United’s win over Roma (Daily Star).

Newcastle’s Mark Viduka could give up playing for Australia to extend his Magpies career (Daily Star).

England’s friendly away to Trinidad and Tobago on 1 June could kick off at 2230 BST because it is cooler in the evening (The Sun).

Rangers striker Lee McCulloch says team-mates David Weir and Allan McGregor should have been among the shortlist for the players’ player of the year. (Various)

February 27

Manchester United defender Gary Neville has made his latest comeback from injury, lasting 60 minutes in a reserve team game against Liverpool. (Various)

And fellow team-mate Ben Foster, who has been out with a serious knee injury, is also close to a return and could force his way into Fabio Capello’s thoughts. (The Guardian)

The Premier League looks set to abandon its plans for a ’39th game’ after cancelling a scheduled meeting with Fifa president Sepp Blatter. (The Guardian)

Arsenal players have reportedly asked William Gallas to start acting like a captain, after he staged a bizarre on-pitch sit-in following his side’s 2-2 draw with Birmingham on Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

February 6

England boss Fabio Capello could pick Wayne Rooney and Joe Cole up front against Switzerland and leave Michael Owen on the bench. (Various)

Owen was a spectator in training on Tuesday as Capello experimented with new formations. (Various)

Matthew Upson, Wes Brown, David Bentley and Ashley Young are all set to start against the Swiss at Wembley. (Various)

Motherwell will pay £40,000 to replace part of their rain-sodden Fir Park pitch – and the new surface will only last six weeks. (Daily Record)

Shaun Maloney fears for his place in the Scotland squad if he does not secure more first-team football with Aston Villa. (Various)

Barry Ferguson is desperate to seize what he sees as his last chance of playing at World Cup finals for Scotland. (Various)

Maciej Zurawski says leaving Celtic for Larissa will revive his hopes of playing for Poland at the Euro 2008 finals. (Daily Mail)

Former Scotland international Andy Goram is poised to become goalkeeping coach with Clyde. (Various)

February 4

Steve Cotterill, Kevin Blackwell and John Gregory have all been interviewed for the managerial vacancy at Southampton. (Mirror)

Former Bayern Munich boss Ottmar Hitzfeld will become the manager of Switzerland next season. (Mirror)

Rangers manager Walter Smith is angry that the Scottish FA has ruled out Wednesday as a Scottish Cup replay date because of international commitments. (Express)

The Scottish FA is set for a U-turn to allow Rangers to play their Scottish Cup replay against Hibernian on Wednesday. (Record)

Rangers are poised to appeal against the red card shown to goalkeeper Allan McGregor in Sunday’s Scottish Cup tie against Hibernian. (Various)

Scotland could bid to host the Euro 2012 finals if political instability rules out Poland and Ukraine. (Various)

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee has denied suggestions that he will move to Hearts in the summer. (Record)

January 31

David Beckham is set to miss out on winning his 100th cap for England in next month’s friendly with Switzerland. (Various)

West Ham have been forced to abandon plans for a new £10m training complex amid a cash squeeze at the club. (Sun)

Portsmouth owner Alexandre Gaydamak has put the club up for sale as he looks to make a profit on the Fratton Park club. (Times)

January 25

Wigan manager Steve Bruce is closing in on Watford striker Marlon King, with talks apparently having already taken place between the two clubs. “We’ve shown an interest and it’s ongoing,” said Latics assistant boss Eric Black. (1210 GMT – Sporting Life)

Sir Alex Ferguson is still determined to land Dimitar Berbatov and will monitor the £30m-rated striker when Spurs visit Old Trafford for their FA Cup fourth round tie on Sunday. (1050 GMT – Manchester Evening News)

Meanwhile, Spurs boss Juande Ramos has admitted that there is still a slim chance the 26-year-old could leave while the transfer window remains open, but “it would have to be an offer from a very big club with a very big contract to make him leave us.” (1050 GMT – Setanta Sports News)

Arsenal have rejected an audacious attempt by Liverpool to take Theo Walcott on loan for the rest of the season – but Sven-Goran Eriksson is still hopeful of luring the player to Manchester City. (0810 GMT – The Times)

Match-fixing claims have rocked the African Nations Cup after Benin coach Reinhard Fabisch claimed he was approached about manipulating their match against Mali, which they lost 1-0. (Various)

Much-maligned keeper Paul Robinson does not expect to be named in Fabio Capello’s first England squad after bring dropped for Spurs. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool’s American owners are ready to signal their commitment to the club by finally signing Javier Mascherano on a long-term contract for £17m. (Various)

New Scotland boss George Burley is to court controversy by asking former England captain Terry Butcher to become his assistant. (The Guardian)

January 23

Kevin Keegan is ready to test Middlesbrough’s resolve to hang on to England international Jonathan Woodgate. (1506 GMT – Press Association)

Manchester City striker Rolando Bianchi is close to completing a permanent transfer to Lazio, according to the Roman outfit. (1420 GMT – Press Association)

Birmingham have admitted defeat in their bid to sign Lazio defender Guglielmo Stendardo on loan. (1338 GMT – Birmingham Mail)

Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko believes he could complete a move to Juventus by the end of this week. (1038 GMT – Gazzetta dello Sport)

Manchester City have denied that Micah Richards is about to sign a new long-term contract. (0903 GMT – Manchester Evening News)

Glen Hoddle is believed to be the favourite to replace George Burley at Southampton if as expected he becomes the new Scotland manager. (Mirror)

Cardiff manager Dave Jones and out of work Billy Davies are also thought to be on the short-list. (various)

Micah Richards is set to end speculation over his Manchester City future and sign a new contract at the club. (Daily Mai)

Frank Lampard has suffered a fresh setback in his return from a thigh injury. (Daily Star)

January 22

Torino are hoping to sign striker Rolando Bianchi from Manchester City during the transfer window. (Press Association, 1236 GMT)

Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has decided against signing Manchester City striker Georgios Samaras, despite agreeing a £2.5m fee. (Birmingham Mail, 1216 GMT)

Inter Milan and AC Milan are reportedly fighting it out for the signature of Ronaldinho. (Goal.com, 1151 GMT)

Goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg says he will remain at Ajax for the rest of the season despite reported interest from Tottenham. (Press Association, 1033 GMT)

Fulham are close to signing veteran Finnish international Jari Litmanen and will undergo a trial with the club. (AFP news agency, 0949 GMT)

Keep an eye on our gossip column during the day for updates and breaking news throughout the transfer window.

Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi is a target for Portsmouth, but Pompey boss Harry Reknapp won’t use Sol Campbell as part of the deal. (Newcastle Evening Chronicle, 1435 GMT)

Rangers will have to pay Aston Villa £3.5m if they want to sign striker Luke Moore. (Press Association, 1335 GMT)

Steve McClaren has said the lack of quality English players cost him his job as England manager. (Daily Mail)

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos believes his side need to get to the final of teh Carling Cup in order for Dimitar Berbatov to stay at teh club. (various)

Kevin Keegan has told Michael Owen that the Newcastle captaincy is his if he wants it. (various)

January 17

Aston Villa are stepping up their attempts to sign Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe according to sources close to the midlands club (Press Association 1636 GMT).

Rangers are in talks with West Ham to take Christian Dailly on loan for the rest of the season (BBC Scotland, 1545 GMT).

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson confirms he “just needs one last discussion” with Rangers over signing Ugo Ehiogu, but the signs are “looking favourable” (BBC Radio Sheffield, 1445 GMT).

Everton confirm they have agreed an unspecified fee with Birmingham for James McFadden (Press Association 1445 GMT).

Newcastle have joined Aston Villa in the chase for £10m Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe (thisislondon.co.uk 1415 GMT).

Investment company Dubai International Capital ready to make offer for Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks’s stake in the club. (Liverpool Echo, 1324).

Brazilian striker Fred says he will stay at Lyon, dashing Tottenham’s hopes of signing him. (Agence France Presse, 1302 GMT).

Birmingham are close to signing Scotland striker James McFadden from Everton for a fee in the region of £5m. He is set to discuss personal terms before undergoing a medical (Press Association, 1235 GMT).

Celtic target Daniel van Buyten has told Bayern Munich he wants to stay and fight for his place (Glasgow Herald, 1215 GMT).

Middlesbrough target Afonso Alves could be on his way from Heerenveen to AZ Alkmaar, after the provisional judgement of a Dutch FA hearing into the clubs’ pre-contract agreements went against Boro (Press Association, 1150 GMT).

Cardiff’s Robbie Fowler will not play again this season after surgeons discovered a new hip injury (icwales.co.uk, 1145 GMT).

Former Fulham manager Chris Coleman could be in line to be Kevin Keegan’s number two at Newcastle (thisislondon.com, 0950 GMT).

Aston Villa have held talks with Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe (Birmingham Post, 0900 GMT).

Bayern Munich president Karl-Heinz Rummenige says “the file is closed” on Manchester City’s reported interest in German international striker Lukas Podolski (Goal.com, 0858 GMT).

January 12

Harry Redknapp has begun talks with Newcastle over becoming their new manager. (The Mail)

Redknapp wants to meet Newcastle owner Mike Ashley in person before he decides to pursue the Newcastle job. (Daily Star)

Portsmouth have told Redknapp to tell them by lunchtime whether he wants to leave Fratton Park. (The Times)

Newcastle will pay Redknapp £4m a year to become their new manager. (Daily Express)

Bayern Munich have claimed that their new manager – Jurgen Klinsmann was offered Rafael Benitez’s job at Liverpool. (Various)

Arsenal’s Spanish-born keeper Manuel Almunia will tell Fabio Capello that he intends to play for England. (Various)

January 11

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is torn over accepting the Newcastle job after being tempted with a £20m transfer kitty. (The Mail)

Redknapp has been told that he can use owner Mike Ashley’s private jet to fly him to and from his home on the South Coast. (Daily Express)

Portsmouth will be given £3m in compensation if Redknapp decides to leave Fratton Park for Newcastle. (The Sun)

The cost of sacking Allardyce and recruiting Redknapp could cost Newcastle £9m. (Daily Telegraph)

Portsmouth have vowed to hold on to manager Redknapp and have told Newcastle they face a fight to secure his services. (The Times)

If Newcastle fail to land Redknapp then Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is next on their list. (The Guardian)

January 10

Newcastle United have earmarked Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp as their next manager. (Various)

Manchester City have pleaded with fans not to wreck the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Munich air crash next month. (Various)

Rafael Benitez has survived the latest round of talks with Liverpool’s owners but has received no long-term assurances over his future. (The Star)

Graeme Souness will have talks with Scotland next week about becoming their new manager. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham boss Juande Ramos has been served with a £2.2m writ by his former club Sevilla. (The Sun)

Mixu Paatelainen is the favourite to land the manager’s job at Hibernian. (Daily Record)

December 28

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is on the brink of being sacked, with Alan Shearer waiting in the wings to replace him. (Various)

Portsmouth keeper David James has accused former England manager Steve McClaren of offering him nothing but a cheese roll during his 18 months in charge. (The Times)

Hearts players have demanded changes to training methods after they met privately to discuss their recent poor form. (Daily Record)

December 13

Tottenham striker Dimitar Berbatov says he will not be leaving the club – in January. (Daily Star)

Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann has fallen behind Manuel Almunia in the pecking order but says he wants to stay with the Gunners. (Times)

Matt Taylor, Lauren, Pedro Mendes, Djimi Traore and Richard Hughes face being sold by Portsmouth in January. (Times)

Fulham, Wigan, Birmingham, Celtic and Rangers all want Everton striker James McFadden. (The Times)

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is planning a spending spree in the January transfer window and a striker and left-sided midfielder are his priority. (Various)

O’Neill also faces trying to keep defensive duo Olof Mellberg and Martin Laursen at the club as they are out of contract next summer. (Daily Star)

Derby boss Paul Jewell says several clubs want striker Steve Howard but he wants to keep him (The Times)

But Rams defender Tyrone Mears will be sold by Jewell to raise funds for January signings. (Daily Express)

Everton, Newcastle and Portsmouth are vying for the services of Swindon left-back Ben Tozer. (Sun)

Norwich boss Glenn Roeder will return to his former club Newcastle to try to sign striker Shola Ameobi. (Sun)

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre has no plans to leave the club until his contract expires in June 2009. (Daily Telegraph)

West Ham boss Alan Curbishley has warned Anton Ferdinand not to get drawn into pop-star culture to the detriment of his career. (Daily Express)

Sunderland manager Roy Keane wants to sign Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell, Blackburn striker Jason Roberts and Manchester United defender Wes Brown. (Guardian)

Birmingham have targeted former Liverpool and Aston Villa striker Milan Baros, who is currently at Lyon. (Daily Mirror)

December 12

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has pulled out of a move for Barcelona’s Brazilian midfielder Edmilson as he believes he is not fit enough. (The Sun)

Wigan and Birmingham are in a battle to sign Real Murcia striker Inigo, who will cost about £10m. (The Sun)

Middlesbrough’s Fabio Rochemback wants to rejoin Sporting Lisbon. (The Sun)

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy will not return as Republic of Ireland boss, according to caretaker manager Don Givens. (The Sun)

Billionaire Alki David has ditched his plans to buy Coventry, saying the club is falling apart. (The Sun)

Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien has urged the club to sign Gideon Baah, who won a reality TV show in Ghana to earn a trial at Stamford Bridge. (Mirror)

Olof Mellberg is ready to quit Aston Villa to join Juventus at the end of the season. (Mirror)

Blackburn striker Jason Roberts is frustrated at his lack of opportunities and wants to leave, which could see him join Sunderland. (Mirror)

Sheffield Wednesday boss Brian Laws is set to sign West Brom striker John Hartson on loan. (Mirror)

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill is monitoring FC Toronto’s 21-year-old midfielder Maurice Edu. (Mirror)

Rangers manager Walter Smith is poised to swoop for West Brom left-back Paul Robinson. (Mirror)

Newcastle have joined the chase for Djurgardens utility player Lance Davids, who is also being monitored by Blackburn. (Mirror)

Sheffield United manager Bryan Robson has insisted striker James Beattie will not be leaving the club during the January transfer window. (Mirror)

Tottenham are lining up a £5m move for Holland and Ajax goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. (Daily Star)

Wolves want to re-sign Steffen Iversen from Rosenborg. (Daily Star)

Sunderland have recruited ex-Liverpool star John Barnes to scout for new talent in the West Indies. (various)

Croatia midfielder Luka Modric is set to snub both Arsenal and Chelsea and instead move from Dinamo Zagreb to Barcelona. (Daily Star)

Nicolas Anelka has insisted he is happy at Bolton, despite reports linking him with a move to Manchester United, Chelsea and Arsenal. (The Independent)

Benjani Mwaruwari says he does not want to leave Portsmouth. (The Independent)

Manchester City have insisted Rolando Bianchi will not be leaving in January to return to Serie A. (The Independent)

Confusingly, City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson has said that Bianchi will leave so he can bring in another striker. (The Times)

Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti has denied he has been in contact with Jose Mourinho to take over as the club’s manager. (Express)

Bolton may move for Nottingham Forest forward Nathan Tyson. (The Times)

Fulham have been linked with South Korea forward Cho Jae Jin, who plays for Shimizu S-Pulse, and may complete a deal in two weeks. (The Times)

QPR, Norwich and Coventry are fighting it out to sign Wigan’s 26-year-old defender Fitz Hall. (The Times)

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has been handed a £20m transfer kitty to bring on new players in January. (Mail)

Arsenal and Tottenham may go head-to-head for the signature of Celtic keeper Artur Boruc. (Mail)

Liverpool’s Momo Sissoko wants showdown talks with boss Rafael Benitez, which could encourage Everton to make a move for the midfielder. (Mail)

Terry Butcher, who parted company with Brentford on Tuesday, has emerged as a candidate to take over as Dunfermline manager. (Daily Record)

John Collins has laughed off reports he has been sounded out about becoming Scotland manager. (Daily Record)

December 11

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is wanted by Juventus, according to Italian press reports. (The Times)

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Miguel Veloso have been damaged by a row between the player’s club Sporting Lisbon and Carlos Queiroz. (Guardian)

Portsmouth striker Benjani Mwaruwari is ready to snub a move to Juventus to stay at Fratton Park. (The Sun)

Bolton and Wigan are in competition for the signature of West Brom full-back Paul Robinson. (The Times)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish has been promised funds to bring in new blood and wants to sign players he has previously worked with. (The Times)

Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez is interested in signing Wolves goalkeeper Wayne Hennessey. (The Times)

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres has begged the club’s owners not to sack manager Rafael Benitez. (Various)

Newcastle manager Sam Allardyce is desperate to bring in new players in the January transfer window. (Daily Star)

But chairman Chris Mort is reluctant to release any cash, which means Allardyce is unlikely to do a deal for Manchester United defender Wes Brown. (Daily Mirror)

The Magpies are also set to release injured defender Celestine Babayaro, paying the remainder of his contract, which expires at the end of the season. (Daily Mirror)

Former United States coach Bruce Arena has revealed he is keen to become the new Scotland manager. (Daily Star)

Derby and Sheffield United are battling it out to sign Bolton’s veteran midfielder Gary Speed. (Daily Star)

Celtic and Fulham are set to bid £4m for Burnley’s Northern Irish striker Kyle Lafferty. (Daily Star)

Ipswich are giving a second trial to FC Moscow’s 28-year-old Poland international midfielder Damian Gorawski. (Daily Star)

Reading boss Steve Coppell is keen on £3m-rated French centre-back Sebastien Puygrenier. (Daily Star)

Crystal Palace are to send on-loan striker Besian Idrizaj back to Liverpool as boss Neil Warnock is unimpressed. (Daily Star)

Wigan manager Steve Bruce is interested in Hibernian left-back David Murphy but faces competition from Celtic and Rangers. (Daily Mirror)

Cardiff are lining up Billy Davies to replace boss Dave Jones. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp will give a trial to Paris St Germain forward Fabrice Pancrate. (Daily Mirror)

QPR are set to bid £1.2m for Wigan defender Fitz Hall and are expected to beat Norwich and Coventry to his signature. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield United boss Bryan Robson is planning a shock raid on Hull to sign Jay-Jay Okocha. (Daily Mirror)

Derby County manager Paul Jewell has his eye on Manchester United defender Ryan Shawcross. (various)

December 10

Jurgen Klinsmann is in the frame to become the new Liverpool manager – if Rafael Benitez gets the sack. (The Sun)

Manchester United have handed a trial to 24-year-old Angola striker Manucho Goncalves. (Daily Mail)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will bid for Scotland striker Kris Boyd this week – if Rangers go out of Europe. (Daily Mirror)

Stuttgart’s Portuguese defender Fernando Meira, 29, will snub a January move to Portsmouth. (The Sun)

Wolves winger Michael Kightly is being targeted for a switch to Italian football with Torino. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is considering a £5m move for Derby midfielder Giles Barnes. (Daily Telegraph)

Newcastle chairman Chris Mort has admitted he and chairman Mike Ashley have held talks over manager Sam Allardyce’s position. (The Sun)

Blackburn want a second look at Senegalese trialist Dino Djiba – he could leave Metz for a knockdown fee in January. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle and Blackburn are keen on South African midfielder Lance Davids, who plays in Sweden. (Daily Mail)

Newcastle and Sunderland are ready to battle it out for Manchester United contract rebel Wes Brown. (Daily Mirror)

Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez is ready to make a move for Watford captain Marlon King. (Daily Telegraph)

Coventry City look set to be saved from administration by a takeover bid from the billionnaire businessman, film director and actor Alki David. (The Guardian)

Derby are considering a bid from Wolves for striker Steve Howard, so they can buy Jason Roberts from Blackburn. (Daily Telegraph)

Former Scotland boss Alex McLeish has backed his old Aberdeen colleague Mark McGhee to become the new national team manager. (Daily Record)

December 7

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is set to make an £8m move for Newcastle’s England striker Michael Owen in January. (various)

Chelsea will allow striker Andriy Shevchenko to go out on loan in January and the striker is attracted by a move to Major League Soccer. (Mirror)

Former Derby boss Billy Davies is being lined up to succeed under-pressure Dave Jones as Cardiff manager. (various)

Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are interested in signing Arsenal’s outcast keeper Jens Lehmann. (Mirror)

Didier Drogba is at war with Chelsea because they want to delay his knee operation while he wants to have it immediately. (Sun)

Brentford boss Terry Butcher has been given one match to save his job. (Sun)

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy is ready to launch a £1.5m bid for Derby striker Steve Howard. (Sun)

New Birmingham manager Alex McLeish wants to sign Sheffield United’s Gary Naysmith – one of his old Scotland stars – in January. (Star)

Chelsea are confident they will clinch a £15m deal for Bolton’s Nicolas Anelka in the transfer window. (Star)

Celtic will spark a transfer scramble by agreeing to sell striker Derek Riordan in January. (Record)

Celtic will provide manager Gordon Strachan with money for four new players in the January transfer window. (Scottish Sun)

Arsenal’s Spanish keeper Manuel Almunia wants to play for England and is only a year away from becoming a British citizen, which will allow him to fulfil his ambition. (various)

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes has held talks with Benni McCarthy and Robbie Savage after they became frustrated by his selection policy. (Mail)

QPR have agreed a £2m deal for Sunderland’s Daryl Murphy and a £150,000 move for Watford’s Gavin Mahon. (Mail)

December 6

David Beckham has been approached to be the face of England’s 2018 World Cup bid after the role he played in the London 2012 Olympics campaign (Express).

Former Tottenham manager Martin Jol says no-one could have done a better job than him at the club.

“Not even someone like Jose Mourinho could have done better than me at this club under the circumstances,” he says in the preface of his new biography (Mail).

Albania’s Culture Minister has written to Uefa asking them to investigate two of their Euro 2008 qualifiers, saying a “mafia group is trampling on the flag” (Guardian).

Dundee United are having a trial day exclusively for the city’s Polish community on 15 December after signing youngsters from Rwanda and the Ivory Coast through a special refugee project in Glasgow (Record).

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy turned down a 100% pay rise when he rejected the South Korean manager’s job (Star).

Southampton’s George Burley says he would be interested in the Scotland manager’s job. (various)

Gary McAllister wants his fellow former Scotland midfielder, Graeme Souness, to be the country’s new boss. (Sun)

Gretna head coach Davie Irons thinks Kenny Dalglish’s stature makes him top choice to be Scotland manager. (Record)

Motherwell manager Mark McGhee is surprised to be the bookies favourite for the Scotland vacancy. (Record)

Sunderland boss Roy Keane says he has dropped £7m goalkeeper Craig Gordon to give him a much-needed break.

“I’m delighted with him, but I have got to look at what’s best long term and he’ll get the benefits of it without a doubt, to miss a few games,” he said. (Times).

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill is unhappy after Sven Goran Eriksson recommended Olof Mellberg to Juventus.

“I’m not sure he should be saying things like that about a player unless he’s aiming to take him himself! Maybe I should recommend some of his Manchester City players to Manchester United or Barcelona,” he said (Sun).

Wigan boss Steve Bruce has promised to spend money in the transfer window, regardless of how good his players are.

“Even if every last one of them impresses me, I will still be looking to strengthen. We need competition for places and cover for injuries,” he said (Sun).

Cardiff chairman Peter Ridsdale says the legal action they face from creditors could jeopardise their future.

“If we were to lose we would go straight into administration – it’s a straightforward situation,” he said. (Guardian).

Younes Kaboul has been dropped for Tottenham’s Uefa Cup game with Anderlecht after being taken off three times in his last five matches (Telegraph).

Chelsea are likely to decide by the weekend when Didier Drogba should undergo a knee operation that is likely to sideline him for several weeks after a scan revealed the 29-year-old needs surgery (Telegraph).

Celtic and Rangers could be interested in unsettled Blackburn striker Benni McCarthy. (Express)

Celtic manager Gordon Strachan will not be given a bigger transfer budget despite qualifying for the Champions League’s last 16. (various)

Rangers are offering a £100,000-per-man bonus to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. (Mail)

Scotland Under-21 striker Stephen Fletcher says he will sign a new contract with Hibernian before Christmas. (Record)

Tottenham are lining up a move for Cardiff’s 18-year-old Welsh international defender Chris Gunter in the transfer window (Independent).

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson says midfielder Anderson has exceeded his expectations since arriving at the club (Telegraph).

Bolton keeper Jussi Jaaskelainen, who is out of contract at the end of the season, will meet club officials next week to try and sort out his future (Times).

Ray Houghton will work with Don Howe and former U21 boss Don Givens to select the new Republic of Ireland manager (Mail).

Fulham are interested in signing West Ham’s Bobby Zamora after striker Brian McBride suffered a setback in his recovery from a knee injury (Express).

Leyton Orient boss Margin Ling has vowed not to leave the club to take the vacant Swindon manager’s job (Star).

Derby will try and sign Gary Speed and Kevin Kilbane in the transfer window (Star).

QPR have sacked former Chelsea goalkeeper Ed de Goey as their goalkeeping coach after five months (Sun).

Aberdeen will allow veteran defender Jackie McNamara to leave should he wish to become Dunfermline manager. (various)

Dundee’s Uefa Cup victory over Vllaznia Shkroder in 2003 is under investigation as part of the European governing body’s investigation into match fixing. (Express)

November 16

Scotland manager Alex McLeish claims he had to stop a closed training session after spotting some strangers, one with a camera, watching the players preparing for the crucial match with Italy. (Daily Record)

Former Wigan manager Paul Jewell has held talks with the Football Association of Ireland with regard to becoming the new Republic of Ireland boss. (Various)

Real Sociedad have turned down Chris Coleman’s request to resign as coach. (The Guardian)

England’s players are set to receive a bonus of £150,000, even if they do not qualify for Euro 2008. (The Sun)

Italy goalkeeper Gigi Buffon says Scotland’s Craig Gordon is one of the world’s top stoppers. (Daily Record)

November 9

Sir Alex Ferguson says “he has absolutely no intention” of letting utility player Gerard Pique return to Spain, where Real Zaragoza lead a group of interested clubs. (The Times)

Scotland boss Alex McLeish believes the pressure will be on Italy when the world champions travel to Glasgow for next week’s Euro 2008 crunch match at Hampden Park. (Daily Record)

Michael Essien admits Chelsea are missing John Terry – but are coping in his absence. (The Guardian)

West Ham are open-minded about a potential groundshare with Tottenham, believing it would boost their funds for a new stadium. (Daily Telegraph)

Rafael Benitez wants his Liverpool players to use the memory of the 8-0 thrashing of Besiktas and make Anfield an impenetrable fortress. (The Guardian)

Derby boss Billy Davies will not gamble on Kenny Miller’s fitness against West Ham, handing Alex McLeish a massive boost ahead of Scotland’s match against Italy. (Daily Record)

Didier Drogba insists he deserves to be named European Footballer of the Year ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka. (Daily Mirror)

November 8

David Beckham could train with Watford as he bids to keep up his fitness ahead of England’s upcoming games. (Mail)

Chelsea boss Avram Grant hauled his players in for an extra day’s training on Wednesday following their 0-0 draw against Schalke. (Times)

Reading will make Nicky Shorey their highest-paid player to fend off interest from West Ham. (Star)

Ruud Gullit will be handed a multi-million dollar three-year contract to coach David Beckham’s club LA Galaxy. (Telegraph)

Beckham’s management company were involved in Gullit’s recruitment and will supplement his wages. (Times)

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is set to sign a new £60,000 a week contract. (Mail)

November 6

Joe Royle is a front-runner to be the new Wigan boss following the sacking of Chris Hutchings. (Daily Star)

But former Wigan boss Paul Jewell is also in the frame for the job, just six months after he resigned. (Various)

And Scotland boss Alex McLeish is hotly-tipped to take over, while Wigan are also considering England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce. (Various)

Actually, it’s former Newcastle boss Graeme Souness who is set to take the reins at Wigan. (Various)

Blackburn are ready to hand manager Mark Hughes a huge pay rise if he signs a new deal. (The Sun)

England boss Steve McClaren will not quit even if he fails to guide England into the Euro 2008 finals. (Mirror)

October 29

Carson Yeung says he will open contract talks with Birmingham manager Steve Bruce once he completes his £50m takeover. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa manager Martin O’Neill says Gareth Barry is not for sale after interest from Chelsea. (The Times)

Everton striker Andy Johnson wants to sign a new contract at the Goodison Park club. (Daily Mail)

Sevilla plan to report Spurs to Fifa over an alleged illegal approach for manager Juande Ramos. (Daily Mail)

Former Hull City chairman Adam Pearson will become Derby County’s new chief executive. (The Times)

Alex McLeish turned his back on a move to Bolton because he is determined to lead Scotland to next year’s European Championship finals. (Daily Record)

Brian Little and Peter Jackson are battling it out to become the new manager at Lincoln. (The Sun)

Celtic’s goalkeeper Artur Boruc is stalling over contract talks and could be set to follow the route of Andy Webster by invoking Article 17 of Fifa’s transfer regulations in a bid to terminate his agreement with the Glasgow club. (Daily Express).

October 21

Bolton have been told by Real Sociedad that prising manager Chris Coleman away will cost them £1m. (Various)

As well as Coleman, Bolton are considering Gary Megson and Graeme Souness for their vacant manager’s position. (The people)

The FA would have to pay £21m as part of a complex pay-off to Chelsea if they want Jose Mourinho as the next England manager. (Sunday Mirror).

But the ex-Blues boss says he does not want the job. (News of the World).

However, Jurgen Klinsmann is interested in becoming the next England boss, having told friends he wants his next job to be in London. (The People)

Aberdeen legend Wilie Miller reveals in his new book ‘The Don’ that managing the SPL side affected his mental health. (Sunday Mail)

Meanwhile, Sir Alex Ferguson says that Miller is “the best penalty box defender I have ever seen.” (Sunday Mail)October 20

Sam Allardyce has refused to rule himself out of the running for the England job if Steve McClaren gets the sack. (Mirror)

Leicester won’t allow Gary Megson to talk to Bolton about succeeding axed manager Sammy Lee. (Mirror)

Yossi Benayoun wants Israel to beat Russia next month and help England qualify for Euro 2008. (Mirror)

Terry Venables has urged the FA not to sack Steve McClaren if England fail to make next year’s finals. (Mirror)

Sports finance expert Roger Faulkner is in secret talks to take over Derby County. (Sun)

Steve Bruce will be unable to talk about his Birmingham future as prospective new owner Carson Yeung pulled out of Saturday’s trip to Manchester City. (Sun)

October 19

Glenn Hoddle and Gary Megson have joined the list of possible Bolton targets to replace axed manager Sammy Lee. (Mirror)

Arsene Wenger insists there will one day be a strong contingent of English players coming through the youth ranks into his first team squad. (Mirror)

Sven-Goran Eriksson has backed Steve McClaren by insisting expectations of England success are too high. (Daily Star)

Wales boss John Toshack says the fans were right to boo his side’s lacklustre 2-1 win in San Marino. (Mirror)

Goalkeeper Paul Robinson is likely to be the first casualty if Steve McClaren is axed as England boss. (Times)

Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton could be fired before his team’s final Euro 2008 match away to Wales on 17 November. (Times)

Nemanja Vidic believes the demands of international football on Manchester United’s players could ruin their title hopes. (Daily Mirror)

October 13

England skipper Steven Gerrard has sent a good luck message to the England rugby team ahead of their Rugby World Cup semi-final against France in Paris. (Daily Star).

Chelsea captain John Terry will play in England’s crucial Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia on Wednesday. (Daily Star)

Croatia coach Slaven Bilic is hoping England will do his side a favour and beat Russia on Wednesday in Moscow, a victory that would cement Croatia’s qualification for Euro 2008 – if Croatia beat Israel on Saturday. (The Guardian).

Manchester United boss sir Alex Ferguson could be on a collision course with the Football Association after branding England’s friendly against France in March 2008 “stupid”. (Various)

Midfielder Kevin Nolan has vowed to fight for his place in the Bolton line-up after failing to make the squad for their last two matches. (The Sun)

Chelsea manager Avram Grant is keen to strengthen his coaching staff by recruiting Rennes goalkeeping coach Christophe Lollichon. (The Sun).

Arsenal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he is the number one keeper at Arsenal – despite claims by Manuel Almunia that he is the better player. (The Sun)

Liverpool’s Fernando Torres tore a muscle in his right leg training with Spain and could be out for 10 days, which could rule him out of the Merseyside derby against Everton (The Guardian).

Uefa president Michel Platini says European law will halt any plans to limit the number of foreign players in club competitions by 2010. (The Guardian).

Harry Kewell could be set to return to training with Liverpool after recovering from a groin injury sustained while on international duty for Australia in July. (The Times)

Celtic defender Gary Caldwell could be fit to face Rangers despite pulling out of the Scotland squad through injury. (The Sun)

Falkirk will play host to Sunderland on 15 November in the testimonial match for defender Andy Lawrie. (Various)

October 12

Captain John Terry is a major doubt for England’s crucial Euro 2008 qualifier in Russia on Wednesday. (Daily Star)

Actually, Terry could face a long spell on the sidelines after it emerged he could require surgery on his injured knee. (Daily Mail)

Wayne Rooney says it is time to end his three-and-a-half year goal drought in competitive internationals when England play Estonia on Saturday. (The Sun)

Micah Richards is determined to keep his place at right-back even when Gary Neville returns to full fitness. (The Sun)

England Under-21 boss Stuart Pearce is backing Gabriel Agbonlahor to be the next player to step up to the senior squad. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Speed quit as Bolton first-team coach after a series of bust-ups with manager Sammy Lee. (The Sun)

Wolves boss Mick McCarthy has told Wales manager John Toshack to stay out of his affairs after Toshack wondered why Freddy Eastwood was not in the team. (Various)

Kenny Jackett has been revealed as the new manager of League One Millwall. (The Sun)

Hibernian manager John Collins rejected an approach to become QPR’s new boss. (The Scotsman)

Hearts’ Steve Banks believes that Craig Gordon has proven himself the best goalkeeper in Britain since moving from Tynecastle to Sunderland. (Various)

Germany legend Franz Beckenbauer wants Scotland to qualify for the Euro 2008 finals. (Daily Mail)

Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko wants France and Italy to qualify for Euro 2008 ahead of Scotland. (Various)

Former St Mirren and Scotland Under-21 defender Sergei Baltacha wants land of his birth Ukraine to beat Scotland on Saturday. (Daily Express)

Blackpool keeper Rhys Evans – on loan at Bradford – has blasted the Seasiders’ fans, claiming he was made scapegoat for their poor start last season. (The Sun)

October 11

John Terry could miss England’s games against Estonia and Russia after injuring his knee in training on Wednesday. (Various)

Gareth Barry – and not Frank Lampard – will partner Steven Gerrard in the centre of England’s midfield against Estonia on Saturday. (Various)

Gary Speed will be offered a coaching role at Newcastle if he cannot sort out his differences with Bolton boss Sammy Lee. (Daily Mail)

Man Utd defender Gary Neville has suffered another setback from his ankle ligament injury. (Daily Star)

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce wants face-to-face talks with prospective new owner Carson Yeung to discuss his position at the club. (Daily Telegraph)

Gillingham want sacked Crystal Palace boss Peter Taylor to become their new manager. (Various)

LA Galaxy star David Beckham has been told by doctors that he is not ready to return from his knee ligament injury. (The Sun)

Arsenal youngster Fran Merida has been told he must pay Barcelona £2.1m after leaving them for the Gunners, but the Premier League club are set to foot the bill. (Various)

Blackburn are unsure how long Roque Santa Cruz will be sidelined after a scan revealed tendonitis of the knee. (Various)

October 10

The tension between Michael Owen and his Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce stretches back nearly two years. The Magpies striker was written off by Allardyce before the 2006 World Cup and Owen’s insistence on playing for England against Estonia and Russia is in order to prove Allardyce wrong. (The Sun)

Owen’s Newcastle team-mate Joey Barton has launched another attack on England, claiming players get carried away with representing their country. Barton, who has one England cap, declared he is no longer interested in international football. (Daily Mail)

Steve Clarke will stay at Chelsea after talks with club bosses on Tuesday. The Scot, number two under former boss Jose Mourinho, has signed a new £500,000-a-year deal to work alongside Henk ten Cate. (The Sun)

Delia Smith is set to quit her role as Norwich’s main director and sell on her shares worth £8m. The celebrity TV cook is to hand over the club within the next month to a couple who own a mortgage-lending company. (The Sun)

Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann is poised to sign a one-year contract extension at Eastlands. (The Sun)

Hamann’s team-mate Micah Richards is ready to sign a new deal at City that will quadruple his wages with a £14m contract. (Daily Mirror)

Paul Kemsley wants to increase his stake in Tottenham and lead a £250m takeover. (The Sun)

Manchester United teenager Anderson has been taken to task over his flamboyant lifestyle and warned he is in danger of putting his Old Trafford future in jeopardy. (Daily Mail)

Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz is facing six weeks out of action with a tendon injury. (The Sun)

Paul Jewell is the favourite to take over as boss at Norwich following Peter Grant’s exit. (Daily Mirror)

Neil Warnock will take over as Crystal Palace boss and make Keith Curle a coach at Selhurst Park. (Daily Mirror)

Bolton boss Sammy Lee has held discussions with coach Gary Speed to determine whether they can save their working relationship. (Various)

October 6

England boss Steve McClaren is ready to leave out skipper John Terry for next Saturday’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia because he is on a booking and could miss the trip to Russia four days later. (Various)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has urged Steve McClaren to use common sense over Michael Owen’s fitness for the forthcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers. (Daily Express)

Avram Grant insists he and not Henk ten Cate will be in charge of Chelsea if the Dutchman joins the Stamford Bridge coaching team. (Sun)

Uefa has decided not to take action against Juninho for the Lyon midfielder’s dive during the Champions League match against Rangers. (Star)

Uefa general secretary David Taylor says AC Milan’s decision not to challenge Wednesday’s Champions League result will not prevent the Scottish champions being disciplined for a fan invading the pitch. (Sun)

October 5

Ajax have made Spurs boss Martin Jol their top target as current coach Henk Ten Cate prepares to join Avram Grant at Chelsea. (Mirror)

Former England keeper Peter Shilton has emerged as a surprise candidate to take over at Port Vale. (Mirror)

West Ham striker Craig Bellamy could be back in two weeks after having a groin operation performed by Michael Owen’s surgeon in Germany. (Various)

Steve Bruce hopes to discover if he has a long-term future as Birmingham boss. A new two-year deal hinges on Carson Yeung’s imminent takeover at St Andrews. (Sun)

Frank Lampard has told England boss Steve McClaren he will be fit for the crucial European Championship qualifiers against Russia and Estonia. (Sun)

Everton boss David Moyes and former star Wayne Rooney face a High Court date in May after talks aimed at settling a libel wrangle broke down. (Express)

AC Milan keeper Dida will face a Uefa investigation as well as Celtic after his altercation with a fan at Parkhead. (Independent)

Scottish Football Association chief executive Gordon Smith has urged Uefa to ban Dida after his theatrics at Celtic. (Daily Record)

September 22

Avram Grant’s long-term future as Chelsea boss is in jeopardy because of his lack of the correct Uefa coaching licence. (Various)

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy phoned Jose Mourinho to offer him the Spurs manager’s job FIVE times while the ex-Chelsea boss was negotiating his severance deal with the club. (The Times, Daily Mail)

Tottenham offered to match Mourinho’s £5.2m-a-year salary to get him to cross London and take over at White Hart Lane. (Various)

But Mourinho has authorised his agent Jorge Mendes to tell Spurs he was not opposed to returning to London next summer. (Daily Mirror)

Avram Grant began preparing to be installed as Jose Mourinho’s successor a week ago. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea players are in open revolt after Avram Grant was named manager in place of Jose Mourinho. (Sun)

But Blues skipper John Terry called the squad together after training on Friday to urge the players to keep calm in the wake of Mourinho’s departure. (Daily Star)

Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov will be stepping up his bid to buy Arsenal after increasing his stake to 21%. (Various)

Crystal Palace manager Peter Taylor is facing the sack in the next 48 hours even if his side beat Sheffield United this weekend. (Daily Express)

Lithuania want Scotland striker Garry O’Connor banned for diving after their own Saulius Mikoliunas was suspended. (Daily Record)

Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor had denied he deliberately clattered Hearts striker Calum Elliot last weekend. (Various)

Gretna have hit back at Allan McGregor after the Rangers goalkeeper’s comments about a previous clash with striker Colin McMenamin. (Daily Record)

September 20

BBC pundit and former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer believes £30m Andriy Shevchenko will prove his worth at Chelsea. (Various)

Blackburn goalkeeper Brad Friedel said he would plead with the club to do their utmost to keep manager Mark Hughes – who, unsurprisingly, has been linked with the Chelsea post. (Daily Star)

Everton striker Andy Johnson is furious with boss David Moyes after being axed for Thursday’s Uefa Cup tie. (The Sun)

Tottenham boss Martin Jol says he is not punishing striker Jermain Defoe for refusing to sign a new contract. (The Sun)

QPR will sack John Gregory if the team lose at the weekend. (Various)

September 19

Striker Michael Owen will be fit for England’s two Euro 2008 qualifiers in October, despite fears over his niggling groin strain. (Various)

Tottenham will review the position of manager Martin Jol during the next international break in October. (Daily Express)

Derby boss Billy Davies believes his team’s win over Newcastle on Monday will help to ensure he is not the first managerial casualty of the Premier League season. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa boss Martin O’Neill wants Shaun Maloney, who has made only five Premier League starts since arriving in January, to keep his head down and fight for a place in the team. (Daily Mirror)

West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace could become the new owner of the club after increasing his investment in the Baggies to more than 50%. (Daily Mail)

Coventry managing director Paul Fletcher says that two investment offers have been made for the club, rubbishing claims the Sky Blues are in danger of going into administration. (The Independent)

Portsmouth have assured Pedro Mendes that he has a future at the club. (Daily Express)

September 17

Spurs boss Martin Jol has six games to save his job after Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to arch rivals Arsenal. (Various)

Sevilla manager Juande Ramos is still the man the Tottenham board want to replace Jol. (Sunday Express)

Among the other big name bosses in line to succeed Jol are former White Hart Lane idol Jurgen Klinsmann, Ronald Koeman, Harry Redknapp and Fabio Capello. (Sun)

Manchester United defender Mikael Silvestre’s season is probably over because of a cruciate knee ligament injury. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has told boss Jose Mourinho he doesn’t want to play until he is fully fit. (Times)

September 16

Russion billionaire Alisher Usmanov has struck an £80m deal to buy American Stan Kroenke’s Arsenal shares, putting him closer to a takeover. (People)

Joe Royle is the favourite to take over as Preston boss if Paul Simpson is sacked. (Sunday Express)

Newcastle keeper Shay Given will seek talks with boss Sam Allardyce if he is does not play against Derby on Monday. (People)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson will be handed a £150m transfer fund to get the club into the Champions League. (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba will refuse to play against Manchester United on Sunday unless his knee injury is completely healed. (Observer)

Manchester United have written to the Premier League accusing Liverpool of tapping up Gabriel Heinze. (NOTW)

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has put pressure on boss Peter Taylor by speaking of his admiration for Neil Warnock. (Observer)

Struggling Nottingham Forest and Doncaster could swoop for Swindon boss Paul Sturrock. (NOTW)

Striker John Hartson might quit the game after being frozen out at West Brom. (NOTW)

Derby are the latest target for foreign investment, with a US consortium set to bid £55m for a 40% stake. (NOTW)

September 15

Arsenal boss Arsene Winger has accused his former assistant Damien Comolli of trying to hijack his contacts in a bid to lure top players to Tottenham where he is now director of football. (Daily Star)

Fulham manager Lawrie Sanchez admits he would love to sign Wigan’s England striker Emile Heskey. (Sun)

Fernando Torres urged Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez to hand him the No.9 shirt in a bid to make himself a Kop legend like Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler. (The Sun)

Tottenham boss Martin Jol headed into the London derby with Arsenal insisting he can be as a good a manager as Gunners boss Arsene Wenger. (Daily Express)

September 13

The FA has been so impressed with Under-21 coach Stuart Pearce that he has been earmarked as a future England coach. (Daily Express)

QPR want Italy legend Alessandro Costacurta as their new manager. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Megson was last night appointed as the new manager at Leicester. (Various)

Billy Davies insists he will not crack despite persistent rumours he will be given the sack by Derby. (The Sun)

Tottenham’s £16.5m striker Darren Bent has taunted Arsenal by saying they let Thierry Henry go on the cheap. (The Sun)

Florent Malouda admits he is struggling to settle in to life at Chelsea after his £13.5m move from Lyon. (Various)

Gary Neville says Louis Saha can be the king of Old Trafford if he can avoid injury. (Daily Star)

Neville also says Man Utd can only afford two more losses if they are to retain their Premier League title this season. (Daily Express)

Leicester’s on loan defender Clive Clarke hopes to get the all-clear later this month to resume training after he collapsed in a game last month. (Daily Mirror)

September 12

Emile Heskey has held off the challenge of Peter Crouch and will start against Russia on Wednesday. (Various)

Scotland will give James McFadden the chance to fire them to Euro 2008 glory against France. (Daily Record)

French coach Raymond Domenech fears his side will not take the Scots seriously when they meet in Paris. (Daily Record)

Republic of Ireland striker Robbie Keane says keeper Shay Given is the best in the world. (The Independent)

Chelsea’s Russian owner Roman Abramovich is offering each player of his national team a £40,000 bonus to beat England in the Euro 2008 qualifier at Wembley. (Various)

Blackburn captain Ryan Nelsen has ended his three-year international exile by agreeing to become New Zealand skipper. (The Sun)

Tottenham manager Martin Jol is ready to take a gamble on Aaron Lennon by playing the winger, who had knee surgery this summer, in Saturday’s London derby against Arsenal. (The Sun)

Brazilian midfielder Juninho, who is currently sidelined with a shoulder injury at Sydney FC, hopes to return to former club Middlesbrough as a coach. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool and Manchester United opposed Uefa president Michel Platini’s plans for cup winners to qualify for the Champions League when 102 members of the European Club Forum met in Nyon, Switzerland. (Daily Mail)

Liverpool defender Fabio Aurelio returned to action in a behind-closed-doors friendly against Crewe on Tuesday after damaging his Achilles tendon in April. (The Times)

Arsenal’s majority shareholder Danny Fiszman has insisted he will not sell his stake in the club to billionaire Alisher Usmanov. (Daily Mail)

Police investigating football corruption have arrested a man on suspicion of conspiracy to defraud. (Daily Mail)

Micky Adams has emerged as a leading candidate for the vacant managerial role at Gillingham. (Daily Mirror)

September 11

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been warned he will have to wait until next summer if he wants to replace manager Martin Jol with Ronald Koeman. (Daily Express)

Russia boss Guus Hiddink was never in the running to succeed Sven-Goran Eriksson as England manager last year. (Daily Express)

Russia skipper Andrei Arshavin has taunted England goalkeeper Paul Robinson by saying he is the side’s weakest link. (The Sun)

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney is itching to make a shock return on Saturday against former club Everton. (Daily Mirror)

But Everton keeper Tim Howard is a major doubt after dislocating a finger. (Daily Mail)

Sheffield United’s legal bill for fighting West Ham has hit £1m, but they will continue to press with their claims. (Daily Mail)

Derby County are at the centre of a £30m takeover bid from a mystery consortium. (The Sun)

Axed Leicester boss Martin Allen is set to be offered a return to management with Gillingham. (Daily Mirror)

Gary Megson is working for free at Stoke in an attempt to get back into management. (Daily Mail)

Emmanuel Adebayor could miss six games for Arsenal after declaring he wants to play for Togo again. (The Sun)

Lucas Neill has vowed not to let West Ham stop him playing for Australia. (Daily Star)

Chris Coleman is in danger of the sack after just four games at Real Sociedad. (The Sun)

AFC Wimbledon are looking at moving to a site next to their old Plough Lane ground. (Daily Express)

Former Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock has turned down the Leicester manager’s job. (The Sun)

Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd could join forces with Ken Bates at Leeds. (The Guardian)

France striker Nicolas Anelka says his side will panic if they do not get off to a good start against Scotland. (Daily Record)

September 10

David Bentley says making his England debut on Saturday was “the best day of my life” despite getting booed. (Daily Mirror)

Steve McClaren is ready to drop Gareth Barry and Emile Heskey for Wednesday’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Russia. (Daily Mirror)

McClaren has told Michael Owen he does not get to choose his strike partner. (Daily Express)

Russia will be forced to name their third-choice keeper, with Igor Akinfeyev and Vladimir Gabulov both ruled out. (Daily Mail)

Keith Gillespie admits the 1-0 defeat in Latvia was like a return to the dark ages of Northern Ireland football. (The Sun)

Wales boss John Toshack slaughtered his players after the disappointing 2-0 defeat by Germany. (Daily Star)

France coach Raymond Domenech says Scotland have been boosted ahead of Wednesday’s Euro 2008 tie after the World Cup rugby on Saturday cut the pitch up. (Various)

Lithuania boss Algimantas Liubinskas believes Scotland can finish second in their Euro 2008 qualifying group, ahead of either Italy or France. (Daily Express)

The Man Utd Supporters Trust has challenged the Glazer family to “open up the books to independent scrutiny” amid claims the club’s debts are spiralling out of control. (Various)

Derby manager Billy Davies is set for showdown talks with his bosses this week – but could join Leicester if he decides to leave the Rams following reports that they have been lining up a replacement. (Daily Mirror)

Business tycoon Richard Downes is poised to invest in Chester – or take over the club. (The Sun)

September 9

Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd is to launch a takeover bid for struggling Leeds after holding talks with Ken Bates. (Mail on Sunday)

Portugal coach Luiz Felipe Scolari is interested in managing England after Euro 2008. (The Observer)

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is ready to sell the club for £250m. (The People)

The Independent Manchester United Supporters Trust allege the club’s annual interest payments have risen to £100m. (News of the World)

Arsenal will allow David Beckham to train with their first-team squad over the winter. (Sunday Mirror)

World Cup winner Marcello Lippi has emerged as a candidate to replace Spurs boss Martin Jol. (News of the World)

West Ham winger Nolberto Solano wants to come out of international retirement and play for Peru after being asked to be their captain. (News of the World)

Arsenal chairman Peter Hill-Wood wants boss Arsene Wenger to stay at the club after 2011 following his decision to sign a new deal. (Sunday Mirror)

Barcelona have sold 70,000 Thierry Henry replica shirts – worth £4m – following his signing. (Sunday Mirror)

September 7

Arsene Wenger’s new deal at Arsenal is worth £4.5m a year – the same as Sir Alex Ferguson’s but £2m a year less than Jose Mourinho. (Daily Mail)

US billionaire Stan Kroenke is to reassure the Arsenal board he has no intention of mounting a takeover bid for the club at present. (The Independent)

Paul Jewell has turned down the chance to manage Derby because he did not want to stab Rams boss Billy Davies in the back. (The Sun)

George Burley is poised to quit Southampton after growing tired of the internal politics at the club. (Daily Mirror)

Peter Reid has had secret talks with Leicester owner Milan Mandaric, who is also interested in Iain Dowie. (Daily Mirror)

Former England skipper Tony Adams says the current coach Steve McClaren reminds him of Graham Taylor. (The Sun)

McClaren may wait until the last minute to decide whether to risk injured midfielder Steven Gerrard against Israel. (The Sun)

But Gerrard has already declared himself fit to play, possibly even without painkillers. (Daily Mail)

The FA will play Luciano Pavarotti’s Nessun Dorma before the England-Israel game in tribute to the opera singer, who died on Thursday. (Daily Mail)

Sir Alex Ferguson has jokingly told Man Utd’s defender Patrice Evra not to bother coming back to Old Trafford if he helps France beat Scotland next week. (Daily Record)

Sir Bobby Charlton says England need to win Euro 2008 in order to get computer-obsessed kids interested in football again. (Various)

But Charlton has piled the pressure on McClaren by claiming the players lack the self-belief to win the tournament. (Various)

Leeds have been kicked out of the FA for not paying their debts. (The Sun)

Dunfermline chairman John Yorkston will give Pars manager Stephen Kenny time to improve the club’s league position before discussing a new contract. (Daily Mail)

Livingston winger Joe Hamill has been ruled out for the rest of the season through injury. (Daily Express)

Leicester City owner Milan Mandaric says Paul Sturrock is not in the running to become the Midlands club’s new boss. (Daily Record)

Wayne Rooney’s brother Graham will represent Everton when he stars on a celebrity football show. (The Sun)

Ryan Babel says reading The Bible has helped him cope with his move to Liverpool. (The Sun)

September 6

Owen Hargreaves has emerged as a doubt for England’s crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers after being sent for a scan on a damaged thigh. (The Sun)

Actually, Hargreaves has suffered a recurrence of a hamstring problem and has no chance of being fit for Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa’s Gareth Barry has been put on standby to start his first competitive England game for seven years. (Various)

Israel midfielder Gal Alberman believes his side can win at Wembley. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko claims he is fit – but boss Jose Mourinho will not play him. (Various)

Wigan boss Chris Hutchings will ask refs’ chief Keith Hackett to help overturn the red card Kevin Kilbane picked up at Newcastle. (The Sun)

Martin O’Neill is ready to offer injury-plagued defender Martin Laursen a new deal at Aston Villa. (The Sun)

Patrick Vieira has claimed clubs like Arsenal are damaging the future of the English game by not bringing local talent through. (Daily Star)

Sir Alex Ferguson has finally admitted he was wrong to drive Jaap Stam out of Man Utd because of a personal vendetta. (Daily Mirror)

Meanwhile, Ferguson reckons David Beckham has no chance of making soccer a major sport in the US. (Daily Star)

Sheffield United are poised to buy Hungarian club Ferencvaros in a £20m deal. (Various)

Falkirk chiefs hope manager John Hughes will find time over the international break to sign a two-year contract extension. (Daily Record)

September 5

England boss Steve McClaren says he will do whatever is needed to ensure Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard is fit to start Saturday’s Euro 2008 qualifier against Israel, even if it means going against Reds boss Rafael Benitez’s wishes and giving the midfielder a pain-killing injection. (Various)

And either side of Gerrard is likely to be Chelsea wide boys Joe Cole and Shaun Wright-Phillips, who will start together for England for only the third time. (The Mirror)

England new-boy Joleon Lescott claims he is still unsure of his place in the Everton side, despite being called up into the national squad for the Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. (The Sun)

Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff has described Michael Ballack’s omission from Chelsea’s Champions League squad as “stunning”. (The Daily Mail)

Tottenham insists skipper Ledley King has not suffered a setback in his recovery from knee surgery, claiming the 26-year-old is “is making steady progress”. (The Sun, Express)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says the quality of the youngsters in his squad is the main reason behind his decision to sign a new contract with the Londoners. (The Sun)

And that contract will be signed on Friday, with Wenger committing himself to the club until 2011. (The Daily Star)

Bolton striker Heidar Helguson could be out for seven weeks after an ankle operation. (The Sun).

Newcastle keeper Shay Given will have ‘showdown’ talks with manager Sam Allardyce when he returns from international duty after being replaced by Steve Harper in goal against Wigan at the weekend. (The Daily Mail)

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will approach Coventry in a bid to gain permission to talk to Iain Dowie about the vacant manager’s role at the Walkers Stadium. (The Mirror)

Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has promised manager Peter Taylor his job is safe – for now. (The Daily Star)

September 4

Steve McClaren will not quit as England manager, even if they lose their crucial Euro 2008 qualifiers against Israel and Russia. (The Sun)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez has pleaded with McClaren not to pump Steven Gerrard with painkillers to try and save England’s campaign. (Daily Star)

Russia coach Guus Hiddink claims England are scared to win – and says they massively underachieved at the last two World Cups. (Daily Mirror)

Lithuainia coach Algimantas Luibanskas has revealed he did not know Alex McLeish was Scotland boss ahead of Saturday’s crunch Euro 2008 tie. (Daily Record)

Manchester United will extend Ryan Giggs’ contract for another year to take him through to the end of next season. (The Sun)

Robbie Savage has branded Arsene Wenger and his Arsenal players “hypocrites” for complaining about Blackburn’s physical style of play. (Daily Mirror)

Boss John Toshack has warned Sunderland defender Danny Collins he may never play for Wales again after withdrawing from the squad with a ankle injury. (The Sun)

Leicester chairman Milan Mandaric will make a shock move for Coventry’s Iain Dowie as their new manager. (Various)

Rafa Benitez will not replace his departing assistant manager Paco Ayestaran. (Daily Telegraph)

Peter Schmeichel has failed in his bid to take over Danish club Brondby. (The Sun)

Scunthorpe want to give manager Nigel Adkins an improved contract to keep him at Glanford Park. (Daily Star)

Aberdeen boss Jimmy Calderwood has killed off speculation linking him with the vacant Leicester job. (Daily Record)

September 3

Injured Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard has told England coach Steve McClaren he will be fit to face Russia on 12 September. (Independent)

Spurs boss Martin Jol is back on the brink of the sack after their calamitous 3-3 draw at Fulham on Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich walked out of Villa Park after his side conceded their second goal on Sunday. (Various)

Emile Heskey made an astonishing return to the England fold on Sunday – after a personal plea from his former partner Michael Owen. (Various)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger hailed Cesc Fabregas as “the new Paul Scholes” after the Spaniard’s display against Portsmouth. (The Sun)

Everton’s Victor Anichebe has turned down England Under-21s to play for Nigeria’s Super Eagles. (The Sun)

West Ham could be ordered to pay huge compensation to Sheffield United if the latest inquiry into the Carlos Tevez affair rules in the Blades’ favour. (Daily Mail)

Manager Gordon Strachan has denied reports that Kenny Miller was forced out of Celtic. (Daily Record)

Kilmarnock chairman Michael Johnston has told fans the club could not afford not to sell Steven Naismith to Rangers. (Daily Record)

September 2

Ronald Koeman is the new favourite to succeed Martin Jol if the Tottenham board lose patience with the manager (Express).

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech says Aston Villa loan signing Scott Carson should be England’s goalkeeper (Mail).

Manchester City’s Kasper Schmeichel is set to land a new three-year contract, tripling his wages, after his impressive start to the season (Mail).

Uefa say they want “professional and gentle” stewarding when Manchester United visit Roma, after last season’s baton charges by Italian police (Mail).

Birmingham boss Steve Bruce said there were “absolutely no positives” from their 2-0 defeat at Middlesbrough and they were “woeful” (Independent).

Former Chelsea coach Ruud Gullit has hinted he would be interested in returning to management in England (Telegraph).

West Ham chairman Eggert Magnusson says the team will succeed because he “feels semi-English” and understands the culture in a way other overseas owners do not (Observer).

Russia coach Guus Hiddink says foreign teams are not scared of England because too many visitors have won at Wembley (News of the World).

David Dein insists he is not involved in a takeover bid at Arsenal but wants to “bring more financial firepower to the table” (Times).

Peter Reid is favourite to be the new Leicester manager, and Glenn Roeder has been interviewed as a potential director of football (News of the World).

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez fell out with his number two Pako Ayestaran because he was too friendly with Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho (News of the World).

Leicester’s Clive Clarke says he could not sleep after his heart stopped because he was scared he would not wake up (News of the World).

Neil Warnock could replace Peter Taylor as Crystal Palace boss (People).

Arsenal’s Spanish goalkeeper Manuel Almunia would be interested in playing for England when he qualifies for a British passport in 2009 on residency grounds (People).

AC Milan goalkeeper Dida says Celtic will qualify along with his side from their Champions League group. (Sunday Mail)

New Derby signing Kenny Miller says he was forced out of Celtic by chief executive Peter Lawwell. (News of the World)

September 1

Accrington Stanley are in danger of going out of business for a second time. Chairman Eric Whalley says their financial situation is the worst it has been since their Unibond League days. (Mail)

Frank Lampard’s thigh injury will keep him out for six weeks. (various)

Chelsea striker Andriy Shevchenko has been told he is now the fourth-choice striker at Stamford Bridge. (various)

FA Chief executive Brian Barwick says Michel Platini’s plan to award a Champions League place to the FA Cup winners is “perfectly reasonable”. (Mail)

Arsene Wenger will sign a new three-year deal at Arsenal next week. (Express)

PFA chief Gordon Taylor wants annual heart checks for players to become compulsory after the number of recent health scares. (Express).

Derby boss Billy Davies says the step up from Championship to Premier League is like moving from primary school to secondary school (Guardian).

Sir Alex Ferguson says it was “amazing” no-one was killed in crowd trouble when Manchester United visited Roma last season, and he hopes lessons have been learnt for their return there this season. (Independent)

Thierry Henry will make his Barcelona debut this weekend against Athletic Bilbao as Samuel Eto’o is out for two months with a thigh injury. (Independent)

Bolton boss Sammy Lee has hit out at what he calls “malignant rumours” coming from the dressing room about player selection. (Mirror)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he is “surprised” by the decision of his number two Pako Ayesteran to leave the club, having worked with him for 11 years. (Sun)

Aston Villa’s Ashley Young says he thought it was a joke when he was told Steve McClaren had phoned up to say he was in the England squad. (Sun)

Manchester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson says he offered to pay Blackburn compensation after changing his mind about taking the manager’s job in 1997 – but the club said no. (Star)

Veteran Bolton midfielder Gary Speed, 37, says he could carry on playing until he is 40. (Sun)

Aberdeen director of football Willie Miller has urged Dons boss Jimmy Calderwood to snub the chance to take over as Leicester manager. (Record)

August 31

New Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov and ex-Gunners vice-chairman David Dein are set to trigger a takeover battle to seize control of the club. (The Sun)

Dutch legend Ruud Gullit has told David Beckham to retire from international football. (The Sun)

Premier League supremo Dave Richards stormed out of a meeting after Uefa insisted it wanted the FA Cup winners in the Champions League. (The Sun)

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon is ready to hand England a Euro boost by playing for Spurs against Fulham on Saturday. (The Sun)

Man Utd boss Sir Alex Ferguson says Roy Keane is the best player he has ever signed for the Old Trafford club. (Daily Mirror)

Leicester defender Patrick Kisnorbo says he thought team-mate Clive Clarke was going to die when he collapsed during a game on Tuesday. (Daily Mirror)

Sheffield United fitness coach Tony Daley has quit after a bust-up with manager Bryan Robson over training methods. (Daily Mirror)

Wigan boss Chris Hutchings says Emile Heskey should be included in the England squad once more. (Daily Star)

Leicester are considering a move for Aberdeen manager Jimmy Calderwood. (Daily Record)

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August 29

Arsenal boss Wenger will give keeper Manuel Almunia the chance to stake a claim for the number one jersey after mistakes by Jens Lehmann. (Daily Mirror)

Lehmann will look for another club after after being told he is no longer the automatic first-choice. (Times)

Leicester manager Martin Allen could be replaced by Brendan Rodgers, who is part of Chelsea’s backroom staff. (Daily Mirror)

Neil Warnock’s return to management may be at League One side Doncaster. (Various)

Scotland defender Steven Pressley’s place in the national side is in jeopardy after he lost his place in Gordon Strachan’s Celtic side. (The Scotsman)

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August 28

Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez says he has no problem if midfielder Steven Gerrard plays for England in the upcoming Euro 2008 qualifiers – as long as the doctors say he is fit. (Various)

Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann has had showdown talks with boss Arsene Wenger after he did not play against Manchester City. (Daily Star)

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August 27

LA Galaxy are lining up Jurgen Klinsmann as their new coach as Frank Yallop cannot handle the pressure of coaching David Beckham. (Various)

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez admits he may have to make an emergency signing after being hit by a series of injuries to defenders. (Various)

Southampton striker Kenwyne Jones has been told to return to training after going on strike. (The Sun)

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate hit out at Newcastle fans for their sick taunts to Egyptian striker Mido. (Daily Mirror)

Peter Schmeichel has revealed his son Kasper, of Manchester City, will play for Denmark and not England. (The Times)

Ashley Cole has described England fans who jeered Frank Lampard before kick-off at Wembley last week as “disgraceful”. (The Times)

Craig Brewster will be paraded as the new Inverness manager for the second time on Monday. (Daily Record)

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August 26

Former Tottenham striker Jurgen Klinsmann is to lead an American bid to buy the club. (The People)

Micah Richards is set to sign a new four-year deal at Man City that will eventually send his wages soaring to £50,000 a week. (News of the World)

Carlisle are considering moving for ex-Newcastle player Lee Clark to take over at Brunton Park. (Sunday Express)

David Beckham’s team LA Galaxy want German legend Jurgen Klinsmann as their new manager. (News of the World)

Leicester will axe manager Martin Allen this week. (News of the World)

Boss Simon Grayson could quit Blackpool as the Championship side stall over a new contract. (News of the World)

Leicester owner Milan Mandaric wants ex-Wigan boss Paul Jewell to replace Allen if he is sacked. (The People)

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August 24

FA Cup winners will qualify for the Champions League under new proposals to be considered by Uefa. (Guardian)

Rio Ferdinand has been given two games to prove his commitment to England or he will be dropped in favour of Micah Richards. (Times)

Fuming England boss Steve McClaren will drop Paul Robinson, Michael Carrick and Alan Smith for the Euro 2008 qualifer against Israel. (Sun)

Ivan Campo says everyone at Bolton misses Sam Allardyce and fears they will be relegated. (Mirror)

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August 23

England are investigating Manchester City keeper Kasper Schmeichel’s international status to see if there is any chance of him forsaking Denmark for Steve McClaren’s side. (Daily Mirror) Everton defender Leighton Baines, who joined the Toffees from Wigan earlier this month, is back in training after a hamstring problem and could make his debut against Blackburn on Saturday. (The Sun)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is on the brink of signing a new contract after agreeing a three-year deal. (Various)

Paul Scholes has told his Manchester United team-mates they need to end their goalscoring woes against fellow strugglers Tottenham. (Various)

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is to voice concerns over his prospects at the club to manager Sir Alex Ferguson. (Daily Express)

Neil Warnock, Craig Brewster and Owen Coyle are in the running to manage Inverness Caley Thistle. (Daily Record)

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August 22

Martin Jol will remain in his role as manager of Tottenham after Sevilla boss Juande Ramos turned down the offer of a £3m three-year deal to take over at White Hart Lane. (Various)

Ramos, who is still in talks with Spurs, is unlikely to replace Jol because the Sevilla coach wants to eventually become Chelsea boss. (Daily Star)

Tottenham have agreed a £4m compensation package with Jol – should they terminate his contract. (The Times)

Spurs striker Robbie Keane has called for perspective at the club, adding: “You cannot judge anything until about 10 games in.” (Daily Telegraph)

England boss Steve McClaren will turn to Newcastle for the friendly against Germany because he has run out of fit strikers – so Michael Owen, who is short of match practice, and Alan Smith, who has also been used as a midfielder, are set to be in the team. (Various)

McClaren has pinned his hopes on midfielder David Beckham saving England’s Euro 2008 qualification hopes and the England manager’s job. (Daily Mirror)

England keeper Paul Robinson is facing a battle to keep his place for the Euro 2008 qualifiers in September, with the Tottenham player coming under pressure from recalled veteran David James. (Various)

BBC sports presenter Gary Lineker says England must turn the Wembley arch into a symbol of fear for opponents when they take on fierce rivals Germany. (The Sun)

Germany and Arsenal keeper Jens Lehmann would like England to qualify for Euro 2008 because a tournament without them “would not be as interesting”. (The Guardian)

Robbie Keane believes the Republic of Ireland could benefit from his battle to hold down a place in the Tottenham forward line. (The Guardian)

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher is relishing the chance to captain Scotland in the friendly against South Africa, with Barry Ferguson being rested. (Daily Express)

Chris Baird believes Lawrie Sanchez can still have a positive effect on Northern Ireland, even though he is managing Fulham and Nigel Worthington has taken over as national boss, because a number of the players set to face Liechtenstein ply their trade at Craven Cottage. (The Sun)

Injury-hit Tottenham defender Gareth Bale will be given the chance to kick-start his season by being in Wales’ starting line-up for the friendly against Bulgaria. (Various)

Louis Saha will answer Manchester United’s strike-force problems by returning to action against Tottenham on Sunday following knee problems. (The Sun)

Manchester United keeper Edwin Van der Sar is doubtful for the match against Spurs after suffering a leg injury in a training session with the Netherlands. (The Sun)

Ukraine striker Andriy Shevchenko is not fit enough to play for 90 minutes in the friendly against Uzbekistan because the Blues keep leaving him on the bench, according to his national coach Oleg Blokhin. (Daily Telegraph)

Thomas Sorensen has been warned his Denmark career is under threat is he is not Aston Villa’s regular keeper. (Various)

Chelsea’s Ghanaian midfielder Michael Essien has admitted that losing players for the African Cup of Nations will be a “massive blow” for the Blues. (Daily Mail)

Fulham captain Brian McBride must undergo surgery after dislocating his knee against Middlesbrough. (Daily Star)

Bobby Williamson and Partick Thistle’s Ian McCall are the latest names to be interested in the managerial vacancy at Inverness CaledonianThistle. (Daily Mail)

The Scottish Football Association has set an end-of-August deadline to find a sponsor for the Scottish Cup or fund it itself. (Daily Mail)

West Ham captain Lucas Neill is fit to face Wigan on Saturday after a knee ligament problem. (Daily Express)

Middlesbrough defender Jonathan Woodgate hopes to be available for the game against Birmingham on 1 September following knee surgery. (Various)

Arsenal captain William Gallas fears he will be out of action until October after suffering a groin injury against Blackburn. (Daily Telegraph)

American businessman Dan Williams is in talks with the Blackburn board about a potential £20m takeover. (The Independent)

Derby full-back Tyrone Mears looks set to be sidelined for a couple of games after suffering a thigh strain. (Various)

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