Pompey may swoop for Argintinian

Harry Redknapp is reportedly set to make a late transfer window raid and take Real Mallorca striker Jonas Gutierrez to Portsmouth.
The Pompey boss admitted earlier in the week that he felt his business in the January window had been concluded following the arrival of Lyon striker Milan Baros on loan to add to his permanent capture of Lassana Diarra from Arsenal. However, following news that striker David Nugent will fly out to see a German specialist over fears he requires a hernia operation, Redknapp could be tempted to add another face to his forward line.

And it is claimed in Spain that 25-year-old Argentinian star, Gutierrez, who is renowned for donning a Spider-Man mask to celebrate a goal, could be the subject of a £7.5million swoop before midnight on Thursday.
If a fee is agreed between Mallorca and Pompey then Gutierrez will reportedly be handed a three-and-a-half-year deal and wages of £35,000-a-week.

Arsenal after Bosnian Striker

Arsenal Football Club have confirmed their interest in Edin Dzeko. The Gunners have been watching the talented 21-year-old Bosnian international striker this season, and they could move to take him from Wolfsburg before Thursday's transfer deadline. "We have been following Edin Dzeko. He is a type of striker which can be a success in the Premier League," first team coach Boro Primorac told SAN."It is not certain at all if we capture him, but his performances have been better and better day by day. If you want to buy such player, you need plenty of money."

Errickson turns attention to young Brazilian

Manchester City manager Sven Goran Eriksson is reportedly on the trail of CSKA Moscow's Brazilian striker Joao Alves de Assis Silva. Eriksson has made no secret of his desire to beef up his attacking options before the transfer window closes and has been linked with the likes of Real Zaragoza's experienced Argentina international Diego Alberto Milito and Djibril Cisse of Marseille.

Now, Eriksson has turned his attentions to 20-year-old 'Jo', who was the stand-out performer for Moscow in their Champions League Group G games. The tall and imposing striker, who helped Moscow win the 2006 Russian Premier League, has one Brazil cap and has been catching the eye of a number of Europe's top clubs.

Deco to EPL?

FC Barcelona ace Deco’s revelation that he is on his way out of the Camp Nou cathedral has sparked a widespread transfer speculation in the English Premier League. The Daily Mail reports that a host of Premiership clubs is now vying against each other to lure the 30-year old Portuguese international midfielder in the summer.
Deco said: It’s not a question of whether I feel valued or not, it’s because I want to win. If I can’t help the club win, perhaps I should leave.

Celtic in shook move for Hyppia

Scottish champions Celtic are in Liverpool to airlift defender Sami Hyppia from Anfield. Well, the move is not expected to materialize until at the end of the season but Gordon Strachen is eager to convince the 34-year old Finnish international of joining them.
Hyppia’s contract with Liverpool runs out at the end of the season but the club hasn’t given him a new contract yet. At the end of the season, Hyppia will be a free agent and will be able to go to any club that he would like to. Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez doesn’t appear to be too eager to keep the old legs at Anfield and the American owners too seem not to regard Hyppia too highly.

Flamengo in Talks with Ronaldo

Flamengo, five times the Brazilian champions, are reported to be in talks with AC Milan about acquiring the out-of-favour striker, Ronaldo.
Kleber Leite, the Flamengo vice-president, said Milan directors have authorised the Brazilian club to approach Ronaldo, who is in Brazil on vacation and to treat an injury.
“This is not a marketing maneuver,” Leite said in yesterday’s editions of the O Globo newspaper. “It’s a negotiation I’ve been conducting for the past three days, without sensationalism. I’ve talked twice with [Milan official] Leonardo and Ronaldo.”
Leite said both parts appeared interested in a possible deal, but stressed that nothing had been agreed yet.

City may have to sell Richards

Manchester City are agonising over whether to cash in on England starlet Micah Richards or break their pay scale to keep him for an extra two years. And, with Richards reportedly asking for £75,000 a week, the odds are on him being the subject of a bidding war between the country's top clubs in the summer.

Richards, 19, is one of the most marketable young players in the country. And while City would like to hang on to him, club officials believe they could demand £15 million for him in the summer, confident that manager Sven-Goran Eriksson could then bring in an experienced replacement for less than half that amount.

Micah Richards: his pay demands may be too much for Man City
Richards was quoted in yesterday's Manchester Evening News saying: "It is frustrating to hear people talk about my new contract at City and make out that the reason I haven't signed yet is because I am being greedy when they don't know the facts. I have still got two-and-a-half years left on my current deal - it is not as though I am in my last year or six months - and things don't happen overnight."

Toffee Defender off To fellow tital challengers?

Lescott (pictured) has become one of Everton's most valuable players in just 18 months since joining from Championship side Wolverhampton Wanderers for a sizeable £5 million.
The versatile defender earned a place in Steve McClaren's England and, despite not enjoying his best performances, few doubt the talents of the 25-year-old.
In what is a slightly tenuous link, the News of the World reports that title rivals Arsenal and Manchester United are monitoring the Everton stopper's situation, as recent contract extensions for the likes of Tony Hibbert and Leon Osman have reportedly pushed the ex-Wolves man down the payment pecking order, much to his dismay.
Arsenal in particular are said to be interested in Lescott, with it even rumoured that Arsene Wenger had attempted to swoop for the defender when he initially ended up signing for Everton.

Drogba wants move to Barcelona

Since the departure of Jose Mourinho from Stamford Bridge, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has been restless and has often voiced his desire to move out of the Bridge. Not that he is unhappy with the club or with his performance for Chelsea but he supposedly wants to move to club with greater ambition and more stability and where football is pretty to watch. Well, that is where FC Barcelona come into the picture.
For several months rumours about the Ivory Coast international joining the Fantastic Four in Camp Nou have been flying like bullets in a battlefield but Goal.com’s quote of the Barca midfielder Yaya Toure is a concrete indication that Drogba would certainly fancy playing in the sacred Barcelona shirt sooner rather tan later.
Yaya Toure and Drogba are international team mates currently on African Nations’ Cup duty and admits:
Yes, he has admitted to me that wants to come [to Barcelona],. We have spoken about Barcelona, and it all looks very good. Of course, it will be difficult, because Madrid and Milan are also after him. In my opinion, it would be very good if he were to join us, because we have lots of great players and he would be another one of them.

Top teams chase expensive Dutch teen

The race is hotting up for Ajax star Klaas Jan Huntelaar. With Sir Alex not opting for Nicolas Anelka and the Dimitar Berbatov deal stalemated, Manchester United are now looking to the Dutchman for extra ammunition. However, it appears that Liverpool and Manchester City are also willing to put a huge bid for the prolific marksman (Algemeen Dagblad). The Amsterdam club will want a big fee for their top scorer and a deal around the £27m mark might be needed, which is surely far too much! There is no doubting Huntelaar's talent, just this season he has netted 18 goals in as many games. But when you consider the level of opposition in the Eredivisie, such statistics seem less impressive. Scouts have been watching the 24-year-old hitman's every move as he aims to make Ajax title challengers once again. In my opinion a more sensible price would be around £15m, and unless the Dutch club lower their valuation he won’t be going anywhere.

United after Brazilian Left Back

Gilberto has played down reports he could join Manchester United Football Club this month.
The 31-year-old Brazilian fullback has been linked with a shock move to Old Trafford during the winter transfer window, yet the player is keeping his options open as his Hertha Berlin contract nears an end. "I don't want to say much about it," Gilberto told the Bild am Sonntag. "I have received many offers. I might stay in Berlin, but then again I might go to England, Portugal or back to Brazil." It is thought that Sir Alex Ferguson was willing to pay around £2million to land Gilberto now, yet the Reds boss is equally happy to wait until the summer when he could land him for free.

Downing wants move to Tottenham

Stewart Downing has long been courted by the London club as a potential solution to their left-wing woes. Though Steed Malbranque provides quality, Spurs are rumoured to be seeking a left-footed player to function as a more natural winger, and Downing fits the bill. A star at his hometown club, Downing has shown loyalty but has recently shown signs of wanting to compete at a higher level. "I am aware and flattered by the interest from Tottenham," he said to Sky Sports News. "But until Middlesbrough and Tottenham agree terms I remain a Middlesbrtough player and am fully committed to helping Gareth Southgate and the team anyway I can. "I hope this situation is resolved sooner rather than later as all the speculation is affecting me and I would like to drawn a line under the situation and focus fully on my football career."

Terry or Beckham? Englands next Captain

John Terry yesterday said he will gracefully concede the England captaincy to David Beckham if it helps the national team improve under the new manager, Fabio Capello. The Italian will take charge of his first match when England play Switzerland at Wembley next month and one of his first decisions will be whether to retain Terry as the captain, or return the leadership to Beckham, should he be selected to win his 100th cap.

AC Milan after Zambrotta

The exciting news continued to flow for AC Milan after victory over Napoli. Only minutes before Alexandre Pato's thrilling debut - and Ronaldo's two-goal comeback - Milan president Silvio Berlusconi confirmed they were moving to bring Barcelona fullback Gianluca Zambrotta back to Italy. Berlusconi said: "He would love to join Milan and I don't think we'll have too many problems reaching an agreement with Barcelona.'' After the 5-2 win, Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti beamed: "He wouldn't be a bad signing, would he?"

Sissoko to Inter?

Internazionale boss Roberto Mancini has hinted that he could make a move for Liverpool's Mohamed Sissoko. Juventus had looked set to sign the Malian international - currently away with his country ahead of the African Cup of Nations. However, their president has now claimed that Juve will not be signing any players in January. "Juventus will not make any acquisitions in the January transfer market," said Giovanni Cobolli Gigli. Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is happy to let Sissoko leave and admits there are other clubs looking at him. Midfielder Sissoko said on Thursday he was "very close" to joining the Turin giants while Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez admitted the Merseysiders were waiting for the "right club and the right offer" for the 22-year-old.

5 candidates for Scotland job

Five candidates are vying to become the new Scotland manager, the Scottish Football Association has revealed. SFA chief executive Gordon Smith told BBC Scotland: "We have narrowed the shortlist down to five candidates in order to move the process forward." BBC Scotland understands Tommy Burns, Mark McGhee, Graeme Souness, George Burley and Billy Davies are on the SFA's shortlist.

Redknapp backs Shearer

Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp believes Alan Shearer is the ideal candidate to become the next Newcastle manager. "I'd give Shearer the job. I think he's perfect for it," said Redknapp, who on Saturday rejected the chance to replace Sam Allardyce at St James' Park. "He'd set the place alight and the fans love him. Experience doesn't matter - he understands football," he added. Redknapp also ruled out any chance of him joining Newcastle should the club renew their interest.

Arabs set to take over Liverpool

Liverpools American Owners could be prepared to sell with Liverpool being the subject of a £500m buy-out from an Arab investment group.

Berbatov worth 31 million pounds?

Ramos could soon be losing star striker Dimitar Berbatov, who is the subject of a money-no-object approach from Manchester City. Dimitar Berbatov says he is not worth his club's £31m valuation and claims the speculation is getting to him. If Berbatov is to go Marseilles Djbril Cisse looks like the likely replacement.

Mourinho next Liverpool Manager?

The Special One could be back. Jose Mourinho wants to succeed Rafa Benitez as Liverpool manager, and the former Chelsea boss has contacted owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett indicating that he would love to take over at Anfield next season.

Tottenham set for a big clean out

Tottenham manager Juande Ramos is set to axe eight players - keeper Paul Robinson, Jermain Defoe, Pascal Chimbonda, Lee Young-Pyo, Anthony Gardner, Paul Stalteri, Wayne Routledge and Hossam Ghaly. He also intends on using all the money to bring in new faces to the club.

Newcastle: Diarra in - Emre out?

Newcastle are tracking unsettled Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra. That could allow Emre to leave St James' Park for Bayern Munich, Monaco or Galatasaray. But Newcastle face competition for Diarra's signature from Tottenham, Everton and Blackburn. However, Arsenal have slapped a hefty £6m price tag on the head of the 22-year-old Frenchman to ward off interested parties.

Huntelaar to Man United?

Manchester United striker Louis Saha is out for the season, which could lead Sir Alex Ferguson to act in the transfer window and move for long-term target Klaas Jan Huntelaar. But Ferguson could have competition for the Dutchman with Manchester City also keen on the £12m-rated Ajax frontman.

ROBINSON TO LEAVE TOTTENHAM

Paul Robinson has demanded to leave Tottenham after being demoted to the bench for last Wednesday's Carling Cup semi-final with Arsenal. Robinson has been told by Juande Ramos that he can leave Spurs, and would cost potential suitors £5m. West Ham stopper Robert Green is being lined up to replace Robinson at Spurs. He would cost £6m.