Tuesday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

BREAKING GOSSIP

Reports in Italy say Chelsea are lining up an 80m Euro double swoop for Milan pair Pato and Thiago Silva in the summer.
Full story: footylatest.com

Dutch coach Bert van Marwijk says Hamburg striker Ruud van Nistelrooy is not yet out of contention for the World Cup, despite having left him out of a pre-season training squad. (AFP, 0955 BST)

Juventus are reportedly being put off a move for Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez by the size of the compensation they would have to pay, and are now considering other options - including Manchester City's Roberto Mancini.
Full story: imscouting.com

Arsenal defender William Gallas says he will have recovered from his calf injury in time for France's World Cup campaign. (Reuters, 0935 BST)

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon has hinted he could leave the club and be on his way to England, without specifying a club. "My wish to leave Juve is equal to the wish Juve have to let me go. If I had to go I think England could be the destination," he told Italy's Sky TV. (Reuters, 0925 BST)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is considering his future at Anfield, with Manchester City, Chelsea and Barcelona all waiting in the wings to sign the Spain international.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Manchester City are also preparing a £40m bid for Benfica winger Angel di Maria but face opposition from Chelsea, Manchester United and Liverpool.
Full story: ESPN soccernet

Liverpool are lining up a move for Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole, who is a free agent at the end of the season.
Full story: Daily Mail

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has been assured by chief executive David Gill that he will have money to spend in the summer, despite the club's huge debts.
Full story: Daily Mail

One of Ferguson's summer targets could be Real Madrid's Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Tottenham are preparing a £6m bid for Ipswich's 17-year-old striker Connor Wickham.
Full story: Daily Mirror

And Spurs could also move for Liverpool's Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun, who has started just 19 Premier League games this season.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Birmingham hope to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Ben Foster on a permanent deal having resigned themselves to losing on-loan Joe Hart back to Manchester City.
Full story: Daily Mirror

City are also are interested in Portsmouth's veteran keeper David James - a former Aston Villa player.
Full story: the Sun

Manchester City forward Robinho says he is desperate to leave the club and remain at Santos where he is currently on loan.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Bolton will ask Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger to allow young midfielder Jack Wilshere to remain at the club on loan for the first half of next season.
Full story: Guardian

Meanwhile, Bolton defender Gary Cahill has admitted that he would find it difficult to turn down an offer from a big club. Arsenal and Manchester United are rumoured to be interested in the centre-half.
Full story: Daily Mail

Arsenal want end their on-going goalkeeping problems by signing both West Ham's Robert Green and Manchester City's Joe Hart.
Full story: caughtoffside.com

Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is tracking Sporting Gijon defender Roberto Canella.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Stoke are interested in bringing former Arsenal and Liverpool winger Jermaine Pennant back to England after a year in Spain at Real Zaragoza.
Full story: Daily Star

Former Arsenal striker Thierry Henry looks certain to leave Barcelona with the United States his likely destination.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Celtic are favourites to sign Scunthorpe striker Gary Hooper after stand-in manager Neil Lennon watched him for the second game in a row at the weekend.
Full story: Daily Mail

And Celtic defender Stephen McManus says he does not know if he will return to the club next season after saying his loan spell at Middlesbrough has "opened his eyes to life outside Glasgow" (Daily Record).

Rangers' newly crowned Scottish player of the year Steve Davis, who has previously played for Fulham and Aston Villa, says he would like to return to the Premier League at some point in the future (Daily Record).

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool are bracing themselves for Rafa Benitez's departure with rumours of his exit from Anfield to Juventus gathering momentum.
Full story: Daily Mirror

Benitez will seek assurances over available transfer funds this summer before deciding whether to stay at Liverpool.
Full story: the Times

Juventus have given Benitez until the end of the week to sign a four-year deal.
Full story: the Independent

Fulham keeper Mark Schwarzer fears the club's success this season could lead to manager Roy Hodgson leaving Craven Cottage for "a bigger club".
Full story: Guardian

But Hodgson will shun a move to Liverpool saying he is instead "happy" to stay at Fulham.
Full story: the Sun

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan has allowed first-team coach Colin Cooper, goalkeeping coach Stephen Pears and reserves boss Martin Scott to leave the club.
Full story: Daily Mail

Hamburg striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been left out of Holland's 26-man training squad ahead of the World Cup, having recently come out of international retirement after two years (Daily Mail).

West Ham striker Carlton Cole has apologised to fans for the team's performance this season, admitting "it can't get any worse," and saying speculation over the future of boss Gianfranco Zola is partly to blame.
Full story: Daily Express

Former England boss Steve McClaren says he has had "a lot of interest from a lot of places" after leading FC Twente to the Dutch league title, and says a rumoured new job at Wolfsburg is "far from a done deal".
Full story: Guardian

Property tycoon Andrew Ellis hopes to own Rangers within a month and plans to hand a new contract to manager Walter Smith and a life presidency to present owner Sir David Murray. (Various)

Scotland coach Craig Levein has emerged as a front-runner for the Celtic manager's job. (the Sun)

Wolves manager Mick McCarthy has ruled himself out of the running for the Celtic job. (Daily Express)

Celtic bosses have told caretaker manager Neil Lennon that suggestions they have earmarked Ronald Koeman as permanent manager are wide of the mark. (Various)

Former Barcelona and Scotland striker Steve Archibald has been involved in talks about former Ajax and Valencia coach Ronald Koeman taking over at Celtic. (Daily Express)

AND FINALLY

Manchester City's players will earn a £70,000 bonus if they win their remaining two fixtures and secure Champions League football.
Full story: Daily Mail

Ahead of Wednesday night's showdown between Manchester City and Spurs, which could decide who finishes fourth, Tottenham striker Peter Crouch has revealed his mother is a City fan and will be at the game (Various).

West Ham's England centre-back Matthew Upson says he managed to overcome years of injury by stuffing his boots with pages torn out of the phone directory to aid his balance.
Full story: Daily Star