This week’s transfer gossip – summed up on a Friday!
Monday
Big-spending Manchester City are set to make a transfer deadline day £20m offer for Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Manchester City look set to beat Inter Milan to the £7m signing of Parma midfielder McDonald Mariga.
Full story: The Sun
Manchester City are also likely to submit a fresh £6m bid for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson.
Full story: Daily Mail
But Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Wolves have also expressed an interest in 22-year-old Johnson.
Full story: The Times
Fulham are keen to seal a loan deal for Aston Villa defender Nicky Shorey.
Full story: Sky Sports
Stoke City are to renew their interest in keeper David James after failing to complete a £3m deal for his Portsmouth team-mate Asmir Begovic.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Or Tottenham are keen on Pompey’s James after Stoke hijacked their attempts to sign keeper Begovic.
Full story: Daily Mail
Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has pleaded with the London club to sell him to ambitious Birmingham City.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will turn to FC Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko after moves for Pavlyuchenko and Portsmouth’s Aruna Dindane stalled.
Full story: Daily Mail
Tottenham and Scotland defender Alan Hutton will sign for Sunderland as Black Cats manager Steve Bruce seeks a breakthrough in solving his right-back problems.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Ipswich manager Roy Keane is set to raid former club Sunderland for striker Daryl Murphy.
Full story: Daily Mail
West Ham and Tottenham are in talks over striker Robbie Keane.
Full story: Daily Mirror
The Hammers are also interested in Frederic Piquionne, who is on loan at Portsmouth, and Daniele Cacia, of Reggina.
Full story: The Times
Stoke striker James Beattie is considering a £3m switch to Sunderland after the Black Cats gave up on Robbie Keane and Manchester City forward Benjani.
Full story: Daily Mail
Stoke boss Tony Pulis wants to bring winger Jermaine Pennant back to England from Real Zaragoza.
Full story: The Sun
Leeds are to launch a bid for Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, possibly opening the door for forward Jermaine Beckford to leave Elland Road.
Full story: The Sun
Wolves are to offer £5m to Hull for midfielder Stephen Hunt and are keen to take Everton striker James Vaughan on loan.
Full story: Daily Mail
Blackburn themselves are to make a late loan move for Ivory Coast striker Dindane, who is currently on loan at Portsmouth from Lens.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Portsmouth are hoping to seal a loan deal for Sunderland’s central defender Nyron Nosworthy.
Full story: The Sun
Hull trio, winger Peter Halmosi, utility player Kevin Kilbane and midfielder Bryan Hughes are all set to leave the KC Stadium on Monday.
Full story: Daily Mail
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Tuesday
1716 GMT: Macecodian U21 defender Stefan Savic, who plays for BSK Borka in Serbia, says he will sign a pre-contract with Arsenal on Thursday after Arsene Wenger got his work permit extended to stay and train with the team after he impressed on trial. (Press Association)
1208 GMT: Unsettled striker Roman Pavlyuchenko could still secure his Tottenham exit. The transfer window remains open in Russia and Pavlyuchenko’s agent spoke to the Lokomotiv Moscow president three times on Monday about a deal.
Full story: Daily Mail
1137 GMT: Liverpool want to secure investment for a new stadium within three months. Plans for a 60,000-seat arena at Stanley Park are on hold and managing director Christian Purslow said: “There are interested parties and I’d like to get it sorted before the end of this season. Without investment there won’t be a new stadium.” (Spanish newspaper As)
1126 GMT: Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher is unconcerned with stories surrounding boss Rafael Benitez. Despite reports in Italy over the Spaniard’s potential move to Juventus, Carragher said: “Liverpool has always had speculation about managers, players, players coming, players going and it’s the same as managers.” (PA)
Sunderland missed out on landing Egypt winger Ahmed Al-Muhammadi after his club ENPPI rejected the Black Cats’ bid of £2m.
Full story: Daily Mail
One of the most unusual deals on deadline day was Mido’s move to West Ham – where he will be on the lowest wages for a player in the Premier League. The Egypt striker signed on a six-month loan from Middlesbrough for £1,000 a week and Hammers owner David Sullivan called the deal “one of the most amazing of all time”.
Full story: The Sun
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Wednesday
Arsenal are set to beat Tottenham in the race to sign centre-half Stefan Savic from BSK Borca after the 19-year-old Serb completed a 10-day trial with the club.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Barcelona vice-president Alfons Godall has stepped up the pressure on Arsenal by insisting that Gunners midfielder Cesc Fabregas will end up at the Nou Camp “sooner or later”.
Full story: The Sun
Manchester United are still interested in Racing Santander midfielder Sergio Canales, who is also wanted by Real Madrid.
Full story: Daily Mail
Birmingham did not sign striker Roman Pavlyuchenko during the January transfer window because Tottenham increased their asking price to £12m at the last minute.
Full story: Daily Star
Manchester City are lining up a summer bid for Athletic Bilbao midfielder Javi Martinez.
Full story: imscouting.com
Cash-strapped Portsmouth have replaced Tottenham-bound Younes Kaboul with former Spurs defender Ricardo Rocha.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Pompey are also closing in on deal for Serbia defender Dusko Tosic.
Full story: Daily Mail
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Thursday
1745 GMT: Liverpool could miss out on signing Standard Liege forward Milan Jovanovic.
“There are many possibilities,” the Serb’s agent Zoran Stojadinovic told Spanish newspaper Superdeporte, referring to the interest of other clubs. “The situation will be resolved soon, but he has not signed for any club as yet.”
Stoke keeper Thomas Sorensen will consider his future at the club if he is dropped in favour of new arrival Asmir Begovic on Saturday.
Full story: The Sun
Birmingham midfielder Gary McSheffrey will make his loan move to Leeds permanent if the Elland Road outfit are promoted to the Championship this season.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Manchester United’s England Under-20 midfielder Matty James is set to join Preston on loan.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Bayern Munich’s Franck Ribery has set a March deadline for deciding his future at the club. Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid have all shown an interest in the winger. (The Times)
Preston defender Sean St Ledger has blasted club chairman Derek Shaw for denying him a dream move to Celtic.
Full story: Daily Record
Liverpool are hoping to bring 14-year-old Danish forward Alexander Jacobsen, who is at FC Copenhagen, into their academy. (Daily Star)
Fulham are to battle it out with Arsenal for QPR’s 15-year-old striker Raheem Sterling.
Full story: Daily Mirror
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Friday
City also want to bring Lazio striker Mauro Zarate back to England to replace Robinho – the Argentine previously had a spell at Birmingham.
Manchester United are resigned to losing Nemanja Vidic in the summer, with AC Milan ready to rival Real Madrid’s £20m attempt to prise him away.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is set to sign Brazilian wonderkid Wellington Silva after his trial with the Londoners.
Full story: Daily Mirror
The Gunners boss has also apparently stepped up the chase for £14m France striker Loic Remy, dubbed the ‘new Thierry Henry’.
Full story: The Sun
Liverpool’s attempt to sign Standard Liege forward Milan Jovanovic could be under threat after his agent claimed other clubs are interested. (Various)
Lokomotiv Moscow have joined city rivals Dinamo in the pursuit of Liverpool’s Yossi Benayoun, despite Reds manager Rafa Benitez being reluctant to sell.
Full story: Daily Mail
Tottenham are interested in Ghana goalkeeper George Owu, who has been offered a trial following his release by Egyptian club Al Masry.
Full story: Daily Mail
Veteran striker Paul Dickov is wanted by Leeds and Derby after being released by Leicester.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish is trying to sign 17-year-old Bolivian star Gabriel Alvarez from Callejas for next season.
Full story: Daily Mirror
QPR have offered former Fulham defender Moritz Volz, who is a free agent, a contract until the end of the season.
Full story: The Sun
