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The Sprained Gossip
REDS EVER SO KEANE ON ROBBIE
Liverpool are expected to launch a £18m bid for Robbie Keane imminently after Rafa Benitez reportedly told the Anfield hierarchy that pairing the Tottenham striker with Fernando Torres was now his number one priority this summer.
Having grown frustrated by Aston Villa's refusal to sell Gareth Barry for less than £18m, Benitez's focus has switched from midfield to attack and away from the Midlands towards north London. According to The Times, 'Benitez has identified Keane as an ideal strike partner for Fernando Torres and the Liverpool manager has instructed his board to try to conclude a deal by the start of next week.'
LAMPS CAN GO FOR £20M
Having snubbed bids of £8m and £10m for the midfielder, Roman Abramovich will apparently let Frank Lampard go to Inter Milan for £20m to avoid putting boss Luiz Felipe Scolari in the awkward position of having to choose between him and new signing Deco.
Lampard of course has snubbed a new four-year deal worth £140,000 a week, believing that even at the age of 30 he should get a five-year contract. Silly boy.
Meanhile, it looks like Claude Makelele will be the first big name out of Chelsea this summer, with a move to PSG expected to be finalised this week.
HARRY WANTS SWP
Portsmouth manager Harry Redknapp has reiterated his desire to sign Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, who he feels is a "terrific player".
The Pompey boss has already recruited Peter Crouch, Ben Sahar and Glen Little this summer, but he is anxious to bring in more new faces.
Speaking after seeing his Portsmouth side draw their opening pre-season match 1-1 at Exeter, Redknapp admitted he was still trying to bring in Wright-Phillips.
"At the moment we like him, he is a good player but he belongs to Chelsea," he told Sky Sports News.
CHIMBONDA HAS ADMIRERS
For some reason Pascal Chimbonda is not yet a pariah in the Premier League and it seems - according to The Sun - that both Newcastle and Everton are keen to sign the right-back for £4m. The Toon want some competition for Habib Beye and the Toffees need a first-choice right-back after a season of flicking between Tony Hibbert and Phil Neville.
THE KEEPER-Go-ROUND BEGINS
Paul Ince obviously reads Football365 because he is apparently making a late bid for Scott Carson to keep him from the relegation battle at Stoke. The Blackburn boss is resigned to losing Brad Friedel to Aston Villa (though Manchester City could have something to say about that) and sees the Liverpool player as a viable replacement at a cost of £4m. So does that mean Stoke will end up with Paul Robinson?
AND THE REST
Wigan are battling Fulham for Everton's £9million striker Andy Johnson...Blackburn boss Paul Ince is lining up a double swoop for Segundo Castillo and Keith Andrews...David Moyes is ready to make Cameroon midfielder Stephane M'Bia his first signing of the summer...Ched Evans, who spent last season on loan at Norwich, will sign a new deal at Manchester City...Newcastle are preparing a £2.25million bid for Blackburn's Stephen Warnock...Robbie Savage is on his way out of Derby after just six months...Steaua Bucharest's £2.5m-rated full-back Dorin Goian is a target for Newcastle and Sunderland...Lee Cattermole is a £3m target for Wigan...Fulham want to bring Luke Young back to London...Wolves have made a £1.75m bid for Mark Beevers.
