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The White Space Gossip
REAL TO GIVE UP ON RONALDO?
A couple of our glorious red-tops this morn are claiming that Real Madrid are about to give up on their pursuit of Cristiano Ronaldo.
The Sun reports that assorted Real board members have urged Ramon Calderon to turn his attentions away from Ronaldo for fear that they will miss out on making other signings, such as Rafael van der Vaart and David Villa.
Van der Vaart is expected to complete a move from Hamburg to Madrid shortly, while Villa is likely to move from the calamitous and financially-crippled Valencia soon.
The Daily Mirror claims similar, with some at Real apparently admitting the deal is not going to happen.
This is news that should leave us all in exhausted relief, but simply means we will have to go through the whole bloody thing again next summer.
ANOTHER ONE IN FOR SPURS
Spurs certainly aren't wasting their time in spending the money so charitably handed over by Liverpool for Robbie Keane.
David Bentley is already in town to be prodded, poked and made to say 'Ahhh' by the White Hart Lane medical staff (more on that one here), and the papers seem pretty convinced that at least one more new boy will be arriving, lickety split.
That man, you won't be surprised to learn, is Andrei Arshavin, who will cost around £19million from Zenit St Petersburg.
Exciting times at the Lane.
FULHAM GO BONKERS
Excuse The Gossip Column's potty mouth, but what the f**k is going on at Fulham?
With Andy Johnson all set to complete a move worth around £13million should the Fulham docs find nothing amiss, The Sun now reckons they're going to splash out on another striker.
The man in question is Stuttgart's Mario Gomez, who despite being absolutely toilet at Euro 2008, scored a dirty great heap of goals in the Bundesliga last term.
If you believe the rag, Roy Hodgson has raided the Harrods coffers to the tune of £15million to fund the deal, which will leave the Cottagers looking in pretty decent shape for next season. Who knew?
COUPLE IN FOR SPARKY
Mark Hughes looks like he's starting to get busy at Manchester Citeh.
He confirmed last night that they are in talks over signing Tal Ben Haim from Chelsea, but now The Daily Mail claims Citeh are about to bid £6million for Liverpool winger Yossi Benayoun, and are toying with bringing Antti Niemi in from Fulham too.
Also, The Daily Mirror reckons Roque Santa Cruz is Sparky's number one transfer target.
COLOCINNI MAKES A FUSS
Crikey. Whoever thought that someone would make such a fuss out of wanting to join Newcastle?
The Independent reports that Deportivo la Coruna defender Fabrizio Coloccini is set to invoke the infamous Webster clause to wangle his way out of the club, after they upped his asking price to £10.5million.
Ah, here's the reason. Colocinni's agent, a Mr Marcelo Lombilla told AS:
"(Club president Augusto) Lendoiro has to face up to the music and it is that he should not have asked for more from anyone. For Coloccini it is a shame that he may miss out on the contract of his life."
Reasons? Who needs reasons when you have oodles of cash.
AND THE REST...
Bristol City have pulled out of a deal to sign Michael Mifsud from Coventry...Hull boss Phil Brown is battling to hijack Stoke's £2million bid to sign Angelos Charisteas...Michael Johnson has been offered a double-your-money five-year deal to stay at Manchester City...Djibril Cisse is set for a move to Roma...Former Arsenal starlet Quincy Owusu-Abeyie is joining Birmingham on loan...Roy Keane has set £13million Spurs duo Steed Malbranque and Younes Kaboul a 24-hour deadline to join Sunderland...Derby will make a fresh bid to sign Marlon King on loan after his move to Hull collapsed...Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink will meet with Cardiff in a bid to resolve his contract dispute...Stephen Wright is set to join Coventry...Hungarian goalkeeper Laszlo Koteles is in talks to join Norwich...Wolves want to hijack Ipswich's swoop for Ben Thatcher...MK Dons midfielder Keith Andrews is set for a £2million move to Blackburn...West Brom hope to complete the signing of Madjid Bougherra from Charlton despite interest from Real Betis.
