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The Logical Gossip
A REPLACEMENT FOR A BULGARIAN
So with Dimitar Berbatov seemingly close to his move to Manchester United (c. every paper on Fleet Street), attention turns to the replacement that Juande Ramos is so desperate to bring in.
Assorted papers claim Ramos will pay £10million for River Plate's Colombian striker Radamel Falcao, after 'sending his spies' to South America to take a look. Presumably through a super secret and powerful telescope.
However, The Daily Mail, never ones to go with the crowd/sanity, reckon Diego Forlan is the apple of his eye, but will cost a pretty penny. £23million to be exact.
Of course, given that they've only got one forward at present, they could always get them both. Or someone else. Nobody has a clue really.
DOWNING FOR LIVERPOOL
So when Rafa Benitez was banging on about an Englishman who could play on the left, we all assumed he was talking about Gareth Barry.
However, was he playing a nasty, nasty trick on us all? Was Stewart Downing the real apple of his eye?
Probably not, but word is he's trying to buy the Boro winger anyway.
The Daily Mail claims that Boro will resist any attempts by Liverpool to buy Downing, even if they offer £14million.
ARSENAL BACK IN FOR XABI?
Having spotted that Arsenal are a little light on midfielders in their flop against Fulham on Saturday, The Times have come to the shocking conclusion that they need another.
And they've showed little imagination in picking the name 'Xabi Alonso' out of the hat, but the paper does seem pretty insistent that Arsene Wenger will go back in for the Spaniard, despite Liverpool wanting £16million for their man.
That might be because of the terms of Alonso's move to Liverpool from Real Sociedad, which The Times explains oh so clearly thusly:
'Liverpool signed Alonso from Real Sociedad for £10.5 million four years ago and the Spanish club are set for a windfall if he leaves Anfield. Under the terms of Alonso's transfer from Spain to Liverpool, Real Sociedad will receive about £5 million if Alonso is sold for less than £13 million and 20 per cent of the transfer fee if he leaves for more than £13 million.'
THE EVERTON SIX OR SEVEN
With David Moyes still claiming that he wants to bring in six or seven new players in before the end of the transfer window, he better get bloody busy, and bloody soon.
And the papers think he's got one or two people in mind.
The Guardian reports that Espanyol have accepted an offer of around £12million for winger Albert Riera, of course a reported target for Liverpool over the summer.
That paper also claims Stephen M'Bia could still move to Goodison Park if Everton and Rennes can agree a fee, probably between £7m and £10m.
Meanwhile, over in The Daily Mail, word is that Atletico Madrid's Tiago Motta could be a target, although Portsmouth are also keen on the former Barcelona midfielder.
AND THE REST...
Aston Villa will abandon a £9million bid for James Milner unless the Newcastle midfielder's future is resolved today...Robert Koren has agreed a new two-year contract with an option for a further year with West Bromwich Albion...Roy Keane axed Pascal Chimbonda just hours before Sunderland's win at Spurs - because he turned up late for the pre-match stroll...Newcastle have offered Michael Owen a whopping three-year, £21million deal...Plymouth boss Paul Sturrock admits he needs to add two or three players to his new-look squad before next week's transfer window closes...Portsmouth are bracing themselves for an £8million bid for Nico Kranjcar from Hamburg.
