Transfer Gossip

ADEBAYOR TO REPLACE DROGBA AT CHELSEA
As a direct result of his bonkers reaction to Chelsea's Champions League exit, Didier Drogba will be replaced at Stamford Bridge by Emmanuel Adebayor. Apparently.

The Mirror says that Carlo Ancelotti, widely expected to take over in the summer, 'has named Adebayor as the man he wants to replace Drogba'.
There is an element of sense to this claim because Ancelotti has long been linked with Adebayor during his time at AC Milan.

As for Drogba, he 'will pay the price for his outrageous Champions League antics and Chelsea will want around £10million for the African, even though he has just 12 months left on his contract'.

With Drogba set to receive a lengthy ban in Europe, Nicolas Anelka's suggested departure is off the agenda.


WITH YOUNG ON THE WING
According to The Sun, however, it's Arsenal fan Ashley Young who is on his way to Chelsea.

The paper announces that Young has been 'identified as the player to spark his Chelsea revolution' and 'The Italian coach is being promised a big-name signing worth up to £30million by Roman Abramovich if he joins as boss this summer'.

Young would add some blistering pace to Chelsea's attack if he did move to Stamford Bridge and The Sun's vision of him in a front three with Joe Cole on the other flank certainly sounds enticing. But the last time we checked, Young is under contract at Aston Villa and we'd eat our hat if they sold him this summer.


POOL MAKE SILVA APPROACH
The Daily Mirror says that Liverpool 'have made a £15million take-it-or-leave-it offer for David Silva'.

According to the paper, Rafa Benitez is in no mood to pay any more than £15m for the winger and has warned Valencia, his current employers, that 'he will walk away from the deal if they try to turn it into an auction'.


TEVEZ TO MAN CITY...
The twist in the tale at Wigan last night was the statement of Carlos Tevez's agent Kia Joorabchian denying that Manchester United had offered his client a permanent deal. The Daily Express has followed that up by claiming that Tevez has 'opened the door to a dramatic move from Manchester United to neighbours City'.

Oh really?

The paper declares: 'Joorabchian says Tevez is prepared to join a club who are not in the Champions League providing they have the ambition and resources to qualify for Europe's elite competition. And City are one of the few clubs in Europe who can afford Tevez's £32million price tag and £100,000-a-week wage demands.'

Joorabchian is then quoted as saying: "There is a lot of interest in Carlos. His preference is to stay in England. Every player at his level wants to play in the biggest competitions that they can and the Champions League is the biggest.

"But Carlos is not the kind of person who says, 'I have to play for this club'. He has never been like that. But what he is very keen about, and what he wants to do, is go to a club that has a real ambition and a real focus to be champions of England, champions of Europe, champions of everywhere."

Is it us or is a bit of a stretch to interpret that as a sign he could join City?


CRUZ TO STAY IN THE NORTH OR NOT?
Contrasting talk about Roque Santa Cruz this morning.

First up, there's The Sun declaring that the Blackburn striker is 'ready to snub interest from Arsenal and Tottenham to stay in the North West' and would 'prefer a move to Manchester City or Liverpool this summer'.

On the other hand, The Daily Mail kicks off its story by announcing: 'Harry Redknapp is planning to beat Manchester City to the signature of Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz this summer. Although Redknapp has not made contact with Blackburn about the Paraguay striker, who is determined to quit Ewood Park, the Tottenham manager has put him on the top of his wanted list.'

Their story goes on to speculate that Darren Bent could be used as a makeweight in any deal.


AND THE REST
Manchester United are favourites to beat Liverpool in the race to sign Wigan's Antonio Valencia...Chelsea will be sending Inter Milan flop Ricardo Quaresma back to Italy...Watford boss Brendan Rodgers is the man Reading want to become their new manager...Jim Magilton is in the frame to become the next manager of QPR...Blackburn and Sheffield United are battling to sign Preston goalkeeper Andy Lonergan...Birmingham have cleared the way for Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart's arrival by agreeing to loan out youngster Colin Doyle...Blackburn are set to sign Gael Givet from Marseille for £4million after a successful loan spell...

...Newcastle boss Alan Shearer wants Wigan's Paul Scharner as one of his big signings for next season...Liverpool have targeted Atletico Madrid striker Diego Forlan in a £15m swoop...Wigan boss Steve Bruce is hot on the trail of Rangers midfielder Steve Davis...Stephen Ireland is on the verge of signing a new £4million-a-year deal with Manchester City...Birmingham are poised to make a £5million bid for Reading winger Stephen Hunt, but look set to miss out on Standard Liege defender Oguchi Onyewu...Bolton will look to sign Gary O'Neil if Middlesbrough are relegated.