Transfer Gossip

TERRY LEAVING?
We have treated the rumours about John Terry leaving Chelsea for Manchester City with a dismissive 'Pffft' and 'I'll eat my hat...' sort of appraisals.

Still, that was the sort of short shrift we initially gave the Owen to United story, so we're going to keep schtum on this one for the moment.

Anyway, click here for more details on the possibility of Terry moving north.

In better news for Chelsea, pretty much every rag reports - as they have been doing for a while now - that Yuri Zhirkov is in town to be given the old once over by club medical bods, and if he coughs when he's told to cough and nothing untoward is found in his knees then he'll complete his £18million move pretty damn soon.


£40MILLION FOR CESC
He keeps saying he's staying, but the stories about Cesc Fabregas moving to Barcelona keep on coming back.

It's probably because Joan Laporta can't keep his bloody trap shut, so in response Arsenal have apparently - according to The Sun anyway - put a £40million price tag on their captain.

The paper claims they are bracing themselves for a bid from either Barcelona or Real Madrid, and will accept a bloody large amount should either club come up with the goods.

Our old friend Anthony Kastrinakis quotes a 'Gunners insider' as saying: "Nobody at Arsenal wants to see Fabregas go but there comes a point when the money is too good to turn down.

"If Arsenal receive a bid in the region of £40m there will be an enormous pressure to sell."

Quite why Barca would spend that much on a midfielder who wouldn't get in their first team is rather unclear, but the tabs will keep spinning this stuff.


UNITED AFTER TOURE?
Interesting line in The Daily Mail this morning, who report that Manchester United are taking a look at Barcelona's Yaya Toure.

Toure could be edged out at Barca should Javier Mascherano sign from Liverpool, so they will have a midfielder going spare, and the paper claims that Alex Ferguson has asked about Kolo's brother due to 'growing concern over the fitness of long-term injury victim Owen Hargreaves'.

Erm, growing concern? Given that Hargreaves has played about twice since United paid £18million for him a couple of years back, we'd be concerned if the concern was only just growing.


FIGO FOR TOTTINGHAM?
Quick story in The Daily Telegraph this morning, claiming that Luis Figo could have one last hurrah, despite announcing his retirement at the end of last season.

The paper claims that Tottenham could make a move for Figo, and seem to be encouraged by these quotes from 'Arry Redknapp: "We talked, since he is obviously a great friend of Sir Bobby Robson.

"Obviously we talked about football and he told me he had not yet decided anything about his future."

Since he spent most of last season on the bench at Inter, we wonder if he's cope with the Premier League, but that's not a decision for mere mortals such as The Gossip Column.

In other Spurs news, The Sun reports that they will duke it out with Aston Villa for Swedish whipper snapper Marcus Berg, who will cost around £10million.


YOU GREAT JOEY
Bad news Brum fans. The Daily Mirror seems pretty confident that 'orrible little oik and all round bad egg Joey Barton is on his way to Birmingham.

Not for keeps though, which is something. The paper claims Barton will join Brum on loan from Newcastle, with the shambolic Toon still paying a hefty chunk of his hefty wages.

The Mirror reports that Brum are prepared to pay £25,000-a-week for Barton, leaving around £35k for Newcastle to shell out for the privilege of not having Joey cluttering up the joint.

Actually, on reflection, that's a bargain.


AND THE REST...
Burnley are making a move for freed Paris St Germain winger Fabrice Pancrate...Middlesbrough are lining up a move for out-of-contract striker Danny Webber...Millwall are hoping to beat Charlton to the signing of Plymouth winger Jason Puncheon...Derby boss Nigel Clough is eyeing a loan move for Arsenal youngster Mark Randall...Gary Ablett is in talks with Stockport about becoming the club's new manager...Manchester United want to put a 25% sell-on clause into any deal to sell striker Fraizer Campbell...Steve Bruce is ready to make Paraguay centre back Paulo da Silva his first signing at Sunderland...Chris Samba has put Manchester City on alert by refusing to pledge his future to Blackburn...Bolton are to end their interest in Ferrie Bodde, after their £3.5million offer was rejected by Swansea.