Transfer Gossip

POOL TO TRY AGAIN FOR SILVA
Liverpool are reportedly ready to 'intensify' their efforts to sign David Silva from Valencia.

Rafa Benitez is said to have been encouraged by the Spaniards' apparently successful retention of David Villa, believing this will have enhanced his negotiating position in attempting to capture Silva.

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CROUCH BACK TO LIVERPOOL?
Some world-class bulls**t in The Daily Star this morning, and they claim with a presumably straight face that Liverpool want to take Peter Crouch back to Anfield.

The price, as it would be for anyone else, is around £12million, meaning they will have made a theoretical loss of £2million on the great gangly git in a year.

The Star claims Rafa Benitez has asked to be kept abreast of any developments while Liverpool are jaunting it around Asia.

Spurs and Fulham still want Crouch after he turned down Sunderland, and that sounds rather more plausible to us.


ARSENAL AND SPURS IN FOR HUNTELAAR
Although Tottenham have cooled their interest in Peter Crouch because the "whole package looks expensive" to Harry Redknapp, the Spurs boss has confirmed his interest in Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.

"The lad is a very good goalscorer and I'm still interested in him," said Redknapp.

"I know of Stuttgart's involvement but I'm hoping we will still be able to do something. There's a lot of talk about who I may or may not be after but Huntelaar is the one I like."

However, The Sun says that they will face some local competition to sign the Dutchman.

'ARSENAL are ready to challenge Spurs in the race for Real Madrid striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar,' it declares. 'And the Gunners are confident they can outbid Tottenham with an offer of £16.5million.'

The paper also says that the Gunners 'are poised to make a move for Marseille captain Lorik Cana.'


SPURS TO MOVE FOR BASSONG
Back to Spurs. Although Redknapp confirmed his interest in Huntelaar, it should also be pointed out that the Spurs manager also expressed his doubts that the club could afford to buy him. While Huntelaar is up for grabs at a relative cheap price, Spurs' wage policy seems to be blocking the move.

'Tottenham's senior players are on a basic wage of about £50,000 a week, which falls some way short of the £75,000 a week that Crouch and Huntelaar are currently earning," the Daily Mail notes.

"Huntelaar is a fantastic goalscorer, as good as anyone, but I doubt if it will happen," added Redknapp. "Wages are difficult. We pay good money but we don't pay crazy money so it's hard. I was interested in Gareth Barry and Roque Santa Cruz, but we couldn't get anywhere near them."

With a defender now likely to be the club's priority after the injury setbacks to Jonathan Woodgate, Ledley King and Michael Dawson, The Times says that 'Redknapp will pursue Sébastien Bassong, the Newcastle United defender, because Sylvain Distin is likely to move elsewhere or extend his deal at Portsmouth.'


SUNDERLAND TO SIGN...
'Steve Bruce is hoping to make a significant breakthrough in the transfer market as Sunderland close in on Tottenham's Darren Bent and the Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh,' says The Guardian.

Sunderland have pulled out of the running to signing Peter Crouch - something they are perhaps now regretting following Tottenham's partial withdrawal - but are apparently close to sign at least one new striker.

'The club's chairman, Niall Quinn, is expected to hold talks with Bordeaux and Tottenham over the weekend and at least one of the players could be introduced as early as next week.'


SHEVA OFF TO TURKEY
Andriy Shevchenko's return to Chelsea looks like being very, very brief. The striker, back at the club after the end of his loan deal at AC Milan, has, says The Times, 'been offered an escape route from Stamford Bridge by Fenerbahçe.'

There are no further details other than that the Ukrainian 'has been courted by Roma and Monaco, both of whom were unwilling to meet his wages of about £120,000 a week.'


AND THE REST...
Martin Jol's Ajax are involved in a tug-of-war with Roma for Tottenham reject Gareth Bale...Gareth Southgate has paved the way for Mido's cut-price return to Egypt...Cardiff boss Dave Jones has warned Hull they won't get Joe Ledley and Ross McCormack on the cheap...Everton manager David Moyes wants a quick answer from Sweden midfielder Rasmus Elm...Bolton have beaten Portsmouth in the race for Sam Ricketts and Gary Megson now wants Zat Knight...Valeri Bojinov will become a casualty of the Manchester City revolution by joining Lazio for £4.5million...Stoke boss Tony Pulis is planning a fresh £5.5million bid for West Ham's Dean Ashton...Espanyol defender Steve Finnan is being chased by Sunderland, Wolves and Stoke...Phil Brown is ready to throw Mark Viduka a Premier League lifeline with Hull...Ipswich boss Roy Keane is ready to move for £2million-rated Charlton teenager Jonjo Shelvey...Celtic manager Tony Mowbray looks to have beaten former club West Brom to the signing of Danny Fox.