JUVE PATIENT OVER BENITEZ
Plenty of talk in the papers this morning about the future of Rafa Benitez.
The Daily Mail claims that Juventus will probably appoint Claudio Gentile as their manager until the end of the season, once they have got rid of Ciro Ferrara.
And this is not because they think Gentile is their man. Oh no. For The Guardian reports that Juve are simply laying the ground for a summer move for Benitez, when they will offer him riches, riches, riches.
And The Independent is kind enough to be specific about those riches, reporting that Juve will slap £2.6million, tax-free, on the table and say 'How do you like them apples?'
Rafa apparently earns £4.6million at Liverpool, but when you consider the high tax rate on these shores and other such commie interferences, Benitez would actually earn more in Italy.
This one is going to run and run.
POOL SAY NO TO YOSSI BID
Quick line from The Daily Mail, who report that Liverpool are likely to reject a £7million offer from Dynamo Moscow for Yossi Benayoun.
And, err, that's about it on that one.
CITY BID FOR JOHNSON
Slightly curious one this.
According to our chums over at Sky Sports, Manchester City have made a bid for Middlesbrough's Adam Johnson. Read all about that one here.
Call us silly, but with the excellent Craig Bellamy and Martin Petrov already on their books, do City not already have some decent options in that position? And he's hardly a replacement for Robinho.
Anyway, The Daily Mirror begs to differ, claiming that Johnson will spurn the advances of the Premier League and stay at Boro to help them achieve promotion.
Johnson is out of contract in the summer, but the Mirror reckons he would cost around £5million to buy now.
SPURS TO SIGN GUDJOHNSEN
Looks like Tottenham have scampered in front of West Ham in the queue marked 'Eidur Gudjohnsen'.
Despite saying on Tuesday night that it looked as if the lovely Icelander was on his way to West Ham, 'Arry quoth last night:
"We've been talking about him for nearly two weeks and when we heard West Ham were interested we made our move.
"We are not paying a penny more than West Ham were offering him.
"Two identical deals were on the table. In the end it was a straight choice for Eidur."
And boy is David Sullivan p**sed off.
Sullivan said: "We thought we had a deal and the player had even had a medical. We then heard that Tottenham were trying to speak to the player. I can't say I am happy about it but I believe in Karma and what goes around, comes around."
PAV ON WAY TO BRUM?
'Arry will probably have to make room for Eidur, and the simplest way to do that is to get rid of Roman Pavlyuchenko.
And whadderyouknow, The Daily Mirror reports this morning that Spurs and Birmingham have opened talks over the under-appreciated Russian.
The paper claims Brum made an initial offer of £6million, an offer that was laughed at by the Spurs bods.
They would like a fee closer to £8million up front, with add-ons taking it to around £12-13million. Which, given that Spurs paid £13.8million for him and his reputation has arguably worsened, would be a decent deal for them.
BRUM OFFERED JENAS
An amusing aside from that Pavlyuchenko story in the Mirror is what apparently also came up in the negotiations.
The paper reports that: 'As part of Birmingham's negotiations with Tottenham they have also been offered midfielder Jermaine Jenas.'
It's a bit like someone coming round to buy a bookcase, then being offered that vase that just sits there in the corner not doing much.
Unsurprisingly, Brum feel they're covered in the 'neither here nor there' midfielder stakes.
ANDERSON ON HIS WAY OUT?
The continuing story of Anderson's troubles at Manchester United, erm, continues this morning in The Daily Mirror.
The paper reports that the Brazilian will be fined around £50,000 after slinking back to his homeland without permission. Naughty, silly boy.
It looks as if the midfielder could be on his way out of Old Trafford, with the Mirror claiming that his agents have already been talking to Vasco de Gama in Brazil.
Anderson apparently fell out with Sir Alex Ferguson over his lack of game time earlier this season, but United thought things had been patched up.
Not so, it seems.
AND THE REST...
Wigan hope to revive a £4million move for Villarreal's Marco Ruben, 23, after a deal was ditched last week...Stoke centre-half Ibrahima Sonko's loan move to Newcastle has hit a snag...QPR centre-half Fitz Hall has been talking to Newcastle and Burnley over a potential £750,000 move...Newcastle are also in talks with Birmingham centre-back Martin Taylor over a loan move...Portsmouth will try to re-sign their former winger Gary O'Neil from Middlesbrough on loan after making Spartak Moscow striker Quincy Owusu-Abeyie their first signing since their transfer ban was lifted...Chelsea want Barcelona's Thiago Alcantara when the 18-year-old's contract is up in the summer...Wolves have had a third bid of around £4million rejected for Hull winger Stephen Hunt.