Sunday's gossip column

BREAKING GOSSIP

1547: Michael Owen will be paid over £50,000 a week by Newcastle for the rest of the month, even though he has already joined Manchester United.

The Magpies will pay out over £700,000 to Owen, Mark Viduka and Brazilian defender Claudio Cacapa in July as part of their contracts.
Full story: Sunday Sun

1452 BST: Steve Bruce has highlighted his intent to bring Lee Cattermole to Sunderland after he upped his bid for the Wigan midfielder to a fee believed to be in the region of £6m.
Full story: Sky Sports

1438 BST: Real Madrid coach Manuel Pellegrini says the club remain hopeful of landing Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso but admits it "won't be easy".

Pellegrini also said media reports that Real's entire contingent of six Dutch players, including Ruud van Nistelrooy, Arjen Robben and Wesley Sneijder, would be leaving were inaccurate. (Reuters)

1435 BST: Former Portsmouth boss Tony Adams has emerged as a shock candidate to take over at managerless Southampton.
Full story: Star on Sunday

1423 BST: Everton plan to follow up their £4m capture of Kyle Naughton from Sheffield United by signing another right-back - Espanyol's Sergio Sanchez.
Full story: Star on Sunday

1421 BST: Norwich have confirmed midfield duo Sammy Clingan and Darel Russell are attracting interest from other clubs.
Full story: The Sun

1131 BST: Inter striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic admits he is flattered by Chelsea's reported interest in signing him.
Full story: The Sun

1051 BST: Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is confident star defender Brede Hangeland - a target for Manchester City, Arsenal and Aston Villa - will remain at the club.
Full story: Premier League website

0927 BST: Real Madrid had hoped to continue their incredible spending spree with the £65m signing of Liverpool striker Fernando Torres, but Reds boss Rafa Benitez rejected the bid.
Full story: People

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea and England captain John Terry has demanded the opportunity to speak to Manchester City during crisis talks with Blues owner Roman Abramovich. (Various)

If Terry does join City, Chelsea will replace him with Newcastle's England Under-21 centre-back Steven Taylor.
Full story: Sunday Express

Alternatively, Chelsea have three potential replacements in mind for Terry: West Ham's Matthew Upson, Porto centre-back Bruno Alves and Genoa's Domenico Criscito.
Full story: People

However, Man City will switch their sights to Portuguese centre-back Alves if they miss out on Terry.
Full story: Star on Sunday

Chelsea are ready to offer £50m plus Portuguese duo Deco and Ricardo Carvalho for Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Full story: News of the World

Inter boss Jose Mourinho is ready to move again for Tottenham midfielder Jermaine Jenas after his move for Deco hit the skids.
Full story: People

Liverpool have rejected an offer for striker Fernando Torres, believed to be around £60m, from an English club other than Manchester City, says Reds manager Rafael Benitez.

"It was a proper offer, a big one, but we said no and he wanted to stay here," said Benitez.
Full story: The Times

Alternatively, Liverpool have in fact received three such bids for Torres, from Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea.
Full story: Star on Sunday

Liverpool will make a last-ditch plea to want-away duo Javier Mascherano and Xabi Alonso to stay another year and help the club win the Premier League title.
Full story: News of the World

Manchester United are poised to snatch Samuel Eto'o from under the noses of Manchester City with a £25m bid.
Full story: News of the World

United are set to sign 18-year-old Brazilian midfielder Douglas Costa from Gremio for £20m.
Full story: Sunday Express

Aston Villa winger Ashley Young has emerged as Manchester United's top transfer target with Sir Alex Ferguson poised to offer £25million for the England winger.
Full story: Star on Sunday

Tottenham are preparing a £25m swap deal, involving midfielder David Bentley, to bring Young to White Hart Lane.
Full story: Mail on Sunday

Villa will shell out £10million for Stewart Downing - even though the Middlesbrough winger will be out injured until November.
Full story: People

Spurs could help fund a move for Young by offloading Michael Dawson, with Sunderland reportedly set to bid for the defender.
Full story: News of the World

The Black Cats are also favourites to sign Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos for £5m. (Sunday Express)

Sunderland are also leading the race to sign Portsmouth striker Peter Crouch, with Fulham also keen.
Full story: Mail on Sunday

Aston Villa will turn their attentions to Werder Bremen's German international midfielder Mesut Ozil after seeing a £6m offer for Leeds midfielder Fabian Delph rejected.
Full story: News of the World

LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham will consider a sensational comeback to the Premier League if his dream return to AC Milan falls through.
Full story: News of the World

Everton boss David Moyes is in a transfer tussle with Hull City for Cardiff City's Welsh midfielder Joe Ledley.
Full story: People

Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is lining up an audacious move to bring former Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira back to the Premier League.
Full story: People

Portsmouth and Birmingham have joined Blackburn in the race for Paris St Germain's French midfielder Jerome Rothen.
Full story: People

Celtic could move to take Barcelona defender Martin Caceres on a season-long loan but face competition from Galatasaray, Real Zaragoza and Sporting Lisbon. (News of the World)

Celtic's Tony Mowbray is considering a move for Juan Carlos Mensequez, the winger he had on loan from San Lorenzo while manager of West Brom. (Sunday Mail)

Energie Cottbus midfielder Stanislav Angelov says Celtic are interested in his signature. (Sunday Express)

Twente Enschede boss Steve McClaren hopes a £3m offer will secure England Under-21 winger Andrew Driver from Hearts - £1m more than Burnley offered. (Sunday Times)

Rangers have dismissed reports suggesting they have expressed an interest in Juventus striker David Trezeguet. (Sunday Times)

Falkirk manager Eddie May will convert Scotland central defender Darren Barr into a right-back this season. (Various)

Falkirk have targeted Partick Thistle and Northern Ireland goalkeeper Jonathan Tuffey. (Sunday Mail)

Hamilton have rejected a £2m offer from an English club for teenage Republic of Ireland midfielder James McCarthy. (Sunday Mail)

Hamilton defender Brian Easton will edge closer to a £300,000 transfer to Burnley this week. (News of the World)

Hamilton have secured Tomas Cerny on a permanent basis after agreeing to pay Sigma Olomouc, who had loaned the goalkeeper to Accies, £180,000 in two instalments. (Various)

OTHER GOSSIP

Alan Shearer is holding out for the Newcastle job - but the long-running takeover saga is set to run for a further week.
Full story: Mail on Sunday

Southampton's prospective new owners are ready to offer Alan Shearer an emotional return to the south coast - after being turned down by old boy Gordon Strachan.
Full story: People

Former Chelsea striker Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink is in line to take over as manager of Southampton but could face competition from Nigel Pearson.
Full story: People

Liverpool manager Rafa Benitez has admitted he considered bringing Michael Owen "home" to Anfield this summer.
Full story: People

Arsenal striker Robin Van Persie turned down big money offers from Chelsea, Manchester City, Inter Milan and Juventus before signing his new four-year deal with Arsenal.
Full story: Sunday Mirror

The takeover of Portsmouth by United Arab Emirates businessman Sulaiman Al Fahim could be delayed until next month, raising fresh concerns over the deal.
Full story: Observer

Falkirk winger Neil McCann, who had applied to be manager, is looking to negotiate a release from his contract after falling out with the new management team. (Mail on Sunday)

Falkirk manager Eddie May is unhappy at the prospect of losing veteran Neil McCann, who has lined up a new club. (Sunday Mail)

Glasgow-born striker Ikechi Anya says he would be interested in playing for Scotland after signing a four-year deal with Sevilla but is also eligible to play for England, Nigeria and Romania. (Sunday Express)

Full story: People

AND FINALLY

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo will receive the same levels of protection given to Pope John Paul II 30 years ago during Real's pre-season tour of Ireland. (Sunday Express)