TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City boss Mark Hughes has made signing Blackburn striker Roque Santa Cruz his top priority in January. (Daily Mirror)
Wigan boss Steve Bruce is hopeful of signing loan striker Amr Zaki on a permanent deal from Cairo side Zamalek. (Daily Mirror)
Ipswich are interested in signing crocked Portsmouth striker David Nugent, who has just had a second hernia operation. (Sun)
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OTHER GOSSIP
Charlton Athletic could become the latest club in English football to move into foreign ownership after receiving a cash offer from a group of Dubai-based investors. (Various)
Sunderland chairman Niall Quinn has prepared a three-year business plan in a bid to convince boss Roy Keane he should stay at the club. (Sun)
Coach Fabio Capello claims England are on the verge of a brave new era ahead of their World Cup qualifier against Kazakhstan at Wembley. (Various)
But Capello has begged England fans not to boo his side if they are struggling to score against Kazakhstan. (Sun)
Kazakhstan manager Bernd Storck has warned his squad they will never play for their country again if he spots them hero-worshipping at Wembley against England. (Daily Star)
Wales boss John Toshack laughed off jibes that his side will face a 'pub team' on Saturday by insisting that Liechtenstein will be no pushovers. (Daily Mail)
Portsmouth chief executive Peter Storrie believes the days of massive transfer fees could be over as football begins to feel the full effects of the credit crunch. (The News, Portsmouth)
Former manager Kevin Keegan has told close friends he would return to Newcastle as soon as Mike Ashley sells the club. (Daily Express)
West Ham owner Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson has assured the club's board that he is not going to sell, despite claims he has lost more than £300m in the Icelandic banking crisis. (Daily Express)
Uefa general secretary David Taylor has told his native Scotland they could still host an expanded European Championships - but only as part of a joint bid. (Daily Record).
Scotland striker James McFadden has urged Fifa to award him the second goal in their game against Iceland, after it was originally awarded to Celtic's Barry Robson. (The Sun).
Kirk Broadfoot's mother has revealed the Rangers full-back was almost forced to pull out of the Scotland squad after losing his passport. (Daily Record).
James Milner insists he is not frustrated at playing a bit-part since his £12million move to Aston Villa from Newcastle. (The Sun)
Liverpool defender Daniel Agger has welcomed new contract talks with the Premier League club. (Daily Mail)
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AND FINALLY
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is said to have lost £12bn on the Russian stock exchange. Abramovich saw his fortune dwindle as the value of two of his companies, steel maker Evraz and mining company Highland Gold, plunged on the Moscow-based index. (Press Association)
But Abramovich's advisers played down suggestions that the Chelsea owner's personal wealth had been badly affected by the stock market crash. (Daily Telegraph)
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