Sunday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP 

Manchester City are ready to splash out £18m on Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso. (News of the World) 
Meanwhile, Anfield boss Rafael Benitez has been handed a £64m war chest to sign players in the summer and he is keen to tie up an £8m deal for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry as a replacement for Alonso. (News of the World) 
Benitez is also set to sell 11 players, including winger Ryan Babel and Andrea Dossena. (News of the World) 
Manchester United striker Carlos Tevez says he will leave the club in the summer but will stay in England to play with one of their rivals in the Premier League. (News of the World) 
Chelsea striker Didier Drogba is on his way out of the club following a rant at interim manager Guus Hiddink after the club's Champions League semi-final exit. (Sunday Express) 
Newcastle striker Michael Owen will be offered the chance to resurrect his career at Celtic this summer. The Scottish giants will give Owen a pay-as-you-play deal worth £50,000 a week plus huge bonuses. (News of the World) 
The Magpies are lining up Tottenham striker Darren Bent as Owen's replacement but face competition from Middlesbrough and Sunderland. (News of the World) 
Meanwhile Newcastle's controversial midfielder Joey Barton, who has been told he has no future at the club, is wanted by Tottenham, Blackburn, Portsmouth and Bolton. (Sunday Express) 
Fulham boss Roy Hodgson is set to make a move for Swansea striker Jason Scotland and could get his man for about £2.5m. (News of the World) 
Hodgson is also tracking Torino full-back Mateo Rubin, but the Italy under-21 defender could be tempted by Everton instead. (News of the World) 
And the Craven Cottage chief will target Sunderland defender Anton Ferdinand if he loses Brede Hangeland to Arsenal. (Daily Star on Sunday) 
Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone will opt to stay in the Premier League when he leaves Tottenham this summer - although he is wanted by German side Hamburg. (Daily Star on Sunday) 
Aston Villa are interested in signing £5m-rated Anderlecht centre-back Roland Juhasz. (News of the World) 
Portsmouth are planning a £3m swoop for Cardiff defender Roger Johnson as a replacement for Sol Campbell, who will leave on a free transfer in the summer. (News of the World) 
Wolves hope to make Standard Liege defender Oguchi Onyewu their first signing since being promoted to the Premier League. (News of the World) 
Brighton midfielder Chris Birchall is considering joining David Beckham's MLS side LA Galaxy when his contract expires in the summer. (News of the World) 
Brazlian left-back Sylvinho has paved the way for a move to Celtic after confirming he will leave Barcelona under freedom of contract. (News of the World) 
Hearts midfielder Bruno Aguiar could become a summer target for Coventry City (News of the World) 
Hibernian manager Mixu Paatelainen is keen to keep Grzegorz Szamotulski and has opened talks with the goalkeeper over a new contract. (Various) 
Dundee United striker Francisco Sandaza will resist interest from Racing Santander and Tenerife in his native Spain and stay at Tannadice. (Sunday Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP 

Chelsea have issued AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelloti a take-it-or-leave it ultimatum over becoming Blues boss this summer. (News of the World) 
Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola has backed Manchester United's bid for Darren Fletcher to play in the Champions League final, saying he would not be disappointed if the red card the midfielder received against Arsenal was rescinded. (News of the World) 
Uefa president Michel Platini has revealed he fears for the future of football in England, saying he feels the game is being lost to people who only want money. (Mail on Sunday) 
Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton is planning to return to the club's training ground in eight days, despite being told by boss Alan Shearer that he is not welcome. (News of the World) 
Referee Tom Henning Ovrebo, who took charge of Chelsea's Champions League semi-final against Barcelona, has been ordered by Uefa to refile his match report. The governing body wants more detail before bringing charges against the Blues. (News of the World) 
And Blues striker Didier Drogba, who appeared to verbally abuse Ovrebo after the match, his side were knocked out by Barcelona, faces a ban of up to six months according a to a Uefa official. (Sunday People) 
Former Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd will try to buy the club back from Mike Ashley if they are relegated. (Mail on Sunday) 
Magpies stand-in boss Alan Shearer will consider signing a four-year deal worth £4m a year if he gets assurances there will not cost-cutting at the club. (Sunday People) 
Robinho has insisted Manchester City will be crowned Premier League champions inside the next two years. (Sunday Mirror) 
Russian bilionaire Alisher Usmanov has claimed the Gunners are not strong enough and need his money now. (News of the World) (News of the World) 
Guus Hiddink is lining up a job in the Chelsea boardroom, returning to the club as an advisor after the autumn once his contract with the Russian national side expires. (Mail on Sunday) 
Frank Rijkaard is being lined up as Manchester City manager for next season if the club's owners from Abu Dhabi decided current boss Mark Hughes cannot steer them into the Champions League. (Mail on Sunday) 
Stoke manager Tony Pulis is set to collect a £500,000 bonus for keeping the club in the Premier League. he will also be offered a new three-year deal on wages of about £1m a year. (News of the World) 
Hearts manager Csaba Laszlo believes the tactics of Scottish Premier League sides are too predictable for European competition. (Sunday Mail) 

AND FINALLY 

Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini is dating the cousin of Manchester United striker and former Toffee Wayne Rooney after spotting her on Facebook. (News of the World)
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