Wednesday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United chief executive David Gill says the club are ready to pay the £25.5m required to secure the future of forward Carlos Tevez. (Various)
Liverpool winger Ryan Babel is the first high-profile player to be told he can leave Anfield over the summer.(The Sun) 
Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho will raid his former club Chelsea to land defender Ricardo Carvalho and midfielder Deco. (Daily Mirror)
AC Milan boss Carlo Ancelotti says he could become Chelsea manager as early as next week if the Italian club do not want to keep him. He has also told Blues owner Roman Abramovich that he wants to sign two midfielders - Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery and Xabi Alonso of Liverpool. (Daily Mail) 
Manchester United's Ryan Giggs has begged fellow winger Cristiano Ronaldo to stay at Old Trafford after the Portuguese international told close friends that the Champions League final would be his last game for the club.(The Sun) 
Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez is poised to revive his interest in Middlesbrough defender David Wheater as Boro look to trim their squad following their relegation to the Championship. (Daily Telegraph) 
Bolton are ready to bid £3m for Portsmouth defender Sylvain Distin. (The Sun) 
Arsenal defender Philippe Senderos says he does not want to return to London following his loan spell at AC Milan. (Daily Mirror) 
West Brom midfielder Robert Koren is a target for Birmingham. (The Sun)
Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has been strongly linked with a move abroad this summer, says he is happy to stay with the Gunners.(Daily Express) 
Centre-back Brede Hangeland is preparing to snub Arsenal and commit his future to Fulham. (The Sun)

OTHER GOSSIP

Celtic want Burnley manager Owen Coyle to replace Gordon Strachan, and will approach the newly-promoted Premier League side for permission to speak to the Scot. Dundee United boss Craig Levein and West Brom's Tony Mowbray are also in the frame.(Daily Record) 
However, West Brom insist that manager Tony Mowbray will in charge next season, despite their relegation from the Premier League.(Daily Express) 
Alan Shearer has indicated to Newcastle's players that he will be their permanent manager when pre-season training begins in July.(The Sun) 
Wigan chairman Dave Whelan has told Sunderland that he wants £5m in compensation for Lactics manager Steve Bruce.(Daily Mirror) 
The future of Sheffield United manager Kevin Blackwell has been placed in further doubt after he revealed that there will be a huge clear-out at Bramall Lane.(The Sun) 
And Blackwell is one of the names linked with the manager's job at QPR. (Daily Mirror) 
Portsmouth are expected to confirm Paul Hart as their permanent manager this week. (The Times)
Reading have asked Preston for permission to speak to manager Alan Irvine about taking over at the Madejski Stadium. (Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY 

If AC Milan coach Carlo Ancelotti does take over at Chelsea, it could be as entertaining as Jose Mourinho's spell at Stamford Bridge - if his autobiography is anything to go by. Here is a little excerpt: "The manager of Milan is on a secret mission - I am like 007 on my own. Sat behind a driver with the face of a killer. More than a taxi, this is like a time machine, from Milanello to Stamford Bridge, from yesterday to tomorrow, from one devil (AC Milan) to another (Chelsea)."
(Various)
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