Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is ready to make a £10m offer for Real Madrid's Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.(The Times) 
Meanwhile, Liverpool will sign Greek centre-back Sotirios Kyrgiakos, 30, from AEK Athens for £1.5m.(The Times) 
Chelsea will end their interest in Atletico Madrid striker Sergio Aguero after the Argentina international played in the Spanish side's Champions League play-off against Panathinaikos -meaning he would be cup-tied.(Daily Mail)
Aston Villa have told West Ham they will offer £12m for centre-back Matthew Upson, 30, if the Hammers decide to sell. (Daily Mirror) 
Everton boss David Moyes will demand £30m from Manchester City for defender Joleon Lescott.(Daily Mail) 
While Everton are close to sealing a £9m deal for Russian winger Vladimir Bystrov from Spartak Moscow. (Daily Telegraph) 
West Ham have until Monday to come up with £7.5m for Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh or the deal for the 25-year-old Moroccan international is off.(The Sun) 
Portsmouth's French defender Sylvain Distin looks likely to complete a move to Aston Villa. (The Times) 
And Portsmouth are offering to swap striker David Nugent for Bolton midfielder Gavin McCann and defender Danny Shittu because they cannot meet the Trotters' £3m asking price. (Daily Mirror) 
Bolton are preparing a £2.5m bid for Leeds striker Jermaine Beckford. (The Sun) 
Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce is lining up a move for Borussia Moenchengladbach's Ivory Coast centre-back Steve Gohouri, 28, as he fears losing Chris Samba to Tottenham or Everton. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to play hardball with Celtic as the Glasgow club hold out for a £10m fee for midfielder Scott Brown. (Scottish Daily Mail) 
However, Redknapp is ready to switch targets and is poised to make a £5m-plus offer for Celtic winger Aiden McGeady. (Scottish Sun)
Wigan are in talks to with Crystal Palace over the signing of highly-rated 18-year-old midfielder Victor Moses. (Guardian) 
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez wants to sign Dutch midfielder Ferrie Bodde in a £4m deal from former club Swansea. (Daily Mirror) 
Marseille midfielder Elliot Grandin, 21, will start a trial with Stoke on Sunday.(The Sun) 
Sunderland must pay Lyon £7m to make Ghana defender John Mensah's loan deal permanent next summer. (Daily Mail)
Rangers striker Kris Boyd and released Celtic forward Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink are two of three targets for Hertha Berlin. (Scottish Sun) 
Watford are keen on Falkirk midfielder Scott Arfield, with the Bairns willing to cash in on the player. (Scottish Daily Mail)
Middlesbrough boss Gareth Southgate is ready to move for former Celtic defender Bobo Balde, 33, as he prepares to lose £4m-rated German Robert Huth to Stoke or Everton.(Daily Mirror) 
Newcastle are lining up a bid for Sheffield United centre-back Matthew Kilgallon in case Steven Taylor leaves in the current transfer window. (Daily Mirror) 
Reading have made a £1.6m bid for Watford winger Tommy Smith. (The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Arsenal's Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner, 21, is set to sign a £50,000-a-week contract extension to keep him at the club until 2014. (The Sun) 

AND FINALLY

Blackburn's latest recruit, Spanish defender Michel Salgado, 33, has finally got his dream move to the Premier League - five years after turning down a switch to Chelsea. (The Sun)
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