Thursday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Former Arsenal defender Sol Campbell, who left League Two Notts County last month after only one game with the club, is in talks to join West Brom.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas and Manchester City forward Robinho are the two main targets for European champions Barcelona this summer. Fabregas, though, has refused to respond to recent Spanish media rumours about a potential move. (Daily Mail)
Arsenal and Manchester City are ready to do battle for the signature of Barcelona's veteran defender Carles Puyol, according to reports in Spain.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of Inter Milan defender Maicon believes Manchester United have upped their interest in the Brazilian but insists there are no offers on the table. "United's interest in my client is not something new," he said. "They have been following him for a while."(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City manager Mark Hughes will be given the funds to bring at least three new players to Eastlands this January to boost their Premier League title bid.(Daily Mail)
Roman Pavlyuchenko's agent expects to reopen negotiations over the Tottenham Hotspur striker's proposed moved to Zenit St Petersburg this January.(Daily Mail) 
The agent of former Chelsea striker Adrian Mutu has put a number of European clubs on alert by admitting his client could leave Serie A club Fiorentina in January.(Daily Mirror) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Icelandic biscuit baron Eggert Magnusson is plotting to return as the new owner of West Ham. The 62-year-old previously held a 5% stake in the club from November 2006 to December 2007 as the figurehead of the consortium largely backed by Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson, who relinquished control of the club in June 2009.(The Sun) 
Liverpool co-owner George Gillett is flying to Saudi Arabia next week for talks in a bid to sell his 50% stake in the club to Prince Faisal bin Fahd.(Daily Mirror )
Birmingham chairman David Gold is close to resigning and is set to follow David Sullivan and Karren Brady out of St Andrews following the takeover of the club by Hong Kong businessman Carson Yeung. (Daily Mirror) 
Former Manchester United chairman Martin Edwards fears the club could be thrown into financial ruin if current owners the Glazer family decide to leave Old Trafford.(Daily Mail)
The FA will call upon David Beckham and the Royal Family to boost their 2018 World Cup bid after the campaign was attacked by Fifa vice-president Jack Warner on Wednesday.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has revealed that regular chats with boss Arsene Wenger have given him confidence to believe he can fulfil his potential.(The Sun) 
Ukrainian striker Andriy Shevchenko, now with Dinamo Kiev has launched an attack on his former boss at Chelsea Jose Mourinho, saying that the now Inter Milan boss rarely spoke to him during his time at Stamford Bridge.(Daily Mirror) 
Everton striker Louis Saha has admitted he almost quit football after being driven to the depths of despair by an injury jinx that wrecked his Manchester United career.(Daily Mail) 
Hull striker Caleb Folan, currently on loan at Middlesbrough, has hit back at Tigers manager Phil Brown, saying comments the latter made about the players attitude in training were "pathetic" and "childish".(Daily Star) 
Ipswich striker Kevin Lisbie, currently on loan at Colchester, says he would find it difficult to play under Town manager Roy Keane again after being told he was surplus to requirements at Portman Road this summer.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Burnley manager Owen Coyle, 43, played 72 minutes as a striker for the club's reserve side on Wednesday after injuries and international calls left them short of players.(The Sun) 
Manchester City have sent club doctor Jamie Butler on a 7,000 mile trip to Argentina to ensure that Pablo Zabaleta, who has a hamstring injury, is not selected by his country for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers with Peru and Uruguay.(Daily Mirror)
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