Monday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are hoping to win the race with Real Madrid for Bayern Munich's £45m-rated French midfielder Franck Ribery in January.(The Sun) 
The Blues' pursuit of Ribery has been given a boost by Bayern general manager Uli Hoeness conceding the player will leave the German club if he does not believe they are ambitious enough.(Daily Mail) 
Bayern have revealed that they turned down a £70m bid from Chelsea for Ribery in the summer. (Daily Star)
AC Milan midfielder Gennaro Gattuso - a target for Manchester City - has no intention of leaving the Italian club, according to their coach Leonardo. (Daily Mail) 
Derby want to sign Leicester striker DJ Campbell on loan before the window for short-term deals closes later this week.(The Sun) 

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is facing a fight to keep his Dutch coach Rene Meulensteen, with wealthy Qatar desperate to appoint him as their national boss.(Daily Mirror) 
Liverpool face an injury crisis ahead of their must-win Champions League match with Hungarian side Debrecen on Tuesday, with major doubts over the fitness of Glen Johnson, Daniel Agger, Ryan Babel, Jamie Carragher, Steven Gerrard and Javier Mascherano. The Reds are already without striker Fernando Torres.(Daily Mirror )
Cash-strapped Charlton may be forced to sell a number of players, including star midfielder Jonjo Shelvey, this January as their financial woes increase. The club may also face administration next summer if a new investor is not found.(Daily Mirror) 
Ipswich boss Roy Keane is on the brink of being sacked by the Suffolk club following a series of meetings on Sunday regarding his future. Town currently sit second bottom of the Championship. (Daily Star) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville says that a lack of strength in depth could ultimately prove England's undoing at the World Cup in South Africa next year.(Daily Mirror) 
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has admitted that his side "lacked desire and sharpness" as they fell to a 1-0 defeat at Sunderland on Saturday.(Daily Mirror) 

AND FINALLY

Cleaners in Ireland have decided their Henry vacuum cleaners really suck - after Thierry Henry's handball ended the nation's World Cup dream. Angry workers can't bear to look at the smiley-faced machines. Some have painted out the word "Henry" while others have daubed over its cheerful face.(The Sun) 
Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has revealed that a change of boots before the game with Wigan on Sunday helped him to score five in Spurs' 9-1 win.(Daily Mirror) 
Manchester United defender Gary Neville has joined his manager Alex Ferguson in blasting players who rely entirely on their agents and said: "A player doesn't need to pay between five and 15% of his wages to a guy to set up a bank account or buy him a new fridge." (Various)
Damien Duff's Fulham team-mates have been helping him get over his World Cup heartache following the Republic of Ireland's defeat by France in the play-offs by taking the mickey out of the winger. "He likes to take the mickey, so he is getting a bit back," said Cottagers midfielder Jonathan Greening. "But he is a great character and he will bounce back." (Various)
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