Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Portsmouth could lose on-loan Algerian midfielder Hassan Yebda because they cannot afford the £4m it would take to buy him from Benfica.(The Daily Mirror) 
But Pompey could be in the running for former Blackburn striker Shabani Nonda, who has been released by Galatasaray on a free.(The Daily Mirror) 
Sunderland have not given up their interest in Paraguay striker Salvador Cabanas in the summer - despite the player being in hospital at the moment after being shot in the head last month.(Daily Star) 
Manchester United are interested in bringing Benfica's Brazilian Under-20 international defender David Luiz to Old Trafford.(The Daily Mail) 

OTHER GOSSIP

The Premier League could advance Portsmouth their end-of-season payment to help the club stay afloat, provided the other Premier League clubs all agree.(The Daily Mail) 
Former Manchester United striker Andy Cole is drooling over his old club's performances this season and says Wayne Rooney is in the form of his life.(The Daily Mirror) 
Manchester City midfielder Stephen Ireland, 23, feels liberated under new manager Roberto Mancini because he feels he was played out of position by previous boss Mark Hughes.(The Daily Mirror) 
West Ham co-owner David Sullivan says he is glad his mind games have worked after the team responded to talk of a pay cut with their first win of the year when they beat Birmingham on Wednesday night.(The Sun) 
Former Notts County director of football Sven-Goran Eriksson could be on his way to the World Cup as Nigeria and North Korea both want the Swede to take over as manager.(The Daily Mirror) 
Wayne Bridge has been warned he can forget about going to the World Cup if he boycotts England's next game against Egypt on 3 March.(The Independent) 
England's home weekend international fixtures could be moved to Friday nights from the autumn onwards.(Daily Express) 
Hibernian defender Sol Bamba says his Ivory Coast team-mates wanted to pull out of last month's Africa Cup of Nations after receiving death threats after the attack on the Togo team, and only the nation's president persuaded them to take part(Daily Record) 

AND FINALLY

Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher says the fact their second-top scorer this season is own goals by opponents - 10 goals - is because they put opponents under so much pressure.(The Sun)
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