Internazionale have declared their interest in Manchester City playmaker Elano. Probably.

Club president Massimo Moratti said he wanted to sign the Brazilian, but then sort of talked himself out of it.

"I don't know him very well. From an economic point of view it doesn't seem like a simple deal," Moratti ummed.

"I'll wait to understand more. We don't need to rush and it is not only him," he aahed.

Javier Mascherano has told Liverpool to get on and sign him or else he will be on his bike.

The midfielder is a year into his 18-month 'lease' from MSI, with the Reds having an option to sign him for £17 million.

Liverpool's American owners think that is a bit steep, leaving the door open for Barcelona or, less probably, Manchester City to nab him.

"With the time that has passed, it will now be more difficult for me to stay here because I need to do something about my future," Mascherano said.

Three matches out of the West Ham starting XI and already Dean Ashton is reportedly set for 'showdown talks' as to why he is not considered as good as Carlton Cole.

The Daily Star link him with... (rummaging around in velvet bag... pulling out plastic balls...) Chelsea, Manchester City, Newcastle, Tottenham and Grasshoppers Zurich.

Not to get all religious on you, but with Derby looking for a saviour to keep them in the Premier League, it is perhaps appropriate that they are signing a bloke called Emanuel.

The Rams will complete the signing of Emanuel Villa from Mexican side UAG Tecos by the weekend if the Argentinian passes a medical.

The club were unable to tell Transfer Talk whether he has an EU passport - if he does not, Villa will struggle to gain a work permit having never represented his country.

Villa may not be the only reinforcement at Pride Park, with chairman Adam Pearson promising a January spending splurge.

"We are the only Premier League club without a European player in the team," he said. Which is probably true if you take a UK Independence Party view of things.

Meanwhile Bolton are pinning their survival hopes on the man dubbed 'the new Idan Tal' - Israel international Tamir Cohen.

The 23-year-old, who has already been training with the club, holds an Italian passport so does not need a work permit, and cooed: "My dream has come true." Some dream.

Harry Kewell to Fulham, you say? It is thought Liverpool would be willing to offload the winger, along with his massive pay packet and sky-high medical bills for a mere £1.5 million.

Should Roy Hodgson fail to land Kewell, he will blow the cash on USA striker Eddie Johnson, who sensibly opted to stay with the Kansas City Wizards rather than sign for Derby last summer.

David Bentley's sparkling form has got the likes of Chelsea and Atletico Madrid weak at the knees.

The winger has three and a half years to run on his current contract, but Blackburn will try to buy his loyalty by handing him a new and altogether more lucrative deal.

Rule one of transfer rumours: any young player described as a "whizkid", "starlet", "talent", "prodigy", "wonderkid", "wunderkind" or "new Maradona" is not very good.

With that in mind, Manchester City are preparing a £2 million bid for Crystal Palace whizkid Sean Scannell.

Meanwhile, Blackburn are on the verge of snapping up Korean prodigy Yoon Bitgaram.

Alex Chick / Eurosport