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It is international week and as focus turns towards England's seismic clash with Germany, transfer tittle-tattle on the Gossip Shop shelves is harder to find than someone willing to buy Newcastle United Football Club.

There are two glaring errors in the above sentence. First, the game in Berlin is threatening to become the dampest squib since Arsenal succumbed to Aston Villa immediately after having gloriously out-swashbuckled Manchester United.

And secondly, the rumour mongers have scant regard for such trivialities as international friendlies, especially considering most of the best players have remained with their clubs this time round.

So, even though attention should be firmly focused on national causes, today's papers nevertheless contain a certain degree of domestic-based transfer gossip, handily enough involving some of the world's best players.

But more of that later. First up is the ever-entertaining news that Ronaldo - the Brazilian one - is still set on joining Manchester City in January.

The Mirror runs the self-explanatory headline 'Fat Ronaldo: I'll join City in the New Year' before claiming that the reportedly out-of-shape striker is nearing full fitness (at the time of writing he was at 70 per cent and closing fast) and ready to make a move back to Europe.

"I know that there's interest from Manchester City - and I am focused on my recovery to explore this," the big man said.

But any possible arrival at Eastlands could be overshadowed by that of his compatriot and former Milan team-mate Kaka who, despite pledging his future to the Rossoneri a million times over, is still regularly linked with moves elsewhere.

That could have something to do with the fact that he is so damn good - who wouldn't want to play alongside him?

This time it is Kaka's international team-mate Robinho who has urged City's filthy rich owners to make a move for the current Ballon d'Or holder - and any other decent players for that matter.

"Obviously I hope I can play with him here," Rob said in a loud voice, desperately hoping that Sheikh Mansour was listening. "If Kaka or any other great player wants to come here, the door is open."

Of course it is. Much like the door at Real Madrid, which rarely seems to close. Indeed, the door at the Bernabeu is more of the revolving type, given the regularity with which players pass in and out.

The Express claims that Chelsea striker Didier Drogba could be the next player to burst through said door, with £10 million lined up to lure the Ivorian coin-tosser away from Stamford Bridge.

Drogba has never made a secret of his desire to experience life in another league and following his most recent troubles, an exit is looming larger than at any other time in his Premier League career.

And whilst on the subject of wantaway stars, Aston Villa midfielder Gareth Barry is set to become the meat in yet another tug-of-war sandwich (honestly, such a thing does exist; or at least it does in aisle three of the Gossip Shop) come January.

But his current employers are remaining defiant in the face of yet more interest from Liverpool; they are even willing to write off as much as £18m to keep hold of him.

Arsenal are also thought to be interested in the England man, but Villa would rather keep him for another year, even if that means they allow him to leave on a Bosman once his contract runs out.

Villa boss Martin O'Neill said: "I don't think Mr (Randy) Lerner is overly concerned about losing the money if it means retaining the services of a really top class player for that extra year."

Lerner, the man who actually stands to lose the £18m, was unavailable to back up his manager's view.

Mike Hytner / Eurosport