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When 'Tevez to join Liverpool for £50 million' is roared out by The Sun, the tendency to laugh cynically with an air of pompous logicality suddenly becomes overwhelming.

But after 'Carlos we love you, please stay' banners failed to prompt anything more productive than tears and blown goodbye kisses, the speculation of who the Argentine's next club will be, effectively began in earnest.

The paper claims that Liverpool launched a bid on Tuesday evening, subsequently scuppering Tottenham's efforts to sign Kia Joorabchian's 'client'.

The Spurs board, led by owner Daniel Levy, were believed to have sanctioned an £18m bid for the striker, whose loan spell/lease at United ends this summer, before Liverpool gazumped the deal.

The breakdown for the fee Liverpool are reportedly willing to pay belies the stingy noises coming from the club's American owners George Gillett and Tom Hicks - and indeed the previously mentioned £30m summer transfer budget.

Having already baulked at the cost involved in delivering the promised new stadium, and 'consolidated all their monthly repayments into one manageable loan with Ocean Finance', this would represent a major change of heart for the pair.

A key factor in the deal would be Tevez's great friend Javier Mascherano, who is understood to have helped encourage the move for his international team mate, coupled with manager Rafael Benitez's long-held admiration for the player.

United, for their part, remain keen to strike a deal with the forward's 'owner' Joorabchian, but the businessman is unlikely to leave room for sentiment when negotiating the best offer available.

It would be one thing for Sir Alex Ferguson and David Gill to reluctantly halt their pursuit of Tevez on financial restrictions imposed by the club's owners, the Glazer family, but to see the Argentine join Liverpool would surely be too much?

If the move goes through, with the 25-year-old heading to Anfield, the inevitable Ferguson-Benitez feud would reach new heights, and no doubt the Spaniard would view the transfer as a major coup.

From one controversial figure, for reasons unbeknown to himself, to another who effectively courts it: Ashley Cole.

The Chelsea left-back is a man who sparks vociferous debate wherever he goes, which now appears to be Barcelona.

Cole, clearly a shy, retiring, self-effacing sort of guy, will surely react sheepishly to suggestions that he may be leaving Stamford Bridge for Pep Guardiola's side, but the speculation is mounting.

The Express runs the story that Cole will move to the Nou Camp for £20m, with Internazionale also eyeing up the 28-year-old's services.

Both clubs are looking to replace their error-prone full-backs Sylvinho and Eric Abidal, and the volatile Englishman has been lined up as the perfect replacement.

Cole, who has two years remaining on his current contract, is known to have kept in regular contact with good friend Thierry Henry since the Frenchman moved to Barca, and the left-back could seek a final career-defining move.

Chelsea are set, however, to vehemently reject Benfica's advances for injury-stricken defender Ricardo Carvalho, with coach Ray Wilkins keen to retain the stalwart.

With Tottenham apparently blown out of the water in the Tevez auction, manager Harry Redknapp is inevitably being linked again with Sunderland's Kenwyne Jones.

Surely one of these days Redknapp will be in the market for a player who does not wear white boots and lead the line, you ask?

Well, that man is Gareth Barry according to the Independent. Wth Liverpool having spent their coffers on Tevez, the Aston Villa midfielder could be the man to move to White Hart Lane.

Spurs are also keen to lure Inter midfielder Sulley Muntari to the Lane, with the Ghanaian having played under Redknapp at Portsmouth, according to the Mail.

Villa manager Martin O'Neill is resigned to finally parting with Barry, and Spurs believe they can lower the Midlands club's fee to around the £10m mark.

The Sun refuses to be deterred on their understanding that Diego Forlan will move to Manchester City, with the Uruguayan understood to be rooting for a return to English football.

One club resigned to losing a key player is Blackburn, with manager Sam Allardyce bullishly proposing a swap deal for Roque Santa Cruz's sale to City, with Daniel Sturridge moving the other way.

Ever since the 19-year-old striker demanded extortionate wages from City boss Mark Hughes, a move has looked imminent, and Allardyce is understood to be very keen on the prospective deal.

Blackburn are also looking to seal a deal for Jerome Rothen of PSG, with a £1.5m fee being commanded for the tricky winger.

Finally, Celtic are expected to hold a second round of negotiations with Red Bull Salzburg's £5m-rated Marc Janko, with the striker desperate for a move to Glasgow.

Dan Quarrell / Eurosport