Transfers - Gossip Shop: City eye Cole and Diarra

Eurosport - Tue, 25 Nov 19:31:00 2008

Another day, another crazy transfer rumour involving Manchester City and a shed load of cash for Gossip Shop to gleefully pass off as its own work.

FOOTBALL; Ashley Cole, Chelsea, July 2008 - 0

Today, it's The Sun's turn to do the honours, and they 'reveal' via a senior 'source' that the Eastlands club are trying to prise England left-back Ashley Cole away from Chelsea. They reckon £20 million will be enough to tempt the club into selling and £120,000-a-week will be enough to lure Cole up to the North West, being as he is on a paltry £82,000 wage at Stamford Bridge.

The same source also told the Current Bun that a deal to buy Portsmouth's mercenary midfielder Lassana Diarra is almost complete. The Frenchman is set to make City his fourth club in 18 months come January in an £18 million deal.

To be fair, the 23-year-old was candid about his intentions when he joined current club Portsmouth, admitting that he moved to Fratton Park to get regular games and boost his chances of moving to a big club.

The City source said: "The owners agreed to strengthen the team in January. The Diarra deal is almost done and Cole is very interesting."

Wait a second, GS gets the feeling it's missing something here. Ah, yes, that's it. No story involving an Ashley Cole transfer rumour would be complete without digging Cashley's own account of the derisory contract offer that forced him to leave Arsenal.

"When I heard Jonathan repeat the figure of £55k, I nearly swerved off the road. 'He is taking the p*ss, Jonathan!' I yelled down the phone. I was so incensed. I was trembling with anger. I couldn't believe what I'd heard. I suppose it all started to fall apart for me from then on."

Across to the red half of Manchester now. Realising that teenager Danny Wellbeck's best days are now behind him following his stunning strike against Stoke, Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson is already on the verge of snapping up two new wonderkids.

Having his links with the Portuguese-speaking world severed following the departure of Carlos Queiroz, Ferguson has shifted his focus to Serbia and Partizan Belgrade duo Zoran Tosic and Adam Ljajic.

Tosic has a work permit hearing on Friday, which is expected to be a formality, and should see Tosic and 17-year-old playmaker Ljajic arrive at Old Trafford soon afterwards in a combined £9 million deal.

Ljajic has recently impressed on trial with United, which you would expect from somebody dubbed 'the new Kaka' - probably by his agent.

Blackburn defender Martin Olsson has proved himself to be a real hardman. After his repeated tripping of wee winger Aaron Lennon earned him a red card against Tottenham, the 20-year-old Swede decided the manly thing to do would be to take out his frustration on the White Hart Lane dressing room.

Olsson said: "I smashed and destroyed everything in the dressing room. I kicked everything that was in my way - doors, trash cans, cardboard boxes. I don't know what was broken and what wasn't."

Charlton Athletic fans - time to be afraid, be very afraid. Failed Fulham boss Lawrie Sanchez has expressed his intention to come and wreak his unique brand of havoc at The Valley, according the The Mirror.

Sanchez has had enough of not getting much work as a media pundit, and is eyeing up the vacant position at the Addicks.

Sanchez said: "I've had almost a year out now and as much as I enjoy doing media work, I am a manager - that is what I do."

Those of you in the hunt for a new job can forget about applying for the post of FA chief executive. Current incumbent Brian Barwick officially leaves at the end of the year but has been working virtually part-time since August.

The deadline passed last Friday for sending in identikit covering letters detailing how you are proactive, work well in a team and how trekking through the jungles of Vietnam during your gap year taught you independence.

The Guardian report that the position - to be filled from the start of next year - was advertised as coming with a 'significant six-figure salary'. GS would gladly move its base of operations to Soho Square for an insignificant six-figure salary.

Tony Mabert / Eurosport

Comment 12 - 31 of 31

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  1. hes black hes round he rolls along thw ground ashley cole

    From Doshy, on Fri 2 Jan 3:35PM

  2. 18 mill for Diarra, thats rediculous. He has proven himself adept for Pompy but 18 mill he's only just been given his international caps and he hasnt got any honours to speak of. Typical just pay too much to get the layer you want. Ok yeah its all gossip and means Jack until the market opens but still. A** Hole cole though, I doubt Chelsea would sell him. And they dont need to either. Let them keep the mercinary nob jockey. Mind you if he does go to Man City...proof of the pudding the guy has no soul...AT ALL

    From Tom, on Wed 26 Nov 7:50AM

  3. money cant buy glory..manchester city wake up and get a good coach...English coaches are bastered.

    From felix, on Wed 26 Nov 4:56AM

  4. Ashely Cole maybe a louse off the pitch, but a FANTASTIC footballer. Any team manager would love to him playing for them. If he was so over rated why do Chelsea prefer him over Wayne Bridge?

    From starman_123, on Wed 26 Nov 12:43AM

  5. orr790, got to agree Platini is a racist and hates everything English

    From starman_123, on Wed 26 Nov 12:37AM

  6. cole and terry for 50 million thats the prices quoted by chelsea to man city, city also wanted the goal keeper cheq but the price of 50 million was little to overthe top.

    From bluegrit, on Tue 25 Nov 8:30PM

  7. Wake up People!! Its all paper talk Re the Man City signings, so don't get over excited or worried just yet. Januarys the time when the real signings will surface, but if you feel insecure about City and the money they have available, by all means have a winge. I am realistic City fan, not like the spoilt brigade from the so called top four!

    From tonyjoe79, on Tue 25 Nov 7:58PM

  8. I would rather talk about Mr Platini trying to destroy our game/league, I think he is a RACIST! What do you think?

    From orr790, on Tue 25 Nov 6:35PM

  9. I suppose it all depends whether Ashley Cole likes other Northern girls ( I do ) or if he still wants to get his fun in the clubs in London with the Essex girls. It is cheaper to live up North as it is in Wales boyos so how could he be offered more than 80 grand a week. Never mind, he is pushing 30, all over soon. Can you see him as a manager somewhere? I can't

    From taff, on Tue 25 Nov 6:27PM

  10. cole is @#$%. cole is @#$%

    From Doshy, on Tue 25 Nov 6:25PM

  11. I hate Cole and why dont City try to buy some other players? I think Goodjohnsons from Barcelona is a brilliant player and he is not getting enough football at Barcelona.

    From razi_x2006, on Tue 25 Nov 5:05PM

  12. I hear Ashley Cole quite likes the idea of linking up with Dean Saunders at Wrexham!

    From kttemplar12, on Tue 25 Nov 5:01PM

  13. If Diarra said Portsmouth were a stepping stone to a big club, then why would he join the Bitters?

    From VT5060, on Tue 25 Nov 4:28PM

  14. Thats a good way to do buisness init. Buy two of the most overrated players in English football for 6 times what they are worth. There is a reason Diarra is at Pompey - he is an average player, not bad, but most definatetly not that good. Wouldnt be suprised to see Cole go to City though, he clearly only cares about the cash, which was incedently the downfall in his playin carreer, never looked like he is that bothered since.

    From davidman, on Tue 25 Nov 4:24PM

  15. Cole is an over-rated thug who will fill the gap at City left by Joey Barton. If he thought that £55,000 a week was derisory I'd gladly swap him the £18882 p a I get for a real job for just three months of his pay, the greedy swine. He should be thankful he is not paid what he is actually worth, about £250 a week.

    From quatt47, on Tue 25 Nov 3:58PM

  16. I will be suprised if City do get Lassana Diarra and Ashley cole. But there is always a chance of getting them. Really Lots of transfers will be taking place in the transfer market (When it opens of course). A lot of teams need stronger players , Like Arsenal , Manchester city , Newcastle , Portsmouth , Chelsea , Fulham and a lot more teams. People should stop doing bad tackles in all leagues!! most of them have been done by players in the premier league , for example Olsson done loads of terrible tackles in the first half when Blackburn Rovers played Tottenham at White Hart Lane he did deserve to get a red card. Lots of transfers are usually suprising!!. This one coming will be suprising to all fans. There should be some better players coming to the Barclays Premier league when the Transfer market takes place. Theres a lot of transfer gossip going on everywhere. The Transfer market is going to be very entertaining. Lots of people will be online finding out which players have gone to which team. I am sure that Fulham will get better players because they got Andy Johnson
    , They need to get a better partner for him. It will be a stunning Transfer Market as
    Always. Hood luck to every team to get much better players. City have got weak Hope
    that they will get Cole , but Diarra is possible to get. Well atleast when they play with there new players , Theres going to be lots of action to watch!!.

    From Nathan, on Tue 25 Nov 3:58PM

  17. true cole is a good leftback. yeah leftback in the changing rooms. lol

    From Doshy, on Tue 25 Nov 3:50PM

  18. Love the fact a chelsea fan is sick of hearing about Man City's cash - that is just so funny

    Try being a baggies fan !

    From dionjudge, on Tue 25 Nov 3:30PM

  19. city u aint getting cole. you werent even gonna get bridge so why would chelsea sell their no1 left bach when their is no better player available to buy?

    Im already fed up with city! thought it was quite ammusing at 1st but now, nah boring!

    YOU ARE BORING, IT WAS OK FOR CHELSKI TO SPLASH THE CASH AND BUY WHO EVER THEY WANTED, TIME TO GET REAL RED ROM IS NOT IN THE SAME SPENDING LEAUGE AS AL CITY

    YOU TIME IS UP, CITY ARE THE RICHEST CLUB IN THE WORLD, NOW DEAL WITH IT!!!!!!!

    From Jonn G, on Tue 25 Nov 3:16PM

  20. WHO MAKES UP THESE STORIES???? 18M FOR DIARRA YOUR HAVING A LAUGH 25M AND YOU MAY BE GETTING CLOSE.

    From KEN C, on Tue 25 Nov 3:00PM
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