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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.

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