Transfers - Gossip Shop: Drogba off

Eurosport - Wed, 31 Dec 08:29:00 2008

With just 48 hours to go before the transfer window is thrown wide open, the rumour mill is warming up nicely.

2008-2009 Chelsea Didier Drogba - 0

First up today is serial wantawayer Didier Drogba, who could, you've guessed it, still make a move away from Stamford Bridge.

The Chelsea striker has suffered a traumatic 12 months during which he claims the club failed to support him through a series of injuries and the death of his grandmother.

"I've only one year left on my contract, so I'm going to go with the flow," Drogba said, rather ominously, in The Sun.

And with the Ivorian seemingly incapable of committing his future to the Blues - he has a history of telling French-speaking publications of his desire to leave - a move elsewhere is right back on the cards.

Chelsea manager Luiz Felipe Scolari could offset the loss with the recruitment of Hatem Ben Arfa, the young France star.

The highly-rated 21-year-old, who only moved to Marseille from French champions Lyon in the summer, could be tempted by a big-money move to the Bridge. According to the Daily Mirror, Scolari is lining up a £10 million bid.

And that could be good news for Arsenal who, along with Chelsea, are thought to be courting Karim Benzema, Ben Arfa's former Lyon team-mate.

How? Well, rumour has it that the French pair do not get along at all well - something to do with a clash of monstrous egos, apparently. Scolari would be crazy to bring both players into his dressing room; so with a swoop for Benzema ruled out, Arsenal would be left in the driving seat to capture the France international striker.

Another man Arsenal are fluttering their eyelids at is Shay Given , Newcastle's immense goalkeeper. You had to feel sorry for the Irishman at the weekend when, despite his heroics in between the sticks, he still had to pick the ball out of the net five times against Liverpool.

But nevertheless, that kind of performance made Arsene Wenger sit up and take notice - the Gunners boss is ready to pay £8m for Given's services, according to the Express.

That kind of money would allow Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear to strengthen his squad in other areas, while he could replace Given with Paddy Kenny of Sheffield United, who has fallen out with Blades' boss Kevin Blackwell.

Staying on the subject of goalkeepers, the Daily Mirror reports that Heurelho Gomes is wanted by the club who sold him to Spurs for £7.8m in the summer - PSV Eindhoven. But the Eredivisie club are likely to pay just half that figure for the man responsible for around 75 per cent of the content of any end-of-season blooper DVDs.

While Gomes could be leaving White Hart Lane, Jermain Defoe is still hoping to secure a return to Spurs, says the Daily Mail.

But The Independent claims Harry Redknapp is being frustrated by Portsmouth's £24m valuation of the England striker with Pompey denying any bids have been made for either Defoe or his team-mate Glen Johnson, who Liverpool have been linked with.

Halfway through Gossip Shop and still no mention of Manchester City?

Well, the Daily Star claims City boss Mark Hughes has been told he can have West Ham stars Craig Bellamy and Scott Parker for a combined £20m. Strange then, that Hammers' keeper Robert Green - another Spurs target - said in the Mirror: "We've been assured as senior players that there won't be a fire sale" and that The Sun reports that a massive £12m bid from Spurs for Bellamy has been rejected.

Who knows what to believe.

Meanwhile, City have been warned off Everton pair Mikel Arteta and Joleon Lescott but youngster Daniel Sturridge is on the verge of committing his future to the Eastlands outfit.

Striker-strapped Everton are interested in Fiorentina ace Giampaolo Pazzini - the first player to score at the new Wembley - with a loan deal on the cards after the Italy Under-21 international lost his place in the starting line-up to Alberto Gilardino.

Emile Heskey has been told he can leave Wigan if he so wishes, while Jermaine Pennant has been tipped by The Times to arrive at the JJB Stadium after having snubbed a move to Real Madrid. The Liverpool midfielder is wanted by the Latics to fill the void about to be left by Luis Antonio Valencia who, unlike Pennant, has had the good sense not to ignore the overtures of Real and is reportedly on the verge of joining the Spanish giants.

And finally, Fulham's connections with North American players look set to continue after Standard Liege and US defender Oguchi Onyewu caught Roy Hodgson's eye and West Brom are tracking Real Mallorca's Oscar Trejo, although the Baggies will have to break the bank if they are to land the Argentine striker.

Eurosport

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  1. Hey "quatt47"...let me guess, you're a Man U fan aren't you? LOL!! Don't worry, you'll soon be F#cked too when Fergie retires.

    From Shel, on Tue 30 Dec 9:02PM

  2. I'm fed up with Man City being called 'the richest club in the world'. Let's put the record straight. They're not. The club was valued at £150m and the arab paid over the odds. What everyone forgets is that his money is his, not Man City's. Yes, he might make money available to buy players but, if he does, that becomes a Director's Loan to the business. As far as I am aware the club, Manchester City Football Club Ltd. is still a Limited Company under English Company law. That means the club has to be solvent, excepting director's loans. Chelsea found out recently that they are in a similar position of potential insolvency as Abramovitch's money is like the arab's, a loan, and they were warned as to their conduct and that they could be struck off.This is because, as a trading company, they have made consistent losses over a three year period. That's why the money has stopped rolling in. City could find themselves in the same fate if they start paying silly money wages out of club turnover when the arab has stumped up money by loan to buy expensive players. Let's wait and see what happens. Under it all we are still talking about Manchester City and everything they have done has been a disaster.Also it seems that Robinho has become the club's spokesman, first by saying that they club has a small mentality, then that he thought he was signing for Chelsea and now that the players are unsettled at the prospect of big money signings replacing them.

    From quatt47, on Tue 30 Dec 8:36PM

  3. SCAMA 1O-4 RUB A DUB! MAN U RULE BEEEATCH!!!!!!!!!!!!

    From azz, on Tue 30 Dec 8:34PM

  4. I'm fed up with Man City being caklled 'the richest club in the world'. Let's put the record styright. They're not. The club was valued at £150m and the arab paid over the odds. What everyone forgets is that his money is his, not Man City's. Yes, he might make money available to buy players but, if he does, that becomes a Director's Loan to the business. As far as I am aware the club, Manchesetr City Football Club Ltd. is still a Limited Company under English Company law. That means the club has to be solvent, excepting director's loans. Chelsea found out recently that they are in a similar position of potential insolvency as Abramovitch's money is like the arab's, a loan, and they were warned as to their conduct and that they could be struck off. That's why the money has stopped rolling in. City could find themselves in the same fate if they start paying silly money wages out of club turnover when the arab has stumped up money by loan to buy expensive players. Let's wait and see what happens. Under it all we are still talking about Manchester City and everything they have done has been a disaster.Also it seems that Robinho has become the club's spokesman, first by saying that they club has a small mentality, then that he thought he was signing for Chelsea and now that the players are unsettled at the prospect of big money signings replacing them.

    From quatt47, on Tue 30 Dec 8:32PM

  5. A LOYAL FAN OF THE BLUES FOR 45 YEARS , MANY FANS SADLY FEEL DROGBA IS THE BEST THING SINCE SLICED BREAD REMEMBER THE ULTIMATE PRIZE TO GIVE US REAL RESPECT FROM EVERY OTHER CLUB IN EUROPE WAS THE CHAMPIONS LEAGUE , DROGBA COST US THAT TROPHY WITH HIS TOTALLY SLUGISH AND SELFISH ATTITUDE AND HIS SENDING OFF. HE HAS NEVER BEEN LOYAL TO THIS CLUB.

    From tinybudd, on Tue 30 Dec 8:21PM

  6. we dont want Bellamy!!!! CITY NEED REAL PLAYERS NOT RED-CARD HABITS OR WELSH HAS-BEENS, i watched Bellamy play for coventry at Maine RD TEN years ago!!

    From Chris W, on Tue 30 Dec 8:18PM

  7. F@CK OFF Drogba

    From Nicholas, on Tue 30 Dec 7:38PM

  8. i have a funny feeling that the hammers will not sell any of there top players. lets face it. the club is basically for sale. who would bye the club if all the best players where sold leaving the club to be relegated. thankfully though there is a great batch of youngsters in the reserves coming through now. also the hammers are trying to bye players.

    From jay m, on Tue 30 Dec 7:37PM

  9. There we go, finally arsenal looking to benzema, and chelsea almost out of the race to sign him this is a gift from god!!

    From omar.fahmy24, on Tue 30 Dec 7:16PM

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    From , on Tue 30 Dec 7:10PM

  11. Please Scolari let Dogba and Salomon Kalu go away ! They are both lazy and useless ,they got no passion to the game. Amir Zaki is 10 times better than those 2 together. Kick out everyone who do not want to play for Chelsea.

    From felix, on Tue 30 Dec 6:58PM

  12. After some more research on the net...the story is not true of Kaka being at the manny airport. There are youtube videos of Kaka and AC Milan players arriving at the Emirates airport and pictures of them with the air hostesses as well. What a wind up that was!

    From Shel, on Tue 30 Dec 6:48PM

  13. Just read from the Man City Fansite that Kaka has been spotted at manny airport with loads of security barring photos. I did some checking and found that AC Milan are currently in the Emirates and Kaka should be there too but he didn't travel with the team. Maybe this is story about to break?!

    From Shel, on Tue 30 Dec 6:41PM

  14. cmon the mighty potters, lets get ready to rumble and buy a few good players in the january window and move away from the drop zone. fuller is adisgrace to a stoke shirt and should never wear it again, because no man is greater than the club.

    From ANGELA C, on Tue 30 Dec 6:36PM

  15. pfff you've got to be kidding ... nothing can make arsenal win a worthy title. I mean they have NEVER won the european cup in the history of the club! They have the luck of the draw this year and if they don't win it this May then you could say theyll be a 4th place club like the past 4 years alot longer. What they need is a brain!!! They dont have it mentally to win when it matters and then go on winning something to smile about. They cry to much and get too much backing from the FA and london! - and dispite this ... they still cant win F all!!!

    From PHIL, on Tue 30 Dec 6:28PM

  16. Chelsea wont get kaka or benzema or ben arfa but they might get luis fabiano and a lazio striker and guess what i cant remember his name!!!!!!!!!!!

    From marie_holian, on Tue 30 Dec 6:26PM

  17. pfff you've got to be kidding ... nothing can make arsenal win a worthy title. I mean they have NEVER won the european cup in the history of the club! They have the luck of the draw this year and if they don't win it this May then you could say theyll be a 4th place club like the past 4 years alot longer. What they need is a brain!!! They dont have it mentally to win when it matters and then go on winning something to smile about. They cry to much and get too much backing from the FA and london! - and dispite this ... they still cant win F all!!!

    From PHIL, on Tue 30 Dec 6:22PM

  18. There is some buzz circulating at City from City insiders that Drogba is heading to City in Jan. Apparently, Gary Cook will be introducing 2 "star signings" before the FA Cup home game against Nott. The talk is that Mourinho will be coming next summer, this is why Drogba took the deal. Betting firms have slashed the odds for Toure and Drogba signing for City...so there may be some truth to this then (even though Toure is not a star in my opinion)

    From Shel, on Tue 30 Dec 6:21PM

  19. arsene wenger shold go for drogba

    From nezir, on Tue 30 Dec 6:14PM

  20. thats just it you idiot! They've got too may individual star talents such as Robinho and supposedly, Jo. Due to this, there still in the relegation zone! They need a good pair of players who will glue together along with the squad without being too cocky and arrogant and asking for a role which just includes having a free role around the pitch and going for glory whenever possible (abit like nani and berbatov - should have got SantaCruz and Ben Arfa for half the price?!?) :P

    From PHIL, on Tue 30 Dec 6:13PM
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