Sunday's gossip column - transfers and rumours
Last updated on .From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester City are ready to discuss a new £52m contract with attacking midfielder David Silva - to fight off interest from Real Madrid.
Winger Gareth Bale, 22, has handed Tottenham a massive boost by deciding to stay at White Hart Lane for at least one more year.
Spurs have made a shock move to sign Liverpool midfield target Gylfi Sigurdsson.
Manchester City have turned their attention to Brazilian Dede, 23, in their bid to bolster their defence as Roberto Mancini has seemingly given up on AC Milan's Thiago Silva.
Real have made a shock move to land striker Carlos Tevez - and Manchester City could be ready to sell as they prepare their first bid of £20m for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie.
Danny Murphy will join Blackburn Rovers after the 35-year-old former Liverpool and England midfielder's contract with Fulham expired.
Full story: Lancashire Telegraph
Sweden defender Olof Mellberg has emerged as a surprise summer transfer target for Everton. The 34-year-old former Aston Villa captain is out of contract with Greek champions Olympiakos.
Newcastle striker Leon Best, 25, has been made an offer that he "may find hard to turn down" by Blackburn.
Full story: Newcastle Chronicle
Liverpool and Everton are shaping up for a huge transfer battle, with both clubs tracking Inter Milan striker Luc Castaignos, 19.
Luka Modric, 26, has decided he wants to leave Tottenham to play for Spanish champions Real Madrid. Manchester United and Paris St-Germain have both been chasing Modric, but it seems the Croatia midfielder has set his heart on playing for manager Jose Mourinho.
Modric is also a target for Lokomotiv Moscow after Slaven Bilic's arrival as boss.
Chinese clubs are eyeing Wayne Rooney and other young Premier League stars in a bid to help them conquer the football world.
EURO 2012
Fabio Capello has gone "crazy" at suggestions he has been helping Italy prepare for Sunday's Euro 2012 quarter-final showdown against England.
England cannot afford to wind up Italy hot-head Mario Balotelli - because they are more likely to get themselves sent off, according to coach Gary Neville.
Balotelli has told his Manchester City team-mates and England opponents that he fears none of them ahead of the game in Kiev.
OTHER GOSSIP
Andre Villas-Boas is in a three-way fight for the Spurs job along with former Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick and Laurent Blanc, who managed France at Euro 2012.
Tottenham will hope to talk to Blanc about the vacant manager's post at White Hart Lane this week after France's exit from Euro 2012 to Spain.
City's England winger Adam Johnson has emerged as a late challenger for one of the three over-age spots in the Team GB Olympic squad.
AND FINALLY
The England team chef has revealed the secret recipe that is helping England at Euro 2012 - peanut balls, a tasty concoction given to the players as an energy boost.
