Saturday's gossip column
- From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal will make a £9m move for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, 19, in January even though the Championship club's chairman Steve Parish has publicly insisted it would require a £20m offer to part with their Ivory Coast-born forward.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers, 39, says he is desperate to sign three strikers in January but has told 23-year-old Andy Carroll, who is on loan at West Ham, he still has no use for him.
Manchester City have offered a trial to midfielder Hideki Ishige, 18, who is the current Asian Young Footballer of the Year.
Fulham are considering a £3m January bid for Porto and France Under-21 centre-back Eliaquim Mangala, 21.
OTHER GOSSIP
Blackpool manager Ian Holloway is putting the finishing touches on his switch to Crystal Palace. Holloway attended training with Blackpool on Friday but did not travel with the squad for their match against Derby.
Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who was pencilled in to start against Manchester United, will miss the match at Old Trafford after the 19-year-old suffered a new injury setback.
Sir Alex Ferguson says Manchester United almost signed Robin van Persie, who is set to face former club Arsenal at Old Trafford, 11 years ago but opted not to after being told he was immature. "At 16, we're all immature, but we didn't progress it, and then he went to Arsenal," said Ferguson.
A source close to Manchester United winger Nani, 25, says the player argued with manager Sir Alex Ferguson after the club's exit from the Capital One Cup against Chelsea on Wednesday.
Former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, 34, says he is constantly thinking about the London club even though he is enjoying a fresh challenge in China.
Former Liverpool favourite Steve Nicol, 50, says his old club should forget all thoughts on signing Arsenal's Theo Walcott and concentrate on signing a proven goalscorer.
Alan Shearer, who has been overlooked for managerial jobs at Blackburn and Ipswich, should not be judged only on Newcastle's relegation when he was in charge, according to former Magpies skipper Rob Lee.
Full story: Newcastle Evening Chronicle
AND FINALLY
Former Tottenham and Newcastle winger David Ginola, 45, says he would consider taking charge of Halifax if it meant breaking into management. The ex-France international has just completed a coaching course in Wales.
A Paraguayan youth match descended into a mass brawl that forced a terrified referee to send off 36 players.