Thursday's gossip column
Last updated on .From the section Football
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TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal have sent scouts to watch defenders Maxime Gonalons, 23, of Lyon and Torino's Angelo Ogbonna, 24.
Manchester United have asked FC Porto if they would consider swapping Colombian forward James Rodriguez, 20, for out-of-favour winger Nani, 26.
The agent of Hamburg striker Heung-min Son, 20, says both Manchester United and Chelsea have made offers for the South Korean.
Chelsea's Demba Ba, 27, is open to the club bringing in another striker in the summer and said it will bring the best out of him.
But Chelsea target Radamel Falcao, 27, is unlikely to join him at Stamford Bridge after the Colombian forward said he wants to stay at Atletico Madrid.
Brazil legend Pele has urged Santos forward Neymar, 21, to snub any advances from Manchester City and join Barcelona instead.
City director of football Txiki Begiristain, meanwhile, has added Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus, 23, and Sevilla winger Jesus Navas, 27, to the club's summer shopping list.
Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski, 24, could still sign for Manchester United this summer despite reports that the Poland striker is set for a switch to Bayern Munich.
Frickson Erazo, 24, said Manchester United have sounded him out over a move but the defender insists he is focusing on his football in his native Ecuador with Barcelona SC.
OTHER GOSSIP
Arsene Wenger will be assured he is the man to revive Arsenal's fortunes at a board meeting with the club's American owner Stan Kroenke on Thursday.
Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery, 29, has ridiculed Arsenal by declaring that it was "easy" to beat them in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Midfielder Joey Barton, 30, on loan at Marseille, does not expect to return to QPR but admits he misses the Premier League.
Match-fixing and bribery are endemic in Chinese football because of low player salaries and unchecked local government officials, according to the deputy editor-in-chief of a popular Chinese sports newspaper and a former professional footballer.
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is drawing on the spirit of the 'ghost goal' - against Chelsea in the semi-final by Luis Garcia - that took the club to the 2005 Champions League final in a bid to turn around their Europa League tie against Zenit St Petersburg at Anfield on Thursday.
Fifa's head of security Ralf Mutschke says the fight against match-fixing will ultimately fail without the full support of governments across the world.
Former Manchester City forward Rodney Marsh believes winning the FA Cup will not be enough to keep manager Roberto Mancini in his job.
AND FINALLY
A diamond-encrusted motorbike designed by Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 27, has fetched £43,250 at a charity auction.
Bradford defender Carl McHugh, 20, will be roared on by his own 111-strong fan club when he faces Swansea in Sunday's Capital One Cup final.
Full story: the Times (subscription required)
Manchester City players Edin Dzeko, Joe Hart and James Milner are the latest to have been seen performing their version of online dance craze the Harlem Shake.
