Friday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours
Last updated on .From the section Football
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TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal will continue to monitor Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 26, as they prepare to give manager Arsene Wenger permission to sign a big name in January.
Barcelona want Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 21, to replace Victor Valdes, 31, as their number one next season.
Chelsea defender David Luiz, 26, turned down a move to Barcelona during the summer despite attempts by Brazil team-mates Neymar and Daniel Alves to persuade him to move to Spain.
Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas says forward Gareth Bale, 24, put Spurs under "intense pressure" to force his £85.3m move to Real Madrid.
West Ham United have abandoned plans to re-sign 29-year-old striker Carlton Cole due to concerns over his fitness. The Hammers released Cole after the end of last season but issued a statement this week saying the player was undergoing a medical.
OTHER GOSSIP
The Football Association allowed wives, girlfriends and families to visit England's players at their five-star hotel on the eve of Friday's World Cup qualifier against Moldova at Wembley.
Moldova manager Ion Caras, 62, says there is no chance of an upset at Wembley despite England's injury problems.
Manchester United executive director Ed Woodward has privately admitted the Premier League champions had a disappointing summer transfer window.
Arsenal defenders Bacary Sagna, 30, and Per Mertesacker, 28, are set to be offered new contracts by the club.
Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis, 32, is out for at least six weeks after sustaining knee ligament damage in a training session on Wednesday. The Argentine joined City on Sunday from Atletico Madrid.
Full story: Manchester Evening News
Liverpool's 33-year-old captain Steven Gerrard dreams of managing the Anfield club and plans to gain his coaching qualifications in the near future.
Stiliyan Petrov, who won the Scottish title four times with Celtic, says he has not shed a tear since being diagnosed with acute leukaemia. Petrov steps out in front of 60,000 fans at Celtic Park on Sunday for a Celtic XI v Stiliyan XI.
AND FINALLY
Liverpool defender Kolo Toure has jokingly offered to change the spelling of his surname after a fan apparently had the 32-year-old's name wrongly tattooed on his foot.
