Sunday's gossip column
Last updated on .From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Arsenal striker Robin van Persie has accepted proposed wages of £210,000 a week to move to Manchester City, although a transfer fee has yet to be agreed between the two clubs. The deal would make the 28-year-old the Premier League's highest-earning player once City sell Carlos Tevez.
Edin Dzeko could make way for Van Persie at Manchester City with Milan and Juventus considering offering the 25-year-old striker, signed from Wolfsburg for £27m 14 months ago, a move to Italy.
City will face competition for Higuain's signature from Chelsea with the Blues strikers Fernando Torres and Didier Drogba struggling against poor form and advancing years respectively.
Manchester City are also set to launch a bid for Real Madrid's 24-year-old striker Gonzalo Higuain. Manager Roberto Mancini wants the £35m-rated Argentinian as part of a new-look front line that also includes van Persie.
Full story: the People (print edition)
Arsenal are preparing a £25m bid which, if successful, would make Borussia Dortmund's 19-year-old attacker Mario Gotze the most expensive signing in the club's history.
Arsenal are also set to snatch Ajax's £10m-rated centre-back Jan Vertonghen, 24, from under Tottenham's noses.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson attended Lille's match away to Lyon on Saturday evening, sparking suggestions that he is about to challenge Tottenham and Arsenal in the race for the visitors' 21-year-old attacker Eden Hazard.
Bundesliga club Hannover are ready to offer Sunderland's on-loan Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner a chance to kickstart his career with a £4m move to Germany this summer.
Liverpool are keeping an eye on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jakub Blaszczykowski with a view to making a concrete offer for the Poland international in the summer.
OTHER GOSSIP
Chelsea's interim manager Roberto di Matteo has called in senior players to iron out any differences that may exist in the wake of Andre Villas-Boas's sacking.
Terry Connor's caretaker spell in charge of Wolves could be over after just three games with club owner Steve Morgan keen to install a younger man such as Crystal Palace's Dougie Freedman or Brighton's Gus Poyet.
Full story: the People (print edition)
Owen Coyle has vowed not to gamble on the fitness of South Korea international Chung-Yong Lee during Bolton's fight against Premier League relegation.
West Bromwich Albion boss Roy Hodgson has dropped the biggest hint yet that he wants to stay at the Hawthorns, amid speculation linking him with the vacant England role.
Manager Alan Pardew has challenged Newcastle to show their Champions League credentials by beating Arsenal on Monday.
Full story: Newcastle Chronicle
AND FINALLY
Jack Wilshere has posted a video of his six-month-old son Archie on the internet, in which the youngster shows off some impressive ball skills.
Arsenal striker Gervinho could have been playing for, rather than against, Newcastle on Monday evening. The then Lille attacker started sending text messages during a contract meeting with the Magpies last summer, convincing club officials that the deal was a bad idea.
Full story: the People (print edition)
