Sunday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Manchester City lead the chase for Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach
MANCHESTER CITY have moved to the head of the queue to sign Watford goalkeeper Scott Loach.
Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is preparing a further bid for the January transfer window – as revealed by Hotline two weeks ago – after having two offers rejected.
But now City boss Roberto Mancini is set to make an offer of around £3million and would consider loaning Loach, 22, back to the Hornets. With Shay Given desperate to leave, Mancini is stepping up his bid to sign Loach, who has twice been called into the England squad. Manchester United, who need a replacement for Edwin van der Sar who retires at the end of the season, are also keeping tabs

Former Everton Player Set For Liverpool Transfer
Joleon Lescott has admitted he will look to leave Manchester City if he cannot earn more regular playing time as he believes he will soon lose his England place.
The £24million signing from Everton has been behind both Vincent Kompany and Kolo Toure in the City pecking order, and has often been deployed as a left-back when he has played.
“I’m not happy with the situation. I don’t enjoy sitting on the bench, and sometimes not even making the bench,” he said. (Press Association)
Joleon Lescott’s admission he could leave Manchester City in the January transfer window has alerted Liverpool.
The former Everton player would not necessarily be the most popular move initially with the fans, but once they got over the fact that Lescott used to play for the Reds’ cross city rivals they would see that it makes perfect sense.
Quick, strong in the tackle and in the air, Lescott’s versatility would also be a fine asset.
Capable of playing both at centre back and left back, Joleon Lescott represents a fine option for Roy Hodgson, but he will have to consider what the Reds fans think first.

Manchester City are plotting a £60m swap deal for Tottenham winger Gareth Bale next summer involving striker Emmanuel Adebayor. (News of the World)

United planned to ditch Old Trafford for Eastlands - Mirror Bollox Exclusive
Manchester United fans may have nicknamed the City of Manchester Stadium the “Council House” – but the Reds were once offered the chance of making Eastlands their home.
United were approached about the possibility of ­returning to their roots in the east of the city when Manchester was awarded the 2002 Commonwealth Games, according to a new book.
It was only the ­intervention of Sir Alex Ferguson that halted the plan – even though Manchester city council were prepared to build an 80,000-capacity stadium to bring the club back to the city of their birth.
Author Gary James ­unearthed the astonishing blueprint to take United back into Manchester from Trafford for the updated version of his book ­‘Manchester – A Football ­History.’
James reveals how United were tempted to quit Old ­Trafford because the famous old stadium could not meet demand for tickets in the late 1990s with its 55,000 ­capacity.
A contingency plan was even put in place that would allow ­United to only play big Champions League ­fixtures at the new ­stadium.
Labour MP Graham Stringer, who was leader of Manchester City Council at the time, is quoted as saying: “Discussions with United were serious and went to a high level – the highest level.
“The view was that if United could move to the stadium then the capacity could be around 80,000.
“It seemed perfectly logical in the 90s that United should consider the move. Of course, there were some significant issues to overcome.
“The biggest was ­undoubtedly the significance of Old Trafford to supporters.
“I fully understand why United decided not to make a permanent move, but Old ­Trafford’s capacity was too small. The idea developed that perhaps European games could be played at the new stadium.
“United would play at Old Trafford for ­domestic fixtures and move to the new stadium for European games.”
Ferguson, though, felt the plan would backfire – as it did on Arsenal when they took Champions League games to Wembley from Highbury to attract bigger crowds.
Stringer adds: “Alex ­Ferguson was involved in the discussions and I think he, quite rightly, considered the impact on players.
“The possibility of switching venue every few days could possibly disrupt players.” City moved to Eastlands in 2003 after spending 80 years at Maine Road.
Having such a state-of-the-art stadium was a big attraction to Sheikh Mansour when he instantly made City the richest club in the world with his 2008 takeover.
But the council plot will come as a big shock to both Reds and Blues in ­Manchester.
United supporters, who were founded as Newton Heath, ridicule City for having a 48,000-capacity stadium that is still owned by the council.
But City fans revel in the fact Old Trafford is situated outside Manchester city boundaries – the reason why the ‘Welcome to Manchester’ poster designed when ­Carlos Tevez joined the club from United caused such a stir.

WAGVENT OF THE DAY


OTHER BOLLOX
Bayern Munich are ready to swoop for Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, with the Serb yet to pen a new deal at Stamford Bridge. imscouting

Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier is keen to sign former Liverpool striker Djibril Cisse from Greek side Panathinaikos. (News of the World)

Fulham boss Mark Hughes is ready to take on Aston Villa in the bidding for Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick and Tottenham striker Robbie Keane. Sunday People

Wolfsburg have entered the race for Liverpool defender Daniel Agger - who is also attracting the interest of Inter Milan and Juventus. imscouting

Fulham are interested in signing £5m-rated Freiburg striker Demba Cisse. (News of the World)

Everton are set to miss out on Tottenham midfielder Niko Kranjcar because the club cannot afford the £3m asking price for the Croatian international. Mail on Sunday

Celtic have made a bid to sign out-of-favour Aston Villa midfielder Stephen Ireland on loan in January. Sunday People

Arsenal are struggling to find a buyer for out-of-favour keeper Manuel Almunia. (The Sunday Times)

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing to raise their bid for Ipswich striker Connor Wickham after having two bids rejected in the summer. caughtoffside

Spurs are also one of several clubs interested in FC Copenhagen's Swedish left-back Oscar Wendt. imscouting

Tottenham defender Sebastien Bassong has admitted he is considering a move back to France and is being linked to Paris St Germain. (News of the World)

Blackburn are keen to bring back former striker Roque Santa Cruz from Manchester City on a pay-as-you-play basis.
Full story: Sunday People

Newcastle are keen on signing Middlesbrough centre-half David Wheater but face competition from Stoke and Aston Villa. (News of the World)

West Brom are weighing up a £2m January bid for Real Mallorca hitman Pierre Webo. Sunday People

Inter Milan are battling Arsenal and Liverpool to the signing of Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Mamadou Sakho. imscouting

Nottingham Forest are resigned to accepting a cut-price offer from Celtic for defender Kelvin Wilson in January rather than lose the 25-year-old for nothing when his contract expires in the summer. (News of the World)

Belgian striker Yassine El Ghanassy looks set to turn down a move to Celtic after insisting he will remain with Gent until the end of the season. (Sunday Mail)

Rangers are hoping to land Stoke City's Michael Tonge on the cheap in January after the winger's loan spell with Preston North End. (Sunday Mail)

AC Milan are considering a January move for Rangers striker Kenny Miller as cover for the injured Filippo Inzaghi. (Sunday Express)

Juventus and Inter Milan are set to battle it out for the £5m signature of Celtic midfielder Scott Brown when the transfer window opens in January. (Sunday Express)

Rangers manager Walter Smith has ruled out a return to Ibrox for Middlesbrough striker Kris Boyd. (Sunday Times)

Manchester United are set to take a £34.5m hit on injury-plagued England midfielder Owen Hargreaves by allowing him to leave Old Trafford for free at the end of the season. Sunday Mirror

David Beckham is gearing up to buy an American MLS club and extend his time in the US when his LA Galaxy contract expires next November. Sunday Mirror

Beckham is being lined up a future FA chairman in the wake of England's 2018 World Cup bid disaster. (News of the World)

The Football Association will launch a behind-the-scenes revolt in the next few days aimed at unseating Fifa president Sepp Blatter after the debacle surrounding the vote to host 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Sunday Telegraph

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has labelled the failed 2018 World Cup bid "an insult to English football." Sunday Express

Following the cancellation of their game with Manchester United on Saturday, Blackpool will face a fine, and possible points deduction, if they do not install under-soil heating next season. Sunday People

Manchester United defender Gary Neville is set to announce his retirement at the end of the season.
Mail on Sunday

Bolton manager Owen Coyle is attracting the interest of Liverpool and Manchester United.
Sunday Mirror

Scottish Football Association sources say former football coach Marco McIntyre has received death threats after being sacked along with referees' chief Hugh Dallas over the sending of a satirical e-mail about the Pope. (News of the World)

Scotland's top referees are unhappy that their boss, Hugh Dallas, has been sacked for sending what was deemed to be a tasteless e-mail and will demand that the Scottish Football Association reinstates him. (News of the World)

Celtic striker Anthony Stokes claims that Scotland's referees have consistently failed to book Rangers players for heavy tackles against his side's players. (Sunday Mail)

Former Hibernian manager John Collins has ruled himself out of the running for the Aberdeen job, leaving the way clear for Scotland Under-21 coach Billy Stark to be appointed. (News of the World)

Aberdeen will draw up a shortlist in the next 48 hours and names in the frame to be manager are Billy Stark, Gus MacPherson, John Hughes and John Collins. (Sunday Mail)

Rangers manager Walter Smith does not expect Craig Whyte's proposed takeover to go through in time for him to have extra cash to spend in the January transfer market. (Various)

Craig Whyte is expected to take control of Rangers by mid-January, ending Sir David Murray's 22-year reign as owner. (Scotland on Sunday)

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Lorena Bernal, what a stunning Sunday WAG

[Chinners]

Manchester City want clubs signing their fringe players to pay most of their salary.
Manchester City are believed to be holding firm in wanting those clubs looking to sign their fringe players to pay a significant part, if not all, of their wages.
The Eastlands club are thought to be paying a big chunk of striker Craig Bellamy's salary, despite the player being on loan with his hometown club Cardiff City. However, it has been reported that they are not keen on any more moves of that kind.
According to the News of the World, City want to off-load striker Roque Santa Cruz and midfielder Shaun Wright-Phillips, but are resolute on not having to commit to any more deals that are similar to the one that sees Bellamy play for the Welsh club.
City have been widely reported as wanting to scale down their wage bill after their mammoth spending spree last summer.

Santa could re-enter on pay as you play
Blackburn Rovers could be making a smart move by offering Roque Santa Cruz a pay as you pay deal to return to his old hunting ground.
Cruz has been one big, handsome flop in Manchester and is desperate to escape his Mancini nightmare - but the Paraguayan is keen to remain the North West (rumour has it).
The People newspaper is first on the scene running the story, closely followed by the prolific Vital Blackburn.
The Sunday People are rocking and rolling with the following - 'Blackburn are keen to bring back old boy Roque Santa Cruz on a pay-as-you-play basis.
Boss Sam Allardyce is willing to end the striker`s nightmare spell at Eastlands but Manchester City want a fee or a club to pick up his hefty wages on loan.
However, Rovers are worried about his fitness and would prefer to pay in stages. Santa Cruz, 29, will not drop his wages, so the deal can only happen if City subsidise the Paraguayan`s £90,000-a-week salary.
Rovers would be happy to pay per game and are prepared for drawn-out negotiations.'

Mancini blasts selfish City
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Roberto Mancini believes Manchester City need to start converting their chances, blasting his side's profligacy in front of goal.
A fourth-minute Carlos Tevez strike was the only goal in a 1-0 success against Bolton Wanderers at Eastlands on Saturday. However, after missing a hatful of chances against the Trotters, they were left hanging on at the end of the game, particularly after Aleksandar Kolarov had been sent off.
The win has consolidated City's position in fourth place as they pulled away from fifth-placed Spurs following the London side's 1-1 draw against Birmingham. However, this shouldn't hide the fact that despite playing some stylish football, they made heavy work of dismissing Bolton.
Speaking after the game, Mancini said: "Sometimes we were too selfish. We shot when it was better to pass - we must improve this situation.
"When we have a chance, we must score. If I had played I would have scored two or three goals."
City face West Ham United at Upton Park next week and Mancini will hope they will display a greater ruthlessness against the relegation-threatened Hammers.