Bolton plotting Wright-Phillips rescue mission
Bolton boss Owen Coyle wants to rescue forgotten star Shaun Wright-Phillips from his Manchester City nightmare.
The England international is one of a number of fringe players being moved on in an Eastlands clear-out.
Coyle has made his interest known and hopes to agree a loan deal before the transfer window shuts.
Wright-Phillips, 29, has told pals he likes Bolton’s style of football and Coyle reacted to the tip by contacting City.
The mega-rich outfit want his wages paid in full but could compromise because the player seems more interested in Bolton than main rival bidders Fulham.
Cottagers boss Mark Hughes wants to land Wright-Phillips, a player he took back to Eastlands, but he is struggling to raise the cash to cover his massive wages.
Coyle will step in if the deal is right and would also find a way of getting Wright-Phillips into his side that has been so successful this season.
The Eastlands reshuffle means Wigan boss Roberto Martinez may get his wish to sign classy Belgian Dedryck Boyata on loan.
Martinez wants him to steady a shaky Latics defence, but the move will depend on him ‘losing’ one of his temporary signings – Bolton keeper Ali Al Habsi or Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley.
Boyata will be allowed to leave by City boss Roberto Mancini, who is keen to give him first-team experience for the rest of the season.
The 20-year-old has made a handful of appearances for City but his confidence was rocked after his red card in the 3-0 home humbling by Arsenal, and Mancini wants to see him progress away from Eastlands.
Belgian side Standard Liege have also asked about Boyata, but City would prefer him to stay in England.
City to make last-ditch plea to tempt United-bound Henderson
Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is ready to make a last-ditch attempt to persuade Sunderland midfielder Jordan Henderson into joining him at Eastlands.
Hotline revealed last week that the 20-year-old England new boy would prefer a move to City’s arch rivals United because he felt there would be more chance of first-team football.
But Mancini remains a huge fan of the playmaker, who has been hailed as “the best young British footballer around” by his Sunderland boss Steve Bruce.
And that’s why Mancini has asked Blues executive Brian Marwood to press ahead with moves to tempt £20million-rated Henderson away.
It would be a major coup for City to put one over United, especially as Henderson has his heart set on a move to Old Trafford.
The Black Cats are obviously desperate to keep hold of their top prospect and handed him a five-year contract last April, keeping him with the club until 2015.
But Bruce knows he won’t be able to fend off the big clubs forever – and City have the financial muscle to blow even United out of the water.
Henderson played for England’s Under-19, Under-20 and Under-21 sides before making his first full senior appearance under Fabio Capello against France in November and is highly-rated by the Italian coach
Defender Micah Richards will have to wait before he can complete his move away from Manchester City as a sell-on fee payable to former club Oldham is holding up any departure. (News of the World)
New Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko will cost the club an extra £4.2m if he helps them reach next year's Champions League quarter-finals. (News of the World)
OTHER BOLLOX
Tottenham are ready to step up their attempt to sign Newcastle striker Andy Carroll and could make a record-breaking £30m bid for the 22-year-old. Sunday Mirror
Arsenal look set to end their interest in Bolton's Gary Cahill because Gunners boss Arsene Wenger is unwilling to meet the defender's £20m price tag. Mail on Sunday
Wenger is deciding whether to make a bid for Cahill or Blackburn's Christopher Samba in January. Sunday Mirror
Tottenham are unwilling to match the £3m offered by Chelsea for Everton midfielder Steven Pienaar as they thought the player was theirs for £2m. (News of the World)
If the clubs can agree a fee, Pienaar would prefer a move to Spurs as he is unconvinced that Chelsea is the right place to develop his career. (Sunday Times)
Former England skipper David Beckham, who is currently training with Tottenham, is ready to quit Major League Soccer in the United States to end his career in England. Mail on Sunday
Liverpool's transfer-window plans have been thrown into disarray as potential targets are not too keen to sign for the club while the manager's position remains uncertain. (News of the World)
However, Liverpool are ready to make a £10m bid for Aston Villa winger Stewart Downing. Sunday Express
And Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Mark van Bommel could be Kenny Dalglish's first signing since taking the job for a second time. (Sunday Times)
Liverpool midfielder Milan Jovanovic is following Roy Hodgson out of Anfield and is set to join Turkish side Trabzonspor. Sunday Mirror
Adebayor could return to France with his former side Monaco. Sunday Mirror
Tottenham could make a bid for Manchester United defender Wes Brown after Everton turned down their £2m offer for Phil Neville. (News of the World)
Ajax striker Luis Suarez, who shares the same agent as Liverpool's Fernando Torres, could be on his way to Anfield after asking his representative to sound out a possible move. Sunday Mirror
Montpellier and Bosnia centre-half Emir Spahic is stalling on a move to Aston Villa as he fears Gerard Houllier will be sacked should they lose to Birmingham on Sunday. (News of the World)
Sunderland boss Steve Bruce is planning to bring 31-year-old Manchester United striker Michael Owen to the Stadium of Light. Sunday Mirror
And Bruce seems to have sealed the signing of Birmingham midfielder Sebastian Larsson, after the Swede rejected Newcastle. Sunday Mirror
Chelsea have been told to pay at least £26m if they want to sign Benfica defender David Luiz. (News of the World)
West Ham striker Frederic Piquionne is keen on a move to Aston Villa. Sunday Mirror
Striker Mido will make a stunning return to Middlesbrough this week on a six-month deal following his departure from Ajax. (News of the World)
Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp wants to sign Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra, who he coached at Portsmouth, and former Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze, who is now at Marseille. Sunday Mirror
Aston Villa are poised to move for Rangers goalkeeper Allan McGregor, Celtic midfielder Scott Brown, Dundee United striker David Goodwillie and Blackpool's Scotland midfielder, Charlie Adam. (Sunday Post)
Jos Hooiveld will be sent on loan by Celtic to Copenhagen while fellow central defender Glenn Loovens could also leave the Glasgow club after failing to win a regular place under manager Neil Lennon. (Sunday Express)
Kenny Miller's agent is expected to arrive in Turkey today for talks about a proposed two-and-a-half year contract worth more than £6m with Bursaspor, but the Rangers striker targeted by Birmingham wants his future settled within 48 hours. (Mail on Sunday)
Wigan defender Gary Caldwell says Fiorentina cooled their interest in Rangers striker Kenny Miller after former Celtic forward Paolo Di Canio criticised the standard of the Scottish Premier League. (News of the World)
Scotland winger Chris Burke has ruled out a return to Rangers and told Cardiff City he would like to remain with the Championship club for the rest of his career. (Sunday Mail)
Rangers are set to miss out on Kris Commons as Derby County are confident the Scotland winger will sign a contract extension. (Sunday Mail)
Conor Sammon insists he knows nothing of a possible transfer to Scunthorpe United despite Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen saying a deal was almost done to sell the striker. (Sunday Mail)
New Sheffield United manager Micky Adams will be at Rugby Park on Tuesday to run the rule over Kilmarnock playmaker Alexei Eremenko and Hearts defender Ismael Bouzid. (Sunday Express)
Dundee have been told they can take Leigh Griffiths on loan from Wolves if they sell the striker to the English club - as long as they wait until May before collecting the bulk of the transfer fee. (Sunday Post)
Craig Brewster, who was most recently assistant manager at Ross County, is poised to re-launch his playing career at the age of 44 after being invited for a trial by Dubai club Al-Ahli. (Sunday Mail)
England boss Fabio Capello is unhappy with a perceived lack of support from the Football Association and issued a 'back me or sack me' plea. (News of the World)
Newcastle midfielder Joey Barton is ready to take a £500,000-a-year pay cut to stay at the club for the rest of his career. (News of the World)
Blackburn's new owners have told manager Steve Kean that they will not sack him for the two-and-a-half years of his contract. Mail on Sunday
The Qatari royal family are ready to make a £1.3bn offer for Manchester United. (News of the World)
Former Chelsea manager Claudio Ranieri, now at Italian side Roma, is considering moving back to the Premier League this summer - with Liverpool. (Sunday Express)
Black Cats boss Steve Bruce fears that he may never be forgiven by Sunderland fans for the 5-1 hammering his side were given by Newcastle earlier in the season. Mail on Sunday
Steve McClaren's reign as Wolfsburg head coach looks to be over after the club drew with Bayern Munich on Saturday, their ninth match without a win. (Sunday Times)
Injury-plagued Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves will be offered a pay-as-you-play deal next season. (News of the World)
It was members of the Ulster Defence Association who sent bullets through the post to Neil Lennon after being left furious by the way the Celtic manager celebrated his side's recent win over Rangers. (News of the World)
Rangers striker Kyle Lafferty has vowed to continue using Twitter despite having a war of words with Celtic manager Neil Lennon on the social networking site. (News of the World)
Top QC Paul McBride, who has already been working with Celtic, will lead manager Neil Lennon's appeal against a six-game touchline ban. (Various)
Bobby Williamson has turned down offers from two clubs in Egypt and one in Libya to remain coach of the Uganda national side. (News of the World)
The Scottish Premier League will ask clubs against a proposed 10-team top tier to justify their opposition when the body meets on Monday. (News of the World)
St Mirren chairman Stewart Gilmour says the Scottish Premier League's voting system, which requires a 10-2 majority for a change in size, is stopping change. (Scotland on Sunday)
Monday's meeting of the Scottish Premier League will only now discuss a rival proposal for a 14-club set-up instead of a 10-team structure preferred by officials. (Sunday Times)
Scottish Premier League player of the month Marius Zaliukas believes Hearts' recent good form is down to owner Vladimir Romanov not interfering with manager Jim Jefferies' decisions. (Various)
Hearts midfielder Marius Zaliukas admits he has yet to make peace with Lithuania coach Raimondas Zutautas following the pair's fall-out last summer. (Mail on Sunday)
Everton defender Leighton Baines was on his way to buy a trampoline when he received a 10-second phone call from Fabio Capello telling him he would not be playing for England at the World Cup in South Africa. Mail on Sunday
All the money raised by Leeds in their FA Cup third round matches against Arsenal will be used by the Championship club to buy players. Sunday Mirror
The mancityfans.net football forum
The BEST FORUM in all the land and all the world
