Karl-Heinz Rumour Mill

[all_funkt_up]

Sydney FC have emerged as rivals to Cardiff City in the battle to sign former England veteran Robbie Fowler.
The 32-year-old is a free agent after being released by Liverpool, and sources close to the A-League club claim talks have taken place.

Bluebirds chairman Peter Ridsdale told the Liverpool FC website: "We have offered an attractive package and are hopeful Robbie will decide to come."

Cardiff also face competition from Celtic, Rangers and Leicester.

Looks like Robbie isnt too far from agreeing a deal for next season. I think he will end up at Cardiff. Australia is too far to drag his young family. He doesnt need the money. I would be amazed if he went half way round the world to play for them.

[all_funkt_up]

Celtic are lining up a bid for 17-year-old Real Salt Lake midfielder Freddy Adu. (The Sun)

Interesting transfer this one. More so because of Adu's reputation than me actually having watched him I suppose. He was (maybe still is) the next big thing in world football. Doesnt seem to have done much, besides move to a smaller club in the US.

Kiko - wadda ya reckon of the lad?

Sunderland boss Roy Keane is going back to Manchester United to sign midfielder Kieran Richardson for £5.5m. (Daily Mirror)

What a crock of shit Sunderland are going to have come the first game. Richardson and Chopra for a combined total of £11million?

Smacks of desparation, paying over the odds for very very average players.

Sunderland boss Roy Keane has been told by Hearts he will have to spend £10m on goalkeeper Craig Gordon. (Daily Star)

Crazy crazy crazy money.

If I was looking for a goalie at the moment I would look at Dudek (free) or Carson/Kirkland who Rafa wants to move on. More so Kirkland because I dont think he has a hope in hell of making our first team. Would be available cheap and isnt a bad player for a decent Premiership outfit.

Chelsea are closing in on Sevilla's Daniel Alves after the Brazilian star admitted: "I want to join them." (Daily Mirror)

Real Madrid will test Arsenal's resolve by flying into London with a £20m offer for midfielder Cesc Fabregas. (Daily Star)

Manchester City are close to landing Arsenal midfielder Freddie Ljungberg in a £6m deal. (The Sun)

Manchester United's Gabriel Heinze says he is flattered by Liverpool's interest in him but he will not make a decision until the Copa America is over. (Daily Star)

West Ham face competition from Monaco for the signature of Cameroon midfielder Achille Emana, 25. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle are set to welcome Aldo Duchser - the man who injured David Beckham prior to the 2002 World Cup - for a trial at St James' Park. (The Sun)

Marseille captain Habib Beye has turned his back on a move to Newcastle, instead choosing to stay in France. (The Sun)

Newcastle boss Sam Allardyce has told Bolton to forget about moving for Charles N'Zogbia. (Daily Star)

West Brom are lining up a £1m bid for Portuguese midfielder Filipe Teixeira. (Daily Star)

Spend-crazy Birmingham are closing in on a deal to sign St Etienne star Pascal Feindouno. (Daily Mirror)

Reading boss Steve Coppell is ready to launch a £2.5m bid for Arsenal right-back Justin Hotye. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal are ready to spend £2m on 21-year-old Caen striker Yoan Gouffran. (The Sun)

Tottenham have made an offer for 16-year-old Gabi Misa, the Celta Vigo midfielder who is also wanted by Valencia. (The Times)

West Ham striker Marlon Harewood is set to seal a £3.5m move to Birmingham after passing a medical at St Andrews on Wednesday. (The Sun)

Actually, Wigan are going to get Harewood for £3.7m - and his arrival will push Henri Camara closer to the exit door. (Daily Mirror)

Hull are poised to sign Ipswich striker Alan Lee, 28, in a £500,000 transfer. (Various)

Luton have taken former Everton and West Ham midfielder Don Hutchison on trial. (Daily Star)

Liverpool have offered up to £4m for Manchester City midfielder Michael Johnson. (The Times)

Fulham have matched Sunderland's £3m bid for Southampton defender Chris Baird. (The Sun)

Wolves are lining up a £1.5m raid on Premier League neighbours Aston Villa for defender Liam Ridgewell. (Daily Mirror)

Hearts number two Stevie Frail admits Gordon could well leave before the start of the new season. (Daily Record)

Charlton's Dennis Rommedahl has attracted interest from Spanish club Getafe, managed by his fellow Dane Michael Laudrup. (The Times)

Barnet have taken full-back Jakub Bures on trial from Czech side SK Dynamo. (Daily Star)

Bournemouth have taken former Arsenal trainee Lee Canoville on trial after he was released by Boston. (Daily Star)

Celtic have taken Italian midfielder Andrea Capone on trial and they could sign him on a Bosman free transfer. (Daily Record)

New Hertha Berlin goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny says he turned down Celtic when he was leaving Bochum this summer. (The Sun)

Hibernian could sign Thierry Gathuessi from Sete after the defender impressed on trial. (Various)

[andeeeee]

Originally Posted by all_funkt_up

Crazy crazy crazy money.

If I was looking for a goalie at the moment I would look at Dudek (free) or Carson/Kirkland who Rafa wants to move on. More so Kirkland because I dont think he has a hope in hell of making our first team. Would be available cheap and isnt a bad player for a decent Premiership outfit.

kirkland is a wigan player ,they signed him in the jan window

[GaNgStA kEeKs]

I dont see where Adu would fit in at Celtic. Strachans got too many midfield and forwards and needs to concentrate on defence.

As for Adu. He did go to a smaller club and has flopped massively there. He went for regular first team football and he has done nothing to justify his selection.

Saying all this though he has done his reputation very good in the Under 20 World Championships where he has been one of the tournaments best players.

Too inconsistent and thinks he is better than he is and i would rather he didnt come to Celtic.

[rcgills]

Dudek has signed for Real Madrid. And according to Marca, Cesc won't be signing for Madrid as he feels he has a duty to Arsenal, and Madrid have agreed a 7m€ fee with Feyenoord for Drenthe.

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by rcgills

Dudek has signed for Real Madrid. And according to Marca, Cesc won't be signing for Madrid as he feels he has a duty to Arsenal, and Madrid have agreed a 7m€ fee with Feyenoord for Drenthe.

I heard that this morning about Cesc as well.

I find it hard to swallow though, the whole thing about loyalty. He's probably going to test the water, stay for another year and make a decision largely based on what happens to Wenger in the next 12 months. That's my take on the whole situation.

As for Real signing Drenthe, good signing I reckon. Very reasonable compared to the money being lashed out by Premiership mugs, I mean clubs.

Prem spending this time round is just crazy. Average players commanding anything BUT average fees.

[all_funkt_up]

Arsenal are set to smash their transfer record with a £15m swoop for Argentine striker Rodrigo Palacio, who plays for Boca Juniors. (The Sun)

Striker Marlon Harewood has agreed a move to Wigan after being told he can leave West Ham. (Daily Mirror)

Real Madrid have tabled a £13.5m bid for Chelsea winger Arjen Robben. (The Sun)

Manchester City striker Darius Vassell is set to be allowed to leave the club for about £1.5m following the arrival of Sven-Goran Eriksson as manager. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United are so confident of signing striker Carlos Tevez from West Ham that they have booked a medical for the Argentine on Wednesday. (The Sun)

Bit of a slow news day with regards to transfers. With reference to the Harewood signing - could be a decent player if he regains his confidence and top form. I think in 05/06 he scored 16 in 37 prem games. 06/07 he slumped to 3 in 33 games. If he can find top gear again, he isnt actually a bad buy for a few million.

[all_funkt_up]

Chelsea defender Wayne Bridge faces a lay-off of at least three months after emergency surgery on a fractured pelvis. He does not know when he suffered the injury but it may have occurred during England's Euro 2008 qualifier against Estonia in June. (Various)

Liverpool striker Dirk Kuyt has warned that manager Rafael Benitez's summer spending spree will go to waste unless the club make a strong start to the season. (Various)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has warned midfielder Michael Ballack that he is no longer an automatic choice for the first team. (Various)

Quite how someone fractures their pelvis without realising it is beyond me. I'd have thought the crippling pain would have been a giveaway.

[all_funkt_up]

Looks like the beeb were slow out of the blocks this morning with regards to transfers - here's the rest

Portsmouth are giving a trial to Brazilian striker Geovanni Mauricio, a former Barcelona player. (Mirror)

Is this Giovanni Elber? Or am I getting my Giovanni's in a twist? Who's that old Brazillian that went to play for Olympiakos? As I remember he scored against us at Anfield in the 2004 group game.... errrr

Middlesbrough and Blackburn are preparing to swoop for Everton striker James Beattie but could be put off by the £4m price tag. (Daily Mail)

Are you having a giraffe my son??? £4m for James Beattie??? The white Michael Ricketts - what a fat, useless excuse for a professional footballer.

Hearts keeper Craig Gordon wants to join Sunderland. (Mirror)

Charles N'Zogbia will tell Newcastle he wants to leave, with Fulham and Bolton in the market for the winger. (Mirror)

Curtis Davies has resigned as West Brom captain after the club turned down his transfer request. (Mirror)

Alan Smith will join Manchester United on their Asian tour despite doubts over his future. (Independent)

Newcastle will open talks with Fulham defender Franck Queudrue on Monday about a £2m move. (Daily Mail)

Sunderland could move for Celtic defender Bobo Balde. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United's decision to block Gabriel Heinze's move to Liverpool has revived Real Madrid's interest in the Argentine. (Daily Mail)

Newcastle are also hopeful of signing left-back Heinze and the club are also hopeful of holding on to Obafemi Martins. (Daily Telegraph)

Getafe are close to wrapping up a £1.5m deal for Charlton winger Dennis Rommedahl. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea will open negotiations with Sevilla over Daniel Alves when they return from their US tour. Sevilla want £20m for the right-back. (Guardian)

Striker Kanu is ready to commit himself to Portsmouth for the forthcoming season. (Guardian)

Jermain Defoe will turn down a move to Aston Villa because he wants to fight for his place at Tottenham. (Guardian)

But Aston Villa are hopeful of tying up a deal for Charlton defender Luke Young. (Times)

Middlesbrough and Portsmouth are battling it out to sign Preston winger Simon Whaley. (Times)

Sheffield United will need to pay £1m to land Kevin Phillips from West Brom. (Times)

But the Blades will miss out on Celtic midfielder Thomas Gravesen, who has opted to stay put. (Times)

[crowie]

Originally Posted by all_funkt_up

Is this Giovanni Elber? Or am I getting my Giovanni's in a twist? Who's that old Brazillian that went to play for Olympiakos? As I remember he scored against us at Anfield in the 2004 group game.... errrr

Nah, Elber will be mid 30's now, and was always known as Elber.

Think this Geovanni is the Brazilian who came to Barca with Rochemback, both meant to be the new best things, a few years ago. Think he got punted to Portugal, Benfica or Sporting possibly.

Was the old Brazilian not Rivaldo?

[crowie]

Can I just ask, is Alan Smith in the Craig Bellamy mould re transfer fees. Is it a case of the longer you keep him, the dearer he will be. Last figures I saw were he was going somewhere for £8m! I was sure he was only costing £4.5m a few weeks ago. Come the end of August he will be £20m, or as its now known, A Crouch.

[all_funkt_up]

Ha ha ha - it's the inflated money in the Prem Crowie. Things are going mad here. SAF probably thinks that if Harewood is worth £4mil, then Smith is worth £8m.

SAF did a good bit of business sorting his deals out early doors, before prices spiralled out of control - as we are seeing now.

[christianu]

I dont think so AFU.

Hargreaves for 17m is the most over priced signing of the summer.

He should be more like 5-6m

He is just a bit better than average.

[all_funkt_up]

Originally Posted by christianu

I dont think so AFU.

Hargreaves for 17m is the most over priced signing of the summer.

He should be more like 5-6m

He is just a bit better than average.

What a load of drivel (in my humble opinion)

5-6m for an England international? He is a young, skilful, in-demand player who has done well at club, european and international level. And as a yardstick, if United pay £17m for Carrick then Hargreaves is there or thereabouts.

[all_funkt_up]

Robbie Fowler is ready to snub a move to Leicester after agreeing to join Cardiff. (Daily Star)

Get in there Robbie lad!! Think he'll do well there like. Always been a big fan of Davey Jones.

Marlon Harewood became Aston Villa's second summer signing after manager Martin O'Neill hijacked his move to Wigan. (Various)

Marlon Harewood - hot property

Manchester United will defy the Premier League and push ahead with the signing of Carlos Tevez this week. (Daily Star)

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has rocked the club by admitting he could leave Stamford Bridge. (The Sun)

The Blues have admitted they are in no rush to sign up Frank Lampard, John Terry and Arjen Robben. (Various)

Real Madrid have claimed they will sign Robben within the next 48 hours. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester City manager Sven-Goran Eriksson is keen to land Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic. (Daily Mirror)

Spurs are closing in on the £12m signing of Chelsea winger Shaun Wright-Phillips. (Daily Mirror)

Bulgarian winger Martin Petrov will be Spurs' priority signing this summer. (The Independent)

Manchester United defender Gabriel Heinze was given a clause in his contract allowing him to leave for £6m. (Daily Mirror)

Andy Cole has been told he can leave Portsmouth for free - with Hull leading the chase for his signature. (Daily Mirror)

West Ham have made an audacious move to sign Bayern Munich striker Roque Santa Cruz from under the noses of Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)

Derby are in talks to sign Portsmouth defender Andy Griffin. (Daily Mail)

Pompey boss Harry Redknapp has ordered Kanu to decide his future by Friday or face being shown the door. (Daily Star)

Motherwell boss Mark McGhee has stepped up his bid to sign Celtic's Adam Virgo and Leicester's Stephen Hughes. (Daily Record)