EPL Gossip Wednesday November 4th
Birmingham manager Alex McLeish will return to his former club Rangers to sign £3m-rated midfielder Steven Davis and striker Kris Boyd, who could be available for £1m. Daily Mirror
Considering the mess Rangers are in, Alex McLeish could do worst than pick off some players from his former team. With the fact Birmingham has trouble scoring this year plus Kris Boyd being out of contract in the summer a move south does make sense.
Portsmouth are battling Birmingham and Ipswich to sign Benfica defender Miguel Vitor in January. Daily Mirror
Benfica is not going to sell Miguel Vitor to any of those teams. A loan? perhaps but even that is unlikely.
Fulham manager Roy Hodgson has joined Real Madrid and Everton in the chase for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson – and could start the bidding war with a £3m offer. The Sun
Some bidding war with that £3m offer. I’m sure that would scare away Real Madrid.
Fulham hope to sign Roma’s former Liverpool defender John Arne Riise for £3m in January to team him up with his younger brother, midfielder Bjorn Helge, who is already at Craven Cottage. Daily Express
It appears Fulham’s transfer budget is £3m.
Blackburn are willing to sell striker Benni McCarthy in January but will not allow him to join any of their relegation rivals in the Premier League or move anywhere on a loan deal. The Sun
Unlikely a top half of the table team will want McCarthy. Not even with Chelsea losing players in January, its doubtful they would make a move for the moody McCarthy.
Former Liverpool and England winger John Barnes, who was sacked by Tranmere Rovers in October after only four months in charge, is close to being appointed the new national boss of Rwanda. Daily Mirror
How much does this gig pay is what I’m curious to know?
West Ham may have to pay former manager Alan Curbishley £4m after he won his case for constructive dismissal over his departure from Upton Park in September 2008. The Sun
Curbishley will land a £2.2m pay-off from West Ham, who could be forced to sell players in January to afford the pay out. (Daily Express)
The Hammers will have to pay Curbishley a year’s salary – a basic of about £1m – plus legal costs running into hundreds of thousands of pounds. Daily Telegraph
Good for Curbishley as West Ham did just about everything to push him out the door. A contract is a contract.
Hull City are lining up Curbishley as a replacement for under-fire boss Phil Brown, who could be sacked if the Tigers lose at home to Stoke on Sunday. Daily Mirror
Alan Curbishley does have a long history of keeping clubs like Charlton in the top division.
Arsenal fans fear for the future of their club after Stan Kroenke increased his stakeholding in the Gunners.
Full story: The Times
Kroenke has no immediate plans to try to seize control of the Arsenal boardroom with a full takeover bid.
Full story: The Independent
Must be like water torture seeing how this Arsenal ownership saga is playing out.
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard was “devastated” when Xabi Alonso left Liverpool and admits the Reds have missed the Spaniard. (Four Four Two)
According to rumours last week Gerrard always has the option to link up with Alonso at Real Madrid next season.
Everton midfielder Mikel Arteta has had another setback in his recovery from a cruciate knee injury and could remain sidelined until the new year. (Various)
Miss watching him play. Great player.