There Is Only One Sinnacle

I realized most of you came for the site for the EPL Gossip (hell, it was all I posted about for a period of time.) As I got bored of posting the same thing day after day I figured doing a best of look back is the best way to meet in the middle so let’s make this a Sunday tradition shall we?

Monday

Blackburn Rovers will hand manager Steve Kean a January transfer kitty of £10m as the Ewood Park club try and buy their way out of relegation trouble. Full story: Daily Mirror

They could give Kean 100 million and it wouldn’t matter. Any decent player of some quality isn’t going to Blackburn to play for a know nothing coach like Steve Kean. Beating a promoted club at home yesterday doesn’t change the facts. Well aside from Everton screwed up letting Yakubu go.

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas has denied John Terry got himself deliberately booked against Wolves, meaning he misses the Carling Cup clash with Liverpool rather than a crucial Premier League game. Full story: the Sun

Why are these things even an issue? For example is Xabi Alonso got his yellow card last week to miss the Sporting Gijon match instead of the Barcelona match it’s just smart.

Tuesday

Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel says he is happy to remain in Portugal despite rumoured interest from Manchester United and Chelsea. Full story: Manchester Evening News

Good player but he isn’t ready yet. Ricky van Wolfswinkel should stay in Portugal and enjoy his football for another year before moving on.

Arsenal scouts are watching Cologne and Germany striker Lukas Podolski, who could be available for £20m as he is out of contract in 2013. Full story: Daily Mirror

I’d take the chance and cut the cheque for Podolski who scores goals for fun with Germany but has never repeated that form at club level.

Morocco international striker Marouane Chamakh could soon be leaving Arsenal as Paris St Germain are understood to be readying a £10m transfer bid. Full story: Metro

I still like Chamakh who is a bad fit for Arsenal and when you are a free transfer clubs aren’t going to go out of their way to give a player a second chance.

Wednesday

Liverpool are planning a £12m move for Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Jadson. Full story: Caughtoffside

I don’t think Shakhtar picks up the phone for a 12 million dollar offer to Jadson.

Italian giants Inter Milan are prepared to pay a huge asking price to beat Liverpool and Arsenal to the signing of Lille midfielder Eden Hazard. Full story: talkSPORT

Inter are a club who badly needs a shake up and signing Eden Hazard would go along way to do that.

Manager Sir Alex Ferguson says fielding Manchester United’s kids in the Carling Cup can help him find the next David Beckham. Full story: Daily Mirror

That didn’t turn out too well for United who were flat against Crystal Palace.

Thursday

Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp is gearing up for a January double swoop for Blackburn midfielder Junior Hoilett and Chelsea’s out-of-favour striker Nicolas Anelka. Full story: Metro

Love how the papers link Tottenham to ever Chelsea cast off but Junior Hoilett would be the one I look at if I’m Harry Redknapp.

Senegal striker Moussa Sow has issued a come-and-get-me plea to Arsenal. The 25-year-old has scored 29 goals in 48 league games for Lille since joining from Rennes 18 months ago. Full story: the Sun

Arsenal are saying we should of got you as a free transfer.

Lucho Gonzalez’s agent has put Premier League clubs on red alert after expressing the Argentine midfielder’s desire to leave Marseille. Full story: the Sun

Everyone knows I love Lucho Gonzalez. I hope he does move on to England.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is lining up a £30m January move for Borussia Dortmund’s 19-year-old Germany international Mario Gotze. Full story: Daily Mirror

For Arsenal’s sake I’d love to see it happen but I don’t think it will until the summer.

Spurs face competition from Barcelona for Sporting Lisbon star Joao Pereira, 27. Full story: talkSPORT

Smart of Joao Pereira agent to put a 7 million dollar release clause in his contract. Dumb of Sporting to agree to it.

Sources on Wearside suggest Mark Hughes is travelling up to the North East for an interview today following the departure of Steve Bruce. Full story: Sunderland Echo

But Blackpool and former Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips has backed Martin O’Neill to succeed Bruce, claiming he would be a great acquisition for the club. Full story: talkSPORT

Has someone asked Martin O’Neill how was it like being out of football for 18 months after quitting Aston Villa only to come back to a club with the same or even less level of talent?

Carlo Ancelotti, sacked by Chelsea at the end of last season, says the club’s “old” players are to blame for their run of bad results, not his successor Andre Villas-Boas. Full story: Daily Mirror

Carlo Ancelotti is class, he didn’t have to do that and it would of been easy to throw dirt on Andre Villas Boas.

LA Galaxy soccer coach Bruce Arena has revealed that President Barack Obama called him in the early hours of the morning on their tour of Indonesia to congratulate him on winning the MLS Cup. Obama spent several years growing up in Indonesian capital Jakarta and has cited it as giving him an appreciation of the beautiful game.
Full story: USA Today

If someone told me that the President of the United States was on the line I would automatically assume they were joking.

Friday

Aston Villa are closing in on a deal for Nice striker Yannick Djalo. The 25-year-old is available on a free transfer after Fifa refused to ratify his transfer from Sporting Lisbon in August, leaving him unable to play for the French side.
Full story: the Guardian

Alex Mcleish is the worst EPL manager since Gary Megson. Aston Villa will be the place where strikers go to die.

Sunday (didn’t like anything on Saturday)

Chelsea may offer England midfielder Frank Lampard to Tottenham as part of a deal to bring Luka Modric to Stamford Bridge. Full story: Sunday Mirror

Oh yes I’m sure an old Frank Lampard is going to be the tipping point in Tottenham selling Modric.

Newcastle United goalkeeper Tim Krul has emerged as a surprise January transfer target for Spurs. The Netherlands international has impressed Tottenham boss Harry Redknapp this season.
Full story: Metro

You really can make the case that Tim Krul has been the best goalie this year in England.

Chelsea boss Andre Villas-Boas has confirmed that the club have accepted transfer requests from defender Alex and striker Nicolas Anelka. Full story: London’s Evening Standard

Liverpool are considering making a move to re-sign Anelka in January. The Frenchman could be available for as little as £4m. Full story: caughtoffside.com

Not a chance Chelsea sells Anelka to another English club.

Liverpool are ready to battle Manchester United, AC Milan and Juventus for Borussia Dortmund’s 22-year-old midfielder Shinji Kagawa. Full story: talkSPORT

Last year’s darlings, Borussia Dortmund isn’t having the same success this year which could means tar players like Kagawa may look elsewhere.

West Ham pair Frederic Piquionne and Herita Ilunga are set to join Dean Saunders at Doncaster Rovers in a loan deal. Full story: Daily Mirror

From Lyon to Doncaster, I don’t think this is how Piquionne planned out his career.

Arsenal are thought to be monitoring the progress of one of their former academy players, 17-year old Watford defender Tommie Hoban, who is also wanted by Manchester City. Full story: FootyLatest

A 17 year old player is exactly what Arsenal should be looking at right now!

Tottenham winger Gareth Bale thinks the sale of Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri has caused serious damage to Arsenal’s hopes of finishing in the top four. Full story: Daily Telegraph

Even with those two players Arsenal may not have cracked the top four. Without them not a chance.

Former Arsenal stalwart Martin Keown has defended manager Arsene Wenger, who was described as “two-bob” by Clive Allen for allegedly refusing to shake the Spurs development coach’s hand.
Full story: talkSPORT

However, Keown says Wenger should have been better prepared for the departures of key midfielders Cesc Fabregas and Samir Nasri. Full story: talkSPORT

Not even former Arsenal players can defend how badly Wenger screwed up the Fabregas and Nasri signings.

Sunderland manager Steve Bruce has been told he still has a long-term future at the club despite Niall Quinn stepping down as chairman. Full story: Daily Mirror

As Glenn Frey would say, the heat is on.

Fulham boss Martin Jol is facing a dressing-room backlash after several of his squad were furious that Pajtim Kasami was fined £500 for missing a penalty. Jol punished the midfielder for taking the spot-kick in Fulham’s Carling Cup defeat at Chelsea on 21 September – because Orlando Sa was the designated taker.
Full story: the Sun

After their 6-0 win Fulham players should be mad more often.

According to reports, Manchester City will be offered German international midfielder Sami Khedira plus cash by Real Madrid in exchange for Carlos Tevez. Full story: Footybunker

Love how the media pairs up a player who may be in the doghouse for getting a red card in Khedira and a player who is in the doghouse in Tevez for a transfer. It’s most like Tevez would start week in and week out for Real Madrid and we all know how he is when not playing.

Under-fire Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is reportedly planning a move for Ajax pair Jan Vertonghen and Christian Eriksen in the January transfer window. Full story: Caughtoffside

If it keeps going like this both players are going to want to prefer staying at Ajax.

Barcelona boss Pep Guardiola is rumoured to be monitoring Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny.
Full story: Caughtoffside

Sure he is

Bolton are tracking Bordeaux striker Cheick Diabate and could make a move for the 23-year-old Mali international in January. Full story: Inside Futbol

A striker isn’t Bolton’s problem right now. That team is a mess.

Spurs playmaker Luka Modric is reportedly close to signing a six-figure weekly pay deal to keep him at the club until at least 2015. Full story: Footybunker

The raise is nice but Modric would be dumb not having a release clause in his contract.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger was branded “two bob” by Tottenham coach Clive Allen following Spurs 2-1 win in the north London derby on Sunday. Allen claims Wenger “refused to shake his hand”, before adding: “He says he didn’t see me or hear me, but he’s two bob he is, two bob.” Full story: Daily Star

I don’t know what a two bob is and I’m too lazy too look it up. I do like how Wenger replied with how many hands am I suppose to shake after shaking hands with Redknapp and Joe Jordan.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger believes the Gunners will emerge from their poor start to the season as a stronger team. Full story: talkSPORT

When Wenger leaves maybe.

Chelsea look set to beat Arsenal and Tottenham to the signature of Bolton and England defender Gary Cahill in the January transfer window. Full story: Metro

I’m sure David Luiz is thrilled at this news.

Manchester United and Arsenal summer transfer target, winger Michel Bastos, has signed a new contract with Ligue 1 side Lyon. Full story: talkSPORT

Talk about quite a turn around for a player who was pretty much out the door in the summer.

Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid are rumoured to be planning a January transfer swoop for suspended Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez. Full story: Caught offside

Hey, everyone loves a sale.

Liverpool and Serie A club Juventus look set to go head-to-head to sign Lyon and France defender Aly Cissokho. Full story: talkSPORT

I don’t see this happening for Liverpool.

Arsenal are keeping an eye on CSKA Moscow striker Wagner Love with a view to making a move for the Brazilian as soon as January. Full story: Footylatest.com

High maintaince striker but one who scores goals.

Tottenham will have to battle it out with AC Milan and Rubin Kazan if they want to continue in their pursuit of Sevilla striker Alvaro Negredo . Full story: talkSPORT

Great player, would be perfect for the English game but don’t see Negredo moving anywhere.

Liverpool may rival Tottenham for the signature of Brazilian striker Leandro Damiao who is in rich goalscoring form for Internacional. Full story: Goal.com

Clubs would also need to be rich to sign Damiao. Tottenham big problem is the fact that kids in Brazil don’t exactly dream about playing for Tottenham. That and the fact they would have to break the bank to sign him.

Arsenal face going head-to-head with Real Madrid next summer over teenage Lille forward Eden Hazard. Full story: Daily Mirror

If this rumour was based on fact I really wonder who would win out?

Midfielder Luka Modric is reportedly ready to give up his dream of joining Chelsea or Manchester United and sign a lucrative new £100,000-a-week contract with Tottenham. Full story: Metro

Modric should learn from last time and put a release clause in any new contract.

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has tried to play down fears over skipper Robin Van Persie’s contract situation, but hinted the Dutchman is stalling over signing a new deal. Full story: Metro

Can’t blame Van Persie. When you look around and see every world class player leave its not a good sign.

Inter Milan could swoop to sign Liverpool midfielder Dirk Kuyt in the January transfer window.
Full story: Caught Offside

Another reason the Andy Carroll signing bugs me. It’s not helping Dirk Kuyt get off the bench. If I was Fernando Torres I would tear a strip off the British press by now. They go on and on about Torres being a bust but rarely a world is said about Andy Carroll not exactly lighting up the scorecard for Liverpool.

Arsenal are considering a bid for two teenagers – Croatian midfielder Mateo Kovacic who is at Dynamo Zagreb and Caen attacker M’Baye Niang – in a bid to bolster Arsene Wenger’s squad. Full story: Footybunker

I’m sure this will convince R.V.P to sign a new deal.

Former Manchester City player Gary Owen has slammed the behaviour of striker Carlos Tevez after the Argentine seemingly refused to come on as a substitute in the Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich.
Full story: talkSPORT

Oh yes the Tevez saga. I love going against public opinion, I’m just one of those people but in no way can I condone what Tevez did. How stupid and selfish can one person be. This Carlos Tevez saga will not end well both personally and professional. All Tevez really had to do is fake some back pain but no he pulls this dumb stunt off. In the end it will cost him 400k in wages since I’m sure the two week fine will be enforced. That’s a lot of money for a kid who grew up in the ghetto to throw away. He is a moron plain and simple. Forget about sending ill timed e-mails, Manchester City’s Garry Cook should of been fired for signing Tevez. Manchester City should in fact look for some way to get their money back cause Tevez has killed any value he has in the transfer market.

Serie A giants AC Milan are targeting a move for Tottenham playmaker Rafael van der Vaart.
Full story: talkSPORT

I can’t see it myself but van der Vaart is the type of player who would kill it in Serie A.

Inter Milan winger Ricky Alvarez, who Arsenal missed out on in the summer, could be set for a loan move to the Gunners in January. Full story: Metro

Why would Arsenal take a young player on loan only to give him back the next season? Which no sense for them.

Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is rumoured to be a transfer target for Russian side Lokomotiv Moscow. Full story: Inside Futbol

Isn’t he always?

Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam says that captain Steven Gerrard’s Reds return cannot come soon enough. Full story: Daily Mirror

Esp with the red card Adam took on the weekend.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has reportedly ordered manager Andre Villas-Boas to field the club’s youngsters in the Carling Cup match against Fulham on Wednesday.
Full story: Daily Mirror

It’s safe to say Villas-Boas was going to do this regardless.

Owen Hargreaves has tried to prove he is fit for his Manchester City debut by clattering striker Carlos Tevez in a training match. Full story: Daily Mirror

Roughing up Carlos Tevez must of made the gaffer happy.

Arsene Wenger has insisted he wants to stay at Premier League club Arsenal for another 14 years.
Full story: talkSPORT

That would make it an even 20 years without a title so I can see why Wenger would like to stay on for that long.

Mega-rich Russian outfit Anzhi Makhachkala are set to raid the Premier League for England midfielders Frank Lampard and Steven Gerrard. The club, who recently made Samuel Eto’o the world’s highest-paid player, are reportedly prepared to hand the pair two-year contracts worth £13m a season. Full story: Metro

It seems like Anzhi Makhachkala has never seen Gerrard and Lampard misfire for England when playing together.

Brazilian striker Neymar, 19, is to become the fourth most expensive player of all time after Real Madrid agreed a £53m fee for the Santos striker. Full story: Daily Mail

Who knows what is happening with Neymar but Angel Di Maria won’t be pleased if this move happens.

Chelsea are keeping a watching brief on Borussia Dortmund’s German midfielder Ilkay Gundogan and Serbian defender Neven Subotic, although they are not expected to make a move when the transfer window opens in January. Full story: Footybunker

Dortmund not exactly repeating their Championship form of last season. Nice of them to lose 2-1 when they were up 1-0 with less than 10 minutes left.

Angry Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has warned that their whole season is now in danger unless they learn from the loss at Blackburn. Full story: Daily Mirror

Damage was done in the summer. Europa League for Arsenal going forward.

Manchester United will pay out a record £5m in bonuses to more than 500 Old Trafford staff. The Glazer family, who own the club, wrote to employees to tell them they are all in line for a 7.9 per cent bonus on their annual salary in recognition of the club’s success. Full story: Daily Mail

Nice move on the part of the Americans.

Bayern Munich are set to make a move to sign Chelsea winger Florent Malouda in January.
Full story: talkSPORT

We all know Chelsea has no plans to sell players mid season. Malouda may not be playing much now but you never know when they may need him.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has played in a practice match and could make his Reds comeback after seven months out this weekend. Full story: Daily Mirror

It will be interesting to see how Gerrard adapts to the peaking order at Liverpool. It he excepts the club to revolve around him Liverpool are in trouble. Despite the loss on the weekend Liverpool has a nice balance right now.

Manchester United manager Alex Ferguson admits it is agony for him to keep not picking striker Dimitar Berbatov. Full story: Daily Mirror

The funny thing is I’m pretty sure Berbatov seems to be ok with it. Provided the cheque comes in all is good.

Wigan players have been reportedly left unable to train after thieves stole four sacks containing 48 footballs from their training ground. Full story: Daily Mirror

Doesn’t the owner of Wigan on a bunch of Sporting good stores? How could they not run into a ship and get some balls.

*I’m rich, handsome and a great player – Cristiano Ronaldo

Before I get into it good on Ronaldo for saying the truth even if it fans the flames. I quite enjoyed him saying that. For the most part he is bang on, really all you can add is that Ronaldo is rich, handsome, a great player and arrogant.

Everton boss David Moyes has conceded he may be forced to sell Marouane Fellaini if the star midfielder refuses to sign a new contract. Full story: Daily Mirror

Fellaini is good but he isn’t that good. I can’t see a top four team as an example being too interested in Fellaini.

AC Milan are lining up a surprise swap deal with Chelsea involving Fernando Torres and Robinho.
Full story: talkSPORT

Torres stock has sunk in the last year but it still isn’t at Robinho’s level.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is weighing up a move for two more Brazilian starlets.
Full story: talkSPORT

Thanks talksport for telling me who these Brazilians are.

Sir Alex Ferguson reacted angrily to questions asked by Kelly Cates – the daughter of Kenny Dalglish – during a television interview. The United manager was put on the spot about his decision to play Anders Lindegaard instead of David de Gea. Full story: Daily Mail

I’d be annoyed too if I was Sir Alex. The Champions League group stage is a walk thru for United so it’s a perfect time to throw Lindegaard into the fire. Good on Benfica to walk away with a point.

Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea are on high alert after hearing Fiorentina forward Stevan Jovetic has delayed signing a new contract with the club. Full story: Caught Offside

Fiorentina should be the one on high alert as they will want to lock Jovetic down to a new contract.

Arsenal target Marvin Martin has signed a new deal with French side Sochaux, but revealed he has an end of season get-out clause, which could finally pave his move to the Gunners. Full story: Metro

Smart move by Martin’s agent.

Tottenham face a battle with AC Milan to clinch the signing of Sporting Lisbon defender Joao Pereira. Full story: talkSPORT

Good for Pereira, last year he breaks into the national team set up and this year the likes of AC Milan are eyeing him.

Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo has refused to rule out a move to big-spending Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala in the future. Full story: talkSPORT

And why would he considering all the money Samuel Eto’o is getting. I’d be sweating bullets on every plane ride however.

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has ruled out a move for wantaway Manchester City defender Wayne Bridge. Full story: talkSPORT

It’s not like Wayne Bridge helped them out last season.

Barcelona are rumoured to be keen on Chelsea defender David Luiz as Pep Guardiola looks to freshen up his defence and, according to some Spanish sources, is a big admirer of Liverpool striker Luis Suarez. Full story: Caught Offside

Strikers would be jealous of the goal David Luiz scored yesterday.

Liverpool’s director of football Damien Comolli has hit back at Raul Meireles, claiming the club were forced to sell because he did not want to play for them – just like Fernando Torres.
Full story: Metro

Everyone move on. At the end of the day Liverpool didn’t owe Meireles anything but if he stayed he wasn’t going to play a great deal. With Euro 2012 coming up that means he had to get out of there.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger claims mega-rich clubs like Man City, Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid have the power to poach whatever players they want, and as a result are playing a significant role in the downfall of European football. Full story: Metro

Says the man who goes to the Barcelona day care centre trying to sign young players for free.