Thursday's B*ll*x

[Chinners]

Edin Dzeko will cost £38m: Wolfsburg try to fend off Manchester City - so Fernando Torres is in their sights
Manchester City’s efforts to bolster their Barclays Premier League title hopes by signing striker Edin Dzeko have been rocked by a stunning £38million price tag.
City manager Roberto Mancini has identified the Wolfsburg star as the man he wants in the January window but Sportsmail understands that the Bundesliga club have already set the asking price prohibitively high.
City continue to monitor Fernando Torres’ situation at Liverpool and no longer believe the Spaniard to be an unrealistic target should they fail to land Dzeko.
Sources in Germany said last night Wolfsburg are keen to hang on to the Bosnia striker, 24, as they try to turn around a dismal first season for manager Steve McClaren.
Dzeko scored last night in a 3-1 cup defeat by Energie Cottbus that left former England manager McClaren days away from losing his job.
City’s transfer record stands at £32.5m, paid for Robinho in 2008. However, Mancini has told his chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak that Dzeko could be the difference between finishing first and fourth in the Premier League this season.
Wolfsburg, owned by car manufacturers Volkswagen, have no financial compulsion to sell, but City’s chief negotiator Brian Marwood will hope the German club are calling their bluff and a more realistic price can be agreed for a player who has already expressed in writing a desire to join City.
The English club will not pay £38m as they look to lower their spending and wage bill ahead of the introduction of FIFA Fair Play rules.
Sources in Germany have stressed Dzeko is increasingly unhappy, and McClaren said yesterday: ‘We are hopeful that Edin remains. He is a world-class striker, but we are in the football business and nothing is 100 per cent sure.’
Dzeko said yesterday: ‘I have never tried to force a transfer this winter. Wolfsburg will decide. It is unlikely I will leave this January.’
Mancini is keen for a target man to ease the load on captain and top scorer Carlos Tevez as well as giving City more tactical options.
He knows he cannot yet rely on the temperamental Mario Balotelli, who is struggling to adapt to life in England. Balotelli, 20, is likely to be on the bench at Newcastle on Boxing Day.
Mancini’s interest in Torres has been strong for some time. Only now, though, are City beginning to suspect that Liverpool may contemplate a deal, despite them saying in public that Torres is not for sale.

Hamburg are ready to offer Manchester City striker Jo an escape route out of Eastlands.
The £18million signing from CSKA Moscow has spent time on loan at Everton and Galatasaray and is still on the periphery under Roberto Mancini.
But his performances in the Europa League have persuaded Hamburg to take a gamble on him.
City are continuing to show interest in Espanyol defender Victor Ruiz and so certain are the Spanish side of an offer that they are looking to recruit a new left-sided centre half.

OTHER BOLLOX
Nicolas Anelka's brother and agent has claimed the striker could move to the United States when his Chelsea contract expires in 2012. Daily Star

President of Brazilian side Gremio, Paulo Odone, claims the club has agreed terms with AC Milan star Ronaldinho.
Full story: ESPNsoccernet

Newcastle's Joey Barton has played down suggestions that he could leave the club by insisting he wants to stay at St James' Park for the rest of his career. Daily Telegraph

Meanwhile, Barton's team-mate Steven Taylor has hailed the appointment of Alan Pardew, stating the new manager's arrival could hold the key to his own future at the club. Daily Star

Liverpool have joined Fulham and Arsenal in the race for the highly rated Southampton youngster Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain. Daily Mail

But Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson has opened the door for Milan Jovanovic to leave Anfield. talkSPORT

Everton are in a battle with Aston Villa to sign Middlesbrough defender David Wheater. Dail Mail

Former Arsenal striker Julio Baptista could be in line for a north London return after he revealed he has received an offer from Tottenham. talkSPORT

Howard Webb has revealed he would be in favour of goal-line technology, claiming most of his fellow referees would welcome its introduction. The Mirror

David Bernstein has vowed to rebuild bridges with FIFA once he takes up his role as the chairman of the FA. talkSPORT

Jamie Carragher is set to join England's coaching set-up after being earmarked by the FA as a potential national manager. Daily Star

But former Culture Minister and Sports Secretary Richard Caborn has criticised England's failed 2018 World Cup bid and laid the blame firmly at the door of the FA. talkSPORT

Manchester United striker Michael Owen has declared himself fit for the club's Christmas fixtures. The Mirror

Roy Hodgson has dismissed Rafael Benitez as a threat to his job and insisted the Spaniard's return to Merseyside has not placed him under any extra pressure. Daily Mail

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard will return to action against Blackpool on Boxing Day after manager Roy Hodgson confirmed he is now fit.The Mirror

Crystal Palace are set to sack manager George Burley as fear of relegation grips owners Steve Parish and Martin Long. Daily Mail

Pep Guardiola can be Barcelona's coach for years to come and rival the Manchester United tenure of Sir Alex Ferguson, according to the Catalan club's president Sandro Rosell. The Mirror

[john@staustell]

I prefer the Tolmie's Hairdo version that Dzeko is a done deal.

And why would Jo want 'an escape route...'? Mystifyingly he keeps getting a game!

[nick (duki blues)]

Heres one that SSN are reporting this morning http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... t-Kompany/

[superkev8705]

AC MILAN are plotting to take advantage of the uncertainty at Manchester City with a move for Vincent Kompany.

Hahaha. What uncertainty are they on about!! Stopped reading after that. Let me guess, they want him on loan then will try to make a snidy 5 mil pound bid for him in summer

[Beefymcfc]

Heres one that SSN are reporting this morning http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... t-Kompany/

That Bollox is definately worth pasting in here.

AC MILAN AFTER VINCENT KOMPANY

AC MILAN are plotting to take advantage of the uncertainty at Manchester City with a move for Vincent Kompany.

The Italians feel Kompany is unsettled by the fall-out from the Carlos Tevez saga and the constant infighting at Eastlands.

The Belgium star is on wages Milan can’t match after signing a bumper new five-year contract in October 2009.

But they CAN offer him Champions League football and a shot at the Serie A title this season in Italy, where they are currently top of the pile.

Kompany has played in the Europa League this season, but would still be eligible to play for Milan against Tottenham in the last 16 of the Champions League if he switched clubs.

Vice-president Adriano Galliano is willing to offer players in part-exchange to make the deal happen, with Milan misfit Ronaldinho among them.

The Brazil striker is surplus to requirements at the San Siro with Antonio Cassano set to join the club from Sampdoria next month.

But City are playing hardball because they do not want Kompany to leave – and are not interested in Ronaldinho, who has endured a nightmare season in Italy.

Milan want Kompany because of injury fears over central defensive duo Thiago

[MaineRoadMemories]

'Tis the season for growing big bollox

[Martinez]

Heres one that SSN are reporting this morning http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... t-Kompany/

That Bollox is definately worth pasting in here.

AC MILAN AFTER VINCENT KOMPANY

AC MILAN are plotting to take advantage of the uncertainty at Manchester City with a move for Vincent Kompany.

The Italians feel Kompany is unsettled by the fall-out from the Carlos Tevez saga and the constant infighting at Eastlands.


[highlight]But City are playing hardball because they do not want Kompany to leave – and are not interested in Ronaldinho, who has endured a nightmare season in Italy.[/highlight]
Milan want Kompany because of injury fears over central defensive duo Thiago

Top jounalism, Barcelona is also playing hardball against us over Messi because they do not want him to leave and are not interested in RSC as replacement.

[Beefymcfc]

Heres one that SSN are reporting this morning http://www.dailystar.co.uk/football/vie ... t-Kompany/

That Bollox is definately worth pasting in here.

AC MILAN AFTER VINCENT KOMPANY

AC MILAN are plotting to take advantage of the uncertainty at Manchester City with a move for Vincent Kompany.

The Italians feel Kompany is unsettled by the fall-out from the Carlos Tevez saga and the constant infighting at Eastlands.


[highlight]But City are playing hardball because they do not want Kompany to leave – and are not interested in Ronaldinho, who has endured a nightmare season in Italy.[/highlight]
Milan want Kompany because of injury fears over central defensive duo Thiago

Top jounalism, Barcelona is also playing hardball against us over Messi because they do not want him to leave and are not interested in RSC as replacement.

Ronaldinho has just signed for another club as well, Geronimo.

[Goaters 103]

Tis the season to print any old shite.

So, City would part with their best centre half and one of the top 3 in the Prem, for a washed up no mark to a poverty stricken Italian club that we currently wouldn't sell a dogturd to, and who couldn't afford either the fee Kompany is worth in the real world (about 25m) or his wages. Yeah, right. Its the toilet rag that Woolnough "writes" for so why are we surprised.