Big spending Manchester City are set to make a beat-the-deadline £20m offer for Real Madrid midfielder Fernando Gago.
Gago’s agent Marcello Lombilla says City have been in touch and made it clear they are still in the hunt for the Argentinian midielder.
Lombilla said: “Manchester City will present a formal offer to Real Madrid on Monday and then the decision is up to Real Madrid and we are awaiting an answer.”
City boss Roberto Mancini has already had one £17m offer turned down but is still keen to strengthen his midfield before the window shuts.
Real Madrid insist they do not want to sell but mega-rich City have got money to spend and are hoping one last try may persuade Real Madrid to sell.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, director Jorge Valdano and sporting director Miguel Pardez are set to discuss whether to sell if City follow through and make a last minute offer.
City also want to seal a £6million deal for Middlesbrough winger Adam Johnson today - and beat Chelsea to his in-demand signature.
City wheeler-dealer Brian Marwood is close to winning the race as Boro lose their grip on the home-grown starlet who has told them he is keen to speak to City despite some major rival interest.
Johnson is seen as a pacey wide man who could even make Roberto Mancini's side - and the youngster is interested in taking his chances and picking up a monster contract.
Boro hoped to do a deal with a club to sell Johnson now and loan him back - or agree a fee and then sign him in the summer. Chelsea were keen on that arrangement.
However City have demanded that they get their target now and talks over the size of the fee went on yesterday. Johnson has made it plain that he will not be staying and would prefer to take his Premier League chance now.
Johnson wants to have the final say in his destination and pals say he fancies City above all other clubs. Sunderland were favourites for him but their alarming dip in form has undermined their chances.
Chelsea are the main rivals for Johnson's signature, but the fact that they were willing to send him back to Boro on loan has not sent out the right signals to the player.
Boro will use the cash to give Gordon Strachan funds for a couple of players before the window shuts. He wants to sign Striker Scott McDonald from Celtic and is also chasing Bolton centre half Danny Shittu.
Strachan is also making a desperate deadline bid to snatch Kyle Naughton from Tottenham on loan
Mancini has completed the signing of McDonald Mariga from Parma.
The Kenyan midfielder is joining Manchester City in a £7million package, which involves Valeri Bojinov making his loan move to Parma permanent.
or maybe not ...
Manchester City's pursuit of Argentinian midfielder Fernando Gago has all but ended, according to Spanish daily newspaper AS.
It is understood that Manchester City had bid 15 million Euros for the 23 year-old, which Real Madrid rejected. Gago himself had been determined to leave the Bernebeu after struggling for first team opportunities this season, managing only seven appearances.
According to AS, Real Madrid have firmly told Manchester City that unless they make a quite extraordinary offer, Gago is not for sale, as they believe that his exit would leave them short of options.
Wayne Bridge will have showdown talks over his England future this week.
England boss Fabio Capello’s assistant Franco Baldini intends to talk to Bridge after details of John Terry’s affair with his former team-mate’s affair emerged.
England captain Terry is coming under increasing pressure to stand down after it was revealed he had an affair with Bridge’s former partner, Vanessa Perroncel.
Baldini and Capello want to discover Bridge’s state of mind and whether Terry’s affair could cause a rift in the dressing room, and the talks could go a long way to deciding whether the captain can carry on.
That is their biggest concern ahead of this summer’s World Cup finals as Bridge is widely expected to be England’s back-up left-back to Ashley Cole.
Capello is still in Italy recovering after a knee replacement operation but Baldini is in England and both are monitoring developments closely after more revelations about Terry’s affair emerged over the weekend.
They were a source of more embarrassment to the FA's top brass who want the captain to be a good role model, and there is pressure on Capello to remove Terry as captain.
But the FA insisted publicly yesterday that it would not make any comment and the matter and any decision over the captaincy was down to Capello.
Terry was last night boosted by Carlo Ancelotti's unflinching support as the Chelsea boss claimed: "I'm honoured and proud to manage him."
Ancelotti[/i] could not be more resolute in his backing for his captain in the wake of the sensational revelations about his affair with England colleague Bridge's
ex-partner.
The Italian insisted that everyone at Stamford Bridge was behind Terry and dismissed any suggestion that some players were upset by his conduct.
"John has his private life and he has to control his private life," he said. "I have to control my team. He is a player in my team. He is the captain of this team and I am honoured and very proud to manage John Terry.
"He's the captain and he will be the captain. The players have never lost trust in him.
"I think not only the players, but the management and everyone at the club support him and his family."
Ancelotti sees no reason to take Terry out of the firing line and says the England skipper will lead the Blues out at Hull tomorrow when he will be under intense scrutiny again.
He insists it is business as usual at Chelsea and feels he does not need to speak to Terry about what has happened.
Ancelotti knows how vital Terry is to Chelsea's pursuit of honours and hailed his late winner at Burnley as "the most important goal of the season".
"He will play on Tuesday at Hull," he said. "He's a fantastic player. Every game he plays, he plays very well for us.
"You saw that against Burnley. It was a difficult game, even more difficult in the second half. He was very important and scored a very important goal for us.
"It was a fantastic goal, which maybe could be the most important goal of the season."
Manchester City left-back Bridge is said to be “in bits" over the affair between his ex-partner and one of his closest friends and it has divided players and opinion at England level.
But it is understood that the Chelsea players confronted Terry about the affair last Monday as details leaked out before the press injunction was lifted.
Terry is believed to have denied the affair at first to his team-mates but even now, while his team-mates say he is “out of order”, he still has the support of the Chelsea dressing room.
It could potentially be more of an issue at international level with Bridge considering his England future, although he is waiting to see how the dust settles in the next few days.
WAG OF THE DAY - Ariadne Artiles
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But Manchester United, Blackburn Rovers, Chelsea and Wolves have also expressed an interest in 22-year-old Johnson. The Times
Fulham are keen to seal a loan deal for Aston Villa defender Nicky Shorey. Sky Sports
Stoke City are to renew their interest in keeper David James after failing to complete a £3m deal for his Portsmouth team-mate Asmir Begovic. Daily Mirror
Or Tottenham are keen on Pompey's James after Stoke hijacked their attempts to sign keeper Begovic. Daily Mail
Spurs striker Roman Pavlyuchenko has pleaded with the London club to sell him to ambitious Birmingham City. Daily Mirror
Birmingham boss Alex McLeish will turn to FC Red Bull Salzburg striker Marc Janko after moves for Pavlyuchenko and Portsmouth's Aruna Dindane stalled. Daily Mail
Tottenham and Scotland defender Alan Hutton will sign for Sunderland as Black Cats manager Steve Bruce seeks a breakthrough in solving his right-back problems. Daily Mirror
Ipswich manager Roy Keane is set to raid former club Sunderland for striker Daryl Murphy. Daily Mail
West Ham and Tottenham are in talks over striker Robbie Keane. Daily Mirror
The Hammers are also interested in Frederic Piquionne, who is on loan at Portsmouth from Lyons, and Daniele Cacia, of Reggina. The Times
Stoke striker James Beattie is considering a £3m switch to Sunderland after the Black Cats gave up on Robbie Keane and Manchester City forward Benjani. Daily Mail
Leeds are to launch a bid for Blackburn striker Jason Roberts, possibly opening the door for forward Jermaine Beckford to leave Elland Road. Daily Mirror
Wolves are to offer £5m to Hull for midfielder Stephen Hunt and are keen to take Everton striker James Vaughan on loan. Daily Mail
Blackburn themselves are to make a late loan move for Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane, who plays for Lens. Daily Mirror
Hull trio, winger Peter Halmosi, utility player Kevin Kilbane and midfielder Bryan Hughes are all set to leave the KC Stadium on Monday. Daily Mail
High-flying championship side Nottingham Forest have tabled a £2m bid for Swansea midfielder Darren Pratley. Daily Mirror
Rangers boss Water Smith wants to sign Bolton's Nigerian centre-half Danny Shittu on a free transfer. Daily Mirror
Chelsea defender John Terry is on the verge of quitting his position as England captain following the weekend revelations about his private life.
More later ...
