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Manchester City May Consider Shock Bid for £20m Rated Premier League StrikerManchester City are apparently showing an interest in Sunderland striker Darren Bent. Roberto Mancini is apparently not too keen on the attacking options he inherited when he took over from Mark Hughes and the likes of Emmanuel Adebayor, Roque Santa Cruz and Craig Bellamy are all in danger of being shipped out as the Italian looks to make the Eastlands squad better resemble a collection of players he himself purchased.
The former Tottenham man has been in sparkling form this season netting 24 goals, half of the Black Cats total for the season and could be set for a place in the England World Cup squad. Steve Bruce’s side haven’t had the best of seasons and if Mancini made a bid of note for the £20m rated striker then there is every chance that Bent would be very interested indeed.
Mancini is also keen to bring in more ‘homegrown’ talents ahead of new Premier League regulations due to be adopted next season and may be worried at the alarming number of foreign talents recently purchased hence his signing of impressive England youngster Adam Johnson in January.
Bent has proven his ability to score on a regular basis in the Premier League and he could well be keen on pushing himself back towards the Champions League picture and may feel that unlikely at the Stadium of Light and no doubt he will have looked on in disappointment to see his former Spurs teammates secure a top four spot this term thinking that he is more than ready and able to play at the highest level. Caughtoffside.com (caughtmakingthingsup.com more like)

CITY TRANSFER BOLLOX THREAD: viewtopic.php?f=119&t=32472

TRANSFER BOLLOX
Chelsea will match Manchester City in the battle for Liverpool's £50m-rated striker Fernando Torres.
the Sun

And Chelsea will make a £20m move to take Tottenham's Croatia midfielder Luka Modric to Stamford Bridge, allowing Portuguese midfielder Deco and out-of-contract winger Joe Cole to leave. Daily Star

Manchester United hope to sign Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema for £25m and could use defender Nemanja Vidic as a £10m makeweight in a deal for the France star. the Sun

But Manchester United will not break their wage cap for Benzema, whose wage demands are almost £200,000 a week. the Independent

Meanwhile, left-back Patrice Evra could leave Manchester United this summer, with Real Madrid and Inter Milan ready to pay £18m for the 28-year-old France international. the Sun

And Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is planning a summer clear-out, with striker Dimitar Berbatov, midfielder Michael Carrick and midfielder Anderson all likely to be shown the door. caughtoffside.com

William Gallas could quit Arsenal on Tuesday if the France defender rejects the club's offer of a new contract. the Sun

Meanwhile, newly promoted German Bundesliga side St Pauli are poised to offer Arsenal defender Sol Campbell a lucrative one-year contract. Daily Mail

Tottenham are considering an £18m bid for Sevilla striker Luis Fabiano as Spurs manager Harry Redknapp targets a world-class forward to boost the club's chances in the Champions League next season. Daily Mail

Tottenham will sign Portsmouth goalkeeper David James on a free transfer this summer. Daily Mirror

Bolton are lining up a £4m bid for Portsmouth defender Nadir Belhadj, 27. the Sun

Blackburn are weighing up a £6.5m move for Bordeaux's Brazil winger Wendel. Daily Mail

Wolves hope to sign Ivory Coast striker Aruna Dindane, 29, for £4m from French side Lens, once he has played in the FA Cup final for Portsmouth, where he is on loan. Daily Mirror

Wolves are also set to pip West Bromwich Albion to the £2m signature of Belgium midfielder Jelle van Damme, who plays for Anderlecht.Daily Mail

Middlesbrough boss Gordon Strachan is ready to make a move for Rangers' Scotland midfielder Kevin Thomson, 25. (Daily Record)

OTHER BOLLOX
Juventus are on the brink of ditching their plans to lure Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez and are turning their attention to Sampdoria coach Luigi Del Neri.
Daily Mail

A Chinese multi-millionaire internet gaming tycoon from Shanghai has held provisional talks about buying Liverpool, although no offer has yet been tabled by Zhu Jun, founder of The9 Ltd.the Independent

Wolfsburg expect to name former England boss Steve McClaren as their new manager. McClaren led FC Twente to the Dutch title this season. (Daily Mail)

Real Mallorca manager Gregorio Manzano is the surprise new candidate to replace Gianfranco Zola at West Ham. Daily Mirror

Former Arsenal defender Tony Adams has agreed a three-year contract to manage Azerbaijan side Qabala FC. (the Guardian)

Hull chairman Adam Pearson will wait a month before appointing a new manager at the club. Iain Dowie had a contract until the end of the season but would like the job on a permanent basis. the Guardian

Coventry, who sacked manager Chris Coleman last week, will make a move to take Paul Hart from Crystal Palace to replace him.Daily Mirror

Chelsea captain John Terry received a single-word text message from former Blues boss Jose Mourinho after winning the Premier League title, it read: "Champagne." (the Guardian)

ENGLAND SQUAD BOLLOX
Chelsea winger Joe Cole is set to be left out of England manager Fabio Capello's preliminary squad of 30 players for this summer's World Cup. Gary Neville, Wes Brown, Joleon Lescott and Scott Parker will also be omitted. Daily Mirror

Manchester City midfielder Gareth Barry will miss the World Cup with ankle ligament damage - thereby possibly leaving the door open for Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves. the Sun

Hargreaves has only played one minute of first-team football in 18 months because of a knee injury so Capello will use England's training camp in Austria to assess the player's mental and physical fitness.
Daily Telegraph

However, Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone has forced his way into contention and will also be given the chance to prove himself in Austria. the Independent

West Ham's in-form midfielder Scott Parker says it would be "a dream" to be called into the England squad.
Daily Express

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney went on holiday on Monday, easing concerns about his fitness for the World Cup after he aggravated a groin injury against Stoke on Sunday.
Daily Star

England boss Capello will name Tottenham defender Ledley King and Liverpool centre-back Jamie Carragher in his 30-man squad, along with Fulham striker Bobby Zamora.
Daily Star

Capello is also considering taking Tottenham coach Nathan Gardiner to South Africa to work one on one with King and keep the defender fit for the competition.
Daily Express

Spurs after a striker and Berbatov about to be shown the door .......... an ex spurs player who's been a flop since he left, go on 'Arry you know you want to!

irblinx wrote:Spurs after a striker and Berbatov about to be shown the door .......... an ex spurs player who's been a flop since he left, go on 'Arry you know you want to!

He'll be twitching like fuck at the thought of it. Perfect Harry scenario.

Ted Hughes wrote:

irblinx wrote:Spurs after a striker and Berbatov about to be shown the door .......... an ex spurs player who's been a flop since he left, go on 'Arry you know you want to!

He'll be twitching like fuck at the thought of it. Perfect Harry scenario.

"At the moment he's at United and I don't want to talk about another clubs player.....but he's a terrific player who’d I’d love to sign”

You know what...I think id be happy about us taking Bent...he's a good target man and has an eye for goal

B*llox finally updated!

England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise selections in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad.

Uncapped duo Adam Johnson of Manchester City and Tottenham's Michael Dawson are in, along with Spurs' Tom Huddlestone.

Jamie Carragher has come out of international retirement to join fellow defender Ledley King, while the injured Gareth Barry is also included.

Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock and Darren Bent are in, with the final 23-man squad to be announced by 1 June.

Chinners wrote:England coach Fabio Capello has made several surprise selections in his preliminary 30-man World Cup squad.

Uncapped duo Adam Johnson of Manchester City and Tottenham's Michael Dawson are in, along with Spurs' Tom Huddlestone.

Jamie Carragher has come out of international retirement to join fellow defender Ledley King, while the injured Gareth Barry is also included.

Scott Parker, Stephen Warnock and Darren Bent are in, with the final 23-man squad to be announced by 1 June.

And that my friends is why Eng-er-land will win fook all for many years to come!

England coach Fabio Capello has named Gareth Barry and Jamie Carragher in his 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup.

Liverpool defender Carragher has come out of international retirement to be named in the squad to help provide cover in defence.

Manchester City midfielder Barry was a major doubt for the squad after picking up an ankle injury last week, but Capello has taken a gamble on his fitness.

As a result of Barry's inclusion, Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has been omitted after he was tipped to replace Barry in the selection.

Tottenham quintet Ledley King, Michael Dawson, Tom Huddlestone, Jermain Defoe and Peter Crouch have been included in the squad.

King has been given the nod despite his injury problems, but Wes Brown and

Joleon Lescott have both been left out.

Dawson is one of two uncapped players in the squad along with Manchester City's Adam Johnson after a fine campaign for the winger at Eastlands.

West Ham midfielder Scott Parker has been included following a superb season at Upton Park, but there is no place for Hammers team-mate Carlton Cole.

Chelsea midfielder Joe Cole has made the squad despite struggling to hold down a place in the Blues side this season and he has not featured for England since the win over Croatia in September 2008.

Joe Hart has been rewarded for his impressive form during his loan spell at Birmingham with a place in the squad alongside fellow goalkeepers David James and Robert Green

There is no spot for Fulham striker Bobby Zamora with Darren Bent being named among the strikers along with Wayne Rooney, Emile Heskey, Crouch and Defoe.

Gary Neville, Stewart Downing and Phil Jagielka are all missing from the squad after being tipped for call-ups.

Capello will have to trim the squad to 23 before the end of the month with seven players set to be given the heartbreaking news of missing out on the World Cup.

England's 30-man provisional squad for the World Cup finals:

Joe Hart, David James, Robert Green, Leighton Baines, Jamie Carragher, Ashley Cole, Michael Dawson, Rio Ferdinand, Glen Johnson, Ledley King, John Terry, Matthew Upson, Stephen Warnock, Gareth Barry, Michael Carrick, Joe Cole, Steven Gerrard, Tom Huddlestone, Adam Johnson, Frank Lampard, Aaron Lennon, James Milner, Scott Parker, Theo Walcott, Shaun Wright-Phillips, Darren Bent, Peter Crouch, Jermain Defoe, Emile Heskey, Wayne Rooney.