Chelsea and Manchester City tracking £24m hot shot Oliveira
Chelsea and Manchester City are leading the chase for one of Europe's top prospects after making repeated checks on Benfica striker Nelson Oliveira.
The 20-year-old has been on Chelsea's radar since impressing as a substitute for Oscar Cardozo at Stamford Bridge in the Champions' League last April, while City have begun monitoring his form after a clear signal Benfica may have to cash in on him at the end of the season.
Barcelona are also keen admirers, while Real Madrid are aware of a likely scramble to sign him next summer, with Jose Mourinho's agent Jorge Mendes representing him.
At 6ft 1in, Oliveira has been likened in Portugal to a taller version of City striker Sergio Aguero, for his mobility and link-up play as well as clinical finishing.
A surprise selection for this summer’s European Championships, after being voted second-best player at the under-20 World Cup 12 months earlier, he made four substitute appearances and followed up with his first senior international goal, in a 2-0 win over Panama.
Oliveira is currently on a season-long loan at Spanish side Deportivo La Coruna. His Benfica deal runs until 2017 and contains a £24million buy-out clause. Cunts
Man City ready to raid Barcelona for Spanish starlets
Ferran Soriano, the new Manchester City chief executive, is planning a triple raid on former club Barcelona, according to sources in Spain. Soriano, who spent five years at the Nou Camp between 2003 and 2008, ended City's 11-month search for a chief executive when he arrived at the club in August.
Despite his knowledge of Barcelona and close relationship with certain players, Sorriano is aware that it will be tough trying to sign some of the Spanish side's top stars, including Lionel Messi, and he has instead set his sights on luring some of the club's brightest young prospects to the Etihad Stadium.
City are believed to have targeted Cristian Tello, who was linked with Liverpool earlier this summer, midfielder Sergi Roberto and winger Gerard Deulofeu.
OTHER BOLLOX
Emile Heskey - free since he left Aston Villa at the end of last season - is wanted by Conference side Macclesfield who believe the former Liverpool and England striker, 34, can fire them back into the Football League.
Emile Heskey won 62 England caps, his last in June 2010, and scored seven goals for his country Daily Mirror
Fulham are lining up a move for Standard Liege goalkeeper Sinan Bolat, 24, to replace Mark Schwarzer. talkShit
Midfielder David Meyler, 23, will stay at Sunderland after manager Martin O'Neill decided against sending him on loan to Hull. Sunderland Echo
QPR will refuse to order defender Anton Ferdinand to shake hands with all of the Chelsea players, despite the Premier League ruling that the pre-match ritual goes ahead. Ferdinand, 27, has pledged not to follow the protocol with John Terry, 31, or Ashley Cole, 31, in their first meeting since Chelsea captain Terry was cleared in court of racially abusing him. Daily Mirror
Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp, 65, says he still has plenty to offer and is as passionate about the game now as he was 20 years ago. "It's like Fergie," he says. "Get me and him together and we'll be talking about the good job Micky Mellon's doing at Fleetwood Town." Times
Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 28, says he wants to make himself "impossible to ignore" this season and prove he can still be part of Roy Hodgson's new England era.
Victor Moses scored eight goals in 74 Premier League appearances for Wigan Daily Telegraph
Chelsea's Nigerian [/spoiler]winger Victor Moses was 11 when his parents were killed in religious riots, but says "Wherever they are at the moment, they should be proud of me, looking down being proud." Guardian
Former Everton manager Howard Kendall has warned Marouane Fellaini, 24, to watch his words in future after the midfielder, 24, declared he could leave in Goodison Park in January. Liverpool Echo
Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill, speaking ahead of Liverpool's visit to the Stadium of Light, says he is surprised that Brendan Rodgers, 39, consented to the new fly-on-the-wall documentary about life at Anfield which will be broadcast on Channel 5 this month. Guardian
Swansea City's Premier League success is seeing more tourists flock to South Wales from the Far East. South Wales Evening Post
more bollox soon