BARRY STILL WANTS MOVE
Despite Aston Villa's hardball stance, various reports claim Gareth Barry is still confident that his move to Liverpool will go through at some point.
This way for a handy round-up of said reports.
SPURS TAKE A STEP BACK
The most interesting place for tranfers this summer is unquestionably White Hart Lane.
After buying a new defence in January, Magic Juande has purchased a new midfield this summer, and is now going about replacing his forward line.
The Sun reports this morning that Manchester United are hoping their up-top recruitment drive might persuade them that they don't need their best player after all, and they will be happy to sell Dimitar Berbatov.
It has to be said, the story is possibly the most spurious ever published in the hallowed pages of the good old Currant Bun, which is saying something.
However, it seems that a couple of their bids for attackers might have hit the rocks somewhat.
The Sun claims that Spurs and Zenit St Petersburg are some £8million apart in their valuation of Andrei Arshavin, with the Russians wanting around £24million for the player, and Spurs only prepared to pay £16million.
Meanwhile, Diego Milito's agent claims that Spurs have pulled out of a deal for his man.
CHELSEA IN FOR DIEGO
As the rest of us ponder how on earth Chelsea were going to fit Frank Lampard, Deco and Michael Ballack into the same team, Big Phil has apparently thrown another into the mix.
According to that reliable source of gospel news The Daily Express, Chelsea are preparing a £25million bid for Werder Bremen midfielder Diego, who looks to us like a slightly younger version of, well, Deco.
Meanwhile, the equally reliable Daily Star reckons they are going to stump up £30million for Sao Paulo playmaker Hernanes.
Seems unlikely, but who are we to doubt those two rags?
VILLA WANT SILVESTRE
Interesting line in The Daily Mail this morn.
They claim that Aston Villa will replace unidexter Wilfried Bouma with Mikael Silvestre, unwanted at Manchester United despite having two functioning legs.
Word is that the Frenchman will go to Villa Park on a one-year loan deal, presumably to be politely ignored once Bouma's foot returns to the upright position.
JOHNSON MOVE IN DOUBT?
In more medical japes, it seems that Andy Johnson's proposed move from Everton to Fulham could be in doubt after some mischief occured in his medical.
Details on that little one here.
SWAPSIES AT GOODISON
A year after making a big fuss over spending £6million on Leighton Baines, David Moyes might be sending the left-back on his merry way.
The Sun claims that Moyes wants to swap Baines for his Blackburn counterpart Stephen Warnock.
Interesting, given that Moyes has been 'Arry Redknapp-like in his complaints about his thin squad, it seems slightly strange, although in The Gossip Column's humble and irrelevant opinion, Warnock is one of the most underrated players in the Premier League.
So there.
AND THE REST...
Wigan target Jimmy Bullard insists he is happy at Fulham...Portsmouth striker David Nugent is a £5million target for Ipswich...West Ham are close to signing Shakhtar Donetsk keeper Jan Lastuvka...Hull have had a £1.5million bid for Kevin Davies rejected by Bolton...Bolton have laughed off West Brom's £1.75million bid for Abdoulaye Meite...Rangers are set to sign Cardiff's Glenn Loovens - but will have to swap either Kris Boyd or Daniel Cousin to get the defender...Djibril Cisse has rejected a move to Roma and hopes to return to England...Stoke are giving a trial to former Reading winger John Oster...Rosenborg have turned down West Brom's bid for midfielder Per Ciljan Skjelbred...Wolves have taken former Wales left-back Ben Thatcher on trial.