TRANSFER RUMOURS
Arsenal want to sign Julio Baptista, who is on loan from Real Madrid, in a permanent £8m deal this summer. (Daily Mirror) Rangers manager Walter Smith is considering a summer move for Everton goalkeeper Richard Wright. (Daily Record) Leeds want to bring back Manchester City defender Danny Mills on loan. (Various) Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Chris Brunt will quit the club in the summer and join Charlton in a £2m deal. (Daily Star) OTHER GOSSIP Manchester City have already decided to get rid of manager Stuart Pearce - even if he turns their season around - and replace him with either Sam Allardyce or Paul Jewell. (The Sun) Chelsea are furious with manager Jose Mourinho for talking about his desire to one day become Real Madrid manager. (Daily Star) Arsenal striker Thierry Henry will be out for five months with groin and stomach injuries but has pledged to remain at the club for the rest of his career. (The Sun) Spurs boss Martin Jol was told by the club's board to play striker Dimitar Berbatov in the FA Cup tie at Chelsea on Sunday. (Independent) Everton pair Lee Carsley and Alan Stubbs will be offered new deals to keep them at Everton for at least another year. (Daily Mail) Former Newcastle manager Graeme Souness is interested in buying into his former club Southampton as his chances of a Wolves takeover have faded. (Daily Mirror) Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar is set to miss Saturday's game against Bolton because of the calf injury he suffered during the warm-up to last weekend's FA Cup tie with Middlesbrough. (The Sun) Former Nottingham Forest boss Gary Megson is favourite to become the new boss of Huddersfield after the departure of Peter Jackson. (Daily Mirror) Though ex-Hull boss Phil Parkinson is actually top of the Terriers wish-list. (The Sun) Fulham midfielder Jimmy Bullard will train through the summer to ensure he is ready for the start of next season following the knee ligament injury he suffered last September. (Daily Star) William Gallas has blamed Arsenal's recent cup exits on a lack of goals. (Daily Star) Birmingham are in talks with the city council to build a 55,000-capacity stadium on a site close to their St Andrews home. (Daily Telegraph) Brothers Peter and Jimmy Marr will today end their 10-year reign at Dundee by resigning as directors of the Dens Park club. (Daily Record) AND FINALLY... Derby boss Billy Davies reckons he has conned Manchester United out of £3-4m by signing influential midfielder David Jones for just £1m from the Old Trafford side in January. (Daily Star) [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
