TRANSFER RUMOURS
Manchester United are preparing a £12m-offer for long-term target Klaas Jan Huntelaar. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, after recent interest from Real Madrid, Manchester United have said they will never sell prized asset Cristiano Ronaldo. (Various)

Tottenham are keen to bring Middlesbrough winger Stewart Downing and Daniel Jarque to the club. (The Times)

Former Tottenham striker Freddie Kanoute has admitted he would love the chance to return to White Hart Lane and team up with former Sevilla boss Juande Ramos. (The Sun)

Meanwhile, Ramos has told his scouts to look for a new keeper with Ajax stopper Maarten Stekelenburg a possible target. (The Times)

Fulham have been told they must find £8m if they are to take striker Marlon King from Watford to Craven Cottage. (The Sun)

Blackburn manager Mark Hughes wants to sign Wigan and Wales midfielder Jason Koumas for £3.5m. (Daily Mail)

Reading have told Sunderland to forget their interest in midfielder Stephen Hunt after the Black Cats made an improved £4.5m offer for the Irishman. (The Guardian)

Birmingham boss Alex McLeish is ready to make an improved offer for Everton forward James McFadden and Hibernian defender David Murphy. (The Telegraph)

Newcastle's proposed £3m move for Porto defender Marek Cech has been put on hold after the departure of Sam Allardyce. (The Mail)

Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate is close to agreeing a deal for SC Heerenveen striker Alfonso Alves. (The Times)

Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra says his desire to leave the club left him in the wrong frame of mind to face Spurs on Wednesday. (The Guardian)

Aston Villa have insisted that striker Marlon Harewood is not leaving the club with Watford, Stoke and Crystal Palace among the clubs interested in the former West Ham man. (Daily Express)

Manchester City midfielder Dietmar Hamann has been rewarded with a new one-year contract. (The Mail)

Gilberto Silva has vowed to stay at Arsenal and fight for his place in the team. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP
Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp is torn over accepting the Newcastle job after being tempted with a £20m transfer kitty. (The Mail)

Redknapp has been told that he can use owner Mike Ashley's private jet to fly him to and from his home on the South Coast. (Daily Express)

Portsmouth will be given £3m in compensation if Redknapp decides to leave Fratton Park for Newcastle. (The Sun)

The cost of sacking Allardyce and recruiting Redknapp could cost Newcastle £9m. (Daily Telegraph)

Portsmouth have vowed to hold on to manager Redknapp and have told Newcastle they face a fight to secure his services. (The Times)

If Newcastle fail to land Redknapp then Blackburn manager Mark Hughes is next on their list. (The Guardian)
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Chelsea complete £15m Anelka deal

Chelsea hope Anelka will soften the blow of Drogba's absence
Chelsea have completed a £15m deal to sign Nicolas Anelka from Bolton.
The French striker, 28, has signed a four-and-a-half year contract and could figure in Saturday's game with Spurs.

Bolton had rejected a £12m bid from the Stamford Bridge outfit, who are short of fowards because of injuries and Africa Cup of Nations call-ups.

"It's not a secret that I was looking for one more striker, and Anelka has pace, is a good finisher and is scoring a lot of goals," said boss Avram Grant.


"But he also provides assists and can play in any system and with any other good players beside him him."

With Didier Drogba and Salomon Kalou away on national duty, and Andriy Shevchenko injured, Grant was running out of options.

Shevchenko and Claudio Pizzaro, their other senior forward, have scored just five Premier League goals between them this season.

Anelka, who has scored 11 goals in 22 games this term, had been linked with a move Chelsea despite signing a new four-year deal with Bolton last August.

He has made no secret of his desire to play in the Champions League and is still eligible for this season's competition.

Anelka joined Bolton in 2006 from Turkish club Fenerbahce for a club record £8m.

He has also played for Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester City in the Premier League and won the Champions League while at Real Madrid.