FOOTBALL TRANSFER GOSSIP
Wednesday's Gossip column
Manchester City have set their sights on Barcelona forward David Villa, 31, to replace Mario Balotelli and have already made an enquiry about the £15m-rated Spaniard.
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is to make one final attempt to sign David Villa after transfer talks with Arsenal chief Ivan Gazidis.
Norwich are hoping to seal the £8m signing of Celtic striker Gary Hooper and Leeds hitman Luciano Becchio.
West Ham are eyeing a move for 31-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk left-back Razvan Rat.
QPR boss Harry Redknapp and his Stoke counterpart Tony Pulis are arranging a swap deal involving strikers Peter Crouch, 31, and Jamie Mackie, 27.
Redknapp also wants to sign 28-year-old Croatia midfielder Niko Kranjcar for a third time, having managed him at Portsmouth and Tottenham.
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Scott Parker is also a key target for Redknapp.
Fulham are in talks to sign AC Milan's 26-year-old Dutch midfielder Urby Emanuelson on loan.
Nottingham Forest are closing in on the signing of 31-year-old Millwall striker Darius Henderson.
Birmingham goalkeeper Jack Butland has rejected the chance to join Chelsea, after his club accepted a £3m offer.
Tottenham Hotspur are preparing one final attempt to sign 23-year-old striker Leandro Damiao from Internacional before the transfer window closes on Thursday.
GLOBAL GOSSIP
Former Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, 28, is expected to leave Paris St-Germain for Fiorentina.
Lille have confirmed the signing of Florian Thauvin, 20, from SC Bastia. The Frenchman had been a target of both Newcastle and Arsenal.
Barcelona President Sandro Rosell has said the "door is still open" for goalkeeper Victor Valdes to sign a new contract.
Italian international Mattia Cassani, 29, has been loaned to Genoa from Fiorentina after struggling to secure his place in the starting line-up.
Lazio have announced the loan of Argentine international Lionel Scaloni, 34, to Atalanta until the end of the season.
OTHER GOSSIP
New Zealand skipper Ryan Nelsen was given a guard of honour and fans chanted his name as he walked off the pitch following his final game for QPR against Manchester City. He is set to become the manager of Toronto FC in Canada.
Former Arsenal and Barcelona star Thierry Henry insists docking teams points rather than handing out a fine is the only way to stop racism in football.
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