And the most shocking news is that the club’s iconic striker Didier Drogba will be among the stars to be sold off to cover Chelsea’s £75 million expenditure in January, according to The Sun.
Florent Malouda, Jose Bosingwa, John Obi Mikel and Yuri Zhirkov are also on their way out of Stamford Bridge in what will be the club’s biggest exodus since Roman Abramovich took over.
A club source confirmed to the paper that “there will be some notable casualties”, with the report going on to claim that Chelsea are desperately trying to get their books in order in preparation to come into line with new UEFA rules forcing clubs to break even.
Chelsea recently announced annual losses of £70.9m – some £63m more than they will be allowed to lose each year once the new regulations are in full swing.
Kenny Dalglish is in line to be given the Liverpool manager’s job on a permanent basis, according to the Daily Mail.
The paper quotes sources in the club claiming that new owner John W Henry has been bowled over by the way the Scot has lifted the mood around Anfield – with the release of tension apparently most noticeable on the training field.
David Beckham could yet return to English football if Harry Redknapp has his way: the Daily Star reports that the Tottenham boss wants to have another crack at signing the former England skipper in the autumn.
“He has looked great in training,” Redknapp said. “He has been fantastic and is a top-class bloke.”
Redknapp added that Beckham has lost none of his ability to deliver telling crosses, claiming that his balls into the centre in training have been as good as anything Rafael van der Vaart has shown for Spurs this season.
“That ball that Van der Vaart hit for Crouchie (to set up a goal against Blackburn)?” Redknapp said. “Beckham hit about seven of them the other morning. It was like he had a radar and Crouchie kept heading them in. I kept saying, ‘That’s what I have been asking you to do, lads.'”
Manchester United are so desperate to keep hold of Patrice Evra that they will offer him a golden handcuffs deal to keep him at Old Trafford for the rest of his career, according to The Sun.
Evra, who was left out of the France squad earlier this week, has been linked with a summer move away, with Real Madrid reported to be keen on signing the 29-year-old. United will offer him a new three-year deal for at least as much as the £70,000-a-week he currently earns.
And finally, Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny (vowels must be expensive in Poland) has admitted that he feels guilty about taking the number one spot at the Emirates – because it was him who was responsible for the injury to Lukasz Fabianski.
“I was warming Fabian up before the game with Manchester City and I took a very powerful shot,” Szczesny told The Sun. “He made a good save but also got an injury.
“I feel stupid… I’m now taking advantage of my team-mate’s misfortune.”
Eurosport
