Transfer Gossip

SPARKY GETS GOING STRAIGHT AWAY
So Mark Hughes is the new Fulham manager, in a move that more or less everyone will nod their heads and say 'Yeah, that fits'.

And according to The Daily Mirror, he's getting to work straight away on bringing some old friends with him to the Cottage.

The paper reports he will move for Manchester City trio Stephen Ireland, Craig Bellamy and Roque Santa Cruz.

So far, so predictable.

Steve Sidwell also apparently agreed a deal to move before Sparky's appointment, and is just waiting for the new man's nod before that one goes through.

However, an interesting line in The Mirror's story is that Luke Young is 'holding out' for Fulham, after turning down Liverpool.

Annoyingly, they don't tell us why he said no, but 'sitting on a slightly different bench' is probably a decent bet.


AH! HERE'S WHY
Silly Gossip Column. Being so naive and all that.

According to The Daily Star, the move is off after Young refused to take a £10,000-a-week pay cut.

They say that Young was offered a £37k deal, but said no dice. Now, after taking off our socks to count our toes, we've worked out that means he's on £47k at Aston Villa.

£47k!


NGOG STAYING PUT
David Ngog to leave Liverpool? Not if these words from Roy Hodgson are anything to go by:

"I have been very impressed with him. I think Ngog has worked very hard in training and done very well in the pre-season games, and he crowned his hard work with an impressive performance.

"The goals will be a big weight off him mind, and give him confidence. Front players need goals, and he has got them, which means he can relax. He has shown us that he has the movement and touch, and quality, and I'm pleased for him."

Little more to add to that really.


NO CASH, BUT PLAYERS IN EXCHANGE FOR ASH YOUNG
Ah player swap deals. How we love them. Always mooted in the papers because, in theory, they seem to make sense, but never, ever actually happen. Seriously - we're happy to be corrected here, but when was the last time a genuine swap involving more than two players went through?

There are four involved in the story The Daily Mirror is pushing, claiming that Spurs are all set to offer Jermaine Jenas, Robbie Keane and David Bentley in exchange for Ashley Young.

Villa are apparently demanding £30million for the winger, a price too steep for Spurs, so 'Arry has looked down the back of the sofa and found a few players who he isn't really using at the moment, and will shove them across the table instead.

We will say this now: If this exact deal happens, The Gossip Column will parade around White Hart Lane wearing only a pair of arseless chaps, singing whatever Chas and Dave song you like.


ROBINHO COMING BACK
Looks like Robinho will have to come back to Manchester City.

A few papers report that City have asked Santos for a whopping £33million for the player, a sum that they cannot come close to affording.

Evandro de Souza, Robinho's agent, said: "Unfortunately, this will probably be Robinho's last game at Vila Belmiro. Manchester City have already told me and Santos they want him back after the end of the loan."

So that, it seems, is that.


A 'CHASE' FOR KING?
Here's a reasonably astounding phrase.

'QPR have joined the chase for jailbird Marlon King,' reports The Daily Mirror.

Now, The Gossip Column would've assumed that being s**t would be enough for most clubs to decide that King isn't worth the hassle, but chuck in a spell inside for sexual assault, along with assorted other brushes with the law, and he doesn't really look like the safest investment.

Apparently, this has not put off both QPR and Coventry, who are duking it out to sign King.


AND THE REST...
Portsmouth want striker Matt Derbyshire from Olympiakos...Manchester City defender Ryan McGivern is going on loan to Walsall...Ajax have slapped a £20m price tag on Chelsea traget Gregory van der Wiel...Ian Holloway is ready to offer strikers Jon Stead and Marlon Harewood a fresh start at Blackpool...Everton fear Spurs will go for Phil Jagielka if Jonathan Woodgate fails to start the season...West Brom are leading the chase to sign James Beattie from Stoke...Leeds have signed defender Alex Bruce from Ipswich...Landon Donovan has revealed he wants to return to Everton...Stephen Carr is set to sign a new two-year deal at Birmingham.