Liverpool & Man City Considering Swoop For Inter Milan Defender

Liverpool are keeping tabs on Inter Milan full-back Cristian Chivu - but they may face competition from Manchester City, according to reports in Italy.

The Romania international is out of contract at the Serie A side in the summer and is yet to discuss a new deal with the club, who are currently 17th in the table.

As a result, Chivu has been linked with a number of clubs across Europe and now Liverpool and City are reportedly monitoring his situation.

The 31-year-old, well known for wearing a protective helmet during games following a fractured skull, has been one of Serie A's stars since he joined Roma in 2003.

He became a mainstay of the Inter defence following his £14m move in 2007 but it has been suggested that Chivu is now ready for a fresh challenge.

And he could be handed a shot at the Premier League, with Liverpool and City considering a cut-price deal.

Manchester United Defender Set For Shock Move To Italian Giants

Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic is being lined up for a shock move to Italy with Serie A side Inter Milan preparing to make an offer.

According to reports in Russian publication Novosti, Inter Milan is struggling in the bottom half of the league and the clubs president Massimo Moratti, is willing to break the bank to secure the services of Manchester United skipper Vidic.

The Serbian international has been linked with moves to Spanish giants Barcelona and big-spending Russian out Anzhi in the past.

However Vidic face stiff competition for a place in Sir Alex Ferguson's starting line up with the emergence of Chris Smalling and Phil Jones.

Inter president Moratti fears not qualifying for next seasons Champions League and is ready to make an £16million move for the 30-year-old in the January transfer window and can offer the Vidic first-team football at the San Siro.

Man Utd Weigh Up Multi-Million Pound Offer For Real Madrid Star

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is keen on making an approach for Real Madrid attacking Angel di Maria, with the Catalan press suggesting that the Argentinean is enduring a turbulent time in the Spanish capital.

The South American winger has featured 67 times for Real Madrid after being signed for €25 million plus €11 million in incentives from Portuguese club Benfica.

Since arriving at the Santiago Bernaneu, Di Maria has become a key part of Jose Mourinho's attacking front line, with the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema and Gonzalo Higuain also featuring.

Whilst Di Maria has only scored 11 times in a Real Madrid shirt, he has contributed 27 assists, underlining his creative potency and importance to Real Madrid's fortunes.

However, tribalfootball.com has reported of Sir Alex Ferguson's interest in the wide midfielder, whom he believes has improved defensively under Mourinho.

Di Maria has become increasingly frustrated by Real Madrid's reluctance to offer him a new deal at the club, after he spoke to Spanish radio station Radio La Red.

"I am now eager for a contract renewal because I was promised that if things went well, I would receive a new deal," Di Maria revealed in the summer.

Ferguson is said to be keen on bolstering his attacking options despite having the likes of Luis Nani and Ashley Young available in wide areas, and Di Maria represents the sort of creative flair Ferguson would be keen on.

According to the Catalan press, Di Maria's position at the Santiago Bernabeu has always been shaky, as the Argentinean wasn't initially a signing that club president Florentino Perez was always enthusiastic about.

Arsenal, Chelsea & Liverpool Alerted As Hazard Confirms Leaving Lille

Lille midfielder Eden Hazard has alerted a host of Premier League clubs after declaring that he is ready to leave the French champions at the end of the season.

The 20-year-old is on the radar of Real Madrid and big spending French outfit Paris Saint-Germain, while the trio of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea has all shown an interest in the attacking midfielder.

Arsenal attempted to sign the Belgium international over the summer, but Lille decided to turn down the offer and it is now expected that the Gunners will once again come in with an offer.

Hazard is one of the hottest properties in Europe and having gained some experience in the Champions League with Lille is now ready to move away from the Stade Lille-Metropole.

"I am ready to go to the next level at a big club," Hazard told French newspaper L'Equipe. "I won't leave in January. It would be silly to do so. But it's my last season at Lille.

"I stayed with Lille this year because I still had things to work on and prove. But now I'm ready. I feel able to play in another country."

Both PSG and Real Madrid have been linked with Hazard and are reportedly ready to bid in the region of £35million, however, the midfielder has declared that Paris is not an option.

"Paris is not for now," he added. "Paris is magical, as they say. Of course it attracts me. But for now, no, I will not go there. I do not want to go to a rival of Lille's in France. It would be inconsistent. The fans would not understand."

Manchester United Scout Newcastle Midfielder

Manchester United are reportedly keeping tabs on Newcastle's playmaker midfielder Yohan Cabaye and will consider making a move at the end of the season.

Cabaye, who was signed by the Magpies in the summer for £4.5m, is proving to be one of the players of the season and has been instrumental in Newcastle's bright start to the league.

United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is reportedly desperate to improve his midfield options and according to The People, has set his sights on Cabaye.

It is thought Ferguson will have the 25-year-old scouted and will continue to keep tabs on him. If he continues to impress, the United boss will reportedly make an official offer at the end of the season.

Despite proving to be an essential part of their team, Newcastle will surely have to reluctantly accept a big offer for Cabaye were one to arrive.

It is thought a bid of around £17m would tempt the St James' Park club into allowing United to hold talks with the talismanic midfielder.

Tottenham Keen On Signing Celtic Winger

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is monitoring the progress of Celtic winger James Forrest but insists he is a long way off making any move for the star.

Spurs chief scout Ian Broomfield watched the 20-year-old as Celtic was held to a 0-0 draw by Hibernian on Saturday.

Forrest, who netted two impressive goals against Hibs in the Scottish Communities League Cup three days earlier, hit the bar from long range and was exempted from criticism of his team by Celtic manager Neil Lennon.

Redknapp confirmed his interest but played down reports he was poised to launch a January offer for the Scotland international, who has scored 10 goals in 44 first-team appearances.

“We have had good reports of what is obviously a good player,” Redknapp told BBC Scotland. ”But he belongs to Celtic and that’s as far as it’s gone.

“It is just about having reports on people, you put them on the file and you keep looking.

“We haven’t gone any further. If we were to go any further, I would phone Neil and have a chat with him about the boy.

“It was just that Ian decided to have a look at him, but it was the first report on him really.

“Ian says he’s a talent. I haven’t seen the boy play.

“I have seen him on TV and bits and pieces, but I would want to see him in a couple of games if I was ever going to do anything.”

Chelsea Eye £25m Spurs Striker Target

Chelsea are chasing £25 million rated striker Fernando Llorente, according to ClubCall, with Tottenham also interested in bringing the star to White Hart Lane next January.

Llorente has starred for Athletic Bilbao since the 26-year-old signed to the club in 2005. After scoring 69 goals in 213 appearances for the Spanish side, he is now reportedly considering a move abroad.

Chelsea and Tottenham are both said to be showing interest. While Chelsea are hoping to bring in a replacement for Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka, who are both considering exits from the club, Tottenham want to bolster their forward line even further after the successful signing of Emmanuel Adebayor.

Llorente’s current form is making Chelsea even more desperate to sign the Spain international, scoring seven times in La LIga so far this season and keeping a consistently physical presence on the pitch.

The Blues will no doubt be hoping that their ability to offer higher wages than Tottenham, as well as Champions League football, will sway Llorente towards Stamford Bridge.

Fenerbahce Ponder Move For Bayer Leverkusen's Stefan Kiessling

Turkish champions Fenerbahce are considering making a move for Bayer Leverkusen forward Stefan Kiessling, according to Milliyet.

With Henri Bienvenu and Semih Senturk both misfiring, Fenerbahce coach Aykut Kocaman is looking to boost his attacking options and may turn to Kiessling in January.

It is believed that a €9 million offer would be enough to persuade Bayer Leverkusen to part with the 27-year-old, who is under contract at the Bundesliga club until 2015.

Despite their problems in the final third, Fenerbahce sit on top of the Super Lig, one point clear of local rivals Galatasaray.

Man United Plan To Hijack Chelsea’s Move To Sign Young Assist Making Machine

Sir Alex Ferguson is considering making a move for Chelsea target Kevin De Bruyne after glowing reports from his scouts sent to run the rule over the Racing Genk youngster.

Andre Villas-Boas has been heavily linked with a possible move for the Belgian international who came up against the Blues in Champions League action earlier this month. The 20 year old is considered one of the hottest prospects in Europe and now Man United has entered the race to sign the attacking midfielder.

Last term was something of a breakthrough for the quick thinking youngster as he laid on 16 assists to help his side to their first domestic title success in almost a decade and has followed up that success with an excellent start to the current campaign during which he has begun to become more effective in front of goal, netting an impressive hat-trick at Club Brugge this weekend.

Man United have successfully brought in a number of youngsters from abroad and the UK to help as Ferguson plans for the future, indeed the policy appears to be an attempt to be more cost effective as the Old Trafford side looks to bring in youthful additions to complement those coming through the academy system.

Chris Smalling, Javier Hernandez, David de Gea and Phil Jones have been purchased over the past 18 months and now Ferguson’s scouts have alerted the Scot to De Bruyne which may well spark a bidding war for the £10m rated starlet.

Chelsea Considering Making Another Bid For Modric In January

Chelsea is considering making another attempt to sign Croatian and Tottenham midfielder Luka Modric when the transfer window reopens in January.

Chelsea who lost 3 – 5 to Arsenal yesterday made several attempts to sign Modric over the summer, but manager Andre Villas-Boas is set to make a renewed effort to sign the Croatian playmaker in January.

The news that Chelsea will once again be courting their star player will be disconcerting to Tottenham fans.

Villas-Boas is likely to make an offer nearing the British record transfer fee Chelsea themselves paid Liverpool for Fernando Torres back in January, to force Tottenham’s arm and relent on their resolve to keep Modric at White Hart Lane.

Only two weeks ago Harry Redknapp the Tottenham manager said that Modric would have been sold in the summer if he had become a disruptive influence as a result of the speculation concerning his future.

Well it now seems that come January, Redknapp and Tottenham could have an anxious 30 days to see if the latest interest from Chelsea turns the 26 year old’s head.

Manchester United Plan £23m Bid For Former Liverpool Hero

Manchester United will make a £23million bid for Barcelona’s Javier Mascherano as the Red Devils try to address their midfield problems.

United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is worried about the lack of protection his backline is getting and wants the 27-year-old to give his side more bite.

The Argentina international has a contract at the Nou Camp until 2014 but is frustrated about being played in defence and wants a return to his favoured position.

It is unclear whether he would welcome a move to Old Trafford having spent three years at rivals Liverpool.

Anfield fans were unhappy to see Mascherano go but he still holds the club dear to his heart and dedicated Barcelona’s Champions League win over United to the Reds.

“I know the Liverpool supporters were a little bit sad with me after my exit, this is for them as well,” Mascherano said.

Ferguson tried to sign Mascherano before he moved to Liverpool but was put off by the third-party ownership agreement.

With that now cleared up, the United manager will make his move after losing patience with Michael Carrick and Anderson following the 6-1 defeat by Man City.

Arsenal Prepare To Swoop For England Intetnational Wing Wizard

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will be keeping a close eye on the situation unveiling at Manchester City with regards to winger Adam Johnson.

According to reports in the Daily Star, Johnson and Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini were involved in a bust up after the 5-2 win over Wolves in the Carling Cup.

Mancini made critical comments about Johnson after the game, despite the England international scoring a stunning goal and producing a Man of the Match display.

It is not the first time the pair has clashed, last season Mancini told the 24-year-old to improve his attitude off the field and his all round game needs to improve if he wants to fulfill his potential.

During the course of the summer transfer window Johnson was linked with a move to Premier League rivals and it is felt Gunners boss Wenger could make a move for the City winger in January.

Theo Walcott has been strongly linked with a move to Barcelona of late and Wenger sees Johnson being an ideal replacement and are believed to be preparing a bid of around £12million.

Chelsea Prepare To Make £35m Move For Drogba Replacement

Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas is preparing to make a move for Napoli striker Edinson Cavani as a replacement for Didier Droga, according to reports in the Daily Mirror.

It is felt by many at Stamford Bridge that this is Drogba's last season at the club, and some feel he may even be sold in the January transfer window.

However Chelsea have already set there sights on Drogba's replacement and Mick Doherty, Blues' European scout has made a number of trips over to Italy this season to watch Cavani in action.

Villas-Boas would have been impressed with the scouting reports as so far this term the Uruguayan international has already netted five goals in six games including one against Manchester City in the Champions League and a hat-trick against AC Milan.

Reports in Italy suggest Napoli rejected a number of offers from Manchester City for Cavani during the summer.

Last season Cavani scored 26 goals to help Napoli qualify for the Champions League and he is playing a key role once again this term as his goals have helped the side to fourth in Serie A.

However it is believed an offer of around £35million could be enough to acquire the services of the 24-year-old and Chelsea are ready to make a move in January.

Udinese Rubbishes Rumours Of A Move For Filippo Inzaghi

Udinese president Franco Soldati has moved to quash rumours of a January bid for AC Milan striker Filippo Inzaghi, despite admitting that he admires the veteran poacher.

The 38-year-old forward has found first-team opportunities at the Giuseppe Meazza hard to come by this season, with Massimiliano Allegri having a wealth of options to select from in attack.

The Piacenza-born attacker had been linked with a switch to Francesco Guidolin's men come the new year, but this will not happen, according to the Stadio Friuli chief.

“I’ve read that story too, but it is just fantasy football for now," the 61-year-old told TMW.

“He’s a footballer who doesn’t really come close to our footballing philosophy when it comes to buying players.

“It would be an extremely difficult move to pull off even if he’s a player who I admire very much.

“We are a small club from the provinces and we can’t take strides that are bigger than our steps. We have to work with total balance," the executive concluded.

Inzaghi is under contract at Milan until June 2012, but may make a move in January given the lack of playing time he has enjoyed so far in the current campaign.

Manchester United Scouts Sent To Watch Ezequiel Lavezzi

Manchester United have reportedly joined the race to sign striker Ezequiel Lavezzi.

Clubcall reports that a Red Devils scout was represented at the Serie 'A' clash between Napoli and Udinese on Wednesday night, with the 26-year-old striker netting in-front of the watching scout.

Liverpool have been heavily linked with a move for 'El Pocho' in the past, with Kenny Dalglish reportedly interested in a move during the summer transfer window.

The Reds spent big on strikers in January, with Luis Suarez and Andy Carroll moving to Anfield for a combined fee of close to £60 million as Liverpool looked to make a statement following the departure of Roy Hodgson.

American owners supplemented further purchases in January, with Charlie Adam, Jordan Henderson and Stewart Downing swelling the ranks on Merseyside, but a lack of depth in the forward position has led to Liverpool being linked with another striker.

Manchester United, meanwhile, have a plethora of strikers at their disposal.

Wayne Rooney, Danny Welbeck, Javier Hernandez, Michael Owen and Danny Welbeck are the current top five at Old Trafford, with youngsters Federico Macheda and Mame Biram Diouf also looking to force their way into the Manchester United senior fold.

Lavezzi would further add to the club's attacking options, but after losing the derby to 'noisy neighbours' City 6-1, Sir Alex Ferguson is tipped to raid the January transfer market in an effort to further strengthen his Manchester United side.

Aston Villa Plot Swoop For Under-Performing Man United Star

Aston Villa is contemplating an £8million January offer for Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick.

The 30-year-old has fallen out of favour at Old Trafford after a string of disappointing displays.

The England international has fallen behind Anderson, Darren Fletcher, Park Ji Sung, Ryan Giggs and Tom Cleverley in the United pecking order.

Sir Alex Ferguson will listen to offers for Carrick as he wants the money – and the wages – to reinvest in his own transfer targets.

Javi Martinez, Javier Mascherano and Christian Eriksen have all been linked with a move to the Theatre of Dreams.

Villa will be first in-line to sign Carrick as they could desperately use his ability on the ball and experience to give the team a boost.

Manager Alex Mcleish is a huge fan of the former Tottenham player and would love to have Carrick’s passing range in his team.

With England manager Fabio Capello only going to pick players for Euro 2012 on form, it will be essential for Carrick to be playing regularly.

A move to Villa Park will be tempting otherwise he will be spending a lot of time on the United bench.

Man City Poised To Open Cheque Book Again To Land Belgian Ace

Manchester City is set to renew their interest in Belgian winger Yassine El Ghanassy when the transfer window re-opens in January.

El Ghanassy, 21, has been one of the star performers for Gent and has also attracted interest from Inter Milan, Fiorentina and Lille.

Roberto Mancini was strongly linked with a move for the talented midfielder throughout the summer but the move never materialized.

Mancini is determined to maintain Manchester City's position at the top of the Premier League and wants to ensure his squad has enough depth to cope with all the games they will face in the second half of the season.

El Ghanassy mainly operates on the left wing, but his versatility will appeal to the City boss as he can also play in the centre or down the right hand side.

City are likely to face a battle for his signature as several big clubs across Europe are also keen and reports in France suggest that Lille see him as the ideal replacement for Eden Hazard who looks set to leave the club next summer.

Manchester United Eyeing Up Potential Move For Nicolas Gaitan

Manchester United has made Benfica midfielder Nicolás Gaitán a target for the January transfer window, but will have to meet a £40 million release clause to sign him.

Gaitán, who impressed during United’s 1-1 draw against the Portuguese club in a Champions League group fixture last month, has been watched repeatedly by Sir Alex Ferguson’s European scouting team in recent months.

As a result of interest from United, Inter Milan and Paris St Germain, Benfica have secured the 23 year-old to a five-year contract this week, which will see the Argentine more than double his annual salary to £2 million.

But despite increasing Gaitán’s wages, Benfica have been unable to increase the release clause within the player’s contract beyond the existing £40 million trigger fee.

United, who are also monitoring Anderlecht’s Argentine midfielder Lucas Biglia, remain in the market for an attacking midfielder after failing in summer attempts to sign Inter Milan’s Wesley Sneijder and Samir Nasri, who rejected United in favour of a move from Arsenal to Manchester City.

Although Gaitán has largely been deployed as a left-sided winger by Benfica in recent months, the former Boca Juniors player has regularly played in an advanced role behind midfield and attack, a position United have yet to fill following Paul Scholes’s retirement at the end of last season.

Benfica are determined to resist attempts to sign Gaitán, however, and are understood to be keen to retain the player’s services for at least another 18 months.

Tottenham Set To Swoop For Moroccan Defender

Tottenham Hotspur manager Harry Redknapp is set to step up his pursuit of a new defender and has set his sights on Udinese's Mehdi Benatia.

The Morocco international played a key role in helping Udinese finish fourth last season and qualifying for the Champions League play-offs, but they got knocked-out by Premier League side Arsenal over two legs.

Benatia's performances this season have been impressive and he is playing an important part in the team who are currently second in Serie A.

His performances haven't gone unnoticed and it is believed there is interest from other clubs in Italy, Spain and England.

However it felt Tottenham are one of the favourites to acquire the services of Benatia as Redknapp looks to strengthen his back line with Ledley King, Michael Dawson, and William Gallas all out injured.

Speaking to Radio CRC, the 24-year-olds agent Claudio Vagheggi said: "Benatia is an important player so it is normal that several clubs have looked at him.

"Udinese, however, are currently reluctant to discuss transfers, there is interest from some English and Spanish clubs."

It is believed a bid of in the region of £12million could see Udinese part company with one of their prized assets.

Chelsea Ready Offer For Unwanted AC Milan And Brazil Superstar

Chelsea are waiting in the wings after learning that AC Milan have told Brazilian forward Alexandre Pato that he is no longer 'indispensable' to the club after a dip in form.

The 22-year-old was viewed as one of the stars of the club and has already scored 50 league goals in just 105 appearances in Serie A and last season helped fire Milan to the league title.

Pato scored a memorable goal in the Champions League earlier this season against Barcelona but has since struggle with injuries and a loss of form.

In his absence Milan have teamed Antonio Cassano with Zlatan Ibrahimovic, while Kevin Prince Boateng has emerged as goal-scoring midfielder as he fired a hat-trick at the weekend to inspire an amazing comeback from 3-0 down to eventually win 4-3.

According to reports in Milan, manager Max Allegri has warned the young striker that he may struggle to get back into the first team and is essentially on trial until the end of the season.

Pato, who has scored six times for Brazil in 18 appearances, is still highly regarded by a host of European clubs with both Barcelona and Chelsea known to be interested in the striker.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich and manager Andre Villas-Boas are both known admirers of Pato and should he become available at the end of the season then the west London club would almost certainly make an offer.

The Brazilian has previously been linked with a move and Milan had always suggested that it would take a mega offer of more than £40million for them to consider selling.

While it may still take this sort of offer, Chelsea would certainly not be put off as they attempt to find long term replacements for Didier Drogba and Nicolas Anelka.