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Sunday's gossip column

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Barcelona are preparing a summer move for 26-year-old Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany.

Liverpool have told Newcastle they will have to pay 拢17m in cash to bring Andy Carroll, 24, back to Tyneside. There was talk of a swap involving Magpies midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa but the Reds are reportedly concerned by his injury history.

Meanwhile if West Ham avoid relegation, the Hammers will have to pay Liverpool 拢1m as part of Carroll's loan deal.

Arsenal are closing in on a deal to sign Fiorentina's Montenegrin forward Stevan Jovetic, 23, and are also tracking 25-year-old Atletico Madrid forward Adrian Lopez.

Liverpool have expressed an interest in 24-year-old Vasco da Gama defender Dede and are ready to do battle with AC Milan to sign him.

Hannover 's Hungarian international winger Szabolcs Huszti, 29, who has been courted by Real Madrid, says he would consider a move to England, but would not be willing to join "an average team".

OTHER GOSSIP

Image caption,

Real Madrid coach Jose Mourinho is expected to move on next season

Jose Mourinho could leave Real Madrid to manage Paris Saint-Germain, scuppering a potential return to Chelsea.

Mourinho is still thought to be keen on moving back to Stamford Bridge but is thought to have told Chelsea to make him an offer quickly or risk losing out on his services.

Sunderland have placed a clause in the contract of new manager Paolo Di Canio allowing them to sack the Italian at the end of the season if their seven-match gamble with the former Swindon boss ends in relegation.

Former England goalkeeper David James, who played with Di Canio at West Ham, says Sunderland's players could be in for a shock with their new manager, who he says "was not very popular in the West Ham dressing room".

QPR boss Harry Redknapp has revealed his anguish over QPR's Premier League fate, saying: "If we went down, I would beat myself up over it".

Manchester City's owners could axe manager Roberto Mancini if he loses the Manchester derby on Monday and his side fail to win the FA Cup.

Joe Hart is to set to watch Manchester City's FA Cup semi-final against Chelsea from the bench next Sunday with City manager Mancini giving the nod to Romanian understudy Costel Pantilimon, 26.

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert, whose side moved out of the bottom three with victory at Stoke, says they must not have the threat of relegation still hanging over them when they visit Wigan on the final day of the season.

Meanwhile Stoke manager Tony Pulis has vowed to fight on after seeing his team slip to 14th, just three points above third-from-bottom Wigan. He admits his future is in the hands of the Coates family who run the club.

AND FINALLY

Millwall club chaplain Father Owen Beament is hoping for a helping hand from God when the Lions take on Wigan in next weekend's FA Cup semi-final. As well as praying for the London team, he also says he will be having a few gin and tonics to calm his nerves.