Monday's gossip column: Football transfers and rumours

                                   

TRANSFER GOSSIP                                                                                                  

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is giving midfielder Gareth Bale, 24, the 'silent treatment' over Real Madrid's bid to sign him.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Levy has cut short his holiday to return to London to hold talks with Bale.

David Luiz has been linked with Bayern Munich and Barcelona

Full story: Daily Mail 
Real hope to complete a £95m deal for Bale, offering £51m plus Argentina winger Angel Di Maria, 25, and Portugal left-back Fabio Coentrao, 25, before they finish their tour of the United States on 11 August.
Full story: the Sun 
Tottenham will move for Paris St-Germain's Argentina midfielder Javier Pastore, 24, if they sell Bale.
Full story: Daily Star 
Bayern Munich are ready to offer £40m for Chelsea defender David Luiz, 26 after boss Pep Guardiola put out feelers for the player while he starred for Brazil at the Confederations Cup.
Full story: the Sun 
Luiz is not pushing to leave Chelsea, but Bayern Munich made contact with the London club over the weekend with a £34.5m bid.
Full story: Daily Telegraph 
Chelsea will wait until after Rio Ferdinand's testimonial against Sevilla on 9 August to make a second offer for Manchester United's Wayne Rooney. The Blues believe that a hostile reaction towards the England striker, 27, will boost the chances of United agreeing to sell.
Full story: the Times (subscription required) 
Trabzonspor have confirmed former Chelsea duo midfielder Florent Malouda, 33, and defender Jose Bosingwa, 30, will finalise their respective moves to the club on Monday night.
Full story: Daily Mail 

Paraguayan Lorenzo Melgarejo has spent two seasons at Benfica

Liverpool pursue a loan move for versatile Benfica defender Lorenzo Melgarejo, 22, and see him as possible cover for Jose Enrique.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
Fulham are set to move for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 29, after discovering Italy forward Pablo Osvaldo, 27, intends to stay at Roma.
Full story: the Times (subscription required) 
Crystal Palace want to sign Arsenal's Morocco striker Marouane Chamakh, 29, on a six-month loan deal.
Full story: the Sun 
Arsenal could be disappointed in their chase for midfielder Bernard, 20, after the player's father confirmed that Brazilian team-mate, 27-year-old striker Hulk, has persuaded the youngster Porto would be a better club at which to develop.

France-bound Cole spent seven years at West Ham United

Full story: Daily Express 
Former West Ham striker Carlton Cole, 29, is set to join French side St Etienne after failing to agree terms on a free transfer to Crystal Palace.
Full story: the Sun 
QPR midfielder Park Ji-Sung is set to join former club PSV Eindhoven, whom he left for Manchester United in 2005, on a season-long loan deal. The South Korea winger, 32, flew to the Netherlands for a medical over the weekend.
Full story: Daily Mail 

OTHER GOSSIP

Ex-Tottenham striker Gary Lineker and former chairman Lord Alan Sugar have been locked in a Twitter debate over Real Madrid's reported £86m offer for Spurs' Gareth Bale.
Full story: Metro 

Cisse netted 13 times for Newcastle last season

Newcastle United striker Papiss Cisse will play for the first team in Tuesday's friendly against Scottish side St Mirren. The 28-year-old has not been involved earlier in pre-season after refusing to wear the club's shirts branded with pay-day loan sponsors Wonga.
Full story: Skysports.com 
Fulham's Swedish midfielder Alexander Kacaniklic, 21, will miss the start of the Premier League campaign after he was injured during Sunday's 1-0 pre-season defeat by Werder Bremen.
Full story: London 24 
QPR chairman Tony Fernandes has taken to Twitter to reveal the exodus of players will continue in the coming weeks as the Hoops prepare for life in the Championship.
Full story: Metro 

GLOBAL GOSSIP

AC Milan are keen on signing Argentine defender Matias Silvestre, 28, from local rivals Inter Milan.
Full story: Corriere (Italian) 
Cameroon defender Henri Bedimo, 29, is close to leaving Montpellier for Olympique Lyonnais.
Full story: L'Equipe (French) 

AND FINALLY

Davids played 28 times for Barnet after signing last summer

Former Champions League winner Edgar Davids, 40, says he will wear Barnet's number one shirt in midfield during this season's Skrill Premier campaign.
Full story: the Guardian 
New Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola appeared to slap 22-year-old midfielder Thiago Alcantara in the face during a talk with his players on the pitch during the German Super Cup tie with Borussia Dortmund. Guardiola lost his first competitive game in charge of Bayern 4-2.
Full story: Daily Mail