The latest transfer gossip, rumours and damned lies…

Maicon to Chelsea
The tabloids have grown tired of linking every current AC Milan player - minus David Beckham - with a move to Chelsea should Carlo Ancelotti takes over. Instead, they have started identifying players at other Italian clubs, with 27-year-old Inter Milan’s right-back Maicon reportedly a £22 million target.

The Spoiler truth-o-meter: Maicon is one of the best right-backs in the world but with the Blues’ ageing squad in need of an overhaul, they can’t really afford to spend that much on a position where they have three options under the age of 26 (Bosingwa, Ivanovic, Mancienne).

Brede Hangeland to Arsenal
Arsene Wenger has identified Hangeland as the standout performer in the Fulham defence that have conceded less goals than Arsenal this season and is

Chairman Peter Buck plans departures and up to five new arrivals

Roman Abramovich’s wallet doesn’t open quite as often as it used to, but that won’t stop Chelsea playing a major role in the transfer market in the summer. Blues chairman Bruce Buck has today said the club will sign up to five new players for 2009/10, preferably using “internally generated cash”. Said cash will be generated by offloading some of their current stars:

We haven’t properly got together to talk about summer transfers yet, but I think that we could expect that several players will leave and that several players will come in.”"I don’t know whether that is three, four or five, but something in that kind of neighbourhood, so we can expect a handful to leave.

With Buck’s comments in mind, The Spoiler has compiled a list of the five players we expect Chelsea to part with, and five fresh faces that could soon call Stamford Bridge home…

Florent Malouda
Most Chelsea fans hate the Frenchman, and he has said he will move if he doesn’t regain his place. He has also expressed an interest in joining Juventus.

Branislav Ivanovic
The defender has made just six league starts in almost fourteen months and the emergence of Michael Mancienne means Chelsea have four other centre-backs to choose from.

Michael Ballack
The German is out of contract in the summer and could struggle

23 days until the window is flung open

It’s not long until Manchester City’s bottomless coffer is unleashed, and the press are having a fantastic time linking everyone under the sun to them. Here’s the latest happenings in gossipland…

David Villa to Manchester City
The Sun has revealed Man City are in talks to sign Euro 2008 star David Villa after Mark Hughes insisted there would be big name signings in January.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Cash-strapped Valencia would surely accept £60 million and City wouldn’t think twice about breaking the world transfer record. And for around £150,000 a week you’d think the man himself might be quite interested too.

Thierry Henry to Manchester City
Manchester City are keen to bring Thierry Henry back to England after his turbulent time in Spain according to the Daily Mail. Barcelona might be interested if the right money is offered although a sale would most likely follow a guaranteed replacement with Lyon striker Karim Benzema consistently linked with the Catalan giants.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: City and Barcelona might both be interested in a deal, but Thierry Henry remains determined to prove his time in Spain has been a success. Following a hat-trick at the weekend he looks keen to win over his detractors in Spain.

Milan to extend loan for Beckham?
AC Milan chief executive Adriano Galliani has revealed he hopes to keep David Beckham for as long as possible. LA Galaxy have already agreed to loan out Beckham in January for the close season of the MLS. Despite competition for places in Milan’s midfield - Kaka, Andrea Pirlo and Ronaldinho to name just a few, Beckham’s England career prospects would be enhanced by proving his quality in Serie A as opposed to in USA. Milan might struggle to match the Galaxy’s asking price or Beckham’s weekly half a million dollar wages but would enjoy significant commercial success if a permanent deal could be agreed with the Galaxy.

The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Posh might like life in Italy better than LA where she is far less popular than her hubby and might want to stay for Milan Fashion Week in September.

A Manager to Sunderland
Rumoured replacements for Roy Keane include Peter Reid

Tomorrow’s headlines today

Look at you, sitting there, gorging yourself on all things Big Brother. You need to take some time out for football, friend. Here’s all the big news from the day after today. Otherwise known as “tomorrow”…

Portsmouth want Ronaldo
No, the world hasn’t gone completely bananas, Cristiano isn’t desperate to move to Fratton Park, this is the REAL Ronaldo. The one who’s fat and looks a little bit like Fred West (pictured). The injured striker didn’t have his AC Milan contract renewed and is looking for someone to take pity on him - kindly Harry Redknapp might be the man for the job.

Chelsea signing off without playing a game
Eagle-eyed Avram Grant signed two players as Chelsea manager: Nicolas Anelka - he who missed the decisive penalty in the Champions League final - and Branislav Ivanovic, who cost £9.7 million but is yet to play a game. Chelsea supposedly beat off Man United and the whole of Italy for the defender’s signature, but are now ready to offload him to Juventus for under £4 million. Now, The Spoiler ain’t no Carol Vorderman, but that sounds like bad b’iness to us.