There’s always a hint of ‘desperate boyfriend looking for a half-decent present at the 24-hour garage for his missus on Christmas Eve’ about Premier League managers at this time of the season. Panic sets in – do I have a strong enough squad to survive the season, or until January at least? Here, according to papers and blogs, is the most interesting last-minute action, with hot links to the full stories:
1 Nicolas Anelka chooses to stays at Bolton, ending rumours that he might be off to Manchester (either the red or sky-blue half). F365
2 Jose Mourinho ‘begs’ former club Porto to sell him winger Ricardo Quaresma (pictured, left). Yeah, like Jose would ever beg. The Sun
3 Zat Knight signs for Villa from Fulham, is then busted in drugs raid at his mum’s house. Nice move Zat. Substances ‘believed to be crack cocaine and heroin’ were said to have been seized at the house in Erdington, Birmingham. ‘Hours later, talented 6ft 6in Zat was paraded by Premiership club Aston Villa as their new £3.5million signing,’ reported The Sun.
4 Pompey boss Harry Redknapp wants to ditch little-legged David Nugent and replace him with long-legged Peter Crouch Guardian
5 Chelsea utility player Lassana Diarra sat near Portsmouth’s chairman at Pompey vs Leeds Carling Cup game. Which means he must be off to Fratton Park. Chelsea Pies
6 West Ham boss Alan Curbishley is set to sign Derby ‘whizz kid’ Giles Barnes as emergency cover for crocked Kieron Dyer. Mirror
7 Kenwyne Jones, the Southampton and Trinidad & Tobago international striker, has moved to Sunderland for £6 million, which should cheer up Keano after his team lost 3-0 to Luton in the Carling Cup this week. Times
8 Unsettled bench warmer Jermain Defoe reassured by Spurs that he will figure more often this season; Man Utd wait in the wings. ‘The 25-year-old striker has told Spurs that he does not want to leave, but also that he will not sign a new five-year contract unless he makes more appearances,’ says The Independent
9 Reading have rejected a £4million bid from West Ham United for England international full-back Nicky Shorey which manager Steve Coppell claims was ‘derisory’. Football.co.uk
10 It looks very very likely that both Abdoulaye Faye and Habib Beye will join Newcastle by the weekend, Faye today and Beye probably tomorrow. ‘Two Senegalese players with lots of experience which will give great competition to our back four,’ says NUFC Blog