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Demba Ba is expected to complete his move from Newcastle Untied to Chelsea later today, provided he passes a medical reported the Guardian. Newcastle manager Alan Pardew confirmed the Senegalese International’s departure yesterday, saying: “It's done. He will go to Chelsea with our blessing.” The Magpies also released a statement stating that Chelsea had triggered the £7.5m release clause in his contract, thus giving the 27 year old permission to negotiate. By the look of it Chelsea couldn’t be happier to get Ba onto their books, especially after a shocking home loss to QPR. (read more)

Tottenham Hotspur have dropped their name into the hat for Barcelona’s David Villa according to the Daily Mail as every Premier League club continues to try their luck with the disillusioned 31 year old. Villa’s career with the Catalan giants has stultified, thus fuelling rumours of his impending departure. But Barca wan nothing less than £16m, a stance which has turned away Liverpool and Chelsea.

Liverpool are close to offloading a squad deadweight worth £92k-a-week as the English press report that Joe Cole is set to leave Anfield for West Ham. The 31 year old is going back home to regain his old form, rejecting Harry Redknapp’s QPR along the way. Liverpool will pay Cole a £3m pay-off as reported earlier, a smart move as the club stand to save an additional £4m they would have spent on his wages.

Arsenal are also in the process of skimming the fat from their squad according to the Metro as Hannover have come swooping in for out-of-favour Swiss defender Johan Djourou. The 25 year old hasn’t made a Premier League start all season and the Bundesliga club have identified him as a January target, with the club’s president Martin Kidd confirming their interest in the centre-back. (read more)

Spicy Rumour

Tottenham are set to win the race for Schalke’s highly-rated midfielder Lewis Holtby reports the Metro as Chairman Daniel Levy prepares to dish out a pre-contract agreement with the 22 year old whose contract expires in the summer. Holtby has been linked with European giants such as Arsenal and Liverpool ever since he rejected a contract extension at Schalke and now Spurs could be the actual winners in this short-lived race.

Sounds Realistic

Martin Jol is expected to bring in Ghanaian midfielder Derek Boateng to Craven Cottage within this week as the Daily Mail report that the Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk outcast is set to undergo a medical with the London club soon. The versatile 29 year old, who is capable of filling in at the back, has been a Fulham target since the summer as the club have been light in the central midfield area.

Martin O’Neill has been spending time in France scouting cheap bargains according to the Mirror and the Sunderland manager has short-listed PSG striker Hoarau, who is unsurprisingly at the bottom of Carlo Ancelotti’s pecking order at the club. The 28 year old forward is also being looked at by Everton and Liverpool.

Roberto Martinez’s eye for a good loan-deal hasn’t deserted him as the Wigan manager is close to following the Angelo Henriquez coup by snatching Atletico Madrid keeper Joel, reports the Daily Mail. The 6 foot 5 inch Spanish stopper hasn’t enjoyed significant playing time at Atletico due to the impressive form of Thibaut Courtois and Ali Al-Habsi’s shaky keeping has finally forced Martinez into action.

QPR continue to be linked to quite a few players, the latest amongst whom is 33 year old French right back Anthony Reveillere of Lyon. While the Telegraph believe that a bid for the player is in the offing, there is every chance that the fans might revolt with many already feeling that the club has become an early retirement home.

West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans has found himself warming the bench too much for his liking in recent weeks, and the Baggies have apparently told the player to find himself a new club in January reports the Independent.

Done Deals

Liverpool have completed the signing of Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea for £12m, unveiling the player ahead of their game against Sunderland last night. The 23 year old striker has been brought in to add firepower to a threadbare attack that solely rests on Luis Suarez’s shoulders and the ex-Man City man took no time to endear himself to the Kop by spitting out some populist quotes to the club’s official website like: “I am humbled and happy to be here” and “It's a humongous club - for me, one of the biggest in the world - and to have the fans and world-class players we have here is amazing.”

The Mirror has taken the opportunity to remind all Tottenham fans that they possess a midfielder in their ranks by the name of Jermaine Jenas, a player who has in fact returned to White Hart Lane from a disastrous loan spell at Nottingham Forest where his total number of starts was greater than zero but less than two.

No Way Jose Rumour

Spanish daily AS reports that Chelsea have expressed an interest in signing Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, and are prepared to offer 24 million pounds for the Argentine frontman. There seems little chance through that Real would let the star man leave, especially since they are still competing in the Champions League.

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