The Rivals: Aston Villa close to £24m deal for Bent and Downing

Darren to lead a Bent force - Daily Star
Aston Villa want to finalise a £24m double move for Darren Bent, the Tottenham striker, and Stewart Downing, the Middlesbrough winger, this week.
Gary Jacob's verdict: Villa consider Bent overpriced even at £12m, while Tottenham are determined to recoup a fee as close to the £16m they paid for him. Bent would prefer Everton, who have shown a tentative interest, but he is less keen on a move to Sunderland. Rating: 5/10

£60m deal for Adebayor - The Sun
Arsene Wenger, the Arsenal manager, could use money from the sale of Emmanuel Adebayor to Manchester City to sign Bordeaux striker Marouane Chamakh.
Gary's verdict: It’s very likely and a deal may already have been agreed, subject to the sale of the Togo forward. Chamakh has one year left on his contract and could cost around £8 million. 9/10

Terry in cash target - Daily Star
John Terry wants Chelsea to make him their highest-paid player before he rejects a move to Manchester City. Terry has been offered £250,000 a week by the Eastlands club.
Gary's verdict: City would be insane to offer him that much. Terry wants a pay rise of around £20,000 a week to take him to the £150,000 mark. Frank Lampard earns upwards of £140,000 a week at Stamford Bridge. 8/10

Roy Ful pelt for Greening - The Sun
Fulham are close to agreeing a deal to sign Jonathan Greening, the West Brom midfielder, for £2.5m, plus winger Hameur Bouazza.
Gary's verdict: Jonathan Greening's intelligence would suit Fulham's style of play, but is this a good enough offer to secure his services? 6/10

Teen's a steal for Gunners - Daily Mirror
Arsenal could poach Frank Nouble, Chelsea's highest-rated young striker, after he turned down professional terms at Stamford Bridge.
Gary's verdict: He has been at Chelsea since the age of 12 and so any deal to sign him would be subject to a compensation agreement. Lots of Facebook friends, but no clue on his future. 5/10

Zola seeks Eidur - Daily Star
Gianfranco Zola, the West Ham manager, wants to sign striker Eidur Gudjohnsen from Barcelona on a season-long loan.
Gary's verdict: West Ham are mainly going to bring in players on loan this summer, but Gudjohnsen earns around £80,000 a week and that figure doesn't fit in with the club's pay structure. 1/10

Comments

[Steve Phillips]

Would be happy with Downing and Bent, but if 'Boro throw in Tuncay as well that'd be nice! Now we must bid for Hangeland and offload Knight, Shorey and Harewood (is he still actually at Villa, I don't know?!)

These stories every day emerging from Manchester City are becoming extremely bizarre. If they are going to pay players £200k a week they'll be looking at £1m a week outlay just in wages, when only two tiers down clubs are out there that could survive on that for 5 years! Something needs to be done.

[Lewis Porter]

I agree with Steve, Downing and Bent would be decent signings for us. We really need a decent, strong centre back now.

[Graham Gold, Cleethorpes]

You can't pay 12m for Bent. He's worth 4m most. Spurs will have to keep him forever.

[Kevin]

Is O'Neill losing his mind? These are mediocre players. Bent and Downing will not improve the side enough to improve on 6th place. Buy some class... like Gudjohnsen, Hangeland, Dunne, Van de Vart, Sneider, Veirra.
All available for a cut price bar Hangeland.
WE HAVE ENOUGH OF THE ENGLISH B TEAM.
Expand your horizons O'Neill!