Saturday's gossip column

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Sunderland manager Roy Keane has opened the door for a sensational swoop to bring former arch-rival Patrick Viera to the club from Inter Milan. In his playing days at Manchester United, Keane had some monumental tussles on the pitch with the then Arsenal midfielder. (Various)

Wigan boss Steve Bruce has admitted he has Middlesbrough's Egyptian striker Mido in his transfer sights. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa's London-born midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker has told pals he has no intention of signing a new deal with the Midlands club and is considering a return to the capital next summer. (Daily Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has hinted that England boss Fabio Capello should leave recently-injured striker Wayne Rooney out of the England team to face Kazakhstan next Saturday. (Daily Star)

Ferguson has also admitted he regrets calling Paul Ince, who once played under the Scot at united as is now Blackburn manager, a "big-time Charlie". (Various)

The Asian businessman trying to buy Tottenham has been told he will have to find £500m to take over the club. (The Sun)

Interim Newcastle manager Joe Kinnear is counting down the days until midfielder Joey Barton, currently suspended for an assault on former Manchester City team-mate Ousmane Dabo, is able to return to action. "We need someone to be ranting and screaming information because we don't have that," he said. (Daily Star)

Portsmouth are furious with Tottenham over their handling of the Sol Campbell affair. They believe Spurs are frightened to tackle the individuals who verbally abused their former player in a match between the two clubs last weekend. (The Sun)

Newcastle fans are so fed up with the club that only 980 have bought tickets for Joe Kinnear's first match in charge at Everton on Sunday. Usually the club would expect to sell around 3,000 tickets for the away fixture. (Daily Mirror)

AND FINALLY

West Ham manager Gianfranco Zola says the food cooked up by head chef Tim De'ath at the club's Chadwell Heath training ground is now so good that he stays there to eat rather than going home. "I prefer eating here than going home but don't tell my wife!" he said. "I recommend the salmon." (Daily Star)

Wigan midfielder Lee Cattermole has vowed he will never cry again after a heavy loss, as he did when playing for former club Middlesbrough following a 4-0 defeat at home. "I was only 17 at the time and things just got a bit too much," he said. (Daily Star)

New forward signing Gifton Noel-Williams has been given a fresh moniker by Millwall fans - Gifton Noel-Edmonds. (Daily Mirror)

Portsmouth players were made to take a dip in the freezing Atlantic Ocean on Friday morning by boss Harry Redknapp following their Uefa Cup win over Guimaraes the previous evening. (Various)