Transfer talk: all the comings and goings

With English football riding high after Manchester United's triumph in the all-English Champions League final, the cream of global talent will be haranguing their agents to bag them a big-money move to one of the 20 Premier League teams contesting next season's trophy.

Add to that the Euro 2008 tournament in Austria and Switzerland, which is bound to throw up new stars, enhance the reputations of some established heroes, and give some ageing superstars the chance for a final payday in the world's richest league, and the sports pages will be full all summer with the news of big money transfers.

The First Post will be following all the transfer action this close season. Here are the current rumours doing the rounds as well as a few early moves:

FRANK LAMPARD, CHELSEA
Inter Milan have finally publicly admitted that Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is their 'Number One priority on the transfer market this summer. The Serie A champions' president Massimo Moratti said of Lampard, who Inter would offer Chelsea £8m for, "We like him and he's our No1 priority. Jose Mourinho likes Lampard a lot. We all know that he can be a great player with us." (Guardian: 17/6/08)

DAVID BENTLEY, BLACKBURN
David Bentley, Blackburn's right winger and putative heir to David Beckham in the national side, will be following Rovers' manager Mark Hughes out of the club. he has told the Ewood Park side that he wants to play Champions League football next season. (Times: 16/6/08)

GARETH BARRY, ASTON VILLA
Liverpool will fund their £20m bid for Aston Villa's Gareth Barry by concluding transfer deals this week for Xabi Alonso and Jon Arne Riise. Riise is off to Roma for a fee that will rise to £4m, while Alonso could net Rafa Benitez £14m from Juventus. Barry's agent has confirmed that his client wanted Champions League football next season, which appears to leave Villa seeking the best deal possible. (Guardian: 16/6/08)

DAVID VILLA, VALENCIA
David Villa is the latest star to snub Chelsea, insisting that despite the interest from Stamford Bridge that his four goals in Euro 2008 has brought, he remains happy in La Liga, where he has scored 43 in the last two seasons for Valencia. Although he is unlikely to remain at his club, he is considered most likely to plump for a move to Real Madrid or Barcelona. (Daily Telegraph: 16/6/08)

CRISTIANO RONALDO, MAN UTD
Manchester United officials claim that their star winger Cristiano Ronaldo had agreed the personal terms of his record-breaking deal with Real Madrid months before the current speculation over his future. The revelation explains why the Old Trafford club went to Fifa last week over what they claim is the illegal tapping up of their £79m-rated Portuguese talisman. (Observer: 15/6/08)

KAKA, AC MILAN
The Fifa World Player of the Year Kaka is thought to be at the top of Luiz Felipe Scolari's wishlist for Chelsea, with the Brazilian playmaker expected to cost the London club £60m. The 26-year-old has been a long-term target for the Stamford Bridge club and it's believed Scolari, the former Brazil coach, could lure his one-time charge. (Guardian: 13/6/08)

AARON RAMSEY, ARSENAL UNDISC
Cardiff City's £5m-rated wunderkind Aaron Ramsey, dubbed the 'new Ryan Giggs' has signed a long-term deal with Arsenal for an undisclosed sum, snubbing Manchester United, Everton and Liverpool, who had all hoped to capture the young Welsh international. (Guardian: 13/6/08)

FERNANDO TORRES, LIVERPOOL
Having been told by club boss Roman Abramovich that money is no object, Scolari is linked to an audacious bid for Liverpool's Spanish striker Fernando Torres. The 24-year-old, who scored 33 goals for the Anfield side, is happy at his current club but Chelsea will hope to exploit tensions between the two American owners of their rivals. (Times: 13/6/08)

LUKAS PODOLSKI, BAYERN MUNICH
The German international striker has admitted he is interested in leaving Munich. Man City are prepared to pay £20m for the 23-year-old. (The Times: 12/6/08)

ALEXANDER HLEB, ARSENAL
The unsettled Arsenal midfielder has now denied reports in German newspapers that he wants to move to Bayern Munich after previously appearing to be Barcelona-bound. (Times: 12/6/08)

DIDIER DIGARD, PARIS ST-GERMAIN
The French U-21 international midfielder is in talks with Middlesbrough about a £4m move from French League Cup holders. (Daily Telegraph: 12/6/08)

ANTON FERDINAND, WEST HAM
Anton Ferdinand, brother of England captain Rio and former U-21 international, is being tracked by Tottenham Hotspur. The 22-year-old came through the same West Ham academy as his brother and spent five years at the club. His London switch is expected to cost Spurs £6m. (Times: 11/6/08)

GIOVANI DOS SANTOS, SPURS: £4.7M
Barcelona's teenage sensation Giovani Dos Santos has signed for Spurs for £4.7m rising to a potential £8.6m depending on appearances and subject to the player agreeing terms with the north London club. The Mexican international will link up with fellow new signing Luka Modric in what could be a formidable attacking line-up for Spurs. (Guardian: 11/6/08)

FRANCK RIBERY, BAYERN MUNICH
The French winger Franck Ribery has ruled out a summer move to Chelsea, despite reports that the club may bid up to £30m to bring him to Stamford Bridge. The 26-year-old has indicated that he wishes to see out his contract at Bayern Munich, who recently installed Jurgen Klinsman as head coach. (Daily Telegraph: 10/6/08)

SAMUEL ETO'O, BARCELONA
The first clash between Chelsea and their former manager Jose Mourinho is looming, and will take place over Barcelona attacker Samuel Eto'o. Mourinho wants to sign the 27-year-old for Inter Milan, and is more than happy to derail the Londoners' £22m bid for the Cameroon striker. (Sun: 10/6/08)

RONALDINHO, BARCELONA
The unlikely spectacle of Ronaldinho in a sky blue Man City shirt seemed closer as Barcelona accepted City's offer of £13m and granted the Eastlands side permission to speak with the former World Footballer of the Year. The 28-year-old is reported to have told friends in Brazil that he is moving to the Premier League side. (Times: 9/6/08)

DECO, BARCELONA
Barcelona's Portuguese midfielder Deco looks set to move to Chelsea in a tranfers that could set off a domino chain of related deals. The 30-year-old, who was born in Brazil, could move for £15m, and may signal that his national team coach, Luiz Felipe Scolari, may be on his way to Stamford Bridge after the Euro 2008 tournament. (Daily Mail: 9/6/08)

PATRICK VIEIRA, INTER MILAN
It doesn't quite rival Man City's bid for Ronaldinho, but Portsmouth boss Harry Redknapp would have pulled off quite a coup should he manage to lure Patrick Vieira to Fratton Park. The Inter Milan midfielder could reunite with his ex-Arsenal teammates Sol Campbell, Lauren and Nwankwo Kanu in a £4m transfer that would see the 31-year-old offered £100,000 a week wages. (Daily Telegraph: 9/6/08)

DIDIER DROGBA, CHELSEA
Chelsea have given the go-ahead to AC Milan in their chase of Didier Drogba. The Serie A club will pay £10m for the 30-year-old rising to £18m over three years. The Ivory Coast international's last appearance in a blue shirt was when he was sent off against Man Utd in the Champions League final. (Times: 9/6/08)

EIDUR GUDJOHNSEN, BARCELONA
Icelandic hitman Eidur Gudjohnsen has been told that he can leave Barcelona, causing a scramble among Premier League teams eager to sign the former Chelsea striker. Newcastle and West Ham have inquired after the 29-year-old, who will cost £4m. (Sun: 6/6/08)

ANDREA DOSSENA, UDINESE
Liverpool will shortly sign the Italian left-back Andrea Dossena from Udinese for a fee thought to be around £7m. The Merseysiders gave the defender, who has one national cap, a medical on Wednesday and will pay £1m less than the Series A club originally demanded. (Times: 5/6/08)

EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR, ARSENAL
AC Milan have set their sights on prising Emmanuel Adebayor away from Arsenal. The Italians are willing to pay up to £32m for the Togolese attacker who scored 30 goals for the Londoners last season. If he does leave the club, it will be the second player, after Matthieu Flamini, that AC have taken from Arsene Wenger this close season. (Daily Telegraph: 6/6/08)

JOHN ARNE RIISE, LIVERPOOL
John Arne Riise, whose own-goal in the last seconds of the Champions League semi-final at Anfield arguably put Liverpool out of the competition, is interesting Roma. The Serie A club are willing to bid £5m for the Norwegian, money that would allow Rafa Benitez to pursue long-time target Gareth Barry and Newcastle's James Milner. (Daily Mail: 6/6/08)

ROQUE SANTA CRUZ, BLACKBURN
With Mark Hughes departed as manager, Blackburn Rovers face a fight to keep hold of their goal sensation Roque Santa Cruz. Manchester City, Hughes' new club, are obvious favourites to sign the 26-year-old, who scored 23 goals last season, but their city rivals United are also in the market for the Paraguayian attacker, according to the player. (Sky Sports: 5/6/08)

PABLO AIMAR, REAL ZARAGOZA
Newcastle boss Kevin Keegan could swoop for the Argentinian attacker Aimar after his club put him on the market with a £6.5m price tag. Zaragoza were relegated from La Liga this season and have to cut their wages bill. (Daily Mirror: 3/6/08)

JO, CSKA MOSCOW
Yet another Eastlands target, Brazilian striker Jo is expected to sign for Manchester City later this week in a deal that could come in at close to £20m. The 21-year-old has a solitary cap for his country and would be the club's record signing. (Guardian: 3/6/08)

XAVI ALONSO, LIVERPOOL
Midfielder Xavi Alonso will hold taks today with Juventus in a bid to seal his move. The Italian club have offered £13.5m for Alonso, who was bought from Real Sociedad for £10.5m in 2005. His sale would allow Rafa Benitez to renew his pursuit of Gareth Barry. (Daily Mail: 3/6/08)

WAYNE HENNESSEY, WOLVES
North London rivals Arsenal and Spurs are both on the trail of Wolves' highly rated young goalkeeper Hennessey. Arsene Wenger is believed to be ready to pay £3m for the 22-year-old Welsh international whose heroics against Holland recently impressed. (Daily Mirror: 3/6/08)

FIRST POSTED JUNE 3, 2008