Football Shorts

While a Jermain Beckford-inspired Huddersfield Town took a giant leap towards safety, Leeds United, despite losing, saw their own Championship status mathematically secured, and Bradford City’s late-season playoffs-surge ended successfully, and with time to spare!

But it’s time to seperate the wheat from the chaff in the transfer market - and one player who has been eating his Weetabix this season is Gareth Bale, who today has had transfer fees ranging from £65-100m for a possible move to Real Madrid. The Sun reports that Daniel Levy hopes that a £100m asking price would put off other clubs, but with PSG, Bayern and Manchester City now reportedly interested, Spurs have a serious job on their hands keeping their talisman.Despite playing rather well on his return to the side this weekend, everyone’s favourite copy/paste keeper Wojciech Szczęsny looks increasingly less likely to find himself between the Emirates’ sticks this August, and the Sunday People reckon the Wengerboys are going to take a punt on QPR’s brilliant yet gaffe-prone Julio Cesar.

With Cardiff City finally laying their ghosts to rest, the Red Dragons (sigh...) have predictably been linked with their former wonderkid-turned-Arsenal-misfit Aaron Ramsay, with the Sunday Mirror suggesting that the ‘reds’ (sigh...) will make a bid.

As well as Brendan Rodgers is doing for Liverpool, his signings haven’t all had the desired effect. That could all change, however, as the Daily Star on Sunday say he’s after none other than footballing kings Loic Remy and Micah Richards! Wowee!

Speaking of Mikey-R, The Sunday Sun has sensationally claimed that Mario Balotelli has persuaded his new club AC Milan to go for a £15m summer raid for Richards. Hands-up anyone who doesn’t want to see this happen...

In what seems a much more plausible Arsenal transfer rumour than the usual “£30m for Villa”, The Sunday Express say Arsene Wenger is plotting a £15m swoop for Schalke’s 19-year-old Germany midfielder Julian Draxler.

While Marouanne Fellaini looks like he won’t be sitting on the dock of the bay next season, the Express reckon Everton are eyeing a £10m move for PSV Eindhoven midfielder Kevin Strootman to replace him. (Sunday Express)