* New Portsmouth boss Avram Grant has been promised funds for players in the new year, with the club expecting its transfer ban to be lifted before the January transfer window.

* Bolton manager Gary Megson insists there is no "witch-hunt" after suggesting "one or two" players were destabilising the Premier League club. Megson, whose Wanderers are in freefall, is also set to sign former Burnley striker Kyle Lafferty from Rangers in January.

* Tottenham have tied up a £4m deal to bring Rangers defender Madjid Bougherra to White Hart Lane.

* Defender Brede Hangeland is set to sign a new deal at Fulham, scuppering Arsenal's hopes of luring the Norwegian to north London.

* Liverpool striker Fernando Torres insists manager Rafael Benitez is the right man to turn around Liverpool's ailing fortunes.

* Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp faces a battle with Liverpool to sign former Arsenal favourite Patrick Vieira from Inter Milan in the January transfer window.

The two clubs are also keeping tabs on Atletico Madrid Diego Forlan after the Uruguay striker admitted he would like to return to England.

* Manchester United have concluded a deal for Cardiff's teenage defender Adam Matthews, who will move to Old Trafford for £5m in the January transfer window.

* Former Manchester United star Fabien Barthez has sparked uproar in France when it was revealed he charged 70 Euro a minute as Raymond Domenech's goalkeeping coach.

* Blackpool are looking at Morecambe's highly-rated wing back Laurence Wilson - and could offer £400,000 in January.

* Leeds United manager Simon Grayson could emerge as a target for Hull City should the Tigers sack the under pressure Phil Brown.

* Stockport's Carl Baker has caught the eye of Middlesbrough with Gordan Strachan set to make a bid for the striker in January.

* England manager Fabio Capello wants to go head-to-head with Diego Maradona's Argentina team in a pre-World Cup friendly next March.

* Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne has warned England not to heap too many expectations on striker Wayne Rooney for the 2010 World Cup.

* Inter Milan president Massimo Moratti says Jose Mourinho's job is safe - despite their uncertain Champions League fate following a 2-0 defeat by Barcelona on Tuesday.

* Aston Villa manager Martin O'Neill is tracking Portugal international Miguel after the right-back fell out with Valencia coach Unai Emery.

* An email on behalf of John Terry has been sent to prospective sponsors outlining the England captain's suitability to endorse companies for the 2010 World Cup. The email states that Terry was "voted as one of the World's most influencial (sic) people".