Football Gossip for 9 February '11

Chelsea had a £36m bid for Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez rejected by the German club last month. "I only found out about the offer after the club had turned it down," said the 25-year-old Germany international. "But it wouldn't have mattered anyway. I am already at a top club and I am playing where I always wanted to."

A memorabilia collector has claimed that David Trezeguet's France shirt from the World Cup final win over Brazil in 1998, which was bought for £6,000, has been destroyed by French customs officers who wrongly thought it was fake.

Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina says he could follow Fernando Torres out of Anfield if the club do not qualify for the Champions League.

Marseille are poised to tempt Chelsea striker Didier Drogba to move away from London with a £5m-a-year offer.

Dutch midfielder Mark van Bommel says he would be open to a move to Tottenham when his short-term deal with AC Milan ends in the summer.

Barcelona have ruled out signing Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas at the end of the season.

Bolton striker Johan Elmander is ready to quit the club if a new contract is not sorted out.

Newcastle want to sign Finland forward Shefki Kuqi to cover their shortage of numbers in the striking department. The 34-year-old is a free agent after cancelling his contract with Swansea by mutual consent.

Newcastle are in talks over possible moves for two unemployed strikers - former Middlesbrough and Arsenal man Jeremie Aliadiere and Brazilian Ewerthon, who was released by Sao Paulo-based club Palmeiras in January.

Blackburn are keen on signing Sevilla and Brazil striker Luis Fabiano.

Arsenal striker Nicklas Bendtner says he could leave the club in the summer as he looks for more first-team opportunities.

And Italian sides AC Milan and Lazio are interested in signing the 23-year-old Dane.

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew will attempt to prise Roman Pavlyuchenko away from Tottenham this summer after the Russian striker said he was unhappy with his bit-part role at White Hart Lane.

Spurs have told Pavlyuchenko to wait until the end of the season for a move, despite Russian clubs - whose transfer window is open until mid-March - wanting to sign the 29-year-old now.

Serie A's Roma, too, are lining up a move for Pavlyuchenko as they prepare to offload attacking pair Mirko Vucinic and Adriano in the off-season.

Southampton chairman Nicola Cortese has criticised Liverpool and Arsenal for the way they have tried to sign their midfield star Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Manchester City will make another bid for Gent winger Yassine El Ghanassy in the summer.

Manchester United have been linked to Barcelona's former Liverpool player Javier Mascherano, with Old Trafford boss Sir Alex Ferguson keen to add a defensive midfielder to his ranks.

West Ham say the Olympic Stadium would become "predominantly scrap" if Tottenham won the right to move to the venue.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has reached an agreement with Serbia that central defender Nemanja Vidic will not play in the friendly against Israel on Wednesday.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba has issued a downbeat assessment of his club's title hopes, saying the home loss to Liverpool last weekend has "cut away our legs".

Manchester City are putting striker Mario Balotelli through an intensive training schedule in an attempt to get the Italian fit for the derby clash with Manchester United this weekend.

Everton chief executive Robert Elstone has denied reports the club are in financial trouble and insists they will not have to sell their best players to balance the books.

Denmark goalkeeper Thomas Sorensen says England are underachievers and are no longer regarded as big scalps because of their recent failures in major competitions.

Everton are poised to offer midfielder Marouane Fellaini a new contract in a bid to fend off interest from Chelsea.

Manchester United skipper Rio Ferdinand is unlikely to recover from the calf sprain that ruled him out of the defeat at Wolves in time for this weekend's derby against Manchester City.

Celtic manager Neil Lennon says the death threats he has received will not force him out of the job.

Everton goalkeeper Jan Mucha wants to speak to manager David Moyes about his future after making only two appearances since signing from Legia Warsaw in July 2010.

Barcelona's director of football Raul Sanllehi has revealed he was shocked by the £50m Chelsea paid Liverpool for Spanish striker Fernando Torres. "Barcelona would not make that signing," said Sanllehi. "We would not even consider it."

Scotland skipper Kenny Miller says he is the right choice to lead the side in the Nations Cup game against Northern Ireland on Wednesday because he is "bossy, moaning and demanding".