"We know the British tabloids often say things that aren't true," a Juventus spokesman scurrilously alleged last week, while denying a "Keane Signs for Juve" story. True, none of the sensational transfer stories we have included in this section so far this season have actually come to pass, but there's no need for that class of talk. So, on with the rumours. Alex Ferguson is quoted as saying that Roy Keane will stay at Manchester United if they win the European Cup again, the clearest hint yet that he won't be at Old Trafford next season - although lots of the Sunday papers sensationally revealed a story that was actually circulating six months ago, that Keane would "leave" United and immediately re-sign for them, picking up a whopping signing-on fee in the process, thus solving Martin "I won't break our pay structure" Edwards's problem. United are, though, keen to sell Massimo Taibi and Piacenza are, bizarrely enough, said to be interested. Teddy Sheringham will join Peter Schmeichel at Sporting Lisbon next summer and Juventus are after Paul Scholes, all £15 million worth of him. Chelsea want Benito Carbone, currently on loan at Aston Villa, to replace Gianfranco Zola next season while AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi is prepared to make Arsene Wenger the highest paid coach in the world (£2.5 million a year) if he agrees to leave Arsenal, who could soon lose Marc Overmars if there's any substance to talk of a swap deal with Barcelona that would see their 19-year-old midfielder Xavi move to Highbury.

Dave Bassett is all set to be named as the new Blackburn Rovers manager and might make Newcastle's Duncan Ferguson his first signing, if he can beat Middlebrough's Bryan Robson in the frantic race for his signature. Meanwhile Spurs have asked River Plate how much they'd want for their 17-year-old Argentinian striker Javier Saviloa, to which they replied "£20 million please". "You're 'aving a larf, aren't you," was the gist of Alan Sugar's response.