The Star Football

'ABRAMOVICH WANTS RID OF COLE'
Well, well, well.

An interesting tale in The Sun this morning, with the paper reporting that Roman Abramovich is possibly showing some of the backing that Andre Villas-Boas has been asking for with his begging, pleading eyes.

The Sun reports that Ashley Cole will be shown the door by Abramovich after his apparent little spat with Villas-Boas, during which Cole reportedly said that Chelsea would never win anything playing with his current tactics.

The paper quotes the ever-reliable and accurate 'club insider' as saying: "When the players question the manager, they are questioning the owner's judgment.

"Andre Villas-Boas was Mr Abramovich's personal choice. In the past, the senior players have sometimes got their way over an unpopular manager.

"But this time Mr Abramovich is fed up with their moaning."


AND LAMPARD TOO...?
If the tabs have got their ducks in a line, Chelsea are really moving to clear the old boys out of Stamford Bridge.

The Daily Mirror reports that Frank Lampard is a target for Paris St Germain, with the big-boned midfielder apparently 'fuming' at being left out of their defeat in Napoli in a perfectly understandable tactical decision.

The paper reports: 'With Lampard having barely hidden his anger and frustration at his treatment by the Portuguese since the start of the season, his 11-year spell at Stamford Bridge could end with him joining up with former Blues boss Ancelotti at PSG.

'A furious Lampard is understood to have told Villas-Boas he was sacrificing players for his personal vindication at the tense meeting in the team's Italian hotel.'

Crikey.


AND THEY'VE APPROACHED BENITEZ TOO
To complete this trio of Chelsea implosion/revolution/clusterf**k stories, The Times reports that Andre Villas-Boas could be out on his arse too.

The paper of record reckons Chelsea have already sounded out Rafa Benitez about the possibility of taking over should they decide to kick that scrub AVB to the curb. That last clause was brought to you by the pop combo TLC.

Anyway, The Times reports: 'Intermediaries acting for the club have made contact with the former Liverpool manager and that could spell the end for Villas-Boas. The chaotic 3-1 defeat away to Napoli in the Champions League on Tuesday night, combined with a run of only two wins in the club's past ten Barclays Premier League games, has eroded much of the lingering support that the 34-year-old Villas-Boas enjoyed within the Chelsea hierarchy.

'The players, too, are convinced of the need for immediate change, with the dressing room thought to be in a state of open revolt.'

Could be in for a rather interesting few months at the Bridge.


SUAREZ TO JUVE?
There's a great big drum in The Daily Star offices. On that drum is a big picture of Luis Suarez sneaking out of Anfield for pastures new. And the Star are banging that drum like a cross between Keith Moon and Animal from The Muppets.

The paper reports that Juventus are the latest club to count out the pennies and prepare an offer for the...ahem...'controversial' striker - pennies to the tune of £30million.

The Star claims: 'Anfield boss Kenny Dalglish is desperate to keep hold of the Uruguayan. But sources close to Suarez have suggested he is still upset with the way the Patrice Evra affair was handled by the club and might fancy the move.'

See, this is where the theory falls down like a house made of twine after the Big Bad Wolf has had a go. Sure, everyone else might be a little p*ssed off at how Liverpool handled the whole thing, but why the actual f*ck would Suarez be annoyed? Given that they backed him and backed him and backed him in the face of almost all logic and sense, Suarez is surely the last person that should be irked.

Unless it's some form of bizarre protest by Suarez on behalf of Manchester United fans everywhere. Which we think is rather unlikely.


ARSENAL TO SPEND £55m
Well, this seems unlikely.

German paper Bild is reporting this fine day that Arsenal will go absolutely mental this summer and shovel a bunch of cash in the direction of Germany, hoping that they will send Lukas Podolski and Mario Gotze in return.

Apparently Arsene Wenger has decided to go balls-out for once, and stick in a £55million bid for the pair of Teuton whipper-snappers (actually, Podolski is 26, but he looks so young the term 'whipper-snapper' seems appropriate) to try and spice up a marriage gone stale.

Whether that work or not is more or less moot. Because it isn't going to happen. No way, no how.


AND THE REST...
Asamoah Gyan is set to turn his back on Sunderland and remain in the Middle East...Wolves are set to turn to Walter Smith after being frustrated in their search to replace Mick McCarthy...Andrey Arshavin will decide today whether to return to his former club Zenit St Petersburg on loan...Juventus are understood to have outlined a four-year contract for Manchester United teenager Paul Pogba