The Inside Man

The Gaffer's Inside Man is a maverick. Hardened by too many years to remember in the cutthroat world of football journalism, he has gone undercover and is now reporting on all of the juiciest, forbidden football gossip that the fatcats at the FA don't want you to hear. If anyone asks, you didn't see him

• Liverpool fans anxiously waiting for news about the takeover of their club will be interested to hear about a suspicious foreigner spotted leaving the training ground late last Tuesday. The man, who my sources say was "Medium build, mostly bald, goateed and a bit Spanish-looking," may unsettle Reds boss Rafa Benitez who my sources say is "happy at Liverpool".

• Between one and 91 Premier League, Championship, League One and League Two clubs are said to be interested in a young midfielder who may or may not come from South America. Swindon Town have played down reports linking them to the starlet.

• Friends close to Milton Keynes Dons manager Paul Ince tell me that the rising managerial star was once on Manchester United’s books as a youngster

• Despite enjoying a successful start to life at Chelsea, sources say that the West London club may consider replacing coach Avram Grant.

THIS WEEK’S DIRTY, UGLY, SICK, FOUL, VILE, WHISPERED RUMOUR: Which maverick Nigerian, who has had spells "Trotting", "dans le Seine" and "lucratively winding down his career in Qatar" was spotted in Hull taking his 11-year-old son to a film rated 12R last weekend? Friends of the player tell me "leave Jay-Jay alone, he’s a wonderful man".