Despite reports on Monday night Liverpool and West Ham United had agreed an initial £2m loan fee for Andy Carroll, any proposed transfer appears to be a long way off.
Not only have West Ham denied any agreement but, as suspected, Carroll is reported to be resistant to a move to Upton Park, according to the Guardian.
The Hammers last week made a £17m bid for the former Newcastle United striker, but despite an ambitious gesture Carroll is apparently still not keen on linking up with Sam Allardyce, whose style of play earmarks him as something of a surrogate father.
Carroll instead, unsurprisingly, would like a move back north to Tyneside. Newcastle have had a loan bid rejected by Liverpool, but should the terms be agreed some have already joked the Reds would be strengthening themselves and weakening the side who finished three places above them last season. Although Carroll did score a memorable strike past them in the 2010/11 campaign.
CARROLL VS. LIVERPOOL
The struggling Geordie, 23, has scored just 11 goals in 18 months with the Anfield club.
Could it be? Martin O'Neill has apparently thrown Sunderland's red and white hat into the ring of those courting Carroll, say the m̶i̶s̶c̶h̶i̶e̶f̶-̶m̶a̶k̶i̶n̶g̶ Sun. That would please the England international's mother, who is a Mackem, unlike Father Carroll, who is a Magpie.
Staying with Liverpool, and the Star claim they have rejected a £13m bid from Manchester City for Daniel Agger. The 27-year-old Dane has been the subject of gathering speculation lately, and has won just one trophy in six-and-a-half-years with the Reds.
On to a more tedious transfer saga, and now the Mirror claim Juventus are willing to invest £70m in Robin van Persie. That's not the fee to buy him of course, but how much Van Persie would also earn from his contract's duration in Turin.
Manchester City are admirers and Manchester United had a (smokescreen?) bid rejected for the Dutchman, who signalled his intention to leave the club nearly a month ago.
The Daily Mail arrive on the scene writing that Chelsea will offer Wigan Athletic a final bid of £7.5m for Victor Moses. The Latics will probably reply with a "no".
Another when-will-he, and Real Madrid have again told Tottenham Hotspur they will not pay £40m for Luka Modrić, say the Express. Rumours suggest the Croat going AWOL saw the price go higher...
And Clint Dempsey has missed Fulham's pre-season in Switzerland, and is now closer to a move to Liverpool, muse the Sun. Two-plus-two equals...