Ok, so it's a little early in the year to start breaking out the Santa gags, but Roque Santa Cruz has given us no option. Having made it clear that his future at Ewood Park won't last until next year's present run, the Daily Mirror reckon that Liverpool will come swooping and pick themselves up a gift.

Manchester City, Tottenham and Arsenal will all probably be in the race as well, so there'll be plenty more time to tweak our 'Christmas has come early for Club X' headlines.

Various papers, and indeed Soccernet too, reckon Darren Bent's future at Tottenham is sealed. He's pretty unlikely to be at Spurs next year given Harry Redknapp reckon his missus could do better up front, so who wants a former £16.5 striker on the cheap? Anyone?

The Daily Mirror do have the news that former-White Fredi Kanoute isn't interested in a return. So it's not all bad.

The latest young player to be linked with Arsenal is Brazilian 16-year-old Wellington. The Daily Mail report that he scored a few goals for the club while on trial and now Arsene Wenger wants to add some more Brazilian side dish to go with his main course of Denilson.

Surprise, suprise, Real Madrid were interested in the striker as well; but Wenger's powers of persuasion (and the chance of the kid actually getting a game at the Emirates) look to have won him over.

Not to be outdone, Chelsea have agreed a deal for their own teenage sensation, but chose Rapid Vienna's striker Phillip Prosineck as their entree in the transfer market. They've done well to persuade a young player to join Stamford Bridge, but could lose out on their English diamond at the back - no, not John Terry - but Michael Mancienne, who could be off to Wolves for £4m.

While we're talking teenagers, Gianfranco Zola is still trying to prise Mario Balotelli out of the clutches of Jose Mourinho at Inter. The Italian youngster is one of the stars of the future, so he'll do well to get him through the doors at Upton Park. Still, they managed it with Savio Nsereko...

The Sun have, what a shock, gone with Rafa and Fergie's war of words. But also have an interesting poser for Alan Shearer at Newcastle. Michael Owen has not impressed, while Mark Viduka and Obafemi Martins have, so will the boss have the cojones to drop the axe? Carefully of course...

And finally, of course Arsene Wenger got there first with every player in the world. Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, the whole lot; and now United twins Fabio and Rafael are on the list too. The Daily Mail have the news that the Arsenal boss knew all about them, talked to their club about them, but didn't sign them.