Paper talk: Portsmouth in new crisis, Everton's James Vaughan to Derby and all of Monday's transfer gossip

By Richard Aikman in Football Spy

Published 09:18 26/10/09

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Portsmouth have been forced into an embarrassing climbdown amid more confusion surrounding their ownership. Pompey have admitted that new owner Ali Al-Faraj did conduct an interview with a Saudi Arabian newspaper, after earlier announcing that it had been faked and that anyone reproducing it would be sued. (Daily Express)

Pompey manager Paul Hart has warned the club's new director of football Avram Grant that he is not in charge of improving things over the coming months. (Daily Express)

A week has now passed since Mike Ashley's announcement that Chris Hughton was poised to become Newcastle 's manager, but the caretaker sees no cause for concern. "There is an offer there and I expect it to be done in days, I am quite sure it will be done," insisted Hughton, who is aware he may have been used as bait by Ashley in a bid to force the hand of any would-be buyers. (The Guardian)

Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp blamed suspended Jermain Defoe for his side's defeat to Stoke, saying the in-form striker would have made the difference on Saturday. (The Sun)

Everton and England Under-21 striker James Vaughan will rejoin  Derby in January in an attempt to get his injury-dogged career back on track. The 21-year-old has a history of knee trouble and returned from a loan spell at Pride Park this month after a small tear was discovered in his cartilage. (Daily Mail)

Coventry 's No2 keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos says he may seek a loan move away from the Ricoh Arena if his lack of match action continues. (Daily Telegraph)

Sven-Goran Eriksson will appoint one of his former assistants as Notts County ’s new manager. Derek Fazackerley , who worked under Eriksson at Manchester City and enjoyed a spell on the coaching staff at Newcastle and England, is firmly in the frame. (Daily Express)

Former Inter Milan coach Roberto Mancini is in the market for a return to club management. Mancini said this weekend: ‘I am missing coaching a bit and it is my vocation but I’m in no hurry. I need the right job and a stimulating one.’ Michael Laudrup rejected the chance to take over at Atletico Madrid — who will formally appoint Quique Sanchez Flores this week — with an eye on the crisis at Villarreal, where Ernesto Valverde is under pressure. Luciano Spalletti , late of Roma, is also keen to get back into management, and Stuttgart are said to be wondering if Jurgen Klinsmann might be tempted back to Germany. (The Times)

Rangers have received "tentative enquiries" regarding the sale of the club but had yet to receive a formal offer. The club issued a statement in which they also insisted they would not be forced to sell any players in the January transfer window but there was an absence of any commitment to invest money in improving a squad that has not seen a single player bought for more than a year. The announcement came less than 24 hours after the manager Walter Smith publicly admitted that Rangers' spending is being restricted by HBOS bank. (The Guardian)

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