Spurs fans may not be happy but apparently Holland want their manager Martin Jol to take over as national boss after Euro 2008 (Daily Express). This would not be good news for Tottenham; Jol has made a big impact at White Hart Lane and is clearly a man on a mission in north London - but he would presumably find it hard to turn down an advance from his own country should this indeed be the case.

Jol, 51, has guided Spurs to successive fifth-place finishes in the Premiership and is expected by many to break into the top four this season (yes, I know this topic has been raised a million times already!) - but all that might count for nought should the Netherlands come calling.

Meanwhile, Tottenham are in talks with a view to signing Dinamo Zagreb right-back Vedran Corluka (The Times). I know what you're thinking - Dinamo Zagreb again! Seemingly all their top players are in talks with one club or another; Corluka is, however, a highly-rated defender who first caught the eye on his Croatian debut, which came in a win against World Cup holders Italy last summer. The signing could depend greatly on whether Pascal Chimbonda leaves to join Chelsea, a move that also depends on whether Shaun Wright-Phillips joins Spurs etc. And the whole transfer wheel turns once more!

'I do actually like Deco as a player and clearly he and Jose have a great deal of history together, having won just about every major honour in Europe when they were both at Porto. Do Chelsea have space for more midfielders, though?'


Whilst on the subject of Spurs' potential new signings (aren't I always!), one player definitely not moving to the Lane is Middlesbrough's Stewart Downing, who has resisted the urge to join Jol's ever-expanding army (I don't mean they are all getting fat, or indeed that they are actually an army; it's just an expression, dummy!). The 23-year-old winger, who is brilliant at slinging in a mean cross but not so adept at taking on and beating defenders (just an opinion, Boro fans), told the Middlesbrough Evening Gazette (great read by the way, and I am not being sarcastic) that he was aware of an approach from Tottenham but stated that he was happy at the Riverside.

But Downing added ominously (almost like an agent):  "Maybe one day I'll move on, go to a bigger club, which would be good, but I'm happy here at this moment in time." How long does "this moment in time" cover, do you think?

Over to east London, West Ham are reportedly lining up a £17m move for Barcelona's Eidur Gudjohnsen and Manchester United's Alan Smith (Daily Express). As well as this big-money couplet, the Hammers are also being linked with a £10m double deal for Gudjohnsen and Newcastle's Kieron Dyer (Daily Mirror). And they are not through there, either, because boss Alan Curbishley has also expressed an interest in Middlesbrough's Yakubu (The Times).

What a difference new investment can make, with West Ham now seeming to have the potential to pick up a whole host of top-class players. Following on from their recent signings of Craig 'Mental' Bellamy and Scott Parker, they are now looking to spend more of their Icelandic chairman's krona (currency in Iceland in case you are wondering - which I know you're not, because you guys seem pretty clued up on general knowledge).

All of these possible signings seem worthy, except for maybe Dyer, who is a bit of a show pony, and Smith, who has heart but maybe not the head in footballing terms. I also think Yakubu is a little over-rated and not worth the transfer figures connected with him recently, so on second thoughts not such great signings, then.

However I am a big fan of Gudjohnsen, a great player with miles on the clock but still good for a few years yet. Criminally under-used by Barcelona and deemed surplus to requirements by Jose Mourinho at Chelsea, Iceland's No.1 national footballing god (not many others to choose from) is perfect for the English game and I for one would be glad to see him back in England.

Talking of Jose and Chelsea, Barcelona star Deco has told Mourinho he would like to work with him again (The Sun). The tiny midfielder with a face that says 'slap me' is not a very subtle man, and if his quotes are true, then his already-faltering relationship with Barca boss Frank Rijkaard could get a damn sight worse.

Aside from the derogatory comments I have already made, I do actually like Deco as a player and clearly he and Jose have a great deal of history together, having won just about every major honour in Europe when they were both at Porto. Do Chelsea have space for more midfielders, though? Well, I guess that depends on the future of Messrs Frank Lampard and Michael Ballack.

Austria Vienna have stated that they tricked Rangers into paying an inflated price for striker Filip Sebo (Daily Mirror), which is not very nice. Sebo hasn't exactly been prolific for Walter Smith's side, scoring just twice last season (albeit he spent most of it coming on as sub). But the Austrian side will pay for their cheeky boast when Sebo goes on to finish the coming campaign as Golden Boot winner - or perhaps not. 

Star Ibrox striker Kris Boyd can rest easy in the knowledge that the Slovakian goalscorer will not be troubling him on the quest to become SPL's top hitman. Anyway, I am sure that a giant the size of Rangers can laugh off the comments and move on with their aim of catching Celtic for the SPL title.

Scottish champions Celtic have held initial talks to extend midfielder Shunsuke Nakamura's contract  (various). The Japanese midfielder has been a big hit at Parkhead, especially in his second season last term when he really got into gear and picked all sorts of awards for his troubles. Boss Gordon Strachan will be ultra-keen to keep hold of him so expect the 29-year-old Japan international to be offered the kind of contract that will mean that he ends his career in Glasgow.