Everton’s Cookie Monster-esque goal gobbler is going to be the target of a January raid by Chelsea manager Avram Grant. Quite how the signing of Yakubu will help the Blues during their African Nations Cup malaise is beyond us (Sunday Express).

And if Chelsea’s move for the Yak comes off, then David Moyes – who has already hinted that there may only be one loan signing in January - will look to Barcelona’s Santi Ezquerro. Bolton are also monitoring the situation (News of the World). Meanwhile, Barcelona are up for grabbing Manchester United's Edwin van der Sar as reserve goalkeeper (News of the World).

If Avram Grant doesn’t impress for the rest of the season, apparently Frank Rijkaard will be offered the chance to take control at Chelsea – thus reuiniting him with current assistant boss Henk Ten Cate (News of the World).
 
According to The Observer, Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is after Lyon striker striker Karim Benzema and Crystal Palace’s midfield genius John Bostock.

Rafa Benitez’s American paymasters George Gillett and Tom Hicks have a rather rancid yuletide gift for the Spaniard - apparently there is no money available in the January transfer rush! (Mail on Sunday) And if Rafa decides to storm out on Liverpool over their non-existent transfer funds, George Gillett and Tom Hicks will try to woo Aston Aston Villa’s Martin O’Neill as his replacement (Sunday Express).
 
O’Neill however, is filling out his January transfer sheet by planning a fresh £7m bid for Porto defender Jose Bosingwa (various).

Newcastle’s Sam Allardyce, informed by chairman Chris Mort that there might not be an endless bayou of oozing cash to spend over January, has instead settled on a modest target - Darlington keeper David Stockdale (News of the World).

Valencia and Atletico Madrid are hovering around Ewood Park and want to poach Blackburn’s star midfielder David Bentley (The Observer). And Bentley might not be the only player leaving Mark Hughes’ side with Derby and Wigan engaging in a battle-royal for want-away Robbie Savage (various).

The Observer also reckons new Derby boss Paul Jewell is planning to try to tempt Manchester United defender Ryan Shawcross to move to Pride Park . Meanwhile, the first name onSteve Coppell's Reading activity for January is Portsmouth’s Matt Taylor (News of the World). And after he’s bagged Taylor, Coppell is looking at shelling out £2m on Rangers midfielder Brahim Hemdani (Sunday Mail).

Roy Keane has some shopping planned for his Sunderland side; he’s after Crewe’s defensive dynamo Danny Woodards (News of the World). And Keane isn’t finished there – he’s also after Reading’s savage-tackling midfielder Stephen Hunt (Observer).

Middlesbrough’s Gareth Southgate, eager to spend some of that Yakubu money and buy himself a top-quality goal-bagger, will again try to get Brazilian Alfonso Alves (News of the World). Southgate is apparently also after Rangers striker Daniel Cousin, who apparently has one of those £3m get-out clause thingies (Sunday Mail.

Last but not least, Sevilla are harassing the Tottenham board and demanding £3m in compensation for their thieving of manager Juande Ramos (Observer).