MANCHESTER United are watching closely as Turkish defender Alpay Ozalan talks his way out of Villa Park.

Alex Ferguson could move if Leeds refuse to sell his major target Rio Ferdinand but Villa will only let him go for double the £5.6m they paid two years ago.

His value has soared during the World Cup and Galatasaray and Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund are ready to pounce after he criticised Villa for lacking ambition.

Vlad all over?

ARSENAL will move for Liverpool midfielder Vladimir Smicer if they lose Freddie Llungberg to Juventus. The Anfield club have offered Smicer a new three-year contract but he is unhappy at being unable to command a regular first team place.

Christian aid

CHRISTIAN Negouai's unhappy spell at Manchester City could be ended by a move to West Ham. City won the race to sign the 6' 5" midfielder for £1.5m last season but he has failed to establish himself in the first team. Middlesbrough and Sunderland are waiting in the wings.

Toffee targets

PAUL Ince is wanted by Everton and Rangers after refusing to sign a new contract at Middlesbrough. Everton are ready to re-open negotiations with Gary Breen if the former Coventry City centre half lowers his wage demands from £25,000 a week.

Triple swoop

FULHAM are lining up Villa's George Boateng, Ipswich's Matt Holland and South Korean forward Ahn Jung-hwan whose future at Perugia was over the second he knocked Italy out of the World Cup.

Big spenders

SPURS will splash out £15m to take Sunderland striker Kevin Phillips to White Hart Lane and are chasing Senegal World Cup star striker Henri Camara along with Middlesbrough. If they have trouble with eight they will match the £8m Leeds accepted from Sunderland this week for striker Robbie Keane.

WEST Brom are planning to nick Coventry midfielder David Thompson from under the noses of Blackburn who have already tabled one bid. The Baggies will not take no for an answer from Preston for Sean Gregan. After eight weeks of constant speculation they had a £1m bid dismissed as "a joke" this week who rate their skipper at £3m.