Thursday’s Transfer Window as it happened

And that's it until tomorrow morning. What does tomorrow hold? Ronaldo to Barca? Anelka to Sunderland? Robbie Keane to Man United or other such crazy possibilities? Find out tomorrow from 7am in the usual place. See you then.

Not much to report from the last half an hour or so, as per usual around this time, transfer gossip is getting thinner and thinner on the ground.

Betting suspended on Demba Ba joining Newcastle, who's set to be the talk of the Toon on Tyneside for the next few days. At least it might take a bit of attention away from the whole Kevin Nolan debacle.

Barcelona target Thiago Silva does not want to leave AC Milan according to the player's agent. Good. No offence but Barca are already too good as it is and the more Thiago Silvas out there that turn them down, the better.

Central defensive woes at Liverpool? Solved. Sotirios Kyrgiakos is apparently going to get a new 12-month contract at Anfield.

Following the success of Beram Kayal at Celtic, the Hoops have tried to lure exotic sounding Maccabi Haifa star and fellow Israeli international Lior Rafaelov to Parkhead, but have been unsuccessful in their attempts.

QPR's effective luxury player Adel Taarabt would be tempted by a move, but only to a team in the top three or four in the Premier League, and preferably a London club in the top three or four. Too big for his boots? Here's what he had to say:

"It's currently what I'm trying to achieve (a move to a big club). Today, I have a two-year contract with QPR.

"Yes, there is contact (with other clubs) but I cannot say more, as you can imagine.

"I like the London clubs. I do not hide my liking for Chelsea.

"I would prefer to play regularly at QPR to being on the bench for a season at Chelsea. Now, if they told me I'd play 20 games per season, I think I'd be very tempted."

And Arsenal?

"The idea is very appealing. Especially since there is also Samir Nasri, who I know very well."

"But after that, there is a real possibility of playing the minimum."

The man certainly knows his priorities.

Rumours circulating that Bojan Krcic might be offered to Arsenal as part of a Fabregas bid. They obviously don't think much of Messi's understudy as he must have been linked with 20 clubs in the last year alone.

Everything has slowed down in the last hour or so. Anyone got any juicy ones? We'll accept concoctions of any sort, just for the hell of it.

Bit of Twitter talk about Blackpool receiving a bid for Charlie Adam from Tottenham. Possible alright. Liverpool should have their business done by now.

Do you like having a punt on who goes where? Odds on the future of Birmingham's Scott Dann from Sky Bet:

7/4 Aston Villa
9/4 Liverpool
11/4 Arsenal

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell has come out with a ridiculous comment that Cesc Fabregas is worth significantly less than this time last year.

Get this, Rosell said: "If last summer we offered €40m for Cesc, and since there has been wear and tear, now he's worth less."

Talk about a wheeler dealer.

Did West Brom not hear that Man City don't want to loan out Shay Given? Seemingly not. The Baggies want to bring our numero uno down to the midlands for a whole season but that's just not going to happen, is it?

Breaking news: West Ham have confirmed they've signed Kevin Nolan from Newcastle on a four-year deal.

Classic stuff from Redknapp on the Modric transfer bid: "There are people being sold for £20m who are not fit to lace Luka's boots."

‘Arry’s blown a gasket, so he has. The Spurs boss insists Luka Modric is not up for sale and has said the £22m offer from Chelsea is “ridiculous”, according to Sky Sports News.

This one doesn't sound particlarly believable, but TalkSport are claiming that Liverpool are interested in signing temperamental Italian forward Antonio Cassano. Hardly believable for a number of reasons:

He only joined Milan this year, he'll be 29 next month and is no spring chicken and isn't really the type of player that Liverpool are looking for a the moment. But hey, what do we know?

Aston Villa, currently in negotiations with Alex 'Big Eck' McLeish to become their next manager, reportedly approached 'Schteve' McLaren first.

Speaking of McLaren, he's never been short of an embarrassing sound bite or two and he added to his collection after being unveiled as Nottingham Forest manager this morning:

"You can smell the history and tradition of Forest as soon as you walk into this room," he said.

What do history and tradition smell like?

Joey Barton is all but set to leave Newcastle next summer after revealing that there have been no discussions over a new contract.

"I believe in my ability and if Newcastle don't think I'll play past 29 then more fool them and I'll go and ply my trade elsewhere.

"Nothing would mean more to me than to do it at Newcastle but, if that's not the case, so be it."

Strong words.

Gervinho, apparently not deemed good enough for Newcastle, has reportedly agreed a four year deal at Arsenal which should be made official by the weekend.

In one the most predictable newsbits of the day, Spurs have confirmed that sicknote defender Jonathan Woodgate will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer with former club Leeds thought to be interested in taking him on. Pity how his career has gone in the last few years, he was a classy defender in his day.

1135:

Premier League clubs: Be on alert, Inter Milan striker Samuel Eto'o fancies a move to Blighty. He is quoted in Il Corriere dello Sport this morning saying: 

"I am now 30-years-old and it is very important for me to think about my future before I sign what could be my last contract. I have already shown that I have what it takes to play in Italy and I now have the idea of proving myself in England."

He might be 30 but he's still class. Spurs might be interested.

1110:

More on Modric. Spurs are saying that Chelsea would want to up their €25 million bid considerably if they are to lure the Croatian away from White Hart Lane. Can't blame Spurs considering some of the fees that have been paid already in the transfer window. You'd also have to think that Man U won't let him go to Chelsea without a fight.

Sergio Aguero is staying put at Atletico Madrid, according to his agent. Rumours had spread that the Argentina international had signed for Juventus. Unfounded reports.

The Guardian: Cesc Fábregas has said his future as an Arsenal player is up in the air, admitting he does not know if the club wishes to sell him and revealing his frustrations after another trophyless season at the Emirates.

"Barcelona are the best team in the world and going there guarantees titles. Any player who says he is not frustrated at not winning titles is lying," said Fábregas yesterday.

"I am ambitious. But I owe myself to Arsenal. I have not spoken to the manager – he is the boss, he takes decisions and I don't know if they want to sell me or not."

Sky Sports News is reporting Newcastle are about to sign Demba Ba from West Ham. The free agent has travelled north to discuss a contract.

Sunderland are thought to be closing in on a deal with Birmingham for Seb Larsson.

The Swedish midfielder has garnered attention from Fulham, Arsenal and Aston Villa also, but becoming an integral part of Steve Bruce's plans at the Stadium of Light next season is said to be appealing to the 26-year-old.

West Brom are believed to be monitoring the situation of Shay Given at Manchester City since they failed to sign Brad Friedel who left Villa for a move to Spurs.

Specualtion over a new club for the Irish 'keeper has been rife since the transfer window opened with a failed effort from Celtic to bring the Donegal man to the SPL on a loan deal.

Jonathan Woodgate is one of 123 Premier League players to be released by their respective clubs. Injury has plagued the Tottenham defender's career and will be joined by Man City's Patrick Vieira and Sol Campbell from Newcastle in looking for a new club.

Celtic captain Scott Brown isn’t going anywhere. He has dismissed talk of a move to Newcastle United after reports claimed the Magpies were lining up a £6million bid for the midfielder.

Fergie is in full flight now. According to French newspaper L’Equipe, Manchester United have made an official €10.5million bid for Lens defender Raphael Varane.

Discussions between Randy Lerner and Alex McLeish are progressing well as Aston Villa prepare to fill their managerial vacancy.

McLeish has cut short his holiday to speak with the Villa owner in London.

The talks are believed to have been 'productive', with negotiations taking another step forward following a second meeting late last night.

An announcement is not expected to be made later today.

Manchester United flop Bebe has joined Besiktas on loan until the end of the season. More details to follow.

For more on Man United's hijacking of Charlie Adam, go here.

Eh up, eh up. Kenny Dalglish and Alex Ferguson are at war again. Reports emerging that Man United are trying to hijack Charlie Adam's move to Liverpool.

The Reds were supposedly all set to get the Blackpool captain for a reasonable €10m, but now it's become apparent that rivals United have tabled a €14m offer.

Higher wages and Champions League football at Old Trafford may have a big shout in where Charlie ends up this summer.

More on the possible Defoe deal here, meanwhile another Spurs star potentially on his way out of White Hart Lane is Luka Modric.

Majority of the morning tabloids have it that Chelsea have tabled a €25million bid for the midfielder but it's also reported that Spurs have rejected the bid.

Good morning and welcome back to JOE's Transfer Tracker.

The big news this morning is that Arsenal are all set to make a bid for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

The Gunners are desperate for an out-and-out frontman and the England international poacher would solve that problem.

The dire Nicklas Bendtner is reported to be on his way out of the Emirates, so there's more than enough room for the 28-year-old in Arsene Wenger's squad.