Spurs reject Birmingham bid for Pavlyuchenko

Tottenham have "turned down an £8m bid" from Birmingham City for their unhappy striker Roman Pavlyuchenko, according to the Daily Mail. The Russian (right) has been keen to leave White Hart Lane for several weeks but Spurs aren’t prepared to sell him even though it seems likely that they are about to sign Icelandic forward Eidur Gudjohnsen.

As reported by The First Post yesterday, Gudjohnsen had arrived in London from Monaco – for whom the ex-Chelsea striker currently plays – to discuss terms with West Ham. But Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was there to meet him and the Mail says that Gudjohnsen has agreed to join Spurs ahead of their London rivals. Nonetheless, despite securing Gudjohnsen, Spurs have told Birmingham to increase their offer if they want to sign Pavlyuchenko.

Manchester City have made an offer for Middlesbrough and England Under-21 star Adam Johnson, says Sky Sports. But will the exciting winger want to come to a club whose hunt for their first piece of silverware since 1976 was stymied last night by their defeat to Manchester United in the Carling Cup semi-final?

City certainly hope so and Sky report that "money is not an issue" as the Blues' manager Roberto Mancini sees Johnson as a player who can help turn the club into a trophy-winning side.

The 22-year-old Johnson, a native of the north-east, is comfortable on either wing and has been the standout performer for 'Boro in what has been an otherwise disappointing Championship campaign this season. He scored two goals on Tuesday in the 4-1 win against Doncaster and it's this sort of form that has attracted the attention of not just Mancini, but a host of other top-flight clubs, including Chelsea.

Johnson’s contract at the Riverside runs out at the end of the current season and Sky says he’ll almost certainly be moving to Eastlands, though the value of the City bid "has not yet been revealed".

This week hasn't all been good news for Alex Ferguson, if the Mirror is to be believed. The paper reports that Manchester United's Brazilian midfielder Anderson is on his way out of Old Trafford "after a second bust-up" with the fiery Scot.

Apparently Anderson was nowhere to be seen at Old Trafford last night and the Mirror says that was because "he flew home without club permission".

If the report is true Anderson will be fined a week's salary - £50,000. But that will be of little interest to the Brazilian, who allegedly returned to South America to discuss terms with Vasco De Gama.

The Brazilian media claim that the 21-year-old Anderson was met at Rio airport by Vasco sporting director Rodrigo Caetano and the pair sat down to discuss a move.

Anderson arrived at Manchester in 2007 in an £18m deal from Porto but he has enjoyed mixed fortunes with the club. Earlier this season it was reported that Anderson and Ferguson had exchanged sharp words when the Brazil star became aggrieved at his lack of first-team appearances. ·