Football: RUMOURS: Fact and fiction from the Sunday papers

That Was The Weekend That Was

WHILE THE Sunday Mirror says Ruud Gullit has been promised pounds 20m to spend on new players, the People speculates that he could reap a pounds 35m windfall through a big St James' Park clear-out.

Rob Lee, Alessandro Pistone, Gary Speed and Philippe Albert could all be surplus to Gullit's requirements, the report says, suggesting he might also part with David Batty and even Alan Shearer, who is said to have stayed on Tyneside only through his respect for Kenny Dalglish.

The News of the World says Leeds are planning an early swoop for one Dalglish signing, with the German midfielder Dietmar Hamann a pounds 5m target for George Graham, who is reported also to be ready with a pounds 10m offer for Tottenham's Darren Anderton.

The Mirror says a feud between Dalglish and chief executive Freddie Fletcher over Keith Gillespie was the beginning of the end for the former Liverpool and Blackburn manager.

Victory at Everton may have won Christian Gross only a stay of execution, according to the Mail on Sunday. They report that the chairman Alan Sugar has been persuaded to shelve his plans to sell the club and to launch a bid to bring back Jurgen Klinsmann as coach in place of Gross. Sugar, the story says, will also sanction a pounds 4.5m offer for Blackburn's midfielder Tim Sherwood.

Meanwhile, the People says Tottenham are chasing Charlton's pounds 2.5m-rated full back Danny Mills, names the Leeds winger Lee Sharpe as a pounds 3m target for Bolton, and says Sheffield Wednesday are about to pay pounds 2.7m for the Peruvian international winger Jorge Soto.

Liverpool have lined up a pounds 2m bid for the Montpellier striker Laurent Robert, reports the News of the World, which also says that Steve Bruce is ready to quit Sheffield United over promised funds that have not been provided.