Betfair Official Blog

Top Dog: Lampard to Inter story dominates news

Betfair's newshound sniffs around the truth behind the latest tabloid tales.

• Cruft's champion - Top stories that can dominate the news agenda
• Pedigree chum - Insights that tell you something you don't know
• Dog's dinner - Speculation, guesswork, or ideas that just don't come off.

Top Dog says:

The big decision in every office last night was how to treat the stories coming from Italy that Inter Milan have sealed a £7million deal to sign Frank Lampard. The source was Milan's owner Massimo Moratti who had briefed a respected Italian journalist on the details of the deal, including Lampard's four-year contract worth £5.8million a season. Chelsea were emphatically denying it was true, as was Lampard's agent Steve Kutner. So the Sun and Daily Star chose to ignore it altogether, the Mirror ran it as Inter claiming the transfer coup but printed Chelsea's denials, and the Mail angled the story around Chelsea's fury at the way the Milan story might disrupt their preparation. As for the Express, they've reported the whole thing as fact without giving any of the denials a mention. Don't expect Lampard, Mr Cool with that penalty in the semi-final, to be affected by the speculation at all. Lampard is [14.0] to be the first goalscorer

Crufts:

Daily Mail - Barking v Peckham - Skippers John Terry and Rio Ferdinand did yesterday's press conferences. The Mail's Matt Lawton uses their quotes to write a deep analysis of the relative strengths of the pair. Amazingly the stats say Chelsea have won more games without Terry than with him. United do better with Rio in the side. United are [2.64] to keep a clean sheet in Moscow, Chelsea are [3.05]

Pedigree Chum:

Daily Express - Harry to save Bourne identity - Harry Redknapp has made it clear he'll do everything in his power to help save Bournemouth from going out of business. He's held meetings with several potential buyers of the debt ridden club following their relegation

Daily Express - Moyes does a deal and goes for Jo - Everton boss David Moyes has signed a new contract after being given promises about the amount of transfer cash to be made available. The Express claims his first target will be CSKA Moscow's Brazilian striker Jo in an £18million club record deal. Meanwhile he's lost stalwart midfield man Lee Carsley who has signed for Birmingham on a free transfer

Daily Star - Fab's Gunner stay put - Word from Madrid is that Real's overtures to Cesc Fabregas are being rejected because the PFA's Young Player of the Year wants to stay on at The Emirates. He's told agents for both Real Madrid and Barcelona that he wants to have one more season at least in North London to see if the club can win a trophy.

Daily Star - Toon's £8m double raid - The Star sticks with it's Seriously Football motto by giving enough space for news beyond the Champions League final. North East man Ian Murtagh claims Newcastle are trying to buy Turkish prospect Arda Turran from Galatasaray and Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez

Daily Mail - This is why Cech must wear a helmet - Mail columnist Des Kelly also works for the BBC's Inside Sport, and he's shared the MRI scan of Petr Cech's brain injuries following that collision with Stephen Hunt.

Daily Mirror - We were deep in despair, now we can make history - Michael Ballack tells the behind the scenes story of Chelsea's angry team meeting to sort out their problems after defeats to Spurs and Barnsley. The small print says the main meeting happened without Avram Grant, reinforcing the idea they could win the Champions League in spite of their manager rather than because of him

Dog' s Dinner:

Daily Star - Hiddink's Grant-ed Blues job - David Woods claims that Russia coach Guus Hiddink has been lined up to take over from Avram Grant - and that rumours surrounding Roberto Mancini are simply a smokescreen. Truth is that nobody can know the workings of Roman Abramovich. Woods claims Chelsea will keep the deal secret until after Euro 2008. Hiddink's Russia are [14.5] to reach the final

Daily Mirror - Reo-Coker riles most of East London (again) - James Nursey makes a desperate attempt to twist some quotes from Villa's midfield man into an attack on his old club. All the England under 21 midfielder says is that Hammers - just like Spurs and Newcastle - spent a lot of money last summer then and didn't finish too high up the table.

Today's Other Headlines:

The Sun - Terry: I'll grab Cup and my armband back - Soon you'll call me the Special One says Grant - Tev: We've won it - I need to show people I'm no dope says Rio - Terry's indestructible - Ian Wright column

Daily Express - His last hurrah - Tevez: It's win or bust for Chelsea - Rio wins over doubters at last - Terry can turn brags to riches - Makelele the main man for Wilkins

Daily Star - Terry: I'll grab Rio's job - Ref back to haunt Chelsea - I've got to win to be a real United legend says Rio - Tevez taunts Blues - Terry: Only a broken leg would keep me out of this one

Daily Mirror - Inter: We've signed Lamps - Tevez: United scare Blues - Only if we win will I be a real Man U hero says Rio - You're Ghana regret that - Murphy rap for Sanchez - Everton all Jo

Daily Mail - Lampard fury - Why Grant is looking to stars for inspiration - Zero tolerance warn Moscow police - Don't expect perfect pitch - Ranieri makes bid to land Bridge - Moyes happy to sign after transfers deal