THAT WAS THE WEEKEND THAT WAS: RUMOURS

Spurs hound Heskey

LEICESTER CITY'S denial that their England striker Emile Heskey has agreed to join Liverpool at the end of the season finds support in the Sunday Mirror. It says he is going to Tottenham, reportedly ready with an increased offer after a bid of pounds 7.5m was turned down.

The News of the World believes Chelsea have revived last summer's interest in Roberto Baggio after the Italian superstar made it clear he wants to leave Internazionale, offering to pay pounds 40,000 a week to bring the divine ponytail to Stamford Bridge. Another Italian possibly bound for West London is the Roma striker Marco Delvecchio, said by the Mirror to be keen on a move to the Premiership, but only to play for Gianluca Vialli.

Bobby Robson will leave Newcastle unless he is offered at least another year as manager, according to the Mail on Sunday. The News of the World, meanwhile, reports that Newcastle's backers NTL will provide a pounds 20m millennium gift to the club to spend on new players, which could help finance a pounds 5m bid for Manchester United midfielder Nicky Butt mooted by the People.

On the way to Old Trafford could be the highly rated 14-year-old striker Cherno Samba, said by the People to have fallen out with Millwall, and, according to the Mail, the 19-year-old Argentinian defender Ezequiel Gonzalez.