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Today’s babble is after one final pay day

Moonlit strolls along the banks of the Seine following romantic dinners for two in the Musée d’Orsay all soundtracked by clichéd accordion music played by a man wearing a beret, blue and white striped shirt, and an onion necklace could soon become a staple in one Chelsea midfielder’s life if TalkSport’s reports that Carlo Ancelotti has made enquiries about bringing Frank Lampard to Paris Saint-Germain turn out to have a grain of truth in them. With his place in midfield far from secure under current manager André Villas-Boas, Lampard has 18 months left on his contract and has already been the subject of enquiries from Manchester United and LA Galaxy, so it’s far from inconceivable that his head wouldn’t be turned by the prospect of one last big day in the French capital. In other news pertaining to Chelsea, Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk say they’ve rejected a £16.7m bid from the west London club for Brazilian midfielder Willian.

Gus Poyet has hatched a fiendish plan to bring Michael Owen to Brighton, according to this morning’s Sun. The former England striker’s opportunities have been strictly limited at Manchester United, but quite how he’d feel about moving so far down south when his well-documented racing and bloodstock interests are based in the north-west is anyone’s guess. Both Manchester clubs are also believed to be interested in Benfica winger Nicolás Gaitán, who has been making reassuring if unconvincing noises about how he won’t be letting talk of a lucrative move to the Premier League distract him.

Manchester United’s increasingly tight-fisted board have refused to countenance a £10m bid for 17-year-old Dinamo Zagreb playmaker Mateo Kovacic, presumably on the grounds that it would be cheaper to coax Sir Bobby Charlton out of retirement. Tottenham and Manchester City will now go head-to-head in the battle to bring the young tyro to Blighty.

The Mirror reports that Liverpool have approached Real Madrid with a view to taking attacking midfielder Esteban Granero to Anfield on loan. Known as “El Pirata” (The Pirate), possibly because he says ‘Arrrr!’ a lot and habitually plays with a parrot perched on his shoulder, the 24-year-old Spaniard has been restricted to just four appearances under José Mourinho this season and is very much for sale, but without any club having put in a concrete offer, Kenny Dalglish is hopeful of sorting out something more short-term with the Bernabéu suits. Liverpool have also denied claims by the father of Rangers striker Nika Jelavic that they are interested in securing the scrawl of his boy, but are believed to be interested in Udinese’s Chilean versatility man Mauricio Isla.

Currently top of the Premier League player ratings awarded by readers of a website not a million miles from here, Swansea goalkeeper Michel Vorm’s consistently excellent performances have aroused interest at Manchester United and Chelsea, according to Swansea director John van Zweden. Swans fans need not fret over the possibility of losing their Dutch keeper, as Vorm insists he has no intention of going anywhere.

Despite being temporarily confined to the dock of Southwark crown court and generally having more important things than usual to worry about in the final week of the January transfer window, Harry Redknapp wants to bring Lazio striker Mauro Zárate to White Hart Lane. Currently on loan at Inter, the Argentinian has previous in England where he spent time on loan at Birmingham City, scoring four goals in 14 appearances, but failing to help them avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Sunderland want to maintain their charge towards the Champions League title by bringing Mohammed Abdellaoue to the Stadium of Light from Bundesliga side Hannover 96. A Norwegian international striker of Moroccan descent, “Moa” has scored 13 goals in 24 starts in all competitions this season.

Newcastle have made an offer for Watford captain Aidy Mariappa, a 25-year-old English defender of Fijian extraction who has spent his entire professional career to date at Vicarage Road. Elsewhere in the Championship, Barnsley manager Keith Hill is hoping to bring Stoke City midfielder Michael Tonge to Oakwell, while Reading are hoping to recruit Blackburn striker Jason Roberts.

Transfer windowChelseaParis St-GermainManchester UnitedBrighton & Hove AlbionLiverpoolReal MadridTottenham HotspurEuropean footballBarry Glendenning
guardian.co.uk

• ‘It doesn’t matter who scored’ says Javier Hernández
• Mexican praises David de Gea for performance at Liverpool

Javier Hernández insists he is no hero despite coming off the bench to salvage a point for Manchester United at Liverpool on Saturday.

The Mexican has endured a fitful opening to his second Premier League campaign. His pre-season was halted by the concussion he suffered on his first day of training after making a belated arrival to the club’s North American tour in July.

Hernández eventually made his first competitive appearance at the end of August, only to pick up knocks against Chelsea and Stoke City that ruled him out of more matches.

His poacher’s instinct clearly remains intact, though, judging by the way he took the second-half opportunity afforded to him at Anfield, when Danny Welbeck flicked on Nani’s corner.

It was Hernández’s third goal of the season and secured a 1-1 draw which, even if it was not enough to prevent Manchester City going top of the table, at least preserved United’s unbeaten record ahead of next weekend’s Old Trafford derby.

“I scored a goal but it is Manchester United that scored,” said the 23-year-old. “It doesn’t matter who scored the goals. There are no heroes here.”

There is no denying Hernández helped to change the flow of a typically tight affair that only came to life once Steven Gerrard sent his free-kick through the gap Ryan Giggs created when he split from the United wall.

“It is part of the game,” said Hernández on United’s defence not doing their job. “Gerrard scored a similar goal to that at Old Trafford last season, so we need to work a little bit more on it.”

United were also indebted in the later stages of the game to David de Gea, who denied Dirk Kuyt and Jordan Henderson. It cemented a view that it had been De

• Manager’s spending spree pays quick dividends
• Luis Suárez shows his worth once again

When asked the difference between this Liverpool side and the one that stumbled to victory over Bolton on New Year’s Day, Owen Coyle replied it was £110m. “If you gave me £110m, I am sure I would have a team that looked dangerous every time they walk on to the pitch,” said the Bolton manager. “They are on an upward spiral but finance plays a big part in football.”

It is not quite that simple, otherwise the galáctico project at Real Madrid would have produced a gaggle of European Cups. However, Kenny Dalglish points out that money is an almost essential prerequisite for success and he has always employed it – successfully at Blackburn Rovers and with a rather more scattergun approach at Newcastle. At Liverpool John W Henry’s investment is being thrillingly returned.

During Dalglish’s tortured attempt to stamp his authority on St James’ Park, one writer recalled visiting his house in County Durham and seeing the televisions turned to every conceivable European football channel. The transfer market was changing radically and Dalglish resembled an old blues singer confronted by a 56-track recording studio, overwhelmed by choice.

This time his biggest outlay has been on British footballers. In the reprint of his memoir, My Liverpool Home, Dalglish generously acknowledged that it was the club’s director of football, Damien Comolli, who arranged Luis Suárez’s transfer, although he could have vetoed it. However, the three midfielders who controlled this game – Jordan Henderson, Charlie Adam and Stewart Downing – were his own work.

There were question marks over them all. Before Blackpool Adam had not enjoyed Rangers, where the pressures of Ibrox are akin to Anfield’s. Henderson was young and his last season for Sunderland had been patchy. Downing had not established himself as an England international despite all the promise. They have gelled beautifully. It may not seem so to the exiled remnants of Roy Hodgson’s regime or even Andy Carroll, who spent most of the match on the bench, but Dalglish tends to run happy training grounds, even at Newcastle.

Here it showed on the pitch, where Liverpool enjoyed a width they seldom made use of even when Rafael Benítez’s sides were at their most expansive. The opening goal, an exquisite curling pass from Suárez, met first time by Downing and then curved in by Henderson after Jussi Jaaskelainen had somehow saved the first effort, must have been as good as anything fashioned by any of the Liverpool sides Dalglish had been involved in.

“It is a combination of everything,” said Daniel Agger, part of a defence that was not troubled until too late for a Bolton recovery. “We have a strong squad, a good manager with good coaches around him. The way he wants to play is pass and move with a high tempo. Ever since I joined Liverpool [in 2006], that is how we have wanted to play but it just hasn’t worked like that. You saw there was some quality passing in the team and that we are playing it on the ground. I think this is what most people want to see. But this season we have to be more consistent.”

Early season statistics are like canapes at a wedding reception – enjoyed but never remembered. However, this was Liverpool’s best start to the season since 1994-95, when Steve McManaman and Robbie Fowler stepped into Anfield’s limelight. Suárez did not emulate Fowler’s record of scoring in Liverpool’s opening three league fixtures but he did everything but find the net. Coyle acknowledged that Gary Cahill’s head may have been turned by Arsenal’s interest but the rest of his body was twisted every which way trying to keep the Uruguayan at bay. Suarez may have to be rested but for now he is playing on the adrenaline generated by the night in Buenos Aires, where on the far shore of the River Plate, Uruguay celebrated their greatest footballing triumph in more than half a century – winning the Copa America.

Up in the stands, not far from Alan Hansen, sat another of the men who improbably won that cup, the tall figure of the young centre-half, Sebastian Coates. He is the latest product of what with chip and PIN technology is something only a football manager will soon possess – a chequebook.

Premier League 2011-12LiverpoolBolton WanderersPremier LeagueTim Richguardian.co.uk