THE INSIDER: Gunners unlikely to get up-for-grabs Alonso ... Friedel won't resist Villa ... Striking hold-ups block Spurs' Garcia swoop ... Plus Aimar, Harper, Zaki and the rest

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(INSIDER'S RATING: 0/5 means this deal's pie in the sky. 5/5 and it's a done deal)

Alonso

Xabi Alonso, Liverpool to Arsenal - Insider says 2/5

There is no doubt Rafael Benitez wants to cash in on £15m-rated Alonso to help fund his moves for Gareth Barry and Robbie Keane but Liverpool would be loathe to sell to their Premier League rivals. They are hoping Atletico Madrid and Fenerbahce follow up tentative enquiries with firm offers but may have little choice but to do business with Arsenal if none is forthcoming. While Atletico can offer Alonso a return to Spain, Fenerbahce have the advantage of being managed by Luis Aragones and have recently signed his Spain team-mate Daniel Guiza.

Friedel

Brad Friedel, Blackburn to Aston Villa - Insider says: 5/5

Villa's offer is simply too good for Friedel to resist. Even though he turned 37 in May, Villa are prepared to give the veteran keeper a three-year deal and double his wages, as well as paying Blackburn a £2.5m transfer fee. Another incentive for Ohio-born Friedel is an offer from Villa's American owner Randy Lerner - who also runs the Cleveland Browns NFL team -to help support his chain of soccer schools when his career is over.

Garcia

Luis Garcia, Espanyol to Tottenham - Insider says: 2/5

Espanyol are ready to sell the Spain striker for £9.5m and talks have taken place between the two clubs, but everything is on hold until Spurs have resolved the futures of Dimitar Berbatov and Robbie Keane. While Berbatov seems certain to be joining Manchester United, Keane's move to Liverpool is still in the balance and Garcia could be in for a long wait.

Zaki

Amir Zaki, El Zamalek to Wigan - Insider says 5/5

Zaki claimed El Zamalek president Mamdouh Abbas threatened to have his bodyguards beat him up if he tried to leave, but Wigan have finally succeeded in their pursuit of the Egypt striker, persuading his club to accept £1m for a season-long loan at the JJB Stadium with a view to a permanent move. The deal will end Wigan's interest in Everton striker Andy Johnson but, after signing Zaki and Olivier Kapo, expect Steve Bruce to go after Middlesbrough's Lee Cattermole with a £3m offer.

Aimar

Pablo Aimar, Real Zaragoza to Newcastle - Insider says 4/5

Newcastle have been quietly tracking the Argentine playmaker and hope to clinch a deal before the weekend after tabling a £7m offer to snatch the former Valencia man from under the noses of Benfica. While Aimar's attacking flair fits the Kevin Kegan mould perfectly and will be welcomed by the long-suffering Toon Army, his signing is very much the work of Newcastle executives Dennis Wise and Tony Jimenez.

Harper

James Harper, Reading to Middlesbrough - Insider says: 3/5

Harper's move to the Riverside has been complicated by a wrangle over the transfer fee. Reading want £5m because they will lose a chunk of it as part of the sell-on clause they agreed with Arsenal when signing the Gunners trainee in 2001. Boro are reluctant to go that high but are in need of a central midfielder following George Boateng's move to Hull.