Villa and Reds for Hammers ace and other transfer gossip

Aston Villa have joined Liverpool and Tottenham in the chase for West Ham midfielder Scott Parker, who could be available for around £8m. Parker is a former England international and operates most effectively as a holding midfielder. He previously played for Charlton, Chelsea and Newcastle.Elsewhere, Tottenham striker Roman Pavlyuchenko is being courted by Zenit St Petersburg, Lokomotiv Moscow, Spartak Moscow and Sporting Lisbon but Spurs want £13m for the out-of-favour Russian; and Hull hope to sign Manchester City striker Benjani on loan in January, but only if the Eastlands club agree to pay 50% of the Zimbabwean's £50,000-a-week wages.