Blues hope to complete signing of Samba star and other red-hot gossip

(24-01-2011) Chelsea hope to finalise the £26m transfer of Brazilian centre-back David Luiz from Benfica in the next 24 hours. The Blues are looking to include Paulo Ferreira as part of the deal. They have earmarked Manchester City's Joleon Lescott and Wolfsburg's Simon Kjaer as alternatives should the move for the 23-year-old Luiz fail. Elsewhere, Blackpool captain Charlie Adam wants to join Liverpool before the transfer window closes on 31 January; Tottenham must stump up £18m if they want to sign former Chelsea and Arsenal midfielder Lassana Diarra from Real Madrid; Real Madrid are pondering a loan deal for Tottenham's 29-year-old forward Roman Pavlyuchenko as the short-term answer to their current striker crisis; and Manchester City's unwanted striker Emmanuel Adebayor is ready to fly to Monaco to seal a £9m switch to his old club.