BARTON TAKES TO TWITTER – AGAIN

Joey Barton hopes a deal to take him to Marseille will be finalised this week and took to Twitter to vent his anger at the way he’s been treated.

Barton tweeted: “Hopefully, QPR and Marseille can finalise the deal in the next few days. My heart is already in the Vélodrome

“I only want to play in Marseille. This is the place for me. I hope to move on with my career, with my life. If that is in France, so be it. I don’t want to be disrespectful to QPR but enough is enough.

“I enjoyed parts of last season and believe I am more than capable of playing this year. But the manager [Mark Hughes] doesn’t. I have no problem with this as it’s my fault I am banned for 12 games.

“I respect Hughes for this. I don’t agree but accept his decision. Hopefully, the QPR fans will accept that. I offered to resign from the club/contract when I got my ban. I chose not to [appeal] out of respect. But when I returned … I am stripped of the captaincy. Then, made to train at 3pm. I am hawked around on loan.

“Then, I have my shirt number taken without any notice. Then, I read I wouldn’t of been signed had the current regime been in place. I am a man. I can only take so much. I want to leave.”

PULIS EXPECTS TO WHEEL AND DEAL

Stoke City will aim to bring in three new faces before the transfer window closes on Friday night, with former England striker Michael Owen topping their list of targets.

Owen expects to sign for a new club this week - Everton are among those tracking the 32-year-old – with Potters boss Tony Pulis hoping he opts for the Britannia to join Tom Huddlestone and Maurice Edu who are expected to sign early this week.

Stoke have agreed personal terms with Rangers midfielder Edu and Huddlestone is expected to sign from Tottenham today, despite reports last night suggesting the Spurs player is having second thoughts.

“We have to be frugal but we need to wheel and deal and I’ll be doing my best [to do that],” Pulis said.

“We need to freshen things up.”

CATS MOVE MORE UP DAWSON’S CREEK

Michael Dawson has told Tottenham Hotspur he has no interest in a switch from north to west London to join Queens Park Rangers, but a move to Sunderland would hold more appeal.

The 28-year-old is deemed surplus to Spurs new manager Andre Villas-Boas’s requirements and a £9million move to QPR appeared to have been agreed.

But Dawson, who was born in North Yorkshire, made it clear he didn’t want to join Mark Hughes’s side, but the lure of Martin O’Neill and Wearside could persuade the England defender to head back north.

ON THE CONTINENT

AC Milan want Real Madrid to allow Kaka to move back on loan but the La Liga club are holding out for a sale.

Gianluigi Buffon, 34, is ready to sign a new contract with Juventus.

Former Tottenham, Fulham and Sunderland midfielder Steed Malbranque, 32, has signed for French giants Lyon.

OTHER NEWS

Liverpool have taken Real Madrid Nuri Sahin on a season-long loan deal.

Manchester United striker Federico Macheda is expected to join Turkish side Bursaspor on loan this week.

Coventry City have sacked manager Andy Thorn after three draws this season.