Saturday's football gossip

A world record transfer bid by Chelsea, Kieron Dyer's future and the conclusion to the Tour de France take centre stage in Saturday's sports pages.

The tabloids are preoccupied with a claim made by Raul's agent that Chelsea's new owner Roman Abramovich is prepared to part with �71m to entice his client to London.

The Sun and the Daily Mirror both use the figure in identical incredulous headlines, while the Daily Star and the Express concentrate on the response.

"He's not interested in leaving Real Madrid," the player's agent insists, who also reveals the player's buy-out clause is actually �128m.

The Daily Mail believe that Raul's team-mate Claude Makelele remains Chelsea's top target, although report that Real would only part with the Frenchman if they get Patrick Vieira from Arsenal instead.

As for Raul himself, he reveals to the same paper that Luis Figo - supposedly David Beckham's main rival at Real - has actually been making the England captain welcome.

THE HEADLINES The Daily Telegraph: Dyer talks given LA treatment by United The Times: Countdown to Paris: who will be No 1? The Sun: �71m Daily Mirror: �71m The Guardian: The last days of Armstrong's legend Daily Express: I'm Not That Blue Daily Star: Raul Snub Daily Mail: No go, Roman The Independent: Chelsea set to face more Tel Aviv trauma

"Beckham has been a little timid but Figo has helped him a lot," according to the King of Madrid.

Both the Daily Telegraph and The Guardian fuel speculation over Kieron Dyer's potential transfer to Manchester United in the wake of Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd flying to Los Angeles to tie up a "major piece of business."

United chairman Peter Kenyon admits Shepherd will be at United's match against Club America on Sunday, but insists his visit is "purely coincidental."

While the possibility of Chelsea returning to Israel for their Champions League qualifier receives some attention, most of the broadsheets devote their front pages to the Tour.

The Guardian dwells on what it believes will be 'The last days of Armstrong's legend' as the American aims to seal a fifth successive crown over the weekend.

The Times is also preoccupied with the rivalry between Armstrong and German Jan Ullrich as Saturday's crucial time trial is set to reveal 'Who will be No 1?'