Thursday gossip

Craig Bellamy's late exit to Anfield grabs the big headlines, but Owen Hargreaves' decision to do it his way takes the Daily Star's fancy in the aftermath of transfer deadline day.

In today's game, live TV and a battery of photographers stake out every Premier League ground or training ground for the pictures and footage they need to heighten the drama.

Capturing the right image - a striker dashes from his agent's car, Harry Redknapp winds his window down - means everything. But Owen hasn't got an agent, and he wasn't fighting a deadline.

So "Hargreaves deals from home" gasps the Star, who probably had a snapper snoozing outside the Etihad. Jeremy Cross tells stunned readers: "Owen Hargreaves completed his shock move to Manchester City last night without even leaving his Cheshire home.

"Hargreaves has joined Roberto Mancini’s men on a free transfer after agreeing an initial 12-month deal. Hargreaves, who has overcome crippling knee trouble ... completed the surprise move without an agent."

Elsewhere, the Telegraph amongst others reports Shaun Wright-Phillips' switch to QPR, where the popular winger can expect the warmest of receptions from visiting Blues on Bonfire Night.

Wrighty tells the Tel: "I'm delighted - I can't wait to kick-start my QPR career. Once I spoke to the manager and saw the direction that the club was going in, I wanted to be a part of that.

"I'm here now. Get behind me as best as you can, just like the City fans did, and I'll give you 110 per cent every time I go on to the pitch."

Over at the Mail, Matt Lawton is among those charmed by Joe Hart's Shropshire vernacular the other day. His intro on deadline day dealings? "In the end, the final day of the transfer window lacked what Joe Hart would call a ‘wowzers’ deal."

Expect wowsers (as we here at WTMS Towers spell it) to be flavour of the month for September. They'll be scratching their heads in Shrewsbury ...

While he laments the lack of a last-day gobsmacker generally, Lawton notes too that there has been good business concluded at City, with Sergio Aguero "looking like a wonderful player".

Over in Wales, gloom descends. As Wales Online reports: "Cardiff City's hopes of bringing Craig Bellamy back are officially over after (he) last night completed an incredible 11th-hour deadline day move to Liverpool.

"Fans’ worst fears were realised when the Merseyside giants made their move for the 32-year-old yesterday afternoon – and flew him to Liverpool by helicopter to beat the clock."

See? That's the way to do it, Owen. What on earth were you thinking?