Tries always to identify gossip (7)
I believe the answer is:
hearsay
'gossip' is the definition.
(hearsay is a kind of gossip)
'tries always' is the wordplay.
'tries' becomes 'hears' ('hear' can be a synonym of 'try').
'always' becomes 'ay'.
'hears'+'ay'='HEARSAY'
'to identify' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for hearsay that I've seen before include "Rumour or gossip - inadmissible as evidence" , "speculation" , "Gossip or rumour - not allowed as evidence" , "product of grapevine" , "Based on report given by others" .)