Friday Paper Talk

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Brazil's sports minister Aldo Rebelo has called for a radical improvement in the country's youth development system as a response to the "deep scar" of losing 7-1 to Germany in the World Cup semi-final. Guardian
Argentina's 26-year-old striker Gonzalo Higuain says his side are not intimidated by the prospect of facing Germany in Sunday's World Cup final, despite their crushing 7-1 victory over Brazil. Evening Standard
Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain does not believe his side will be intimidated by GermanyManchester City and Brazil midfielder Fernandinho, 29, says he will be haunted forever by his country's semi-final rout by Germany. Sun (subscription required)
Fare, a campaign group promoting equality in world football, has produced a report highlighting dozens of instances where Fifa has failed to punish racist and homophobic activity at the World Cup in Brazil. Daily Telegraph
Neymar's agent has launched a scathing attack on Brazil manager Luiz Felipe Scolari following the humiliating 7-1 defeat by Germany in the World Cup semi-final, calling him "an old jerk, repulsive and conceited". Independent
Former Ars*nal striker Marouane Chamakh, 30, has agreed a two-year deal to stay at Crystal Palace, accepting a significant pay cut in the process. Guardian
Ars*nal have been given a boost in their bid to sign Germany international Sami Khedira, 27, after the midfielder rejected the offer of a new two-year contract at Real Madrid. Daily Star
The Daily Star's back page leads on Ars*nal's £35m signing of Alexis Sanchez from BarcelonaArs*nal are also in negotiations for the £8m transfer of France striker Loic Remy from newly promoted Queens Park Rangers. Independent
Leicester City have made a club record bid of £7.5m for Brighton's 27-year-old striker Leonardo Ulloa. Daily Telegraph
Chelsea are holding out for a fee of £8m for defender Ryan Bertrand as Liverpool and Tottenham consider a move for the 24-year-old. Daily Express
Fulham midfielder Kieran Richardson, 29, is expected to complete a medical at Aston Villa on Friday, after turning down offers from three other Premier League clubs. Daily Mail
Villa boss Paul Lambert is planning to let eight of his current players leave the club in order to fund new signings. Sun (subscription required)
Liverpool have joined Tottenham in the race to sign Swansea City's 25-year-old Ivorian striker Wilfried Bony, with the Welsh club holding out for a fee of £20m. Talksport
Lazio believe they are favourites to sign Feyenoord's 22-year-old Dutch defender Stefan De Vrij, who has emerged as a transfer target for Manchester United. Daily Express
West Ham are facing competition from AC Milan and Sevilla for 25-year-old Ecuador striker Enner Valencia, who is valued at £12m by Mexican side Pachuca. Times (subscription required)
Southampton's bid to sign striker Graziano Pelle has stalled after Saints refused to meet Feyenoord's £9.5m asking price for the 28-year-old Italian. Daily Star
Everton boss Roberto Martinez has made a £4m bid for 21-year-old Bosnia midfielder Muhamed Besic. Daily Mirror
Barcelona will press on with plans to sign Liverpool striker Luis Suarez for £75m even though Fifa have upheld the 27-year-old Uruguayan's biting ban. Sun
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is planning to limit Steven Gerrard's first-team appearances next season in a bid to keep the 34-year-old captain fit until the end of the campaign. Daily Mail
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard made his Premier League debut in November 1998Leeds United began life under new manager Dave Hockaday with a resounding 16-0 win over Italian minnows FC Gherdeina. Yorkshire Evening Post
Aston Villa right-back Alan Hutton, 29, wants talks with Paul Lambert after the Villa boss blocked his move to West Brom. Daily Mirror
Villa are also set to offer defender Ron Vlaar, 29, a bumper new contract to head off interest in the Netherlands international. Daily Star
Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, 27, could quit Tottenham this summer according to his agent Mustapha Nakhli. Daily Mirror
Spanish midfielder Mikel Arteta, 32, has no intention of leaving Ars*nal this summer according to his agent Inaki Ibanez. Times
Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini tweeted a picture of himself with a new haircut. The Belgium international has got rid of his afro in favour of a shorter style.
Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini appeared in all his country's World Cup matchesThe nominations for the Golden Ball award at this year's World Cup will be announced on Friday through the Twitter account of the official World Cup football.
United States and Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard tweeted a photo of himself with former United States international Alexi Lalas and media personalities at a Fan Fest in New York.
Germany and Bayern Munich striker Thomas Muller may well be a success on the pitch with five goals in six games at this year's World Cup, but a video posted on Twitter has revealed the 24-year-old's dancing skills are not quite of the same standard. Metro
Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic completed just one day of pre-season training with the thick beard he had grown during his time off before shaving it off. Daily Mail

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Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, will only decide his future once he returns from holiday this week, with Manchester United and Real Madrid waiting in the wings. Daily Telegraph

Loic Remy scored 14 goals in 27 appearances on loan at Newcastle United last season
Liverpool are now in prime position to sign QPR striker Loic Remy, 27, after Tottenham reportedly followed Ars*nal in pulling out of contention. Metro
Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, 31, has turned down a move to Manchester United. Daily Star 
Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, is on City's radar to replace Toure if the Ivorian forces through a move away from the Etihad. Daily Mail
Manchester United winger Ashley Young, 29, and midfielder Wilfried Zaha, 21, could be offered a way out of Old Trafford, with West Ham considering a double swoop. Daily Star
Ars*nal right-back Carl Jenkinson, 22, is a £5m target for West Ham. Sun (subscription required)
Sunderland have made an enquiry about Atletico Madrid's Uruguay international winger Cristian Rodriguez, 28. Daily Mail
Deportivo La Coruna are confident that Barcelona striker Bojan Krkic, 23, who has been told to find a new club, will chose them ahead of Stoke. Daily Mirror
Crystal Palace have agreed transfer fees for Cardiff striker Fraizer Campbell, 26, and Tottenham midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson, 24. Daily Express
QPR manager Harry Redknapp says the club are hopeful of signing Steven Caulker, 22 after agreeing a fee with Cardiff for the defender. Talksport
Manager Brendan Rodgers wants to keep on spending even though Liverpool's summer transfer outlay looks set to exceed £100m for the first time in the club's history. Liverpool Echo

Mario Balotelli scored the winner for Italy against England in their World Cup group game
Liverpool look to have lost out to Spurs in the chase for Swansea's 21-year-old Wales international left-back Ben Davies. Daily Mirror
West Brom boss Alan Irvine says Manchester United's £30m signing of Luke Shaw, 19, has led to other clubs pushing up their asking prices for defenders. Daily Mirror
West Ham have made a bid to take Boca Juniors left-back Emanuel Insua, 23, on loan. Daily Mail
Liverpool have enquired about the availability of PSV Eindhoven's £8m-rated winger Zakaria Bakkali, 18. Daily Express
Former Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, 23, has dropped a huge hint that he wants to join Ars*nal by being photographed in front of the Gunners' logo. Daily Star
Ars*nal's Jack Wilshere has made an early return to training days after being criticised for being pictured smoking in a Las Vegas swimming pool. Daily Telegraph
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers claims that Alexis Sanchez joined Ars*nal because the 25-year-old Chile striker didn't want to live in Liverpool. London Evening Standard
QPR boss Harry Redknapp says Ryan Giggs would have extended new signing Rio Ferdinand's Manchester United career by making him a first-team regular if he had been handed the manager's job on a permanent basis. Goal.com
New Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants to appoint former Reds midfielder Paul Scholes to his coaching staff. Manchester Evening News
Van Gaal has demanded changes to the club's Carrington training ground, saying the complex, which underwent improvements last year, is "too windy". Daily Mail
Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, 30, feels "honoured"  that his flying header for the Netherlands against Spain in the World Cup has been commemorated by a piece of street art in Brazil.
Defender Rio Ferdinand, 35, says on Twitter  that he is looking forward to his "new challenge" at QPR but says Manchester United and the club's fans will always have "a special place in my heart".

The spider Chico Flores found in his mouth
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, has wished Angela Merkel a happy birthday on Twitter  and thanked the German Chancellor for her support during the World Cup.
Swansea defender Chico Flores, 27, says  he woke up this morning to find a spider in his mouth.
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, 32, admits  "I've had better days" after learning he will be sidelined for up to 10 weeks with an ankle injury.
Manchester United's £28m summer signing Ander Herrera was at Colwyn Bay FC, where the 24-year-old midfielder watched his cousin on trial for the home side against Wrexham in a pre-season game. Daily Post.
Barcelona forward Gerard Deulofeu, 20, appeared to mock Real Madrid star Cristano Ronaldo's goal celebration when he was filmed with young goalkeeper Jordi Masip at the club's training centre. Daily Mail
French winger Hatem Ben Arfa, 27, is embroiled in a row with Newcastle over his weight, claiming that he has added muscle mass, not fat, and insisting that the club is wrong to fine him. Daily Mirror

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Juventus midfielder Arturo Vidal has dealt a blow to Manchester United by ruling out a switch to Old Trafford. Daily Mail
And Liverpool are now poised to move for the 27-year-old Chile international with a £42.5m bid. Metro
Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk, 23, is keen on a move to Southampton - but the Scottish club want at least £10m for the Dutchman. Daily Mirror
Atletico Madrid have made a fresh approach to sign unsettled Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, 26. Times (subscription required)
Chelsea's German midfield misfit Marko Marin, 25, is in talks over a loan move to Turkish side Besiktas. Sun (subscription required)
Everton are on the brink of clinching a deal for 21-year-old Bosnian midfielder Muhamed Besic. Guardian
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says that 29-year-old captain Ron Vlaar - who has been linked with Tottenham - is not up for sale. Sun (subscription required)
Spurs defender Vlad Chiriches, 24, could be heading for the exit after just one season, with Roma weighing up a move for the centre-back. Daily Mirror
Jose Mourinho is close to completing a reunion with former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba, 36, as goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, warns the Chelsea manager not to leave him on the bench next season. Sun (subscription required)
Ars*nal are in pursuit of Real Madrid's veteran goalkeeper Iker Casillas. The Gunners have offered the 33-year-old Spain international a five-year deal worth £1.4m a year. Daily Express
Andy Carroll's ankle injury means Newcastle United will not attempt to bring the 25-year-old back to St James' Park. Newcastle Chronicle
Manchester United are planning a move for Dutch youngster Memphis Depay, 20. Metro
Leicester City have joined QPR and Crystal Palace in the race for Tottenham midfielder Lewis Holtby, 23, on loan. Daily Star
Ars*nal's World-Cup winning trio of Per Mertesacker, 29, Mesut Ozil, 25, and 29-year-old Lukas Podolski will miss the start of the Premier League season after being granted an extended break. Daily Mirror
Ryan Giggs has described Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal as "the new Sir Alex Ferguson". Telegraph
Hull's new signing Tom Ince, 22, says he expects no favours from manager Steve Bruce just because he has known him all his life. Daily Mirror
New York City FC's latest signing Frank Lampard, 36, says he turned down offers from clubs in England to move to the United States. Manchester Evening News
Lampard has apologised to fans in New York for his drunken behaviour on the night of the 9/11 attacks. Daily Mail
Former Liverpool defender and New England Revolution coach Steve Nicol has criticised AS Roma full-back Ashley Cole, 33, for claiming the USA's MLS is "an easy ride". Daily Mail
Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard, 34, is set to sign a 12-month contract extension. Liverpool Echo
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho will keep both his goalkeepers Petr Cech, 36, and Thibaut Courtois, 22, guessing - but says the team is in good hands whoever starts as his number one. Daily Telegraph
Henrik Larsson's son Jordan, 17, has followed in his father's footsteps by joining Helsingborg. Euronews
He may have had a World Cup horror show and now it looks like another nightmare for Pepe. The 31-year-old Real Madrid defender posted this picture of his new haircut on Instagram.
It has not been the best few months for Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard. After enduring a miserable World Cup with England and seeing Manchester City snatch the title, the 34-year-old gave up on football to try his hand at baseball, posting the results on his Instagram  account.
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger says he hopes Thierry Henry can be persuaded to don the Gunners strip once again for half a match when his side meet New York Red Bulls in a friendly. Daily Mail
Manchester United have promised to honour sales of their new home shirt after an online pricing error. The club's official shop listed the jerseys at £22 as part of their half-price sale by mistake. Manchester Evening News
Chelsea youngster Mitchell Beeney got a cream pie in his face from masseur-come-joker Billy McCulloch while trying to perform his initiation song in front of first-team stars. Metro
Napoli manager Rafa Benitez has compared his frustrations in the transfer market to swapping his wife for German model Claudia Schiffer. Daily Mail
West Brom boss Alan Irvine admits never having seen striker Brown Ideye before making him the club's £10m record signing. Daily Mirror

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Manchester United are closing in on a £20m move for Germany World Cup winner Mats Hummels, 25, with Borussia Dortmund hoping to replace the defender with Liverpool's 21-year-old Tiago Ilori in a loan deal. Daily Mirror
Samuel Eto'o has priced himself out of a move to West Ham. The 33-year-old former Chelsea striker, now a free agent, had asked for a salary of £120,000-a-week to go to Upton Park. Daily Mirror
Newcastle United are close to completing a season-long loan deal for Shakhtar Donetsk striker Facundo Ferreyra, 23. Northern Echo
Petr Cech will leave Chelsea if Thibaut Courtois becomes the club's number one, says ex-Blues goalkeeper Mark Bosnich. Talksport
Everton are hoping to complete a season-long loan deal for 22-year-old Chelsea and Ghana winger Christian Atsu. Liverpool Echo
Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed the Italian club's interest in Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 26, although he is not the only name on his list. Daily Telegraph
Liverpool are eyeing a double deal for Spanish defenders Alberto Moreno, 22, of Sevilla and Javier Manquillo, 20, of Atletico Madrid. Daily Star
Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is ready to bid £14m for Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, 25, having already enquired about the availability of the Japan international. Daily Express
QPR have turned their attentions to 29-year-old Marseille midfielder Morgan Amalfitano, who ended last season on loan at West Brom. Their bid to sign Iceland striker Kolbeinn Sigthorsson, 24, from Ajax has stalled over personal terms. Daily Mail
Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 28, is keeping the club waiting over signing his new contract as he weighs up his future at the Premier League champions. Independent
West Brom are keen to sign Switzerland striker Haris Seferovic, 22, from Real Sociedad. Sun (subscription required)
Middlesbrough want to take Aston Villa full-back Matt Lowton, 25, on loan, while they have agreed a deal with Real Mallorca forward Emilio Nsue, 24. Daily Mail
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet says striker Connor Wickham, 21, could be sold if he does not sign a new contract. Sunderland Echo
Burnley are waiting to hear from West Brom after they submitted a third bid for Baggies defender Craig Dawson, 24. Burnley Express
Manchester United's Dutch manager Louis van Gaal, 62, has had HD cameras installed at the club's Carrington complex so he can analyse every detail of training. Daily Mirror
United defender Jonny Evans, 26, says the cameras are already being used on the club's tour of the United States: "The manager is saying: 'You should be five yards to the right.' We went though a video last night and I was 10 yards out." Daily Mail
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says he fully trusts Roy Keane and insists his new assistant manager is not a touchline bully. Daily Mirror
Reflecting on his Everton career ahead of his testimonial on Sunday, midfielder Leon Osman, 33, says it took time for his technical ability to be recognised. Guardian
Stoke boss Mark Hughes is hoping to get the best out of new signing Bojan Krkic by urging team-mates and fans to throw a caring arm around the 23-year-old forward. Daily Star
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 22, who is back at the club after spending three years on loan with Atletico Madrid, says he wants to learn from Petr Cech as the duo begin their battle for the number one spot. Daily Mail
Manchester United defender Jonny Evans believes this is a key time in his career as he looks to step up as the senior centre-back following the exits of Rio Ferdinand and Nemanja Vidic. Guardian
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has placed a special You'll Never Walk Alone wreath at the 9/11 memorial site in New York during the club's pre-season tour. Liverpool Echo
Hatem Ben Arfa has endured an "unfair and humiliating" summer at Newcastle but may out-stay manager Alan Pardew, according to his agent. ESPN
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, took time out from Ars*nal's tour of the USA to practise a bit of basketball with Chicago Bulls point guard Derrick Rose, as he revealed on Twitter. 
Francesco Totti has welcomed Ashley Cole into the Roma squad by mocking the defender following his awkward photo with his new team-mates, in which the ex-Chelsea full-back is seen standing separate from the rest of the squad. Metro
Norwegian minnows FL Fart have been left about £375,000 (4m krone) after 91-year-old fan Erling Andreassen left his possessions - including his property - to his boyhood club. Ha (in Norwegian)

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Liverpool's hopes of signing Monaco striker Radamel Falcao appear to be over, with the 28-year-old set to link up with fellow Colombia international James Rodriguez at Real Madrid. (Times - subscription required)
The Reds could now turn to Paris St-Germain's Edinson Cavani, 27, in their search for a striker. (Liverpool Echo)
Midfielder William Carvalho, 22 could stay at Sporting Lisbon this summer with the club insisting Manchester United and Ars*nal have not made any offers yet. (Daily Express)
Newcastle winger Hatem Ben Arfa, 27, who has been stripped of the number 10 jersey,  has been linked with a move to Everton or a return to his former club Lyon. (Sunderland Echo)
Tottenham are one of a number of clubs following the progress of Ajax winger Viktor Fischer, 20, after watching him last season. (Evening Standard)
Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez, 31, is training alone in Argentina in a bid to find a new club. (Daily Mirror)
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says his bid to sign Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, 23, has stalled. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger is keen to make 19-year-old Paris St-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot his fifth summer signing. (Daily Star)
Liverpool will make a decision on the future of unsettled defender Daniel Agger, 29, this week, with Ars*nal and Barcelona among the clubs said to be interested. (Daily Telegraph)

Liverpool accepted Sunderland's £14m offer for Borini but he has not agreed personal terms
Manchester United are close to striking a deal for winger Juan Cuadrado, 26, after agreeing to meet Fiorentina's £36m asking price. (Daily Express)
Chelsea are preparing to use goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, as bait as they look to sign Real Madrid's Raphael Varane, 21. (Daily Express)
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal could move for Ajax defender Daley Blind, 24, whom he coached with the Netherlands. (Daily Mail)
The Red Devils are also closing in on top transfer target Arturo Vidal, with the 27-year-old midfielder having reportedly agreed a £182,000-a-week contract. (Independent)
Ars*nal could be offered the chance to sign Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira for a knock-down fee, with the Spanish club keen to avoid losing the 27-year-old on a free transfer next summer. (Independent)
Aston Villa are close to agreeing a permanent deal for Liverpool loanee defender Aly Cissokho, 26. (Sky Sports)
Everton boss Roberto Martinez is determined to add a winger before the transfer window closes, with a loan deal for Chelsea's Christian Atsu, 22, one of the rumoured options. (Sky Sports)
Spanish midfielder Javi Garcia, 27, is likely to be the next big-money star to leave Manchester City after a £12.5m bid from wealthy Russian side Zenit St Petersburg. (Daily Mirror)
Former Tottenham keeper Kasey Keller has warned Seattle Sounders defender DeAndre Yedlin, 21, reportedly a Spurs target, against a move to White Hart Lane. (Evening Standard)
Stoke City are back in discussions over an ambitious £8m deal plus add-ons for forward Dynamo Kiev Andriy Yarmolenko, 24. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger has hinted Manchester City may have made an unauthorised approach for defender Bacary Sagna, 31, who spent seven years at the club before moving to the Etihad. (Sun - subscription required)
Winger Hatem Ben Arfa has been stripped of the number 10 jersey as Newcastle boss Alan Pardew continues to freeze out the 27-year-old at St James' Park. (Daily Mail)
Former Manchester City manager Stuart Pearce claims the club would have gone bust if it were not for him. (Daily Mirror)
City are hoping striker Sergio Aguero, 26, will sign his new £210,000-a-week deal before the start of the season. (Daily Mail)
Burnley manager Sean Dyche admits he has found it tough in the transfer market as he seeks to bolster his side ahead of the Premier League season. (Talksport)

Hatem Ben Arfa's four years at Newcastle could be about to come to an end
Manchester City's decision to hand 28-year-old defender Vincent Kompany a six-year contract could backfire, according to former England player Danny Murphy. (Talksport)
Tottenham midfielder Erik Lamela, 22, is desperate to prove his worth to new boss Mauricio Pochettino after a year to forget. (Guardian)
Birmingham City manager Lee Clark says the club did everything they could to keep hold of new Cardiff City signing Tom Adeyemi, 22. (Birmingham Mail)
Chelsea defender John Terry admits it will be difficult seeing former team-mate Frank Lampard, 36, in a Manchester City shirt next season. (Evening Standard)
Midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 23, wants to take over the Ars*nal captaincy if defender Thomas Vermaelen, 28, leaves. (Sun - subscription required)
Cardiff boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer admits he will be sacked if the club do not get back into the Premier League at the first attempt. (Sun - subscription required)
Ecuador forward Enner Valencia, 24, says he was lured to West Ham by the prospect of a top-four finish. (Daily Star)
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 27, has revealed his weakness for kebabs by taking to Instagram to post a picture  of his tasty-looking shawarma dinner.
Pop star Rihanna plans to buy a football club in the UK following her excitement at this summer's World Cup. (Daily Mail)
Wes Brown, 34, may make more money in a week than most of us do in a year, but the Sunderland defender still collected tokens from cereal packets to get free entry to Legoland. (Daily Mail)
Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo has officially been named the world's fittest footballer. (Sun - subscription required)

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Napoli's loan move for Manchester United's Marouane Fellaini, 26, will depend on whether the Italian club beat Athletic Bilbao in their Champions League play-off. (Daily Star)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has that admitted either Petr Cech, 32, or Thibault Courtois, 22, will probably consider their future at the club, depending on which goalkeeper he leaves out of the club's first match of the season. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool are set to offer England winger Raheem Sterling, 19, four-times his current £30,000 a week to ward off interest from Real Madrid. (Daily Mirror)
Play media

Summer transfers
Manchester United's attempts to lure Marcos Rojo, 24, away from Sporting Lisbon are being hampered by a row between the Portuguese club and the defender's third party owners. (Daily Telegraph)
Swansea's interest in Montpellier midfielder Benjamin Stambouli, 24, has been mocked by the French club's manager Rolland Courbis. (Wales Online)
Ars*nal face a battle with Spanish club Valencia to sign Napoli's Chilean forward Eduardo Vargas, 24. (Talksport)
Burnley have thwarted Brighton's hopes of signing Republic of Ireland left-back Stephen Ward, 28, from Wolves after the club and player had agreed a deal. (Brighton Argus)
Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha, 21, is on the verge of moving to QPR on a one-year loan deal. (Sun - subscription required)
Barcelona have dropped out of the race to sign Fiorentina's Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado, 26, leaving Manchester United and Chelsea to fight it out. (Metro)

Eduardo Vargas scored the opening goal in Chile's 2-0 win over Spain at the World Cup
QPR have dropped their interest in Watford's Troy Deeney, 26, with Hull now thought to be pondering a bid for the striker. (Talk Sport)
Wigan have rejected a £4m bid from Premier League new boys Burnley for Scotland midfielder James McArthur, 26. (Daily Mail)
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has denied that Chelsea have first refusal on 20-year-old stars Ross Barkley and John Stones. (Daily Star)
Chelsea have opened talks with Roma for £30m-rated defender Mehdi Benatia, 27. (Daily Express)
Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, 30, is considering a move away from Old Trafford after Ben Amos was reportedly promoted to be David De Gea's understudy. (Sky Sports)
Old Trafford legend Paul Scholes, 39, has described Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal as a "mad genius" but reckons his old club will not win the title unless they make some more new signings. (Independent)

Ander Herrera tweeted a picture of his birthday cake
Former Cardiff boss Malky Mackay, ex-Celtic manager Neil Lennon and David Moyes, sacked by Manchester United in April, are the three early names in the running to replace Tony Pulis as manager of Crystal Palace. (Croydon Advertiser)
Pulis, 56, is said to be devastated by the collapse of a long-term plan he had for the Selhurst Park club. (Daily Mail)
Goalkeeper Joe Hart, 27 and striker Edin Dzeko, 28, are set to follow Sergio Aguero, Vincent Kompany, Samir Nasri and David Silva in signing new big-money contracts at Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino does not believe he is under pressure despite Spurs chairman Daniel Levy's record of sacking nine coaches in his time at the club. (Daily Telegraph)
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has posted a video on his Instagram account  of Ars*nal team-mate Theo Walcott making a short sprint as part of his recovery from a cruciate knee ligament injury.
Stoke's Jack Butland tweeted to say that he had bumped into team-mates  Geoff Cameron and Brek Shea at the barber's as the players prepared for the start of the new season.
Manchester United's Ander Herrera tweeted a photo  of the cake the Spanish midfielder received for his 25th birthday.
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce is happy that striker Andy Carroll's new TV reality star girlfriend Billi Mucklow is in the gym helping the 25-year-old with his recovery from an ankle injury. (Sun - subscription required)
Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, has reportedly asked Google to erase references of his performance for Belgium against Argentina at this summer's World Cup under the European Union's recent 'right to be forgotten' ruling. (Metro)

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Ars*nal and Tottenham are both interested in signing Manchester United striker Danny Welbeck after manager Louis van Gaal said the England man can leave. (Daily Star)
AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli, 24, has flown to Liverpool for a medical and will join the Merseyside club in a £16m deal on Saturday. (Daily Telegraph)
Balotelli will take a £60,000-a-week wage cut in order to secure a move to Liverpool. (Metro)
Juventus and Roma are keen to sign £12m-rated Manchester City centre-back Matija Nastasic, 21, while Newcastle and West Ham want City's 26-year-old right-back Micah Richards. (Manchester Evening News)

Loic Remy was part of the France squad at the 2014 World Cup
Manchester United lead the race to sign Real Madrid winger Angel Di Maria, 26, after big-spending French champions Paris St-Germain pulled out. (Daily Star)
But Di Maria may not move to Old Trafford because United boss Louis van Gaal does not want to harm the development of 19-year-old Adnan Januzaj. (Daily Express)
Van Gaal is keen on Brazilian midfielder Lucas Silva, 21, and has already contacted his club Cruzeiro about his availability. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham are preparing an £11m bid for QPR's French striker Loic Remy, 27, whose move to Liverpool broke down last month. (Daily Star)
Ars*nal are considering a bid for West Ham defender Winston Reid, 26, who is out of contract at the end of the season. (Daily Mirror)
Hull City have increased their bid for Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, 24, to £10m after their initial offer was rejected. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United midfielder Anderson, 26, could make a £5.5m move to Sporting Lisbon. (Daily Express)
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman says midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 24, is not for sale at any price. (London Evening Standard)
Liverpool have an unlikely ally in their bid to sign Mario Balotelli with Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini saying the AC Milan striker is a perfect fit for the Anfield club. (Daily Mirror) 
West Ham want Sunderland boss Gus Poyet to replace Sam Allardyce as manager if the team suffer a poor start to the new campaign and the playing style does not improve. (Goal.com)

The Sun's front page also carried a story on Paul Gascoigne
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand, 35, wants to manage England when he retires. (Daily Mail)
Former England midfielder Paul Gascoigne, 47, was being treated in hospital on Thursday as he faces being made homeless. (Daily Mirror)
Celtic boss Ronny Deila has taken a swipe at Newcastle United by telling Virgil van Dijk he can play for a "bigger" club than the Magpies after boss Alan Pardew ruled out a move for the 23-year-old Dutch defender. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood, 45, has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant manager's role at Crystal Palace. (Sky Sports)
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho says goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, isn't happy with his current role as back-up to Thibaut Courtois, 22, but insists he continues to be a professional and will get games. (Daily Star)
Newcastle United are confident they will keep vice-captain Cheick Tiote, 28, despite interest from elsewhere. (Sunderland Echo)
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger believes midfielder Jack Wilshere, 22, is being made the scapegoat for England's World Cup failure. (The Sun - subscription only)
Meanwhile, midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 23, is confident the Gunners will be able to meet the physical challenge presented by Manchester City and Chelsea this season. (Sky Sports)
Huddersfield Town say reports Neil Warnock, 65, has turned down the chance to manage the club for a second time are not true. (Huddersfield Examiner)
Liverpool are so confident Mario Balotelli will sign that jerseys are being printed at the club shop. He is expected to be given squad number 45, the same he had at both AC Milan and Manchester City. (@TransferRelated)
QPR midfielder Joey Barton has given Balotelli's move to Liverpool the thumbs-up, tweeting:  "Balotelli to Liverpool? £16m seems decent value for a player who on his day is very good."
Midfielder Tom Huddlestone is still confident about Hull's Europa League chances, despite the 1-0 defeat by Lokeren. He wrote on Twitter:  "Tough result to take. Still all to play for next week on the second leg, we are confident we can turn it around."
Leicester striker Chris Wood has had the popcorn out, posting:  "Movie night - Olympus Has Fallen. Dad's never seen it so going to introduce him to it! Great film."
Former Netherlands and Ars*nal striker Dennis Bergkamp, 45, now a coach at Ajax, proved he had not lost his touch by slamming in a perfect volley in training. ( 101 Great Goals)
Former Italy defender Marco Materazzi mocked Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane as the ice bucket craze continued. Frenchman Zidane was sent off in the 2006 World Cup final for headbutting Materazzi. (Marca.com) 
Manchester City winger James Milner, 28, has taken part in the most deadpan Ice Bucket Challenge yet before nominating his Twitter parody account - Boring Milner. (Manchester City You Tube)
City fans have knocked back plans for digital copies of their banners after the club announced plans to remove them and emulate them on LED screens. (Manchester Evening News)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Real Madrid have completed a £20m deal to sign forward Radamel Falcao, 28, from Monaco. (Calciomercato)
Manchester United's Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa is heading to Germany for a medical prior to an £8m move to former club Borussia Dortmund. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal are hoping to complete a deal for Borussia Dortmund's Greece defender Sokratis Papastathopoulos, 26, but don't want to pay a £20m fee. (Daily Mirror)

Radamel Falcao seems set for a move from Monaco to Real Madrid
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert has made an £8m bid to sign Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25. (Daily Telegraph)
But Lambert may have competition from La Liga side Valencia, who have made their own offer for Cleverley. (Sky Sports)
Hull are interested in Cleverley and West Ham's Senegalese midfielder Mo Diame, 27. (Hull Daily Mail)
Danny Welbeck, 23, is set to leave Old Trafford with the Manchester United striker linked with a loan move to Tottenham. (Daily Star)
Chelsea are on the verge of giving permission for striker Fernando Torres, 30, to join Italian Serie A side Inter Milan. (Times - subscription only)
But Roma have ruled out Italian striker Mattia Destro, 23, being able to move to Stamford Bridge as a replacement. (Daily Mail)

The Sun back page
Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Stromsgodset's 15-year-old midfielder Martin Odegaard, who has become Norway's youngest-ever player by winning his first cap against the United Arab Emirates. (Daily Telegraph)
Valencia and Serie A champions Juventus have made offers to buy striker Javier Hernandez, 26, from Manchester United for a fee approaching £15m. (Guardian)
QPR striker Loic Remy, 27, has turned down the chance to return to Newcastle. The France forward spent last season on loan with the Magpies. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Striker Demba Ba, 29, came close to joining Ars*nal in the summer before signing for Turkish club Besiktas from Chelsea for £8m. (Independent)
Besiktas want to sign Newcastle's French midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa, 27. (Goal)
Burnley have made a £1.5m bid for Derby skipper, centre back Richard Keogh, 28. (Sun - subscription only)
Crystal Palace are battling QPR for the signature of Norwich striker Gary Hooper, 26. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United target, midfielder Arturo Vidal, 27, has been quoted as saying he does not want to leave Juventus and is staying at the Italian club. (Daily Express)
Scotland midfielder James McArthur's move from Wigan to Leicester is off after the Foxes signed Argentina veteran Esteban Cambiasso. (Wigan Evening Post)
Former Ars*nal midfielder Alex Song, 26, is hoping to return to the Premier League with Liverpool after being frozen out at Barcelona. (Daily Mirror)
West Brom expect to keep hold of defender Craig Dawson and midfielder Claudio Yacob. Dawson, 24, has been targeted by Burnley, while Argentine midfielder Yacob, 27, has been linked with moves to France and Russia. (Express and Star)
Uefa president Michel Platini, 59, will not stand for the Fifa presidency next year leaving the way clear for Sepp Blatter, 78, to take charge for a fifth term. (Times - subscription only)
Striker Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, says he is expecting a red-hot reception when Real Madrid play at Anfield in the Champions League group stages. (Sun - subscription only)
Manchester City director of football Txiki Begiristain believes the Premier League winners now have the quality to win the Champions League. (Daily Star)
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew believes 24-year-old midfielder Jack Colback's England call up was due to his move from Sunderland to St James' Park. (Northern Echo)
Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola, 43, has implemented a strict regime of discipline to 'mentally toughen' his players for the new season, including fines for overweight players, turning up late, taking phone calls and ignoring dress codes. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has revealed £16m signing from Sporting Lisbon, defender Marcos Rojo, 24, is still waiting for a work permit to play for the club and is currently at the Argentine embassy in Madrid. (Independent)

The Independent back page
The father of new Manchester United midfielder Angel Di Maria, 26, has hit out at former club Real Madrid for their treatment of his son. (Daily Star)
England manager Roy Hodgson says he understands Louis van Gaal's concerns over the fitness of defender Luke Shaw, 19, and that he spoke to the player during the World Cup finals about staying in shape. (Independent)
Sevilla claim Tottenham's new £8m signing, defender Federico Fazio, 27, still technically belongs to them and are unhappy the player is in England. (Daily Express)
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, 26, who has had his injury problems recently, needed treatment after being tackled by team-mate Aleksandar Kolarov, 28, during a training session. (Daily Mail)
Celtic manager Ronny Deila, 38, has been told he will be given the time and the funds to impose his style on the Scottish champions, despite the club's exit from the Champions League . (Herald)
Liverpool defender Jon Flanagan, 21, is close to signing a new long-term deal at Anfield. (Liverpool Echo)
Curtis Davies was, not surprisingly, down after Hull's exit from the Europa League, the 29-year-old tweeting:  "Gutted is an understatement. Very harsh red for Yannick Sagbo but I'll leave it at that. Fully focused on the league now no excuses."
It was a similar feeling for Tom Huddlestone, the 27-year-old Hull midfielder writing:  "The feeling is pure devastation. The lads grafted hard, just couldn't get that goal which was needed. Got to bounce back Sunday."
Midfielder Mikel Arteta, 32, doesn't seem too concerned about Ars*nal's Champions League draw. "Dortmund again and two new and tough teams," he tweeted  . "I love playing Champions League. Come on Gunners!"
Leicester forward Anthony Knockaert, 22, is happy with the signing of former Inter Milan captain Esteban Cambiasso, 34, posting:  "Delighted to know that Cambiasso has signed. Great signing for us. Big player."
After none of his English players earned an international call-up, Swansea manager Garry Monk claimed Roy Hodgson had never been to the Liberty Stadium. (Western Mail)
Crystal Palace's new boss Neil Warnock, 65, has revealed he would not have taken the job for the second time without his wife Sharon's permission. (Daily Star)
Striker Bafetimbi Gomis, 29, has admitted he spent a month "playing as Swansea" on the Football Manager computer game as a way of researching the club before he signed. (Guardian)
Former Liverpool frontman Robbie Fowler, 39, has made his big screen debut with a walk-on part in the film One Night In Istanbul. (Daily Mirror)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Newcastle midfielder Rolando Aarons, 18, is a target for Manchester City and Liverpool after just 39 minutes of Premier League football. (Daily Star)
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has denied claims Ars*nal launched a bid to sign their Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 31, in the final hours of the summer transfer window. (London Evening Standard)
Ars*nal could offer a short-term deal to Colombia's 38-year-old centre-back and free agent Mario Yepes after failing to replace Thomas Vermaelen, who joined Barcelona in the summer, before the transfer deadline. (Daily Star)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is set to continue spending in the January transfer window following an outlay of £150m in the summer. Roma's Dutch international midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, and Borussia Dortmund's Germany centre-back Mats Hummels, 25, are potential targets. (the Times - subscription required)
But Van Gaal accepts he will not be able to sign Hummels, whose Dortmund contract runs until 2017, for at least two more transfer windows. (Daily Telegraph)
Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will join Liverpool next month once the Spain goalkeeper, 32, who suffered a serious knee injury in March, is fit enough for a medical. (Daily Mail)

Valdes was Barcelona's first-choice goalkeeper for 11 seasons
The Reds will need permission from the Premier League for Valdes to play for them before January, as they will need to amend their 25-man squad. (ESPN)
Chelsea, Liverpool, Ars*nal and Manchester United's attempts to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Zakaria Bakkali have been boosted by the 18-year-old Belgian, who has a year left on his current deal, rejecting a new deal with the Eredivisie club. (Daily Express)
Liverpool will step up their interest in Stromsgodset's 15-year-old Norway under-21 international midfielder Martin Odegaard, who has also been linked with Manchester United. (Metro)
Former Birmingham and Serbia striker Nikola Zigic, 33, insists he was an option for Ars*nal before the Gunners signed Danny Welbeck from Manchester United. (International Business Times)
Frank Lampard, 36, who joined Manchester City in the summer on loan from New York City, says he is upset he never got to say a proper goodbye to Chelsea fans. (the Sun - subscription required)

Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger has lost his job as a television commentator in France
Newcastle fear striker Siem de Jong, 25, could be out for four months after suffering a groin injury in training. (Daily Mirror)
France's main commercial television channel, TF1, has dropped Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger as a match commentator on the national team's matches. (Guardian)
Manchester United defender Phil Jones, 22, says his team-mate Wayne Rooney, 29, will prove to be a "great" England captain. (Manchester Evening News)
Liverpool left-back Alberto Moreno, 22, says he "had a point to make" after a poor debut against Manchester City and was thrilled to score in the 3-0 win over Tottenham. (the Sun - subscription required)
Manager Steven Pressley says Coventry City's return to the Ricoh Arena on Friday night is the biggest day in the club's history since they won the FA Cup in 1987. (Daily Express)
Aston Villa midfielder Kieran Richardson, 29, says the club's assistant manager Roy Keane inspired him to lose weight and get in shape after a serious back injury left him feeling low during their time together at Sunderland seven years ago. (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, Keane says he is "getting the best of both worlds" in working with Villa as well as assisting Martin O'Neill with the Republic of Ireland. (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United are still focused on producing their own players even though they brought in six players at a cost of £150m this summer. (Daily Mirror)

Sterling has won eight England caps
Midfielder Jordan Henderson, 24, has no doubts that Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling, 19, will not get carried away despite the winger's impressive performances for England. (Liverpool Echo)
West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace has called for the transfer window to close before the start of the Premier League season. (Express and Star)
Sixty-one per cent of 155,000 people polled by Spanish newspaper Marca want Costa Rican Keylor Navas, 27, to replace Iker Casillas as goalkeeper following the 4-2 defeat at Real Sociedad. (Marca - Spanish)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, 35, demonstrated his support for the New York Giants  as the NFL season got under way.
Malta's players were treated to the start of Linkin Park's song Numb over the stadium's speakers as they prepared to sing their national anthem before their 1-0 friendly defeat by Slovakia. (Daily Mirror)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United will offer Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, a weekly wage of £300,000 to lure him back to Old Trafford. (Daily Express)

Real Madrid winger Cristiano Ronaldo has been linked with a return to Manchester United
United and Chelsea are to be told publicly by Real Madrid that they have no chance of signing forward Ronaldo. (Independent)
Bayern Munich midfielder and World Cup hero Mario Gotze, 22, has revealed he would be open to a move abroad if an opportunity arose. (Daily Mail)
Roma's sporting director Walter Sabatini, 59, insists Manchester United target Kevin Strootman, 24, is not for sale. (Sky Sports)
Everton manager Roberto Martinez says he may revive his interest in signing Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25 - currently on loan at Aston Villa - next summer. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois's new five-year deal could pave the way for 32-year-old Petr Cech to leave Stamford Bridge in January, with Real Madrid and PSG interested. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal legend Robert Pires, 40, insists signing for Goa in the inaugural Indian Super League is not motivated by money. (Daily Mail)

Friday's Daily Mail back page
Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 19, has been offered a new four-year contract by the club to ward off interest from Chelsea. (Sun - subscription required)
Chelsea outcast, forward Lucas Piazon, 20, has admitted that he could leave Stamford Bridge on a permanent basis. (Daily Express)
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet, 46, says he is not happy with the club's business in the summer transfer market. (Sky Sports)
Poyet admits he could make another move in January for long-term target Fabio Borini, the 23-year-old Liverpool striker. (Sun - subscription required)
Derby have been linked with a loan move for 19-year-old Chelsea midfielder Lewis Baker. (Derby Evening Telegraph)
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger says he would never have signed striker Danny Welbeck, 23, if he had not gone to Rome to meet the Pope on transfer deadline day. (Times - subscription required)

Danny Welbeck would not be at Ars*nal if Arsene Wenger had not gone to see the Pope
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew admits he has lost the trust of fans at St James' Park. (Independent)
Tottenham Hotspur have received a preliminary takeover approach from a consortium of American businessmen. (Daily Telegraph)
West Brom manager Alan Irvine has pleaded with fans to give him time to get the club's summer signings to gel. (Guardian)
Defender Pablo Zabaleta, 29, says Manchester City are out to avenge their 3-0 humbling in the Community Shield when they take on Ars*nal on Saturday. (Daily Star)
Celtic failed in a deadline-day bid to sign Barcelona forward Jean-Marie Dongou, 19. (Daily Record)
Defender Dedryck Boyata, 23, says he will not give up on his Manchester City dream despite facing an uphill battle for game time. (Manchester Evening News)
Stoke winger Brek Shea, 24, says he is excited to play regular football after joining Birmingham City on loan. (Stoke Sentinel)
Midfielder Adnan Januzaj, 19, says he is happy at Manchester United despite the arrival of Angel Di Maria, 26, and Radamel Falcao, 28, who could well block his route to a regular first-team spot. (Squawka)
Right-back Micah Richards, 26, who has just completed a move to Italian side Fiorentina, claims he was not given a chance by manager Manuel Pellegrini at Manchester City and says he fears for his former club's youngsters. (Daily Mail)

Friday's Daily Mirror back page
Injured Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, is ahead of schedule on the comeback trail and could be back in training within the next month. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa loan midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25, believes his days at Manchester United are over after being told to find a new club by manager Louis van Gaal. (Daily Telegraph)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says Cleverley's preferred option was always to join the Midlands club, despite interest from Everton. (Daily Mail)
Celtic manager Ronny Deila insists defender Virgil van Dijk, 23, is happy at the club despite being denied a move to the Premier League during the transfer window. (Scotsman)
A host of footballers have paid their tributes on social media to the victims of the 9/11 attacks in New York. (Daily Mail)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard,  35, asked his followers how his hair was looking on the club's team photo.
The Invictus Games - the international sporting event for wounded, injured and sick servicemen and women - is taking place in London this week, and Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney,  28, is one of those wishing the competitors all the best.
AFC Wimbledon striker Adebayo Akinfenwa, 32, has been officially announced as Fifa 15's strongest player, EA Sports has confirmed. (Evening Standard)
Italian side Napoli have launched a new third kit that is designed to look like it is made of denim. (Sun - subscription required)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Hatem Ben Arfa, 27, could cancel his loan move to Hull and return to Newcastle if Alan Pardew is sacked. (The Sun - subscription required)
Stoke manager Mark Hughes says he has had no contact with QPR counterpart Harry Redknapp regarding striker Peter Crouch, 33. (Daily Mail) 

Isco has been sidelined at Real Madrid by the signings of James Rodriguez and Toni Kroos
Liverpool and Bayern Munich target Dele Alli, 18, says his performance for MK Dons in the Capital One Cup victory over Manchester United has inspired him to aim to play in the Premier League. (Daily Telegraph)
Liverpool and Ars*nal are readying bids for Real Madrid's unwanted playmaker Isco, 22, in the next transfer window. (Daily Express)
The Gunners are also ready to make a January move for unhappy PSG striker Edinson Cavani, 27. (Daily Express)
Hull City are leading a nine-club chase for 21-year-old Middlesbrough winger Adam Reach and are ready to pay £2m to secure his signature. (Daily Mirror)
Bolton want Crystal Palace defender Paddy McCarthy, 31, on loan. (Daily Star)
And Wanderers boss Dougie Freedman says winger Rob Hall, 20 could go out on loan to boost his chances of first-team action. (Sky Sports)
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino has criticised Partizan Belgrade fans after they unveiled an anti-Semitic banner at Thursday's Europa League match. (Daily Star)
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon has expressed an interest in taking charge of Cardiff City after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer resigned. (The Times - subscription required)
But Lennon is also reported to be leading the race for the vacant manager's role at Fulham following Felix Magath's dismissal, with ex-Spurs boss Tim Sherwood his main rival. (The Sun - subscription required)

The Daily Mirror back page
Dundee manager Paul Hartley, former West Brom boss Steve Clarke and ex-Norwich manager Chris Hughton are among the other names in the frame for the Cardiff job. (Guardian)
Former Manchester City striker Niall Quinn tells "lethargic" Ivorian midfielder Yaya Toure, 31, that he needs to prove he is worth a new Manchester City contract. (Talksport)
Angel Di Maria, 26, says he is "grateful" to Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal for giving him his chance at Old Trafford. (Daily Express)
But Manchester City defender Martin Demichelis, 33, says the Dutchman made Bayern Munich "stink" when he took over as manager in 2009. (Independent)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has targeted new deals for Fabian Delph, 24, and Ron Vlaar, 29, after committing his own future to the club. (Daily Mirror)
Villa defender Alan Hutton, 29, insists assistant manager Roy Keane's 'volcanic' personality has been key to the Birmingham club's impressive start to the Premier League season. (Daily Mail)
West Brom manager Alan Irvine says his squad is finally injury-free, after all 25 members senior players trained ahead of Sunday's trip to Tottenham. (Birmingham Mail)
Alan Pardew believes he is fighting "mass hysteria" as he bids to save his job as Newcastle United manager. (Independent)
But the Magpies' boss has hit back at suggestions he has lost his passion for the club, happy just to see out the remaining years on his long-term contract. (Chronicle)

Adel Taarabt has been told to shape up by QPR boss Harry Redknapp
QPR boss Harry Redknapp has ordered midfielder Adel Taarabt, 25, to lose weight if he wants to become a Premier League star. (Daily Mail)
Redknapp is confident QPR fans will not boo Mark Hughes when the Welshman makes his first return to Loftus Road since being sacked as manager. (Stoke Sentinel)
Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking's "Wolfman" eyebrows were a social media sensation during his side's Europa League match against Everton on Thursday. (Metro)
As was the appearance of former Ars*nal striker Nicklas Bendtner, 26, from the Wolfsburg bench. (101 Great Goals)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli beat team-mate Raheem Sterling at table tennis and posted a picture on Instagram  of the England winger facing the club's traditional under-the-table punishment for losing.
Staff at Manchester Dogs' Home believe Balotelli, 24, is behind a mystery five-figure donation they received after 60 dogs were killed at the refuge last week. (Daily Mirror)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United will have to pay an astonishing £160m to bring Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, back to Old Trafford. (Daily Star)
Alternatively, Ronaldo's wages could account for £79m over four years with a fee of about £60m, making the total cost in the region of £140m. (Sun - requires subscription)
Factoring in image rights, loyalty bonuses and other incentives, the true cost could be £200m. (Daily Mirror)
New York City FC will oppose any move from Manchester City to keep midfielder Frank Lampard, 36, at the club beyond January. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United are preparing to offer midfielder Juan Mata, 26, to Atletico Madrid in exchange for 30-year-old defender Miranda. (Daily Express)
Indian club Pune want to sign Red Devils midfielder Anderson, 26, before the start of the Indian Super League in less than three weeks' time. (Daily Star)
Hull City are close to reaching an agreement with Blackpool over 22-year-old forward Tom Ince, who left the Seasiders after his contract ran out in the summer. Blackpool are entitled to compensation because he is under 23. (Sky Sports)
Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, 21, says he wants to emulate sportsmen he admires like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan by performing in every game. (Daily Express)

Romelu Lukaku says he wants to emulate sportsmen like Michael Jordan
Meanwhile, Toffees midfielder James McCarthy, 23, says last season's 4-0 defeat by Liverpool was the lowest point of his career on Merseyside to date, and he is determined to "make amends" in Saturday's derby at Anfield. (Daily Telegraph)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is convinced England winger Raheem Sterling, 19, will sign a new contract at Anfield amid reports Real Madrid are preparing to lure him to Spain. (Liverpool Echo) 
Tottenham's Belgium international defender Jan Vertonghen, 27, insists he is happy at the club despite deciding not to sign a new contract. (London Evening Standard)
Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 26, has hit back at reports that Louis van Gaal tried to force him out of Old Trafford, insisting he was simply told to fight for his place. (Metro)
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert says he will look to strengthen his squad in January after holding talks with owner Randy Lerner about the best way forward in the next transfer window. (Birmingham Mail)

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen won the Dutch title twice with Ajax before moving to Spurs in 2012
Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera, 25, could be called to give evidence in an investigation into match-fixing by Spanish authorities. There is no suggestion that Herrera is involved in any wrongdoing. (Daily Mirror)
League One Coventry City have seen a surge in season ticket sales since the club's return to the Ricoh Arena earlier this month, with 4,650 sold. (Coventry Telegraph)
Former Tottenham midfielder Darren Anderton, 42, fears the club's lack of serious scoring options will cost them a top-four finish. (Talksport)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, has posted a video capturing his first month at Anfield.  The footage shows a front page of an Italian sports paper with the headline 'Bye bye' on the day he left Milan, his welcome at Liverpool and a collage of images of him in action for his new side.
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 25, posts a picture of himself wearing the team shirt of the Denver Nuggets  basketball team, who play in the NBA, with the message: "Thank you Denver Nuggets for this cool shirt."
Southampton players asked to give up their day off this week so that they could undergo extra training ahead of Saturday's game against QPR. The Saints are second in the Premier League table. (Southern Daily Echo)
The post-match meal preferences of Barcelona's players have been revealed after a copy of the club's menu sheet was leaked before their draw against Malaga on Wednesday. Lionel Messi loves to tuck into a pizza after matches, while defender Gerard Pique helps himself to a chocolate spread sandwich. (Daily Mail)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Liverpool face a huge battle to persuade 19-year-old midfielder Raheem Sterling to sign an extension to his contract at Anfield. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal's German forward Lukas Podolski, 29, says "change must occur" if he can't get more regular football at Emirates Stadium. (London Evening Standard)
Manchester United have agreed personal terms for a permanent transfer for 28-year-old striker Radamel Falcao, who is currently on loan from Monaco. (Daily Mail)
Manager Louis van Gaal is hoping Angel Di Maria and Radamel Falcao can persuade ex-Real Madrid team-mate Fabio Coentrao, 26, to join Manchester United in January. (Daily Express)
Barcelona full-back Dani Alves, 31, is looking to move to the Premier League next summer, with both Manchester United and Liverpool interested in the Brazil international. (Daily Star)
West Brom are prepared to sell striker Saido Berahino, 21, if a top club comes in for him, admits boss Alan Irvine. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool will sign MK Dons midfielder Dele Alli, 18, in January but the youngster will return to the League One side for the remainder of the season. (Daily Express)
Manchester United are considering a move to bring Barcelona's former Red Devils defender Gerard Pique, 27, back to Old Trafford in January. (Daily Star)
Ars*nal striker Danny Welbeck, 23, says accusations that he is a poor finisher are unfair because he has so often been played out of position. (Times - subscription required)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is worried the criticism he is currently experiencing is affecting his friends and family. (Sun - subscription required)
Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, could return to Old Trafford next month - if Manchester United reach agreement to host an international friendly between Portugal and Argentina. (Daily Telegraph)
Former United forward Dwight Yorke says the £16m fee the club received for Danny Welbeck was a "disgrace", insisting the club should have held out for more money from Ars*nal. (Manchester Evening News)
Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 28, believes his club can win four trophies this season. (Daily Express)
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon is considering a £2m-a-year offer to become coach of Saudi Arabian side Al Ittihad. (Sun - subscription required)
Leading Premier League clubs are furious that Liverpool appear to have been given preferential treatment by England manager Roy Hodgson after Daniel Sturridge was left out of the latest international squad. (Independent)
Liverpool's "calculated gamble" on striker Mario Balotelli, 24, is yet to pay off, admits boss Brendan Rodgers. (Daily Mirror)
Blackpool manager Jose Riga has described striker Nile Ranger, 23, as "stupid" after a pre-match Twitter outburst when he was left out of Tuesday's squad which drew with Middlesbrough. (Blackpool Gazette)

Dwight Yorke believes the fee Manchester United received for Danny Welbeck was a "disgrace"
Roy Hodgson has warned Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, that his status as England's first-choice centre-forward is at risk as club-versus-country tensions linger. (Times - subscription required)
Former Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-Sung has been named as a club ambassador and will return for Sunday's visit of Everton. (Daily Mail) 
Celtic tweeted a team including the ineligible John Guidetti for their Europa League meeting against Dinamo Zagreb, but spotted their mistake in time. (Daily Telegraph)
Ars*nal striker Lukas Podolski revealed a special guest had joined the Gunners for training on his Instagram account.
Stoke goalkeeper Jack Butland is the latest sportsman to reveal his love for the Great British Bake Off, adding on his Twitter account   that it was "vitally important" he caught up on Wednesday's episode.
Gary Lane, a bricklayer from Woking, loves Tottenham so much he has changed his name to White Hart Lane - even though the club are planning to move to a new stadium. (Metro)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Chelsea have been linked with a surprise £48m move for Liverpool's 19-year-old England midfielder Raheem Sterling. (Daily Express)

Raheem Sterling's form for Liverpool has caught the eye
Liverpool have started negotiations with former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes over a move to the Premier League. The 32-year-old is currently a free agent. (Daily Star)
Inter Milan are interested in signing Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado, 29, but would not be able to match his reported £60,000-a-week wages at White Hart Lane. (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 31, could join Tottenham for just £3m in January if Soldado moves. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United have received a boost in their bid to tempt midfielder Arturo Vidal to Old Trafford, with the 27-year-old set to hold talks with Juventus bosses who are unhappy with his recent behaviour. (Daily Star)
Former Ars*nal striker Thierry Henry, 37, could leave New York Red Bulls and return to Europe. (Talksport)
West Brom are set to secure the signing of Porto defender Rolando, 29, for £1m in January after the Portugese club froze him out of selection. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa assistant boss Roy Keane says Jose Mourinho is a "disgrace" and the Chelsea manager was lucky he did not punch him when he attempted to shake his hand before the end of Villa's 3-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge last month. (Daily Telegraph)

Friday's Daily Mail back page
Manchester United midfielder Daley Blind, 24, says he has a long way to go before he earns the right to be considered Roy Keane's successor. (Manchester Evening News)
Meanwhile, United are set to offer defender Tyler Blackett, 20, an improved contract which would increase his wages from £2,000 to £50,000 a week. (Daily Mail)
Chelsea goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer has angrily demanded football be banned in Qatar in the summer, warning people may have to "drop dead" before Fifa does anything to act. (Daily Telegraph)
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger says Mesut Ozil's scan on a knee complaint presented the club with 'bad news' after the 25-year-old Germany midfielder returned early from international duty. (London Evening Standard)
Wenger may have to play left-back Nacho Monreal, 28, out of position at centre-back and 19-year-old Hector Bellerin at right-back in Ars*nal's next Premier League match after the club's injury problems worsened. (The Times - subscription required)
England under-21s manager Gareth Southgate has called on the crowd at Molineux, home of Wolves, not to boo striker Saido Berahino, who plays his club football for rivals West Brom, as he leads the line in their Euro 2015 playoff against Croatia. (The Sun - subscription required)
Rangers fans have written to the Scottish Football Association to demand they block Newcastle chairman Mike Ashley's attempts to increase his stake at Ibrox. (Daily Record)
Former Celtic manager Neil Lennon is reportedly set to take over at Bolton having turned down offers to manage in the Middle East. (The Sun - subscription required)
Ars*nal striker Lukas Podoloski is perhaps getting a little too involved in his profession, after posting this picture and message on Instagram:  "We can't keep our eyes off each other - It was love at the first sight and we're still in love... "
Andros Townsend scored his first England goal in almost a year as England beat San Marino 5-0 on Thursday, and he tweeted:  "Always a massive honour to represent my country! And delighted to get on the scoresheet regardless of who we played!"
Ars*nal defender Calum Chambers was equally delighted with his first senior appearance at Wembley and tweeted:  "Happy to have made my first England start and to come away with a win! Great support from the England fans tonight!"
England fans showed their humorous side by voting goalkeeper Joe Hart man of the match after the 5-0 win against San Marino. (Metro)
Sol Campbell has admitted he is prepared "to have a conversation" with the Conservative party about entering into a career in politics. (The Times - subscription required)

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Manchester United have been told that Aston Villa captain and centre-back Ron Vlaar, 29, will cost them upwards of £12m, but face stiff competition from Ars*nal. (Daily Express)

Ars*nal want Celtic's 23-year-old centre-half Virgil van Dijk in the January transfer window. (Daily Telegraph) 
However, Celtic manager Ronny Deila is determined to keep his top players, with Bolton keen to sign attacking midfielder Kris Commons, 31. (Daily Record)
Juventus have upped their asking price for 27-year-old midfielder Arturo Vidal, a Manchester United target, following strong interest from Real Madrid. (Daily Express)
Manchester United are considering re-signing Stoke captain and centre-half Ryan Shawcross, 27, who came through the youth ranks at Old Trafford. (Daily Star)
Spanish champions Atletico Madrid have recruited former Manchester United and Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon as an advisor, with a remit to expand the club's international presence. (AS)
Millwall will wear a camouflage kit when they play Brentford on Remembrance weekend, after getting special permission from the Football League to raise money for a rehabilitation centre that treats injured members of the armed forces. (Sun - subscription required)
Former Newcastle, Birmingham and Norwich boss Chris Hughton, 55, heads a three-man shortlist to be the next boss of Championship strugglers Fulham, with caretaker-manager Kit Symons, 43, and Steve Clarke, 51, also in the frame. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 21, wants to play for England in the European Under-21 Championship, despite being capped 18 times at senior level. (Times - subscription required)
Liverpool's 19-year-old winger Raheem Sterling will play for England in next summer's tournament - if the Football Association and Anfield club can come to an agreement. (Daily Mail)
Sterling, who told Roy Hodgson he was too tired to play for England, has performed more sprints, over a greater distance and reached a higher top speed than Premier League rivals such as Manchester City's David Silva and Chelsea's Eden Hazard so far this season. (Daily Mirror)
Meanwhile, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has denied he put pressure on Hodgson to leave Sterling out, saying: "I haven't said a single word." (Independent)

Uefa president Michel Platini has called for the introduction of a white card for players who show dissent towards referees, which would lead to a 10-minute sin-bin. (The Guardian)
Liverpool's £16m striker Mario Balotelli, 24, has blamed manager Brendan Rodgers's tactics for the fact he has scored just one goal since his arrival from AC Milan in the summer. (Independent)
Poland skipper Robert Lewandowski, 26, remains angry at a challenge by Scotland defender Gordon Greer, 33, during the 1-1 Euro 2016 qualifier between the countries, saying he will "repay" what happened to him in the return match. (Daily Record)
Professional Footballers' Association trustee Brendon Batson has called on the 20 Premier League chairmen to address racial discrimination in English football by coming up with an alternative to the Rooney Rule. (Guardian)
Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 28, says he wants to sign a new contract with the Premier League champions. (Sun - requires subscription)
Ars*nal wanted to sign Lionel Messi, Gerard Pique and Cesc Fabregas, all 27, when the trio were teenagers at Barcelona's academy. (Daily Star)
Aston Villa and England midfielder Fabian Delph, 24, is almost certainly out of Saturday's game at Everton - and may require surgery on the shoulder he injured in a training-ground accident. (Times - subscription required)
British football fans will miss the first 15 minutes of El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona on Saturday, 25 October, when Luis Suarez is expected to make his return to competitive football, because of UK broadcasting rules. (Independent)
Defender-turned-pundit Gary Neville light-heartedly analysed Ryan Giggs's famous solo goal against Ars*nal in the 1999 FA Cup semi-final using his giant Sky-Pad at an event to honour his former Manchester United team-mate. (Daily Telegraph)
Leyton Orient players have agreed to feature in a reality show on Italian TV after backing down in a row with the League One club's new Italian owner, Francesco Becchetti. ( Metro  )