Friday Paper Talk

[Chelmsford_yid]

Liverpool have ditched plans to sign Spanish goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 32, who is now training with Manchester United. (Liverpool Echo)
Valdes' arrival at Old Trafford in January on a permanent deal could signal the departure of Danish goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard. (Daily Express)

Ignazio Abate will be a free agent next summer after failing to agree a new contract at AC Milan
Liverpool are, however, keeping tabs on AC Milan full-back Ignazio Abate, 27, as a potential replacement for Glen Johnson. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid are keen to complete the permanent signing of Javier Hernandez, 26, from Manchester United, but the Spanish giants want the Red Devils to lower their £17m asking price. (Daily Express)
Petr Cech, 32, is in line for shock move to Turkish side Besiktas after losing his first-team place at Stamford Bridge. (Talksport)
West Bromwich Albion are keeping an eye on £2m-rated Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie, 25, as a target in the January transfer window. (The Sun - subscription required)
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben says there is "not even one per cent" of him thinking about a move back to England and a Premier League club. (Daily Telegraph)

The Sun's back page
Luka Modric, 29, says he and his Real Madrid team-mates eased off in the second half of their Champions League win over Liverpool to save themselves for Saturday's El Clasico against Barcelona. (Daily Mail)
Per Mertesacker, 30, blames the players' attitude in training for Ars*nal's struggles in the Premier League and the Champions League. (Daily Telegraph)
West Ham United striker Andy Carroll could be in line for a long-awaited return to action in just two weeks after tearing ankle ligaments in July. (Daily Mirror)
However, Hammers manager Sam Allardyce is no nearer being handed a new contract at Upton Park despite his side's rise to the top four of the Premier League. (Daily Star)
Former Newcastle midfielder Lee Bowyer says the club risks slipping through the divisions like Wolves if they sack manager Alan Pardew. (Chronicle)
Stoke boss Mark Hughes fears Victor Moses, 23, could become a marked man with officials after Swansea counterpart Garry Monk accused the midfielder of diving. (Daily Express) 
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet says Vito Mannone, 26, will keep his place for this weekend's clash against Ars*nal despite the Italian goalkeeper conceding eight goals against Southampton. (Sunderland Echo)

Daily Mirror back page
Poyet says he could have been sacked if he had overseen an 8-0 defeat in any other country. (Daily Mail)
Brendan Rodgers says £16m striker Mario Balotelli, 24, may never be good enough for Liverpool. (The Sun - subscription required)
Frank Lampard will be able to extend his stay at Manchester City further when parent club New York City hold a pre-season training camp in England at the new Etihad Campus facility . (Daily Mail)
Fulham owner Shahid Khan will fly in from America next week to appoint his new manager, with caretaker Kit Symons the leading contender. (Daily Telegraph)
Nottingham Forest's bid for promotion could be hit by a transfer embargo by the Football League in connection with sanctions over Financial Fair Play. (The Times - subscription required)
Derby County and England goalkeeper Jack Butland, 21, was not too impressed by Harry Kane's performance when the Tottenham striker replaced Hugo Lloris in goal after the Frenchman's red card against Asteras Tripolis. "I'm so glad @hkane28 knows how to hit the back of the net - fair play for giving it a go lad!" he tweeted.
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 26, is back in the gym  as he looks to keep up his fitness levels following his knee ligament injury.
Erik Lamela, who scored a wonder goal on Thursday for Spurs, is no stranger to scoring a goal with a 'rabona' as a video of him playing for River Plate's youth team several years ago has revealed. (Daily Mirror)
Former Ars*nal defender Martin Keown says so many players asked to swap shirts with Thierry Henry that the club threatened to make him pay for the ones he gave away. (Daily Mail)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United are on the trail of 23-year-old Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris, according to his Turkish club Trabzonspor. (Daily Mail)
Crystal Palace and QPR both want Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto, 30, but are not prepared to meet his £40,000-a-week wages. (Daily Mirror)
QPR winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, 33, has rejected opportunities to go on loan and will fight for his place at Loftus Road. The former England international has not made a Premier League appearance this season. (Talksport)
Fulham owner Shahid Khan is prepared to hand newly appointed manager Kit Symons transfer funds in January as he aims for the club to bounce back into the Premier League at the first attempt. (Daily Express)
Italian club Napoli have rejected suggestions that they will make a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, in January. (Daily Mirror)
Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has criticised former team-mate Paul Scholes by claiming the midfielder was too lazy to do TV interviews as a player. (Daily Express)

Friday's Daily Star front page
Everton striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, has already earned himself a new Everton contract, after inspiring his team-mates with his winning mentality. (Daily Mirror)
The Football Association has collected about £350,000 in fines from social-media-related offences in the past three years, with the governing body investigating 121 cases. (Guardian)
American baseball ty****s are circling Premier League clubs and are set to launch a batch of takeover raids. (Sun - subscription required)
Police are on red alert at the prospect of drones flying overhead during Sunday's Manchester derby. (Daily Mail)
Spain manager Vicente Del Bosque will not back down over picking Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 26, for next month's internationals against Belarus and Germany. (Daily Telegraph)
West Brom manager Alan Irvine has admitted the club are taking steps to ensure the heightened attention on top-scorer Saido Berahino does not go to the 21-year-old England Under-21 striker's head. (Daily Star)

Friday's Daily Mail back page
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, 61, is heading for the sack, according to former Blues forward Rodney Marsh. City are without a win in three games, losing their last two. (Talksport)
West Ham signings Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho could be handed a Christmas break by manager Sam Allardyce in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the injury crisis that hampered the Hammers last season. (Daily Express)
Ars*nal can win the Premier League this season if they sign Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, in January, claims former Gunners winger Perry Groves. (London Evening Standard)
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will begin a major restructuring of the club's scouting and recruitment procedures after their poor start to the Premier League season. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to leave in-form striker Harry Kane, 21, waiting until the last minute to find out whether he has earned his first Premier League start of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday. (Daily Telegraph)
Liverpool and England winger Raheem Sterling, 19, is ranked the best under-21 prospect in Europe. (Bleacher Report UK)
QPR boss Harry Redknapp will consider involving midfielder Adel Taarabt at Chelsea on Saturday after ending his dispute with the 25-year-old following their row over his weight. (Sky Sports)
Redknapp admits he would like to stop his players using Twitter after defender Rio Ferdinand was banned for three games for a message he posted on the social media site. (getwestlondon.co.uk)
Garry Monk has asked a fan who posted advice on how the Swansea boss can improve to his home address to send any future correspondence directly to the club. (Daily Star)
Fifa has apologised for an embarrassing mistake after its video launching the logo for the 2018 World Cup showed the disputed Crimean peninsula as part of Russia. (Guardian)
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil:  No, this is neither a red carpet nor a magic carpet. It is just the place where I'm working for my comeback.
The German FA announced earlier this month that the 26-year-old playmaker's recovery from a partial rupture of the outer band of the left knee joint would take up to 12 weeks.

Mesut Ozil discovered a problem with his knee after joining up with the Germany squad for international duty earlier this month
Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge:  Feeling good right now, closer to full fitness each day.
Sturridge, 25, is recovering from a calf strain he sustained having only just recovered from a thigh strain picked up on England duty in September.
Swansea City manager Garry Monk:  Positive news, no FA charge & Federico Fernandez red card rescinded. Glad common sense prevailed.
Monk will not face any further action from the Football Association following his post-match comments after the defeat by Stoke earlier this month. In addition, Fernandez has had his ban for a red card against Liverpool rescinded.
Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane, 43, is set to make an appearance on I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! (Daily Star)
Liverpool defender Jose Enrique, 28, and 20-year-old midfielder Suso cheered up Mario Balotelli by singing a rendition of the striker's 'Mario Magnifico' chant and sending it to the 24-year-old. (Daily Mail)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester City are set to sell 31-year-old Yaya Toure next summer and replace him with either Juventus's Paul Pogba, 21, or Everton 20-year-old Ross Barkley. (The Times - subscription required)
West Brom's England new boy Saido Berahino, 21, is at the centre of a transfer battle between Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham. (The Sun - subscription required)
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger is set to make a January move for Manchester United defender Chris Smalling, 24. (Daily Mirror)

Friday's Daily Star back page
Dutch duo Virgil van Dijk of Celtic, 23, and Aston Villa's 29-year-old captain Ron Vlaar are also on Ars*nal's defensive shopping list. (Daily Mail)
Fabian Delph has told Aston Villa he has no plans to sign a new contract and is set to leave the club in the summer, with Liverpool, Everton and Tottenham all interested in signing the 24-year-old midfielder. (Daily Telegraph)
Serie A side Fiorentina, who already have Manchester City's Micah Richards in their ranks, are lining up a shock loan swoop for Ars*nal and England winger Theo Walcott, 25. (Daily Express)
Ars*nal, Liverpool and Tottenham are continuing to monitor 23-year-old Bayern Munich winger Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, who is unhappy after failing to become a regular at the German club. (Daily Star)
Real Madrid are lining up a move for Manchester United keeper David De Gea, 23, and are confident of landing him, especially if the Reds fail to qualify for the Champions League. (Daily Star)
Meanwhile, United's January move for Real Madrid's left-sided midfielder Fabio Coentrao, 26, looks in serious doubt after Bayern Munich's David Alaba - a target for Real - picked up a long-term injury during the German team's win over Roma. (Daily Express)
Manchester City will attempt to lure Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola to the Etihad to replace Manuel Pellegrini if the club's poor form continues. (Daily Mirror)

Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola has won two Champions League titles as a manager
Liverpool defender Glen Johnson, 30, may decide to retire from international football after being left out of Roy Hodgson's latest England squad. (Daily Telegraph)
Reds manager Brendan Rodgers admits he faces the sack if he gets too many big calls wrong at Anfield. (Guardian)
Jose Mourinho could face a fresh backlash from Chelsea fans after hailing QPR's "amazing" supporters, days after he complained about the lack of atmosphere at Stamford Bridge. (The Sun - subscription required)
Manchester City legend Denis Law says his old club must battle harder if they are to succeed in the Champions League. (Daily Mirror)
Millwall will make history when they face Brentford in a one-off camouflage kit as part of the 100th anniversary of the First World War. (Sky Sports)
Ross Barkley can have the same impact on the England set-up as Paul Gascoigne, according to Roy Hodgson. (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa skipper Ron Vlaar says the players share the disappointment felt by the fans over the current run of six defeats and that the team is missing injured midfielder Fabian Delph. (Birmingham Mail)

Friday's back page of The Times
CSKA Moscow defender Pontus Wernbloom says Manchester City are vulnerable in defence and it is "obvious" how opponents can beat them. (The Independent)
Meanwhile, the Home Office has hit back at claims by CSKA that a Manchester airport official tried to sabotage the Russian club's chances of victory over City by denying Serbian striker Zoran Tosic entry to the UK. (The Times - subscription required)
Former Liverpool midfielder Jermaine Pennant, 31, without a club since being released by Stoke at the start of the year, has joined Indian Super League side FC Pune City. (The Sun - subscription required)
Manchester United vying with Valencia to sign Benfica midfielder Enzo Perez, 28. (Marca - in Spanish)
Valencia's 21-year-old striker Paco Alcacer, a reported target for Chelsea and Ars*nal, says he has no desire to leave his current club. (AS - in Spanish)
Former Tottenham midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng, 27, is set to dash hopes of a Premier League return by extending his contract at Schalke until 2017. (Bild - in German)
Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 33, is set to return to action after resuming training following his injury lay-off. (AS - in Spanish)
Tottenham midfielder Benjamin Stambouli posted this photo  of himself and a group of happy Spurs players on the way home from the Europa League win over Asteras Tripolis.
Andros Townsend, who got Spurs up and running with a penalty, paid tribute to fellow scorer Harry Kane by tweeting:  "Another good win! Just can't keep the main man Harry Kane off the scoresheet at the moment!"
Ars*nal's Aaron Ramsey lets slip how he spent his free evening, posting:  "Time for Life Story on BBC One, another brilliant series by David Attenborough."
Hull City midfielder David Meyler reveals he's a fan of folk music, tweeting   that he's heading to a gig by Irish singer Christy Moore.
Wayne Rooney recited a poem about how much he loved playing for his country after England were knocked out of the 2002 Under-17 European Championships. (Daily Telegraph)
Gerard Pique's miserable time at Barcelona of late - struggling to get in the team, fined for using his mobile phone on the sub's bench - continued when, at the airport after arriving back from the Spanish club's Champions League game at Ajax, a fan shouted at him: 'Hey Pique, wake up! You need to run more'. (101 Great Goals)
A Republic of Ireland fan has revealed how he applied to take over as manager when Giovanni Trapattoni departed and received a letter back from the FAI. (The Guardian)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Real Madrid are weighing up their attacking options and may offload Gareth Bale to Chelsea for £90m in the summer.
Ars*nal are considering making a move for Sevilla midfielder Grzegorz Krychowiak with a price tag of £24m being reported.
Wigan may try to tempt former boss Paul Jewell - who steered the Latics to the Premier League back in 2005 - to replace the sacked Uwe Rosler.

Manchester United are desperate for on-loan striker Radamel Falcao to prove his fitness before they commit to a £43m transfer with the Colombian on a carefully managed plan at Old Trafford to get back into shape. He's made three starts and scored one goal since his arrival.
Inter Milan are lining up a move for Ars*nal striker Joel Campbell and Tottenham defender Vlad Chiriches.
Former Cardiff boss Malky Mackay is the favourite to land the vacant Wigan mangerial job following Thursday's dismissal of Uwe Rosler.
Manchester United are plotting a swoop for Ars*nal and Chelsea target Aymeric Laporte of Athletic Bilbao.
Liverpool loanee Divock Origi fancies an early return from season's loan at Lille.
Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is targeting quality over quantity in the January transfer window.
Former Chelsea, West Ham and Portsmouth boss Avram Grant, 59, is set to be offered a two-year contract to coach Ghana.

Germany boss Joachim Low has made it clear to forward Lukas Podolski he needs to boost his international career and should leave Ars*nal.

Ars*nal have received some bad news in their quest for Sami Khedira with the 27-year-old midfielder confirming his determination to remain at Real Madrid.
All of England's players want manager Roy Hodgson to be handed a new long term deal.

Inter Milan have two players on their radar with possible moves for Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic and Liverpool striker Fabio Borini.
Former Manchester United boss David Moyes revealed at his Real Sociedad unveiling that Sir Alex Ferguson advised him to move to La Liga.
West Ham will hold talks with Alex Song, Diafra Sakho and Cheikhou Kouyate about the threat of Ebola ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Football's world governing body FIFA is facing a corruption investigation by the FBI on the back of the release of the report into hosting of the 2018 and 2022 World Cup.

Striker Divock Origi, 19, has told Liverpool he wants to cut short his loan spell at Lille and join them ahead of schedule.

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United are weighing up a bid for Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen, with the 27-year-old Belgium international said to be unhappy at a lack of first-team action with Spurs. (Mirror)

Kevin Strootman joined Roma from PSV Eindhoven
Netherlands international midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, has already "shaken hands" on a move to United from Roma. (Talksport) 
Ars*nal are preparing to beat Liverpool to Benfica defender Maxi Pereira. The 30-year-old Uruguay international is out of contract at the end of the season. (Express)
AC Milan will rival Ars*nal for the signature of Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, who has found himself on the bench for much of the season at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Star)
Queens Park Rangers are in talks with the Argentine defender Pablo Alvarez. The 30-year-old former Catania man is currently a free agent. (Evening Standard)
Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, has signed a pre-contract agreement to join Bayern Munich. (Independent)
Wigan's Scotland international winger Shaun Maloney, 31, is wanted by MLS side Chicago Fire. (Express)
Nottingham Forest striker Dexter Blackstock, 28, has turned down a loan move to Sheffield United. (Yorkshire Post)
During the international break, Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho gave the likes of Didier Drogba and John Terry eight days off in order to take a holiday. (Mirror)
Liverpool are compiling a dossier on Daniel Sturridge's medical history to find a cause for the injuries that have wrecked the England striker's season so far. (Telegraph)
Ars*nal's Jack Wilshere hopes that his performances in a deep-lying midfield role for England will convince manager Arsene Wenger to employ him in a similar role for the Gunners. (Express)
Meanwhile, the Gunners are lining up Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola to replace Wenger. (Daily Star)

Jay Rodriguez has scored 26 goals in 76 appearances for Southampton
Southampton striker Jay Rodriguez, 25, has been told by medics to slow down his recovery programme following knee surgery after having to have fluid drained from his knee. (Daily Star) 
Swansea boss Garry Monk doesn't plan to recall striker Michu, 28, from a loan spell at Napoli to cover for the absence of Wilfried Bony, who will soon depart for Africa Cup of Nations duty with the Ivory Coast. (Daily Mirror)
Everton manager Roberto Martinez says criticism of the club's approach to players reporting for duty with the Republic of Ireland by Ireland's assistant coach Roy Keane is nonsense. (Guardian)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal claims Ars*nal striker Danny Welbeck would still not get a game at Old Trafford if the England international, 23, had stayed at United. (Daily Express)
Manchester City will look to extend the loan spell of former England midfielder Frank Lampard, 36, beyond the start of January, with Ivory Coast international Yaya Toure set to miss key games due to the Africa Cup of Nations. (Times - subscription required)
Paul Scholes has not lost his touch and training with fellow ex-Manchester United player Phil Neville went well, according to a tweet from Karen Baird,  the chairwoman of Salford City, the club bought by 'the Class of 92'.
American comic book giants DC Comics are suing La Liga side Valencia over the use of their club logo, which the company says depicts a bat just like that sported by superhero batman. (Yahoo Sport)
Swiss third division side Grenchen sacked 11 players after a 10-0 defeat at the hands of the Lucerne youth team. (Guardian)
If sold in today's transfer market, former Manchester United midfielder Roy Keane would be worth £32m, ex-Tottenham playmaker Glenn Hoddle would fetch £37m and former Newcastle striker Alan Shearer would cost £50m. (Daily Mail)
A nine-year-old school boy applied for the manager's job at Bolton Wanderers but was pipped to the post by Neil Lennnon. (Guardian)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas could be heading to the Premier League in January, with Ars*nal and Liverpool interested in signing the 33-year-old Spaniard. (Daily Express)
Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini wants to sign Manchester United striker Robin van Persie, 31, for his new club Inter Milan. (Telegraph)
Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock says midfielder Yannick Bolasie will not be sold in January. Liverpool are reportedly keen to buy the 25-year-old. (Sky Sports)

The Sun back page
Manchester United are preparing to bid for 22-year-old Monaco left-back Layvin Kurzawa in January. (Talksport)
United will be forced to find a new buyer for winger Nani, 28, as loan club Sporting Lisbon are unable to pay his wages. (Independent)
Ars*nal are monitoring Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, 21, but may wait until the summer to make a move as the Italian side want £31m for the Argentine. (Daily Star)
QPR want to sign Chelsea defender Tomas Kalas, 21, on a loan deal in January. The Czech is currently on loan at German side Cologne, but will be recalled as he is not in their first team. (London Evening Standard)
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet wants striker Connor Wickham, 21, to sign a new contract, but 25-year-old Jozy Altidore could be sold to Lille. (the Sun - subscription required)
Ars*nal will bid £8m for Aston Villa defender Ron Vlaar, 29, in January, although Manchester United also want to sign the Netherlands international. (Daily Express)
Swansea City manager Garry Monk has dismissed suggestions Spanish striker Michu, 28, will end a season-long loan spell at Italian side Napoli in January and return to the Welsh club. (Wales Online)
Everton and Leicester City want to sign 29-year-old Galatasaray captain Selcuk Inan. The Turkey international midfielder is also a target for Italian side Inter Milan. (Talksport)
Newcastle boss Alan Pardew says he would like to see West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 25, rejoin the St James' Park side. (Daily Mail)
Eidur Gudjohnsen, the 36-year-old Iceland striker, is "very close" to a return to English football with former club Bolton. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is now the joint favourite with bookmakers - along with Aston Villa's Paul Lambert and QPR's Harry Redknapp - to become the next Premier League boss to be sacked. (Daily Express)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert has defended his decision to send striker Darren Bent, 30, out on loan to Brighton, despite Villa being the Premier League's lowest scorers. (Sky Sports)
Tranmere chairman Mark Palios claims his club have rejected the chance to sign striker Ched Evans. The 25-year-old wants to return to football after serving two and a half years of a five-year prison sentence for raping a 19-year-old woman. (Guardian)

Sergio Aguero has scored 17 goals in 18 appearances for Manchester City so far this season
Manchester United winger Ashley Young, 29, believes his side can still win the Premier League title, despite being 13 points behind leaders Chelsea. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester City's Frank Lampard, 36, says team-mate Sergio Aguero, 26, is "the best striker in world football" - but not as good as Chelsea's Didier Drogba was at his peak. (Manchester Evening News)
Tottenham's players have the potential to win the Premier League in future seasons, says 24-year-old Spurs midfielder Benjamin Stambouli. (London Evening Standard)
West Ham manager Sam Allardyce has warned defender James Tomkins that his play-acting against Everton was unacceptable. (the Times - subscription required)
Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, 23, is desperate to recover his most treasured football mementos, after they were stolen from his home while he played for the Saints against Aston Villa on Monday night. (Southern Daily Echo)
Manchester United defenders Tyler Blackett, 20, and Paddy McNair, 19, can be as good as Manchester City's Vincent Kompany, 28, and Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels, 25, according to Old Trafford legend Paul McGrath. (Daily Star)
Liverpool are prepared to drop goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, 26, after his recent mistakes. (the Sun - subscription required)
Wolves midfielder Bakary Sako, 26, is planning to mark a landmark game by wearing football boots covered in crystals. He posted a picture on Instagram and says:  "I will be playing my 100th game for Wolves this weekend so a special day deserves a special pair of boots."
Everton defender Luke Garbutt, 21, could not hide his excitement at making his Europa League debut after playing the full 90 minutes in his side's 2-0 away win against Wolfsburg. He wrote on Twitter: "Words can't describe the feeling I have now. To get a win and a clean sheet is unbelievable, what a team performance. Buzzing is an understatement."
Injured Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge has praised his team-mates for their 2-2 draw in their Champions League game away at Bulgarian side Ludogorets Razgrad. Sturridge wrote on Twitter:  "Well done boys. Unlucky to concede late on. Keeping my dream alive."
Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock is having to be on his best behaviour because he has to pay his wife Sharon 'a fine' if he gets in trouble with the Football Association. (the Sun - subscription required)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal wants Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne, 23. (Sun - subscription required)

The Times back page
Ars*nal are ready to make an £8m bid in January for Ipswich Town defender Tyrone Mings, 21. (Daily Telegraph)
The Gunners are also planning a £15m bid for Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin in January in an effort to beat Premier League rivals Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United to the 25-year-old. (Daily Express)
Inter Milan are weighing up January moves for Ars*nal's Costa Rican forward Joel Campbell and Tottenham's Argentine midfielder Erik Lamela, both 22. (Talksport)
The agent of Colombian striker Jackson Martinez says the 28-year-old will not be leaving Porto despite interest from Ars*nal, Liverpool and Tottenham. (Daily Star)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew fears Moussa Sissoko could be the next player to be lured away from St James' Park with Ars*nal linked with the 25-year-old French midfielder. (Daily Mail)
Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain are still keen to land Chelsea forward Eden Hazard in January but the Blues are are ready to offer the 23-year-old an improved deal. (Daily Express)
Cruzeiro midfielder Luca Silva, 21, is set to snub Manchester United and Ars*nal to join Real Madrid. (Daily Star)
Leicester City will try to bring in a defender and a striker in the January transfer window, with Toronto FC forward Jermain Defoe, 32, still an option. (Leicester Mercury)
Sergio Aguero, 26, is in the form of his career and would have won the World Cup for Argentina had he avoided injury, according to Manchester City team-mate Pablo Zabaleta, 29. (Daily Telegraph)
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is considering "a number of options" as he seeks a new assistant following Roy Keane's exit. (Birmingham Mail)
Liverpool have sent England striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, to Los Angeles to step up rehabilitation from a thigh injury. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United strikers Wayne Rooney, 29, and Radamel Falcao, 28 have recovered from injury and will be ready for Monday's Premier League trip to Southampton. (Manchester Evening News)
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes thinks Barcelona are a ghost of their former selves because they are "bored". (Independent)
Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross has warned Ars*nal will be walking into a hate-filled bearpit when they meet at the Britannia Stadium this weekend. (Sun - subscription required)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, will submit evidence of the discrimination he has faced to the Football Association as part of their investigation into his "Super Mario" tweet. (Guardian)
Fraser Forster, 26, believes his summer move to Southampton from Celtic has given him the platform to dislodge Manchester City's Joe Hart, 27, as first-choice England goalkeeper. (Times - subscription required)
Wayne Rooney showed off his musical talent by singing at Manchester United's Christmas party on Wednesday. The England captain posted a picture on Instagram,  but the world is still waiting for the Audioboom sound file.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino has shown his players how to do it on the club's YouTube channel  with a brilliant free-kick during training.
Coventry City have been kicked out of the home dressing room at the Ricoh Arena and relocated to the away team changing area by rugby union club and stadium owners Wasps. (Coventry Telegraph)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche believes young English academy players are too soft, saying: "I was speaking to an eight-year-old who did a hamstring. I said: 'I can't believe you know what a hamstring is, son. You go out there and get yourself running.'" (Times - subscription required)
Harry Redknapp has told his QPR players to forget about organising a Christmas party and instead focus on avoiding relegation. (Guardian)

[DC76]

Stoke City defender Ryan Shawcross has warned Ars*nal will be walking into a hate-filled bearpit when they meet at the Britannia Stadium this weekend.

Oh boy, what did the Abominations do to warrant this treatment from Stoke?

[Chelmsford_yid]

Borussia Dortmund are preparing to sell 25-year-old Germany midfielder Marco Reus, with Ars*nal, Manchester United and Liverpool ready to swoop. (Daily Star)
Ars*nal are ready to take on Manchester City and Chelsea in order to sign £40m-rated Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 21. (Express)
Meanwhile, the Gunners' hopes of signing Switzerland international Stephan Lichtsteiner, 30, have taken a hit after Juventus offered the defender a new contract. (Express)
The agent of Inter Milan defender Nemanja Vidic, 33, has described reports that the Serb could rejoin Manchester United as "lies". (Calcio Mercato - in Italian)
Real Madrid are preparing a bid for 19-year-old Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling after his contract talks with the Reds stalled. (Daily Star)
Manchester City have held talks with Estudiantes over a possible £8m deal for Argentine defender Joaquin Correa, 20, amid interest from Chelsea and Paris St-Germain. (Daily Mail)
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says he will not sell New Zealand defender Winston Reid for less than £20m. The 26-year-old, who is out of contract at the end of the season, has been linked with Ars*nal and Liverpool. (Sun - subscription required)
Queens Park Rangers are interested in signing Ireland youth international Ryan Manning, 18, from Galway. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool target Martin Montoya wants to leave Barcelona in January, according to the 23-year-old full-back's agent. (Independent)
Spanish striker Fernando Torres, 30, will be offered for free around Premier League clubs this January as AC Milan seek to cancel his loan move from Chelsea. (Mirror)
Palermo are hoping to thwart Ars*nal and Liverpool's interest in Argentine striker Paulo Dybala by tying the 21-year-old to a new contract. (Mirror)
Newcastle, Everton and Serie A side Napoli are all tracking £5m-rated Legia Warsaw midfielder Ondrej Duda, 20. (Sun - subscription required)
Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling, 20, is "nowhere near any agreement" over a new deal with the club, despite a contract offer worth £70,000-a-week. (Telegraph)
Meanwhile, Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, is willing to play with two broken ribs to face fierce rivals Manchester United on Sunday. (Daily Mirror)
Diego Maradona was caught fast asleep at an event in Venezuela after being introduced by president Nicolas Maduro as a "rebel and revolutionary". (Independent)
Stuttgart Kickers striker Daniel Engelbrecht, 24, scored a late winner in a German league match while wearing a heart defibrillator - his first goal since collapsing on the pitch in July. (Guardian)
Former Tottenham coach Les Ferdinand revealed the club's staff used to tell Belgian midfielder Mousa Dembele, 27, he could follow in Gareth Bale's footsteps and join Real Madrid. (101 Great Goals)
England goalkeeper Joe Hart, 27, and midfielder James Milner, 28, are set to sign new deals at Manchester City. (Manchester Evening News)
City midfielder Samir Nasri, 27, believes the Premier League champions can go on to become one of the best teams in the world. (Telegraph)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche says his nomination for Premier League manager of the month is more "a marker for the team" than a reflection of his own achievements. (Lancashire Evening Telegraph)
Stoke City manager Mark Hughes believes captain Ryan Shawcross, 27, deserves an England recall. (Stoke Sentinel)
Newcastle manager Alan Pardew says midfielder Remy Cabella, 24, is not yet ready for the demands of the Premier League. (Chronicle)
The Football Association says players should regard the national team as a "shop window" to advance careers that have become blocked at club level. (Times - subscription required)
West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Ben Foster, 31, has tweeted  a video of him being introduced to a waxwork model of himself.
Ars*nal forward Joel Campbell, 22, has tweeted  to hail his "unforgettable" goal for Costa Rica against Uruguay at the World Cup after it was nominated for Concacaf Goal of the Year.
One in five children think Jesus Christ is a footballer who plays for Chelsea, according to a survey. (Telegraph)
Fourteen Krasnodar fans who drove the 3,830km to Liverpool to watch Thursday's Europa League match against Everton received an upgrade to the hospitality suite following their 44-hour journey. (Eurosport)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Liverpool are prepared to make a £50m bid in January for Real Madrid's French forward Karim Benzema, 26. (Daily Express)
Manchester United will try to sign Valencia defender Nicolas Otamendi, 26, if they fail to get their top target - Borussia Dortmund centre-half Mats Hummels, 26. (Daily Express)

Daily Mirror back page
Tottenham and Liverpool are both keen to sign Porto's 28-year-old forward Jackson Martinez in the January transfer window. (Metro)
The Reds are also interested in Aston Villa midfielder Fabian Delph and see the 25-year-old as a long-term replacement for Steven Gerrard, 34. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool captain Gerrard wants winger Raheem Sterling, 20, to sign a new contract at Anfield to end rumoured interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. (Sun, subscription required)
Atletico Madrid centre-half Diego Godin, 28, a reported transfer target for Chelsea, dismisses a move to the Premier League and says he wants to stay at the La Liga champions. (Daily Star)
Manchester United are prepared to spend more than £30m on new players in the January transfer window to strengthen their defence and midfield. (Manchester Evening News)
Cardiff City boss Russell Slade is expecting a busy transfer window at the Championship club. "There will be players coming in - and a number going out," says Slade. (Wales Online)
Southampton's Dutch manager Ronald Koeman says his side will not bid for Netherlands and Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder, 30, as they would not be able to afford his wages. (FourFourTwo)
Wolves are set to sign Iceland attacking midfielder Gudmundur Thorarinsson, 22, from Norwegian top-flight side Sarpsborg 08. (Birmingham Mail)
French side Lille want to sign Sunderland striker Jozy Altidore, 25, on a loan deal in January, but the Black Cats are hoping for a permanent move. (Sunderland Echo)
West Ham striker Carlton Cole, 31, wants to stay with the Hammers, despite only starting one Premier League game since August. (London Evening Standard)
West Ham striker Diafra Sakho, 24, wants an improved contract, despite signing a four-year deal when he joined the Hammers in the summer. (Daily Mail)
Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez, who has been linked with a move back to his former club, says he remains committed to current club Napoli, and has turned down two job offers recently. (Talksport)

The Sun back page
Stoke boss Mark Hughes wants striker Peter Crouch to sign a new contract. The 33-year-old's current deal expires at the end of the season. (Daily Mirror)
Three Tottenham fans who ran on to the pitch wearing T-shirts with a sponsor's name on and caused a Europa League game to be suspended for 10 minutes have each been banned from attending football matches until 2018. (Guardian)
Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 30, who is currently on loan at Championship club Brighton, has had £150,000 worth of supercars stolen from his Staffordshire home. The burglars took a Range Rover and an Audi RS6. (Birmingham Mail)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard, 35, says Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers is going to ruin the career of Reds keeper Simon Mignolet, 26. (Sun, subscription required)
Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero is expected to return to action a month ahead of schedule after suffering a knee injury earlier this month. The 26-year-old was expected to be out for two months, but could be back in early January. (Sun, subscription required)
Tottenham midfielder Christian Eriksen, 22, can become as good as Spurs legends Paul Gascoigne and Glenn Hoddle, says defender Jan Vertonghen. (London Evening Standard)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says he remains a close friend of Roy Keane, despite the Irishman leaving his role as assistant manager. (Times, subscription required)
Ars*nal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 26, has criticised his team-mates for conceding "unnecessary goals". (Daily Star)
A 12-year-old leukaemia patient, who lost her hair during treatment, got Manchester United players Wayne Rooney, Robin van Persie and Juan Mata, as well as assistant manager Ryan Giggs, to sign the top of her head. (Daily Mirror)
Celtic striker and former Wolves man Leigh Griffiths has offered to buy a five-year-old boy Christmas gifts after his home was burgled. (Scotsman)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Aston Villa midfeilder Tom Cleverley - on loan from Manchester United - will play a waiting game over his future before he becomes a free agent in the summer.
Chelsea have the right squad to try to win the quadruple, according to Blues midfielder Nemanja Matic. Manager Jose Mourinho previously dismissed his team's odds of wining the quadruple - the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Champions League - a feat no English club has ever achieved. Matic is still 'confident', however, that 'everything is possible'.
Meanwhlie, Arsene Wenger has urged Ars*nal defender Per Mertesacker to rise to the criticism of his aerial abilities, after Martin Skrtel won in the air on Sunday to secure a 2-2 draw for Liverpool.

Besiktas are considering a January loan move for Chelsea's 25-year-old winger Mohamed Salah.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says recent praise from his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson has put him under pressure to deliver reults for the club. Ferguson had said of Van Gaal: "I don't know how he can expect to be getting the best results wih the injuries he's had."

The Indian Super League is now the fourth highest attended football league in the world, after just its first season of operation.
Atletico de Kolkata won the inaugural title after defeating Kerala Blasters, courtesy of a goal from Atletico's Mohammed Rafique. The league final had a famous cricketing flavour, with Atletico co-owned by Sourav Ganguly and the Blasters co-owned by Sachin Tendulkar.

Striker Edinson Cavani, 27, could be on his way to Ars*nal in a £50m move next month, with Paris Saint-Germain coach Laurent Blanc reportedly having run out of patience with him.

French side Nice want to sign midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa from Newcastle, after Hull City cut short a loan deal with the 27-year-old.
Manchester United could face a battle to retain a string of their most highly-rated young players in 2015.

Exiled Manchester City midfielder Scott Sinclair, 25, could be set for a move to Premier League rivals Crystal Palace.
West Brom manager Alan Irvine says the club are braced for bids for 21-year-old star striker Saido Berahino.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard says the Blues will win the title if they are top in January. Chelsea will play West Ham, Southampton and Tottenham over the Chirstmas period, and Hazard said: "If we can stay top until the end of the holidays, then it will all be the better for us."
Also, Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois can become the "best goalkeeper ever in football history", according to former Atletico Madrid team-mate Filipe Luis.
In-form West Ham striker Andy Carroll believes manager Sam Allardyce has the team playing a style of football that could see them defeat Chelsea on Boxing Day, despite West Ham sitting 11 points behind them on the table.

Louis van Gaal has refused to deny Manchester United's interest in Real Madrid star Gareth Bale.
Tottenham midfielder Paulinho is set for a January switch to Inter Milan as Tottenham eye a swoop for West Brom frontman Saido Berahino.
Ars*nal are watching Nantes' France Under-21 midfielder Jordan Veretout.
Striker Jermain Defoe is set on a Premier League return with QPR after his MLS move turns sour.
West Ham chairman David Sullivan insists NO stars will be sold in January.
Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones has told the "indefinitely" dropped Simon Mignolet that he won't give up the No 1 jersey without a fight.
Nemanja Matic says Chelsea could win an unprecedented quadruple this season.
Arsene Wenger admits Ars*nal's defence has no "leadership" - and players don't talk to each other.
West Ham will delay contract talks with boss Sam Allardyce until the end of the season.
Sky Bet Championship side Brighton have asked MK Dons for permission to speak to manager Karl Robinson.

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini wants to sign Croatia and Atletico Madrid striker Mario Mandzukic in a £25m deal. City are currently counting the cost of injuries to Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic.
Petr Cech's agent has confirmed talks have taken place between the out-of-favour Chelsea goalkeeper and European champions Real Madrid.
Meanwhile, Arsene Wenger has called for a leader to step up at Ars*nal to repair the organisational and communication problems that were evident against Liverpool on Sunday. "It's important to have someone organising," he said. "You need someone to take the leadership there."
Also, Liverpool goalkeeper Brad Jones will use his new-found place in the starting line-up to press for a new deal to keep him at Anfield. Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers previously said Jones was in the side for an "indefinite" period.

Recently appointed Rangers stand-in boss Kenny McDowall has admitted his new post is tarnished and that he is anguished about replacing Ally McCoist.
McDowall was McCoist's number two, and the new manager said it was a "sad day" to say farewell to McCoist at Murray Park.
Also, an email has revealed how Ibrox chairman David Somers feared he would be fired from the board if Mike Ashley lost his Rangers power struggle with Dave King. The email reportedly describes how Barnes is uged not to lose a deal to bail out Rangers as Sports Direct chief Ashley fought off a rival £16m funding offer from King in October.

[Chelmsford_yid]

Steven Gerrard, who is set to leave Liverpool at the end of the season, is wanted by LA Galaxy and two other MLS teams. (Daily Mirror)
Gerrard's exact destination has yet to be confirmed, but the 34-year-old midfielder is likely to head to the US. (Liverpool Echo)
The prospect of being a substitute for much of next season has persuaded Gerrard to leave Liverpool at the end of the season and move abroad to a new club. (Daily Express)
The situation over Gerrard's future has become awkward and Liverpool hope that by announcing his departure it will enable the club to focus on the rest of the season without it hanging over them. (Independent)
Manchester United have earmarked Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 21, as their main transfer target after being snubbed by Real Madrid's forward pair Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, and Gareth Bale, 25. (Daily Star)
Liverpool are leading the chase to sign Bayern Munich midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, 23, after making a permanent offer, while their rivals for the Switzerland star's signature, Inter Milan and Juventus, have only offered loan deals. (Metro)
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger admits that he wants Yaya Sanogo, 21, to join a Premier League club on loan, with Aston Villa, Crystal Palace or Sunderland the most likely destination. (Daily Star)
Spanish champions Atletico Madrid claim they have turned down an offer from Manchester City for 19-year-old defender Jose Gimenez. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United are set to make striker Radamel Falcao's loan deal from Monaco permanent within the coming days after becoming satisfied that the 28-year-old Colombia star is "fully up to scratch physically". (Metro)
Didier Drogba is set to hang up his boots at the end of the season as Chelsea close in on the signing of Croatian striker Andrej Kramaric, and the 36-year-old striker will take up a coaching role under Jose Mourinho instead. (Daily Express)
Ryan Bertrand, 25, is ready to sign a permanent deal at Southampton when his season-long loan from Chelsea comes to an end. (Setanta.com)
West Ham striker Andy Carroll, 25, and boss Sam Allardyce are among a group of players and staff at West Ham to have lost £30,000 to fraudsters in a scam. (Daily Mail)
West Brom have tempted former Stoke and Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis back into management with a massive salary and transfer budget. (Sun - subscription required)
A New York City fan posted on Twitter  a 'missing poster' of Frank Lampard after the 36-year-old midfielder extended his loan deal at Manchester City.
Tottenham winger Andros Townsend, 23, paid a tribute on Twitter  to team-mate Harry Kane after his two-goal heroics helped the North London club beat Chelsea 5-3 on Thursday. He wrote: "He's one of our own, he's one of our oooown @hkane28 he's one of our own!! What a win! Great start to 2015!"
It was not just Townsend who was impressed with Kane as the 21-year-old striker was bombarded with marriage proposals following the victory over Chelsea. (Daily Star)

[Chelmsford_yid]

Barcelona playmaker Lionel Messi, 27, is ready to listen to Chelsea or Manchester City if the Premier League clubs offer a staggering £500m package for him to quit the La Liga giants this summer. (Sun - subscription required)
Manchester United are looking at a £35m bid for defender Mats Hummels, 26, as boss Louis van Gaal looks to take advantage of Borussia Dortmund's perilous league position in the German Bundesliga. (Daily Mirror)
However, Van Gaal may have to wait until the summer to sign both Hummels and long-time defensive midfield target Kevin Strootman, 24, from Roma with both players reported to be happy at their current clubs. (London Evening Standard)
Liverpool are considering a move for Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, 22, as boss Brendan Rodgers considers replacements for Simon Mignolet. (Daily Star)
Newcastle are expected to speak to former Lyon coach Remi Garde about becoming the club's new head coach next week. (Daily Telegraph)
Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, 23, has given both Ars*nal and Liverpool a boost in their pursuit of the striker as he reveals he wants to play in Spain or England. (Daily Express)
Manchester City defender Matija Nastasic, 21, is poised to wrap up his move to German side Schalke over the coming days. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, has no interest in joining Olympiakos on loan after the Greek side offered to pay his wages in full until the end of the season. (Daily Star)
Manchester United could delay a decision on a new contract for goalkeeper David De Gea, 24, until the summer with the club facing the distraction of prioritising a decision on 28-year-old striker Radamel Falcao's long-term future at Old Trafford. (Daily Telegraph)
De Gea has been offered a double your money, £140,000-a-week deal to extend his Manchester United contract. (Daily Star)

Mario Balotelli has failed to score in 11 Premier League games this season
Tottenham are struggling to offload midfielder Paulinho, 26, because neither Inter Milan nor Schalke will match the £17m Spurs paid for the Brazilian in 2013. (Daily Express)
But, the club look set to complete a loan deal for Paris St-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabot, 19. (The Times - subscription required)
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert must find around £3m if he is to secure a deal for out-of-favour Manchester City winger Scott Sinclair, 25. (Birmingham Mail)
Celtic are lining up a £1.5m bid for Chesterfield striker Eoin Doyle, 24, who has also interested Rotherham and Sheffield United. (Daily Record)
Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger has told players any of them caught smoking on club duty will be sent to train with the youth team for the rest of the season following goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's misdemeanour in the changing room shower after defeat against Southampton. (The Times - subscription required)
Frank Lampard's agent Steve Kutner says the 36-year-old midfielder will not extend his stay at Manchester City beyond the end of the Premier League season and will join New York City in July. (Talksport)
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, will return to training at the club's Melwood complex on Friday after working for nearly a month in the Unites States on his rehabilitation from a torn thigh muscle. (Liverpool Echo)
New Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew believes managing Newcastle will be "difficult" for his successor at St James' Park because of the club's financial and transfer policies. (Daily Express)
Former Barcelona coach Henk ten Cate says that playmaker Lionel Messi, 27, is still at the Catalan side because of a "deathbed" promise to former coach Tito Vilanova. (Daily Mirror)
Everton boss Roberto Martinez says he will rectify problems that have led to a number of players picking up hamstring injuries with the club already replacing some of its medics. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester City striker Stevan Jovetic, 25, will have to be dropped from the club's Champions League squad of 21 players should City complete the £27m signing of Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, 26. (Manchester Evening News)
Former Portugal star Luis Figo admits it is a tough choice for this year's Ballon d'Or, describing Barcelona's Lionel Messi and Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, both forwards, as the "truffles and caviar" of the football world. (Goal.com)
Manchester City fan and former two-weight world boxing champion Ricky Hatton was among those to wish the club's Spanish playmaker David Silva a happy 29th birthday. "All the best amigo," he signed off on Twitter.
Dennis Wise's son Henry has signed a one-year deal to play for Ars*nal where the 15-year-old midfielder will team up with all three of David Beckham's sons - Brooklyn, Romeo and Cruz - as well as Frank Lampard's nephew. (Daily Mail)
West Ham striker Andy Carroll's career to date has been dogged by injury, but the 26-year-old ended up inadvertently injuring himself again off the pitch - while making lunch. (Metro)

[Chelmsford_yid]

David Moyes has made the in-demand Burnley striker Danny Ings, 22, one of his main targets this summer at Real Sociedad, with the Englishman available on a free transfer and pursued by a number of Premier League clubs. (Independent)
Louis van Gaal will be given the green light for another £150m spending spree at a Manchester United transfer summit. (Daily Mirror)

Friday's Sun back page
Italian giants Juventus and Roma want to rescue 28-year-old striker Radamel Falcao from his Manchester United nightmare. (Daily Star)
Roma would be willing to listen to a "stupid" offer for Manchester United midfield target Kevin Strootman, 24, according to the club's president James Pallotta. (Talksport)
Everton midfielder Kevin Mirallas, 27, has alerted the Premier League and Europe's top clubs by putting contract talks on hold. (Daily Mirror)
Gonzalo Higuain's brother and agent insists he has not spoken to Liverpool and claims the 27-year-old Argentina striker is happy at Napoli. (Daily Mail)
Real Sociedad boss David Moyes has compared Adnan Januzaj to Dutch legend Johan Cruyff, but says he has no plans to sign the 20-year-old Manchester United winger on loan. (ESPN)
Brendan Rodgers has ruled out the possibility of 28-year-old midfielder Lucas Leiva leaving Liverpool during the current transfer window. (Times - subscription required)
Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew has refused to dismiss speculation linking him with moves for Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis, 29, and 28-year-old Liverpool defender Jose Enrique. (Daily Star)
Hull City are not about to make an imminent £4m swoop for Blackburn striker Rudy Gestede, 26; the loan market remains their top priority instead. (Hull Daily Mail)
Aston Villa's pursuit of midfielder Scott Sinclair, 25, has stalled due to Manchester City's £3m asking price. (Birmingham Mail)
Celtic defender Virgil van Dijk, 23, has welcomed reports linking him with a move to Ars*nal this month. (Metro)
Ars*nal striker Alexis Sanchez, 26, has told boss Arsene Wenger to forget about giving him a rest this season. (Daily Star)
Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has said that 32-year-old striker Jermain Defoe will face pressure to hit the ground running after his expected move to Sunderland, but admitted that his goals could tilt the relegation battle. (Times - subscription required)

Friday's Daily Mirror back page
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino insists striker Emmanuel Adebayor, 30, can still carve out a role at White Hart Lane despite his absence in the FA Cup victory over Burnley on Wednesday evening. (London Evening Standard)
Brendan Rodgers has described 25-year-old striker Daniel Sturridge's recovery as "critical" for Liverpool but the manager warned the striker needs time to recapture last season's devastating form following a spate of injuries. (Guardian)
Former Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien, 32, is set to leave AC Milan this summer, and could still prove a useful addition for a Premier League club, according to his agent. (Daily Express)
Caretaker boss John Carver is confident that Newcastle United fans will have a clearer indication of who the club's next head coach will be by the end of the month. (Chronicle)
Gary Rowett insists Birmingham City remain active in the transfer window despite the backdrop of boardroom unrest in Hong Kong. (Birmingham Mail)
Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic posted a picture  of himself, team-mate Ryan Shawcross and their wives at the New York Knicks v Milwaukee Bucks NBA game at London's O2 Arena on Thursday.

Asmir Begovic, Ryan Shawcross and their wives take in the pre-game atmosphere
Former Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina knows how to command a five-man defence. But how about five kids? Well, he's about to find out after tweeting the arrival of his fifth child  on Thursday morning. The Spain international called it "one of the happiest days of my life". Presumably he can point to four others.
Manchester United full-back Luke Shaw tweeted a picture of himself 'enjoying' an ice bath  after training on Thursday, alongside a rallying call of "let's get back on the winning run".
Cristiano Ronaldo's four-year-old son upstaged the Ballon d'Or winner during an interview with the Portuguese Football Federation's television channel  - by gate-crashing the conversation in a Superman costume.

[Chelmsford_yid]

Manchester United are preparing a late bid to sign Villarreal defender Gabriel Paulista, 24, who is already in talks with Ars*nal. (Daily Star)
Chelsea are working on a deal to sign 24-year-old Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Douglas Costa. (Sun - subscription required)

Friday's Daily Telegraph back page
West Brom boss Tony Pulis has confirmed his interest in signing 23-year-old Wigan winger Callum McManaman and Manchester United midfielder Darren Fletcher, 30. (Times - subscription required)
QPR have been offered Corinthians' former AC Milan striker Alexandre Pato, 25. (Daily Mail)
Hull City are tracking Tottenham and England winger Aaron Lennon, 27, who is set to leave White Hart Lane this month. (Hull Daily Mail)
Wolfsburg's former Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 23, a reported target for Ars*nal and Manchester United, is not interested in a move back to the Premier League. (Daily Star)
Manchester United striker Javier Hernandez, 26, looks unlikely to turn his loan deal at Real Madrid into a permanent move and could return to Old Trafford in the summer. (Daily Express)
Ars*nal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny's position has been cast into further doubt after it emerged the club are monitoring Fiorentina goalkeeper Norberto Neto, 25. (Daily Mail)
Roma are trying to persuade Chelsea to accept just £380,000 to take 22-year-old winger Mohamed Salah on loan until the end of next season. (London Evening Standard)
Birmingham City have rejected a third bid from Championship rivals Bournemouth for their 18-year-old winger Demarai Gray. (Birmingham Mail)
Three of Fifa's biggest sponsors - Castrol, Continental and Johnson & Johnson - have revealed they have joined Sony and Emirates in abandoning football's beleaguered world governing body. (Telegraph)

Friday's Daily Mirror back page
Former Manchester United defender Gary Neville will decide in the next 18 months whether he wants to leave his job as a television pundit and go into management. (Guardian)
Former Tottenham boss Tim Sherwood says there is no chance of him becoming the next Newcastle United head coach. (Talksport)
Meanwhile, Dutchman Frank de Boer is open to an approach from Newcastle to become the club's new head coach this summer. (Guardian)
Arsene Wenger has delivered a gloomy prognosis on the fitness of 28-year-old midfielder Abou Diaby, who now appears increasingly likely to have played his last game for Ars*nal. (Telegraph)
Manager Brendan Rodgers admits Liverpool had little chance of winning the Premier League this year - but is convinced they can challenge for the title again next season. (Liverpool Echo)
Former Rangers midfielder Barry Ferguson has urged supporters to put their differences with the club's board aside at Sunday's testimonial for ex-Ibrox player Fernando Ricksen, who has Motor Neurone Disease. (Sky Sports)
Birmingham City's parent company claims even more money may have been "misappropriated" by a former employee than the £2.55m it initially reported to police. (Birmingham Mail)
At 6ft 7ins, Stoke City's Peter Crouch is used to towering above people, but took that to a whole new level when he encountered jockey Nathan Alison during a trip to the races in Dubai. The former England international tweeted:  "Perhaps I shouldn't stand next to jockeys."
Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge is edging closer to making his return after several months out injured, and in an Instagram post  on Thursday he was seen with fellow Reds striker Mario Balotelli. "My man!!! We're gonna be linking up soon!!" the England international wrote.
Kyle Walker reacted to Tottenham team-mate Kyle Naughton's transfer to Swansea on Thursday in a Twitter post.  Walker and Naughton both joined Spurs from Sheffield United in 2009, and Walker said: "Good luck at Swansea @Knaughts88. Gonna be strange not having you around the place!"
QPR midfielder Alejandro Faurlin, who is recovering from a third cruciate ligament injury in as many seasons, gave his Twitter followers an update on his progress  on Thursday. "I'm on the mend once again. It's been really hard four and half months," he wrote.
Hull City winger Ahmed Elmohamady hired a taxi to transport his missing wallet 50 miles from Scarborough to Hull, the Yorkshire Post reports.  The wallet reportedly contained the Egyptian's travel visa, which he urgently needed to board a flight.