Thursday Paper Talk

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The Football Association is expected to make an approach for Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger, 66, with a view to him becoming the new England boss. (Evening Standard)

Former England midfielder Owen Hargreaves says the players would benefit from the management of 38-year-old Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe. (BT Sport)

Ars*nal and Chelsea would be ready to bid for Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata, 23, if he asks to leave the Bernabeu. (Don Balon - in Spanish)

Ars*nal's Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil, 27, is hoping for a move back to Real Madrid. (Bild - in German)

Striker Jesper Karlsson, 18, who plays for Swedish club Falkenberg, says it's "fun" to be linked with a move to Manchester United. (Aftonbladet - in Swedish)

Meanwhile, United have taken 16-year-old Brazilian Matheus Marcosi on trial. The teenager, a defender and midfielder, plays for Desportivo Brasil. (Daily Mail)

Charlton defender Ezri Konsa, 18, is attracting interest from Premier League clubs with the January window three months away. (Daily Mirror)

Former Newcastle and Aston Villa midfielder Charles N'Zogbia, 30, might see his career come to a premature end because of a heart condition. (L'Equipe - in French)

Derby County want to talk to former player Gary Rowett, 42, about taking over as manager having suspended Nigel Pearson. (Sun)

Neil Warnock, Steve Bruce, Harry Redknapp and former Rams boss Steve McClaren are all in the frame for the Championship club's vacancy. (Daily Mirror)

Former manager Louis van Gaal considered introducing virtual reality headsets to Manchester United training. (Daily Mail)

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Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has told head coach Antonio Conte he is prepared to bid more than £60m for Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, 29. (Daily Telegraph)

Real Madrid forwards Cristiano Ronaldo, 31, and Gareth Bale, 27, have agreed new contracts, with Wales international Bale offered a £91m deal as an incentive to reject a move to Manchester United next summer. (Cope, via Daily Express)

Ars*nal and Tottenham both want to sign Real Madrid midfielder Isco, 24, who is out of contract in 2018. (Diario Madridista, via Daily Star)

Gunners defender Per Mertesacker, 32, is wanted by former side Hannover. (Sun)

Interim boss Mike Phelan is set to be handed the Hull City manager's job on a permanent basis. (Sun)

Uruguay forward Luis Suarez, 29, could sign a new contract with Barcelona before Christmas. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Napoli chairman Aurelio Du Laurentiis rejected a £50m offer from Chelsea for defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 25, two days before the summer transfer window closed. (Sky Sports)

Ars*nal defender Shkodran Mustafi, 24, says he is determined not to be weighed down by an "incredible" price tag following his summer move from Valencia for a fee in excess of £35m. (Daily Mirror)

West Ham have an obligation to buy forward Simone Zaza after 10 appearances for the club, according to the 25-year-old's agent and father. (Tutto Juve, via International Business Times)

The Football Association has reminded top agents working in the game of its strict rules on bungs when trying to sign up a player. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United have been "disrespectful" to midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 32, according to Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, 25. (Bild, via ESPN)

West Ham's vice-chairman Karren Brady insists a move to the London Stadium was a crucial part of "rebranding" the club. (Guardian)

Real Madrid forward Alvaro Morata, 23, spoke to several teams before agreeing to rejoin the Spanish side from Juventus this summer. (Cadena Ser, via Metro)

Defender Matteo Darmian will look to force a move away from Manchester United in January if he does not get more game time, the 26-year-old's agent says. (Radio Crc, via Daily Express)

Darmian could be on his way to Juventus, but only if Switzerland international defender Stephan Lichtsteiner, 32, leaves the Italian champions for Inter Milan. (Tuttomercato, via Daily Star)

Liverpool striker Divock Origi, 21, says he has not heard the "rumours" linking him with a move to Juventus. (HLN, via Metro)

Chelsea forward Tammy Abraham, 18, who is currently on loan at Bristol City, says he found out about his England Under-21 call up from watching television. (Evening Standard)

West Ham are set to release a movie called 'Iron Men' to celebrate the club's move from the Boleyn Ground to the London Stadium. (Evening Standard)

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Gareth Bale is about to sign a new contract at Real Madrid to keep him at the Bernabeu until 2022. (Cadena Ser, in Spanish)

Manchester United could look to offload captain Wayne Rooney, 30, in the summer, but may have to pay off the remaining 20 months of his £300,000-a-week contract.(Mirror)

However, former United skipper Bryan Robson believes that United's fans will get behind Rooney and "show him the love and respect he deserves". (Sun)

Former Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta, now the manager of Delhi Dynamos, has said he would love to take United and Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 35, to India. (Indian Express)

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, 28, says that manager Pep Guardiola has told him he would "love" to lead Aguero's national team Argentina. (TyC Sports, in Spanish)

Italy striker Simone Zaza, 25, could be set to exit West Ham just two months after joining from Juventus on loan, as the London club will have to pay £10m for him if he plays a certain number of games.(Mirror)

AC Milan manager Vincenzo Montella has dismissed rumours linking Chelsea and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, with a move to the Serie A club. (Corriere della Sera - in Italian)

Gordon Strachan, 59, may step down from his position as Scotland manager before next month's visit to Wembley. (Mirror)

could make a move for Manchester City's Argentina right-back Pablo Zabaleta, 31. (Calciomercato, in Italian)

Ars*nal and Germany defender Per Mertesacker, 32, has discussed the possibility of rejoining Werder Bremen, according to the German club's captain Clemens Fritz. (Bild via Sky Sports)

Bournemouth could send 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Cook on loan to Leeds United in the New Year - six months after they paid £7m to sign him from the Elland Road club. (Bournemouth Echo)

West Ham's co-chairman David Sullivan has asked fans to give former centre-back James Tomkins, 27, a "great reception" when he returns with Crystal Palace for the first time since his £10m summer transfer. (West Ham United club website)

Goalkeeper Lee Grant, 33, is hopeful of extending his loan spell at Stoke City from Derby County beyond January. (Stoke Sentinel)

Manchester United have made contact with Valencia to sign Spanish 18-year-old Fran Villalba, according to the player's agent. (Sports Witness)

Bristol City and England Under-21s striker Tammy Abraham, 19, will not be able to return to his parent club Chelsea before the end of the season, as there is no release clause in his contract. (Evening Standard)

Schweinsteiger enjoyed a meal in the south Manchester suburb of Hale with wife Ana Ivanovic and Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov. But the exiled Manchester United midfielder returned to his car to find a £60 parking fine. (Manchester Evening News)

British viewers will not be able to watch the first El Clasico of the 2016-17 season as the game is being played at 15:15 GMT on Saturday and due to a British television football embargo it cannot be shown on UK television. (BBC Sportsday)

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry, Ars*nal goalkeeper Petr Cech and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo are among the sports stars who have been entered into the Guinness World Records 2017 book. (Guinness World Records)

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Sam Allardyce could return to manage Sunderland if a Chinese consortium completes a takeover of the club. (Sun)

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, 29, was so keen to play for Pep Guardiola that he called Manchester City during the summer about a transfer. (RAC1, via Daily Mirror)

executive Ivan Gazidis will face intense questioning from shareholders over his £2.65m annual salary at Monday's annual general meeting. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United will not alter their travel plans when they go to London to face Chelsea on Sunday, despite arriving late amid traffic chaos for fixtures at Tottenham and West Ham last season. (Daily Mail)

Billionaire businessman Sir Philip Green - criticised heavily by MPs following the collapse of high-street retailer BHS - has refused to comment on suggestions that he had an undeclared role at Everton. (Sky Sports, via Liverpool Echo)

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz al-Hasawi has made a series of significant financial demands to any potential buyer, including that they pay him an annual salary that could rise above £1m. (Guardian)

But there is no point in Forest manager Philippe Montanier worrying about his future amid the uncertainty, suggests former striker Garry Birtles. (Nottingham Post)

Gianluigi Buffon, 38, told his critics to cancel plans for his career "funeral" after an inspired display against Lyon in the Champions League on Tuesday. (Mediaset Premium, via Daily Mail)

Leicester full-back Danny Simpson, 29, believes the club can win the Champions League this season. (Daily Star)

Simpson says a heated team meeting following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea has refocused the champions. (Daily Express)

Out-of-favour Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho, 26, is getting close to full fitness as he continues to train with the club's under-23 side. (Liverpool Echo)

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, 25, has returned to training after a hamstring injury forced him to miss Monday's draw with Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle United could be considering bring defender Tamas Kadar, 26, back to the club after scouts were spotted watching him play for Lech Poznan on Sunday. (Newcastle Chronicle)

Football gossip column: Allardyce, Bonucci, Buffon, Sakho, Kadar
7 hours ago From the sectionFootball
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For the latest rumours, gossip and debate check out our Sportsday rolling news service every weekday, and for a list of all the completed deals, see our transfers page

Former England boss Sam Allardyce could return to manage Sunderland if a Chinese consortium completes a takeover of the club. (Sun)

Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, 29, was so keen to play for Pep Guardiola that he called Manchester City during the summer about a transfer. (RAC1, via Daily Mirror)

Daily Telegraph
The Daily Telegraph spots an opportunity for an Andy McNab reference as Manchester City fall to Barcelona
Ars*nal chief executive Ivan Gazidis will face intense questioning from shareholders over his £2.65m annual salary at Monday's annual general meeting. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United will not alter their travel plans when they go to London to face Chelsea on Sunday, despite arriving late amid traffic chaos for fixtures at Tottenham and West Ham last season. (Daily Mail)

Billionaire businessman Sir Philip Green - criticised heavily by MPs following the collapse of high-street retailer BHS - has refused to comment on suggestions that he had an undeclared role at Everton. (Sky Sports, via Liverpool Echo)

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz al-Hasawi has made a series of significant financial demands to any potential buyer, including that they pay him an annual salary that could rise above £1m. (Guardian)

But there is no point in Forest manager Philippe Montanier worrying about his future amid the uncertainty, suggests former striker Garry Birtles. (Nottingham Post)

Times
The Times, meanwhile, makes a passing nod to former TV presenter Ted Rogers with its back-page headline
Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 38, told his critics to cancel plans for his career "funeral" after an inspired display against Lyon in the Champions League on Tuesday. (Mediaset Premium, via Daily Mail)

Leicester full-back Danny Simpson, 29, believes the club can win the Champions League this season. (Daily Star)

Simpson says a heated team meeting following Saturday's 3-0 defeat at Chelsea has refocused the champions. (Daily Express)

Out-of-favour Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho, 26, is getting close to full fitness as he continues to train with the club's under-23 side. (Liverpool Echo)

Liverpool midfielder Georginio Wijnaldum, 25, has returned to training after a hamstring injury forced him to miss Monday's draw with Manchester United. (Daily Mirror)

Newcastle United could be considering bring defender Tamas Kadar, 26, back to the club after scouts were spotted watching him play for Lech Poznan on Sunday. (Newcastle Chronicle)

Guardian
The Guardian's sports pull-out focuses on Lionel Messi's brilliance and Nottingham Forest turbulence
England winger Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 23, belongs at Ars*nal despite uncertainty over his future, says Gunners manager Arsene Wenger. (London Evening Standard)

Centre-back Jan Vertonghen, 29, believes Tottenham are proving their mental strength by getting positive results without key players such as striker Harry Kane, 23, and defender Toby Alderweireld, 27. (Independent)

Hull City striker Dieumerci Mbokani, 30, will not play again for a month because of a torn hamstring. (Hull Daily Mail)

West Brom's new owner Guochuan Lai is planning minor changes to the club's board to ensure he has formal representation while he is in his native China. (Birmingham Mail)

criticising Middlesbrough manager Aitor Karanka were published by a national newspaper's website - because it mistakenly thought she was the fiancee of one of the players. (Teesside Gazette)

Watford fans travelling by train to the Premier League match at Swansea this Saturday face a significant headache - because the Welsh city's railway station is closed all weekend for engineering work. (Watford Observer)

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Milan are considering making a bid for Manchester United's 31-year-old captain Wayne Rooney. (Calcio Mercato Web - in Italian)

Wolves would like to speak to former England boss Sam Allardyce about becoming their new manager. (Sun)

France defender Mamadou Sakho, 26, is set to be sold in January after falling out of favour at Liverpool. (L'Equipe - in French)

Barcelona have been linked with Stoke's England international Glen Johnson, 32, as they search for an experienced right-back. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

have held talks with taxi company Uber over a naming rights deal for their new stadium worth £20m a year. (Squawka)

Ars*nal and Everton are tracking Hull's 17-year-old Josh Tymon, and both clubs plan to make a bid for the defender in January. (Mirror)

The Gunners are also interested in signing Middlesbrough's 18-year-old winger Harry Chapman, who is currently on loan at Sheffield United. (Mirror)

Paris St-Germain still want to sign Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann and would be prepared to pay the buyout clause of 100m euros (£89m) in the 25-year-old's new contract. (Fichajes.net - in Spanish)

interested in signing Leeds' 23-year-old left-back Charlie Taylor. (Mirror)

Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger says 20-year-old forward Alex Iwobi is "too nervous" in front of goal. (Guardian)

Spanish club Real Sociedad have given a job to a homeless man who had been sleeping rough outside the stadium. (Marca - in Spanish)

Tottenham's 22-year-old midfielder Eric Dier believes his Spurs and England team-mate Harry Kane, 23, should have made the shortlist for the Ballon d'Or. (Daily Mail)

Ciro Immobile's wife posted a video of the Lazio and Italy striker lost in a world of his own as he plays a game of Fifa. (Fox Sports)

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midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, would consider a loan move in January but only to a leading European club. (Squawka)

Real Madrid are interested in signing Manchester City's former Atletico striker Sergio Aguero, 28. (Mirror)

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho, 53, says he will remain at Old Trafford "for many years" despite their slow start to the season. (Sun)

helsea captain John Terry, 35, will be offered at least £8m a year to play for Guangzhou Evergrande, for whom he is an ambassador, in the Chinese Super League. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are watching 27-year-old Sunderland centre-back Lamine Kone, while Everton could make another attempt to sign the Ivory Coast international. (Mirror)

Midfielder Joey Barton, 34, will only train with Rangers' youth teams after he was told to report back to the club's base after a suspension. (Press Association via ESPN)

Interim England boss Gareth Southgate is watching Middlesbrough midfielder Adam Forshaw, 25, and could call him up for the games against Scotland and Spain. (Telegraph)

Southampton are in takeover talks with a Chinese consortium, which could pay £200m for the Premier League club. (Bloomberg)

Sunderland boss David Moyes still has the backing of the club's owner Ellis Short and chief executive Martin Bain despite failing to win a league game. (Mail)

Roma defender Antonio Rudiger, 23, is not interested in rumours linking him with a move to Chelsea or Manchester United. (Goal)

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi says he is close to sealing the long-awaited sale of the Championship side. (Twitter Moments)

Tim Sherwood is being lined up to be QPR's next boss if Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink fails to get a result against Forest on Saturday. (Sun)

Chelsea striker Bertrand Traore, 21, who is on loan at Ajax, is not in good shape, according to the Dutch side's head coach Peter Bosz. (Voetbal International - in Dutch)

was a mascot for Tuesday's Manchester City v Barcelona game did the 'Ayatollah', a Bluebirds hand gesture, live on TV. (Wales Online)

Two German fifth-tier clubs played a game without the offside rule as an experiment by football magazine 11 Freunde. It ended 1-0. (ESPN)

Orlando Pirates boss Muhsin Ertugral has left the South African club after announcing in a post-match interview on live TV that he would resign following the 6-1 defeat. (Sport24)

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keen to sign Paris St-Germain's 24-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti and the Blues are listening to offers for their Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29. (Daily Mirror)

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, 74, has opened up on his infamous 'hairdryer treatment' and claims he only ever lost his cool with players half a dozen times in 27 years. (Sun)

Everton are considering a January loan move for out-of-favour Manchester United winger Memphis Depay, 22. (Liverpool Echo)

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, 28, has dismissed links with Real Madrid and said he will only ever leave City to move to boyhood club Independiente. (Sun)

Gossip: Verratti, Depay, Fabregas, Aguero, Mourinho, Mkhitaryan, Guardiola, Rooney
7 hours ago From the sectionFootball
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For the latest rumours, gossip and debate, check out our Sportsday rolling news service every weekday, and for a list of all the completed deals, see our transfers page.

Chelsea are keen to sign Paris St-Germain's 24-year-old midfielder Marco Verratti and the Blues are listening to offers for their Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29. (Daily Mirror)

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, 74, has opened up on his infamous 'hairdryer treatment' and claims he only ever lost his cool with players half a dozen times in 27 years. (Sun)

Everton are considering a January loan move for out-of-favour Manchester United winger Memphis Depay, 22. (Liverpool Echo)

Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero, 28, has dismissed links with Real Madrid and said he will only ever leave City to move to boyhood club Independiente. (Sun)

Daily MIrror back page
The Daily Mirror leads on the prospect of Wayne Rooney returning to England's starting line-up against Scotland
Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney, 31, turned down an offer to move to the Chinese Super League last summer, according to the chairman of Beijing Guoan. (Guardian)

Henrikh Mkhitaryan says "nothing will prevent me from achieving my dream" at Manchester United. The 27-year-old midfielder signed for more than £26m in the summer but has been repeatedly left out by manager Jose Mourinho. (Daily Mail)

Mourinho's recent criticism of defenders Chris Smalling and Luke Shaw has been described as "disappointing" by the chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association, Gordon Taylor. (Daily Telegraph)

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris will have to remain within Daniel Levy's tight wage structure if he wants to sign another long-term contract as the Spurs' chairman will not pay his players over £100,000 a week. (Daily Telegraph)

Antonio Conte has drawn up a shortlist of four centre-backs to strengthen Chelsea's squad and perfect his 3-4-3 system in January. He is keen to sign at least one of Juventus defender Leonardo Bonucci, 29, Alessio Romagnoli of AC Milan, 21, Roma's Antonio Rudiger, 23, or Burnley's Michael Keane, 23. (Squawka)

Max Meyer, 21, says Tottenham tried to sign him this summer. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United are not actively chasing former player Paul Scholes to replace new Wigan manager Warren Joyce as the club's under-23 boss but will speak to the 41-year-old if he declares an interest. (Daily Mail)

Tony Pulis has made his business case to West Bromwich Albion owner Guochuan Lai as he plans improvements to the squad in the winter transfer window. (Birmingham Mail)

And the Baggies are considering a loan move for Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho, 26, who has fallen out of favour at Anfield. (Express and Star)

Watford forward Jerome Sinclair, 20, could move to Championship side Brentford on loan after failing to make an impact since a £2m summer move from Liverpool. (Watford Observer)

Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino could be set to sell the Championship club and buy a stake in Serie B club Brescia. (Yorkshire Evening Post)

Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, 25, says he often asks Manchester United's Paul Pogba about the club and would love to link up with his fellow France international at club level one day. (Bleacher Report)

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has no plans to follow Manuel Pellegrini's lead by taking the club's players on a mid-season training camp to Abu Dhabi.(Manchester Evening News)

Barcelona striker Luis Suarez, 29, says negotiations over a deal to extend his contract at the Nou Camp are going well.(NDTV)

Ars*nal defender Laurent Koscielny, 31, says his team-mates think he is "a grandad" because he likes playing Scrabble. (London Evening Standard)

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United have admitted defeat in their pursuit of Lionel Messi, 29, and believe rivals City would be favourites to sign the forward if he was to leave Barcelona. (Sun)

Gareth Southgate, 46, will be confirmed as England's next permanent manager before the end of the month on a four-year contract. (Guardian)

England forward Wayne Rooney, 31, is set to be left out of the Manchester United team to face Ars*nal in the Premier League on Saturday. (Daily Mirror)

United manager Mourinho has targeted £25m Napoli full-back Elseid Hysaj, 22, as he prepares to allow Chris Smalling and Matteo Darmian to leave. (Daily Star)

Mourinho may have to abandon a move for Monaco full-back Fabinho, 23, because of the Ligue 1 side's likely Champions League progress.(Manchester Evening News)

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers says he plans to use the January transfer window for long-term signings - dampening speculation over a potential short-term move for 36-year-old midfielder Steven Gerrard, who is leaving LA Galaxy. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are trying to cut short the loan deal of Simone Zaza, 25, to allow them to bring in a new striker in January.(ESPN)

Manchester United have stepped up their interest in 23-year-old Paris St-Germain defender Serge Aurier. (Info Canal Plus, via Daily Express)

Bertrand Traore, 21, is wanted by French side Lyon. (Foot Mercato, via Daily Star)

Sir Alex Ferguson, who retired as Manchester United manager in 2013, is needed to help get Scottish football out of the doldrums, says former Scotland striker Ally McCoist. (Sky Sports)

Chelsea's out-of-favour defender Branislav Ivanovic, 32, is a potential transfer target for Barcelona. (Mundo Deportivo via Talksport)

West Brom are planning a fresh move in January for 23-year-old Leicester winger Jeffrey Schlupp. (Daily Mirror)

Hull City want a takeover to be completed before the start of the January transfer window. Four parties remain interested in a deal. (Sky Sports)

Bournemouth are watching Portsmouth's 19-year-old striker Conor Chaplin's progress along with a host of Championship clubs. (Sun)

Charlton fans travelled all the way to Belgium to gatecrash owner Roland Duchatelet's 70th birthday meal. (Daily Mirror)

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Gareth Southgate has been offered the England manager's job on a permanent basis, with an announcement set to be made before next week's Football Association board meeting. (Daily Telegraph)

Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger could move for long-term target Julian Draxler after speculation the 23-year-old will leave Wolfsburg in the near future. (Sun)

Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 28, and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 24, are set to sign new contracts. (Daily Telegraph)

Manchester United target Andrea Belotti is set to sign a new contract at Torino that includes an £80m buyout clause. The 22-year-old striker scored 10 goals in the first 11 games this season. (Daily Mirror)

Former England and Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard, 36, will not be joining Melbourne Victory. (Talksport)

Laurent Koscielny, 31, says he will end his career playing for either the Gunners or his former club Lorient. (Sky Sports)

Leicester players are set to get a bonus of about £100,000 each for winning their Champions League group. (Daily Mail)

Former Aston Villa defender Joleon Lescott, 34, is set to have his AEK Athens contract ended - less than three months after signing it. (Daily Record)

Manchester United striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 35, says Benfica defender Victor Lindelof, 22, is good enough to play for the Old Trafford club.(Manchester Evening News)

United boss Jose Mourinho has ruled out a move for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, claiming the 29-year-old should finish his playing career at the Nou Camp. (Daily Mirror)

Tottenham Hotspur will consider abandoning Wembley Stadium should they drop to the Europa League, with players eager to return to White Hart Lane. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea's 20-year-old defender Andreas Christensen, who is on loan at Borussia Monchengladbach, has ruled out returning to Stamford Bridge this season. (Daily Express)

Aston Villa are preparing an offer for Ludogorets' 25-year-old Brazilian winger Jonathan Cafu. (Sportal, via Birmingham Mail)

Sunderland might be struggling near the bottom of the Premier League - but they come out on top of the 'Christmas Jumper Rankings'.(Mirror)

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keen to sign Barcelona forward Neymar in a £180m deal, with the 24-year-old said to be considering his future at the La Liga side. (Daily Record)

United striker Anthony Martial, 20, is being targeted by French champions Paris St-Germain. (Sun)

Liverpool are preparing a January transfer bid for 20-year-old Celtic forward Moussa Dembele, which could be worth up to £20m. (Glasgow Live)

Southampton are resigned to losing defenders Virgil van Dijk, 25, and Jose Fonte, 32, to Liverpool and Manchester United respectively. (Sun)

Chelsea are considering a £24m-bid for 25-year-old Napoli defender Faouzi Ghoulam. (Le Buteur, via Calciomercato)

Napoli will rival Manchester City and Juventus for the signing of Ajax striker Kasper Dolberg, 19. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)

Leicester City are in advanced talks with Genk over a £14m deal for 19-year-old defender Wilfred Ndidi. (Telegraph)


Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo is wanted by Bayer Leverkusen, but the Old Trafford club hope to recoup most of the £16m they paid for the 26-year-old. (Daily Mail)

United defender Daley Blind, 26, fears for his future at the club with manager Jose Mourinho planning a defensive rebuild. (Daily Mirror)

John Mikel Obi's agent says it is "50-50" as to whether the 29-year-old midfielder will leave Chelsea during the January transfer window. (Goal.com)

Valencia are keen to sign Nigeria international Mikel, whose contract runs out next summer. (All Nigeria Soccer, via Daily Star)

Premier League and La Liga clubs have made offers for Sassuolo striker Gregoire Defrel, 25, according to the Italian club's director general. (Radio Goal, via Talksport)

Questions are being asked of Tottenham's transfer policy after the £30m signing of midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 27, and with head of recruitment Paul Mitchell's departure imminent. (Squawka)

Both Inter Milan and Juventus are keen on signing Sissoko. (Daily Mirror)

Short is using New York-based firm Inner Circle Sports to help sell the club. (Sky Sports)

Everton defender and Wales youth international Gethin Jones, 21, is considering an offer to play for Australia. (Liverpool Echo)

On-loan Bournemouth midfielder Jack Wilshere, 24, says he must perform well for the Cherries if he is to earn a new contract at parent club Ars*nal. (Sky Sports)

Former Ars*nal midfielder Abou Diaby, 30, who now plays for Marseille, says he could have been a Ballon d'Or contender if it was not for injuries. (France Football, via Metro)

Barcelona have made contact with Ajax over the signing of 20-year-old centre-back Davinson Sanchez. (Sport, via Calciomercato)

Mason Holgate's performances for Everton this season have convinced manager Ronald Koeman that the 20-year-old is adequate cover for first-choice right-back Seamus Coleman, 28. (Liverpool Echo)

Cheshire-born Ben Woodburn, the 17-year-old who became Liverpool's youngest ever goalscorer on Tuesday, has committed his international future to Wales.(Wales Online)

260-mile midweek round trip? That was no issue for the North Ferriby United fans who made the trip to National League opponents Chester - all two of them. (ESPN)

Former Ars*nal goalkeeper Jens Lehmann says he introduced yoga to the club after going to classes with his wife. (Goal.com)

Sydney goalkeeper Danny Vukovic, 31, stopped his side's FFA Cup final match against Melbourne to rescue an injured seagull. (Washington Post)

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Chelsea are prepared to move for Alexis Sanchez if the 27-year-old striker does not resolve a contract stand-off with the Gunners. The Blues want to pair the Chilean with Diego Costa, 28. (Daily Mirror)

Former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon has played down reports the Spanish club could make a move for Sanchez. (Talksport)




Ars*nal will reluctantly listen to offers for midfielder Mesut Ozil next summer if the 28-year-old does not lower wage demands of £384,000 a week. (Daily Telegraph)

Chelsea will be rivals for Manchester United in their attempt to sign Dutch centre-back Virgil van Dijk, 25, from Southampton. (Times - subscription required)

Chelsea's reported target Marcelo Brozovic has extended his Inter Milan contract until 2021. The 24-year-old midfielder turned down the chance to move to Stamford Bridge during the summer, according to his agent. (Daily Star)

Blues captain John Terry, 36, will be asked by the Football Association to join ex-Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard and former team-mate Frank Lampard in mentoring young players. (The Sun)

Manchester United will consider offers for Marouane Fellaini to leave the club in January but only on a permanent basis. The Old Trafford club are not interested in any loan moves for the 29-year-old midfielder. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea manager Antonio Conte gave Fiorentina star Federico Bernardeschi his Italy debut in March and is preparing a £38m move for the 22-year-old winger. (Calcio Mercato via Daily Star)

Premier League clubs have been put on red alert after Ajax boss Peter Bosz said Riechedly Bazoer is set to leave in January. The 20-year-old midfielder has caught the interest of Ars*nal, Chelsea and Manchester City. (Daily Mirror)

Olivier Giroud will not leave Ars*nal in January despite his lack of game time, the 30-year-old striker's agent insisted. (Foot Mercato - in French)

Chelsea, Manchester City and Ars*nal have all contacted the father of Real Madrid midfielder Isco over a move for the 24-year-old. (Sun - via Diario Gol)

Everton striker Romelu Lukaku, 23, has confirmed another Premier League club came very close to signing him during the summer and has reiterated his desire to challenge for the Premier League title. (Liverpool Echo)

Former Liverpool striker Neil Mellor has urged former captain Gerrard, 36, to take up a role with the club's academy. (Metro)

Both AC Milan and Inter Milan are pursuing a move for Liverpool defender Mamadou Sakho, 26.(Calciomercato)

Manchester United sent scouts to watch Benfica's 23-year-old full-back Nelson Semedo during the Portuguese club's Champions League fixture against Napoli this week. (Talksport - via Diario de Noticias)

Manchester City striker Nolito, 30, says he is content with manager Pep Guardiola's rotation policy.(Manchester Evening News)

Borussia Dortmund striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang promised his grandfather he would play for Real Madrid, according to his mother. Aubameyang, 27, has been linked with a move to the Spanish club and scored against them on Wednesday. (Metro)

Celtic top scorer Moussa Dembele, 20, will not be sold in January, says manager Brendan Rodgers - despite interest from Real Madrid, Liverpool, Manchester United and Manchester City. (Daily Record)

Leicester City's £15m-target Wilfred Ndidi has the ability to replace N'Golo Kante in the Foxes midfield, according to his old Genk manager Alex McLeish. The ex-Birmingham, Aston Villa and Scotland boss signed the 19-year-old midfielder for the Belgian side. (Leicester Mercury)

West Brom centre-back Jonas Olsson, 33, says this could be his last season at the Hawthorns. The Swede has made more than 250 appearances since joining the Baggies in 2008.(Express & Star)

Stoke City could face a battle with German giants Borussia Dortmund over 26-year-old Russia striker Fedor Smolov. (Stoke Sentinel)

More players in the MLS earn more than £100,000 a week than in Italy's Serie A, according to a study. (Guardian)

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Tottenham have made enquiries about signing Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, but they would have to offer at least £35m for the 23-year-old. (Evening Standard)

And Spurs are also interested in signing Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha in January and have made a £25m bid. (Squawka)

Brazil midfielder Oscar, 25, is keen to stay at Chelsea and fight for his place, rather than move to China. (Sky Sports)
Chelsea could replace Oscar with Genoa's 23-year-old Uruguay midfielder Diego Laxalt. (Mirror)

England Under-20 defender Reece Oxford has snubbed interest from Manchester United and Manchester City and will sign a five-year deal with West Ham. The deal will be announced on the player's 18th birthday on Friday. (Sun)

Liverpool owner John W Henry has denied rumours that a Chinese takeover of the club is imminent. (Liverpool Echo)
Swansea boss Bob Bradley wants to sign a defender, a midfielder and a striker in the January transfer window. (Talksport)

Crystal Palace are targeting Santos attacking midfielder Lucas Lima, but are refusing to pay more than £8m for the 26-year-old Brazil international. (Sun)

Chester FC may have conceded the quickest penalty ever, giving away a spot-kick after just six seconds against Witton Albion in the FA Trophy first round. (Chester Chronicle)

Paul Pogba's mum says she does not want either son to lose when Manchester United play Florentin Pogba's Saint-Etienne in the Europa League. (Manchester Evening News)

Club America coach Ricardo La Volpe will not shake hands with Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane before Thursday's Club World Cup semi-final, because he thinks it will bring his team bad luck. (Marca)

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 Mario Balotelli has already held talks with English clubs over a possible return to the Premier League, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

Chelsea fans were given an early Christmas present on Wednesday when Frank Lampard returned to keep an eye on a training session.

Wilfried Zaha could head to Merseyside in January with Liverpool targeting the Crystal Palace winger.

Antonio Valencia has signed a new deal at Manchester United after Jose Mourinho gave him the thumbs up.

West Ham are planning a huge winter clear-out of their squad - with five first-team flops set to be axed.

John Obi Mikel is set to leave Chelsea in January and become the latest star heading to cash-rich China.

Jose Mourinho wants Atletico Madrid striker Antoine Griezmann, Benfica defenders Victor Lindelof and Nelson Semedo and Monaco midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko next year as his Old Trafford revolution gathers pace.

Sevilla have been told they must pay £21million to sign France midfielder Samir Nasri permanently from Manchester City.
 
Liverpool are targeting goalkeeper Joe Hart as a summer transfer from Manchester City.

David Moyes has made peace with Manchester United ahead of his first return to the club since being sacked by them in 2014.
 
Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is ready to battle Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger for West Ham's Dimitri Payet.

Manchester United have told West Ham to forget about signing Marcus Rashford or Anthony Martial.

PSG have entered the race to sign £40million-rated Southampton star Virgil van Dijk, along with four other English clubs.

Birmingham boss Gianfranco Zola has admitted he will consider using his Chelsea connections next month.
 
Manchester United, Ars*nal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City have all reportedly been sent a desperate plea for players from West Ham.

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Ars*nal are lining up Borussia Dortmund winger Marco Reus, 27, to replace Alexis Sanchez if the Chilean leaves the club over his contract dispute. (Daily Mail)

Juventus manager Max Allegri wants to take over at Ars*nal if current boss Arsene Wenger retires in the summer. (The Sun)

Former West Ham, Tottenham, Portsmouth, Southampton and QPR manager Harry Redknapp is interested in taking over at Swansea following the sacking of Bob Bradley. (Talksport)

Harry Redknapp plans to take Chelsea captain John Terry, 36, with him to the Liberty Stadium to help in the club's fight against relegation. (Daily Telegraph)

But Wales manager Chris Coleman is top of Swansea's shortlist for the manager's role. (Guardian)

Manchester United will not allow forward Anthony Martial, 21, to leave on loan in January despite the Frenchman's agent saying a move to Sevilla is being explored. (Daily Telegraph)

Chelsea have had a £21m offer for Atlanta midfielder Franck Kessie, 20, rejected with the Ivory Coast international valued at £34m by his club. (Guardian)

Roma will reject a planned £38m bid from Chelsea for midfielder Radja Nainggolan, 28, meaning the Blues will turn their attention to Bayern Munich's Arturo Vidal, 29. (Daily Star)

Manchester City are set to rival Barcelona for the signing of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl, 21, in the summer. (The Sun)

Both Manchester City and Chelsea are interested in Sevilla's former Stoke and Blackburn midfielder Steven N'Zonzi, 28. (AS - In Spanish) 

Liverpool are monitoring the availability of Ars*nal midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 23, ahead of a potential bid in January. (Guardian)

Valencia have bid for Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo, 26. (Calciomercato.com)

Liverpool, Roma and AC Milan are interested in Paris St-Germain forward Jese Rodriguez, 23. (La Provincia - In Spanish)

Ars*nal have received five enquires about a loan move for their full-back Carl Jenkinson. The Gunners will allow the 24-year-old leave in January to get regular first team football. (Daily Mirror)

Juventus are willing to loan former Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra, 35, to West Ham in January and could recall striker Simone Zaza, 25, from his loan spell at the Hammers. (The Sun) 

Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, 22, could be out for three months with a knee injury sustained against Manchester United on 26 December. (Guardian)

Swansea want to re-sign Queen's Park Rangers centre-back Steven Caulker who impressed in a loan spell at the Liberty Stadium in 2011-12. (ESPN)

Middlesbrough are lining up a January move for Aston Villa's 28-year-old striker Rudy Gestede. (Daily Mirror)

Athletic Bilbao manager Ernesto Valverde is one of the leading candidates to replace Barcelona manager Luis Enrique. Enrique's current contract expires in June 2017 and the Spaniard will not decide on his future until the end of the season. (Marca) 

Manchester United midfielder Ander Herrera has revealed he is the subject of dressing room jokes at Old Trafford because he wears the same shin pads as when he was eight or nine years old due to superstition. (Manutd.com)

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Ars*nal players fear forward Alexis Sanchez, 28, is ready to quit the club after his public meltdown at Bournemouth. (Daily Mail)

The Gunners are considering a £20m bid for Porto full-back Ricardo Pereira, 23, who is on loan at Ligue 1 club Nice. (Daily Star)

Sunderland striker Jermain Defoe, 34, would "probably rather be back in London", says his former team-mate Jermaine Jenas after a £6m bid from West Ham is turned down. (BBC Radio 5 live In Short)

West Ham are willing to bid up to £15m for Defoe but Sunderland will continue to reject any offers. (Sunderland Echo)

Chelsea are considering a bid for Monaco's defensive midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, 20, but are reluctant to pay the French club's £30m asking price. (Daily Mail) 

Former Ars*nal and Chelsea midfielder Lassana Diarra, 31, might be a used as a bargaining chip for Marseille to acquire West Ham's French midfielder Dimitri Payet.(L'Equipe in French)

Leicester City striker Leonardo Ulloa will not be allowed to leave the club in January. West Brom and Hull are keen on the 30-year-old. (The Sun)

Former AC Milan, Real Madrid and England manager Fabio Capello says Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola will probably return to Barcelona as club president. (Marca)

Real Madrid midfielder James Rodriguez, 25, has put an end to speculation of a January transfer by insisting he is staying at the Spanish club. The Colombian has been linked with Manchester United, Chelsea and Tottenham. (Daily Express)

Manchester United winger Memphis Depay will only be allowed to join Everton this month on a permanent deal. (The Sun)

Stoke are ready to offer 35-year-old striker Peter Crouch a new contract. (Daily Telegraph)

Southampton are looking to bid £17m for 25-year-old Napoli frontman Manolo Gabbiadini.(Daily Mirror)

Juventus striker Simone Zaza, 25, never wanted to join West Ham on loan, says his agent. (Daily Star)

Chelsea are prepared to let Ruben Loftus‑Cheek, 20, leave on loan this month and Brighton have emerged as a contender for the midfielder. (London Evening Standard)

Brentford have rejected a £10m offer from West Ham for 24-year-old striker Scott Hogan. (Daily Mirror)

And Celtic will turn down any bid for striker Moussa Dembele, 20, from the Hammers. (Daily Mail) 

Aston Villa have offered a trial to Luxembourg international Enes Mahmutovic, 19, according to the player's club Fola Esch. (Birmingham Mail)

Hearts striker Juanma Delgado, 27, is due in Japan for a medical this weekend ahead of a proposed transfer to V-Varen Nagasaki. (Edinburgh Evening News)

Sevilla are close to completing the signing of current Inter Milan and former Manchester City forward Stevan Jovetic, 27. (As.com in Spanish)