Thursday Paper Talk

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Roma's former England defender Ashley Cole, 33, has dismissed reports linking him with a return to the Premier League with Crystal Palace. (Daily Express)
But Palace manager Neil Warnock has confirmed his interest in signing Cole. (Daily Star)
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is trying to sign Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder, 30. (Daily Mirror)
Queens Park Rangers midfielder Adel Taarabt, 25, has attracted interest from Italian club Atalanta. (Talksport)
Midfielder Eden Hazard, 23, is close to finalising his new £200,000-a-week Chelsea deal, which would make him the club's highest-paid player. (Daily Telegraph)

Former Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane blamed midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25, for stories alleging he had a bust-up with Villa's players. (The Sun - subscription required)
Defender Joel Ward, 25, has verbally agreed a new deal with Crystal Palace. (Daily Express)
Manchester United winger Angel Di Maria, 26, has been voted Argentina's foreign-based player of the year by the country's sports journalists. (Daily Mail)
Manager Jose Mourinho has no plans to bolster his Chelsea squad during the forthcoming transfer window. (Daily Mail)
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet has warned of "panic and heart attacks" at the club unless owner Ellis Short buys him some "quality players" in January. (Daily Mirror)
Former Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas says "promises were not kept" during his time at White Hart Lane, resulting in the club signing players who "did not fit the profile" he wanted. (London's Evening Standard)
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini says striker Sergio Aguero, 26, is winning his battle to be fit for the club's Premier League match against Chelsea next month. (Manchester Evening News)
"It was an honour to have played with you @ThierryHenry," tweeted  former Ars*nal team-mate Robin van Persie following the Frenchman's retirement. "Thanks for all you have given to football. What you have achieved will live on for many years. A true football man, a Legend!"
More Liverpool fans voted for ex-Manchester United right-back Gary Neville than former Reds defender Jamie Carragher in a poll to discover their favourite pundit. (Metro)

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No Newspapers on Xmas day!

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Chelsea are poised to beat Leicester to the £7m signing of Croat striker Andrej Kramaric, 23, from HNK Rijeka, and will loan him straight to Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem. (Daily Telegraph)
Manager Alan Pardew wants three new players to join him at Crystal Palace - Swansea forward Bafetimbi Gomis, 29, Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 30, and Lille left-back Pape Souare, 24, are all targets. (Daily Star)
Tony Pulis will make Stoke City striker Peter Crouch, 33, his first signing as West Brom manager. (Daily Mirror)

Wilfried Bony has scored eight goals in 16 Premier League starts for Swansea City this season
Wales forward Gareth Bale, 25, has disappointed potential suitors Manchester United by expressing his desire to stay with Real Madrid. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal also wants to sign Everton right-back Seamus Coleman, 26, in a deal that could be worth £20m. (Guardian)
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins says the club have not received any bids for Wilfried Bony, with the 26-year-old understood to be a target for Manchester City and Chelsea. (Daily Star)
However, Manchester City have started negotiations over a £25m move for the Ivory Coast striker. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal have had their opening bid for 16-year-old Polish midfielder Krystian Bielik rejected by Legia Warsaw. (Metro)
Liverpool and Tottenham target Saido Berahino could be available for £14m - despite West Brom claiming the 21-year-old striker would not be allowed to leave for £23m. (Talksport)
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger wants to loan out striker Yaya Sanogo, 21, to another Premier League club to help him graduate to the first team, with Aston Villa leading the chase. (Daily Mirror)
Derby manager, and former England boss, Steve McClaren has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Crystal Palace-bound Alan Pardew at Newcastle United. (Independent)
St Etienne manager Christophe Galtier will not be replacing Pardew at Newcastle according to the French club's co-president Bernard Caiazzo. (Daily Mirror)
Germany forward Lukas Podolski, 29, stormed out of Ars*nal's training ground on Wednesday after becoming increasingly frustrated with life at the Emirates. (Daily Mirror)
Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino is running out of patience with Neil Redfearn and could soon be looking for his fifth manager in seven months. (Telegraph)
New West Brom manager Tony Pulis will have up to £15m to spend in the January transfer window. (Independent)
Pulis consulted England boss Roy Hodgson - a former manager at The Hawthorns - for a detailed report after agreeing his deal with the Premier League strugglers. (Telegraph)
England striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, will fly back from Los Angeles to resume training with Liverpool in a matter of days. (Sun - subscription required)
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand revealed on Twitter  how he would be seeing in 2015 with striker Bobby Zamora, his team-mate at Loftus Road.
On a similar theme, Manchester United goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard tweeted: "Gonna spend New Year's Eve in a hotel with @waynerooney and the lads. Happy days."
Fernando Torres endured a nightmare first training session on his return to Atletico Madrid. The 30-year-old former Liverpool and Chelsea striker was filmed missing an open goal several times and getting his feet tangled in training ground equipment. (Metro)

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Chelsea are prepared to pay a £200m contract-release clause to sign Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, 27. (Daily Star)

The back page of Thursday's Daily Star
Liverpool want to buy Manchester City and England midfielder James Milner. The 29-year-old's contract expires at the end of the season. (Times, subscription required)
Manchester United have made an offer for German central defender Mats Hummels, but Borussia Dortmund say the 26-year-old is not for sale. (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, United will accelerate contract talks with goalkeeper David De Gea, 24, after agreeing an 18-month deal with World Cup winner Victor Valdes. (Daily Mail).
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, could leave the club at the end of the season and has been linked with a move across London to Ars*nal. (Telegraph)
England winger Andros Townsend, 23, insists his long-term future is at Tottenham despite being consistently linked with a move away from White Hart Lane. (London Evening Standard)
Ars*nal have had a £5m bid for Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Marcelo Brozovic rejected. Everton, Liverpool, Tottenham, AC Milan and Valencia also want to sign the 22-year-old. (Daily Star)
Liverpool and England striker Rickie Lambert, 32, has emerged as an early transfer target for new Crystal Palace manager, Alan Pardew. (Guardian)
Aston Villa have opened talks with Manchester City about signing winger Scott Sinclair, 25. (Sky Sports)
Greek side Olympiakos have made an attempt to sign Liverpool's Italy striker Mario Balotelli, 24, on loan until the end of the season. (Daily Express)
Liverpool midfielder Suso, 21, is set to join AC Milan on a four-year deal, with the move likely to go through either in January or the summer. (Talksport)
Tottenham are ready to offer Emmanuel Adebayor, 30, to MLS clubs so they can refresh their strikeforce. (Times, subscription required)

Martin Odegaard watched Real Madrid's Copa del Rey game against Atletico Madrid on Wednesday
Manchester United look set to miss out on highly-rated Norwegian midfielder Martin Odegaard, 16, who may move to Real Madrid. (Manchester Evening News)
Ipswich are set to sign Republic of Ireland striker Noel Hunt on Thursday on a free transfer. The 32-year-old, who was released by Leeds on Wednesday, had a loan spell at Portman Road earlier in the season. (East Anglian Daily Times)
Ars*nal are set to make a £4m move for 17-year-old midfielder Krystian Bielik, after a £2.4m bid was rejected by his Polish club Legia Warsaw earlier this week. (Sun, subscription required)
Sunderland are one of a number of clubs looking at Celtic's £8m-rated centre-back Virgil van Dijk, 23. (Newcastle Evening Chronicle)
Remi Garde, 48, is keen to join Newcastle United as the club's new head coach - and is hoping to speak to managing director Lee Charnley this week to confirm his interest in the position. (The Northern Echo)
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe, whose side are top of the Championship, has no interest in succeeding Alan Pardew as manager of Newcastle United. (Talksport)
Ajax boss Frank De Boer is Newcastle's top target to replace Pardew, but the Dutchman will not take over at St James' Park until the summer. (Daily Mirror)

The back page of Thursday's The Times
Pardew may have left his job because he was told by the club's owner Mike Ashley that he is going to sell them. (Telegraph)
Liverpool's Steven Gerrard, 34, reckons fellow midfielder Jordan Henderson, 24, is the perfect choice to become the club's next captain. (Sun, subscription required)
The Premier League will start a week earlier next season to ensure fewer matches are played over the Christmas and New Year periods. (Daily Star)
Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al-Hasawi has asked the side's players if they still want manager Stuart Pearce at the club after a run of only two wins in 19 games. (Daily Mail)
Former Everton winger Pat Nevin fears his old club will be in a relegation battle at the end of the season. (Liverpool Echo)
Burnley defender Kevin Long suffered a terrible knee injury against Newcastle, which has needed surgery. "Operation went well. Morphine is awesome," tweeted  the 24-year-old, who will be out for the season.

Burnley's Kevin Long will not play again this season
Explaining his loan move from West Ham to QPR, striker Mauro Zarate tweeted  "I am very happy, it's an assignment for six months, but it's something I needed, and I want to play."
Liverpool defender Jose Enrique posts pictures on social media  of him and his team-mates at a birthday party for Martin Skrtel, who turned 30 on 15 December.
And with Celebrity Big Brother returning to our screens on Wednesday, here is what Hull midfielder David Meyler tweeted  on the subject: "There's more of a chance of me signing for Real Madrid than watching Celebrity Big Brother!"
Chelsea missed the chance to sign Eden Hazard for £100,000 when he was 16. The Belgium attacking midfielder, now 24, eventually joined the Blues for £32m in 2012. (Metro)
Brazil defender Dante is still the butt of jokes from his Bayern Munich team-mates over his country's 7-1 World Cup semi-final defeat by Germany last summer. (Daily Mirror)

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QPR striker Charlie Austin is refusing to decide on a new £60,000-a-week contract until the summer.
Lazio want to sign Ravel Morrison on a pre-contract for the summer.
Swansea face a battle to hold on to striker Bafetimbi Gomis after Borussia Dortmund and Schalke stepped into the race to sign the France international.
Tottenham are keen to sign West Ham defender Winston Reid – but will not bid for him in this transfer window.
Liverpool are showing an interest in Club Brugge goalkeeper Mathew Ryan.
Palermo striker Paulo Dybala has attracted the interest of Manchester United.
Celtic are likely to have to pay £250,000 if they want to land Gary Mackay-Steven this month.
Hull have enquired about Blackburn Rovers striker Rudy Gestede as manager Steve Bruce looks to bolster his front line.
Blackpool are in talks to sign Chelsea's Islam Feruz after his proposed deal at Cardiff City fell through.
Leeds are looking at a loan deal for Catania's Albanian striker Edgar Cani.
Ars*nal have agreed a fee with Legia Warsaw for Krystian Bielik, the midfielder must now choose between them and Hamburg.
Hatem Ben Arfa will have to wait until next season before making his Nice debut, after already playing for Newcastle and Hull this campaign.

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho will have a clear-out this month, with Andre Schurrle and Mohamed Salah set to leave Stamford Bridge.
Ars*nal are ready to begin talks with Borussia Dortmund over a £63m deal to sign Ilkay Gundogan and Mats Hummels.

Manuel Pellegrini has opened the door to a bank-busting £480million move for Barcelona's Lionel Messi.
Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj is being targeted by Paris Saint-Germain, Porto and Juventus.
Liverpool are considering a move for Club Brugge's Australia international goalkeeper Mat Ryan.

Swansea will look to spend around £5million of the £25million they received from Manchester City for Wilfried Bony by making a bid for Stuttgart midfielder Alexandru Maxim.
Tottenham join rivals Ars*nal in the chase for West Ham's 26-year-old defender Winston Reid.

Tottenham will attempt to beat north London rivals Ars*nal to the signature of West Ham defender Winston Reid.
West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison will sign a pre-contract with Lazio this week.
Arsene Wenger is keen to bring Borussia Dortmund’s £16m-rated midfielder Ilkay Gundogan to Ars*nal, as well as Sevilla’s Grzegorz Krychowiak.
Manchester United target Mats Hummels claims he cannot give current club Borussia Dortmund any guarantees over his future.
Jermain Defoe went house-hunting in the north-east on Wednesday, as his £14million move to Sunderland from MLS side Toronto edged closer.
Liverpool have identified Australia goalkeeper Mathew Ryan, currently at Belgian side Bruges, as a possible rival for Simon Mignolet.
Italians Sampdoria have been told to come back with a bigger offer to sign Everton striker Samuel Eto'o.
Swansea have opened talks with Tottenham over the signing of full-back Kyle Naughton.

Wayne Hennessey will snub a January move to remain as Crystal Palace’s back-up goalkeeper.

Ars*nal's Mikel Arteta looks set to remain on the long-term injury list as he continues to battle calf and ankle problems.
Palermo say they have rejected interest from Manchester United in Argentine striker Paulo Dybala, whom they value at more than £30m.

West Ham are keen to reward goalkeeper Adrian for his fine recent form and to fend off growing interest from leading European clubs.
More than half of young British footballers who fail to make it as professionals suffer clinical levels of psychological stress, according to a new study.

Celtic can land Dundee United winger Gary Mackay-Steven for a cut-price £250,000.
Kyle McAusland is set to join Dunfermline until the end of the season after agreeing a deal to end his time at Rangers early.
Livingston player-boss Mark Burchill is weighing up a move for ex-Hamilton striker Jason Scotland and freed Inverness forward Ibra Sekajja.
Kilmarnock will have to fight off interest from clubs in the USA if they are to land Hearts midfielder Scott Robinson.
Ross County have failed in a bid for ex-Motherwell striker Chris Porter.

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Ars*nal are close to agreeing a deal with Villareal for central defender Gabriel Paulista, who has a £15m release clause.
Crystal Palace have been told to pay £5m for Rudy Gestede to have any chance of signing the Blackburn striker in the January transfer window.
Swansea have opened talks with Blackburn over striker Jordan Rhodes, who is rated at £11m.
Reading are now leading the chase for Chelsea midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah after his move to French club Bordeaux fell through.
Manchester United have not had a single enquiry about Brazilian midfielder Anderson.

Chelsea are in talks with Fiorentina in an attempt to sign winger Juan Cuadrado, who is valued at £26m.
Ars*nal in a rush to get the Gabriel Paulista £10m deal done to beat new work-permit regulations.

Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Norwegian wonderkid Martin Odegaard.
Harry Redknapp is lining up a shock move for Southampton bad-boy Dani Osvaldo to try to fire QPR to safety.
Blackburn have told Crystal Palace they will not sell striker Rudy Gestede for less than £5million.
Swansea have targeted Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, with Crystal Palace closing in on £9million-rated Bafetimbi Gomis.
Chelsea have stepped up their interest in Fiorentina winger Juan Cuadrado - but will have to stump up £26million.
Newcastle will rival Ars*nal in the race for Ipswich defender Tyrone Mings.
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger is confident of signing Gabriel Paulista despite potential work permit issue.
Valencia have joined Liverpool in the chase for Manchester City midfielder James Milner.

Steve McClaren is Newcastle's new top target for the manager's job, with the Remi Garde move now off.
Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson and Chelsea striker Diego Costa had to be separated in the tunnel at Anfield after Tuesday's Capital One Cup tie.
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger is confident he can secure Villarreal centre-half Gabriel Paulista for £6million.
Swansea are set to land Tottenham pair Kyle Naughton and Tom Carroll for £10million in a double swoop.

Chelsea are planning a £40m raid for Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and may offer Ramires and andre Schurrle in part exchange.
Chelsea's Andre Schurrle is set for a return to Germany with Wolfsburg.

John Carver is not up to the Newcastle job, according to the club's former striker Mick Quinn.
Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini is willing to offer James Milner £200,000-a-week to lure the midfielder from Manchester City.

Chelsea hope to sign Fiorentina midfielder Juan Cuadrado for £27m.
The Blues will sell Mohamed Salah or Andre Schurrle to offset the arrival of Juan Cuadrado.

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Real Madrid plan to make a move for Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, 24, when his contract expires in 18 months and get him on a free transfer. (Daily Telegraph)
Swansea City are considering trying to sign Blackburn striker Rudy Gestede, 26, but so far no club has matched the Championship side's £6m valutation. (Daily Mail) 
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is considering summer deals for Hannover midfield pair Lars Stindl, 26, and Leonardo Bittencourt, 21. (Daily Star)
The Reds are preparing a £29m bid to beat Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid and Juventus to 17-year-old midfielder Ruben Neves, known as the 'new Sergio Busquets' at Porto. (Daily Express)
West Ham have put in an £8 million bid for Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis. (Sun - subscription required)

Gomis has scored four goals in 24 appearances for Swansea this season
The Hammers are set to confirm a pre-contract deal with Hamilton defender Stephen Hendrie, 20, after the clubs agree on a £1m compensation package. (Daily Mail)
Porto striker Jackson Martinez, 28, has overlooked a move to Tottenham, Liverpool and Everton for the opportunity to play in Serie A, according to his agent. (Daily Express)
Manchester United midfielder Nick Powell, 20, could be handed a chance to revive his career by Hull's Steve Bruce. (Daily Mirror)
Gareth Bale has suggested he will turn down any approach from Manchester United in the summer because he is "having a good time at Real Madrid". (Daily Express)
Newcastle caretaker boss John Carver has taken umbrage at claims the North East side's season is a write-off following his appointment. (Daily Mirror)
Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox is adamant that the club will not succumb to pressure from fans to sack manager Paul Lambert. (Daily Mail)
Referees must help Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 26, cut out his alleged stamping on opponents or someone will get seriously hurt, says former official Mark Halsey. (Sun - subscription required)
Real Madrid forward James Rodriguez posted a picture on his Instagram  account of a picture of himself and former Colombia captain Carlos Valderrama with the message "Visit from the Great 10. My idol, my admiration".
Tottenham's players have been celebrating reaching the Capital One Cup final. Eric Dier  ‏tweeted "We're off to Wembley!" and fellow defender Ben Davies  posted "WEMBLEYYYYYYY Come On You Spurs!" while Christian Eriksen  simply went with "Yesssss".
Atletico Madrid midfielder Arda Turan hurled his boot at a linesman during Wednesday's game with Barcelona... but he only got given a yellow card. (Daily Mail)

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Gareth Bale, 25, is prepared to reject all offers of a return to the Premier League and stay at Real Madrid. (Daily Mail)

Thursday's Sun backpage
Liverpool and Manchester United are among seven sides keen on signing Barcelona's Brazil international Dani Alves, 31, in the summer. (Daily Mirror)
Kevin De Bruyne, 23, will resist the lure of 'top clubs' and stay at Wolfsburg after enduring a disappointing time at Chelsea, according to team-mate Marcel Schafer. (London Evening Standard)
Schalke's Greece international defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos, 23, currently on loan at Bayer Leverkusen until the end of the season, is keen to move to a new league, offering encouragement to Liverpool, who have watched him for the last two years. (Metro)
Alex Song faces an uncertain future after it emerged that West Ham have huge reservations over a permanent deal to sign the 27-year-old on-loan midfielder from Barcelona. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal and Liverpool are interested in Luiz Adriano. The 27-year-old Brazil international has revealed he is unlikely to remain in the Ukraine when his contract with Shakhtar Donetsk ends in December. (Talksport)

Thursady's Daily Mirror backpage
Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon, 27, says there have been no talks about turning his loan move at Everton into a permanent one, but believes the switch from Spurs has been a "fresh start". (Liverpool Echo)
Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam, 29, insists he would be happy to sign a contract for at least one more season. (Stoke Sentinel)
Southampton are lining up a cut-price summer move for Braga's Eder, the 27-year-old Portugal international striker who is out of contract in June next year and looks unlikely to pen a new deal. (Talksport)
Swansea are planning to sort out a new contract for Neil Taylor, 26, to end any fresh talk of the left-back leaving the Liberty. (South Wales Evening Post)
Crystal Palace's Ghana international striker Kwesi Appiah, 24, is believed to be on Reading's radar over a potential loan move. (Croydon Advertiser)
Manchester City have strongly denied reports they have opened talks with Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti to replace Manuel Pellegrini. (Daily Star)
Chelsea skipper John Terry has revealed how just one phone call from Jose Mourinho in the summer of 2013 helped save his career. (The Sun - subscription required)
Chelsea's £26.1m January signing Juan Cuadrado, who has played just 175 minutes so far, is confident he will be a success at Stamford Bridge - and has praised manager Jose Mourinho for his paternal management style. (London Evening Standard)
Former Liverpool and Chelsea boss Rafael Benitez, linked with a return to the Premier League, has refused to discuss his plans beyond the end of this season, when his two-year deal with Napoli expires. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal's Mesut Ozil believes he can win the Ballon d'Or in the next few years and says criticism from pundits only motivates him more. (Sky Sports)
Goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, 24, must leave Ars*nal in order to save his career, according to former Liverpool number one Jerzy Dudek. (Daily Star)
Liverpool's Champions League winner Harry Kewell will return to Anfield on Sunday for a charity match with Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher as team captains. The game with feature current Liverpool players not on international duty, academy players and top names from across Europe. (Liverpool Echo)
Aston Villa currently have the worst injury problems in the Premier League, with nine players on the treatment table. (Birmingham Mail)
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard tweets  a letter received from a young fan and writes: "Thanks for the note Joel! Hope to see you suit up for the blues 1 day!"
Newcastle's Jonas Gutierrez, who has fought off cancer this season, tweets:  "A club is not about a owner, a manager or a player, is about the fans and I am proud about the fans of Newcastle, thanks for the support and love, that is the most important."
Blackburn's Republic of Ireland international Shane Duffy responds  to Cardiff's Matty Kennedy's "good win for Scotland" with: "Worst 90 mins I've ever watched."
QPR striker Charlie Austin with his daily cryptic tweet,  which presumably is another film he is watching: "The imitation game."
Leicester's Jeffrey Schlupp favours:  "House of cards."
Mozambique side Ferroviario Maputo demonstrated the perils of celebrating for too long - after their opponents scored a last minute equaliser from the kick-off while the goalkeeper was out of position. (Metro)

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Tottenham are willing to pay some of Emmanuel Adebayor's wages as part of a loan move to ensure the 31-year-old striker is not at White Hart Lane next season. (Daily Mail)
PSV Eindhoven's Memphis Depay, 21, was watched by Louis van Gaal during his appearance for the Netherlands against Spain on Tuesday night, leading to speculation that Manchester United could make a summer bid for the winger. (Manchester Evening News)
Manchester United's Argentina forward Angel Di Maria, 27, is poised to ignore interest from Paris St-Germain to try to prove himself at the Old Trafford club. (Sun - subscription required)
Ars*nal could be in the market for Valencia's Jose Luis Gaya after the 19-year-old defender rejected a new contract with the Spanish club. (Metro)
Former England managers Glenn Hoddle, Kevin Keegan, Sven-Goran Eriksson, Graham Taylor and Steve McClaren have signed a letter to the Football Association chairman Greg Dyke backing his plans for reform in English football. (Daily Telegraph)

The Daily Mirror back page leads on Raheem Sterling saying that Ars*nal could have signed him in 2014
Sam Allardyce is in the frame to be the permanent successor to boss Harry Redknapp at QPR if the former does not get a new contract at West Ham, once the season ends. (Daily Mirror)
Raheem Sterling, 20, may have risked a clash with Liverpool manager Brendan Rogers following an interview with the BBC that was not sanctioned by the Anfield club . (Daily Express)
Former Newcastle United star Chris Waddle fears that his old club's derby clashes with local rivals Sunderland no longer mean as much as they used to. (Daily Star)
Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, 26, has defended Barcelona's Lionel Messi, 27, for missing Argentina's recent friendlies in the US as an injury precaution. (Marca - in English)
Former Ars*nal and England midfielder Paul Merson has told Andros Townsend to "win some medals" following the Spurs winger's riposte at him on social media in the aftermath of his goal for England against Italy on Tuesday, and Merson's earlier criticism. (Daily Star)
Despite being delayed in returning from his first overseas trip with England, Harry Kane was in a buoyant mood on Twitter  and made a passing reference to Spurs' post-season friendly in Australia. "Just landed back from Italy! Very privileged to travel and play football. Next trip overseas is Sydney! Really looking forward to it!"
Team-mate Ryan Mason was quick to tell the world of his feelings  after his own senior debut in Turin, tweeting "Dream come true to make my England debut last night, will never forget that moment."

Manchester United stars Robin van Persie  and Daley Blind  both posted photos on Instagram of the pair posing with fellow Dutchmen and darts superstars Michael van Gerwen and Raymond van Barneveld.
West Ham's former Newcastle striker Andy Carroll has installed a 15-foot high replica of the 'Angel of the North' statue in his garden in Essex to remind the 26-year-old of his native Tyneside. (Daily Mirror)

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Manchester United are pondering a move for Barcelona's Dani Alves, 31, despite making Southampton's Nathaniel Clyne, 24, their number one target for a new right-back. (Daily Mirror)

The Sun says West Brom are in for Gignac of Marseille
However Clyne and his Saints team-mate Morgan Schneiderlin, 25, are also being watched by Chelsea, with Schneiderlin said to be a target for United as well. (Guardian)
West Brom are lining up a move for 29-year-old Marseille striker Andre-Pierre Gignac and will offer him £75,000 a week to move at the end of his contract. (The Sun - subscription required)
Valencia's Portuguese defender Andres Gomes, 21, has denied that he is on the verge of agreeing a move to Chelsea. (Daily Express)
Former Liverpool defender Stephane Henchoz says his old club are struggling to hang on to stars like Raheem Sterling, 20, and Jordan Henderson, 24, because they cannot compete financially with several other Premier League clubs. (Talksport)
Barcelona are to open talks abut a new contract with veteran midfielder Xavi, 35, whose current deal expires next summer. The club legend has "practically made his mind up to join Al-Sadd" in Qatar. (Marca)
Louis van Gaal has got his way over the schedule for Manchester United's pre-season tour of the United States, basing it on the west coast. The Dutch manager was unhappy with last year's version, which had no say in planning. (Daily Telegraph)

Man City's Gael Clichy accepts criticism of his side's form
Manchester City left-back Gael Clichy, 29, says that criticism of his side's faltering Premier League title defence is fully deserved. (Sky Sports)
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 27, will wear a facemask to protect his nose from further damage after it was broken in a challenge with Stoke's Charlie Adam, 29. (Daily Mail)
Aston Villa manager Tim Sherwood says his old club Tottenham were "telling porkies" last season when they say they did not contact other potential managers while Sherwood was still in charge at White Hart Lane. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United's David De Gea and Angel Di Maria showed off their basketball and table tennis skills in a YouTube video   posted after the pair had visited an academy in Burnage, south Manchester.
Team-mate Robin van Persie tweeted that  he was back training with the rest of the United squad following an absence with an ankle injury that had sidelined the Dutch striker since February.
Disgruntled Newcastle United supporters are planning a boycott of their televised home game against Spurs. (Daily Telegraph)
Liverpool's Jordan Henderson dashed from his partner's bedside following the birth of their baby daughter to join up with his team-mates just a few hours ahead of their FA Cup victory over Blackburn Rovers. (Liverpool FC.com)
The Mexico Football Association has banned Juan Arango of Tiguana for two games for biting the shoulder of Monterey's Jesus Zavala during a game. (Guardian)

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Chelsea are set to sell Brazil's Oscar, 23, with Juventus interested in the midfielder, while West Ham forward Enner Valencia, 25, and Atletico Madrid defender Diego Godin, 29, could be brought to Stamford Bridge. (Daily Mirror)

The back page of Thursday's Daily Express
Ars*nal may have to offer a four-year deal to Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 29, if they want to sign the out-of-contract England midfielder in the summer. (London Evening Standard)
Liverpool are preparing to offload Italy striker Mario Balotelli, 24, to finance a move for 29-year-old Manchester United loanee Radamel Falcao from Monaco. (Daily Star)
England right-back Nathaniel Clyne, 24, is set to leave Southampton for Manchester United in a £17m summer deal. (Daily Express)
Manchester United have also joined Liverpool in the race to sign 22-year-old Burnley striker Danny Ings. (Daily Mail)
Swansea City have been linked with a move for Schalke defender Christian Fuchs. The Austria captain, 29, is out of contract in the summer. (Wales Online)
Stoke City are set to sign Barcelona B forward Moha, 19, when his deal expires in the summer. (Sport.es)
West Ham are considering a summer move for Swansea manager Garry Monk, with current boss Sam Allardyce's future still uncertain. (Daily Star)
Manchester City face competition from Italian side Napoli if they are to make Borussia Dortmund's outgoing manager Jurgen Klopp, 47, their new boss. (Daily Mirror)
However, City's Under-21 boss Patrick Vieira, 38, is also a candidate to replace Manuel Pellegrini if the club decide to sack the Chilean at the end of the season. (Times - subscription needed)
Bayern Munich's Pep Guardiola, 44, is still Manchester City's number one managerial target, though, should Pellegrini exit. (Guardian) 
Former Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert, 45, is in the running to replace Klopp at German giants Borussia Dortmund, with whom he won the 1997 Champions League as a player. (Birmingham Mail)
Manchester United's turnaround has been partly down to some inspirational speeches from captain Wayne Rooney. (Manchester Evening News)
Real Madrid keeper Iker Casillas, 33, wants to end his career at the Bernabeu. (AS)
QPR striker Charlie Austin, 25, is set to be handed an England call-up by Roy Hodgson for the summer matches against Slovenia and Republic of Ireland. (Daily Mail)
Manchester Thunder netball team received support from England captain Wayne Rooney ahead of their Superleague semi-final. The Manchester United striker has shared their "Is This The Way To Amarillo" promotional video - which features ex-United players Gary Neville, Phil Neville and Paul Scholes - on his Twitter account.
Mario Balotelli is receiving plenty of votes in Liverpool's 'Player of the Year' poll on their official website - after it was hijacked by Manchester United and Ars*nal fans. (Daily Mail)
Tottenham wish a happy birthday to winger Aaron Lennon, 27, who is currently on loan at Everton, through their Twitter account - one day too early. (Metro)

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Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 19, has become the third Premier League player photographed taking the legal high known as 'hippy crack', the growing craze that anti-drug campaigners warn can kill. The picture was reportedly taken in a hotel room after a night out around six months ago. (The Sun - subscription required)
Bayern Munich are considering making a move for Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, 31. (Daily Express)
Former Ars*nal captain Patrick Vieira, now head of Manchester City's elite development squad, has the backing of the City players to replace Manuel Pellegrini should the club sack their coach. (Daily Mail)
Southampton want £20m for striker Jay Rodriguez. The 25-year-old, who is still recovering after he ruptured his right knee ligament against Manchester City a year ago, is a target for City and Tottenham. (Daily Star)
Yaya Toure's agent Dimitri Seluk will hold talks with Manchester City after claiming several clubs are interested in signing the 31-year-old Ivory Coast international midfielder. (Sky Sports)
Southampton are hoping to beat Newcastle to Feyenoord midfielder and captain Jordy Clasie, the 23-year-old Netherlands international. (Daily Mirror)
FA chairman Greg Dyke has revealed that Tottenham striker Harry Kane, 21, has informed the FA he wants to play for his country in the European Under-21 Championships this summer. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool are reportedly free to complete a transfer deal for Roma midfielder Radja Nainggolan, 26, with the Italian side unable to afford a permanent move for the Belgium international they co-own with Cagliari. (Metro)

Thursday's Daily Mail back page
Fifa's head of security during the controversial race to host the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has called for an investigation into claims Mohamed bin Hammam made a vote-trading pact with Spain's Angel Maria Villar Llona to aid Qatar's 2022 bid. (Guardian)
Manchester City defender Bacary Sagna, 32, says he has no plans to leave the club in the close season. (Manchester Evening News)
Andy Carroll has claimed the West Ham squad want manager Sam Allardyce to stay next season and spearhead a challenge for European football. (London Evening Standard)
Everton winger Steven Pienaar, 33, has admitted he considered retiring during his injury problems this season but was persuaded to stay on because of the team spirit in the dressing room. (Liverpool Echo)
Stoke have vowed to support Peter Odemwingie, who will be 34 in July and has not played since rupturing a cruciate knee ligament last August. (Stoke Sentinel)
Swansea boss Garry Monk believes that Bafetimbi Gomis, 29, can become one of Swansea City's great strikers (South Wales Evening Post)
Swansea's Jazz Richards, currently on-loan at Fulham, has pledged £1,000 to help pay for a headstone for Swansea soldier Josh Madd**k, who was found dead last month aged 22. (South Wales Evening Post)
Manchester United dominate in unlikely areas such as Central Devon and North Norfolk in a Twitter map of football fans, but cannot lay claim to a single London borough, with the capital dominated by Ars*nal supporters, with pockets of Chelsea and Liverpool fans. (Independent)
Manchester United skipper Wayne Rooney, watching Real Madrid's victory over Atletico Madrid, tweets  some praise for a match official. "The referee in the Madrid game has been excellent."
Rooney also sends his congratulations to team-mate Javier Hernandez, on loan at Real Madrid, who scored the winning goal. Another United player, Michael Carrick, tweets:  "Not surprised...@CH14_ So pleased for you mate."
Jack Wilshere puts his feet up to watch the Champions League action. No grainy black and white portable for the modern day footballer. "Can't beat a champions league night," he tweets.
Sampdoria president Massimo Ferro says Rafa Benitez would need to 'see a dietician' before he would appoint him. (London Evening Standard)
An Ars*nal fan has demanded a poster of former skipper Cesc Fabregas at the Emirates is taken down before the Spaniard plays at the stadium for Chelsea this weekend. (Metro)

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Paris St-Germain are prepared to pay £45m for Manchester United's Argentina winger Angel Di Maria, who cost £59.7m when he moved from Real Madrid last summer. (Mirror)

The back page of Thursday's Mirror newspaper
Tottenham are trying to sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 25. The Saints want £20m and Spurs may offer midfielders Andros Townsend, 23, or Benjamin Stambouli, 24, as part of a deal for the France international. (London Evening Standard)
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has revealed that owner Roman Abramovich will have the final say on 37-year-old striker Didier Drogba's Stamford Bridge future. (Express)
Newcastle United want to sign England Under-21 striker Patrick Bamford in the summer. The 21-year-old has scored 19 goals during a successful spell at Middlesbrough on loan from Chelsea. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Manchester United will try to sign Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 28, if 24-year-old David De Gea joins Real Madrid in the summer. (Mirror)
Former Liverpool midfielder Ray Houghton says Reds boss Brendan Rodgers is under "enormous pressure" and questioned whether the club are still progressing with the 42-year-old in charge. (Talksport)
Manchester City defender Gael Clichy, 29, says the club's season "has not been good enough" and they need to follow Chelsea's example of winning games when not at their best. (Manchester Evening News)
Forward Theo Walcott, 26, has claimed that Ars*nal have been the "best team in Europe in 2015". (London Evening Standard)
Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe says his side will not change their passing, attacking philosophy in the Premier League next season. The Cherries are already all but promoted to the top flight for the first time in their history. (Bournemouth Echo)

Daily Mail back page
Ten of the sides currently in the Premier League want to sign Bournemouth striker Callum Wilson, 23. (Mirror)
Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis wants manager Rafael Benitez to stay with the club and not return to the Premier League when his contract runs out in the summer. (Sun - subscription required)
Torino say they may sell 25-year-old defender Matteo Darmian, if they "receive a crazy offer". Ars*nal and Manchester United are among those linked with a move for the Italy international. (Daily Star)
Bolton striker Emile Heskey, 37, is set to sign a new deal at the club as the Championship side target promotion to the Premier League next season. (Talksport)
Chelsea captain John Terry says midfielder Eden Hazard, 24, the PFA Player of the Year, is "up there with Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo". (Express)
Blackpool are accused of 'stamping' on the memories of their club legends after a statue remembering the club's greatest striker, Stan Mortensen, disappeared without explanation. (Daily Mail)
Ars*nal, Chelsea and Tottenham are all trying to sign Luton midfielder Charlie Patino, who is only 11 years old. (Daily Mail)
The 20 teams in the Premier League in 2013-14 have made a collective profit of £198m. (Guardian)
Louis van Gaal's Manchester United side have suffered more injuries than any other team in the Premier League this season. (Telegraph)
Stoke's injured forward Bojan Krkic discusses his recovery from an anterior cruciate ligament injury suffered in January that ended his season. He writes on Twitter:  "It's improving a lot every day. Working hard to start next season at 100%."
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand tells his Twitter followers  the game plan needed to beat Chelsea. He says: "If you can get any of the Chelsea centre-backs and or (Nemanja) Matic out of the centre and down the sides you will get chances. The trick is actually making that happen. The discipline Jose puts in his teams is the difference - added to that the odd touch of stardust (Hazard/Cristiano/Sneijder/Lampard)."
Southampton and England striker Jay Rodriguez, 25, who has missed the whole season because of a serious knee injury he suffered in April 2014, posts a picture on Twitter of him in training. He writes:  "I'm back! Thanks for all of the support on Twitter. #muchlove."
The junior club where England forward Jermain Defoe, 32, began his career believe they, under Fifa regulations, are entitled to "tens of thousands of pounds" from Defoe's transfers throughout his career. (The Times, subscription required)
Manchester United winger Adnan Januzaj has formed an unlikely friendship with snooker player Shaun Murphy after watching the 'Magician' beat Anthony McGill at the Crucible. (Daily Star)

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Manchester City will bid in excess of £50m in order to sign Juventus' France midfielder Paul Pogba, 22. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea, Barcelona and Real Madrid all remain in the race for Pogba, who is understood to have rejected an initial contract offer from Paris St-Germain. (Daily Mail)
Real Madrid's English assistant manager Paul Clement has been shortlisted for the manager's job at Newcastle United. (Telegraph)
Manchester United may extend 29-year-old Colombia striker Radamel Falcao's loan deal until January 2016. (Mirror)
Chelsea are hopeful Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, 22, will reject a new contract at the Serie A club and join them in a £22m deal this summer. (London Evening Standard)
Meanwhile, Inter and Roma will rival Ars*nal for the signature of Chelsea's 32-year-old goalkeeper Petr Cech, who is out of contract at the end of this season. (Daily Mail)
Manchester United winger Nani, 28, says he does not want to play for Sporting Lisbon next year after spending the season on loan at the Portuguese club. (Sun - subscription required)
Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, 27, would only leave for a top four Premier League club if he was guaranteed a regular starting place, according to Potters team-mate Charlie Adam, 29. (Talksport)
The future of Palermo's 21-year-old Argentine striker Paulo Dybala, a reported target for Chelsea, will be decided in the next two weeks, according to the Italian club's president . (Guardian)
Manchester City's 26-year-old Argentina forward Sergio Aguero will undergo a specially designed pre-season training programme to avoid further hamstring injuries next year. (Manchester Evening News)
QPR midfielder Joey Barton, 32, seemed to enjoy Lionel Messi's second goal for Barcelona in their Champions League semi-final first-leg win over Bayern Munich. "Can't believe some people actually think Cristiano is better," he wrote on Twitter.  "The man is playing a different game from everyone else. That's two World Cup winners he's just sent for the papers."
Barton's team-mate Charlie Austin  agreed, adding: "Surely there is a word other than professional footballer for Messi because he is on a different planet to the rest of us!"
Stoke City defender Robert Huth tweeted:  "Don't think there can be anything worse in football than running backwards, one-on-one with Messi."
Earlier, Paris St-Germain's 33-year-old striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic enjoyed a relaxing day away from Europe's most prestigious club competition, writing of his nap in the sun on Instagram:  "Loading with vitamin D and Z."
Barcelona right-back Dani Alves, 31, arrived for his side's Champions League semi-final first leg in a dazzling outfit combining a flashy red blazer with long shorts and loafers. (Metro)

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Manuel Pellegrini, 61, is likely to remain as Manchester City's manager next season following an end-of-season review by the deposed Premier League champions' hierarchy. (Guardian)
QPR top scorer Charlie Austin, 25, will not be sold cheaply following the west London club's relegation, says director of football Les Ferdinand. (London Evening Standard)

The back page of Thursday's Guardian
QPR have terminated the loan of West Ham forward Mauro Zarate after the 28-year-old walked out of Anfield when he was not selected against Liverpool. (Sun - subscription required)
Wolfsburg's ex-Chelsea midfielder Kevin De Bruyne, 23, is moving closer to a Premier League return, with Manchester City considering a £35m move. (Mirror)
Belgium international De Bruyne - also a reported transfer target for Manchester United and Ars*nal - says he made the right decision to leave Chelsea in January 2014. (Eurosport)
Manchester City midfielder Frank Lampard, 36, will earn an annual salary of £3.8m when he joins new MLS franchise New York City this summer. (Sports Illustrated)
Swansea have made agreeing a new long-term contract with manager Garry Monk their top priority for this summer. (Wales Online)
Jordon Ibe has agreed a five-year contract with Liverpool, with the 19-year-old winger expected to sign the new deal next week. (Telegraph)
Firefighters were called to the home of Manchester United defender Chris Smalling on Tuesday after the 25-year-old's hot tub caught fire. (Guardian)
Besiktas coach, and former West Ham defender, Slaven Bilic is ready to hold talks about replacing Hammers manager Sam Allardyce. (Star)
Newcastle midfielder Sylvain Marveaux, 29, was caught on camera claiming he was "blacklisted" at St James' Park before returning to the club from a loan spell at Guingamp. (Express)
New Manchester United winger Memphis Depay, 21, wants to emulate Cristiano Ronaldo at Old Trafford. (Manchester Evening News)
Chelsea have offered a new five-year contract to England Under-21 striker Patrick Bamford. The 21-year-old is on loan at Middlesbrough and reportedly attracting interest from Everton, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. (Times - subscription required)
Portugal winger Nani, 28, is set to return to Manchester United this summer after a season-long loan at Sporting Lisbon - potentially costing the Red Devils another £17m to cover his wages. (Telegraph)
Ars*nal's England striker Danny Welbeck, 24, is set to return from injury for Sunday's Premier League trip to former club Manchester United. (Mail)
Former Southampton and Reading manager Nigel Adkins has dismissed reports linking him with Championship side Leeds United, where head coach Neil Redfearn's future remains insecure. (Mirror)
Former Newcastle and England striker Alan Shearer joined Twitter on Wednesday - and arrived in style with a warning for any potential 'trolls'.

The 'goalkeepers' union' was out in force as several Premier League stoppers, including Leicester's Kasper Schmeichel, praised Juventus keeper Gianluigi Buffon, 37, for reaching the Champions League final.

And, after Juve drew 1-1 at Real Madrid, Buffon tweeted his thanks  to Chelsea keeper Petr Cech for posting  that he hoped "the maestro" would win the Champions League.
With Eurovision 2015 taking place later this month, Ars*nal's players got into the spirit by dressing in the traditional outfits of their respective countries. (Metro)
Aston Villa chief executive Tom Fox will camp out on the Villa Park pitch for charity on Thursday. (Birmingham Mail)