Saturday Paper Talk

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French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 19, is set for a January move to Ars*nal or Chelsea after being left out of Paris St-Germain's Champions League squad. (Daily Express) 
Italian champions Juventus are lining up a January move for Manchester United's Spanish midfielder Juan Mata, 26. (Daily Mirror)
Inter Milan failed with a deadline-day move for Liverpool forward Fabio Borini, 23, after offering to take him on loan for the season. (Talksport)
Manchester United and Liverpool want Bayer Leverkusen's £10m-rated Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer, 23, but face competition from Borussia Monchengladbach. (Daily Express)
Former Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, 31, is looking to quit Major League Soccer side Toronto FC after interest from Queens Park Rangers and Leicester City ahead of the transfer deadline. (Daily Mail)
Stoke manager Mark Hughes is planning to make a January loan move for Barcelona's Ivorian winger Adama Traore, 18. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid are weighing up a January move for Inter Milan's 28-year-old Colombian midfielder Fredy Guarin, also a target for Chelsea and Spurs. (Talksport)
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, 22, is to be offered a new £80,000-a-week deal as a reward for replacing Petr Cech in the team. (Times - subscription only)
Meanwhile, Courtois has admitted he feels uncomfortable taking Cech's number one spot at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Star)
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has welcomed the loan signing of Monaco striker Radamel Falcao, 28, but is not sure how manager Louis van Gaal will fit all his big-name players into his team. (Independent) 
Meanwhile, Falcao has spoken about the stress he suffered as he waited for his deadline-day loan move to be completed. (Sun - subscription only)
West Ham have defended themselves against accusations that the club's women's team is not being properly financially supported, after a fundraising web page was set up to help pay for kit and pitch hire. (Guardian)
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez insists his relationship with Cristiano Ronaldo is "perfect" following the 29-year-old forward's criticism of the club's transfer policy over the £59.7m sale of Angel Di Maria to Manchester United. (Daily Telegraph)

Manchester City's Joe Hart is poised to sign a new contract
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart, 27, is close to signing a five-year contract extension at the Premier League champions. (Daily Telegraph)
Meanwhile, City believe they may have found the next David Silva - but say Japanese youngster Masashi Wada still has a lot to learn. (Manchester Evening News)
QPR owner Tony Fernandes says he was in awe of Harry Redknapp the first time they met, and adds he wants Rangers to be a Premier League club for 20 consecutive seasons. (Guardian)
France defender Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa, 25, has called Alan Pardew's Newcastle a team of long-ball merchants after leaving St James' Park to join Roma on a season-long loan. (Sun - subscription only)
France's main commercial TV channel has decided it will not be renewing Ars*nal manager Arsene Wenger's contract as a match commentator for the national side's games. (Independent)
Harry Kane reflects on a job well done after he scored the winner in England Under 21s' Euro 2015 qualifier against Lithuania. He tweeted: "Good win for the lads. Another game Tuesday, hopefully we can finish the group off with another win. Glad to be on the scoresheet."
Manchester City defender Micah Richards ‏may be in Italy now - on loan at Fiorentina - but he has not forgotten his mates back home, posting:  "Gutted to hear about Daniel Sturridge injury. Your country needs you. Get back soon x."
Seems Hull winger Robert Snodgrass is as a fan of a legendary Scottish comedian Billy Connolly. He posted:  "Got to give him it, he's one funny guy, and a hell of a banjo player."
An amateur player in Austria has been given a 70-match ban after headbutting a referee. (ESPN)

Why always me? Liverpool's Mario Balotelli hit the headlines after a friendly against Wolves
Wolves found themselves at the centre of a Twitter storm after Liverpool's £16m signing, striker Mario Balotelli was accused of stamping on an opponent during a behind-closed-doors game between the clubs. (Express and Star)
A Kenyan couple themed their wedding around Manchester United, from the groom wearing a United shirt to a wedding cake featuring Red Devils branding. (Daily Mail)

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FC Toronto president Tim Leiweke does not expect Jermain Defoe to play for the club again, increasing the likelihood that the 31-year-old striker will return to the Premier League. (Daily Mirror)
England centre-half Gary Cahill is expected to commit his long-term future to Chelsea, with the 28-year-old in talks over a new deal. (Evening Standard)
Aston Villa face a battle to keep Dutch captain Ron Vlaar, 29, as the defender, who is in the final year of his contract, has not begun detailed negotiations to extend his current deal. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal are set to face competition from Roma to sign 19-year-old midfielder Adrien Rabiot from Paris St-Germain in January. (Evening Standard)
Joe Hart's place as Manchester City's first-choice goalkeeper could be under threat as manager Manuel Pellegrini says he is prepared to give Willy Caballero, 32, a chance. (Manchester Evening News)

Sterling won his ninth England cap on Monday when facing Switzerland
Lazar Markovic, 20, is ready to show why Liverpool paid £20m for his services as the winger prepares to make his home debut against Aston Villa. (Liverpool Echo)
Former European Footballer of the Year Marco van Basten, 49, is to step down as coach of AZ Alkmaar as his health issues persist. (Independent)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has said he will safeguard Raheem Sterling's long-term career despite the growing importance of the 19-year-old for the Reds and England. (Guardian)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says QPR defender Rio Ferdinand, 35, is a great player but he left Old Trafford at the right time. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool goalkeeper Simon Mignolet, 26, stunned an eight-year-old fan by joining his birthday celebrations at a Chinese restaurant. (Liverpool Echo)

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Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 25, has dropped a hint at making a return to Tottenham in the future. (Metro)

Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid in 2009 for a then world record fee of £80m from Manchester United
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho has dismissed speculation linking Chelsea with a sensational move for 29-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo, leaving the path clear for Manchester United. (Metro)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits he would happily bring Ronaldo back to Old Trafford but is convinced Real Madrid will not sell. (The Sun - subscription required)
Ars*nal are sounding out Paris St-Germain's 19-year-old midfielder Adrien Rabiot ahead of a possible January move. (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool look set to miss out to Inter Milan for 24-year-old winger Yevhen Konoplyanka from Dnipro. (Metro)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says Manchester City should have been docked points and stripped of their titles instead of being fined for breaching Financial Fair Play rules. (Daily Express/various)
Mourinho has left the door open for midfielder Frank Lampard, 36, to return to Chelsea in some capacity and believes his time on loan Manchester City from MLS side New York City will not harm his legacy at Stamford Bridge. (GetWestLondon)
Ars*nal's annual wage bill is understood to have moved ahead of Chelsea's for the first time in more than a decade. (Telegraph)
Manchester United are facing the prospect of having to wear a Nike kit during next summer's pre-season fixtures, despite agreeing a record £750m deal with Adidas from the start of the 2015-16 season. United's current £23.5m-a-year agreement with Nike does not due to expire until 31 July 2015. (Telegraph)
Manchester City defender Micah Richards, currently on loan at Fiorentina, says the lowest moment of his time with City was being taken off at half-time against Watford by Manuel Pellegrini. "After that, my belief was shattered," he reveals. (The Guardian)
Ars*nal's annual wage bill is understood to have moved ahead of Chelsea's for the first time in more than a decade. (Telegraph)
Steve Bruce has played down suggestions he will quit as Hull manager to succeed under-fire Alan Pardew at Newcastle. (Times - subscription required)
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert reveals he chose Roy Keane as his assistant because the Irishman was "too good to be a TV pundit". (Birmingham Mail)
Hull midfielder David Meyler, 25, will accept Pardew's apology for headbutting him during a Premier League game in March. (Daily Mail)

The Sun's back page
Everton defender Phil Jagielka, 32, has admitted that he may not win back his England place. (Independent)
Manchester City playmaker David Silva, 28, believes they cannot afford to lose against Chelsea this weekend. (Manchester Evening News)
Ars*nal striker Yaya Sanogo, 21, insists he is not worried about the competition for places despite the arrival of Danny Welbeck, 23, from Manchester United. (Daily Mail)
Swansea boss Garry Monk insists he has no issue with Southampton manager Ronald Koeman - who publicly touted for the job at the Liberty Stadium last spring. (Sky Sports)
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino believes his side's Europa League campaign can help them qualify for next season's Champions League. (Daily Mirror)
Everton manager Roberto Martinez's next job will be at Barcelona or Real Madrid, according to Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock. (Daily Mirror)
Following the result of the Scottish independence referendum, Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says on Twitter   that he would like to face more Scottish sides in the Premier League.
Ars*nal striker Joel Campbell has been enjoying some sightseeing  in his new city.
Liverpool defender Jose Enrique got up to some mischief on the train on the way to Saturday's game against West Ham by taking photos of his team-mates enjoying 40 winks and posing them on Twitter.
Partizan Belgrade forward Danko Lazovic adopted an unusual tactic to remove a pitch invader during Thursday's Europa League match against Tottenham - by giving the fan his shirt. (Metro)
Striker Ade Yussuf quit his job as a waiter at a noodle bar to join League Two Dagenham and Redbridge on a one-year contract - but had to take a pay cut. (Daily Mirror)

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Liverpool are preparing a £40m January bid for Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, 26. (Daily Star)
Chelsea attempted an audacious move for Lionel Messi during the transfer window. The Blues were willing to pay £118m for the 27-year-old Barcelona forward. (Daily Express)

Everton midfielder Ross Barkley is recovering from a knee injury
Ars*nal are keen on a January move for Malaga's Portuguese left back Vitorino Antunes, who has a buy-out clause of only £2.5m. (Daily Mirror)
Everton manger Roberto Martinez has dismissed reports linking Manchester City with a move for 20-year-old playmaker Ross Barkley. (Times - subscription)
Forward Andre Schurrle, 23, insists he is fully committed to Chelsea despite reported Atletico Madrid interest. (Daily Mirror)
Newcastle owner Mike Ashley claims comments he made saying manager Alan Pardew will be sacked if he loses their Premier League game at Stoke City on Monday were a joke and "tongue in cheek". (Independent)

Saturday's front page of The i sports section
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, says the Reds reduced him to tears when he was a boy - because he supported Everton. (Daily Mirror)
Barcelona boss Luis Enrique has labelled the critics saying striker Luis Suarez, 27, is fat and chubby as silly. (Sun - subscription required)
Jose Mourinho has admitted he is powerless to stop Spain calling up striker Diego Costa, 25, for next month's internationals, despite the injury troubles that have forced the Chelsea manager to ration the striker's appearances. (Times - subscription required)
Defenders Tom Thorpe, 21, and Paddy McNair, 19, have been included in Manchester United's squad to face West Ham United on Saturday as Louis van Gaal searches for a solution to his shortage of defenders. (Guardian)
Manager Alan Irvine says he has no intention of making Joleon Lescott West Bromwich Albion captain despite the defender's encouraging start to his career at The Hawthorns. (Birmingham Mail)
Midfielder Stewart Downing, 30, says he is "loving life" at West Ham United and believes he would be good enough to get into the team at his former club Liverpool. (Daily Telegraph)
Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle, 24, says he now has no excuses after admitting he was affected by his £4.5m transfer fee last summer. (London Evening Standard)

Stewart Downing moved to West Ham from Liverpool in August 2013
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has reignited his feud with Manchester City counterpart Manuel Pellegrini by claiming he "killed" referee Mark Clattenburg. (Daily Mail)
Meanwhile, City midfielder Samir Nasri, 27, needs surgery on a groin injury and is expected to be out for a month. (Daily Telegraph)
Louis van Gaal says he intends to solve Manchester United's injury problems by applying the same methods that helped Dutch winger Arjen Robben, 30, overcome his fitness concerns. (Guardian)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, 36, says the Reds have been "so poor" this season and need to sort themselves out. (Daily Mail)
Arsene Wenger says Tottenham have no chance of matching Ars*nal's success unless "someone comes in and buys the club" and injects significant funds. (Daily Express)
Left-back Luke Shaw wants to make up for lost time as he prepares to make his Manchester United debut against West Ham. The 19-year-old is poised to make his first start after his £27m summer move from Southampton. (Sun - subscription required)
Birmingham legend Trevor Francis, sacked as manager of the club in 2001, has said he wouldn't rule out a return to the club. (Birmingham Mail)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli's pranks hit a new high when he inhaled helium and sang one of his new club's chants in this video on Instagram.
Nottingham Forest chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi appears to have been putting the club's players through their paces on console game Fifa 15. He tweeted  a warning to Jamie Paterson, saying: "I will beat u. Ask your friend Henri Lansbury what happened [to] him."
Stoke City do not play until Monday, so midfielder Charlie Adam spent his Friday watching the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles and even got to meet Europe's captain. Adam tweeted:  "Great day at the Ryder Cup, meeting Paul McGinley on the 1st tee."
Some of the Premier league's top players, including including Eden Hazard, Samir Nasri and Rio Ferdinand, have complained that the new Fifa 15 game made them "too short, too slow, with the wrong haircut and lacking in skill". (Daily Star)
Former England defender Gary Neville admits he is "garbage" at cooking after trying his hand at making a sausage roll during Manchester's Food and Drink Festival. (Manchester Evening News)
A young football fan got an unexpected surprise from Swansea City's Jonjo Shelvey. Harry Jacobs, seven, wrote to Shelvey to ask him to visit his school. Instead, the midfielder arranged for Harry to be a matchday mascot before watching the game with his family from an executive box. (Swansea City official website)
Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben, 30, wants to open a private museum in his own home to showcase his trophies and medals when he hangs up his boots. (NDTVSports)

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Manchester United are planning on bidding for Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, 25, after their prospects of re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, became increasingly unlikely. (Daily Star)
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has warned forward Adel Taarabt, 25, he won't be sold in January unless someone meets the club's asking price. (Daily Mirror)
Sunderland have rejected Sc*nthorpe's loan bid for 20-year-old striker Duncan Watmore. (Sunderland Echo)
Ars*nal will have to replace more than 100 seats after Galatasaray fans caused damage during the Gunners' 4-1 Champions League victory on Wednesday. (Daily Mirror) 

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, who signed a new five-year deal with the club on Friday, has said he wants to become an actor once his football career is over. (Esquire)
Former Southampton forward Matt Le Tissier says ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino has taken a massive gamble with his reputation by joining Tottenham. (Daily Express)
West Ham's former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing says Reds boss Brendan Rodgers was "the one manager I had problems with". (Daily Mail)
England assistant coach Gary Neville says Chelsea's Cesc Fabregas has elevated himself into an elite group of player and will be the architect of the club's success. (Daily Telegraph)
Toulouse have taken a novel approach to trying to contain Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic - by sending him presents on his 33rd birthday. (Reuters)
Former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has come out in defence of his former manager Alan Pardew, suggesting that Newcastle players should share the blame for the team's predicament. (Guardian)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says patience is needed as £20m winger Lazar Markovic adjusts to life in the Premier League after his summer move from Benfica. (Liverpool Echo)
Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Malky Mackay, Brian McDermott and former manager Owen Coyle are among those linked with the managerial vacancy at Bolton following the departure of Dougie Freedman. (Daily Express)
Former Ars*nal Ladies assistant coach Emma Hayes said a clairvoyant helped her decide to take over at Chelsea Ladies, who are on the brink of winning their first Women's Super League title. (Guardian)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher hit out at Raheem Sterling's agent after reports claiming that Real Madrid are interested in the 19-year-old, who is negotiating a new contract with the Merseyside club. Carragher tweeted:   "Message to Raheem Sterling's agent, shut up feeding stories about his contract."
A broken down bus on the M6 caused a stir on Twitter. North West Motorway Police tweeted:  "Cheshire NWMPG have just help remove a broken down coach from the M6 S/B J19-J18. This was the Wigan FC team bus (not joking)..."
The Times (subscription required)  has a double page spread from The Official Autobiography of Roy of the Rovers by Roy Race, which is published on 9 October, "extracted with permission from Roy".
Former Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca, 33, has been paying £3.50 to play for second division pub side Willow Pond FC. The Argentine made 177 appearances for Sunderland before joining Middlesbrough. (Daily Mail)
A new survey has found that Liverpool are everybody's favourite second team, with football fans saying the Anfield club are the least offensive side to follow in England. (Metro)

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Ars*nal will look to meet Schalke winger Julian Draxler's £37m release clause in January. The Gunners want to sign the 21-year-old after growing frustrated with his Germany international team-mate Mesut Ozil, 25. (Daily Express)

The back page of Saturday's Sun
Netherlands playmaker Wesley Sneijder could leave Galatasaray and move to the Premier League as the Turkish club have failed to pay his wages. The 30-year-old could join Manchester United and link up with former national coach Louis van Gaal. (The Sun, subscription required)
Former Ars*nal striker Thierry Henry, 37, could return to his native France, with Paris St-Germain and Monaco interested in signing him in January after his contract with Major League Soccer side New York Red Bulls expires. (Daily Mail)
Italian side Roma want to buy Manchester City and England midfielder James Milner, 28, for £10m. (Daily Star)
Tottenham are prepared to pay £15m to buy West Brom's England Under-21 striker Saido Berahino, 21. (The Sun, subscription required)
Chelsea reject Fulham's bid to bring 42-year-old Australian goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer back to Craven Cottage on a season-long loan. (Daily Express)
Championship teams Derby, Huddersfield, Brighton and Charlton are all monitoring Dutch central defender Nick Kuipers, 22, who plays for second-tier side MVV Maastricht. (Sky Sports)
England right-back Glen Johnson, 30, says he is ready to fight to win back his starting place at Liverpool. Johnson had been recently linked with a move to Italian side Juventus. (Metro)
Former Manchester United goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel believes Louis van Gaal can guide the club to multiple trophies during his time at Old Trafford. (Daily Star)

Daily Mirror back page
QPR manager Harry Redknapp says Premier League clubs are "losing faith in British managers". Redknapp believes Hull boss Steve Bruce should have been interviewed in the summer for the vacant Manchester United manager's job. (Mirror)
Former Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini warns Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers he needs to "sort out Mario Balotelli's brain" if he is to get the 24-year-old striker playing well. (The Sun)
England midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25, says he is motivated to prove his critics wrong during his spell at Aston Villa on loan from Manchester United. (Birmingham Mail)
Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, 23, tells manager Brendan Rodgers he should partner fellow Italian Mario Balotelli, 24, up front for the Reds. (Independent)
England forward Danny Welbeck says the national side can remain unbeaten throughout their Euro 2016 qualification campaign. (Mirror)
Former Tottenham defender Ledley King believes Mauricio Pochettino is the right man to take Spurs back into the Champions League - but admits they might not make the top four this season. (Talksport)
The official Twitter page of the Football Association of Ireland confirms that assistant manager Roy Keane has shaved off his beard. They tweet:  We can confirm #RIPtheBeard! Roy has decided to shave the night before our first home qualifier.

How Roy Keane looked before shaving his beard
Hull and Nigeria striker Sone Aluko posts a video on Instagram  of the Nigerian players being mobbed by fans when they arrived at 5.45am in Khartoum, Sudan for their Africa Cup of Nations qualifying tie on Saturday. "I guess some of the local Nigerians in Sudan don't sleep! Some welcome...cannot but feel the love," says Aluko.
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher ‏forgets he has retired from professional football as he turns up at his old club's training ground. He tweets:  "Anyone ever drive to their previous employment without thinking? I've just drove to Melwood. Supposed to be going the gym!"
Ghana's 2014 World Cup dispute about appearance money, which almost saw them boycott their final Group G match against Portugal, is to be made into a Hollywood film. (Daily Mail)
Staff at Manchester United's megastore have made a blunder trying to print out Angel Di Maria shirts, managing to misspell the former Real Madrid star's name. (Daily Star)

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Barcelona's Brazil right-back Dani Alves, 31, has already agreed to join Manchester United on a free transfer when his contract expires next summer. (Daily Express)
Galatasary's Turkey international defender Semih Kaya, 23, will opt for a move to Manchester United over fellow suitors Atletico Madrid. The Spanish club have stepped up their attempts to complete an £8m deal. (Daily Mirror)
Paris St-Germain's French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 19, is set to join Roma rather than Ars*nal. (Daily Mirror)
England manager Roy Hodgson will have to fight to regain 19-year-old winger Raheem Sterling's trust, according to Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers. (Daily Star)
Chelsea striker Diego Costa may need three weeks rest to recover from a hamstring problem. The 26-year-old Spain striker aggravated the injury in training this week. (Daily Telegraph)

The Daily Telegraph features an interview with Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino claims watching fellow Argentine Sergio Aguero, 26, play for Manchester City is like hearing classical music in his head. "It's like Mozart. Seriously. It is positive. Not Beethoven. Beethoven is too crazy," Pochettino said. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims his team used the motivation of not being "clowns in the circus" when they picked up a 2-0 win at Anfield in April that went a long way to denying Liverpool the title. (Daily Telegraph)
Mourinho says he would have been given a stadium ban by the Football Association if he had shoved Arsene Wenger in the way the Ars*nal manager pushed him during Chelsea's 2-0 win on 5 October. (Times - subscription required)
Hull manager Steve Bruce admits he tried to sign Danny Welbeck on loan from Manchester United before the 23-year-old England striker joined Ars*nal on transfer deadline day. (Hull Daily Mail)
Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos, 28, is likely to be held back for next Saturday's match with Barcelona, rather than face Liverpool in the Champions League on Wednesday, as he looks to return from a calf problem. (Marca - Spanish)
Stoke manager Mark Hughes thinks striker Peter Crouch, 33, can emulate Teddy Sheringham and play until he is 40. (Daily Express)
Lazio's five Albanian and Serbian players were photographed together by the club's official television station  in the wake of Tuesday's abandoned match between the two nations. Goalkeeper Etrit Berisha and former Sunderland midfielder Lorik Cana started for Albania, while Filip Djordjevic was on the bench for Serbia for the game in Belgrade that was called off after 41 minutes following a mass brawl. Albanian Thomas Strakosha and Serbian Dusan Basta were also in the photo.
Southampton's Italy striker Graziano Pelle, 29, turned his back on a career as a professional ballroom dancer in order to become a footballer. (Daily Mirror)
Derry City's pre-FAI Cup final team photo went wrong when a bench holding seven players and manager Peter Hutton snapped. (Derry Journal)

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Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert says the club have the option to sign Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25, on a permanent deal in January. (Guardian)
Chelsea and Manchester United target Juan Cuadrado, a 26-year-old winger, is just "details away" from signing a new deal with Fiorentina. (Daily Express)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal refuses to rule out the possibility of signing ex-Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 32, a free agent who has been training with the Red Devils. (Daily Express)
Van Gaal has identified Zenit St Petersburg's Argentina defender Ezequiel Garay, 28, as the player to shore up Manchester United's struggling back four. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, has dropped his wage demands to £80,000-a-week in order to ensure he seals his proposed transfer to Ars*nal. (Metro)
Tottenham midfielder Erik Lamela, 22, hopes his wonder 'rabona' goal against Asteras in the Europa League on Thursday can kick-start his career at White Hart Lane. (Daily Mail)
West Ham boss Sam Allardyce says his reputation as a long-ball manager is an "excuse" created by managers he has beaten. (Daily Telegraph)
West Brom manager Alan Irvine may ask former Ars*nal striker Ian Wright to help with the development of 21-year-old forward Saido Berahino. (Daily Mail)
Hull City manager Steve Bruce says he is glad he did not listen to the "horror stories" about Hatem Ben Arfa when he signed the 27-year-old French midfielder on loan from Newcastle. (Hull Daily Mail)
Manchester United midfielder Michael Carrick, 33, who has yet to feature in the first team this season because of an ankle injury, gave manager Louis van Gaal a boost by playing 64 minutes of an Under-21 match against West Ham on Friday. (Manchester Evening News)
Sunderland manager Gus Poyet was unhappy at having to start the season with only six senior defenders in his squad. (Northern Echo)

Rio Ferdinand joined QPR on a free transfer in July after 12 years at Manchester United
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers had ruled out bringing in a specialist defensive coach, and insists he will continue to give 24-year-old striker Mario Balotelli opportunities in the first team. (Guardian)
Former England captain Rio Ferdinand, 35, is considering retiring from football at the end of the season. (Independent)
Ferdinand has also hinted his next career move after playing will be a leap into management. (Sun - subscription required)
Crystal Palace have denied rumours of an imminent takeover by US billionaire Joshua Harris. (Daily Mirror)
A couple of Premier League footballers spent Friday night watching their former clubs on their laptops. Ars*nal's Lukas Podolski cheered on FC Koln's 1-0 win  over Werder Bremen in the Bundesliga, but Hull City's David Meyler saw Cork City lose to Dundalk  in their League of Ireland title decider.
Charlie Austin, 25, may be on Premier League wages, but the QPR striker still bought two tickets  for Friday's Euromillions lottery.
Tim Howard posted a picture of a children's team in New Jersey wearing false beards in tribute to the 35-year-old Everton and United States goalkeeper. "Not a bad looking group!" he tweeted.
Manchester City forward Sergio Aguero admits he knew enough swear words at the age of 10 to shout at Michael Owen when the England striker scored against Argentina in the 1998 World Cup, but says he later idolised the former Liverpool striker. (Daily Mirror)
Torquay United mascot Gilbert the Gull has been accused of challenging some of the club's supporters to a fight. (Daily Mail)

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Tottenham are bracing themselves for a £20m bid from Real Madrid for France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, 27, in the January transfer window. (Daily Express)

Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris has been capped 64 times by France
Napoli are willing to offer Liverpool a "major" transfer fee in order to sign 24-year-old Italy striker Mario Balotelli. (Metro)
Netherlands striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 31, has held talks over a new contract with German club Schalke, amid interest from Ars*nal and Liverpool in signing him on a free transfer next summer. (Daily Mirror)
Winger Tom Ince, 22, still has a future at Hull City despite being loaned out to Nottingham Forest. (Talksport)
Liverpool are set to open contract talks with captain Steven Gerrard as they look to ensure the 34-year-old midfielder remains at Anfield beyond this season. (Liverpool Echo)
Uefa president Michel Platini will hold talks next week with Football Association chairman Greg Dyke over timings for the 2022 World Cup and a potential candidate to challenge Sepp Blatter in the Fifa presidential election. (The Times - subscription required)
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini claims Manchester United are no better now than last season, despite splashing out £151m on new players. (Daily Mirror)

Daily Star backpage
Pellegrini revealed the Premier League champions could not afford to sign Angel Di Maria, who joined United for a British record fee of £59.7m, due to Financial Fair Play. (Goal.com)
Everton boss Roberto Martínez says there are no concerns for striker Arouna Kone's career even though the 30-year-old may not return to full fitness until January. (Guardian)
Bayern Munich boss Pep Guardiola will leave the German club when his contract expires in 2016, with Ars*nal set to secure his services if Arsene Wenger steps down. (London Evening Standard)
Former Manchester United and Everton manager David Moyes is wanted by Spanish side Real Sociedad. (Daily Star)
Former Leyton Orient chairman Barry Hearn has called on London Mayor Boris Johnson to reveal the costs of the Olympic Park Stadium and the terms of West Ham's lease on the venue. (The Sun - subscription required)
England assistant coach Gary Neville says of modern day defending: "the minimum standards have dropped sharply. When I played, most training was on defending but now I look at teams and think they do not understand the basics." (Telegraph)
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert, who has seen his side lose their last five league matches and fail to score in the process, says he thrives on the continual pressure and threat of being sacked - insisting it is part of the game. (Birmingham Mail)
Crystal Palace defender Scott Dann has hailed the club's owners and says: "I can see why people would be interested in buying Palace. The club is in London and the fan base is massive. If it were to continue to be run in the right way like it is now, it could potentially be a lot bigger club." (Croydon Advertiser)
Everton striker Samuel Eto'o is determined to help end the club's 20-year trophy drought - and the 33-year-old has targeted the Europa League, which he has yet to win in his distinguished career. (Liverpool Echo)
Manchester City goalkeeper Joe Hart warmed up for Sunday's derby against Manchester United by playing cricket with England wicketkeeper Jos Buttler. Lancashire posted a picture of the pair in the nets at Old Trafford on their Instagram account,  while Buttler tweeted:  "Awesome day. Great to meet Joe Hart, what a genuine nice guy. Best of luck for Sunday."
Bournemouth are supporting global men's health foundation Movember for the next month by adding a moustache  to the d**kie Dowsett header on their club crest. Special stickers featuring the crest will be handed out around the Goldsands Stadium for supporters to adapt their replica shirts for the day and show support for Movember.
Pictures have been revealed of Mario Balotelli's infamous indoor firework escapade from Halloween 2011, which left him with a repair bill of £400,000 at the house he rented for £7,500-a-month in Mottram St Andrew, Cheshire, during his time at Manchester City. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, had his car damaged by monkeys on a trip to Knowsley Safari Park with his son. (Daily Star)
Barcelona defender Gerard Pique, 27 was substituted at half-time during the Supercopa de Catalunya clash with Espanyol earlier this week - and spent the rest of the game playing on his phone while sat on the bench. (Metro)

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Liverpool are preparing to make a £30m January bid for Porto striker Jackson Martinez, 28, who has 72 goals in 106 appearances and is also a target for Ars*nal. (Daily Express)
Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner has promised the club's fans that he is ready to resist any offers for midfielder Fabian Delph and defender Ron Vlaar in the January transfer window. (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United have opened talks with Monaco about signing 22-year-old left-back Layvin Kurzawa - also a target for Chelsea - for £12m in January. (Daily Star)
Meanwhile, centre back Nemanja Vidic, 33, could be in line for a return to United on a free transfer at the end of the season after failing to impress at Inter Milan. (Daily Express)
Liverpool have joined Ars*nal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon's £37m-rated defensive midfielder William Carvalho, 22, in January. (Daily Star)
Sunderland forward Connor Wickham, 21, could leave the Black Cats for nothing next summer, manager Gus Poyet has admitted. (Daily Mirror)
AC Milan's on-loan midfielder Marco van Ginkel, 21, says he has decided to stay in the Italian capital, rather than head back to parent club Chelsea during January. (Daily Mirror)
Former England striker Jimmy Greaves, who was awarded a World Cup winners' medal in 2009 after a fans' campaign, is putting it up for auction at Sotheby's. (Daily Mail)
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has insisted he has no plans to sell Yaya Toure, 31, after reports that the midfielder could be offloaded at the end of the season. (The Sun - subscription required)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is planning to recall Nani to Old Trafford in January after the winger's excellent form for Sporting Lisbon. (Daily Star)

Saturday's Daily Mirror back page
West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 21, says he will consider signing a new contract at The Hawthorns, despite appearing to suggest he wanted to sign for a bigger club. (Birmingham Mail)
Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez, 31, will be back at Newcastle in the middle of next month after being given permission by his doctors to resume training following treatment for testicular cancer. (The Guardian)
Gary Neville has backed Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and says it is the players and not the manager who should be criticised. (Daily Telegraph)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, 36, has used his column to back manager Brendan Rodgers' decision to drop players against Real Madrid, but says Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard deserved to start. (Daily Mail)
Striker Robin van Persie has said he was surprised by Sir Alex Ferguson's departure from Manchester United and says he is not satisfied with his performances under new manager Louis van Gaal. (The Guardian)
West Ham star Diafra Sakho, 24, in line for new £10m deal - but only after 12 more games. (Daily Mirror)
Southampton's £11m summer signing Dusan Tadic says it is much easier playing football in England than in his native Serbia. (Independent)
Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, 25, is set to sign a contract extension which will keep him at the Liberty Stadium until 2018, and could even agree terms before Sunday's visit of Ars*nal. (Daily Mail)
Former Blackpool manager Jose Riga, who had an ongoing battle with chairman Karl Oyston before he was sacked in October, has agreed to discuss his departure from the club with a leading fans' group. (Seasiders Podcast)
Leicester's Danny Simpson and Anthony Knockaert are team-mates against Southampton on Saturday, but clearly rivals beforehand. "Me beating Knockaert on Fifa. Chilling before the game," Simpson tweeted.
QPR striker Charlie Austin enjoyed Warrington's FA Cup giant-killing over Exeter, tweeting:  "FA Cup back on the BBC just where it should always be. Warrington really showing us what the Cup is really about."
West Brom keeper Ben Foster enjoyed it too, especially the commentary, posting:  "Well done Warrington Town, what a game! Think Robbie Savage might need a lie down now though."
West Ham defender Winston Reid clearly wouldn't mind being at Twickenham on Saturday for the Test between his native New Zealand and England. "Wishing the All Blacks good luck for the game. Wish I could be there but have got a another important game," he tweeted.  Indeed he does - Reid is lining up for West Ham at home to Aston Villa.
Hollywood star Brad Pitt, a Liverpool fan since his son was treated at Alder Hey Children's Hospital while wife Angelina Jolie was filming in north Wales, is rumoured to be heading to Anfield on Saturday to cheer on the Reds against Chelsea. (Liverpool Echo)
Burnley midfielder David Jones, 30, wants to avoid a repeat of the unwanted fate he suffered at Derby County. Jones was part of the Derby side that won one game all season, and ended the term with just 11 points - the lowest in Premier League history. (Daily Express)

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Tottenham are ready to sell Emmanuel Adebayor in the January transfer window.
On-loan Liverpool starlet Divock Origi has taken to Twitter to reject claims he will be returning to Anfield in January.
West Ham have reportedly set a deadline of January for defender Winston Reid to sign a new deal.
Wayne Rooney wanted to quit football at the age of 14 before his father and ex-Everton manager, Colin Harvey, managed to talk him out of it.
West Brom pair Jonas Olsson and Claudio Yacob could leave in January.
Malky Mackay could get the Wigan job then be banned from football by the FA.
Peterborough are in talks to re-sign Aaron Mclean from Bradford.

Manchester United will have to battle Barcelona for the signature of Cristiano Ronaldo next summer after the Catalan side ramped up their interest in the Real Madrid forward.
Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Christoph Kramer says he is interested in a move to the Premier League, with Ars*nal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Spurs all reported to be keen.
Wayne Rooney has set his sights on becoming a manager - and has not ruled out managing his country one day.
Everton star Kevin Mirallas is nearing a return to action.
Hugo Lloris claims Tottenham's players are to blame for the club's poor start to the season and has taken a swipe at Daniel Levy.
West Brom boss Alan Irvine is expecting a busy January.
Frank Lampard has been told to forget about staying at Man City for the rest of the season.

Major League Soccer side New York expect midfielder Frank Lampard to join up with them for pre-season training in the new year and not extend his loan spell with Manchester City.
Inter Milan and Juventus have joined Ars*nal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham in showing an interest in West Brom striker Saido Berahino
Wayne Rooney wants to become a manager but is dreaming of playing in the 2018 World Cup.
England's Euro opponents Slovenia have slammed the Wembley pitch as "completely ruined".
Roy Hodgson has revealed how UEFA blocked England's late plea to replace crock Leighton Baines.
Paul Lambert faces a defensive nightmare ahead of Aston Villa's next game.
Roberto Mancini has returned to Inter Milan.

Manchester United are keen on signing £7.5m Brazilian striker Douglas Coutinho from Atletico Paranaense.
Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has advised Petr Cech, to seek a move away from the club.
Claudio Ranieri is on the verge of being sacked as Greece coach after his side lost 1-0 to the Faroe Islands on Friday.
Premier League footballers earn £2.3million a year each on average, or £43,717 a week, giving them wages almost 60 per cent bigger in 2014 than their closest earnings rivals in Germany's Bundesliga.
Colombia manager Jose Pekerman has revealed that Radamel Falcao is on the verge of return and claims he will go on to break records in England.
Wigan have been urged not to appoint Malky Mackay as their new boss by local MP Lisa Nandy.
Robin van Persie says Holland owe boss Guus Hiddink a victory against Latvia.
Gareth Bale has promised to go "all guns blazing" for a victory in Belgium.

Ars*nal have set their sights on a move for Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Lars Bender.
Liverpool are set to make a £25m bid for Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle, but they face stiff competition from Tottenham.
Roy Hodgson believes England are regaining the backing of fans following the World Cup disaster.

Ars*nal and Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of West Ham defender Winston Reid, with the Hammers ready to sell the New Zealander if he does not commit to a new deal.

QPR goalkeeper Rob Green says he would like to become a football club chief executive when he stops playing.
Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has added to the Ched Evans debate and says he would not employ a convicted rapist.
Temuri Ketsbaia looks set to resign as boss of Georgia after they were beaten 4-0 by Poland.

A warrant for the arrest of former Rangers owner Craig Whyte on fraud charges has been issued.
Matches in Greece's professional leagues have been suspended after a referees' committee official was beaten with wooden clubs by two men on motorbikes.

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Manchester United are planning for life without Robin van Persie and look certain to part company with the 31-year-old Dutch striker in the summer with a year remaining on his current contract. (Independent)
Ars*nal are favourites to sign goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, from Chelsea should they pay the £7m asking price, although Liverpool, AC Milan, Roma and Real Madrid are also in the frame. (Daily Mail)
Real Madrid's hopes of signing Raheem Sterling, 19, have been dashed after the England winger hinted he is about to commit his long-term future to Liverpool. (Daily Mirror)

Saturday's Sun back page
Juventus are willing to listen to offers for 27-year-old Manchester United target Arturo Vidal next summer. (Daily Star)
Ars*nal are plotting a £30m bid for Monaco's Joao Moutinho, 28, as a replacement for Mikel Arteta. (Express)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers wants to sign West Brom's England striker Saido Berahino, 21, in January. (Daily Mirror)
But Rodgers has revealed Liverpool cannot bring forward the signing of Divock Origi to the January window. (Daily Telegraph)
Scotland international full-back Andrew Robertson, 20, insists he has no plans to leave Hull, despite his rising profile. (Daily Star)
Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, 27, may leave Spain after continuing to fall foul of the tax authorities. (Guardian)
Chelsea will beat Tottenham to 23-year-old HNK Rijeka striker Andrej Kramaric in January. (Daily Star)
Norwegian starlet Martin Odegaard, 15, is set to reject Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United and Ars*nal in order to pen a five-year deal with Real Madrid. (Express)
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has confirmed the club have opened contract talks with 23-year-old full-back Nathaniel Clyne. (Daily Mail)
Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has admitted he would be open to offers from Premier League clubs, saying England is the only other country he would consider working in. (Daily Mail)
QPR midfielder Joey Barton has been backed to become a manager when he finishes playing by Newcastle boss Alan Pardew. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid's 27-year-old midfielder Sami Khedira, who is a target for a number of Premier League clubs, has told the Spanish club he wants to sign a new deal. (Daily Star)
Wayne Rooney has revealed the inspiration behind his cartwheel goal celebration in England's 3-1 win against Scotland - his son Kai, who is shown cartwheeling in the tunnel at Celtic Park in a video on the striker's Instagram page.
Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo is already getting into the Christmas spirit. He has posted a picture on Instagram  of himself and his son posing with Santa Claus.
Forward Gareth Bale, 25, has admitted he has everything he could wish for since joining Real Madrid - except for a local branch of chicken restaurant Nando's. (Daily Telegraph)
Gus Poyet has admitted he feared midfielder Lee Cattermole, 26, would be "uncontrollable" when he took charge at Sunderland. (Daily Mirror)

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Ars*nal are leading the chase for former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, 28, who has struggled to make an impact since moving to Paris Saint-Germain. (Daily Express)
West Ham and Swansea are monitoring the progress of Barcelona's 19-year-old Spanish starlet Munir El Haddadi. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United will abandon a move for on-loan striker Radamel Falcao, 28, and instead go for former Monaco team-mate Edinson Cavani, 27. (Metro)

Cavani has scored 24 goals for Uruguay in 69 appearances
Aston Villa manager Paul Lambert fears Fabian Delph could leave Villa Park in January as the 25-year-old England midfielder is yet to sign a new deal. (Birmingham Mail)
Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech could be heading to AC Milan for £7m after Ars*nal hinted they were not going to pursue their interest in the 32-year-old in January . (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid say £64m will be enough to prise Isco away from the Bernabeu, prompting interest in the 22-year-old from Ars*nal and Liverpool. (Daily Express)
Malaga will make an offer to take 27-year-old West Ham striker Mauro Zarate on loan in January. (Evening Standard)
Thierry Henry wants to return to Ars*nal and help them win the Champions League - but as a coach. (the Sun - subscription required)
Roy Keane offered to stay on as Aston Villa assistant manager until a replacement was found after resigning because he wanted to spend more time with his family. (Sun- subscription required)
Liverpool defender Kolo Toure, 33, says there are more similarities between manager Brendan Rodgers and Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger than meets the eye. (Metro)
Manchester United's 25-year-old Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera is to be the subject of a probe into alleged match-fixing and illegal payments in Spain. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea will finalise the second largest sponsorship deal in Premier League history by Christmas. (Daily Mail)
Jose Mourinho will grant his Chelsea side a Christmas party this season, after cancelling last year's because of results. (Guardian)
Iconic Italian defender Alessandro Nesta has come out of retirement aged 38 to join Chennaiyin for the final throes of the Indian Premier League season. (FourFourTwo)
QPR boss Harry Redknapp tips veteran defender Rio Ferdinand, 36, to be a successful manager when he retires from playing. (Daily Express)
Celtic manager Ronny Deila admits he has compromised his ideals of good football in order to get results, saying: "I have ditched those principles a lot this season." (Daily Express)
Ars*nal midfielder Jack Wilshere hit back at critics in the media on Friday by posting a picture of the tackle by Manchester United's Paddy McNair that led to his injury on Instagram.
"As this picture clearly shows most people/players would have broken their ankle if someone tackled them like this," Wilshere, 22, wrote.
A Manchester City supporter had his back signed by in-form striker Sergio Aguero, so he rushed to a tattoo parlour on Friday to have the mark immortalised. (Manchester Evening News)
Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, 23, received advice from his team-mates on burglar alarms after having his Hampshire house burgled and his car stolen while playing at Aston Villa on Monday. (Daily Telegraph)

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Manchester United are prepared to spend another £100m next summer with defenders Mats Hummels, 25, of Borussia Dortmund, Aymeric Laporte, 20, of Athletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid's Diego Godin, 28, on their radar. (Independent)
Manchester United are set to sell three unwanted players in January - goalkeeper Anders Lindegaard, 30, and midfielders Nani, 28, and 26-year-old Anderson - to finance a £200m assault on the transfer market. (Daily Star)

Kramaric: Wanted by Leicester, Chelsea and Tottenham
Leicester City have made a bid for in-demand HNK Rijeka striker Andrej Kramaric, 23, who is also reportedly a target for Chelsea and Tottenham. (Daily Mail)
Liverpool could sign a replacement for Glen Johnson in January, with top target Martin Montoya's agent insisting that the 23-year-old will "100%" leave Barcelona this winter. (Daily Mirror)
Arsene Wenger is reportedly weighing up a move for Lyon's in-demand midfielder Nabil Fekir, 21. (Metro)
Manager Mauricio Pochettino insists Tottenham have never considered letting in-form striker Harry Kane, 21, leave the club. (Independent)
DeAndre Yedlin, 21, has been granted a work permit this week and the right-back is expected to complete his move to Tottenham Hotspur next month. (Times - subscription required)
Petr Cech's agent has confirmed the Czech international goalkeeper, 32, will definitely not be leaving Chelsea next month, despite being behind Thibaut Courtois in the Stamford Bridge pecking order. (Evening Standard)
Genoa captain and left-back Luca Antonelli, 27, says he's dreaming of a switch to Liverpool. (Daily Star)
Hull City manager Steve Bruce wants to cut short Hatem Ben Arfa's season-long loan spell, with the winger having failed to impress during his time at the Yorkshire club. (Sun - Subscription required)
Joe Hart will be the world's highest-paid keeper when he signs his new five-year Manchester City deal, which is reportedly worth £31m. (Daily Mirror)

Saturday's Daily Mirror back page
Midfielder Angel Di Maria, who joined Manchester United this summer after helping Real Madrid win the Champions League last season, admits he misses playing in Europe's top club competition. (Sport magazine)
Former Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes has accused Lionel Messi and many of Barcelona's stars of being 'bored' with their tiki-taka playing style and not putting in the same effort as they did when Pep Guardiola was coach. (Independent)
Manchester United Under-21 coach Warren Joyce admits that young players have a better chance of breaking through at 'mid-table' sides. (Daily Mail)
Chelsea midfielder Oscar, 23, says the summer arrivals of Cesc Fabregas, Diego Costa and Filipe Luis are the key behind Chelsea's unbeaten start to the season. (Daily Star)
Fraser Forster, 26, says that moving to Southampton from Celtic has given him the platform and profile to dislodge Joe Hart as England goalkeeper. (Times - subscription required)
Ars*nal boss Arsene Wenger has confirmed plans to give injury-prone midfielder Abou Diaby a new contract at the club. (Metro)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is likely to plead not guilty after the Football Association charged him with misconduct over an inflammatory social media message, which contained an anti-Semitic stereotype. (Independent)
Former Burnley and Bolton manager Owen Coyle is set to make his return to the dugout. Coyle, 48, is finalising a move to America to become coach of the Houston Dynamos. (Sun - Subscription required)
Reading boss Nigel Adkins  attended the King of Thailand's birthday celebration in London on Friday and took to Twitter to share a photo he had taken with Miss Thailand.
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge posted pictures of himself on Instagram  having a heavy work-out in the gym as he continues his latest comeback from injury, along with the message, "Working on me...."
Manchester United forward Wayne Rooney took to social media to post pictures of himself singing at the club's Christmas party. "Great Christmas night out with all team, staff and partners. Really enjoyed it!" he tweeted.
Chelsea midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 27, has become the first player to clock up more than 100 miles during Premier League games this season. (Daily Mail)

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Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is plotting a shock move to sign former Reds star Fernando Torres, 30, who is on loan at AC Milan from Chelsea. (Daily Star)

Fernando Torres has scored just one goal in 10 appearances for AC Milan
Croatian defender Dejan Lovren, 25, faces an uncertain future at Liverpool just six months after his £20m arrival from Southampton after losing the confidence of some team-mates who feel he is a weak link. (Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid have pipped Ars*nal, Manchester United and Liverpool in the race to sign Marco Reus, 23, and will complete the deal to sign the Borussia Dortmund midfielder in the next few days. (Daily Star)
Inter Milan manager and former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini is set to buy Serbian defender Matija Nastasic, 21, from his old club. (Daily Mirror)
Ars*nal and Liverpool look set to miss out on a move for Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Christoph Kramer, after the 23-year-old revealed his desire to remain in the Bundesliga. (Metro)
Manchester City are considering whether to sign a striker in the January transfer window as Manuel Pellegrini weighs up the need to replace Alvaro Negredo, who is on a season-long loan at Valencia. (Guardian)
Celtic striker Kris Commons, 31, could make a Premier League move in January after rejecting the club's latest contract offer with Leicester and West Brom interested in signing him. (The Sun - subscription only)
Liverpool midfielder Suso, 21, whose contract is up in the summer, is set to join AC Milan in the January transfer window. (Daily Express)
Brendan Rodgers has responded defiantly to mounting criticism of his Liverpool tenure and claimed he is the best man for the task of restoring fortunes at Anfield. (Guardian)
Former Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane and forward Gabriel Agbonlahor almost came to blows in an explosive training ground bust-up that hastened the Irishman's shock departure. (Daily Mail)
Netherlands striker Robin van Persie, 31, admits to suffering a World Cup hangover at Manchester United this season, but claims he has now rediscovered his form and silenced suggestions he is past his best. (Daily Telegraph)
Dave Whelan is expected to step down as Wigan Athletic chairman after accepting the Football Association's charge of misconduct for comments made about Jews and the Chinese. (Daily Telegraph)
Roma winger Gervinho, 27, has hit out at former employers Ars*nal for the way he was treated by Arsene Wenger and says he "hates the club". (Daily Express)
Manchester City midfielder Fernando has tweeted a Breaking Bad meme  sitting next to Brazilian team-mate Fernandinho with the caption "Breaking Legs" following the pair's solid performance in the Champions League victory over Roma.
West Brom defender Joleon Lescott met his match on a visit to Birmingham Children's Hospital ahead of a Midlands derby this weekend when a young Aston Villa fan subjected him to some pre-match banter captured on Aston Villa's You Tube channel.
Uefa have published a tribute to the World War One truce on their Youtube channel  featuring Sir Bobby Charlton, Philipp Lahm, Gareth Bale, Wayne Rooney and Uefa President Michel Platini.
World Player of the Year Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, gave his Real Madrid team-mates personalised Bulgari watches worth £6,500 featuring the words 'La Decima' and 'CR7' after the club's Champions League triumph. (Daily Mail)