What The Sports Pages Say

Latest Paper Talk
Monday January 25

Louis van Gaal is set for showdown talks with his Manchester United bosses early in the week after the club's latest setback, a 1-0 defeat at home to Southampton on Saturday.
Chelsea target Antoine Griezmann says he has no intention of leaving Atletico Madrid. The France international has been linked with a £60m+ move to the Premier League.
The Blues are however confident of landing Paris Saint-Germain forward Ezequiel Lavezzi after successful talks with the Argentina international. He is out of contract at the end of the season and would be available on a free transfer.

Louis van Gaal is ready to walk out on Manchester United after admitting his side's recent performances have let the club's fans down.
Bayern Munich are set to go head-to-head with Real Madrid over the summer to keep hold of Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, a £75m target for the Spanish giants.
Sam Allardyce says he will give up watching his favourite soap operas, EastEnders and Coronation Street, as he focuses on watching as much football as possible to secure the players he hopes will be able to keep Sunderland in the Premier League.
Fernando Torres, who is on loan at Atletico Madrid, could leave AC Milan this summer and become a surprising addition to Barcelona's forward options.
Manchester United have stepped up their interest in Sevilla midfielder Ever Banega, who could even arrive at Old Trafford before the transfer window closes next Monday.
Moussa Sissoko says he will not quit Newcastle this month - but hinted he could go in the summer.`

Carlos Tevez was head-butted before a massive 40-man melee broke out in the grudge match between his Boca Juniors side and rivals River Plate in Argentina.
Chelsea's loan deal for Radamel Falcao, who has been sidelined since the end of October with a thigh injury, includes a £38m purchase option according to whistle-blowing website Football Leaks.
Jose Mourinho is 'desperate' to take over as Manchester United manager.
Chelsea are closing in on the loan signing of Brazil forward Alexandre Pato.

Fabricio Coloccini has hit out at some of his Newcastle team-mates, claiming they are 'too nice' as the club continues to battle against relegation from the Premier League.
Watford boss Quique Sanchez Flores is closing on the signing of Fiorentina midfielder Mario Suarez.

Liverpool are still searching for a goalkeeper, despite handing a new deal to Simon Mignolet last week, and they have now been linked with a move for Genoa No 1 Mattia Perin.
GUARDIAN
Roma outcast Gervinho is set to end his spell in Serie A and join Chinese club Jiangsu Suning.

Latest Paper Talk
Tuesday January 26

James Rodriguez has put Manchester United on transfer alert after hitting out at his critics among the Real Madrid support - he has been labelled overweight and criticised for a series of subdued performances.
West Ham are preparing a £20m bid for Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi as they look for a premium signing ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium.
Tottenham are looking to sign Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, with Andros Townsend heading to St Mary's as part of the deal.
Lewis Towns has emerged as a target for Manchester United and Manchester City - at the age of only five.

Louis van Gaal was twice talked out of resigning as Manchester United manager over the Christmas period, having to be convinced to stay by chief executive Ed Woodward.
Chelsea are ready to sell striker Patrick Bamford, but they will insist on having a buy-back clause in any transfer.
Manchester United have upped their interest in Genoa goalkeeper Mattia Perin, who has also been linked with Liverpool.
Chelsea are keeping an eye on Sparta Rotterdam's young midfielder Rick van Drongelen.

Andros Townsend is on the verge of joining Newcastle United after Tottenham relented on their need for a £14m transfer fee.
Manchester United are lining up a move for Barcelona 'keeper Claudio Bravo.
Tommaso Bianchi is set to leave Leeds United and return to his native Italy, a deal with an unnamed side having been agreed with the club's owner Massimo Cellino.

Loic Remy could head off on loan to Crystal Palace, Newcastle, Swansea or Aston Villa if Chelsea are able to force through their move for Alexandre Pato.
Francis Coquelin could return to the Arsenal side against Southampton next week after two months out with a knee injury.

Manchester United have not given up hope of luring Pep Guardiola to Old Trafford as Louis van Gaal returns from a brief trip to the Netherlands to a broken dressing room.
Liverpool have been told to improve their £28m offer for Shakhtar Donetsk striker Alex Teixeira.
Sunderland are keen on luring out-of-favour Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy to the Stadium of Light.
Manchester United scouts were watching Porto on Sunday, with apparent interest in Netherlands international Bruno Martins Indi and young midfielder Ruben Neves.
The secret of Jamie Vardy's success with Leicester includes the use of -135 degree centigrade ice chambers and cherry drinks.
Ronaldinho narrowly avoided disaster on a trip to India after a rusty traffic light fell in his path.
GUARDIAN
Manchester United have scouted Marseille winger Georges-Kevin N'Koudou, who has previously been linked with Liverpool and West Ham.

Newcastle have made a new approach for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette.

Latest Paper Talk
Wednesday January 27

Chelsea will try to sign Fenerbahce striker Robin van Persie if their move for Alexandre Pato falls through.
Feyenoord youngster Tahith Chong has revealed Manchester United are interested in signing him.
Arsenal have approached Juventus over a £6m move for striker Alvaro Morata.
West Ham have entered the race for Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy after losing Carl Jenkinson for the season through injury.
Danny Welbeck is set for a return to training with Arsenal after a lengthy injury absence.

Chelsea will demand £80m from Real Madrid if the Spanish side persist in their efforts to sign Eden Hazard.
Lionel Messi will earn an incredible £583,000 per week when his new Barcelona contract kicks in next season.
Barcelona have hit a snag in their attempt to sign Celta Vigo star Nolito, which could open the door for Arsenal to step in.
Felipe Caicedo could be returning to the Premier League with the former Manchester City striker attracting interest from Everton.
Chelsea could face a Barcelona-style transfer embargo over their use of Bertrand Traore in U18 games when he was only 16 years of age.

Andros Townsend will see his wages treble to £55,000 a week when he completes his move to Newcastle from Tottenham.
Newcastle are keen to tempt Loic Remy back to St James' Park but Chelsea want £12m to complete a permanent transfer.
Tottenham will make a final £17m offer to West Brom for striker Saido Berahino.
Everton are the latest club to have checked on Sporting Lisbon forward Islam Slimani.

Louis van Gaal's job as Manchester United manager is safe...at least until the end of the season.
Alexandre Pato will become a Chelsea player on a permanent deal this summer if his loan move to Stamford Bridge proves to be a success.
Sergio Aguero has begged Manchester City fans to fill the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday night, with plenty of cut-price tickets still available for the Capital One Cup semi-final second leg against Everton.
Tomas Rosicky is closing on a first-team return for Arsenal after coming through a run-out for the U21 side unscathed.
Mauricio Pochettino will continue to make a striker his transfer priority despite losing defender Jan Vertonghen to injury - Spurs appear to have abandoned their pursuit of Saido Berahino and are concentrating on signing Barcelona's Sandro Ramirez.

Manchester United fear assistant coach Ryan Giggs will quit the club if Louis van Gaal departs Old Trafford and the club appoint an external candidate.
Jonathan de Guzman is set to return to Swansea City but the Welsh club have given up on signing his Napoli team-mate Manolo Gabbiadini.
Bolton Wanderers have been blocked from signing striker Shola Ameobi, who had been with the club on a short-term deal, because of their transfer embargo despite him offering to play for the club for free.
Leicester will offer CSKA Moscow £15m for striker Ahmed Musa after appearing to lose out on Eder, who is favouring a move to Inter Milan.

Chelsea have added Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino to their shortlist as they seek a long-term replacement for Jose Mourinho.
Arsenal are set to sign Nigeria U17 star Kelechi Nwakali according to the midfielder's brother. The Gunners are also interested in his team-mate Samuel Chukwueze.

Louis van Gaal will remain in charge of Manchester United but his grasp on the job will be reviewed after every game.
Fulham have told Tottenham they will not be allowed to have Moussa Dembele before the transfer window closes, but could be tempted into a deal that sees him return to Craven Cottage on loan for the rest of the season.

Latest Paper Talk
Thursday January 28

Bayern Munich striker Robert Lewandowski is prepared to reject interest from the Premier League this summer to secure a move to Real Madrid once the Spanish club's transfer embargo is lifted at the end of the 2016-17 season.
Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has emerged as a strong and credible contender to take over at Chelsea next season.
Chelsea's initial discussions aimed at securing a permanent successor to José Mourinho have led them to consider Stoke boss Mark Hughes, along with Diego Simeone, Antonio Conte and Massimiliano Allegri.

Chelsea remain keen on Leicester star Jamie Vardy - and could use Loic Remy as a makeweight to try to land the England striker.
Emmanuel Adebayor has admitted he knows nothing about Crystal Palace and will have to Google them.
Mathieu Debuchy has held talks with Sunderland and Aston Villa after being told he can leave Arsenal in January.
AC Milan's Nigel De Jong is set to follow Ashley Cole to LA Galaxy after being offered a three-year deal.
Saido Berahino's West Brom hell is set to continue as Jeremy Peace prepares to refuse a January sale.
New York Red Bulls young centre-half Matt Miazga is set to join Chelsea in a deal worth around £3.5m including add-ons.
Villa fans have been labelled "delusional" by the club's former assistant manager Peter Grant.

Leicester are considering a surprise beat-the-deadline move for Southampton striker Graziano Pelle.
Gary Cahill will not be allowed to leave Chelsea this month despite his growing frustration at Stamford Bridge.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic has had his salary doubled to more than £1m-a-month.
Arsenal are preparing an improved £4m bid for Leicester youngster Ben Chilwell
Europe's football giants are plotting to turn the Champions League into a money-spinning cartel which will put an end to the Euro dreams of teams such as Leicester.

Sunderland and Newcastle could be set to swoop for Leeds club skipper Sol Bamba after he was told he can leave the Championship club.
Feyenord youngster Tahiti Chong says Manchester United are keen to sign him - but insists he's not going anywhere.

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal is on the move! But it's a new house he's looking for in Cheshire and not a new job.
Fernando Torres looks set to leave Atletico Madrid at the end of the season after coach Diego Simeone turned down the opportunity to take him on a permanent deal from AC Milan.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has blocked 20-year-old midfielder Andreas Pereira from going out on loan after being chastened by criticism over his transfer policy in the first half of the season.
Tottenham will make one last offer for West Brom misfit Saido Berahino before Monday's transfer deadline.

Arsenal have agreed a £23m fee with Dynamo Kiev for Andriy Yarmolenko, according to reports.

Gary Cahill is considering his Chelsea future as the central defender's frustration grows over his lack of first-team football.
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will firmly reject any approach for Mauricio Pochettino, with the club confident they can hang on to their impressive head coach.

Latest Paper Talk
Friday January 29

Liverpool have identified Javier Hernandez, the former Manchester United striker, as one of their priority targets as Jürgen Klopp seeks to overhaul his misfiring forward line this summer.
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal admits he "can't lose any more" ahead of tonight's FA Cup clash with Derby County.
The Red Devils are monitoring Nigeria forward Ahmed Musa after Leicester City had a £14million bid turned down by CSKA Moscow.
Stoke City midfielder Charlie Adam has been ruled out for up to six weeks due to a calf injury.
Norwich City have renewed their efforts to sign Patrick Bamford on loan from Chelsea.
Lyons striker Alexandre Lacazette has indicated that he's not interested in a move to Newcastle United.
Everton are considering a move for Ecuador international Miler Bolanos.
Striker Emmanuel Emenike has had a medical before a proposed move from Fiorentina to West Ham.

West Ham are considering a move for Sunderland striker Steven Fletcher.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is weighing up a move for Udinese midfielder Piotr Zielinski.
Monaco are rivalling Tottenham's bid to sign Moussa Dembele from Fulham.
Norwich are waiting for an answer over their bid to sign Chelsea rising star Patrick Bamford.
Newcastle will give West Brom until the weekend to relax their stance on Saido Berahino - and will move for Loic Remy if they continue refusing to sell.
Charles N'Zogbia is digging his heels in at Aston Villa and threatening to stall new boss Remi Garde 's shake-up.
Barcelona superstar Neymar has admitted he would 'love' to play under Pep Guardiola but insists he is happy in Spain.

Derby County's centre forward Chris Martin is an £8million target for several Premier League clubs including Swansea and Stoke.
Reece Oxford's loan move to Charlton is off - because boss Jose Riga did not know who the West Ham wonderkid was.
Chelsea's bid to land their No1 target Max Allegri as their new manager has been given a huge boost as Juventus are already hunting for his replacement.
Manchester United are making an astonishing raid on Chelsea to pinch one of Europe's hottest young properties Domingos Quina, while Louis van Gaal's side are also reportedly in talks to sign Palermo attacking midfielder Franco Vazquez.
Real Madrid defender Dani Carvajal has emerged as a top transfer target for Chelsea.
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has added rising Polish star Piotr Zielinski to his shopping list.
West Brom are hopeful of securing Sandro on loan from QPR until the end of the season.

Nigerian midfielder Kelechi Nwakali is flying to London to complete a move to Arsenal.
Liverpool are weighing up a shock bid for Bayern Munich hitman Robert Lewandowski.

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp wants to sign Udinese's Piotr Zielinski in the summer while also planning moves for Joel Matip and Ben Chilwell.
Watford have made a formal offer for Liverpool forward Jerome Sinclair.

Leicester have rejected a new bid from Arsenal for highly-rated young defender Ben Chilwell.
Chelsea are still considering a January move for Valencia defender Aymen Abdennour.
Italy boss Antonio Conte is the leading candidate for the Chelsea manager's job.

Real Madrid have tried three times in the last five years to sign Barcelona's Lionel Messi.

Chelsea have added Claudio Ranieri, Mark Hughes and Eddie Howe to their managerial short-list but Mauricio Pochettino and Antonio Conte remain strong candidates.

Latest Paper Talk
Saturday January 30

Atletico Madrid are offering hitman Jackson Martinez to Chelsea in a desperate bid to land Diego Costa before Monday's transfer deadline.
Struggling Swansea have bid £7m for Crystal Palace's exiled striker Dwight Gayle.
Everton boss Roberto Martinez is lining up a move for prolific Ecuadorian striker Miler Bolanos.
Arsene Wenger has confirmed that he will complete a £3m double deal for Nigerian teenagers Kelechi Nwakali and Samuel Chukwueze before Monday's transfer window.
Aston Villa misfit Gabby Agbonlahor will be staying with the club - after a Turkish takeaway failed to materialise.

Manchester United are locked in talks over a £30m deal for Benfica midfielder Renato Sanches.
Tottenham are ready to offer Mauricio Pochettino a new improved contract to ward off Chelsea and Manchester United.
QPR have issued every player with a lengthy no-nonsense 27-page book on exactly what they can and can't do, with stringent guidelines on booze, mobile phones, hats, and even when they can play golf.

Loic Remy is set to sign for Leicester after Chelsea accepted a bid from the Premier League leaders.
Newcastle will launch one final bid to land striker Saido Berahino before the transfer window closes.

Chelsea midfielder Charly Musonda has joined Real Betis on loan.
Mark Hughes says Crystal Palace have landed a potential star in Emmanuel Adebayor and confirmed the Potters were keen to sign the controversial striker.
Newcastle are in talks with Valencia over a loan move for Argentine defender Lucas Orban.
Aiden McGeady will be omitted from Everton's squad for the FA Cup trip to Carlisle with the winger hoping to seal a loan move to Spanish side Sevilla.

Sam Allardyce is facing a race against time to sign the striker he craves after giving up on Swansea's Andre Ayew.

Leicester's attempt to reinforce their squad before the end of the January transfer window have been dealt a blow after Milan rejected a proposed offer of £12.1m M'Baye Niang and insisted he is not for sale.
Real Madrid are set to announce football's first £1bn kit deal, according to reports in Spain on Friday.
THE INDPENDENT
Arsene Wenger revealed he has not yet spoken to Arsenal about extending his contract which runs out at the end of the season but has ruled out managing another club.
Italian side Roma are reportedly set to make an offer for Chelsea defender Gary Cahill.

Latest Paper Talk
Sunday January 31

Chelsea target £60m-rated Antoine Griezmann to replace Eden Hazard if the Belgian joins either Real Madrid or PSG.
Sunderland will consider rekindling their bid to sign Andre Ayew in the summer after being frustrated in their efforts to sign the Ghana captain in this window.

Manchester City are emerging as the hot favourites to land £50m star John Stones.
Under-fire Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal has employed security team to guard his house in case fuming fans turn up.
Tottenham's £5m swoop for Fulham's Moussa Dembele has hit a snag because the Premier League club want him to join them now instead of being loaned back to the Cottagers.
Real Madrid are determined to sign David de Gea from Man United and will launch a fresh bid for his signature.
Manchester City hope to unveil Pep Guardiola on a pre-season tour of China.

England international Michael Carrick is willing to listen to offers and could quit Manchester United in the summer.
Everton are on the brink of signing Lokomotiv Moscow's Oumar Niasse for £13.5m.
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri will turn to Crystal Palace's Dwight Gayle if he fails to sign top target Loic Remy from Chelsea.
Stoke boss Mark Hughes is making a dramatic late move for Dynamo Kiev star Andriy Yarmolenko.

Michael Appleton has been asked to shape the future of Manchester United as their new academy chief.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri has joined the race for Crystal Palace striker Dwight Gayle as he looks for support for Jamie Vardy and co.
Tottenham have *issued a hands-off *warning to Manchester United, who have been keeping a close eye on full-back Danny Rose.

Manchester United have had scouts at Tottenham's last four matches as they build dossiers on England gems Harry Kane and Dele Alli.
Pep Guardiola's wife has been given VIP tour of a top Manchester school and was accompanied by the wife of City's director of football Txiki Begiristain.

Chelsea have entered the race to sign Borussia Dortmund defender Matthias Ginter, while winger Juan Cuadrado could be set to join Barcelona.
Manchester United's problems have spread from the pitch to behind the scenes with the owners the Glazers demanding cuts of 15 per cent in most departments.
Chile's Copa America-winning boss Jorge Sampaoli is on a Chelsea shortlist to become their next manager in the summer and wants to sign Alexis Sanchez.

Leicester City have reportedly had a £11.5m offer accepted for Chelsea striker Loïc Rémy.

Everton are poised to sign the striker Oumar Niasse from Lokomotiv Moscow after having an offer of £13.5m accepted by the Russian club.

Stoke City have scrapped a club record move for Giannelli Imbula and rejected a £10m offer for Mame Diouf.
Newcastle United have lined up a late deal for Swansea City striker Bafetimbi Gomis.

Latest Paper Talk
Monday February 1

Atletico Madrid have had a stunning late approach to take Diego Costa back to Spain rejected by Chelsea. It's understood the Spanish club offered cash - plus forward Jackson Martinez — for the hitman they sold to the Blues for £32m in 2014.
Leicester City boss Claudio Ranieri expects to complete a £10m deal for Chelsea striker Loic Remy before Monday's deadline.
Liverpool are prepared to renew their efforts to sign Denis Cheryshev. The Real Madrid winger was heavily linked with a move to Arsenal and Liverpool in summer but opted to stay at the Bernabeu.
Championship high-fliers Middlesbrough have pulled out of their deal to sign Jordan Rhodes from Blackburn. It is understood the deal would have seen Boro invest a figure heading towards a total of £30m over the course of the bumper four-and-half-year deal.
West Brom are set to trump Burnley and sign Spurs midfielder Alex Pritchard on loan until the end of the season.
Spurs defender Milos Veljkovic is on his way to Werder Bremen. The 20-year-old defender, who can also play in midfield, is expected to cost the German club around £500,000 plus add-ons.
QPR keeper Joe Lumley is a loan target for Oldham, Colchester and Swindon.
Victor Anichebe has snubbed a loan move to Championship Derby and is preparing to quit West Brom on a Bosman this summer.
Swansea want to hand James Chester a Premier League lifeline to help save his Euro 2016 hopes. Versatile defender Chester, 27, has not started a top-flight game for West Brom since the opening day of the season.

Michael Carrick may quit Manchester United this summer. The England star, 34, is willing to listen to offers before making a final decision on his future.
Aston Villa have failed in a shock bid to sign flop Michu. The former Swansea striker is playing for Spanish fourth-tier outfit UP Langreo.

Leicester City are set to hijack Swansea's move for Dwight Gayle. The Foxes are waiting for clarification on a hamstring injury the striker sustained in training ahead of Saturday's win over Stoke.
Everton have made an enquiry for Lokomotiv Moscow striker Oumar Niasse. The Senegal international was courted by Sunderland earlier in the window but Lokomotiv wanted £15m.
Norwich striker Kyle Lafferty has been left in the lurch after Sion return collapses with the player now in a race against time to seal transfer.
West Ham striker Nikica Jelavic will be the latest Premier League name heading to China after Nigerian striker Emmanuel Emenike completed his loan move to Upton Park from Fenerbahce.

Manchester United have made an offer of £30.4m for Benfica starlet Renato Sanches. The 18-year-old has become one of the most highly rated players in Portugal since making his debut for the club at the end of October.
LA Galaxy are prepared to test Aston Villa’s resolve over new skipper Joleon Lescott. Former England centre-back Lescott, 33, joined Villa on a two-year deal last summer.
Newcastle will go back to West Brom with an improved offer for Saido Berahino after having a bid of £21.2m rejected last night.

Mark Hughes is battling to secure a club record £14m swoop for Porto midfielder Giannelli Imbula after reviving the deal on Sunday.

CSKA Moscow are unwilling to sell Premier League target Ahmed Musa in this transfer window. Leicester have had four bids for the Nigeria international rejected while Manchester United joined the Foxes in the hunt for Musa, 23, last week.

Celtic could move for Feyenoord striker Colin Kazim-Richards before Monday's transfer deadline. The 29-year-old most recently had a loan spell at Blackburn Rovers and has also played for Sheffield Utd and Brighton.

Latest Paper Talk
Tuesday February 2

Pep Guardiola has vowed not to raid current club Bayern Munich when he takes over as Manchester City boss in the summer but they will make an offer for £75m-rated striker Robert Lewandowski if Real Madrid kick off a bidding war.
Yaya Toure is ready to quit City in the wake of Guardiola's appointment - he was ditched by the Spaniard when they were previously together at Barcelona.
Gary Cahill has no plans on following John Terry out of Chelsea after 'clear the air' talks with boss Guus Hiddink over a lack of Premier League playing time.

John Terry's next footballing destination could be the Middle East, with former Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola having sounded out the 35-year-old about joining the club he manages, Qatar's Al-Arabi.
Striker Rickie Lambert has admitted he is no longer good enough for West Brom's first-team, less than two years after playing in the World Cup for England.
Tomas Rosicky is poised to leave Arsenal this summer and the thigh injury he suffered on his return against Burnley last weekend could be the last time he pulls on a Gunners shirt.
Manchester United had a deadline day move for Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy, 30, blocked by Arsene Wenger and instead the full-back joined French side Bordeaux.
West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace rejected a £24m bid from Newcastle for striker Saido Berahino, 22, even though the offer was straight cash being paid up front.
Liverpool full-back Jose Enrique, 30, rejected a move back to former club Newcastle, preferring to see out the remaining five months of his Anfield contract.

Pep Guardiola rejected last-minute attempts from Manchester United and Chelsea before agreeing a three-year deal to become Manchester City manager next summer.
Guardiola's appointment will see United step up their bid to land Jose Mourinho as a replacement for under-pressure Louis van Gaal.
Aston Villa manager Remi Garde is prepared to walk out on the club this summer after they failed to sign any of his January targets.
Defender Luke Shaw is set to give Manchester United a fitness boost and return to action in March.

Pep Guardiola will target Thiago Alcantara, Ilkay Gundogan and Aymeric Laporte in his first summer as Manchester City manager.
Long-term Manchester United target Neymar, 23, could join rivals City after the Guardiola announcement.
Manuel Pellegrini's next job could see him remain in the Premier League with Chelsea, who spoke to the 62-year-old before bringing Jose Mourinho back to the club in 2013.
Marcel Desailly believes Chelsea will eventually offer John Terry a new contract.

Pep Guardiola will be given a huge transfer war chest this summer by Manchester City with Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba and Everton centre-back John Stones at the top of his £130m shopping list.
Meanwhile, Kelechi Iheanacho is set to be added to City's Champions League squad in place of the injured Samir Nasri.
Barcelona are considering a move for Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, 27, and initial contact has been made

Manchester City could make an audacious move for Barcelona frontman Lionel Messi in the summer, perhaps spending as much as £120m to bring the Argentina superstar to the Etihad.
Striker Radamel Falcao could still cut short his Chelsea loan stay despite missing out on a return to Atletico Madrid before the deadline. He is being linked with a move to Chinese club Jiangsu Suning, who recently signed Ramires.
Meanwhile, Blues defender John Terry could also be heading for China, where a possible £20m could be on offer for just one season - several clubs are already said to be interested.

Manchester City's appointment of Pep Guardiola has left rivals United needing to decide whether to make a move for former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho before he is snapped up by another club.
Oxford United boss Michael Appleton has rejected the chance to join Manchester United as part of their academy overhaul - Appleton began his playing career with the club.

Liverpool's Philippe Coutinho could be on new Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola's summer shopping list.

Mark Warburton was delighted to sign Michael O'Halloran from St Johnstone on deadline day, but the Rangers manager's top target could be followed by six more high-profile signings in the summer.

Latest Paper Talk
Wednesday February 3

Yaya Toure will leave Manchester City when Pep Guardiola arrives at the club in the summer, says his agent. Toure will be offered a stunning £30m-a-year contract to move to China.
Meanwhile, Guardiola will find a place among his City coaching staff for current assistant Brian Kidd.
Jamie Vardy is ready to snub Chelsea and Manchester City by signing a new Leicester deal.
Arsenal are likely to return this summer with bids for Fulham's 16-year-old star Ryan Sessegnon and Leicester City left-back Ben Chilwell.
Fulham tried to sign Arsenal's Serge Gnabry on loan on deadline day.

Pep Guardiola is leading the race for John Stones as Manchester City enter the market for the Everton defender.
Arsene Wenger and Ronald Koeman had a tunnel bust up after Arsenal were held to goalless draw by Southampton last night.
The FA are prepared to play some England matches, as well as the FA Trophy and FA Vase finals, away from Wembley to allow Chelsea and Tottenham to share the national stadium for a season.

Manuel Pellegrini wants to take over at Chelsea when he leaves Manchester City in the summer.
Pep Guardiola will take over at the Etihad next season but he is fighting rumours of dressing room unrest at current club Bayern Munich.
Joe Hart's future at Manchester City is under threat because incoming manager Pep Guardiola wants to sign Claudio Bravo.
Guillermo Varela is upset with Louis van Gaal after the Manchester United manager blocked a deadline day loan to Genoa.
England will play friendlies in the north-east and north-west of the country as well as Wembley before Euro 2016.
Harry Redknapp has warned Roy Hodgson he must reach the Euro 2016 semi-finals or be branded a failure.
West Brom defender James Chester will be encouraged to remain at the club, despite Swansea appearing keen to take him on loan.
Bristol City had a fourth bid of £2m rejected for Gillingham midfielder Bradley Dack on transfer Deadline Day.

Manuel Pellegrini is a contender to take over at Paris Saint-Germain when he leaves Manchester City.
West Ham chairman David Sullivan says his club would have gambled on £4m Charlie Austin, who signed for Southampton.
Leicester boss Claudio Ranieri will try to sign Bordeaux defender Clement Chantome on a free transfer and will also look to land CSKA Moscow and Nigeria striker Ahmwed Musa in the summer.
Ryan Giggs missed Manchester United's win over Stoke because of a family illness.
Middlesbrough will make a fresh bid in the summer for Hearts defender Jordan McGhee.
Leeds will try again to land Norwich striker Kyle Lafferty when the Football League's emergency loan window opens next week, despite the Canaries' apparent determination to see him leave on a permanent deal.
West Ham target Reece Oxford has emerged as a loan target for Southend.
Everton manager Roberto Martinez has thanked Carlisle for their response to the racist abuse suffered by some of his players during their FA Cup tie.

Schalke's 19-year-old midfielder Leroy Sane has emerged as a summer target for Pep Guardiola when he takes over at Manchester City.
Chinese club Jiangsu Suning are interested in signing 29-year-old Chelsea striker Radamel Falcao.
Newcastle will launch another spending spree in the summer, despite spending £30m during the January transfer window.
Arsenal winger Serge Gnabry will chose between Brighton for Charlton when the loan window opens next week.
Chelsea captain John Terry, 35, has no intention of remaining at the club - even if they decide to offer him a contract extension.

Arsene Wenger has sent his scouts on a mission to unearth the next non-league superstar.
Leicester are reportedly weighing up a move to sign French midfielder Clement Chantome from Bordeaux in the summer.
Chelsea youngsters Kasey Palmer and Kyle Scott have signed new contracts with the club.
Real Madrid have moved to tie down academy star Borja Mayoral, according to reports in Spain.

Atletico Madrid's Jackson Martinez set to join Guangzhou Evergrande for €42m.
UEFA has lifted Dynamo Kiev's stadium ban for their Champions League tie with Manchester City.
Liverpool Supporters' Committee has criticised ticket prices for the new Main Stand, with some seats costing as much as £77 each.

Manchester City and Manchester United lead the race to sign Everton defender John Stones in the summer as he would prefer to remain in the north west.
Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba remains a target for Manchester City, although Barcelona are favourites to secure his services.

Football's lawmakers will decide next month whether to introduce trials for sin bins, as well as video assistance for referees.

Hearts striker Osman Sow could face Edinburgh rivals Hibernian in the Scottish Cup on Sunday, despite the Swede agreeing a £1.5m move to Chinese side Henan Jianye.

Latest Paper Talk
Thursday February 4

Manchester United are leading the chase for Neymar after his dad revealed his son could leave Barcelona.
Richard Scudamore is set to offer Premier League clubs cash bonuses of up to £10m for taking the Europa League seriously.
Asmir Begovic is preparing to join a Chelsea exodus this summer that could also include Diego Costa, Eden Hazard, Nemanja Matic and Gary Cahill.
Cristiano Ronaldo is eyeing up a staggering £15.9m Trump Tower apartment in New York.
Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri snubbed a January move for Brazil legend Ronaldinho.

Manchester City keeper Joe Hart says he is relishing the prospect of playing under Pep Guardiola.
Norwich will sanction Kyle Lafferty's move to Leeds when the loan window re-opens.
Chelsea have omitted Radamel Falcao from their Champions League squad - but included Alex Pato.
Former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has been handed a coaching role at PSV.
Fraser Forster has been backed for an England recall by Southampton boss Ronald Koeman.
Victor Wanyama is continuing to stall on a new contract at Southampton as he eyes a summer move to Tottenham.

Arsenal will reopen talks with Championship clubs over a loan for Serge Gnabry when the loan window opens.
Diego Costa has contacted his pals at Atletico Madrid to get him back from Chelsea.
West Brom keeper Ben Foster has told Saido Berahino to shut down his Twitter and Instagram accounts.

Brendan Rodgers invited Jurgen Klopp to his house to help the new Liverpool manager settle in.
Atletico Madrid will revisit the idea of moving for Chelsea's Diego Costa in the summer.
Slovenian club Domzale have signed a right-back after posting an advert on LinkedIn.
Manchester City courted Pep Guardiola's brother Pere for years as they prepared to lure him to the Etihad.
Petr Cech believes Arsenal now need to win all 14 remaining matches if they are to win the Premier League title.

Gary Neville insists he will not resign as Valencia coach despite their humiliating 7-0 Copa del Rey defeat by Barcelona at the Nou Camp.

Saido Berahino has been told by West Bromwich Albion team-mate Ben Foster to stop doing 'silly things', close his social media accounts and buckle down for a relegation battle.

Newcastle United have taken a huge financial gamble by not including relegation clauses in their new signings' contracts.
Emmanuel Adebayor has been cleared to play for Crystal Palace against Tottenham in the FA Cup despite a big chunk of his wages still being paid by his former club.
China spent more money than any other country in the last transfer window, figures have revealed.

Latest Paper Talk
Friday February 5

Manchester United have been confirmed as the club who offered £145m for Barcelona star Neymar last summer by the player's father.
Football stars can't resist the cash on offer in China, says Shanghai SIPG boss Sven-Goran Eriksson, after Alex Teixeira became the latest star to reject a move to Europe.

Chelsea rejected a stunning £57.5million January bid for Oscar from Chinese club Jiangsu Suning.
Max Allegri is ready to walk out on Juventus – and take charge of Chelsea this summer.
Gary Neville’s future at Valencia is hanging by a thread amid rumours Rafa Benitez is being lined up to replace him.
Jose Mourinho is on the brink of agreeing to take the Manchester United hotseat, according to reports in Italy.
Former Newport County defender Regan Poole, 17, is the latest addition to Manchester United's first-team plans, having been named in their Europa League squad.

Liverpool's Daniel Sturridge is keen on a summer transfer after becoming fed up with criticism of his Anfield injury record.
Jamie Vardy says a new Leicester contract "will be sorted" amid transfer interest from the Premier League big guns.
Manchester United will close an entire tier of Old Trafford due to the lack of interest from fans in their Europa League tie.

Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is in the running to be the next Chelsea boss - but has NOT agreed a four-year deal, as has been reported in Italy.
Tottenham's lack of 'winners' could mean they'll come up short in the Premier League title race this season, according to Sol Campbell.
Former Chelsea and Liverpool star Fernando Torres could become the highest-paid player in the world with a move to China.

Marko Arnautovic can leave Stoke City for just £12.5million this summer, prompting a scramble for his signature.

Chelsea have been dealt a huge transfer blow with Atletico Madrid's club president ruling out a summer move for Antoine Griezmann.
Former Manchester United coach Rene Meulensteen told Ryan Giggs that he was the only one who could manage the club, having been at Old Trafford for so long as player and assistant boss.

Latest Paper Talk
Saturday February 6

Ronaldinho believes Manchester City are ready to make a concerted bid to land Barcelona star Neymar, who recently revealed he would love to play under Pep Guardiola.
Everton are ready to offer Ross Barkley a huge new deal as Roberto Martinez plans to build the team around him.
Louis van Gaal is at odds with skipper Wayne Rooney over the reason for Manchester United's return to form.
Arsene Wenger believes under-fire Valencia manager Gary Neville is paying the price for his inexperience.

Antonio Conte held talks with Chelsea representatives in London last week as the search for a new manager at Stamford Bridge hots up.
Slaven Bilic has confirmed he wanted to make Charlie Austin a West Ham player in the summer but could not find room for him in his squad.
Etienne Capoue has revealed he is loving life at Watford after his Tottenham exile.

John Terry has told the Chelsea board: "You may not be happy with me, but I'm not happy with you either."
Former Roma left-back Ashley Cole has arrived at LA Galaxy for his first training session ahead of the start of the MLS season.
Daniel Sturridge does not want to leave Anfield and could even play on Tuesday, claims Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp.
Stoke are preparing a fresh bid for Saido Berahino after failing to land the West Brom striker last month.
Andriy Yarmolenko has indicated a move to Barcelona this summer isn't on the cards, with the Dynamo Kiev winger fearing that his playing time would significantly decrease and be replaced by selfies with Lionel Messi..

Jose Mourinho is on the brink of getting the job of his dreams and is expected to become Manchester United manager this summer.
Arsenal have scrapped their season ticket price increases after a backlash from fans at the extra charge for the Barcelona clash in the Champions League.
Everton will open talks with Ross Barkley this summer over an improved contract ast they attempt to ward off interest from Premier League rivals.
Odion Ighalo have revealed he rejected a Chinese move to stay at Watford.

Francesco Guidolin has insisted former protege Emmanuel Adebayor is no bad boy, but admitted he did not want him at Swansea.
Remi Garde will hold crunch talks with Aston Villa bosses this summer before deciding whether to stay.
THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
Chelsea fear it could be up to six weeks before new loan signing Alexandre Pato is fit enough to start after the club had to devise a pre-season training programme for him.
Liverpool chief executive Ian Ayre has urged supporters to rethink a planned Anfield protest against the club's new ticketing structure.
Arsene Wenger has declared that European football shold be "worried" about the "financial power to move the whole game to China."

Manchester United have refused to comment on reports that the club have held talks with representatives of Jose Mourinho, with the former Chelsea manager said to be increasingly hopeful of succeeding Louis van Gaal at Old Trafford at the end of the season.
Remi Garde's rocky relationship with Aston Villa's recruitment team has reached breaking point, with his anger at their failure to sign Mathieu Debuchy leading the Frenchman to publicly consider his future as manager.

Latest Paper Talk
Sunday February 7

Pep Guardiola has made Barcelona star Luis Suarez his No 1 target for Manchester City.
Gary Neville will be replaced as Valencia manager in the summer.
Tottenham are close to agreeing a new deal with Christian Eriksen.
Paul Clement will be offered the chance to team up with old pal Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich next season if things don't work out for him at Derby.
West Ham are to offer Slaven Bilic a new contract that will keep him at the club for the next five years.

Barcelona duo Neymar and Sergio Busquets have both been targeted by Manchester City as Pep Guardiola eyes a £150m double swoop.
Jose Mourinho is on the brink of getting the job of his dreams and is expected to become Manchester United manager this summer.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri is being considered by Chelsea to replacement Guus Hiddink.
Leicester City have joined the chase for exciting French winger Ousmane Dembele.

Daniel Sturridge wants to leave Liverpool and would like a move back to London.
Tottenham will have first refusal on signing West Brom's Saido Berahino this summer.
Manchester United will play two matches in China in July as part of their pre-season tour - with or without Louis van Gaal.
Leicester lead a host of Premier League clubs and European giants in the race for Feyenoord sensation Tonny Vilhena.
Michael Carrick is to enter talks with Manchester United over a one-year contract extension - with the possibility of a future coaching role.

Inter Milan have turned down a £23m bid from Manchester United for 22-year-old striker Mauro Icardi.
Meanwhile, United and Chelsea are set for a summer showdown to sign Paris-Saint Germain defender Marquinhos.
Chelsea's Eden Hazard has indicated his desire to work under Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane.
Real Madrid want to re-sign Alvaro Morata and sell him on again, with Manchester United and Liverpool both interested in the striker.
David Moyes has revealed he has turned down "numerous" offers to return to management and is biding his time for a Premier League club.

Ezequiel Lavezzi is set to snub Chelsea by joining Chinese team Shanghai Shenhua.
Jose Mourinho has twice turned down offers to return to Real Madrid and is in talks to replace Louis van Gaal as Manchester United boss, but Louis van Gaal does not believe the former Chelsea manager is being lined up to replace him.
Wilfried Bony turned down a stunning £7m deal to play in China's ambitious Super League.
Manchester City have joined the race for 23-year-old Southampton striker Sadio Mane.
Ronald Koeman is set to stall on a new contract until the summer.
Everton are keeping a watch on Wojciech Szczesny as a replacement for keeper Tim Howard.
Ezequiel Lavezzi is set to snub Chelsea by joining Chinese team Shanghai Shenhua.

Newcastle are planning a summer move for Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge and Reds boss Jurgen Klopp will consider selling the injury-prone 26-year-old for £30m.
Chelsea have met with Italy coach Antonio Conte to discuss the possibility of him becoming their next boss.
Southampton boss Ronald Koeman is being lined up to take over from Arsene Wenger when he decides to end his 20-year Arsenal reign.
Manchester United are interested in signing Juventus striker Alvaro Morata.
Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane wants Juventus ace Paul Pogba.
Chelsea striker Loic Remy, 29, is a target for Chinese Super League side Hebei Fortune.
Hull City lead a number of clubs monitoring Manchester United's young striker Will Keane.

Former Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho is "confident" he will be Manchester United manager by the start of next season.
A downturn in the global stock markets, along with Manchester United's poor form, has seen £345m wiped off the club's value.

Fenerbahce striker Robin van Persie, 32, and Chelsea's on-loan Monaco forward Radamel Falcao, 29, are set for moves to the Chinese Super League before the close of their transfer window on 26 February.

Latest Paper Talk
Monday February 8

Newcastle United are planning a sensational summer swoop for unsettled Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge.
Odion Ighalo could be on the move this summer after striking a 'gentleman's agreement' with Watford.
Luke Shaw has sent a message to Kurt Zouma after the Chelsea ace suffered a suspected knee injury; United defender Luke Shaw broke his leg in a sickening challenge against PSV Eindhoven last September.

Leicester are preparing a £23m summer move for CSKA Moscow striker Ahmed Musa.
Harry Kane has fired a title warning by declaring Tottenham "don't fear anyone" ahead of the Manchester City showdown.
Jurgen Klopp looks set for an early Liverpool return after discharging himself following an emergency operation.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has confirmed he is learning English as he eyes a move to Chelsea.

A leaked player bonus scheme at Manchester United has been released which shows £2.5m for a Premier League title win and a £5.25m pay-out in the Champions League.
Manchester City want to tie striker Sergio Aguero down to another year before the striker heads back home to Independiente.
Thierry Henry has questioned Arsenal's mentality despite Gunners winning at Bournemouth to move level on points with Tottenham.
Graeme Souness has criticised Chelsea's decision not to offer captain John Terry a new contract and has expressed doubts about their ability to replace his leadership skills.

Arsenal have raided Leicester City by signing their head of technical scouting Ben Wrigglesworth.

Chelsea will not be able to buy boss Max Allegri with a mega-money contract, according to his Juventus boss.
Manchester City target Neymar is happy at Barcelona, says the club's technical director.
Everton are eyeing a summer move for Arsenal keeper Wojciech Szczesny if Tim Howard heads to MLS.
Bebe cost Manchester United a staggering £165,000 per minute in the Premier League.

Liverpool's owners will consider a review over the controversial ticketing policy after 10,000 fans staged an Anfield walkout at the weekend.

Napoli fans expressed a show of solidarity with Kalidou Koulibaly on Sunday, wearing masks depicting the defender, after the Senegalese 24-year-old was racially abused by Lazio fans last Wednesday.

Pablo Zabaleta has admitted that Manchester City players already fear that Pep Guardiola will ring the changes in the summer.

Latest Paper Talk
Tuesday February 9

Juventus are ready to give Manuel Pellegrini a route out of Manchester City this summer - paving the way for Massimiliano Allegri to join Chelsea.
Jurgen Klopp wants to bring Real Madrid striker Jese Rodriguez to Anfield in the summer.
Manchester City and Manchester United are both set to battle it out for German midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud of Borussia Monchengladbach.
Leicester will renew their interest in CSKA Moscow striker Ahmed Musa when the transfer window reopens this summer.

Mauricio Pochettino could wreck Jose Mourinho's dream of becoming Manchester United's next manager. United have spoken to representatives of the highly-rated Tottenham boss.
Manchester United are set to beat the rest of Europe to the signature of Portuguese wonderkid Renato Sanches - if they appoint Jose Mourinho as their next manager.
Dimitri Payet is caught in the middle of a contract war between his agent and West Ham.
Leicester are ready to give new deals to Kasper Schmeichel and Danny Simpson.

Chelsea will have to act quickly if they want to land Antonio Conte as their next manager. The boss of the Italian national side has scheduled a meeting with his employers to discuss his future.
Barcelona are confident of keeping Neymar at the Nou Camp, according to the club's director of football Robert Fernandez.
Juventus have warned their manager Massimo Allegri to 'think twice' before leaving the Italian champions for Chelsea.
Robert Lewandowski is in negotiations with Bayern Munich over a new contract, his agent has revealed.
Cameron Borthwick-Jackson is set to pocket a monster 500 per cent Manchester United pay rise.
Borussia Monchengladbach want to sign Chelsea defender Andreas Christensen on a permanent deal in the summer, the club's sporting director has confirmed.
Nigel Pearson could be back in management at Derby after Paul Clement was sacked on Monday night.
Athletic Bilbao defender Aymeric Laporte has rubbished suggestions that he's agreed a deal to join Barcelona.

Dimitri Payet is caught in the middle of a row between West Ham and his agent, who has demanded a new deal worth £125,000-a-week.
England No 2 Gary Neville is to skip Thursday's 'vital' get-together as he fights the growing crisis at Valencia.
Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew has not given up hope of prising Mo Diame away from Hull.
Everton goalkeeper Tim Howard could be in his final season of English football after strong interest in taking him back to the States.
Jamie Vardy's CV is packed with titles and he will add the Premier League crown with Leicester, according to the man who plucked him from obscurity.

Everton are closing on a £200m takeover agreement with US businessmen John Jay Moores and Charles Noell. The deal could be announced before the end of the month.
Neymar will soon agree a new contract with Barcelona, according to the club's director of football Robert Fernandez.
Chelsea have been dealt a key boost in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann. The France international, if he leaves Spain, will prioritise a switch to the Premier League this summer.
Everton veteran Tim Howard is in line for an MLS return with Colorado Rapids in the summer.
Rotherham will target Northampton Town boss Chris Wilder to replace the sacked Neil Redfearn.
Real Madrid star Cristiano Ronaldo admits he's planning on staying in the Spanish capital for 'a couple more years' before he considers the next stage of his career.
Manchester United's cup competition earnings could still top £30m - even if Shrewsbury Town pull off an FA Cup shock this month, and despite their early Champions League exit.
Chelsea target Ezequiel Lavezzi is expected to finalise a move to Shanghai Shenhua over the next 24 hours. The Paris Saint-Germain forward is out of contract in the summer.

West Bromwich Albion are in talks with five players over new contracts, with Craig Dawson, James Morrison, Stephane Sessegnon, Gareth McAuley and Jonas Olsson all in negotiations.

Everton appear to be edging closer to a takeover after talks with American investors John Jay Moores and Charles Noell progressed.
Sergio Aguero could sign a contract extension at Manchester City, with the club wanting the striker to agree a one-year increase at least.
Former Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio has made a second bid to become Rotherham's new boss.

Ross County's Alex Schalk has branded Scottish football a tactical wasteland - and accused Premiership defenders of 'blindly' hitting the ball upfield.
Ibrox legend John Brown was gutted that Rangers missed out on another Old Firm cup tie - because he reckons Celtic are there for the taking.
Celtic hitman Leigh Griffiths thanks supporters across the country including Rangers and Hearts fans after vile online attacks.

Latest Paper Talk
Wednesday February 10

Jose Mourinho has confided in close friends it is a 'done deal' that he will take over at Manchester United in the summer.
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich unsure about Diego Simeone taking charge due to Atletico Madrid boss' style of football.
West Ham have entered contact negotiations with France international Dimitri Payet in a deal worth a massive £125,000-a-week to the midfield star.
Meanwhile, Hammers striker Nikica Jelavic is set to become the latest player to swap the Premier League for football in China.
Laurent Blanc has admitted that Paris Saint-Germain are keeping tabs on former Newcastle midfielder Hatem Ben Arfa who has been in sparkling form for Nice this season.
Eden Hazard is keen to remain at Chelsea should a Real Madrid move prove to be off the cards.
Riyad Mahrez is in line for a new contract in the summer following his huge impact in Leicester's title charge.

Manchester United and Manchester City are going into battle with all guns blazing for Barcelona ace Neymar.
Meanwhile, City are planning a sensational bid to make West Ham forward Dimitri Payet the first signing of the Pep Guardiola era.
Manchester United keeper David de Gea would have had a £400m buyout clause in his contract has he joined Real Madrid last summer.
Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri has already received a 'fantastic' offer to become Chelsea's next manager.
Remi Garde last night warned Aston Villa owner Randy Lerner: Show me the money this summer or I'm off!
Juventus are reportedly preparing an offer to sign Colombian winger Juan Cuadrado permanently from Stamford Bridge.
Danny Drinkwater is line for a first England call-up for next month's friendly matches against Germany and Holland.

Jose Mourinho has told friends he believes he will be the next Manchester United manager.
Chelsea's Loic Remy is the latest player targeted for a move to the Chinese Super League.
Crystal Palace captain Mile Jedinak is being targeted for a summer switch to China.
Manchester Uniteed left-back Luke Shaw is running out of time to be fit for this summer's Euros.
Everton and Aston Villa are battling it out to sign 19-year-old Leeds keeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell who is out of contract.
Former Blackburn boss Gary Bowyer is on Rotherham's shortlist to be their new boss, while Paolo Di Canio has already
applied for the role.
The Premier League has pledged to help fans meet the soaring cost of watching their heroes amid growing calls for a fairer deal.

Jose Mourinho has told friends that the Manchester United job is a "done deal" with the Portuguese set to take over in the summer.
Raphael Varane is on Manchester United's summer transfer shortlist along with Everton's John Stones and Athletic Bilbao's Aymeric Laporte.

Jose Mourinho has told friends he is confident he has landed the Manchester United job.
England defender John Stones could be back for Everton against West Brom this weekend after missing the last three games with a hamstring injury.
Ipswich want to sign out-of-favour Fulham midfielder Ben Pringle, 28, on loan.

Brendan Rodgers has claimed he has had five opportunities to return to football management since leaving Liverpool.
Chelsea could opt to recall teenage defender Andreas Christensen, from his two-year loan spell at German side Borussia Monchengladbach rather than keep John Terry.
Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets, 27, would be 'honoured' to play under former Nou Camp coach Pep Guardiola once more.
Championship side Derby County could turn to Birmingham City boss Gary Rowett in the summer after sacking Paul Clement.

Ed Woodward could face a grilling from investors about the financial impact on Manchester United should the club fail to qualify for the Champions League when the executive vice-chairman holds a conference call on Thursday.
Former Sunderland manager Paolo di Canio, 47, has made a second attempt to become Rotherham boss after also applying for the job back in September.

West Ham have confirmed they have opened talks with Dimitri Payet over a contract extension and denied reports that the player's agent is demanding improved terms of £125,000 a week.
England midfielder Michael Carrick, 34, has been left in the dark regrading his future at Manchester United with just four months of his current contract left.

Lee McCulloch has been primed to take charge of Kilmarnock for Saturday's relegation crunch against Motherwell.

Latest Paper Talk
Thursday February 11

Jose Mourinho is set to land a three-year deal to replace Louis van Gaal as Manchester United boss at a salary of £15m-a-year. Personal terms are understood to have been agreed in principle with Mourinho, who is also keen to bring in Atletico Madrid sporting director Andrea Berta.
According to reports in Italy, Everton boss Roberto Martinez is on the short-list of candidates to replace Roberto Mancini as head coach at Inter.
Claudio Ranieri has insisted there is no team in Europe he would rather watch than his Leicester City side.

Everton defender Phil Jagielka is the latest name on the hitlist for China's big-money football revolution. The 33-year-old is to be offered the chance to join the growing band of players who are signing for the new Super League.
Manchester United's squad is split over the prospect of Jose Mourinho taking over. There is fear among players over where the popular Ryan Giggs may fit into Mourinho's new regime.
Randy Lerner has challenged Remi Garde to rebuild Aston Villa from the rubble of this season.The American owner has vowed to give his frustrated French boss the resources he needs to ensure the Midlands club bounce back from their disappointing campaign.
Yaya Toure could be offered another chance to join former boss Roberto Mancini at Inter Milan. Mancini is also keen to bring Pablo Zabaleta to Italy.

Jose Mourinho will be given a staggering £300m to spend on superstar signings when he becomes Manchester United boss and will set his sights on landing some of the biggest names in the game, including Neymar, Edinson Cavani, Thomas Muller, Paul Pogba and Raphael Varane.
Claudio Ranieri admits he is praying his Leicester side don't wilt in the heat of the title run-in.

Jose Mourinho will begin a ruthless purge of the Manchester United squad by selling £37m Juan Mata and £27m Marouane Fellaini if he is given the job.
Inter Milan will lead the chase for Yaya Toure and Pablo Zabaleta if they become part of a Manchester City clear-out when Pep Guardiola takes over at the Etihad this summer.
Rio Ferdinand says Manchester United face a title drought akin to Liverpool's if they fail with their next managerial appointment.
Leicester City's players will receive no more bonus money for winning the title than if they were to finish ninth from bottom after the terms drawn up in the summer were focused solely on survival.

Jose Mourinho will become the best-paid manager in the world after details of his Manchester United contract offer emerged.
Watford are in talks with young Liverpool forward Jerome Sinclair ahead of a possible summer move, according to reports.
Neil Warnock is favourite for the vacant manager's job at Rotherham United after the sacking of Neil Redfearn on Monday.

Latest Paper Talk
Friday February 12

Former England boss Sven Goran Eriksson claims Wayne Rooney is the next target for the big-spending Chinese Super League and the Daily Mirror understands the England skipper will be offered £500,000 a week to move to the Far East.
Manchester City players are determined to ensure outgoing manager Manuel Pellegrini leaves on a high but are worried about the toll the last few weeks have taken on the Chilean boss.
Jurgen Klopp says there is no quick fix to turn around the fortunes at Liverpool.
AC Milan have lined up a fresh bid to sign Manchester United midfielder Marouane Fellaini in the summer.
Chelsea have made Gonzalo Higuain a top summer target - after having a bid turned down in January.

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal thinks he will keep his job if he can guide the club to a top-four finish.
According to reports in Spain, if Jose Mourinho is brought in to replace Van Gaal, Real Madrid pair Gareth Bale and Luka Modric will top his list of transfer targets.
Alexis Sanchez will hold contract talks with Arsenal at the end of the season and the Gunners want him to sign a new three-year deal.
Arsenal fans are being urged to join a boycott of the first five minutes of Sunday's massive Premier League clash with Leicester.
Louis van Gaal has pleaded with United to come clean on whether they have had discussions with Jose Mourinho. The Dutchman has also admitted some players have become fed up with him at times.
Aston Villa have been told that any plans to make job cuts at the club are 'obscene'.

Pep Guardiola is set to face Manchester United in China as part of Manchester City's preparations for the 2016/17 season. The International Champions Cup match, which could take place in Beijing or Shanghai on July 29 or 30, will be one of Guardiola's first games in charge of City.
Napoli forward Gonzalo Higuain rejected a January move to Chelsea because he was not guaranteed to be the first-choice striker.
Despite reported interest from Chelsea, Antoine Griezmann has insisted that his immediate future lies with Atletico Madrid.

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward says record revenues means that the club must now recruit global superstars.

Watford boss Quique Flores says fans should be allowed to watch football for free.
Chelsea want to sign Paris St-Germain midfielder Blaise Matudi as a replacement for the departed Ramires, according to reports in France.
Manchester United will be spending big this summer with the club expectign to smash through the £500m turnover barrier in 2016.

Arsenal are set for a summer transfer battle with AC Milan over Nice midfielder Vincent Koziello, according to reports.
Rio Ferdinand says England are not good enough to reach the latter stages of the Euro 2016 finals this summer.