What The Sports Pages Say

THE SUN: Andre Villas-Boas will lose nearly £11million when he is named Tottenham's new manager next week. Also: Andy Murray is guarding against becoming the victim of another shock Wimbledon giantkilling today.

DAILY MAIL: Ivo Karlovic will make an official complaint to Wimbledon and demand an inquiry into the foot-fault row that blew up in his defeat by Andy Murray. Also: The scoreline, 6-0 6-2, tells its own story, so where do you stand on the debate? It is the one we have at this stage most years: plucky Brits or national embarrassment.

DAILY MIRROR: Manchester United are on the brink of signing Leighton Baines. Also: Cesc Fabregas admits Mario Balotelli is the greatest threat to Spain's bid for history.

DAILY EXPRESS: Andy Murray fears his could be the next head on the block if Marcos Baghdatis explodes on to Centre Court today, inspired by the Rosol factor. Also: Mario Balotelli is hoping to cap the best season of his career by inspiring Italy to Euro 2012 success in Sunday's final.

DAILY STAR: Mario Balotelli last night vowed to stay a Manchester City player next season. Also: Real Madrid are desperate to snatch David Silva from Manchester City in a shock £30m deal.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: The sight was at once so alien, and yet so familiar at Wimbledon. Not even 24 hours had passed since Lukas Rosol's second-round swatting of Rafael Nadal when Roger Federer was forced on Friday night to survive a compelling struggle for his Wimbledon survival, falling two sets behind to inspired Frenchman Julien Benneteau, the world No32, before eventually prevailing in five.

THE TIMES: There was acute embarrassment for rugby's governing bodies last night when London Welsh won their appeal against the decision to deny them promotion to the Aviva Premiership. Also: On a day when they curiously closed the roof on the sunniest day of the Wimbledon Championships, we had to expect something rather special.

THE GUARDIAN: Spain's resplendent champions stand accused of suffocating the game. In Italy, football struggles to extricate itself from its umpteenth scandal. And yet there is an excellent chance that on Sunday night in Kiev's Olympic Stadium the two teams representing these nations will provide a contest of skill and courage to burnish the game's reputation.

THE INDEPENDENT: Andy Murray will be the last person to look beyond his third-round meeting with Marcos Baghdatis here this afternoon, but at least his supporters can dream. Rafael Nadal, who beat the Scot in the semi-finals at the last two Wimbledons and was seeded to meet him at the same stage next week, lost on Thursday night to Lukas Rosol.

Latest Paper Talk

Sunday July 1

Manchester United are on the brink of signing Leighton Baines.
Tottenham are set to move for Porto left-back Alvaro Pereira - casting doubt over the future of Benoit Assou-Ekotto.
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup wants to be reunited with Genoa centre-back Chico and is close to agreeing a £3million fee.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is eyeing Bolton's Mark Davies in a £6million swoop after missing out on Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Andre Villas-Boas will lose nearly £11million when he is named Tottenham's new manager next week.
Harry Redknapp has revealed he tried to take Mario Balotelli to Tottenham.
Gianfranco Zola will hold talks with Watford after the Pozzo family completed their £20million takeover of the club.
Keith Andrews has joined Bolton on a three-year deal.
Manchester City are ready to listen to offers for former skipper Kolo Toure.
Reading have landed Newcastle's Danny Guthrie on a three-year deal.

Mario Balotelli last night vowed to stay a Manchester City player next season.
Real Madrid are desperate to snatch David Silva from Manchester City in a £30million deal.
Steve Clarke has finally won West Brom's long-running battle with Birmingham for the £4million capture of Ben Foster.
Everton are closing in on Danijel Pranjic as David Moyes prepares for the potential departure of Leighton Baines.
Gianfranco Zola is in line to become the new manager of Watford after the club was taken over by a wealthy Italian family.

John Fleck last night insisted Rangers stars are being forced to tear up their contracts.
Chris Hegarty became the first player to sign a new contract with the new Rangers - and has vowed to help Ally McCoist win whatever league they end up in.
Peter Houston last night admitted the Rangers fiasco has prevented him from bringing reinforcements into his depleted Dundee United squad.
St Mirren chiefs have revealed they are unlikely to sign any new players until the situation surrounding Scottish football is clearer.
Celtic are in contact with Bordeaux stopper Michael Ciani over a £1million move to Parkhead.
Former Falkirk star Marc Twaddle has revealed he's desperate to secure a move back to Scotland after enduring a miserable year at Rochdale.
Danny Buijs, one of Kilmarnock's League Cup final heroes, last night joined Sparta Rotterdam.

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has joined the race with Sunderland for Wolves' £10million-rated striker Steven Fletcher.
Gianfranco Zola will hold talks with Watford after the Pozzo family completed their £20million takeover of the club.

THE SUN: Arsenal want to report Manchester City for allegedly 'tapping up' star Robin van Persie. Also: Theo Walcott is ready to follow Robin van Persie out of the Arsenal exit door. Also: Andy Murray plans to KO Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and 74 years of hurt with one devastating Centre Court blow today.

DAILY MAIL: Andy Murray last night declared himself in good shape to take the penultimate step towards ending a British title drought at Wimbledon that he considers 'a bit shocking'. Also: Usain Bolt has flown to see his German doctor three weeks before the start of the Olympics with what Sportsmail understands is a back injury.

DAILY MIRROR: Arsenal's two major shareholders were engaged in open war last night, with Robin van Persie the catalyst for hostilities. Also: Andy Murray is ready to smash the "shocking" hoodoo that has stopped British men reaching the Wimbledon final for the past 74 years.

DAILY EXPRESS: The burning memory of his worst Grand Slam defeat will fuel Andy Murray's historic charge to the final today. Also: Serena Williams fired her way into her seventh Wimbledon singles final yesterday with an awesome display.

DAILY STAR: Fired-up Andy Murray goes into his fourth Wimbledon semi-final today believing his time has finally come. Also: David Silva is set to snub Real Madrid and sign a new £52m contract with Manchester City. Also: Goal-line technology could be used in the Premier League this coming season after football's lawmakers gave it the green light.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Britain expects. And why not after the form Andy Murray has produced on his way to the last four? Also: The splits at the top of Arsenal deepened yesterday after Alisher Usmanov, the second largest shareholder, joined Robin van Persie in launching a public attack on the club's strategy.

THE TIMES: A "very selfish" Andy Murray steps out on to Centre Court today thinking of himself first, the nation second and the history books a distant third. Also: Manchester United have tabled a formal offer, believed to be about £20million, for Joao Moutinho, the Portugal midfield player.

THE GUARDIAN: The war of words between Lance Armstrong and the US Anti-Doping Agency intensified after the Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf named five former team-mates of the Texan at the US Postal Service team as having given evidence to the anti-doping body. Also: The morning after Arsenal's captain and outstanding player, Robin Van Persie, announced he will not renew his contract and criticised the club's strategy and ambition, the club's brooding, frustrated 30 per cent owner Alisher Usmanov piled in.

THE INDEPENDENT: It has been 74 years since a British man reached the Wimbledon final and 76 years since a British man lifted the ultimate prize, but Andy Murray will not let such thoughts cloud his mind as he prepares to face Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in the semi-finals here this afternoon. Also: Roberto Mancini, the Manchester City manager, is privately confident that Manchester United do not pose a threat to him buying Robin van Persie.

DAILY MAIL: Andy Murray was in tears on Centre Court last night as he became Wimbledon's history man. Also: Jenson Button believes tomorrow's British Grand Prix could be called off if there is a repeat of the treacherous conditions which affected practice yesterday.

DAILY MIRROR: Andy Murray dissolved into tears of joy as he ended Britain's 74-year wait for a Wimbledon men's singles finalist. Also: The British Grand Prix was plunged into a fresh weather disaster as up to 30,000 fans were warned to stay away today.

DAILY EXPRESS: Tearful Andy Murray hit his way into the history books yesterday and had all Britain believing he can now win Wimbledon. Also: Jenson Button says the British Grand Prix should be called off if conditions do not improve tomorrow.

DAILY STAR: History man Andy Murray broke down in tears after beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga to become the first Briton to reach the men's final at Wimbledon since 1938. Also: Jenson Button believes the British Grand Prix should be called off if it keeps raining.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Andy Murray admitted last night he was ecstatic at becoming the first British man in 74 years to reach a Wimbledon final but issued a statement of intnet by claiming: "There's one match to go". Also: Juventus are hoping to capitalise on the hesitancy at Manchester City over Robin van Persie by offering to make the Arsenal captain the highest paid player in their history.

THE TIMES: It has taken a mere 74 years but, at last, there will be a Briton in the Wimbledon men's single final after Andy Murray's sometimes jittery, always entralling 6-3 6-4 3-6 7-5 victory over Jo-Wilfried Tsonga yesterday. Silverstone pleaded last night with as many as 30,000 Formula One fans to stay away from qualifying for the British Grand Prix as chaos turned to crisis over the nation's biggest motor racing event.

THE GUARDIAN: Andy Murray again frayed the nerves of a nation before beating Jo-Wilfried Tsonga in four pulsating sets on Centre Court. he Arsenal chairman, Peter Hill-Wood, has staunchly defended the running of the club against the vitriolic criticism levelled against the board by the 30% owner, The Uzbek billionaire Alisher Usmanov.

THE INDEPENDENT: It was a bizarre end to an unforgettable encounter. Perhaps it was always going to take something this strange to end Britain's 74-year semi-final jinx. Lewis Hamilton gave the bedraggled spectators what they wanted at Silverstone yesterday as he set the fastest practice time - before the British Grand Prix descended into a farce that shamed Formula One.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Andy Murray has issued a rallying cry to the Centre Court crowd to roar him to victory against Wimbledon legend Roger Federer in today's men's singles final. Also: Serena Williams celebrated a fifth Wimbledon singles title having once feared she would never get off the couch again due to a life-threatening injury.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Roberto Mancini has been offered £35million to manage World Cup hosts Russia as contract talks with Manchester City drag into another week. Also: If Andy Murray wins the men's Wimbledon final against Roger Federer on Centre Court today, he will mark the historic moment by repeating what is fast becoming his trademark celebration, looking to the heavens and pointing his fingers to the sky.

SUNDAY TIMES: Jonathan Marray, a veteran of the lower reaches of men's tennis whose only previous experience of Wimbledon's Centre Court was as a spectator 11 years ago, has beaten Andy Murray into the record books by becoming the first British men's doubles champion since 1936.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Andy Murray has called on the Centre Court crowd to get him over the finish line as he bids to end Britain's 76-year Wimbledon hoodoo by laying the ghost of Fred Perry. Also: Bradley Wiggins, three times an Olympic champion on the track, yesterday became only the fifth British rider to wear the yellow jersey at the Tour de France when he finished third behind another Briton and Team Sky rider, Chris Froome, on the first mountain finish of this year's race.

SUNDAY MIRROR: Andy Murray will be acclaimed today as a British sporting legend. Also: Robin van Persie has flown in from the Caribbean for showdown transfer talks with Arsenal.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Manchester City are ready to plunge a dagger into Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger's heart by launching a £15m bid to sign his top scorer and skipper Robin van Persie. Also: Andy Murray has issued a rallying call to the nation ahead of the Wimbledon final - declaring: 'I need ALL of your support.'

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Andy Murray will arrive in a Volkswagen Polo but a nation will be hoping that he leaves in a blaze of glory. The 25-year-old Scot, who sold his red Ferrari last year because he felt "a bit of a prat" when driving it, has been travelling to the All England Club each day for the past fortnight in a friend's Polo. He has no intention of changing his routines as he readies himself for the biggest match of his life in this afternoon's Wimbledon final against Roger Federer.

THE OBSERVER: Andy Murray will be fighting on three fronts in the final at Wimbledon today: against Roger Federer, himself and history. Also: In a potentially decisive moment in this year's Tour de France, Bradley Wiggins became the first British cyclist to wear the fabled leader's yellow jersey in 12 years, joining the small elite group of Britons who have led the Tour in the half-century since Tom Simpson became the first to pull on the maillot jaune.

THE PEOPLE: Andy Murray has begged the Centre Court crowd for their full support as he bids to become Britain's first Wimbledon men's singles champion for 76 years. Also: Sir Alex Ferguson has landed the first dig of the new season by hinting Chelsea have made a big mistake in allowing Didier Drogba to leave.

Latest Paper Talk
Monday July 9

Tottenham are set to finally complete the signing of Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez wants Chicago Fire's Marco Pappa as Victor Moses' replacement - depending on the MLS ace getting a work permit.
Swansea boss Michael Laudrup is trying to sign Bristol City's Ghanaian winger Albert Adomah - but will have to find £3million.
Norwich are offering Birmingham James Vaughan to help land Curtis Davies.
Blackburn boss Steve Kean is ready to dump Scotland striker David Goodwillie - just a year after bringing him to England.
Huddersfield boss Simon Grayson hopes to bring defender Lee Peltier back to the club in a £600,000 raid on Leicester.
Wolves are in the hunt for Hamburg defender Michael Mancienne.
Didier Deschamps has been named as France coach.
Match-fixing fears caused a Norwegian second division match to be called off yesterday.

Russia's search for a new manager has descended into chaos - with Roberto Mancini just one of several high-profile candidates to replace Dick Advocaat.
Tottenham have agreed a fee with Ajax for defender Jan Vertonghen.
Chelsea have had a £17million bid for Bayer Leverkusen striker Andre Schurrle rejected.
Liverpool are understood to have had a bid rejected for Real Madrid midfielder Esteban Granero.
Swansea are considering a move for Bristol City winger Albert Adomah.
Didier Deschamps has been named as the new France coach.
Blackburn are ready to offload striker David Goodwillie just 11 months after signing him for £2.25million.
Derby manager Nigel Clough wants Wigan striker Conor Sammon on a season's loan.
Eldin Jakupovic has rejected a move to Ipswich in favour of a return to Hull.
Birmingham manager Lee Clark is keen on Preston midfielder Paul Coutts.

Chelsea have had an opening bid of £18million for Germany's Andre Schurrle knocked back.
AC Milan are considering a loan move for Liverpool's Andy Carroll.
Southampton want Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.
Blackburn striker David Goodwillie is facing the axe after just 11 months.
Former England goalkeeper Richard Wright is wanted by Colchester.
Derby boss Nigel Clough wants Wigan to loan him Conor Sammon for the season.
Tom Heaton's Watford contract has been scrapped - just days after the goalkeeper signed it.

Tottenham have agreed a £12million deal for Ajax's Jan Vertonghen.

Didier Deschamps has agreed to become the new France coach, say the French Football Federation.
Tottenham are set to finally complete the signing of Ajax captain Jan Vertonghen after agreeing terms.

Raging Raith Rovers chairman Turnbull Hutton last night slammed suggestions the SFL could ignore member clubs and parachute Rangers into the First Division.

Latest Paper Talk
Tuesday July 10

Roberto Mancini's new £37.5million contract makes him British football's highest-paid boss.
Arsenal star Jack Wilshere has been disciplined by UEFA for breaking strict player rules by appearing to boast on Twitter about betting on his team.
Ji-Sung Park arrived at QPR yesterday insisting: It was MY decision to quit Manchester United.
Brendan Rodgers has challenged Andy Carroll to prove he can be a part of his Liverpool revolution.
Manchester City hope to secure the signature of Robin van Persie by selling Emmanuel Adebayor to Tottenham for £5million.
Fabio Borini is back on Liverpool's radar - a fortnight after Roma confirmed his capture.
Real Madrid are ready to offer Ricardo Carvalho in a bid to land Luka Modric.
Arsene Wenger is tracking top Egyptian talent Milo.
Steven Nzonzi has sparked a scramble for his signature after failing to join up for Blackburn's training camp in Austria.
Stoke are closing in on Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron.
Newcastle target Mathieu Debuchy will be allowed to leave Lille for £8million.
Wigan hope to sign Watford defender Adrian Mariappa.
Southampton and Reading are monitoring Scott Dann.
Sheffield Wednesday expect to seal the signings of David Norris and Bilel Mohsni in the next 48 hours. They've had a £350,000 bid for Norris accepted by Portsmouth and have tabled a £500,000 offer for Moshni.

Chelsea have pulled off another transfer coup by clinching the signature of £25million Brazilian wonderkid Oscar.
Manchester City killed off Russian interest in Roberto Mancini by making him the highest-paid manager in the country after agreeing a £37.5million five-year deal.
Fabio Borini is set to become Brendan Rodgers' first signing as the Liverpool manager challenges Andy Carroll to show he can be part of the new Anfield regime.
Gareth Barry flew to a leading specialist in Munich yesterday amid concerns he may miss the start of Manchester City's Premier League title defence.
Manchester United are stepping up their £30million bid for Sao Paulo midfielder Lucas Moura amid competition from Inter Milan.
Emmanuel Adebayor is close to sealing a £6million permanent move to Tottenham with a contract that would make him the best-paid player in the club's history.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez hopes to seal a £2.5million move for Watford defender Adrian Mariappa.
Winger Yassine El Ghanassy is expected to become a West Brom player in the next 24 hours after meeting Hawthorns officials for transfer talks.
West Ham are close to a £4.5million deal for Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga.
Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill must match Wolves' £15million valuation to land his top target Steven Fletcher.

Andy Carroll faces a fight for his Liverpool future.
Roberto Mancini has signed a new £37.5million deal with Manchester City, making him the Premier League's highest-paid boss.
Daniel Agger is the latest Premier League star to feature on Real Madrid's radar.
Nemanja Vidic is set to make his long-awaited comeback on the Scandinavian leg of Manchester United's pre-season tour.
Edin Dzeko could be set to leave Manchester City for AC Milan in a £20million deal.
Arsenal have opened talks with Laurent Koscielny about a new long-term deal.
Wigan are making a move for Watford centre-half Adrian Mariappa.
New QPR signing Ji-Sung Park is in the frame to replace disgraced Joey Barton as captain.

Roberto Mancini hit the jackpot last night after signing a new mega-money deal as Manchester City boss worth a staggering £38million.
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is closing in on a £6million deal for Emmanuel Adebayor.
Manchester United are closing in on a £16million deal to land Everton star Leighton Baines.
Andy Carroll is facing a fight for his Liverpool future after Brendan Rodgers challenged him to fit into his Anfield plans.
Chelsea hope to steal a march on Tottenham by winning the race to sign Brazilian hotshot Oscar.
Wigan boss Roberto Martinez is hoping to add three new faces to his squad while battling to keep hold of Victor Moses.
Ji-Sung Park turned down the chance to stay at Manchester United and a megabucks Far East payday to join QPR.
Stoke are in talks over a deal to sign Houston Dynamo defender Geoff Cameron.
Bolton defender Zat Knight turned down the chance to join Cardiff before signing a two-year deal.
Sheffield Wednesday hope to seal the signings of Portsmouth midfielder David Norris and Southend centre-back Bilel Mohsni in the next 48 hours.

Andy Carroll faces a new battle to save his Liverpool career as Brendan Rodgers closes in on his first signing - Italian striker Fabio Borini.
Roberto Mancini has become the highest-paid manager in the Premier League.
Tottenham are ready to smash their pay structure to bring Emmanuel Adebayor back to White Hart Lane on a permanent deal.
Ji-Sung Park has revealed he turned down the chance to stay at Manchester United or a huge payday in the Far East to join Queens Park Rangers.
Shay Given has been warned he faces a fight for the No 1 jersey as Aston Villa close in on re-signing Brad Guzan.
West Brom are chasing a deal for Ghent's Belgium international winger Yassine El Ghanassy.
Zat Knight turned down the chance to join Cardiff and decided to help Bolton return to the Premier League.
Roberto Martinez wants to add three new faces to his Wigan squad.

Chelsea appear to have beaten Tottenham to sign highly-rated Brazilian midfielder Oscar in a deal understood to be worth more than £22million.

Andy Carroll is battling to save his Liverpool career less than 18 months after becoming the ninth-most expensive player in football history.
Roberto Mancini has finally agreed a new five-year contract worth almost £38million with Manchester City that will make him the highest-paid manager in European football after Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Roberto Mancini has signed a new deal as Manchester City manager, agreeing a five-year contract worth at least £25m that secures him at the club until 2017.

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was non-committal on the future of Andy Carroll, as his club closed in on adding Roma's Fabio Borini to the Anfield strikeforce.

Rangers defender Carlos Bocanegra thinks Celtic will be crowned SPL champions by December.
St Johnstone boss Steve Lomas is putting potential recruits under the microscope with Europe top of his agenda.
Mark Kerr has joined Hibs for pre-season training as he seeks a new club.

THE SUN: A sensational betting scam rocked the Premier League last night. Also: Harry Redknapp last night refused to rule out becoming the next manager of....Russia.

DAILY MAIL: West Ham are set to launch an ambitious bid for England striker Andy Carroll. Also: Harry Redknapp is interested in becoming Russia manager after he was included in a 13-strong list of candidates posted on the country's football union website.

DAILY MIRROR: Andy Carroll is ready to fight for his Anfield future - despite becoming a shock target for West Ham. Also: Manchester United have made a £20million-plus bid for Brazilian wonder boy Lucas Moura.

DAILY STAR: West Ham have targeted a sensational swoop for Andy Carroll. Also: Harry Redknapp could be poised to take over as the new boss of Russia.

THE GUARDIAN: Somewhere on the twisting descent from the Cote de Corlier tomorrow afternoon Bradley Wiggins will pass the midway point of the 2012 Tour de France, with the yellow jersey on his back for the third day in a row and carrying the expectation of becoming the first British rider to wear it on the podium in Paris. Also: Chelsea captain John Terry "snapped" when his "blood was up" after QPR player Anton Ferdinand taunted him over an alleged affair, it has been claimed in court.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: John Terry was forced to mount an unfamiliar defence on Tuesday as he took to the stand at Westminster Magistrates' Court accused of racially abusing Anton Ferdinand. Also: Chelsea are planning a fresh bid for German international striker Andre Schurrle which could lead to the departure of Daniel Sturridge this summer.

THE INDEPENDENT: South Africa's tour of England was severely disrupted yesterday by the immediate retirement of their wicketkeeper, Mark Boucher, after he was struck in the eye by a bail. Also: Liverpool are prepared to accept a £20million loss on Andy Carroll this summer but with no optimism at Anfield about him commanding even that kind of price, a loan deal is seen as the way of building up the value of the most expensive British player of all time.

THE TIMES: West Ham United are ready to make an ambitious bid to take Andy Carroll on loan from Liverpool in the next 24 hours after Brendan Rodgers said that the forward is facing a battle to prove he has a future at Anfield. Also: Harry Redknapp, the former Tottenham Hotspur manager, is not interested in coaching Russia, despite appearing yesterday on an ambitious 13-man shortlist for the vacant job issued by the Russian Football Union, the governing body of the game in the country.

THE DAILY EXPRESS: Andy Carroll is a sensational transfer target for West Ham, who want to take the Liverpool striker on a season-long loan. Also: Wicketkeeper Mark Boucher was yesterday forced to pull out of South Africa's tour of England following his serious eye injury.

THE GUARDIAN: Andre Villas-Boas has accused the Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich of broken promises and "quitting on me" when sacking him as manager in March. ALSO: Joao Havelange, the former president of the world governing body, Fifa, and a senior member of the executive committee, Ricardo Teixeira, were paid huge bribes by the company to which Fifa awarded the 2002 and 2006 World Cup TV rights, according to a Swiss prosecutor.

THE INDEPENDENT: John Terry described in excruciating detail yesterday the precise nature of the sexual insults about his mother that are directed at him during games by rival supporters, in another extraordinary day in his trial on a racial abuse charge. ALSO: Andre Villas-Boas yesterday claimed Roman Abramovich "quit" on him when he was sacked by Chelsea in March.

DAILY EXPRESS: Andre Villas-Boas broke his silence yesterday to launch a scathing attack on Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, accusing the Russian of breaking promises and ''quitting on him''. ALSO: Dereck Chisora has promised there will be no unsavoury uproar outside the ring ahead of his controversial heavyweight fight against David Haye.

THE TIMES: Andre Villas-Boas has accused Roman Abramovich of breaking his promises and said that he will never accept that he deserved to be sacked as Chelsea manager. ALSO: Brendan Rodgers has warned that the challenge of returning Liverpool to the summit of English football is so great it may not be met during his time as manager.

DAILY MAIL: Andre Villas-Boas has hit out at Roman Abramovich for ''quitting'' on him and breaking ''promises'' when the Russian owner sacked him as Chelsea manager. ALSO: Andy Carroll will seek talks with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers as Newcastle joined West Ham in the race to sign the forward.

DAILY STAR: Andre Villas-Boas last night accused Roman Abramovich of betraying him. ALSO: Manchester United are planning more talks with Danny Welbeck after failing to agree a new contract with the England star.

DAILY MIRROR: Ricky Hatton fears David Haye's controversial clash with Dereck Chisora could split British boxing. ALSO: Andre Villas-Boas challenged his Tottenham squad to prove him right by staking their first genuine title bid for a quarter of a century.

THE SUN: FIFA last night launched a probe into Claus Lundekvam's sensational betting claims. AND: Dereck Chisora has bet David Haye £20,000 he will not knock him out on Saturday night.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Sitting in Tottenham Hotspur's stunning new £45 million training ground, Andre Villas-Boas spoke on Wednesday of how he has challenged the club's players to win the Premier League next season, how he has learnt from his bruising experience at Chelsea - and of the broken promises of Roman Abramovich. ALSO: Real Madrid have bid more than £40 million to sign Luka Modric from Tottenham Hotspur, paving the way for the midfielder to finally leave.

Latest Paper Talk
Friday July 13

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has vowed to make two more signings to wrest the Premier League title back from Manchester City.
Crisis club Portsmouth are just a month from "oblivion", it emerged last night.
Liverpool have agreed a £12million fee to make Fabio Borini the first signing of boss Brendan Rodgers' Anfield revolution.
Nottingham Forest's new owners want Darren Ferguson to be the club's next manager.
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure is wanted by Turkish side Bursaspor.
Ricardo Vaz Te could quit West Ham after being turned down for a second mega wage rise by club chiefs.
Andre Villas-Boas wants Atletico Madrid forward Adrian to revamp Tottenham's strikeforce.
Chelsea winger Florent Malouda is considering an offer from Brazilian club Botafogo.
Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is set to swoop for Crystal Palace right-back Nathaniel Clyne today.
Newcastle full-back Danny Simpson and Watford defender Adrian Mariappa are next on Reading's shopping list.
Reading boss Brian McDermott wants to bring in French youngster Geoffrey Kondogbia straight after the European Under-19 Championship.
Birmingham want James Vaughan on loan, but insist Norwich must pay most of the striker's wages.
Crystal Palace midfielder Darren Ambrose is on his way to Birmingham after the clubs agreed a £250,000 fee.
Blackburn's bid for Adrien Silva looks doomed after the midfielder pledged his future to Sporting Lisbon ahead of signing a new deal.
Derby are keen to sign Crewe's Kevin Mellor.
Hull are looking to sign striker Nick Proschwitz from German club Paderborn.

Craig Bellamy is set for a shock switch to QPR.
Whistleblower Claus Lundekvam says he will talk to FIFA - and will stand by his story about Premier League spot-fixing.
Sir Alex Ferguson says Darren Fletcher is facing "great challenges" in his bid to play football again.
Federico Macheda's return to Manchester United will be another whistle-stop visit - with a further season-long loan on the cards.
Fabio Borini will be Brendan Rodgers' first Liverpool signing after a £12million fee was agreed with Roma last night.
Glenn Hoddle has emerged as a shock contender for the Nottingham Forest job.
Manchester City defender Kolo Toure has been in talks with Turkish club Bursaspor.
West Brom boss Steve Clarke is to have talks with Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia.
AC Milan have sold Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Thiago Silva to Paris Saint-Germain.
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is ready to loan out Fabian Delph.

QPR are poised to loan midfielder Joey Barton to the Championship with Blackburn leading the chase.
Manchester United were last night closing on a Brazilian midfielder Lucas Moura after unveiling their first two signings of the summer.
Brendan Rodgers will make a final plea to persuade Maxi Rodriguez to stay at Liverpool as the midfielder considers a return to Argentina.
Darren Ferguson, Glenn Hoddle and Mick McCarthy are the top contenders to take over at Nottingham Forest.
Steven Pienaar is close to finalising £5million return to former club Everton.
Manchester City have told Bursaspor to forget about signing Kolo Toure for free.
Southampton are hopeful of pushing through a move for Crystal Palace right-back Nathaniel Clyne today.
Reading boss Brian McDermott is closing on a deal for Newcastle right-back Danny Simpson and has made a £5million move for Lens midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia.

Brad Friedel has promised that new boss Andre Villas-Boas will not face a player revolt at Tottenham.
Kolo Toure is set for a £6million switch to Bursaspor, as Manchester City bid to balance the books ahead of a move for Robin van Persie.
Peterborough chairman Darragh MacAnthony has dismissed talk that Nottingham Forest have been given permission to talk to Darren Ferguson after the club's new Kuwaiti owners sacked Steve Cotterill.
Craig Bellamy is considering quitting Liverpool for a second time - with Cardiff ready to tempt him back to Wales.
Brendan Rodgers completed his first signing as Liverpool boss last night when he finalised a deal for Roma striker Fabio Borini.
Reading are set to continue their signing spree by landing Watford defender Adrian Mariappa for £2.5million.

Crisis club Portsmouth suffered a double blow yesterday after being hit with another 10-point deduction and being sued by one of their own players.
Michael Dawson insists Tottenham's players aren't fussed that new boss Andre Villas-Boas is a Chelsea reject.
Kolo Toure is ready to quit Manchester City for Bursaspor.
Scott Sinclair will hold showdown contract talks with Swansea next month.
Reading look to have won the race for Newcastle full-back Danny Simpson.
Brett Holman has been assured he has an Aston Villa future by new boss Paul Lambert.

Rangers newco are just three votes away from being thrown into the Third Division today.
Celtic are set to open contract talks with Anthony Stokes when they return from their pre-season tour of Holland and Germany.
Ki Sung-Yueng is moving closer to a £7million move from Celtic to QPR.
Dorin Goian has assured Ally McCoist and Charles Green he is staying at Rangers, his agent revealed.
Allan McGregor looks to have been used as a bargaining chip by Besiktas to ensure they land Nice goalkeeper David Ospina.

SUNDAY MIRROR: Ryan Giggs is preparing to become a manager. Also: Christian Eriksen wants answers from his team Ajax about a big move to Manchester United...Phillips Idowu faces a battle to be fit for the London Olympics after pulling out of yesterday's Diamond League meeting at Crystal Palace at the last minute with a hip injury.

THE SUN SUNDAY: English Football is on the brink of civil war following the John Terry racism trial. Also: Fabricio Coloccini last night insisted Newcastle are no one-season wonders and will be challenging for the Champions League again.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Robin van Persie has been spotted house-hunting in Cheshire to signal that it's a straight fight between Man City and Man United for his signature. Also: Former England fast bowler Devon Malcolm has told the South Africans: "You guys are history" - and we all know what happened the last time he said that.

THE PEOPLE: Arsene Wenger will order Robin van Persie to travel on Arsenal's pre-season tour to Asia unless the Gunners have received a concrete offer for him by then. Also: Andre Villas-Boas has declared war on Chelsea - branding them a team with no history...Ryan Giggs is taking his first steps into management with the Team GB squad.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Bradley Wiggins breaks the British record today by wearing the leader's yellow jersey in the Tour de France for a seventh consecutive stage. Also: Roman Abramovich was last night on the verge of putting the boot in on Andre Villas Boas for a second time - by snatching one of the world's most exciting young players from him...Phillips Idowu pulled out of the big London Grand Prix yesterday with mystery surrounding his fitness for the Olympic Games...It will be the battle of cricket's two most-feared bowlers - England's James Anderson and South Africa's Dale Steyn.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Football's rulers will come under huge pressure to charge John Terry with using racially offensive language, despite the former England captain's acquittal at Westminster Magistrates' Court last week. Also: Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand has re-ignited football's racism row by appearing to endorse a Twitter insult aimed at Ashley Cole.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: The fallout from the John Terry court case looks likely to bring major changes to English football, with the players' union yesterday calling for their own members to receive red cards if they use foul and abusive language to each other. Also: On a cruise down the Thames last week to promote his scheduled return to action in the Aviva London Grand Prix, Phillips Idowu turned up wearing a Batman T-shirt but proclaimed to the media: "I'm the Invisible Man." He certainly was yesterday.

THE OBSERVER: In the popular imagination, Mark Cavendish is a nailed-on favourite to win Britain's first gold medal of the London Olympics at the end of the cycling road race on the first full day of competition. He is the world champion. He is the reigning BBC sports personality of the year. He is more famous than any British cyclist has ever been. What could possibly go wrong? On Saturday, however, one of his most dangerous competitors intimated that the task will be far from straightforward. Also: Phillips Idowu and Tiffany Porter, two of Britain's major Olympic medal hopes, have suffered injury blows only a fortnight before the start of the Games.

THE SUNDAY TIMES: Football's racism row refused to go away yesterday after Rio Ferdinand was forced to defend himself against claims that he had applauded a racially loaded comment made about Ashley Cole on Twitter. Also: To the sound of London Calling and aboard a red double-decker bus, the British athletics team were sent on their way in driving rain and mixed spirits yesterday.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Rio Ferdinand appeared to endorse an accusation that Ashley Cole betrayed his race yesterday for the statements the Chelsea defender gave at John Terry's trial last week. Also: Christine Ohuruogu defied miserable conditions to win the 400 metres in a season's best of 50.42 seconds at the Aviva Grand Prix here at Crystal Palace last night on a day of mixed fortunes for Team GB 12 days before the start of the London Olympics.

THE SUN: Newcastle want Andy Carroll back at St James' Park - for just £12million. Also: David Haye could get his wish to fight Vitali Klitschko after destroying Dereck Chisora in their Sun-backed showdown. Also: Amir Khan has been told to quit boxing after his humiliation at the hands of Danny Garcia.


DAILY MAIL: Tiger Woods hit out at the deep Royal Lytham rough yesterday, calling it 'almost unplayable' after completing his first practice round for the Open Championship, which starts on Thursday. Also: Phillips Idowu has employed his own medical team to get him fit for the Olympics, Sportsmail has learned.

DAILY MIRROR: Andy Carroll is set for an amazing return to Newcastle for a cut-price £17million. Also: Dimitar Berbatov has accused Sir Alex Ferguson of sabotaging his career by pricing him out of a move away from Manchester United.

DAILY EXPRESS: Tiger Woods took one look at Royal Lytham yesterday and declared the venue for the Open Championship "unplayable". Also: Amir Khan and David Haye were left with nowhere to go following a dramatic weekend for British boxing. Also: Half of all the competitors at the London Olympics will be tested for drugs in what is being billed as the biggest anti-doping operation in the history of the Games.

DAILY STAR: Police are probing complaints against Rio Ferdinand over his Ashley Cole race slur. Also: A £15m West Ham bid for Andy Carroll last night sparked off a tug-of-war with former club Newcastle. Also: Dimitar Berbatov last night hit out at Manchester United and begged them to let him leave Old Trafford.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Newcastle have made an audacious bid to re-sign former striker Andy Carroll on a season-long loan from Liverpool, and although the Merseyside club have rejected the approach, a permanent move could still be agreed before the end of the transfer window. Also: The Football Association will launch an internal investigation today to decide whether Rio Ferdinand will face disciplinary action for reigniting the controversy created by John Terry's court case on Twitter.

THE TIMES: Rio Ferdinand's claim that his endorsement of a tweet describing Ashley Cole as a "choc ice" did not carry any racial connotations is unlikely to prevent his behaviour from coming under scrutiny from the Football Association. Also: If Bradley Wiggins wins the Tour de France on Sunday, he will have conquered the Alps and the Pyrenees, over 100 kilometres of lone time-trialling and a malicious mattress-making saboteur from the backwoods of the Ariege.

THE GUARDIAN: Andy Carroll's unhappy 18 months at Liverpool may come to an end with a bid by his former club, Newcastle United, to re-sign the England striker on loan. Also: Chris Froome made it very clear yesterday that, despite the brief but much discussed incident on the climb to La Toussuire last Thursday, when he seemed about to prove himself a stronger climber than Bradley Wiggins until he heeded his sporting director's instruction to slow down, he will be riding to orders to help ensure that his team leader became the first British rider to win the Tour de France.

THE INDEPENDENT: Liverpool last night flatly rejected what they considered to be a poor value bid from Newcastle United to take back Andy Carroll on a season-long loan. Also: The Tour de France came within a whisker of being plunged into chaos yesterday after tacks strewn at the summit of the descent of a major Pyrenean climb caused dozens of riders to puncture tyres and at least one crash.

THE SUN: Robin van Persie returned to training with Arsenal yesterday insisting he still wants to quit. Also: Alan Shearer has told £35million Liverpool and England striker Andy Carroll: "If the club don't want you any more it's best to get out."...Kevin Pietersen comes face to face with Andy Flower today as his relationship with England reaches breaking point.

DAILY MAIL: Fabio Capello will be paid a staggering £7.8million a year after agreeing to become the new head coach of Russia. Also: Wicketkeeper Matt Prior has become the third England player to have pain-killing jabs ahead of their most important cricket of the summer.

DAILY MIRROR: West Ham have made an audacious bid to rescue Dimitar Berbatov from his Manchester United nightmare. Also: Andy Carroll is pushing for a move home as Liverpool try to thrash out a deal with Newcastle...The FA have been warned no black player will report racism again if they charge Anton Ferdinand over the John Terry race row.

DAILY EXPRESS: Chelsea will have further talks with Napoli striker Edinson Cavani's agents over a £35million move later this week - but the Uruguayan's wage demands are holding up the deal. Also: Justin Rose has insisted he will not be intimidated after being drawn with Tiger Woods for the fourth time at an Open Championship...Liverpool will seek to recoup £20million for Andy Carroll, leaving Newcastle in no doubt they will have to increase their initial offer if they want to take the England striker back to Tyneside.

DAILY STAR: Edinson Cavani wants £150,000 a week to join Chelsea. Also: Defending champ Darren Clarke has warned the world's finest golfers at The Open this week: Welcome to hell...Andy Carroll wants a return to Newcastle if Liverpool force him out.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Members of the Australian team last night told how their bus journey from Heathrow Airport to the Olympic Village turned into a four-hour marathon, accidentally taking them past a series of central London landmarks before getting lost in West Ham. Also: David Bernstein will today defend the Football Association's work in tackling racism at the same time as the FA disciplinary department weighs up whether to charge John Terry...David Haye is "prepared to wait for another year" to meet Vitali Klitschko in the ring after the Ukrainian yesterday appeared to lose his appetite for a showdown with the British fighter.

THE TIMES: In his determination to break his duck in major championships, Luke Donald has sought the advice of Sir Nick Faldo, the most successful British player of modern times. Also: Dame Kelly Holmes gave the Great Britain football team a pep talk yesterday about life in the Olympic Village as some of the highest-paid sportsmen in the country prepared to bed down in the relative austerity of their London digs during the Games.

THE GUARDIAN: The Scottish Premier League is scrambled to salvage its financial future after its clubs agreed to accept that the newly-formed Rangers club will be starting the forthcoming season in the Scottish Football League Third Division. Also: Robin van Persie has had his first face-to-face encounter with Arsene Wenger since declaring that he would not sign a new contract at Arsenal when he reported as scheduled for the first day of his pre-season training.

THE INDEPENDENT: Phillips Idowu turned to Twitter yesterday in an attempt to show the world his Olympic hopes are hanging by something more substantial than a thread. Also: The negotiations over Robin van Persie's future have been complicated by the Dutch striker having indicated to Arsenal that his first choice of the three clubs pursuing him is Juventus.

THE GUARDIAN: The Luxembourg rider Franck Schleck is out of the Tour de France after failing a doping test, taken on 14 July, for the banned diuretic Xipamide. Also: London 2012 organisers have admitted defeat in their drive to sell out all of their venues, reducing the capacity of football stadiums around the country by 500,000 and launching a campaign to sell more than 800,000 remaining tickets across all sports.

DAILY MAIL: Brazil sensation Oscar arrived in London for a medical yesterday ahead of his £25million move to Chelsea. Also: The FA will meet today to discuss whether to charge Rio Ferdinand over his involvement in a 'choc ice' tweet that sparked an investigation by Derbyshire police yesterday.

DAILY MIRROR: Luis Suarez has reopened the row over his race ban last season, despite being ordered by Liverpool not to discuss it. Also: Gianfranco Zola has targeted Filippo Inzaghi and Alessandro Del Piero as two sensational summer signings for Watford.

THE SUN: Rafael van der Vaart last night told Tottenham fans: I'm going nowhere - and I'm ready for war. Also: Tiger Woods is fired up to become world No 1 again at The Open.

DAILY EXPRESS: Jimmy Anderson says England have all the weapons to beat South Africa this summer. Also: Luis Suarez has claimed Manchester United wield the "political power" in England and suggested they deliberately conspired to inflame his race row with Patrice Evra in order to sideline him for Liverpool.

DAILY STAR: Real Madrid boss Jose Mourinho is lining up a shock £20m bid for Micah Richards. Also: Rio Ferdinand has turned his back on England following his Euro 2012 heartache.

THE INDEPENDENT: Half a million tickets for the Olympic football tournament are being withdrawn from sale after take-up for the event failed to live up to expectations. Also: The fanfare is back at the door of Tiger Woods. Rory McIlroy is enjoying the shelter.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Tiger Woods is back in the major mood once more. Also: Bradley Wiggins, who has put his heart and soul into trying to win the Tour de France, criticised Britain's celebrity culture as he prepared for a week that could propel him into a place in the nation's sporting pantheon.

THE TIMES: Victory for Bradley Wiggins in the Tour de France could herald the break-up of Team Sky as both Mark Cavendish and Chris Froome seek success elsewhere. Also: With Lee Westwood having had a number of near-misses in major championships in the past three years, some may be tempted to believe that he thinks the game owes him one. To assume that, however, would be to misunderstand the man.

THE SUN: Sam Allardyce is launching a bitter court battle against Steve Kean as football heads for the dock again. Also: Lee Westwood is ready to become England's first Open champion for 20 years, according to golf's top star-maker...Kevin Pietersen believes his limited-overs career with England is finished after his latest demands were rejected.

DAILY MAIL: Golfers guilty of slow play could face penalty strokes, organisers of the Open Championship warned yesterday. Also: One of Europe's leading players has had to pull out of The Open starting at Royal Lytham today after suffering a savage attack of the yips.

DAILY MIRROR: Manchester United believe they have won the £20million race to sign Robin van Persie. Also: Colin Montgomerie has told Luke Donald and Lee Westwood to pull their fingers out - or become another English 'golden' generation without a crown.

DAILY EXPRESS: Luke Donald predicts Britain's world-beating golfers will belatedly light the blue touch paper on the sporting summer at The Open. Also: Andrew Strauss has promised he will not become a third victim of the man he has dubbed the "captain slayer"...Bradley Wiggins called it quite simply "a great day" after he overcame the heat, the climbs and a late attack from Vincenzo Nibali on a gruelling 16th Tour de France stage in the Pyrenees.

DAILY STAR: Liverpool have been told to stump up £10m for Clint Dempsey. Also: Tiger Woods will bid to tame the wet and wild links at Royal Lytham today as this year's Open gets under way...Florent Malouda has been told he can leave Chelsea.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: The Spirit of Seve will be invoked here these next four days. His enduring memory is enshrined within the tight margins of this links course. Also: David Duval entered the room on Wednesday as the defending Open champion at Royal Lytham. Notionally, that is.

THE TIMES: Bradley Wiggins took a massive step towards winning the Tour de France yesterday, successfully defending his race lead in the brutal Pyrenean stage, from Pau to Bagneres-du-Luchon. Also: It is 20 years since an Englishman last won the Open Championship and held aloft the claret jug, the most coveted trophy in all of golf.

THE GUARDIAN: As one of his remaining rivals cracked and another conceded defeat, Bradley Wiggins and his Team Sky colleagues produced another ride of consummate control to strengthen the Englishman's hold on the yellow jersey in the 2012 Tour de France. Also: London 2012 organisers denied there was any ongoing issue with the water in the Olympic Village, after the supply to cafes in the communal area was interrupted...The sun shone brightly over Royal Lytham & St Annes on Wednesday afternoon. Suddenly, the outlook for the 141st Open Championship became infinitely more positive.

THE INDEPENDENT: Flags stiffening in the breeze, the yellow of the leaderboard made livid by the blue sky framing it, screams of "Lee, Lee" as the local favourite made his way from the driving range to the chipping area behind the 18th green; oh yes, in every fantastic detail the splendour of the 130th Open Championship was revealed. Also: The spirit of Seve Ballesteros is everywhere at Royal Lytham.

THE SUN: Kind-hearted Rory McIlroy upgraded a young fan from a draughty tent to a swanky hotel after bonking him on the head with a wayward drive. Also: Alastair Cook struck an emotional 114 not out against South Africa yesterday, with the loss of a close friend never far from his thoughts...Bradley Wiggins is daring to dream he will win the Tour de France...Chris Hoy has lost the chance to defend his three Olympic cycling titles.

DAILY MAIL: Rory McIlroy's Open hopes threatened to bounce off course yesterday as a tee shot late in his opening round hit a teenage spectator on the head and ricocheted 20 yards out of bounds. Also: Sir Chris Hoy will not defend all three of his Olympic titles after Jason Kenny was selected to race the individual sprint at London 2012 instead...After a century of tradition the Wimbledon fortnight is moving back a week to allow the players more time to switch from the clay of the French Open at Roland Garros to the grass of the All England Club.

DAILY MIRROR: Sir Alex Ferguson says Kenny Dalglish got himself sacked for his mishandling of the Luis Suarez race row. Also: Rory McIlroy's flying start at The Open was nearly wrecked by a wayward tee shot which left a teenage fan with a bloody head wound.

DAILY EXPRESS: Alastair Cook struck his 20th Test century to put England in a commanding position in the first Test against South Africa, then revealed he was not thinking about records but a childhood friend whose funeral he had attended on Monday. Also: Rory McIlroy last night vowed to put a solid roof over the spectator he hit on the head during an eventful opening round of 67 at The Open...Sir Alex Ferguson believes Kenny Dalglish got himself sacked by Liverpool for mishandling the Luis Suarez race row...Sir Chris Hoy said the decision to leave him out of the Olympic sprint, the event in which he made his name, was the right one.

DAILY STAR: Sir Alex Ferguson reckons Kenny Dalglish got himself sacked by Liverpool for mishandling the Luis Suarez race row. Also: Rory McIlroy used his head after nearly wiping out a teenage spectator at The Open yesterday...Brendan Rodgers is set to raid his old club Swansea for £15m-rated midfielder Joe Allen.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Bradley Wiggins, with tears in his eyes and a massive and selfless assist from Chris Froome on the final two miles climbing into Peyragudes, closed out this year's Tour de France in the most dramatic style on Thursday on top of a misty Pyrenean mountain. Also: What the first day of the 141st Open Championship lacked in wind it more than made up for in major-winners. If Adam Scott dared to look over his shoulder on Thursday night he would have seen so many champions lining up with intent.

THE TIMES: The doubting stopped for Bradley Wiggins as he realised "for the first time" that, barring disaster, he will be the first winner of the Tour de France on Sunday. Also: With demons waiting to pounce, Rory McIlroy produced as gutsy a performance as you could hope to witness to keep himself heavily in the mix in the first round of the Open Championship at Royal Lytham and St Annes yesterday.

THE GUARDIAN: It was one more question about doping, and it was one too many. At the end of an intense and controversial stage in the Pyrenees, Bradley Wiggins had just ensured, to his own and everyone else's satisfaction, that on Sunday in Paris he will become the Tour de France's first British winner. Also: Adam Scott may have seized the early initiative in the Open Championship but a host of major winners are lurking with dangerous intent...Alastair Cook had two other Essex openers on his mind after hitting his 20th Test century to give England a perfect start to their eagerly-awaited series against South Africa.

THE INDEPENDENT: The closing holes at Lytham define the course. Rory McIlroy added his own signature with an explosive finale to take his place among a cluster of major champions colonising the leaderboard in pursuit of Adam Scott. Also: The last time Darren Clarke strolled up the 18th fairway at the Open, he knew he was about to claim the Claret Jug and be crowned champion golfer of the year. The memory of that glorious St George's coronation last July came flooding back yesterday as Clarke completed the first round of the defence of his title.

THE SUN: Robin van Persie is caught up in a huge bidding war between Manchester United and Manchester City. Also: Bradley Wiggins moved a step nearer to an historic Tour de France victory and admitted: "This has been so humbling."

DAILY MAIL: Manchester City, Manchester United and Juventus have sparked a three-way bidding war for Arsenal striker Robin van Persie. Also: It is hard to believe anyone in the long history of the Open Championship has ever played 36 holes before without registering anything worse on his card than a four.

DAILY MIRROR: Luka Modric went missing yesterday in a desperate attempt to force through his move to Real Madrid. Also: Brandt Snedeker has put his single-shot lead at The Open down to spending every night in the pub.

DAILY EXPRESS: Mark Cavendish is in perfect form to kick-start a British medal rush at the Olympics next Saturday after a devastating sprinting show in the Tour de France. Also: Tiger Woods was last night in the centre of a swearing row after an audible expletive on the 11th tee led to angry remonstrations from supporters.

DAILY STAR: Manchester United must shell out £30m to land Robin van Persie. Also: Foul-mouthed Tiger Woods was at the centre of another 'F word' storm as he roared into the Open reckoning yesterday.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: After an opening day spent wiping the sleep from their eyes, South Africa got their game face on yesterday with a bowling performance truer to type and a batting effort as resolute as England's had been before their wickets began to tumble. Also: Typical of Tiger Woods to steal the headlines off a history-maker. He holed a bunker shot on the 18th yesterday evening to set up this weekend perfectly.

THE TIMES: When Brandt Snedeker was asked how it felt to be leading the 141st Open Championship after 36 holes at Royal Lytham & St Annes, he said that he was "in shock". The same could be said of the players giving chase. Also: Portsmouth's crisis deepened last night when Michael Appleton, the manager, and his players were told that the club could fold within three weeks and redundancy talks commenced with every member of staff.

THE GUARDIAN: Robin van Persie will not travel with Arsenal on their tour of Asia, though Arsene Wenger is expected to cite fitness reasons for his absence rather than the captain's potential transfer from the club and the related distraction. Also: Luka Modric did not report for Tottenham Hotspur's final training session before their tour of the United States and there is doubt over whether he will board the team flight to Los Angeles that departs today.

THE INDEPENDENT: Mark Cavendish drew equal with all-time sprinting great Andre Darrigade's total of 22 Tour stage wins in appropriately dramatic fashion, tearing past the remnants of a breakaway for one of the most spectacular victories of the Manxman's career. Also: The Football Association's youth development programme suffered a blow when Gareth Southgate left the organisation having decided the role of technical director was not for him.

THE SUN SUNDAY: Bradley Wiggins will today be crowned Tour de France king. Also: Robin van Persie is demanding £10.1million a year for his signature this summer.


SUNDAY MIRROR: Sir Alex Ferguson has launched a staunch defence of the Glazer family. Also: Bradley Wiggins will make history in Paris today by becoming the first Brit to win the Tour de France.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY: Brazil's Lucas Moura has revealed his 'excitement' at the prospect of a £30m move to Man United. Also: Bradley Wiggins is almost certain to be the first Brit to win the Tour de France today.

SUNDAY EXPRESS: Graeme McDowell predicted a week ago that the Open Championship was heading back to Northern Ireland. Also: The National Anthem will ring out over the Champs Elysees today to herald Bradley Wiggins as Britain's first-ever Tour de France winner.

MAIL ON SUNDAY: Manchester United's move to sign Robin van Persie is hanging in the balance because Arsenal are refusing to budge on their £30million valuation of the Dutch striker.

THE SUNDAY TIMES: Nineteen years have passed since an Australian won the Open and now another has one hand on the Claret Jug. Also: Bradley Wiggins will be crowned Tour de France champion today.

THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH: Bradley Wiggins will make history today when he becomes the first British rider to win the Tour de France. Also: England's grip on the world Test championship was loosened yesterday.

INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY: Wonderful Bradley Wiggins has set up a victory procession. Arsene Wenger has reiterated his desire to keep Robin van Persie at Arsenal.

THE PEOPLE: Bradley Wiggins will sip champagne on a cruise into Paris to be acclaimed as Britain's first winner of the Tour de France. Also: Sir Alex Ferguson has rounded on Chelsea and Manchester City for spending too much money on agents and not taking a chance on kids.

THE OBSERVER: Bradley Wiggins will become the first British winner of the Tour de France. Also: Arsene Wenger is still intent on keeping Robin van Persie at Arsenal.

THE SUN: Bradley Wiggins turned Paris yellow and then roared: Only gold will do now at London 2012. Also: Ernie Els plans to toast his Open triumph by having a drink with Nelson Mandela.

DAILY MAIL: Bradley Wiggins was crowned the first British winner of the Tour de France on a Champs-Elysees bedecked in Union Flags yesterday and immediately turned his thoughts to winning Olympic gold. Also: This was Greg Norman at the Masters in 1996 all over again. This was truly heart-wrenching for any one with Australian blood and for Adam Scott's English relatives who once had a home at the far end of Royal Lytham, overlooking the ninth green.

DAILY MIRROR: Bradley Wiggins made British sporting history by sealing victory in the Tour de France and then vowed: "Now, I'll win Olympic gold." Also: Ernie Els toasted his shock Open win after revealing critics laughed at him recently for being an "absolute fool".

DAILY EXPRESS: Bradley Wiggins wrote his name into the history books yesterday, becoming the first British winner in 109 years of the Tour de France - and he then promised to go for Olympic gold. Also: Ernie Els yesterday won golf's most prestigious prize as Australian Adam Scott delivered a calamitous 'Devon Loch' finish to the Open Championship.

DAILY STAR: Bradley Wiggins set his sights on Olympic gold yesterday after claiming an historic Tour de France crown. Also: Ernie Els snatched a sensational Open victory as Aussie Adam Scott was struck down by the bogeyman.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: There was no time, nor inclination, for the traditionally wistful, ceremonial Sunday afternoon pedal into Paris for Bradley Wiggins. Also: Ernie Els must have believed Lytham owed him an Open Championship, but not even the big South African would have dreamt that the old links would have delivered it to him so dramatically, with one of the biggest chokes in golf's history.

THE TIMES: On a hot afternoon in Paris, a very British party took over the world's most famous boulevard, as Mark Cavendish, from the Isle of Man, sprinted to stage victory and Bradley Wiggins, of Kilburn, the new Tour de France champion, lifted his arms aloft on the Champs Elysees. Also: Adam Scott snatched defeat from the jaws of victory to hand the 141st Open Championship to Ernie Els in a dramatic, heart-rending finish at Royal Lytham & St Annes yesterday.

THE GUARDIAN: It is the measure of sporting greats that they can write their own script, accept that the opposition is aware of it and then, live up to expectations. That, pretty much, has been the story of Team Sky's Tour. Also: Adam Scott came into the final day of the Open Championship seeking to etch an indelible mark in golfing history. He did precisely that but not in the way he has intended.

THE INDEPENDENT: Way back in 1993, when Bradley Wiggins travelled to Paris to see Spaniard Miguel Indurain stand triumphantly on the Champs-Elysees for his third of five Tour de France wins, the Londoner could surely never have thought that 19 years later the spark of inspiration that Indurain's win created that day inside him would one day lead Wiggins - as it did yesterday - to follow his boyhood idol's footsteps on to the Paris podium an din the process become the first Briton to seal overall victory in cycling's biggest race. Also: Wow. The word was uttered in disbelief. Adam Scott's knees went from underneath him, buckled by the most agonising sequence of numbers in Open history.

THE SUN: Luka Modric has made a grovelling apology to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy for going on strike. Also: Roberto Mancini is furious Manchester City are falling behind in the race to sign Robin van Persie.

DAILY MIRROR: Roberto Mancini has had a major bust-up with his Manchester City bosses over their failure to land Robin van Persie. Also: Tim Cahill is ready to quit Everton for New York Red Bulls - and team up with Thierry Henry in the Big Apple.

DAILY STAR: Andy Carroll has told Liverpool they will not force him out of Anfield. Also: Scott Parker was last night sensationally ruled out for up to six weeks with an Achilles injury.

DAILY EXPRESS: Gold medal hope Phillips Idowu could be out of the Olympics if he does not recover from a knee injury. Also: Tim Cahill will bring the curtain down on a distinguished Everton career today by moving to Major League Soccer with New York Red Bulls.

DAILY MAIL: British Olympic officials last night finally called time on Phillips Idowu's injury charade by demanding to see his medical records. Also: Roberto Mancini fears Manchester City have lost the initiative in the scramble for Robin van Persie's signature.

THE TIMES: Phillips Idowu's prospects of upgrading his Olympic silver medal appear to be in tatters after he failed to fly to the Team GB training camp in Portugal. Also: Olympic officials have been branded "chickens and cowards" for refusing to hold a minute's silence for the 11 victims of the Munich massacre at the opening ceremony on Friday.

THE GUARDIAN: England's cricketers have been told by their captain Andrew Strauss to go home and have a look at themselves in the mirror after one of the worst defeats in their history. Also: Phillips Idowu has pulled out of a pre-Olympic training camp in Portugal so that he can receive treatment on a persistent hip injury.

DAILY TELEGRAPH: Fears are growing that world silver medallist Phillips Idowu will not be in the physical shape to mount a serious challenge for triple jump gold at the Olympics after he was forced to pull out of a UK Athletics warm-weather training camp in Portugal and stayed in London for treatment to "an ongoing injury problem". Also: Moroccan runner Mariem Alaoui Selsouli, the fastest 1500 metres runner in the world this year and a hot favourite for Olympic gold, faces expulsion from the Games and a lifetime ban from athletics after failing a drug test for the second time in her career.

THE INDEPENDENT: England are one match away from being dethroned as the top Test side in the world. Also: The odds about Phillips Idowu making the 2012 Olympics - or at least making them in anything approaching medal shape - lengthened yesterday when it emerged the former world triple jump champion would be staying in London to have private treatment to "an ongoing injury" instead of attending the British athletics team's pre-Games "holding camp" in Monte Gordo in Portugal.