Thursday’s news and transfer rumour gossip.
Arsenal lead the race to sign 27-year-old Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, who is unhappy at Paris St-Germain – (Daily Star)
The Gunners could also move for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, 28, who says he wants to leave St James’ Park – (Independent)
Manchester United have been handed a significant boost in their efforts to sign Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, after the Italian club’s manager Rudi Garcia admitted he could not stop the Dutchman leaving – (Daily Express)
Arsenal are set to compete with Chelsea for the signature of West Ham defender Reece Oxford, 15 – (Daily Express)
Manchester United winger Nani, 27, says he may make his loan switch to Sporting Lisbon permanent at the end of the season – (Independent)
Barcelona are confident Argentina forward Lionel Messi will stay, despite reports linking the 27-year-old with Chelsea and PSG – (Sky Sports)
Stoke chairman Peter Coates is in no rush to make Chelsea winger Victor Moses’s loan move permanent, despite the 23-year-old’s impressive start – (Stoke Sentinel)
Liverpool’s 25-year-old striker Daniel Sturridge is close to signing a new five-year contract that could take his earnings up to £150,000 per week – (Daily Mail)
Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has been set a target of reaching the Champions League quarter-final this season by the club’s owners, who believe it could take five years to actually win the competition – (Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea defender John Terry, 33, says he was reduced to tears by Chelsea’s failure to win the Premier League last season – (Independent)
Manchester United defender Phil Jones, 22, could play in Sunday’s match against Everton after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in England’s Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland – (Daily Mirror)
Former Spartak Moscow Aiden McGeady, 28, has encouraged more British and Irish players to play abroad, as he returned to Russia for Everton’s Europa League tie against Krasnodar – (Daily Express)
Meanwhile, Blues team-mate Kevin Mirallas, 26, is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines because of a hamstring injury – (Daily Telegraph)
Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he has no idea when England full-back Kyle Walker, 24, will return from an abdominal problem – (Daily Mirror)
Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs, 25, could return to the England set-up after a four-year absence – (Daily Mirror)
Rio Ferdinand also says he is happy to talk to David Moyes, despite describing the former Manchester United manager as “embarrassing” in his book – (Daily Star)
Former West Ham and Watford boss Gianfranco Zola, 48, has emerged as a leading contender for the vacant manager’s role at Fulham – (Sky Sports)
Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, 41, doubts the Gunners will ever win the Champions League under Arsene Wenger – (Talksport)
Midfielder Stephen Quinn, 28, is set to stay at Hull City, but 26-year-old striker Yannick Sagbo has been challenged to prove his worth following his loan move to Wolves – (Hull Daily Mail)
Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins says reports linking the club with a foreign takeover are wide of the mark – (Wales Online)
World Cup winner and former Argentina boss Diego Maradona is set to become the new coach of Palestine
Mats Hummels is flattered to be attracting interest from across Europe but has no intention of leaving Borussia Dortmund – (Sky Sports)
Liverpool are closing in on the signing of Karim Benzema after Real Madrid reportedly told the Reds they can have him for £38.8million – (Metro)
Real Madrid midfielder Isco has ruled out a move to the Premier League, dealing a transfer blow to both Arsenal and Liverpool – (Daily Star)
Galatasaray midfielder Wesley Sneijder has revealed he rejected United because he wanted to play Champions League football – (Daily Mirror)