Thursday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool are ready to make a £25m loss on striker Andy Carroll this summer, with former club Newcastle preparing a £10m bid to bring him back to the North East.

Full story: Independent

Sam Allardyce has been given the green light to start talks about taking Carroll, 23, to West Ham on a season-long loan.

Full story: the Sun

Fulham boss Martin Jol is to offer Clint Dempsey as he makes a move to take Carroll on loan from under the noses of AC Milan and West Ham.

Full story: Daily Mirror

New Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas wants Porto midfielder Joao Moutinho as a possible replacement for Luka Modric. Modric is expected to leave White Hart Lane this summer and Spurs are ready to bring in Moutinho, who shone at Euro 2012 for Portugal.

Full story: talkSPORT

Alan Pardew has assured Demba Ba, 27, that he is central to his plans and that he will play him in the more central role that the striker craves.

Could Jermain Defoe be on his way to Reading?

Full story: Daily Mirror

Aleksander Kolarov is heading for showdown talks with Roberto Mancini over his Manchester City future. The 26-year-old Serbian is concerned about his lack of Premier League starts.

Full story: Daily Star

Porto striker Hulk has denied he is close to signing a deal to join Chelsea. The 25-year-old, who is part of the Brazil squad for this summer's Olympics, is happy to remain in Portugal.

Full story: talkSPORT

Reading are set to make a £5m bid for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe.

Full story: Metro

West Brom and Aston Villa both want Rennes midfielder Tongo Doumbia this summer.

Full story: Daily Express

Brighton have opened talks with Arsenal over a loan move for teenage defender Ignasi Miquel, but they face competition from Barcelona's B team.

Full story: talkSPORT

Newcastle have entered the race to sign Blackburn winger Junior Hoilett - who is out of contract at Ewood Park - after his proposed move to Borussia Monchengladbach fell through.

Full story: Metro

Tottenham forward Rafael van der Vaart could be on his way to join a club in the United Arab Emirates after seeing a move to Hamburg fall through.

Full story: Daily Mail

Everton are turning their attentions elsewhere after Wigan striker Hugo Rodallega, 26, demanded £70,000 a week in wages.

Full story: Daily Star

Jack Butland, a £6m target for Southampton, has warned Birmingham City he could leave unless he gets regular games.

Full story: Daily Express

Queens Park Rangers believe they have won the race to sign Celtic's Ki Sung-Yueng, with reports from Seoul claiming that a fee of £7m has been agreed between the clubs but with personal terms still to be agreed.

Full story: The Herald

Scotland international Allan McGregor is holding off signing for Besiktas as he retains hopes of winning a move to the English top-flight while leaving Rangers, but his hopes could be dashed because of fears the 6ft goalkeeper is not tall enough.

Full story: Daily Express

OTHER GOSSIP

Former England manager Fabio Capello is in pole position to take the vacant Russia job after Harry Redknapp ruled himself out.

Fabio Capello left his job as England boss in February

Full story: Daily Mail

Wales boss Chris Coleman admits he is glad that winger Gareth Bale is not fit to play in the Olympics.

Full story: Daily Mirror

David Beckham will not stay in London for the whole Olympics after he was left out of the Team GB squad. He will instead return to Los Angeles to play for LA Galaxy.

Full story: Daily Mail

Manchester United are planning more talks with Danny Welbeck, 21, after failing to agree a new contract with the England star.

Full story: Daily Star

Manchester City have already sold their season ticket allocation of 36,000 in record time, even though prices are up by 9% on last season.

Full story: Daily Mail

Scottish Football League clubs could refuse to vote at Friday's meeting to decide the future of the new Rangers as they are unhappy at the wording of reorganisation proposals from their own board, the Scottish Football Association and the Scottish Premier League.

Full story: Daily Express

The new Rangers' hopes of being voted into Division One are balanced on a knife edge, with half the Scottish Football League clubs due to attend Friday's vote minded to send the Ibrox club to Division Three.

Full story: The Sun

Former First Minister Henry McLeish, who produced a report for the Scottish Football Association proposing reorganisation of the game, says Scottish football cannot afford to send the new Rangers to Division Three and has pleaded for lower-league clubs to vote the new Ibrox side into Division One.

Full story: Daily Record

Albion Rovers will demand compensation should derby rivals Airdrie United be promoted to Division One because the new Rangers are voted into Division Three.

Full story: The Sun

Charles Green's Sevco consortium paid only £1.5m for Rangers, including Ibrox Stadium and its nearby car park and the Murray Park training ground, plus £2.7m for the contracts of players.

Full story: Daily Record

Charles Green's newco is unlikely to receive any of the £900,000 due to Rangers for finishing second in the Scottish Premier League, which will use the money to pay members clubs who are owed money by the old club going into liquidation.

Full story: Daily Express

Hearts will be the biggest beneficiaries of the Scottish Premier League's decision to withhold prize money due to the old Rangers, who owe the Tynecastle club £800,000 for the transfer of Scotland defender Lee Wallace.

Full story: The Scotsman

AND FINALLY...

New Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers admits he may not see any success during his time at the club, calling the challenge "immense."

Full story: Daily Mirror