Sunday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Cristiano Ronaldo's desire to become the highest paid player in the world has caused a rift with Real Madrid and alerted Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester City. Bidding for the 27-year-old forward would begin at the £80m mark, the price Manchester United sold him for in 2009.

Full story: Mail on Sunday

Manchester City and Liverpool have promised to play Theo Walcott as a striker, rather than keep him in the winger role he occupies for Arsenal. The 23-year-old's current contract expires at the end of the season.

Full story: Sunday Mirror

The agent of Getafe midfielder Abdel Barrada has said that Manchester City are watching the 23-year-old.

Full story: Metro

Manchester United winger Nani is a £12m transfer target for Serie A champions Juventus.

Full story: Sunday Mirror

And United boss Sir Alex Ferguson could replace the Portuguese winger with Blackpool's Thomas Ince - son of former United man Paul - with the sides close to agreeing a £6m fee.

Full story: Sunday Express

OTHER GOSSIP

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will demand a large compensation package from Blackburn if the Championship side want technical co-ordinator Tim Sherwood to replace Steve Kean as manager at Ewood Park.

Full story: Mail on Sunday

Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has urged Rio Ferdinand to end his England career. Ferguson said: "Rio could do the job for England, no doubt about that — but I don't see why he should. He should concentrate on his career here, that's what I'd prefer."

Full story: The Sun

QPR chairman Tony Fernandes says manager Mark Hughes "is the best thing to happen to QPR." The London club are bottom of the Premier League but Fernandes has urged fans to "keep the faith."

Full story: Tony Fernandes on Twitter

Chelsea captain John Terry was again snubbed during the pre-match handshakes at Arsenal on Saturday - by Gunners mascot Gunnersaurus.

Full story: The Observer

Liverpool plan to offer 18-year-old playmaker Suso an improved contract. The Spaniard was handed his first Premier League start in his club's 5-2 victory at Norwich on Saturday.

Full story: Liverpool Echo

Suso rejected overtures from Real Madrid and Barcelona to sign for Liverpool

Manager Sam Allardyce's hopes of a new West Ham deal depend on whether he guides the side to Premier League safety. The 57-year-old's current contract expires at the end of the season.

Full story: Sunday Telegraph

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich's declaration that no player over the age of 30 will be given more than a one-year contract extension could lead to the exits of 31-year-old left-back Ashley Cole, 31-year-old captain John Terry and 34-year-old midfielder Frank Lampard.

Full story: Sunday Mirror

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard admits it will be "a miracle" if he wins the Premier League title at Anfield before he retires. The 32-year-old says: "There's not just Manchester United and Arsenal now but Manchester City, Chelsea, Tottenham and Newcastle coming as well."

Full story: The Sunday Times (subscription required)

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane is set for a surprise return to management with Turkish side Kasimpasa, who are based in Istanbul.

Full story: The Sun

Rangers chief executive Charles Green told an audience of the club's fans in Northern Ireland that, as a mark of protest, they will never again play in the Scottish Premier League as long as he is in charge at Ibrox.

Full story: Scotland On Sunday

Scottish Football League chief executive David Longmuir says his organisation will wait until the Scottish Premier League concludes its investigation into Rangers' alleged use of dual contracts before deciding whether it should consider stripping the club of League Cup victories.

Full story: Mail On Sunday

Darren Fletcher has declared himself ready to be included in the next Scotland squad after the midfielder made his first start in 10 months for Manchester United following illness.

Full story: Sunday Mail

Scotland forward Steven Naismith has admitted his guilt after elbowing Serbia's Srdan Mijailovic in a World Cup qualifier at Hampden but hopes for leniency on Friday, when the Scottish Football Association hopes Fifa's disciplinary committee will hand out a one or two-match ban instead of a possible three.

Full story: Sunday Times

Former St Johnstone, Hearts and Motherwell midfielder Kevin Twaddle says he lost more than £1m because of a gambling addiction that drove him to the brink of suicide.

Full story: Sunday Mail

Former Dundee United and Scotland midfielder Billy McKinlay and former Celtic striker Chris Sutton, who both played for Blackburn Rovers, have both been linked with succeeding departed Scotsman Steve Kean as manager at Ewood Park.

Full story: Mail On Sunday

AND FINALLY

London mayor Boris Johnson scored an own goal in a radio general knowledge quiz when he incorrectly named Bobby Moore as the scorer of England's 1966 World Cup final hat-trick instead of Geoff Hurst.

Full story: Metro