Thursday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal are lining up a bid for QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt, 23, if their £7m pursuit of Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, 19, fails.

Full story: Daily Mirror

QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt is a target for Arsenal

Liverpool have had to end their reported pursuit of Didier Drogba, 34, after the former Chelsea striker pledged his future to Chinese employers Shanghai Shenhua.

Full story: Metro

Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will ask director of football Txiki Begiristain to sign 29-year-old Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi in January.

Full story: Daily Mail

Newcastle United are in a race with Italian champions Juventus for the signature of 23-year-old Toulouse midfielder Moussa Sissoko.

Full story: talkSPORT

Long-term Manchester United target Filip Djuricic, a 20-year-old Serb attacking midfielder playing at Dutch side Heerenveen, might instead be heading to Liverpool.

Full story: Daily Star

OTHER GOSSIP

Pep Guardiola's agent has opened the door for a summer move to a Premier League club. The former Barcelona coach is having a year out of the game, but his representative Jose Maria Orobtig said: "The doors are open for [AC Milan], just like they are open for Manchester City, Chelsea and so on. Pep will listen to offers and then he will evaluate them."

Full story: the Sun

Meanwhile, Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini is facing a fight to persuade the club's owners their ambitions are safe in his hands.

Fully story: Daily Mirror

England manager Roy Hodgson is set to defy Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger on Thursday by naming midfielder Jack Wilshere in his squad to face Sweden next Wednesday, even though the 20-year-old is only just back from 15 monts out injured.

Full story: Daily Mail

Rod Stewart could not contain himself and wept tears of joy at Parkhead on Wednesday

Under-pressure Southampton manager Nigel Adkins will remain in his post at least until the game against Swansea at the weekend.

Full story: Daily Express

Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, 20, says the Gunners should offer 23-year-old winger Theo Walcott a new contract.

Full story: the Sun

Celtic teenager Tony Watt, 18, says scoring the winner against Barcelona in the Champions League was "the best moment of my life".

Full story: talkSPORT

The Olympic Stadium, which has West Ham and Leyton Orient among its bidders, cannot be converted into football use before 2016, admits the man charged with overseeing its transformation.

Full story: the Independent

AND FINALLY

Rock legend Rod Stewart burst into tears in the stand after seeing Celtic beat Spanish giants Barcelona 2-1, prompting the headline: "WE ARE WAILING".

Full story: Daily Mail

QPR and England striker Bobby Zamora, 31, admits that despite a top-flight career he is "not a massive football fan" and does not want to remain in the game after he retires.

Full story: Metro