Friday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

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For updated transfer news and gossip throughout the day, read our breaking news service Sportsday Live.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal intend to launch a formal bid for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, with Arsene Wenger determined to add to his attacking options during the January transfer window.

Full story: Daily Telegraph, external

Manchester United are set to be tempted with a £5m bid from Paris Saint-Germain for defender Patrice Evra, 31, who is said to be interested in playing for the club. PSG, though, may consider a move for Manchester City's Gael Clichy, 27, if the Evra move fails.

Full story: Independent, external

Daniele De Rossi, 29, has met Manchester City officials to discuss a possible move away from Roma after growing disillusioned with life at the club.

Full story: talkSPORT, external

But Manchester City's exit from European competition could limit their chances of signing Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi, 29, or Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder, 28, who has fallen out with Inter Milan bosses over after refusing to take a wage cut.

Full story: Daily Star, external

Image caption,

Roger Espinoza scored against Brazil for Honduras in a quarter-final tie at the 2012 Olympics

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has warned clubs chasing top scorer Michu they will have to pay up to £30m to secure the Spaniard's services - 15 times more than they paid Rayo Vallecano in the summer for the 26-year-old.

Full story: Daily Telegraph, external

Manchester United and Arsenal are tracking Montpellier midfielder Remy Cabella, 22.

Full story: The Sun, external

Anderlecht striker Dieumerci Mbokani, 27, says he is unlikely to leave the club in January. The DR Congo international is a target for Tottenham and Fulham.

Full story: talkSPORT, external

Wolves have yet to decide whether to offer 26-year-old striker Sylvan Ebanks-Blake, who is out of contract in the summer, a new deal.

Full story: Express & Star, external

Roger Espinoza, who can play in defence and midfield, is poised to join fellow Honduras international Maynor Figueroa at Wigan. The 26-year-old, who plays for MLS team Sporting Kansas City, represented his country at London 2012.

Full story: Daily Mirror, external

Shakhtar Donetsk forward Fernandinho, 27 says he will be playing in Manchester in January - but the Brazil international hasn't revealed if he will be joining City or United.

Full story: talkSPORT, external

Stoke manager Tony Pulis has warned the Premier League's top clubs that none of his players are for sale. Manchester United and Liverpool have been interested in defender Ryan Shawcross, 25, and goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, also 25.

Full story: Daily Star, external

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert is monitoring Ghana midfielder Derek Boateng, 29, who plays for Ukrainian side Dnipro,

Full story: The Sun, external

Russian outfit Zenit St Petersburg are ready to go head-to-head with Chelsea over a deal for Everton's Marouane Fellaini, 25, in January.

Full story: Metro, external

Manchester United boss Alex Ferguson could be about to trump Man City boss Roberto Mancini by signing two of his top targets. United Chief Executive David Gill flew to Croatia this week for talks about signing £15m-rated Alen Halilovic, 16, and he also enquired about 20-year-old right-back Sime Vrsaljko.

Full story: Daily Mail, external

Wolves are poised to recall in-form striker Leigh Griffiths from his loan with Hibernian in January, dashing the Edinburgh club's hopes of a cut-price permanent transfer.

Full story: Daily Record, external

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea's Champions League failure will cause an income loss of around £20m compared with last year, adding to the already significant challenge of meeting Uefa's financial fair-play rules.

Full story: Daily Telegraph, external

Rafa Benitez may have to omit John Terry from Chelsea's travelling party for the Fifa Club World Cup in Japan. The captain, 31, has still to rejoin his team-mates in full training as he recovers from knee ligament damage.

Full story: Guardian, external

Robbie Savage says the time has come for Arsene Wenger to leave Arsenal.

Full story: Daily Mirror, external

Thomas Vermaelen, 27, has lifted the lid on the atmosphere in Arsenal's dressing room and says that despite the club's frustrating form, there are never any arguments as everyone believes in the club's "vision".

Full story: FourFourTwo, external

But Gunners' midfielder Mikel Arteta, 30, claims Arsenal's players are hurting and have asked for extra training and spent extra time analysing video of their games.

Full story: Daily Mirror, external

Image caption,

Steven Naismith has scored three times in 14 league appearances since signing for Everton in July

Stoke's 25-year-old keeper Asmir Begovic, who has three-and-a-half years left on his contract, says he is happy at the club after being linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool.

Full story: Stoke Sentinel, external

Sunderland manager Martin O'Neill says he understands the club's fans being "frustrated after a lot of false dawns". The Black Cats have won just two of their last 22 Premier League games.

Full story: Sunderland Echo, external

AND FINALLY

Everton's Steven Naismith, 26, is paying out of his own pocket for Christmas dinner for homeless people in Liverpool. The Scotland international is sponsoring the meal at the Whitechapel Centre, a charity that works with people sleeping rough, living in hostels or struggling to manage their accommodation.

Full story: Liverpool Echo, external

Didier Drogba, 34, hosted a dinner to present his Chelsea team-mates from last season's Champions League final victory with individual rings to commemorate the triumph - at what is thought to be a cost of around £800,000 to the player.

Full story: Independent, external

Kilmarnock manager Kenny Shiels says the suggestion that he would attempt to play Manuel Pascali against Celtic despite the defender being suspended - a story carried widely by the media - was a wind up and the Italian will definitely not play.

Full story: The Sun, external

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