Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool striker Andy Carroll, 24, could be sent back to Newcastle in a swap deal with Hatem Ben Arfa, 26.

Full story: Daily Mirror

However, Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers has admitted that Carroll, who has spent the season on loan at West Ham, could remain at Anfield.

Full story: Daily Mail

QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar, 33, could be heading to Serie A giants AC Milan in the summer.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Borussia Dortmund are believed to be interested in 21-year-old Chelsea striker Kevin De Bruyne.

Andy Carroll has been on loan from Liverpool at West Ham this season.

Full Story: The Sun

West Ham face a fight with German side Freiburg to sign Borussia Dortmund striker Daniel Ginczek, 21.

Full story: talkSPORT

West Brom are believed to be in discussions over a new contract with 26-year-old midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu.

Full story: The Times (subscription required)

Russian side Zenit St Petersburg are eyeing a move for Newcastle's Italian defender Davide Santon, 22.

Full story: talkSPORT

Michael Essien, 30, believes he will return from Real Madrid to Chelsea in the summer as he is not convinced his loan deal will be made permanent.

Full story: Metro

Fulham, Southampton and Wigan are battling to sign 20-year-old Chelsea and Belgian international goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois on loan next season.

Full story: The Sun

Inverness winger Aaron Doran, 21, looks set to sign a new long-term contract at the Caledonian Stadium.

Full story: Daily Record

GLOBAL GOSSIP (via BBC Monitoring)

Bayer Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle, 22, could move to Chelsea in a £13m deal in the summer.

Borussia Dortmund's Daniel Ginczek is yet to make his full Germany international debut

Full story: Bild (in German)

German side Hannover could lose four players in the next two months. The contracts of Kocka Rausch, 23, Sergio Pinto, 32, Mario Eggimann, 32, and Sofian Chahed, 29, are all due to expire at the end of the season.

Full story: Bild (in German)

Pep Guardiola's first game in charge of Bayern Munich will be a friendly against third division side Rostock on 14 July.

Full Story: Marca (in Spanish)

Borussia Dortmund draw the biggest crowds in European football with an average attendance of 80,451. Manchester United are second with 75,527, and Barcelona taking third with 73,527.

Full story: Die Welt (in German)

OTHER GOSSIP

Celtic manager Neil Lennon is a shock candidate for the Everton job if David Moyes leaves this summer.

Full story: Daily Mirror

And Moyes, 49, is back at the top of Schalke's wanted list as the German club prepare to appoint a new manager this summer.

Full story: Daily Mail

Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert believes referees are targeting his side's young players and giving them unjustified yellow cards.

Full story: Daily Mail

Stoke's chief scout Lindsay Parsons admits he does not like the direct style of play the Potters employ and has had many disagreements with boss Tony Pulis on the subject.

Full story: The Sentinel

Pressure has grown on the European Commission to reach a decision on their investigation over whether Real Madrid received illegal state aid in a land deal that will let them significantly improve the Bernabeu stadium's profitability.

Full story: Independent

AND FINALLY

Brazilian side Uniao Barbarense came up with a novel way to confuse officials by playing two number fives in their match with Linense.

Full story: Metro