Friday's gossip column

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are close to agreeing a deal for Bayer Leverkusen striker Andre Schurrle, 22. The German club's representatives are in London to finalise the transfer.

Full story: talkSPORT

Salomon Kalou could return to the Premier League

Former Chelsea forward Salomon Kalou, 27, is a target for newly promoted Cardiff City as the Ivory Coast international, currently at Lille, wants a return to the Premier League.

Full story; Metro

Manchester City are considering a move for 20-year-old former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrison, who is currently on loan at Birmingham City from West Ham.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke, 22, is ready to turn down a summer move to either Arsenal or Tottenham. The Belgian forward has scored 19 goals for Villa since joining for £8m from Genk last year.

Full story: The Sun

Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz is set to leave Manchester City and join Brazilian side Botafogo on a free transfer. Santa Cruz, 31, signed for City for £17.5m in July 2009 but has only scored three Premier League goals since then and spent the majority of the last three seasons on loan at various clubs.

Full story: Daily Express

Galatasaray are ready to battle Manchester United and Liverpool for the signing of Porto's 26-year-old striker Jackson Martinez.

Full story: talkSPORT

Promoted Cardiff City want to sign Reading striker Adam Le Fondre, 26, and QPR forward Bobby Zamora, 32, as Bluebirds boss Malky Mackay prepares to strengthen his squad for next season's Premier League campaign.

Full story: Daily Star

Barcelona are set to make goalkeeper Victor Valdes, 31, stay another year at the Nou Camp, despite Arsenal's interest.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Manchester City are preparing to make a £17m summer move for Schalke's 21-year-old Greek defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos.

Full story: Daily Star

Arsenal are interested in signing Eintracht Frankfurt's Japanese midfielder Takashi Inui. Gunners chief scout Steve Rowley has watched the left-footed 24-year-old, who can play in a playmaker role or on the wing.

Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool want Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy after the 23-year-old produced a fine performance against the Reds when the two sides met last week.

Full story: Daily Star

OTHER GOSSIP

Forward Wayne Rooney, 27, wants Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson to offer him a new contract as a show of faith.

Wayne Rooney has scored 16 goals in 39 appearances this season for Manchester United

Full story: Daily Mirror

Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor, 29, believes players at his former club Manchester City are "are always falling out with each other" when things go wrong on the pitch. The Togo international faces his former club on Sunday.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

West Ham boss Sam Allardyce has urged England manager Roy Hodgson to not be afraid of picking striker Andy Carroll, 24 for the national team. "Roy would be scared to do it because of the reaction he would get and he would be accused of a direct approach," said Allardyce.

Full story: The Sun

Midfielder Bebe, 22, who is on loan at Portuguese side Rio Ave, reveals he has struggled to understand Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson.

Full story: Daily Mail

Ex-England striker Alan Shearer says Wayne Rooney, 27, needs to leave Manchester United in the summer if he is unhappy at Old Trafford.

Full story: The Sun

Liverpool's managing director Ian Ayre reveals all the club's future transfers will by decided by committee rather than giving full control of recruitment to manager Brendan Rodgers.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

AND FINALLY

Tottenham defender Michael Dawson, 29, has shown he has other talents as he displayed his cricketing skills with the bat.

Full story: 606 newsletter

The Blue Square Bet Premier trophy will be with league general manager Dennis Strudwick at a service station in the West Midlands on Saturday. Leaders Mansfield and second-placed Kidderminster have a chance of winning the title with both sides playing at home on the final day of their season. Strudwick will then dash to the victorious team to present the trophy.

Full story: Metro