Tuesday's gossip column

MANCHESTER UNITED TITLE GOSSIP

Wayne Rooney, 27, says that Manchester United were inspired to reclaim their Premier League title by neighbours City.

Full story: talkSPORT

Manchester United have won their 20th league title

A pep talk on the A19 by Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson last May - on the way back from Sunderland after losing out on last season's Premier League title - was the catalyst to this year's triumph, according to striker Danny Welbeck, 22.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Goalkeeper Joe Hart, 26, insists Manchester City will bounce back next season after losing their Premier League title to United.

Full story: the Sun

Ferguson believes 21-year-old Phil Jones, who can play in defence or midfield, could become the greatest player in Manchester United's history.

Full story: ESPN FC

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea are prepared to include goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois in a deal for Atletico Madrid's Radamel Falcao as they look to beat Real Madrid and Manchester United and Manchester City to the signing of the Colombian striker, 27. Belgium international goalkeeper Courtois, 20, has spent the last two seasons on loan with Atletico.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Courtois has never played a game for Chelsea

Meanwhile, Roma have joined Chelsea in the pursuit of Lyon's Croatian centre-back Dejan Lovren. The 23-year-old could cost £8.5m and has also been targeted by AC Milan, Liverpool and Everton.

Full story: Daily Express

Ajax's Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld, 24, who is a reported target for Liverpool, insists he has not made a decision on his future despite previously hinting he wants to move to Anfield.

Full story: Sky Sports

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, 27, has no intention of leaving the club for Barcelona this summer and has five years remaining on a six-year contract at the Etihad Stadium.

Full story: Daily Mail

Valero was relegated with West Brom in 2009

Tottenham, Manchester City and Arsenal all want Fiorentina's Spanish midfielder Borja Valero, 28, who had an unsuccessful season at West Brom in 2008-09 and eventually left the Hawthorns permanently two years later after loan spells with Mallorca and Villarreal.

Full story: talkSPORT

Fulham and Aston Villa are both interested in signing Tottenham midfielder Tom Huddlestone, 26.

Full story: Metro

Paris St-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 31, is open to a return to Juventus, where he had a spell between 2004 and 2006, this summer.

Full story: Sky Sports

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool fear striker Luis Suarez, 26, will be banned for 10 games after biting Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic during Sunday's 2-2 draw at Anfield.

Full story: Daily Star

The Football Association may ask an independent commission to ban Suarez for seven matches.

Full story: the Independent

Serbia international Ivanovic, 29, has refused to accept the apology that Suarez issued following the incident.

Full story: the Guardian

Suarez has been charged with violent conduct

It is also reported that Ivanovic and Suarez had to be separated in the tunnel at half-time before the biting incident.

Full story: Daily Mail

Meanwhile, Brighton manager Gus Poyet believes pundits are guilty of hypocrisy in their comments on his fellow Uruguayan Suarez.

Full story: The Times (subscription required)

Chelsea are investigating claims that Israeli midfielder Yossi Benayoun, 32, has been the target of anti-Semitic chants by his own supporters.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Newcastle boss Alan Pardew wants to hold a fans' forum this summer to talk through what has gone wrong at the club this season.

Full story: Daily Star

The latest injury scare for midfielder Jack Wilshere, 21, has been caused by a screw in his ankle, according to Arsenal team-mate Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 19.

Full story: the Times (subscription required)

Striker Georgios Samaras, 28, believes Celtic would have secured the Scottish Premier League title weeks ago but for their European commitments.

Full story: Daily Record

Motherwell manager Stuart McCall has played down speculation linking him with a move to Sheffield United, which was the final club of his playing career.

Full story: Sporting Life

GLOBAL GOSSIP (from BBC Monitoring)

Bayern Munich have beaten Arsenal and Manchester City to the signing of Borussia Dortmund playmaker Mario Gotze. Bayern are set to pay £31.6m for the Germany midfielder, 20.

Full story: Bild (in German)

Brazil coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes Cristiano Ronaldo is better than Barcelona star Lionel Messi because the Portuguese has an awkward relationship with his Real Madrid team-mates. Scolari said: "The other stars feel uncomfortable with the star that Cristiano is. Messi is fantastic but Cristiano is more fantastic."

Full story: Folha de Sao Paulo (in Portuguese)

Eric Abidal's cousin Gerard, who donated his kidney to the 33-year-old France defender, has travelled with the Barcelona squad for their Champions League semi-final first leg with Bayern Munich. Abidal made his first start since having the kidney transplant last year in the 1-0 win over Levante at the weekend.

Full story: El Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish)

AND FINALLY

Manchester United midfielder Shinji Kagawa, 24, stars in a new advert for a bank in his native Japan - alongside a talking dog and a dolphin.

Full story: the Sun

Norwegian club Ny Krohnborg IL returned from the off-season to find something a little bit different about their pitch. They now have a road running through it.

Full story: 606 newsletter