Tuesday's gossip column

MOURINHO GOSSIP

Returning Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has targeted Galatasaray playmaker Wesley Sneijder as one of his first signings. The Dutch international, 28, played under Mourinho at Inter Milan.

Wesley Sneijder helped Jose Mourinho's Inter Milan win Serie A and the Champions League in 2009-10.

Full story: the Sun

Manchester City's 27-year-old striker Edin Dzeko, Benfica's ex-Blues midfielder Nemanja Matic, 25, and Porto defender Eliaquim Mangala, 22, are also on Mourinho's radar.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

The Portuguese boss has told Romelu Lukaku, 20, that he will not be leaving Chelsea on loan again. The Belgium international scored 17 goals in a season-long loan at West Bromwich Albion.

Full story: Daily Mail

Barcelona and Netherlands legend Johann Cruyff believes Mourinho will flop on his return to Stamford Bridge.

Full story: the Sun

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits it would be impossible to turn down any opportunity to sign unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

Full story: Daily Express

The Gunners are considering whether to make a move for Swansea attacker Michu. The 27-year-old scored 22 goals in all competitions in his debut campaign with the Welsh side last term.

Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool are not deterred by the £22m valuation that Shakhtar Donetsk have put on Armenia international midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan. Mkhitaryan, 24, scored a record 25 goals in the Ukrainian Premier League last season.

Full story: the Guardian

Mkhitaryan has won three Ukrainian league titles since joining Shakhtar Donetsk in 2010

Fulham are close to sealing a £3m deal for Roma goalkeeper Maarten Stekelenburg. The Dutch international, 30, almost joined the Cottagers in January.

Full story: Daily Star

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is stepping up his pursuit of Porto's highly-rated Colombian forward Jackson Martinez, 26.

Full story: Metro

Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey has urged the Gunners to sign Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama. The Kenyan, 21, is valued at £10m by the Scottish Premier League champions.

Full story: Daily Express

Newcastle could compete with Liverpool to sign 24-year-old central defender Alex Pearce, whose contract at Reading ends this summer.

Full story: The Shields Gazette

Sunderland hope to beat Southampton and Norwich to the £7m signing of 25-year-old Celtic striker Gary Hooper.

Full story: Daily Mail

Barcelona striker David Villa, 31, who has been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham, has said he will not make any decision about his future until he has finished playing in the Confederations Cup with Spain. The tournament is set to run from 15-30 June.

Full story: Independent

Newcastle plan to add only a central defender and a striker to their squad in the summer.

Full story: The Journal

GLOBAL GOSSIP (sourced by BBC Monitoring)

Brazilian defender Thiago Silva, 29, has said he will miss Carlo Ancelotti at Paris St-Germain, but has denied he will leave the club after the manager's departure.

Full story: L'Equipe [in French]

Former Italy international Gennaro Gattuso, 35, has been named coach of Palermo.

Gattuso was sacked as Sion boss in May after less than three months in charge

Full story: La Stampa [in Italian]

Former Brazil international Roberto Carlos, 40, has been named coach of Turkish side Sivasspor.

Full story: Radikal [in Turkish]

Atletico Madrid have bought Brazilian striker Leo Baptistao, 20, from Rayo Vallecano on a five-year deal.

Full story: Marca [in Spanish]

Real Madrid playmaker Mesut Ozil, 24, has thanked outgoing coach Jose Mourinho in a post on his Facebook page.

Full story: Die Welt [in German]

OTHER GOSSIP

Swansea's pre-season tour of the Netherlands will go ahead, despite boss Michael Laudrup's ongoing tax issue with Ajax. The Dutch champions claim Laudrup, who played for the Amsterdam club in 1997-98, owes them three million euros in tax.

Full story: Daily Mail

Wolves chief executive Jez Moxey insists new boss Kenny Jackett, who was unveiled on the same day as Jose Mourinho's return to Chelsea was confirmed, is the "Special One".

Full story: Express & Star

Crystal Palace will appoint trained solicitor Tim Coe as their new head of recruitment.

Full story: Daily Mail

Zaha has won seven caps for the England Under-21 team, scoring one goal

Head coach Stuart Pearce will allow winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, to decide whether he is fit enough to play in England's opening game in the European Under-21 Championship finals against Italy on Wednesday.

Full story: The Times [subscription required]

Manchester City could recruit England and Norwich goalkeeping coach Dave Watson because of the positive relationship he has developed with Joe Hart, 26, while on international duty.

Full story: the Guardian

Manchester United will soon announce that Phil Neville, 36, is to return to his former club as a member of new manager David Moyes's backroom staff as he follows the Scot to Old Trafford from Everton.

Full story: Independent

AND FINALLY

Joey Barton has apologised "profusely to any coaches whose sessions I have ever criticised" and joked he could be about to send in a job application to Real Madrid as he completes his Uefa 'B' licence and starts an 'A' course with the Irish Football Association in Belfast.

Full story: Joey Barton on Twitter