Wednesday's gossip column

For all the breaking football transfer news, follow Sportsday Live throughout the day.

For a list of confirmed transfers, check out our transfers page.

Next season's football fixtures are released at 09:00 BST on Wednesday. You can get the full club-by-club breakdown and reaction on the BBC Sport website.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Alacantara made 15 league starts for Barca last season.

Manchester United are favourites to sign Barcelona's Spanish midfielder Thiago Alacantara, 22, who would cost £15m. Thiago scored a hat-trick as Spain Under-21s beat Italy 4-2 in the final of the European Championships on Tuesday.

Full story: the Sun

Barcelona are targeting a £30m deal for Chelsea midfielder Juan Mata following rumours that new Blues manager Jose Mourinho is unconvinced by the Spaniard, 25.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Napoli striker Edinson Cavani, 26, will reject a move to Manchester City to join Real Madrid in a £55m deal. The Uruguay international has also been linked with Chelsea.

Full story: Daily Star

Liverpool are in advanced negotiations to sign Porto's Ghanaian winger Christian Atsu, 21.

Atsu scored once for Porto last season.

Full story: Guardian

The Reds also expect to complete the £6m transfer of Sevilla attacking midfielder Luis Alberto, 20, by Thursday.

Full story: Independent

The package that takes England striker Andy Carroll from Liverpool to West Ham could cost the London club a total £55m. The 24-year-old, who has passed a medical at Upton Park, will cost up to £19m and will sign a six-year £100,000-a-week deal.

Full story: the Sun

Fulham hope to sign Liverpool defender Andre Wisdom, 20, on loan for next season.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Aston Villa are looking to sell striker Darren Bent, 29, for a fee in excess of £8m.

Bent scored three goals in 16 Premier League appearances last season

Full story: Daily Mail

Crystal Palace, Swansea, Fulham and Norwich have all made £2m offers for Birmingham and England Under-21 winger Nathan Redmond, 19.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Everton are in talks with Granada to sign Brazilian left-back Guilherme Siqueira, 27.

Full story: Daily Mail

Birmingham have dismissed speculation that Blackpool left-back Stephen Crainey, 31, could join them.

Full story: Birmingham Mail

OTHER GOSSIP

The 2014 FA Cup final will be played after the end of the Premier League season for the first time since 2010.

Full story: Daily Mail

Joe Kinnear will not take on any scouting duties or negotiate contracts as director of football at Newcastle. His key responsibilities will be to sit in on meetings about the first team and transfers, as well as talking directly to owner Mike Ashley on behalf of the club's football staff.

Kinnear has managed Wimbledon, Luton, Nottingham Forest and Newcastle

Full story: The Journal

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew, 51, will seek clarification from Kinnear about his role at the club before committing to the new set-up.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

The Football Association is in no rush to name a replacement for outgoing England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce.

Full story: the Times [subscription required]

Michael Appleton, 37, who was sacked by Blackburn in March, is favourite to take over from Pearce.

Full story: Daily Star

Former Middlesbrough manager Gareth Southgate, 42, is also a candidate for the role.

Full story: Guardian

Premier League chief executive Richard Scudamore has promised to meet representatives of supporters who will protest in London on Wednesday about ticket prices.

Full story: London Evening Standard

Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 24, will open talks about a new four-year deal this week. The defender has two years left on his current deal.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

GLOBAL GOSSIP (sourced by BBC Monitoring)

Borussia Dortmund are interested in Valencia's French defender Adil Rami, 27, who is also in the sights of Manchester City and Napoli.

Rami joined Valencia from Lille in 2011.

Full story: L'Equipe (French)

AC Milan are interested in signing Dutch defender Bruno Martins, 21, currently of Feyenoord, following a strong showing in the Under-21 European Championship.

Full story: Tuttosport (Italian)

Levante have agreed in principle a deal with Moroccan international midfielder Issam El-Adwa, 26, of Portuguese side Vitoria.

Full story: AS (Spanish)

Chelsea striker Fernando Torres, 29, has told Spanish radio that he "got caught up in the wave of antagonism" towards interim coach Rafael Benitez, and said he would like to speak to new boss Jose Mourinho about his plans for next season.

Full story: Marca (Spanish)

AND FINALLY

Real Madrid have continued their charm offensive towards Tottenham's Gareth Bale by reserving the number 11 shirt for the Wales winger, 23.

Full story: Daily Mirror