Thursday's gossip column

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Tottenham's technical director Franco Baldini will hold talks with David Villa, 31, before the end of the week as the London club intensify their bid for the Barcelona forward.

Full story: Daily Mail

Arsenal have put together a package to lure Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 27, to the Emirates. The club's hierarchy believe a signing such as Rooney will help persuade manager Arsene Wenger to sign a contract extension.

Full story: Daily Star

Liverpool will seek urgent talks with striker Luis Suarez, 26, to assess whether he is in breach of contract following claims from Spain he has agreed personal terms with Real Madrid.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Angel di Maria won a gold medal playing for Argentina at the 2008 Olympic Games in China

And the Anfield club must pay £25m within 10 days if they want to sign 24-year-old attacker Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Shakhtar Donetsk.

Full story: the Sun

Real Madrid have offered cash and players - including 25-year-old Argentina winger Angel di Maria - to Tottenham in an attempt to deliver Gareth Bale for newly appointed boss manager Carlo Ancelotti.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Manchester City could offer 27-year-old striker Edin Dzeko to Borussia Dortmund as part of the deal to bring striker Robert Lewandowski, 24, to the Etihad.

Full story: Daily Express

West Ham United are close to signing winger Jefferson Montero by triggering the Ecuadorian's £3m release clause from Mexican club Morelia. The 23-year-old will earn £30,000 a-week in what would be a four-year contract.

Full story: Guardian

Sunderland have agreed a fee with Le Havre for defender Benjamin Mendy, 18, and have been given permission to hold talks with the player about a move to the Stadium of Light.

Full story: Skysports.com

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew has given director of football Joe Kinnear the names of Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 29, and West Ham defender James Tomkins, 24, as the club look to strengthen before the start of the season.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Jonjo Shelvey's one senior appearance for England came in a World Cup qualifier against San Marino last October

Swansea want to sign Liverpool's 21-year-old midfielder Jonjo Shelvey but will have to pay at least £5m to complete the deal.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Swansea are also willing break their transfer record fee to bring Vitesse Arnhem striker Wilfried Bony, 24, to the Liberty Stadium.

Full story: South Wales Evening Post

Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 25, is a surprise target for Champions League winners Bayern Munich. The German champions are willing to pay £14m for Richards, who has two years remaining on his current contract.

Full story: Daily Star

Dimitar Berbatov, who has been linked with Galatasaray and Zenit St Petersburg, will see out the remaining year of his Fulham contract, says the agent of the 32-year-old former Manchester United striker.

Full story: London Evening Standard

Everton, who have been linked with CSKA Moscow's 27-year-old attacking midfielder Keisuke Honda, have made enquiries for two players. Chairman Bill Kenwright made the announcement at a general meeting of Everton shareholders on Wednesday.

Full story: Evertonfc.com

Those could be Wigan duo Arouna Kone and Antolin Alcaraz. Defender Alcaraz, 30, is available as a free agent while 29-year-old striker Kone has a release clause of £6.5m.

Full story: the Times (subscription required)

Celtic could target Monaco's 27-year-old striker Ibrahima Toure. The Senegalese international scored 18 goals in 35 Ligue 2 appearances last season, but his place has been threatened by the arrival of Radamel Falcao.

Full story: Tuttomercatoweb.com

Preston North End are hopeful of signing striker 36-year-old striker Kevin Davies, but the former Bolton man is also attracting interest from Sheffield Wednesday, Blackpool, Burnley, Millwall and Brentford.

Full story: Lancashire Evening Post

GLOBAL GOSSIP (sourced by BBC Monitoring)

Real Madrid have confirmed the signing of Spanish international attacking midfielder Isco, 21, from Malaga.

Full story: Elpais.com

Italian Under-21 captain Luca Caldirola, 22, is to leave Inter Milan for Werder Bremen next season on a four-year deal.

Full story: Kicker.de

Spanish side Celta Vigo have parted company with midfielder Dani Abalo, 25, who will move to Bulgarian team Ludogrets Razgrad for two years.

Full story: as.com

OTHER GOSSIP

Rafael Benitez claims Real Madrid have "recovered their values" after appointing Carlo Ancelotti as manager. Benitez, now at Napoli, faced the Italian twice in Champions League finals.

Full story: the Sun

Argentina striker Carlos Tevez, 29, announced that he turned down AC Milan after joining Juventus from Manchester City.

Full story: Guardian

Peter Withe is a former manager of both Thailand and Indonesia

Premier League newcomers Hull City are expected to announce new contracts for defenders Liam Rosenior, 28, and Paul McShane, 27, in the next few days. It follows the news that defender James Chester, 24, has signed a new three-year deal.

Full story: Hull Daily Mail

Aston Villa European Cup winner Peter Withe says the club should sell striker Darren Bent, 29, this summer. The England international has two years left on his contract.

Full story: Birmingham Mail

The Football Association is willing to talk to former England manager Glenn Hoddle, who has recently been outspoken in his criticism of the organisation. Hoddle, 55, is not considered a contender for the England's Under-21s vacancy, however, with Gareth Southgate and Peter Taylor the favourites.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Celtic are angered at claims by agent Ivan Modia that his client, 21-year-old midfielder Victor Wanyama, had not been offered an improved contract in his two years at the club. Modia also said Wanyama was refused a move to Queens Park Rangers last summer.

Full story: Daily Record

AND FINALLY

Three-time champions of Germany, FC Cologne, dressed their players in 1970s style headbands and hair styles for an hilarious kit launch.

Full story: Daily Mail

Switzerland manager Ottmar Hitzfeld, 64, was greeted with broken goal posts and goats grazing on the pitch when he visited the team's planned World Cup training pitch in Guaruja, Brazil.

Full story: FourFourTwo.com