Sunday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are prepared to double 26-year-old Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas's current wages in a bid to lure him to Old Trafford.

Roberto Soldado scored 33 goals last season for La Liga side Valencia in all competitions

Full story: Sunday Mirror

Chelsea are ready to offer £40m for striker Wayne Rooney, 27, as the Blues look to convince United to sell the England international.

Full story: Sunday Telegraph

Rooney is close to signing for Chelsea in a deal which is expected to be worth around £200,000-a-week to the former Everton striker.

Full story: Sunday Times (subscription required)

United will only allow Rooney to leave if they pull off ambitious plans to sign Fabregas and Tottenham midfielder Gareth Bale, 24, this summer.

Full story: Sunday Express

Tottenham are preparing an £18m bid for Valencia striker Roberto Soldado, 28, that would break the club's record transfer fee.

Full story: Mail on Sunday

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 31, has warned Manchester City that spending big will not guarantee trophies.

Full story: the Sun

Arsenal have told Queens Park Rangers goalkeeper Julio Cesar, 33, he will have to take a pay cut if he wants to move to the Emirates Stadium.

Full story: Metro

The Gunners are also back in the race to sign Real Madrid striker Gonzalo Higuain, 25, as Napoli are unwilling to match the £35m price tag set by the Spanish club.

Full story: Mail on Sunday

Premier League pair Sunderland and Aston Villa are monitoring Inter Milan midfielder Zdravko Kuzmanovic. The Serbian international, 25, has been told he can leave the San Siro this summer.

Full story: Sunday People

Lyon striker Bafetimbi Gomis, 27, wants to join several of his French international team-mates at Newcastle - which could signal the end of Papiss Cisse's time at St James' Park.

Bafetimbi Gomis has scored 110 goals for Lyon and St Etienne over the past eight seasons

Full story: Newcastle Chronicle

Chelsea have rejected an enquiry from Liverpool about the availability of 23-year-old left-back Ryan Bertrand.

Full story: the Observer

Sunderland appear to have ended their interest in Greek winger Charis Mavrias, 19, following the arrival of Italy international and 28-year-old midfielder Emanuele Giaccherini.

Full story: Sunderland Echo

Norwich City manager Chris Hughton admits he wants to sign another striker after being linked with moves for Juventus forward Fabio Quagliarella, 30, and Sampdoria's Maxi Lopez, 29, as the Canaries bid to add fresh forward options.

Full story: Norwich Evening News

Premier League newcomers Hull City are close to signing Ivory Coast striker Yannick Sagbo from French side Evian. Tigers boss Steve Bruce hopes a bid of £1.6m will be enough to capture the 25-year-old.

Full story: Hull Daily Mail

OTHER GOSSIP

Luis Enrique made more than 200 appearances for Barca in an eight-season spell between 1996 and 2004

Chelsea will offer former striker Didier Drogba, 35, a player-coach role in order to tempt him back to Stamford Bridge from Turkish side Galatasaray.

Full story: Sunday Mirror

Manchester United are set to reintroduce the words "Football Club" to their crest as part of a rebranding process. The words were removed in 1998.

Full story: Sunday Times (subscription required)

Swansea manager Michael Laudrup has described reports linking him to the vacant job at former club Barcelona as "pure speculation".

Full story: South Wales Evening Post

But the Spanish champions have targeted another ex-Barca player - Luis Enrique - instead. The ex-Spain attacking midfielder, 43, only took charge of their La Liga rivals Celta Vigo last month.

Full story: the Observer

AND FINALLY

Manchester United have moved around 60 season ticket holders from their seats at Old Trafford - in order to replace them with television cameras.

Full story: Metro