Friday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours

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

For breaking transfer news, follow Sportsday Live every weekday.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are in advanced talks to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Real Madrid. The Portugal forward, 27, left United for Spain in an £80m deal in 2009.

Cristiano Ronaldo has two years left on his Real contract

Full story: Daily Star

Tottenham have agreed to sell Wales winger Gareth Bale, 24, to Real Madrid for £105m.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Bale does not feature in a list of Spurs players posted on a wall at their Enfield base, confirming manager Andre Villas-Boas is planning for the season without him.

Full story: Daily Star

Striker Wayne Rooney, 27, may decide to stay at Manchester United if he receives a positive reaction from fans in next week's friendlies against AIK and Sevilla.

Full story: Daily Mail

Atletico Madrid deny they have received an offer from Liverpool for striker Diego Costa, 24, and insist the Brazilian is going nowhere.

Full story: AS

Diego Costa scored 10 league goals last season

West Ham want to sign Werder Bremen's Austrian striker Marko Arnautovic, 24, to partner Andy Carroll in attack.

Full story: Daily Mail

Monaco are close to signing Sporting Lisbon's Portugal goalkeeper Rui Patricio, 25, who has been a target for Arsenal.

Full story: Daily Express

Newcastle's Senegalese striker Papiss Cisse, 28, is being targeted by Turkish side Trabzonspor despite ending his dispute with the club over their shirt sponsor.

Full story: Daily Mail

Tottenham are closing in on a £7m deal for Steaua Bucharest's Romanian defender Vlad Chiriches, 23.

Luca Marrone made eight league starts last season

Full story: Metro

Everton have failed with a loan bid for Juventus's 23-year-old Italian midfielder Luca Marrone. The Turin club will only consider a permanent deal.

Full story: Daily Express

Liverpool have opened talks to sign Granada's Brazilian defender Guilherme Siqueira, 27, who has also been tracked by Everton.

Full story: Daily Star

Fulham are confident of sealing a £5m deal for Aston Villa striker Darren Bent, 29, with Newcastle United, who have also chased Bent, now intent on taking French striker Loic Remy from Queens Park Rangers, initially on loan but with the option to buy.

Full story: the Guardian

West Ham are interested in signing Malmo winger Jiloan Hamad, 22.

Full story: talkSPORT

West Brom are close to signing Paris St-Germain defender and Uruguay captain Diego Lugano, 32.

Full story: Birmingham Mail

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United have written to Everton to apologise for the way they recruited David Moyes as Sir Alex Ferguson's successor.

Frank Lampard has missed Chelsea's last three friendlies

Full story: Daily Mirror

Chelsea midfielder Frank Lampard is a major doubt for England's friendly with Scotland on 14 August because of an Achilles injury.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Midfielder Victor Wanyama who Southampton signed for £12.5m, says his parents were so poor he had to win his first pair of football boots to play.

Full story: the Sun (subscription required)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger says the Gunners will be stronger this season - even if he fails to land Liverpool forward Luis Suarez, 26, or improve his squad.

Full story: the Sun (subscription required)

Cardiff manager Malky Mackay thinks record signing Steven Caulker, 21, could become the best defender in the country.

Full story: South Wales Echo

AND FINALLY

Real Madrid have beaten rivals Barcelona to the signing of 11-year-old American Joshua Pynadath.

Full story: Los Altos Town Crier