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

Despite Liverpool's principal owner, John W Henry, saying 26-year-old striker Luis Suarez will not join Arsenal, the Gunners will seek to smash the English transfer record by offering up to £51m for the Uruguay international.

Full story: Daily Star

Luis Suarez has asked to leave Liverpool after a season and a half with the Reds

Tottenham forward Gareth Bale's move to Real Madrid could be in doubt after the Spanish club's president Florentino Perez said that £85m was too much money to spend on the 24-year-old.

Full story: ESPN

Perez and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy held face-to-face negotiations in Florida but are still £14m apart in their valuations, with the north London club wanting £100m.

Full story: The Guardian

Manchester United manager David Moyes is poised to make a final £40m offer for Barcelona's 26-year-old midfielder Cesc Fabregas, despite the Spaniard appearing to end the Premier League champions' hopes of signing him.

Full story: Daily Star

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho says he will fight until 'the last day' to sign Manchester United's 27-year-old striker Wayne Rooney.

Full story: Daily Mail

Liverpool could be set to fight neighbours Everton for 27-year-old left back Guilherme Siqueira, who may cost around £8m from Spanish side Granada.

Full story: Daily Star

Everton insist they will reject any formal bid from Manchester United for Belgium midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 25, and England left-back Leighton Baines, 28.

Full story: The Guardian

Aston Villa will have to pay £10m to sign Japan's 23-year-old international midfielder Hiroshi Kiyotake from German club Nuremberg.

Full story: The Sun (subscription required)

Stoke City are in talks to sign former Manchester United striker Mame Biram Diouf, 25, from German side Hannover.

Full story: Daily Star

Hull City are lining up a £2.2m move for FC Twente midfielder Willem Janssen, 27, on the recommendation of former England coach Steve McClaren.

Carlton Cole is a free agent after being released by West Ham at the end of last season

Full story: Daily Mirror

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio is poised to revive his interest in Tottenham's 26-year-old midfielder Tom Huddlestone.

Full story: Daily Star

Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Newcastle United are all thought to be monitoring Santos 16-year-old forward Victor Andrade, who has been described as "the new Neymar".

Full story: Daily Express

Tottenham could be set for a shock move for free agent Carlton Cole, 29, after the former West Ham striker was reported to have featured in a behind-closed-doors friendly for Andre Villas-Boas's side.

Full story: Metro

Queens Park Rangers manager Harry Redknapp has confirmed he has made an enquiry for Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, 30, but admits he is struggling to bring him to Loftus Road.

Full story: London Evening Standard

OTHER GOSSIP

England manager Roy Hodgson says Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 27, should focus on England when he joins up with the national squad and forget about a potential move to Chelsea.

Full story: Daily Mail

Manchester United's Dutch striker Robin van Persie, 30, has dismissed suggestions the club will go into decline following Sir Alex Ferguson's retirement and says standards will not slip under new manager David Moyes.

Full story: Daily Express

Manchester City's 25-year-old striker Sergio Aguero, who has missed all his club's pre-season games with a knee injury, will be available for the opening league game of the season against Newcastle on 19 August.

Full story: The Guardian

AND FINALLY

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio was so upset with his team's display in a friendly against Denmark's Midtjylland that he was going to ban his players from eating a post-match pasta buffet as a punishment. But Di Canio had to relent when the team bus was delayed.

Full story: Daily Mirror

India cricket captain and Manchester United fan Mahendra Singh Dhoni, 32, has been appointed a brand ambassador to promote English Premier League football in his homeland.

Full story: The Hindu