Thursday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United claim they have no regrets about not signing £42.4m playmaker Mesut Ozil ahead of Arsenal. The Premier League champions were offered the 24-year-old a month ago, but chose to prioritise trying to buy a central midfielder and left-back.

Full story: the Times [subscription required]

The Red Devils are "privately mystified and annoyed" about the criticism of their summer transfer campaign, in which they only signed Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini, 25. United will be busier in the coming windows as new manager David Moyes has time to properly scout potential targets.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Athletic Bilbao's Spanish midfielder Ander Herrera, 24, is interested in a £30m January move to Old Trafford after they failed to sign him on transfer deadline day.

Herrera moved to Bilbao from Zaragoza in 2011

Full story: Daily Mail

Chelsea's Brazil defender David Luiz, 26, rejected a summer move to Barcelona.

Full story: Daily Express

Juventus want to sign Real Madrid's Spain midfielder Xabi Alonso, 31, when his contract expires next summer. Alonso could be a replacement for Andrea Pirlo, who will be 35 at the end of the season.

Full story: Tuttosport (Italian)

Fulham's Turkey winger Kerim Frei, 19, could join Besiktas before the Turkish transfer window closes.

Full story: Metro

Watford and Wigan both want to sign Chelsea's England Under-21 midfielder Nathaniel Chalobah, 18, who spent last season at Vicarage Road on loan.

Full story: Daily Mirror

OTHER GOSSIP

Everton are set to offer England defender Leighton Baines a contract extension. Baines, 28, has two years left on his current deal and was the subject of interest from Manchester United this summer.

Full story: the Guardian

Defender Joleon Lescott wants to extend his stay at Manchester City. The England centre-back, 31, is out of contract next summer.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Baines joined Everton from Wigan in 2007

Dutch left-back Alex Buttner, 24, has lost his "sense of trust" at Manchester United, according to his agent, and Besiktas want to take him on loan.

Full story: talkSPORT

Newcastle manager Alan Pardew is set for talks with Yohan Cabaye after the France midfielder, 27, failed to push through a move to Arsenal or Paris St-Germain.

Full story: Daily Mirror

West Brom's sporting and technical director Richard Garlick says Shane Long's move to Hull fell through because the Tigers attempted to change the terms of the deal after having a £6.5m offer accepted for the Republic of Ireland striker, 26.

Full story: Daily Mail

The Hawthorns outfit will now open talks with Long about a new contract. He has two years remaining on his current deal.

Full story: Birmingham Mail

AND FINALLY

Venezuela coach Cesar Farias is struggling to pick a team for Saturday's World Cup qualifier against Chile after losing 20 players to a stomach bug.

Full story: Metro

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's son has signed for Fulham. Jose Mario, a 14-year-old goalkeeper, has joined the youth set-up on a one-year contract after a successful trial.

Full story: Daily Mail