Wednesday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 31, is being lined up as a successor to Victor Valdes at Barcelona.

Full story: Daily Star

Romania striker Ciprian Marica's agent says the 27-year-old is close to joining Arsenal. Marica is a free agent after leaving Schalke. Shakhtar Dontesk, Lazio and Inter Milan have all been interested.

Petr Cech signed for Chelsea from French side Rennes for £7m in July 2004

Full story: Daily Mirror

Manchester United are tracking Sheffield United defender Harry Maguire. The 20-year-old is valued at about £4m.

Full story: the Sun (requires subscription)

Middlesbrough are keen to take Norwich striker Luciano Becchio, 29, and defender Daniel Ayala, 22, on loan after missing out on both targets during the transfer window.

Full story: Daily Express

Aston Villa will listen to loan offers for Shay Given from Championship clubs but they have no intention of allowing the 37-year-old former Republic of Ireland goalkeeper, whose salary is £3m a year, to leave on the cheap.

Full story: the Guardian

Real Madrid have asked club ambassador Zinedine Zidane to placate out-of-favour goalkeeper Iker Casillas and prevent him leaving the club. Manchester City and Arsenal are both interested in the 32-year-old.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Barcelona forward Cristian Tello, 22, has revealed he rejected advances from Liverpool this summer, instead opting to fight for his place at the Nou Camp.

Full story: Metro

Oldham's 20-year-old defender James Tarkowski is attracting interest from Stoke and Newcastle.

Full story: the Sun (requires subscription)

OTHER GOSSIP

Wayne Rooney is targeting a comeback for Manchester United in the Manchester derby on 22 September. The striker is currently out of action after suffering a gash to his forehead during a training ground clash with team-mate Phil Jones.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Liverpool owner John W Henry insists finance will not be an issue once the club receive the green light for their planned £150m redevelopment of Anfield and squad strengthening will not be compromised by the project.

Stephan El Shaarawy says his AC Milan side will be too strong for Celtic in the Champions League

Full story: Liverpool Daily Post

Former England Under-21 manager Stuart Pearce has criticised the commitment of Manchester United's Phil Jones, 21, and Arsenal's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, 20, after they pulled out of the side's European Championship campaign earlier this summer. Pearce also attacked Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, 24, for the Welshman's decision to withdraw from the Great Britain side he led at London 2012.

Full story: the Guardian

Manchester United playmaker Shinji Kagawa, who has played just seven minutes for the Premier League champions this season, has voiced his frustration at his lack of playing time. "Please ask David Moyes why I am not in the side," the 24-year-old asked reporters in Yokohama.

Full story: Daily Mail

AC Milan striker Stephan El Shaarawy believes the Rossoneri will be "too strong" for Scottish champions Celtic in the Champions League this season. "There is a lot of talk about their character and team spirit but that is not going to save them," said the 20-year-old.

Full story: Daily Record

AND FINALLY

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has unveiled his managerial secrets in an interview with the Harvard Business School professor Anita Elberse, which appears in October's Harvard Business Review.

Full story: the Guardian