Saturday's gossip column: Football transfers & rumours

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Chelsea will send a senior scout to their Premier League match at Everton on Saturday to look at Toffees midfielder Ross Barkley, 19, who earned his first senior England cap against Moldova last week.

Full story: Daily Mail

Meanwhile, Chelsea have entered the race to sign Sheffield United's highly rated defender Harry Maguire. The 20-year-old could be the subject of a £5m bid from Stamford Bridge.

Full story: Metro

Roma, whose finances have been strengthened by selling playmaker Erik Lamela to Tottenham, are interested in Spurs' midfield duo of Lewis Holtby, 22, and Sandro, 24.

Lewis Holtby has made 18 appearances for Tottenham since arriving from Schalke

Full story: talkSPORT

Arsenal are monitoring the progress of 19-year-old Danish midfielder Patrick Olsen at Inter Milan and may return to the Italian club with an improved offer after a loan deal was rejected.

Full story: talkSPORT

Manchester City are interested in Estudiantes goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli, 21, but face competition from Barcelona, Porto and Benfica.

Full story: Sport (in Spanish)

Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola, 42, claims the Bundesliga club would never sanction a move for Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, 26.

Full story: Goal.com

Crystal Palace boss Ian Holloway says he tried to bring Manchester United winger Wilfried Zaha, 20, back to Selhurst Park on loan up on the final day of the transfer window deadline.

Full story: Sky Sports

OTHER GOSSIP

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has offered to discuss how English football and the national team can be improved with Football Association chairman Greg Dyke.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas has claimed that Arsenal "paid heavily" when signing playmaker Mesut Ozil, 24, from Real Madrid and that his side and Manchester City have done the best transfer window business.

Full story: the Guardian

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger tips midfielder Jack Wilshere, 21, to become a world-renowned football figure in the mould of Bobby Moore, Michel Platini or Zinedine Zidane.

Full story: the Independent

Manchester United manager David Moyes says the champions paid £4m more than a recently expired release clause for Everton midfielder Marouane Fellaini because they also hoped to bring in defender Leighton Baines, 28, in a joint deal. Fellaini, 25, signed for United in a £27.5m move earlier this month.

Full story: the Times (requires subscription)

Cardiff striker Peter Odemwingie, 32, says his relationship with former club West Bromwich Albion began to break down when then-boss Roy Hodgson, now England manager, questioned his ability to play through pain.

Full story: the Guardian

Monaco manager Claudio Ranieri reveals he targeted Porto striker Jackson Martinez, 26, before the French club signed 27-year-old Radamel Falcao from Atletico Madrid.

Full story: Daily Express

Atletico Madrid defender Juanfran, 28, turned down the opportunity to quadruple his wages by signing for Arsenal, instead choosing to sign a new four-year deal at the Spanish club.

Full story: Daily Star

AND FINALLY

Sunderland manager Paolo Di Canio is demanding that his new foreign signings stop being so "shy", and stops training to force them to use English terms on the pitch.

Full story: Daily Mirror

West Ham manager Sam Allardyce says 24-year-old striker Andy Carroll's latest foot injury is one usually suffered by basketball players or ballerinas.

Full story: Daily Mirror