Wednesday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

Follow breaking sports news every weekday with Sportsday.

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Luuk de Jong was part of the Netherlands' Euro 2012 squad

Monaco are set to test Manchester City's resolve to hold on to Belgian defender Vincent Kompany, 27, in January by making a £17m offer for the player's services.

Full story: Daily Express

City are believed to be ahead of Manchester United and Inter Milan in the race for Argentine midfielder Bruno Zuculini, 20, currently with Racing Club de Avellaneda in his home country.

Full story: Sun (subscription required)

Stoke are plotting a January move for Dutch striker Luuk de Jong, 23, and manager Mark Hughes has not given up hope of getting a work permit for American forward Juan Agudelo, 21.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Barcelona will attempt to sign Chelsea defender David Luiz, 26, in January for £29m.

Full story: Daily Star

Arsenal face competition from Liverpool for the signature of Hamburg's highly rated Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, 19.

Full story: Daily Mail

Newcastle United's 32-year-old striker Shola Ameobi, out of contract at the end of this season, is a January target for Hull City.

Full story: Sun (subscription required)

Tottenham new boy Erik Lamela, 21, could be set for an early White Hart Lane exit with Atletico Madrid interested in taking the Argentine former Roma winger on loan.

Full story: Footy Latest

Barcelona striker Antonio Sanabria, 17, has decided to leave the Nou Camp and commit his future to Roma, even though Arsenal have made a major offer for him.

Full story: International Business Times

OTHER GOSSIP

Ashley Cole has made more than 300 Chelsea appearances and has 106 England caps

Chelsea and England defender Ashley Cole, 32, has told club and national bosses Jose Mourinho and Roy Hodgson he is not past his best.

Full story: Metro

Arsenal players have been put on a security lockdown amid major Champions League safety fears and have not been allowed to leave their hotel in the run-up to the game against Napoli.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Argentina striker Gonzalo Higuain, 26, says he is desperate to put one over on Arsenal in the Champions League.

Full story: The Times (subscription required)

Former Arsenal midfielder Paul Merson says he fears crooks have attempted to fix Premier League matches for 10 years.

Full story: Daily Star

Steven Gerrard hopes to be available for Liverpool again in around four weeks after suffering a hamstring injury that has ruled the Reds' 33-year-old captain out of the festive fixture programme.

Full story: Guardian

Blackburn must wait to find out whether striker DJ Campbell, 32, is guilty of spot-fixing before they can cancel his £25,000-a-week contract.

Full story: Daily Mail

GLOBAL GOSSIP (from BBC Monitoring)

FC Barcelona vice-president Javier Faus says there is "zero chance" that the club will sell Lionel Messi, 26, but he also believes the Argentine superstar's contract won't be improved this season.

Full story: Marca

German club VfL Wolfsburg could be interested in signing Kevin De Bruyne if Chelsea decide to sell the 22-year-old Belgium midfielder.

Full story: Kicker (in German)

AND FINALLY

David Beckham says he still pines for Manchester despite his jet-set lifestyle - with the 38-year-old describing his spell at Manchester United as the best of his career.

Full story: Manchester Evening News

Chelsea captain John Terry, 33, who earns £170,000 a week, has been spotted bargain hunting in Poundworld.

Full story: Metro

Have your say on these stories on the BBC Sport Facebook page