Thursday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

Follow breaking football news every weekday with Sportsday.

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

Transfer gossip

Newcastle, Everton, Stoke, West Brom, West Ham, Aston Villa, Swansea and Cardiff are monitoring the situation of Wilfried Zaha, 21, at Manchester United.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Chelsea join Manchester United, Tottenham and Arsenal in pursuit of Inter Milan centre-back Andrea Ranocchi, 25.

Full story: Daily Star

Diego Costa has scored 22 goals in 21 games this season for Atletico Madrid

Arsenal are tracking Atletico Madrid forward Diego Costa, 25, who has a £32m release clause in his contract with the Spanish club.

Full story: Daily Mail

Real Madrid want to make a bid for Liverpool striker Luis Suarez, 26, next summer.

Full story: Daily Star

Manchester City and Arsenal have been sounded out by agents regarding Real Madrid goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 32.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Swansea, Reading and QPR are monitoring Manchester City midfielder Abdisalam Ibrahim, 22.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Seattle Sounders forward Clint Dempsey, 30 is lining up a loan return to Fulham during the Major League Soccer off-season.

Full story: Daily Mail

Swansea's Michu has called on his club to sign Liverpool's Spanish forward Iago Aspas, 26, on loan in January.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Other gossip

Former Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas, 36, did not approve four of Spurs' seven summer signings and asked chairman Daniel Levy not to buy them.

Full story: Daily Mail

Villas-Boas has emerged as a contender for the vacant West Bromwich Albion job, along with former Liverpool coach Mauricio Pellegrino and Martin Jol.

Full story: Express and Star

Ajax manager Frank de Boer, 43, is top of Tottenham's wanted list to become their next head coach.

Tottenham want Frank de Boer, who has led Ajax to the Dutch title, to replace Andre Villas-Boas

Full story: Daily Mirror

Former Manchester United, Real Madrid and LA Galaxy midfielder David Beckham, 38, is making progress in his attempt to establish a new MLS team after Miami-Dade county commissioners voted unanimously in support of a new, privately funded stadium.

Full story: ESPN

Former Tottenham midfielder David Ginola has accused his old club's players of failing to understand the history of the club.

Full story: Talksport

Manchester United should have signed Everton midfielder Ross Barkley, 20, rather than Marouane Fellaini, 26, this summer, according to the club's former striker Michael Owen.

Full story: Metro

Tottenham goalkeeper Brad Friedel, 42, has dismissed reports ex-manager Andre Villas-Boas lost the dressing room, insisting none of the players wanted to see him leave.

Full story: Fox Sports

Global gossip from (BBC Monitoring)

Real Madrid have quashed rumours of Xabi Alonso moving to England after they renewed the 32 year-old midfielder's contract.

Full story: Marca

Hamburg sporting director Oliver Kreuzer has hinted at securing the services of former striker Ivica Olic, 34, when his contract expires at Wolfsburg this summer.

Full story: Bild

And finally

Arsenal goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny, 23, posted a video of Arsenal's fancy dress Christmas party, where midfielder Santi Cazorla, 29 came as video game character Mario and forward Lukas Podolski, 28 turned up as the Incredible Hulk. Szczesny went as Robocop.

Full story: Metro

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