Transfer window gossip: Thursday

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

SOUTHAMPTON GOSSIP

Chairman Nicola Cortese's departure from Southampton could open the door for Chelsea to make a renewed bid for 18-year-old left-back Luke Shaw.

Full story: Daily Express

Lambert has been with Southampton since August 2009

West Ham are in further talks to sign £7m Saints and England striker Rickie Lambert, 31.

Full story: Daily Mail

Midfielder Adam Lallana, 25 is also up for grabs alongside Shaw and Lambert in the wake of Cortese's departure, which will also see manager Mauricio Pochettino walk away from the club.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City are preparing for a bidding war over Shaw, who is valued at £20m. Offers are also expected to be received for striker Jay Rodriguez, as well as central defenders Morgan Schneiderlin and Dejan Lovren, all aged 24.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

TRANSFER GOSSIP

After failing in a bid to sign John Obi Mikel, 26, Napoli boss Rafael Benitez hopes to sign another Chelsea midfielder, 31-year-old Michael Essien.

Full story: Sun (subscription required)

Everton Ribeiro, the 24-year-old attacking midfielder heavily linked with Manchester United, has been the subject of an unsuccessful transfer offer from an unnamed English club, the player's agent has confirmed.

Full story: Daily Star

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy is set to block Schalke's move for Lewis Holtby, 23, because he does not want to help Arsenal land Julian Draxler by providing the Germans with the midfielder's replacement.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Meanwhile, Nacer Chadli's agent has said the 24-year-old Belgian winger may have to leave Tottenham to secure his place at the World Cup, after failing to impress in his first season at White Hart Lane.

Full story: Daily Star

Tiago Ilori will be allowed to leave Liverpool on loan in January with Spanish sides Valencia and Granada interested in signing the 20-year-old defender.

Full story: Liverpool Echo

West Ham and Stoke are set to battle it out to land former Sunderland striker Asamoah Gyan, 28, on loan from Al Ain in the United Arab Emirates.

Full story: Talksport

Manchester United are monitoring Napoli forward Marek Hamsik, 26.

Full story: Daily Star

Eden Hazard dreams of becoming world player of the year

Meanwhile, manager David Moyes watched Paris St-Germain's 21-year-old forward Lucas Moura this week with a view to landing the £30m-rated Brazilian.

Full story: Daily Star

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, 23, will decide between moves to Real Madrid or Manchester United in the summer.

Full story: Metro

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney, 28, is likely to miss this weekend's big match against Chelsea despite being sent to Egypt for a spell of warm weather recuperation.

Full story: Daily Mail

Meanwhile, United defender Rio Ferdinand, 35, sees himself as a Premier League manager within five years.

Full story: Daily Express

Mateja Kezman insists his former Serbia team-mate Nemanja Vidic is happy at Manchester United and believes the 32-year-old defender will sign a new deal.

Full story: Talksport

Fulham have been told they will have to double their previous offer to £8m if they want to land West Ham midfielder Ravel Morrison, 20.

Full story: Daily Mirror

West Brom midfielder Youssouf Mulumbu, 26, says being unable to speak English fluently will not hinder new manager Pepe Mel at the club.

Full story: Express & Star

Chelsea forward Eden Hazard, 23, believes he can emulate Real Madrid's Cristiano Ronaldo and win Fifa's Ballon d'Or.

Full story: Evening Standard

Forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 28, will return to play in England before the end of his career, according to former Real Madrid president Ramon Calderon.

Full story: Evening Standard

Norwich boss Chris Hughton has been told relegation is a fate "worse than death", by the club's chief executive David McNally.

Full story: Daily Mail

Striker Fabio Borini says he will not stay at Sunderland past the end of his loan deal as the 22-year-old hopes to impress ahead of returning to parent club Liverpool.

Full story: Daily Star

GLOBAL GOSSIP

Juventus midfielders Arturo Vidal, 26, and Paul Pogba, 20, are on Manchester United manager David Moyes's shopping list. Pogba is also being courted by Real Madrid and French side Paris St-Germain.

Ravel Morrison would rise one place in the table if he left West Ham for Fulham

Full story: L'Equipe (in French)

French side St Etienne would be interested in signing of Arsenal's 21 year-old Ghanaian midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong.

Full story: Lefigaro (in French)

Meanwhile, Juventus's pursuit of Real Madrid's 21 year-old forward Alvaro Morata could face a stiff resistance from rivals Inter Milan.

Full story: Tuttosport (in Italian)

Germany's Borussia Dortmund and Italy's Juventus are keeping a close eye on Real Madrid's 26 year-old striker Karim Benzema.

Full story: Lefigaro (in French)

AND FINALLY

Lukas Podolski, 28, has delighted Arsenal fans on Twitter after saying he'd rather retire than join Spurs in a Q and A session.

Full story: Metro

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