Wednesday's gossip column: Kroos, Costa, Pirlo, Poyet

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

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Toni Kroos (left) may be teaming up with Wayne Rooney at Manchester United next season

Manchester United will offer Toni Kroos £260,000 a week in an effort to prise the 24-year-old midfielder away from Bayern Munich this summer.

Full story: the Guardian

Jose Mourinho is confident Chelsea have secured a £50m deal for Diego Costa in the summer, while Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone says he will not stand in the 25-year-old striker's way.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski, 28, could stay at Arsenal if he gets a fair chance to play regular first-team football.

Full story: the Sun

Italy playmaker Andrea Pirlo has said he came close to joining Chelsea in 2009, but the move was scuppered by AC Milan owner Silvio Berlusconi.

Full story: Metro

Jake Livermore has won one cap for England

Manchester United are aiming to secure a £30m deal for Southampton defender Luke Shaw before the World Cup after moving ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign the 18-year-old.

Full story: Daily Telegraph

Hull boss Steve Bruce is facing a battle with West Ham and Stoke to land midfielder Jake Livermore, 24, on a permanent deal from Spurs.

Full story: Daily Mirror

Brazilian club Atletico Mineiro have said they will not sign sacked West Brom striker Nicolas Anelka, 35, because the player took too long to report to the club.

Full story: Daily Mail

Arsenal have turned their attention to Bayern Munich forward Mario Mandzukic, 27, as they look certain to miss out on initial target Diego Costa of Atletico Madrid.

Full story: Daily Express

Manchester City are ready to discuss a new deal with 28-year-old striker Edin Dzeko.

Full story: the Sun

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester United players Tom Cleverley, Danny Welbeck and Ashley Young were made to do a second extra training session as punishment after they were photographed on a late night in Manchester following the club's Champions League exit in Munich.

Full story: Daily Mail

Brighton loanee Jesse Lingard, a 21-year-old attacking midfielder, says his confidence will be "sky-high" when he returns to Manchester United at the end of the season.

Full story: Daily Express

Gus Poyet has no intention of resigning as Sunderland's manager but will effectively ask owner Ellis Short to back him or sack him this summer.

Full story: the Guardian

Midfielder Stephen Ireland, 27, says he is delighted to have secured a long-term future at Stoke after his miserable spell at Aston Villa.

Full story: Daily Star

AND FINALLY

Fulham players Scott Parker, Brede Hangeland and Sascha Riether have been phoning supporters to thank them for renewing their season tickets for next season.

Full story: the Independent

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