Transfer Gossip: Di Maria, Podolski, Eto'o, Falcao, Khedira

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United have concluded negotiations with Real Madrid and will pay a British record £63.9m for winger Angel Di Maria, 26. (Sky Sports)

The Argentina international could end up costing United £72m, with an initial £60m plus £12m in add-ons. (Daily Mirror)

World Cup winner Podolski was not in the Arsenal squad at Everton at the weekend

Juventus will open talks with Arsenal over a move for out-of-favour forward Lukas Podolski. The Serie A champions would prefer to take the 29-year-old Germany international on a season-long loan with a view to a permanent transfer, but Arsenal would favour selling him. (Daily Telegraph)

Real Madrid boss Carl Ancelotti says German World Cup-winning midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, will be staying despite interest from Arsenal, Bayern Munich and Manchester United.(Guardian)

Everton manager Roberto Martinez has refused to rule out signing free agent Samuel Eto'o, 33, or Manchester United's Danny Welbeck, 23, in the final week of the transfer window as he seeks to boost his forward line. (Times - subscription required)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has made a check on Brazil's defensive midfielder Luiz Gustavo, 27, who is currently with Wolfsburg. (Daily Mirror)

Southampton have made a bid for Tottenham's England winger Andros Townsend, 23.(ESPN FC)

Nathan Redmond joined Norwich from Birmingham in July 2013

And Ronald Koeman, Southampton's boss, is also ready to revive his interest in Norwich winger Nathan Redmond, 20.(Sun - subscription required)

Liverpool may have to move fast for Colombia international striker Radamel Falcao, 28, as Juventus are planning a loan offer for the Monaco striker. (Daily Star)

Fernando Torres will not leave Chelsea unless they pay his £8.5m-a-year contract in full. Italian side Roma are leading the race to sign the out-of-favour 30-year-old forward. (Sun - subscription required)

Sunderland have held talks with Lille's former Chelsea winger Salomon Kalou, 29, who is also interesting Arsenal, Liverpool and Everton. (Daily Express)

Sunderland boss Gus Poyet is hoping to have an answer soon as to whether his main transfer target, Liverpool striker Fabio Borini, 23, will join the club. (Sunderland Echo)

West Ham have made an enquiry about Manchester City defender Micah Richards. The 26-year-old looks set to leave City this week. (Sun - subscription required)

QPR have been linked with a bid for 24-year-old Reading goalkeeper Alex McCarthy. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

The Sun's Monday back page

Former West Brom boss Steve Clarke has expressed his interest the vacant manager's job at Crystal Palace. (Croydon Advertiser)

Rangers boss Ally McCoist has said he will stay at Ibrox amid speculation that he is on a list of candidates for the vacant job at Selhurst Park. (Daily Record)

Caretaker Palace caretaker-manager Keith Millen insists chairman Steve Parish will not be rushed into making a full-time appointment. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger says that 27-year-old striker Olivier Giroud's late equaliser at Everton on Saturday shows he can prove his doubters wrong. (Daily Star)

Wenger reportedly twice rejected the chance to sign Mario Balotelli this summer before the Italy striker agreed a £16m move to Premier League rivals Liverpool. (Metro)

Former Liverpool manager Graeme Souness has warned the club against signing Balotelli, describing the move as an 'enormous gamble'. (Daily Mail)

But current Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers says striker Daniel Sturridge, 24, will thrive once Balotelli's move from AC Milan is complete. (Guardian)

Liverpool agreed a £16m fee with AC Milan for Mario Balotelli on Thursday

Liverpool's new £20m signing from Benfica, Lazar Markovic, 20, says the Reds can win the Premier League this term. (Liverpool Echo)

Former Manchester City midfielder Jack Rodwell, 23, now with Sunderland, insists he would never warn young players against moving to the Etihad Stadium, contrary to recent reports. (Manchester Evening News)

Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho, 29, insists he and his Manchester City team-mates will make a better job of defending the Premier League title than the side did after winning it in 2012. (Times - subscription required)

Malky Mackay should face a season-long ban from football for the offensive texts he sent to a former colleague at Cardiff, according to the ex-Football Association chairman Lord Triesman. (Guardian)

New Southampton boss Ronald Koeman has warned that Italian striker Graziano Pelle, 29, and Serb midfielder Dusan Tadic, 25, will need time to settle in English football following their summer moves. (Southampton Daily Echo)

Former loan signing Jonathan de Guzman has sent a message of thanks to Swansea City after joining Napoli. (South Wales Evening Post)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Broadcaster and writer Danny Baker with some typically witty Twitter observations on Manchester United's troubles. "United are like going to see a famous band who have a great back catalogue & reputation but now only one original member left. Eerily aimless show from Man U. It's like Alex Ferguson took the power charger with him when he left and now they're down to 8% and falling."

Gordon Burns is unimpressed by Liverpool's proposed signing of Mario Balotelli

Joey Barton has plenty of tweets to answer following QPR's 4-0 defeat at Tottenham. Barton said on social media last season he would 'destroy' Spurs' midfield pair and said the north London club had 'spent a lot of money on bang average players'. (Metro)

Former Krypton Factor host Gordon Burns ponders the latest shenanigans in the transfer market and opines on Twitter: "Think footy's gone potty. Liverpool get rid of 1 bad boy but sign another who isn't as good, Man Utd to pay £60m+ for Di Maria. Worth half that."

AND FINALLY

Gianmario Comi of Avellino escaped without punishment during a Coppa Italia tie following a Luis Suarez-style bite on Giuseppe De Luca of Bari, who was sent off for his furious reaction. (Sun - subscription required)

A black cat invaded the pitch during the first half of Barcelona's match with Elche at the Nou Camp. The feline could not prevent the Catalan giants winning 3-0. (Metro)