Gossip column: Cavani, Sturridge, Maradona, Nani, Costa, Walker

For a list of all the latest deals, check out the transfers page.

TRANSFER GOSSIP

PSG paid £55m to sign Edinson Cavani from Napoli last year

Arsenal lead the race to sign 27-year-old Uruguay striker Edinson Cavani, who is unhappy at Paris St-Germain. (Daily Star)

The Gunners could also move for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote, 28, who says he wants to leave St James' Park. (Independent)

Manchester United have been handed a significant boost in their efforts to sign Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, after the Italian club's manager Rudi Garcia admitted he could not stop the Dutchman leaving. (Daily Express)

Arsenal are set to compete with Chelsea for the signature of West Ham defender Reece Oxford, 15. (Daily Express)

Manchester United winger Nani, 27, says he may make his loan switch to Sporting Lisbon permanent at the end of the season. (Independent)

Nani began his career at Sporting Lisbon

Stoke chairman Peter Coates is in no rush to make Chelsea winger Victor Moses's loan move permanent, despite the 23-year-old's impressive start. (Stoke Sentinel)

Barcelona are confident Argentina forward Lionel Messi will stay, despite reports linking the 27-year-old with Chelsea and PSG. (Sky Sports)

Liverpool are prepared to offer £22m plus midfielder Lucas Leiva, 27, as they bid to sign Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, 26. (Caught Offside)

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool's 25-year-old striker Daniel Sturridge is close to signing a new five-year contract that could take his earnings up to £150,000 per week. (Times - subscription required)

Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 25, intends to play in Spain's Euro 2016 qualifiers against Slovakia and Luxembourg next week, despite club manager Jose Mourinho wanting him to rest his sore hamstring. (Sun - subscription required)

Diego Costa wants to play in Spain's upcoming Euro 2016 qualifiers, despite his ongoing hamstring injury

Manchester City manager Manuel Pellegrini has been set a target of reaching the Champions League quarter-final this season by the club's owners, who believe it could take five years to actually win the competition. (Daily Telegraph)

Chelsea defender John Terry, 33, says he was reduced to tears by Chelsea's failure to win the Premier League last season. (Independent)

Manchester United defender Phil Jones, 22, could play in Sunday's match against Everton after recovering from a hamstring injury suffered in England's Euro 2016 qualifier in Switzerland. (Daily Mirror)

Former Spartak Moscow Aiden McGeady, 28, has encouraged more British and Irish players to play abroad, as he returned to Russia for Everton's Europa League tie against Krasnodar. (Daily Express)

Meanwhile, Blues team-mate Kevin Mirallas, 26, is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines because of a hamstring injury. (Daily Telegraph)

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino admits he has no idea when England full-back Kyle Walker, 24, will return from an abdominal problem. (Daily Mirror)

Walker has not played since Spurs' Europa League defeat to Benfica in March

Arsenal full-back Kieran Gibbs, 25, could return to the England set-up after a four-year absence. (Times - subscription required)

Midfielder James Milner, 28, says Manchester City must beat CSKA Moscow later this month if they are to stand any chance of qualifying for the Champions League knockout stages. (Sun - subscription required)

Milner's team-mate and fellow midfielder Fernandinho, 29, both concede progressing from the group stage will be "difficult" for Manuel Pellegrini's side. (Manchester Evening News)

The chairman of anti-racism organisation Kick It Out has described 35-year-old QPR defender Rio Ferdinand's autobiography as a "book of trivia". (Guardian)

Thursday's Daily Mirror back page

Ferdinand also says he is happy to talk to David Moyes, despite describing the former Manchester United manager as "embarrassing" in his book. (Daily Star)

Former West Ham and Watford boss Gianfranco Zola, 48, has emerged as a leading contender for the vacant manager's role at Fulham. (Sky Sports)

Former Arsenal midfielder Ray Parlour, 41, doubts the Gunners will ever win the Champions League under Arsene Wenger. (Talksport)

Midfielder Stephen Quinn, 28, is set to stay at Hull City, but 26-year-old striker Yannick Sagbo has been challenged to prove his worth following his loan move to Wolves. (Hull Daily Mail)

Swansea City chairman Huw Jenkins says reports linking the club with a foreign takeover are wide of the mark. (Wales Online)

Manchester United are set to raid Southampton again - this time for club physio Matt Radcliffe. (Daily Mail)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

World Cup winner and former Argentina boss Diego Maradona is set to become the new coach of Palestine.

Roma continued their light-hearted Twitter exchange with Manchester City with a post mocking their poor record in Italy ahead of the two sides' meeting in Rome.

Stoke City midfielder Steve Sidwell, 31, paid a visit to former club Fulham, tweeting his delight as the Cottagers beat Bolton 4-0.

AND FINALLY

Hannover players have been told they cannot attend the Oktoberfest beer festival - even if they beat Bayern Munich on Saturday. (Sun - subscription required)

West Bromwich Albion defender Craig Dawson, 24, was persuaded not to give up professional football by comedian Bernard Manning's son. (Express and Star)