Gossip column: Reus, Khedira, Rodriguez, Lichtsteiner, Toprak

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Liverpool are in pole position to sign Germany midfielder Marco Reus, 25, after talks over a new contract at Borussia Dortmund collapsed. (Metro)

Injury forced Marco Reus to miss the World Cup with Germany

Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is planning on signing Southampton's 25-year-old £20m-rated England attacker Jay Rodriguez. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal are keen to sign 30-year-old Juventus full-back Stephan Lichtsteiner. (Talksport)

Arsenal are also looking to sign Spartak Moscow midfielder Romulo, 24, this January, with manager Arsene Wenger preparing to offer the Russian club £9.5m plus striker Yaya Sanogo on loan. (Daily Express)

Manchester City have joined Premier League rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the competition to sign Real Madrid's 27-year-old midfielder Sami Khedira. (Shoot)

Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham are interested in 25-year-old Bayer Leverkusen defender Omer Toprak. (Daily Star)

OTHER GOSSIP

Some of Rio Ferdinand's Queens Park Rangers team-mates will welcome his three-match FA ban over an offensive Twitter post as they are understood to believe the Hoops' side is stronger without the former England captain. (Daily Mirror)

Sebastian Blanco joined West Brom from Metalist Kharkiv in the summer.

Daniel Sturridge has defended "misunderstood" fellow Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli. (Talksport)

England striker Sturridge, 25, fears his recent muscle injury problems could be a hereditary condition. (Daily Telegraph)

Goalkeeping legend Peter Schmeichel now regards Manchester City as a "bigger club" than their city rivals Manchester United based on recent form. (Manchester Evening News)

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe says the club's superstitious Russian owner Maxim Demin rarely attends the club's matches because he feels he is a jinx. (Bournemouth Echo)

£86m signing Gareth Bale, 25, is set to return for Real Madrid against Liverpool in the Champions League next week after recovering from a muscle injury. (Daily Express)

Referee Mark Clattenburg is "hurt and upset" at the decision to drop him from the Premier League list this weekend. (Sun - subscription required)

The Times back page

Bolton Wanderers chairman Phil Gartside plays down talk of an imminent takeover after a Thai consortium claimed to be in discussions over a £40m deal. (Guardian)

Referee chiefs Mike Riley and Howard Webb will travel to the Netherlands next month to see if video replays could work in the Premier League. (Sun - subscription required)

Spain's national team doctor Juan Jose Garcia Cota claims Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 26, had no problems with his hamstring while on international duty. (London Evening Standard)

Old Trafford legend Bryan Robson says Manchester United have badly missed the steadying influence of Michael Carrick, 33, this season. (Daily Express)

West Brom's Argentina midfielder Sebastian Blanco, 26, admits he had doubts about moving to the Premier League but now feels he made the right decision. (Birmingham Mail)

Everton midfielder Darron Gibson, 30, could miss the Republic of Ireland's Euro 2016 qualifier against Scotland at Celtic Park on 14 November after jarring his knee in training. (Irish Independent)

Arsenal midfielder Mathieu Flamini has backed Sunderland's Vito Mannone, 26, to bounce back from his latest goalkeeping howler. (Northern Echo)

GLOBAL GOSSIP (sourced by BBC Monitoring)

Atletico Madrid's Croatian striker Mario Mandzukic, 28, says one of the reasons for his departure from Bayern Munich was his lack of respect for manager Pep Guardiola. (As.com - in Spanish)

Barcelona's new signing Luis Suarez, 27, says he was close to joining Juventus in the summer of 2012 but Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers convinced him to stay at Anfield. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Manchester United are closely monitoring Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes, 26, and midfielder Julian Draxler, 21. (Bild - in German)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Southampton right-back Nathaniel Clyne: Buzzing with the win tonight on to the next round.

The Saints defeated Stoke 3-2 to reach the League Cup quarter-finals.

Southampton players celebrate their League Cup win at Stoke

Arsenal striker Lukas Podolski: Wishing my bro and Arsenal legend Robert Pires a happy birthday.

Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon: Gutted to come off with slight hammy issue but should be ok in no time, buzzing to lead the team out and go through to the next round.

Tottenham defeated Brighton to reach the League Cup last eight.

Newcastle goalkeeper Rob Elliot: What a result!! What a performance the best support ever!! But to top it all Ryan Taylor is back!

Midfielder Taylor made his first start in two years in the 2-0 League Cup win at Manchester City, having been out with injury.

AND FINALLY

A Belgian referee has been criticised after awarding Genk a goal in their league match - despite the ball clearly hitting the bar. (Metro)

Leicester striker Leonardo Ulloa watched former club Brighton take on Tottenham - from the away end at White Hart Lane. (Daily Mail)