Gossip column: Bale, Reus, Berahino, Rodgers, Schneiderlin

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

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United have been given permission to launch a summer bid for Real Madrid's Gareth Bale, 25. (Sunday Express)

And United are preparing moves for Benfica's midfield duo Enzo Perez, 28, and Nicolas Gaitan, 26. Louis van Gaal also wants Roma midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, and could spend £80m on the trio. (Daily Star)

Liverpool are considering bringing striker Fernando Torres, 30, back to the club in January, four years after he left Anfield to join Chelsea. The Spaniard is currently on a two-year loan at AC Milan. (Mail on Sunday)

Aston Villa will seal a permanent deal for their on-loan Manchester United midfielder Tom Cleverley, 25, in January. (Sunday Mirror)

Inter Milan are preparing a bid for Tottenham winger Aaron Lennon, 27. (Daily Star)

Spurs, meanwhile, will make a January move for West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 21. (The Sun, subscription required)

Arsenal are set to make a 'monster' bid to finally sign Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 25, in the January transfer window. (Metro)

The Gunners are also poised to make a move for Germany midfielder Christoph Kramer. The 23-year-old would cost £20m from Bayer Leverkusen. (Mail on Sunday)

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Marco Reus, 25, handed Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal a blow by agreeing to join Real Madrid in a £20m move at the end of the season.(Sunday Express)

Southampton will sign Werder Bremen's controversial winger Eljero Elia, 27, in January.(Sunday Mirror)

OTHER GOSSIP

Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, has bought a £1m penthouse apartment in the city centre, and moved in with his parents. (Sunday Mirror)

Reds team-mate Raheem Sterling is set to be rested by manager Brendan Rodgers in an effort to prevent the 20-year-old from burning out. (The Sun, the subscription required)

Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger insists he is no Scrooge and will be happy to splash the cash in January. (Observer)

Liverpool's American owners are considering possible replacements for under-fire boss Brendan Rodgers and are said to be weighing up the possibility of approaching United States national team coach Jurgen Klinsmann. (Caught Offside)

Manchester United and Chelsea were interested in signing Bojan, 24, when he was a teenager, according to the Stoke attacker's father. (Mail on Sunday)

Ally McCoist may have managed Rangers for the final time as owner Mike Ashley prepares to move to replace him. (Mail on Sunday)

Manchester City are again likely to be without any senior strikers for the Boxing Day clash with West Brom, with Sergio Aguero, Edin Dzeko and Stevan Jovetic all out injured. (Manchester Evening News)

Arsene Wenger says he is happy to have Alexis Sanchez, rather than Luis Suarez, as his star striker at Arsenal. (Sunday Telegraph)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Charlie Austin's hat-trick against West Brom moved him on to 11 goals for the season

Queens Park Rangers striker Charlie Austin was busy on social media on Saturday evening. The 25-year-old took little time to post a photo of himself with the match ball after bagging a hat-trick in their victory over West Brom.

There was a contrast in emotion for Hull City's Tom Huddlestone, 27, who tweeted: "Tough time for everyone at the moment. We have to all stick together and keep working hard to get ourselves out of the current situation."

AND FINALLY...

They really are trawling to find talent at Manchester City. Ahead of their victory over Crystal Palace on Saturday, the club arranged for penguins to play football outside the Etihad Stadium and some of them showed good touches. (Metro)