Gossip column: Balotelli, Salah, Balotelli, Eto'o, Delph, Maloney

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Sun back page

Roma have joined Italian rivals Inter Milan and Napoli, and Turkish side Besiktas, in pursuit of 22-year-old Chelsea winger Mohamed Salah. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal says he does not expect to make a big signing this month. (Manchester Evening News)

Everton forward Samuel Eto'o, 33, has agreed a deal to move back to Italy and sign for Sampdoria, with the prospect of a coaching role at the end of a two-and-a-half-year contract. (Daily Mail)

Fabian Delph has been linked with a move to Liverpool but Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert says the Midlands club are still hopeful of persuading the 25-year-old midfielder to sign a new deal. (Daily Star)

Striker Mario Balotelli, 24, has four months to save his Liverpool career or face being sent back to a club in his native Italy. (Daily Mirror)

Balotelli has told Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers that he wants to remain at Anfield. (Guardian)

Wigan midfielder Shaun Maloney, 31, is close to a return to Celtic. (Sun - subscription required)

Arsenal and Everton are monitoring Almeria winger Edgar, 23, with the struggling Spanish club ready to sell for £2m. (Sun - subscription required)

Aston Villa are considering a surprise move for Lazio defender Michael Ciani, 30. (Times - subscription required)

OTHER GOSSIP

Daily Express back page

Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood could take over at QPR if they sack Harry Redknapp, who will be offered a role on the board by Bournemouth if he is dismissed. (Daily Star)

Redknapp claims an "insider" at Loftus Road is trying to get him sacked. (Daily Express)

Midfielder Leroy Fer, 25, says he wants Redknapp to stay. (Evening Standard)

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers believes his side will improve in the second half of the season. (Liverpool Echo)

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho and Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger have accused Manchester City of bending Financial Fair Play rules to sign Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, 26, for £25m. (Daily Mail)

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has criticised the agent of striker Radamel Falcao, 28, for making "unhelpful" comments. (Independent)

Van Gaal's record is very similar to that of David Moyes last season, but former Liverpool player Jamie Carragher says he has not been criticised as much because of the authority he exudes. (Daily Mail)

West Ham are in talks over finding a new shirt sponsor after current backer Alpari went into liquidation. (Daily Telegraph)

Defender Luke Shaw, 19, admits he did not realise how big a club Manchester United was until he joined in the summer. (Guardian)

Striker Nelson Oliveira, 23, says Portugal team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo persuaded him to move on loan to Swansea. (Sky Sports)

Hull striker Sone Aluko, 25, insists the Tigers "aren't panicking" over the threat of relegation. (Talksport)

AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS NEWS (sourced by BBC Monitoring)

Tunisia's team turned up at their hotel to find the rooms weren't ready and there was no running water. (GabonEco)

Algeria, Ghana, Cameroon and the Ivory Coast have been picked out as the four teams most likely to win the tournament by pundits. (MaliActu)

There is no enthusiasm among the people of Equatorial Guinea for the tournament and they are making fun of Senegal fans after the country's poor performance in 2012. (Wal Fadjri)

But Equatorial Guinea has been praised for volunteering to host the tournament. "Morocco, Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa and Sudan all quaked just at the possibility of hosting it in an Ebola endemic," said a news website in Ghana. (Joy Online)

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho

Liverpool are playing Aston Villa on Saturday and Reds defender Jose Enrique tweeted a picture of team-mate Philippe Coutinho along with the message: "On the way to Birmingham. Looks like it is going to go fast for @Phil_Coutinho."

United States international Jozy Altidore moved to Toronto FC as part of the deal that took striker Jermain Defoe to Sunderland. "So excited to be joining @torontofc !!Thanks to all the fans and people of Toronto for the warm welcome!" he tweeted.

AND FINALLY...

Tottenham winger Nacer Chadli has revealed what he believes is the secret to his successful second season: cutting out dairy. (Independent)

Bayern Munich forward Thomas Muller claims training games at the Allianz Arena outfit can be harder to win than Bundesliga matches. (Metro)