Gossip column: Di Maria, Bender, Milner, Henderson, Simeone

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester United are ready to sell record signing Angel Di Maria, 27, in the summer as they believe they can persuade Real Madrid star Gareth Bale, 25, to join the club. (Sunday Express), external

Bayer Leverkusen and Germany midfielder Lars Bender, 25, is now a transfer target for Manchester United after Roma's Dutch midfielder Kevin Strootman suffered a new injury setback. (Sunday People), external

Image source, Daily Star Sunday
Image caption,

Jack Wilshere and Angel Di Maria could be on the move, according to the Daily Star Sunday

Italian side Roma are prepared to hand Manchester City midfielder James Milner, 29, a £18.1m package - including wages of £100,000 a week for three years - to quit the Etihad Stadium club on a free transfer. (Daily Star Sunday), external

But the Premier League champions are concerned about their quota of home-produced players and are considering moves for midfielders Jack Wilshere, 23, from Arsenal and Everton's Ross Barkley, 21 as well as West Ham defender Aaron Cresswell. (Daily Star Sunday), external

Manchester City have also joined Liverpool in the race to sign 22-year-old Burnley striker Danny Ings, whose contract with the Turf Moor club runs out in the summer. (Sunday Express) , external

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal sent a scout to watch Ings and now the Old Trafford club are also keen to sign the England Under-21 international. (Sun on Sunday - subscription required), external

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers faces a struggle to keep midfielder Jordan Henderson, 24, at Anfield with no sign of an agreement over a new contract after an £80,000-a-week deal was rejected last year.(Sunday Mirror), external

Newcastle will watch Senegal international Moussa Konate, 21, in action on Sunday as they consider a move for the FC Sion striker. (Mail on Sunday), external

Blackburn Rovers could allow striker Jordan Rhodes, 25, join Championship promotion chasers Derby county on loan is they are knocked out of the FA Cup by Liverpool on Sunday. (Sun on Sunday - subscription required) , external

OTHER GOSSIP

Manchester City's hierarchy is working on finding a successor for manager Manuel Pellegrini should the club finish the season without a trophy. (Sunday Times - subscription required), external

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone will have to break promises made to his players that he would remain at the club until summer 2016 if he is to succeed Manuel Pellegrini as Manchester City manager this summer.(Sunday Mirror), external

Image source, Sunday Telegraph
Image caption,

The pitch invasion at Villa Park dominates the Sunday Telegraph's sports section

Premier League football clubs could face legal action to force improvements in their facilities for disabled supporters.(Observer), external

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has revealed he was spat at while he was playing in France.(Mail on Sunday), external

Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal says qualifying for the Champions League is more important than winning the FA Cup this season. (ESPN FC), external

Liverpool defender Alberto Moreno, 22, wants to win the FA Cup to give captain and "megastar" Steven Gerrard the perfect 35th birthday present - and leaving gift.(Sunday Telegraph), external

Blackburn captain Matthew Kilgallon was at Sunderland when Jordan Henderson was coming through the ranks at the Black Cats and says "promising would be an understatement" when recalling the current Liverpool midfielder's talent. The two will meet in an FA Cup quarter-final on Sunday. (Observer), external

Steve Bruce has been offered another three-year contract to manage Hull when his current deal runs out in the summer, with club owner Assem Allam keen to reward Bruce for the great job he has done since arriving at the KC Stadium in 2012. (Sunday People), external

Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers was among the spectators at the DW Stadium on Saturday for Wigan's 1-0 loss to Leeds so he could check out the progress of on-loan winger Sheyi Ojo, 17. Ojo joined the Latics during the winter transfer window. (Liverpool Echo), external

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Image source, Bafetimbi Gomis/Instagram
Image caption,

Bafetimbi Gomis goes for dinner

Swansea striker Bafetimbi Gomis posted a photo on Instagram of himself, external visiting his favourite restaurant as he recovered back home in France after collapsing on the pitch during Wednesday's Premier League match at Tottenham.

Aston Villa's Jack Grealish quickly overcame the disappointment of his late sending-off against West Brom on Saturday. "Unfortunate about the red card, didn't think it was [a sending-off] but... We're going to WEMBLEEEYYYYYYYYY," he tweeted., external

Nottingham Forest owner Fawaz Al Hasawi cheekily answered back to a Derby fan who thanked him for a win over the Rams' Championship promotion rivals Middlesbrough. "We beat you too," he tweeted,, external referring to a 2-1 win at the iPro Stadium in January.

AND FINALLY....

Chelsea's billionaire owner Roman Abramovich did not enter the West Ham boardroom during his side's win at Upton Park last week as he was afraid of breaking the dress code. (Sunday Telegraph), external

Former Liverpool owner Tom Hicks has put up for sale his mansion in Dallas, which comes complete with a full-size cinema and wine cellar - and has even had to knock down the $135m (£90m) asking price. (Liverpool Echo), external

Brasilia's World Cup stadium is too big to host domestic football matches - and so is being used instead as a bus depot. (Sunday Mirror), external