Gossip column: Van Persie, Casillas, Sterling, Given, De Gea, Rooney

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Manchester United's Netherlands striker Robin van Persie, 31, is close to joining Fenerbahce in Turkey after further talks between the clubs. (Daily Mail)

Real Madrid and Porto have agreed a deal which will see Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 34, leave the Bernabeu on Friday after 25 years. (Marca)

Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling, 20, says the breakdown in his relationship with manager Brendan Rodgers is the reason he wants to leave Anfield. (Daily Mirror)

The Reds have told England international Sterling he has to join them on their pre-season tour to Australia and Asia. (Sun - subscription required)

The back page of Thursday's Daily Mirror is dominated by a story about Raheem Sterling's relationship with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool fans are angry with Sterling after the Manchester City target missed training on Wednesday because of illness. (Liverpool Echo)

West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 21, has got rid of agent Aidy Ward because of his role in Sterling's desired move to City. (Daily Mail)

Stoke City have moved for 39-year-old Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given - just when it seemed Middlesbrough were about to sign the former Newcastle player. (Evening Gazette)

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 27, says he turned down Inter Milan to join Aston Villa. (Yahoo Eurosport)

Richards says Villa should sign 26-year-old QPR striker Charlie Austin. (Daily Star)

Hull City are upbeat going into their FA hearing about their proposed name change to Hull Tigers on Saturday, because the Football League will not block the move. (Times - subscription required)

Southampton expect midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 25, to leave but will make Manchester United pay £27m for the France international. (Independent)

Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado is keen to leave this summer to play more regular football - and there has been interest in the 30-year-old from clubs in Spain. (Guardian)

New Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, 33, is set to make first appearance for the Gunners in Singapore after Arsene Wenger named an almost full-strength squad for the Barclays Asia Trophy next week. (Guardian)

Arsenal's signing of Cech could help the Gunners contend for the title, believes his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard. (Sun - subscription needed)

Tottenham Hotspur are desperate for the Football Association to allow them to use Wembley as a temporary home, but Chelsea have offered £3m more in annual rent. (Times - subscription only)

Southampton believe they are entitled to at least £2m compensation after Atletico Madrid sold Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld, 26, to Tottenham despite the Saints having an option to buy him. (Daily Star)

Uruguay midfielder Gaston Ramirez, 24, could still have a future at Southampton despite not playing for them for almost a year. (Southern Daily Echo)

Meanwhile, 25-year-old forward Jay Rodriguez - who has been out with a knee injury since April 2014 - scored two goals on his comeback as the Saints lost 5-4 to German club RB Leipzig on Wednesday. (saintsfc.co.uk)

Premier League newcomers Bournemouth are closing in on the £6m signing of St-Etienne's 27-year-old former Leeds and Leicester winger Max Gradel. (Daily Mirror)

West Bromwich Albion should avoid spending £10m on 27-year-old Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, according to former Baggies player Daryl Burgess. (Birmingham Mail)

Best of social media

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney on Twitter: "Delighted that me and @ColeenRoo have our 3rd child on the way."

Tottenham's new stadium has been given the thumbs-up by the midfielder Christian Eriksen

Germany striker Lukas Podolski has penned a farewell message to Arsenal fans after signing for Galatasaray. "I will forever be a Gunner," writes the World Cup winner on Twitter.

Preston North End have secured themselves a certain goalscorer by signing Manchester United striker Will Keane on a season-long loan deal, according to former Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand. "Good luck to Will Keane at Preston. #WillScoreGoals," wrote the ex-England international on Twitter.

Manchester United's Spain goalkeeper David De Gea spent Wednesday at Wimbledon - and managed to have a photograph with world number two Roger Federer.

De Gea's United team-mate Ashley Young was also in SW19 and tweeted: "Amazing afternoon at Wimbledon. Well done @andy_murray, keep up the good form and good luck on Friday."

And finally

Manchester City's 18-year-old French striker Thierry Ambrose, who has just signed a new five-year contract, likes living in Manchester so much he has compared it to Paris. (Manchester Evening News)

The Women's World Cup final between the United States and Japan averaged 25.4 million viewers on Fox, making it the most-viewed football game ever in the United States by a giant margin. (Sports Illustrated)