Gossip column: Balotelli, Ranieri, Sane, Pogba, Payet, Klinsmann, Higuain

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Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba, 23, has confirmed his interest in re-joining Manchester United, calling them his "first family". (ESPN), external

Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 25, could head to the Chinese Super League - if a deal is completed before the Chinese transfer window shuts on Friday. (Corriere della Sera, via Daily Express), external

The Football Association is set to interview Jurgen Klinsmann for the England job, but Sunderland manager Sam Allardyce is still the front runner. (Independent), external

Leicester City manager Claudio Ranieri is set to sign a new four-year contract. (Leicester Mercury), external

The Foxes have submitted a third and final £15m offer for Burnley defender Michael Keane, 23. (Metro), external

Manchester City want Schalke and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 20, but think he is worth £35m and not the £42m being demanded. (Daily Telegraph), external

West Ham playmaker Dimitri Payet, 29, says that he is "100% staying" at the club after impressing at Euro 2016 with France. (Sun), external

Image source, The Sun
Image caption,

The Sun's back page centres on new Chelsea manager Antonio Conte's comments that he does not fear the sack

Burnley have made an improved £6m bid for Jeff Hendrick, 24, but Derby want more for the Republic of Ireland midfielder. (Daily Mirror), external

Manchester United will have to pay midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger £14m to leave, with Paris St-Germain interested in the Germany international, 31. (Sun), external

Middlesbrough have agreed a €10m (£8.3m) deal to buy 28-year-old defender Neven Subotic from Borussia Dortmund, but need to secure a work permit for the Serb. (Teesside Gazette), external

Emanuele Giaccherini will move from Sunderland to Napoli for £1.2m, according to the 31-year-old Italy midfielder's agent. (Radio CRC, via ESPN), external

Eintracht Frankfurt are interested in signing Manchester United full-back Guillermo Varela, 23. (Kicker, in German), external

Juventus will compete with Arsenal for Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain, 28, and could meet his release clause of almost £80m. (Gazzetta dello Sport), external

Borussia Dortmund want to sign Stoke winger Xherdan Shaqiri, 24, as a replacement for Ilkay Gundogan, who has moved to Manchester City. (Stoke Sentinel), external

Dortmund are also interested in Newcastle midfielder Moussa Sissoko, 26, following Henrikh Mkhitaryan's transfer to Manchester United. (L'Equipe, in French), external

Hull City manager Steve Bruce has warned Italian sides Fiorentina and Sampdoria away from striker Abel Hernandez, 25. (Hull Daily Mail), external

Nottingham Forest are one of 10 clubs hoping to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 23. (Nottingham Post), external

Image source, Daily Star
Image caption,

Friday's Daily Star goes with Claudio Ranieri ordering N'Golo Kante to decide on his future

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has reportedly told forward Joel Campbell, 24, to look for a new club, with some interest from Spanish side Valencia. (Estadio Deportivo, via Daily Star), external

Burnley are interested in Crystal Palace midfielder Lee Chung-yong, 28. (Guardian), external

Manchester City are considering a move for Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich, 21, who Pep Guardiola sees as Pablo Zabaleta's replacement at right-back. (Daily Mail), external

Stoke City have made enquiries about Everton midfielder James McCarthy, 25. (Daily Mail), external

Best of social media

Bournemouth are continuing their pre-season warm-up in Chicago. They opted to go paddle boarding on Friday, with mixed results., external

Barcelona presented, external their new signing Lucas Digne, complete with face mask from a nasal operation he had a few days previously.

Image source, @ChampionsLeague

Manchester United new boy Zlatan Ibrahimovic and prospective new signing Paul Pogba reportedly had dinner together in Los Angeles, complete with selfies (not of them together).

Image source, @bobbychinn
Image caption,

Chef Bobby Chinn snapped a photo with Zlatan and Pogba at a restaurant in LA

France and Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann has got involved in the new Pokemon Go craze.

Image source, @AntoGriezmann

New Chelsea boss Antonio Conte also channelled his inner Rihanna in his first news conference as manager at Stamford Bridge. Or at least that's how the Telegraph saw it., external

And Leicester City began their pre-season training, with Riyad Mahrez looking very happy to be back.

Image source, @LCFC

And finally...

Heart of Midlothian's new away kit has been compared variously to Mr Blobby, Battenberg cake and Fruit Salad sweets. (Sun), external

Image source, @JamTarts
Image caption,

Hearts revealed their away kit earlier this week

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