Transfer gossip: Coutinho, Mourinho, Mata, Wilshere, Townsend

Transfer news

Barcelona chief executive Oscar Grau says his club are prepared to make another attempt to sign Liverpool's Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 25, when the transfer window opens in January. (Guardian)

Liverpool will continue to refuse to enter into negotiations with Barcelona over the transfer of Coutinho. (Independent)

Alternatively, Liverpool have agreed to allow Coutinho to leave for the Nou Camp in January in a deal worth £98.6m. (Mundo Deportivo via Daily Mail)

Manager Jose Mourinho is ready to sign a new £65m five-year Manchester United contract. (Sun)

Manchester United's Spanish playmaker Juan Mata, 29, has turned down the chance to move to the Chinese Super League. (Daily Mirror)

England midfielder Jack Wilshere, 25, is understood to be considering leaving Arsenal in January in a bid to boost his chances of earning a spot in Gareth Southgate's World Cup squad. (Mirror)

Paris St-Germain right-back Dani Alves has said that it would be "great" if his club could sign striker Alexis Sanchez, 28, whose contract at Arsenal expires at end of the season. (Cooperativa - in Spanish)

Talks over extending Mesut Ozil's contract at Arsenal are "going in a positive way", according to the agent of the 28-year-old German midfielder. (Independent)

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson is targeting experienced Premier League players in January as he bids to steer the club clear of relegation. (Daily Mail)

Palace will resist any renewed approach from Leicester for 26-year-old winger Andros Townsend. (Independent)

Palace may be prepared to sell England international Townsend to Leicester to help fund their capture of a much-needed striker. (Sun)

Bristol City are one of four English clubs chasing 19-year-old Motherwell winger Adam Livingstone. (Motherwell Times)

Chelsea fear France midfielder N'Golo Kante, 26, could miss all six October games with a hamstring injury. (Telegraph)

Arsenal will play Liverpool at 12:30 BST on Christmas Eve. (Daily Star)

Burnley, Newcastle United and West Brom are all interested in signing Inter Milan's 31-year-old defender Yuto Nagatomo. (Talksport)

Meanwhile

Manchester City are finalising a lucrative documentary series deal with Amazon, despite opposition from Premier League rights holders. (Daily Mail)

Former Liverpool and Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland has spoken about his struggle with depression, revealing the illness led to his decision to retire. (Guardian)

Tottenham are expected to break the Premier League's 10-year-old attendance record when they host Bournemouth at Wembley on Saturday. (Daily Mail)

Bournemouth striker Jermain Defoe says it is his dream to make England's World Cup squad in Russia next year. (Sky Sports)

Leicester forward Ahmed Musa has opened a petrol station in Nigeria. (Daily Mail)

Brazilian journalists have picked out Arsenal, Manchester City and Chelsea as offering the best food to the press in a country whose "cuisine has never been among the hottest in the world". (UOL - in Portuguese)

Colombia striker Radamel Falcao and Peru midfielder Renato Tapia have admitted discussing the fact that a draw would suit both teams in the closing stages of their World Cup qualifying match on Tuesday night. (Telegraph)

Nice striker Mario Balotelli has uploaded a video of himself and a friend racing on a pair of miniature motorbikes. (Instagram)

The best of Wednesday's gossip

Arsenal forward Mesut Ozil, 28, is set to stay at the club, because no other side is willing to pay his £330,000-a-week wage demands. (Sun)

Tottenham full-back Danny Rose is set for a move to Manchester United. Chelsea are also interested in Rose, but the 27-year-old favours a move to United to work with manager Jose Mourinho. (Daily Star)

Real Madrid are prepared to offer former Tottenham players Luka Modric, 32, and 28-year-old Gareth Bale, as well as forward Karim Benzema, 29, to Spurs as part of a swap deal for striker Harry Kane, 24. (Diario Gol, via Daily Star)

The European champions would consider selling Wales forward Bale to Manchester United if they could recoup the £85m they paid for him. (El Confidencial, via Metro)