Football gossip: Fekir, Banega, Boateng, Alisson, Sarri, Shaqiri

Real Madrid are interested in Lyon and France midfielder Nabil Fekir, as Liverpool risk missing out on the 24-year-old France international. (RT France via Mirror)

Arsenal have held talks with Sevilla and Argentina midfielder Ever Banega, 29, over a move to the Emirates. (Star)

Manchester City and Paris St-Germain are interested in Bayern Munich's 29-year-old Germany defender Jerome Boateng. (Sport Bild via Manchester Evening News)

Chelsea are set to reduce their payout for sacking manager Antonio Conte by alleging that he mismanaged the sale of Diego Costa. (Express)

Napoli president Aurelio de Laurentiis says Chelsea have not approached the Italian club about appointing Maurizio Sarri as their new manager. (Sky Sport24 via Metro)

Manchester City are closing in on their first signing of the summer after a breakthrough in talks over Napoli and Italy midfielder Jorginho, 26. (Manchester Evening News)

Manchester City are preparing to open talks over a new contract with Germany's 27-year-old midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, who has also been linked with Barcelona. (Sun)

Rangers manager Steven Gerrard is interested in signing Roma's Nigerian striker Umar Sadiq, 21. (Sky Sports)

Tottenham have been linked with a move for Nice's French striker Alassane Plea, 25, as Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino looks to provide Harry Kane with competition. (Foot Mercato via Sun)

Borussia Monchengladbach have opened talks to sign Plea, who is also wanted by Tottenham. (Nice-Matin via Talksport)

Liverpool have been tipped to sign Stoke City and Switzerland midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, 26. (Express)

Nottingham Forest remain hopeful of agreeing a deal to sign Watford's 31-year-old goalkeeper Costel Pantilimon. (Nottingham Post via football.london)

Reading's hopes of signing Aston Villa's Tommy Elphick have stalled as Villa consider the English defender's future. (Reading Chronicle)

England midfielder Jack Wilshere, 26, will make a decision about his future while on holiday after leaving Arsenal. (Talksport)

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, 29, will request to wear the number 10 shirt following the departure of Wilshere. (Mail)

Sevilla will move for Newcastle United's Spanish midfielder Mikel Merino, 22, if Argentina international Ever Banega, 29, completes a move to Arsenal. (Northern Echo)

PSV Eindhoven winger Hirving Lozano's future will be decided after the World Cup, amid interest from Barcelona in the 22-year-old Mexico international. (ESPN)

Fulham have bid £10m for Southampton's 22-year-old English left-back Matt Targett. (Sky Sports)

Norwich are interested in signing Sheffield Wednesday striker Jordan Rhodes, 28, following the sale of James Maddison, 21, to Leicester City. (Mirror)

Crystal Palace boss Roy Hodgson, who managed England and Chelsea midfielder Ruben Loftus-Cheek on loan this season, believes the 22-year-old has more to his game that ex-Germany international Michal Ballack. (Mail)

Argentine Pablo Zabaleta, who plays for West Ham, says his country's team at the World Cup look "broken". (Times - subscription required)

Belgium manager Roberto Martinez says striker Romelu Lukaku, 25, is not focused on winning the Golden Boot at the World Cup but helping the team. (Guardian)

Russia's team doctor says he would bet "a bottle of skimmed milk" that the World Cup hosts have had "at least two times more than the number of probes" than England in terms of drugs tests. (Telegraph)

• Friday's gossip column