Friday’s news and rumour roundup.
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt has denied claims Arsenal launched a bid to sign their Dutch striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 31, in the final hours of the summer transfer window – (London Evening Standard)
Newcastle midfielder Rolando Aarons, 18, is a target for Manchester City and Liverpool after just 39 minutes of Premier League football – (Daily Star)
Arsenal could offer a short-term deal to Colombia’s 38-year-old centre-back and free agent Mario Yepes after failing to replace Thomas Vermaelen, who joined Barcelona in the summer, before the transfer deadline – (Daily Star)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is set to continue spending in the January transfer window following an outlay of £150m in the summer. Roma’s Dutch international midfielder Kevin Strootman, 24, and Borussia Dortmund’s Germany centre-back Mats Hummels, 25, are potential targets – (the Times – subscription required)
But Van Gaal accepts he will not be able to sign Hummels, whose Dortmund contract runs until 2017, for at least two more transfer windows – (Daily Telegraph)
Former Barcelona goalkeeper Victor Valdes will join Liverpool next month once the Spain goalkeeper, 32, who suffered a serious knee injury in March, is fit enough for a medical – (Daily Mail)
The Reds will need permission from the Premier League for Valdes to play for them before January, as they will need to amend their 25-man squad – (ESPN)
Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United’s attempts to sign PSV Eindhoven midfielder Zakaria Bakkali have been boosted by the 18-year-old Belgian, who has a year left on his current deal, rejecting a new deal with the Eredivisie club – (Daily Express)
Liverpool will step up their interest in Stromsgodset’s 15-year-old Norway under-21 international midfielder Martin Odegaard, who has also been linked with Manchester United – (Metro)
Former Birmingham and Serbia striker Nikola Zigic, 33, insists he was an option for Arsenal before the Gunners signed Danny Welbeck from Manchester United – (International Business Times)
Frank Lampard, 36, who joined Manchester City in the summer on loan from New York City, says he is upset he never got to say a proper goodbye to Chelsea fans – (Sky Sports)
Newcastle fear striker Siem de Jong, 25, could be out for four months after suffering a groin injury in training – (Daily Mirror)
France’s main commercial television channel, TF1, has dropped Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger as a match commentator on the national team’s matches – (Guardian)
Manchester United defender Phil Jones, 22, says his team-mate Wayne Rooney, 29, will prove to be a “great” England captain – (Manchester Evening News)
Manchester United are still focused on producing their own players even though they brought in six players at a cost of £150m this summer – (Daily Mirror)
Midfielder Jordan Henderson, 24, has no doubts that Liverpool team-mate Raheem Sterling, 19, will not get carried away despite the winger’s impressive performances for England – (Liverpool Echo)
West Brom chairman Jeremy Peace has called for the transfer window to close before the start of the Premier League season – (Express and Star)
Sixty-one per cent of 155,000 people polled by Spanish newspaper Marca want Costa Rican Keylor Navas, 27, to replace Iker Casillas as goalkeeper following the 4-2 defeat at Real Sociedad – (Marca – Spanish)
After leaving West Ham to join Hull, I knew it would only be a matter of time before Mo Diame launched a stinging attack on the Hammers but I’m surprised how quickly he blasted us and how angry I am with what he had to say – (Metro)
FIFA have granted Celtic special dispensation to sign striker John Guidetti on loan from Manchester City – (Sky Sports)
Thibaut Courtois expects to sign a contract extension at Chelsea once he returns from international duty with Belgium – (Sky Sports)
Marcos Rojo is poised to make his Manchester United debut next week after being granted a work permit – (Daily Star)
Paul Scholes feels England must play Wayne Rooney in midfield against Switzerland next week – (Daily Mirror)
Arsenal are planning to go back in for Sporting Lisbon star William Carvalho once the transfer window re-opens in January – (Metro)
Nigel de Jong has not ruled out a return to Ajax, but said that he wants to continue playing outside the Netherlands for as long as possible – (Inside Futbol)