Saturday’s news and transfer rumour roundup.
Manchester United are planning on bidding for Real Madrid’s Gareth Bale, 25, after their prospects of re-signing Cristiano Ronaldo, 29, became increasingly unlikely – (Daily Star)
QPR manager Harry Redknapp has warned forward Adel Taarabt, 25, he won’t be sold in January unless someone meets the club’s asking price – (Daily Mirror)
Sunderland have rejected Scunthorpe’s loan bid for 20-year-old striker Duncan Watmore – (Sunderland Echo)
Former Southampton forward Matt Le Tissier says ex-boss Mauricio Pochettino has taken a massive gamble with his reputation by joining Tottenham – (Daily Express)
West Ham’s former Liverpool winger Stewart Downing says Reds boss Brendan Rodgers was “the one manager I had problems with” – (Daily Mail)
Liverpool striker Daniel Sturridge, 25, who signed a new five-year deal with the club on Friday, has said he wants to become an actor once his football career is over – (Esquire)
Arsenal will have to replace more than 100 seats after Galatasaray fans caused damage during the Gunners’ 4-1 Champions League victory on Wednesday – (Daily Mirror)
England assistant coach Gary Neville says Chelsea’s Cesc Fabregas has elevated himself into an elite group of player and will be the architect of the club’s success – (Daily Telegraph)
Toulouse have taken a novel approach to trying to contain Paris Saint-Germain striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic – by sending him presents on his 33rd birthday – (Reuters)
Former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye has come out in defence of his former manager Alan Pardew, suggesting that Newcastle players should share the blame for the team’s predicament – (Guardian)
Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers says patience is needed as £20m winger Lazar Markovic adjusts to life in the Premier League after his summer move from Benfica – (Liverpool Echo)
Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink, Malky Mackay, Brian McDermott and former manager Owen Coyle are among those linked with the managerial vacancy at Bolton following the departure of Dougie Freedman – (Daily Express)
Former Arsenal Ladies assistant coach Emma Hayes said a clairvoyant helped her decide to take over at Chelsea Ladies, who are on the brink of winning their first Women’s Super League title – (Guardian)
Former Sunderland and Middlesbrough midfielder Julio Arca, 33, has been paying £3.50 to play for second division pub side Willow Pond FC. The Argentine made 177 appearances for Sunderland before joining Middlesbrough – (Daily Mail)
A new survey has found that Liverpool are everybody’s favourite second team, with football fans saying the Anfield club are the least offensive side to follow in England – (Metro)
Speculation of a move away from Napoli for Marek Hamsik has been played down, with the player’s agent insisting he is happy with the Serie A club – (Sky Sports)
CSKA Moscow will have to play their next three European home matches behind closed doors and have been fined 200,000 euros (156,761.43 pounds) because of the behaviour of their fans, UEFA said on Friday – (Reuters)
Former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Jerome Rothen does not believe Edinson Cavani will remain at the club for the long term – (Goal.com)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho insisted “there is no racism in football” after apparently rejecting calls for the introduction of the Rooney Rule in English football – (talkSPORT)
Cesc Fabregas was made at Arsenal. But he’s already fallen in love with Chelsea – (Daily Star)
Luis Suarez is set to make his first Uruguay appearance since the infamous World Cup biting incident after being named on Friday in coach Oscar Tabarez’s 22-man Middle East tour squad – (Reuters)
Joey Barton claims Arsenal’s current crop have “no spine or character” – (Daily Mirror)
Burnley winger George Boyd insists he is not thinking about setting an unwanted record today – (Daily Star)
Fernando Torres has aimed a dig at Chelsea and Liverpool after paying homage to new club AC Miland and boyhood side Atletico Madrid – (Daily Express)
Mark Hughes doesn’t want Stoke to let go of top striker Peter Crouch – (Daily Star)