Friday’s news and transfer rumour gossip.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has revealed he could join another club if he is not offered a new contract – (BBC)

Manchester United are on the trail of 23-year-old Ghana striker Abdul Majeed Waris, according to his Turkish club Trabzonspor – (Daily Mail) 

Crystal Palace and QPR both want Tottenham defender Benoit Assou-Ekotto, 30, but are not prepared to meet his £40,000-a-week wages – (Daily Mirror) 

QPR winger Shaun Wright-Phillips, 33, has rejected opportunities to go on loan and will fight for his place at Loftus Road. The former England international has not made a Premier League appearance this season – (Talksport) 

Fulham owner Shahid Khan is prepared to hand newly-appointed manager Kit Symons transfer funds in January as he aims for the club to bounce back into the Premier League at the first attempt –  (Daily Express) 

Italian club Napoli have rejected suggestions that they will make a move for Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli, 24, in January – (Daily Mirror) 

Former Manchester United captain Roy Keane has criticised former team-mate Paul Scholes by claiming the midfielder was too lazy to do TV interviews as a player – (Daily Express) 

Everton striker Samuel Eto’o, 33, has already earned himself a new Everton contract, after inspiring his team-mates with his winning mentality – (Daily Mirror) 

The Football Association has collected about £350,000 in fines from social-media-related offences in the past three years, with the governing body investigating 121 cases – (Guardian) 

Police are on red alert at the prospect of drones flying overhead during Sunday’s Manchester derby – (Daily Mail) 

Spain manager Vicente del Bosque will not back down over picking Chelsea striker Diego Costa, 26, for next month’s internationals against Belarus and Germany – (Daily Telegraph) 

West Brom manager Alan Irvine has admitted the club are taking steps to ensure the heightened attention on top-scorer Saido Berahino does not go to the 21-year-old England Under-21 striker’s head – (Daily Star)

Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini, 61, is heading for the sack, according to former Blues forward Rodney Marsh. City are without a win in three games, losing their last two – (Talksport) 

West Ham signings Enner Valencia, Cheikhou Kouyate, Mauro Zarate and Diafra Sakho could be handed a Christmas break by manager Sam Allardyce in an attempt to avoid a repeat of the injury crisis that hampered the Hammers last season – (Daily Express) 

Arsenal can win the Premier League this season if they sign Real Madrid midfielder Sami Khedira, 27, in January, claims former Gunners winger Perry Groves – (London Evening Standard)

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy will begin a major restructuring of the club’s scouting and recruitment procedures after their poor start to the Barclays Premier League season – (Daily Mail) 

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is set to leave in-form striker Harry Kane, 21, sweating until the last minute to find out whether he has earned his first Premier League start of the season against Aston Villa on Sunday – (Daily Telegraph)

QPR boss Harry Redknapp will consider involving midfielder Adel Taarabt at Chelsea on Saturday after burying the hatchet with the 25-year-old following their row over his weight – (Sky Sports) 

Garry Monk has asked a fan who posted advice on how the Swansea boss can improve to his home address to send any future correspondence directly to the club – (Daily Star) 

FIFA has apologised for an embarrassing mistake after its video launching the logo for the 2018 World Cup showed the disputed Crimean peninsula as part of Russia – (Guardian) 

Aston Villa assistant manager Roy Keane, 43, is set to make an appearance on I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! – (Daily Star) 

Arsenal have been left with just THREE senior defenders after Kieran Gibbs added to the club’s growing injury list this week – (Metro)

Manchester United are keeping tabs on Bayer Leverksen defender Omer Toprak – (Daily Star)

Liverpool’s Daniel Sturridge is set to miss Real Madrid, Newcastle and Chelsea games – (Daily Mirror)

David Silva is OUT of Sunday’s Manchester derby with a knee injury and fears he could be facing three weeks on the sideline – (Daily Mirror)