Saturday’s news and transfer rumour gossip.
Liverpool are preparing to make a £30m January bid for Porto striker Jackson Martinez, 28, who has 72 goals in 106 appearances and is also a target for Arsenal – (Daily Express)
Aston Villa chairman Randy Lerner has promised the club’s fans that he is ready to resist any offers for midfielder Fabian Delph and defender Ron Vlaar in the January transfer window – (Daily Telegraph)
Manchester United have opened talks with Monaco about signing 22-year-old left-back Layvin Kurzawa – also a target for Chelsea – for £12m in January – (Daily Star)
Meanwhile, centre back Nemanja Vidic, 33, could be in line for a return to United on a free transfer at the end of the season after failing to impress at Inter Milan – (Daily Express)
Liverpool have joined Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United in the race to sign Sporting Lisbon’s £37m-rated defensive midfielder William Carvalho, 22, in January – (Daily Star)
Sunderland forward Connor Wickham, 21, could leave the Black Cats for nothing next summer, manager Gus Poyet has admitted – (Daily Mirror)
AC Milan’s on-loan midfielder Marco van Ginkel, 21, says he has decided to stay in the Italian capital, rather than head back to parent club Chelsea during January – (Daily Mirror)
Former England striker Jimmy Greaves, who was awarded a World Cup winners’ medal in 2009 after a fans’ campaign, is putting it up for auction at Sotheby’s – (Daily Mail)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal is planning to recall Nani to Old Trafford in January after the winger’s excellent form for Sporting Lisbon – (Daily Star)
West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 21, says he will consider signing a new contract at The Hawthorns, despite appearing to suggest he wanted to sign for a bigger club – (Birmingham Mail)
Newcastle winger Jonas Gutierrez, 31, will be back at Newcastle in the middle of next month after being given permission by his doctors to resume training following treatment for testicular cancer – (The Guardian)
Gary Neville has backed Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers and says it is the players and not the manager who should be criticised – (Daily Telegraph)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher, 36, has used his column to back manager Brendan Rodgers’ decision to drop players against Real Madrid, but says Raheem Sterling, Jordan Henderson and Steven Gerrard deserved to start – (Daily Mail)
Striker Robin van Persie has said he was surprised by Sir Alex Ferguson’s departure from Manchester United and says he is not satisfied with his performances under new manager Louis van Gaal – (The Guardian)
West Ham star Diafra Sakho, 24, in line for new £10m deal – but only after 12 more games – (Daily Mirror)
Southampton’s £11m summer signing Dusan Tadic says it is much easier playing football in England than in his native Serbia – (Independent)
Swansea striker Wilfried Bony, 25, is set to sign a contract extension which will keep him at the Liberty Stadium until 2018, and could even agree terms before Sunday’s visit of Arsenal – (Daily Mail)
Hollywood star Brad Pitt, a Liverpool fan since his son was treated at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital while wife Angelina Jolie was filming in north Wales, is rumoured to be heading to Anfield on Saturday to cheer on the Reds against Chelsea – (Liverpool Echo)
Chelsea are reportedly eyeing up a move for Benfica forward Anderson Talisca next summer after sending scouts to watch the 20-year-old this week – (Metro)
Louis van Gaal claims he needs three years to return Manchester United to greatness – and insists he will be given the time – Daily Mirror
Brendan Rodgers reckons any lesser man than Steven Gerrard would have been left in pieces by his famous slip last season – (Daily Star)
Sergio Aguero has vowed to stay with Manchester City until they win the Champions League – and beyond – (Daily Express)
Huddersfield have signed teenage midfielder Diego Poyet on loan from West Ham – (Sky Sports)
Arsenal are ready to pay Grzegorz Krychowiak’s £23.5million buyout clause in January to bring the Sevilla star to the Emirates Stadium – (Metro)
Radamel Falcao has been warned he faces watching Manchester United from the sidelines – even when he is fit – (Daily Mirror)