Friday’s news and transfer rumour roundup.
Arsenal held talks with St Etienne midfielder Loic Perrin, 29, in the January transfer window but decided to pursue other transfer targets – (talkSPORT)
West Brom’s hierarchy are furious with Saido Berahino’s comments about “moving on to bigger things” in an interview which they did not sanction. The 21-year-old striker, linked with Liverpool and Tottenham, is likely to be fined for his behaviour – (Express & Star)
The West Midlands club are so exasperated with Berahino’s conduct they will abandon plans to restart negotiations over a new contract and sell the England Under-21 international in the summer – (Daily Telegraph)
Berahino’s team-mates at The Hawthorns are reportedly so fed up with his behaviour they have started to ignore the Burundi-born forward – (Daily Mirror)
Stevan Jovetic’s future at Manchester City has been plunged into doubt after the Montenegro international, 25, was dropped from City’s Champions League squad to make way for fellow forward Wilfried Bony – (Daily Mail)
Everton winger Kevin Mirallas, 27, has been quoted in the Belgian media as saying he is “ready for a new challenge” which has led to speculation he will quit Goodison Park in the summer – (Liverpool Echo)
West Ham will make another attempt to sign 23-year-old defender Steven Caulker if QPR are relegated from the Premier League at the end of the season – (Daily Mirror)
New York City FC have turned down the chance to sign Hatem Ben Arfa, who faces a period of inaction having signed for Nice following his release by Newcastle because he is ineligible to play for them this season under Fifa’s three-club rule. Major League Soccer is not governed by the rule but New York head coach Jason Kreis has no interest in signing the winger, 27 – (Daily Mail)
Paddy McCourt could be the next of Brighton’s summer signings to leave the club, following Nzuzi Toko and Adrian Colunga. The Northern Ireland winger spent time in Asia during the transfer window trying to sort out his future – (The Argus)
Tim Sherwood’s proposed appointment as QPR manager is in doubt because of a row over personal terms, with the 45-year-old former Tottenham boss wanting a three-year deal worth £6m – (Daily Star)
Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal wants PSV Eindhoven winger Memphis Depay to be his first signing of the summer, with the Red Devils set to pay £10m for the 20-year-old Netherlands international – (Daily Express)
Nottingham Forest chairman Fawaz Al Hasawi is considering walking away from the club because of abuse from fans – (Daily Express)
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger is understood to have taken a dim view of Jack Wilshere’s latest smoking-related indiscretion and will speak to him about it after the injured midfielder, 23, was pictured holding a shisha pipe in an Instagram post – (Independent)
Steve Bruce’s position as Hull City boss is not thought to be under threat and he will oversee the club’s battle against relegation – (Hull Daily Mail)
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand, 36, says the players had no idea of Harry Redknapp’s departure as manager but that director of football Les Ferdinand – Rio’s cousin – has made them well aware that avoiding relegation is expected this season – (Daily Mail)
Billionaire Arsenal shareholder Alisher Usmanov has given the Russian Football Union a loan of nearly £4m to cover head coach Fabio Capello’s wages. Ex-England boss Capello has not been paid since June 2014 – (Sky Sports)
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho is scheduled to end his “vow of silence” and speak to the media again on Friday – (London Evening Standard)
Stoke are seeking 2,000 extra tickets for their FA Cup tie at Blackburn next week, after their initial request was rejected by Lancashire Police. Blackburn are willing to give the Potters the whole Darwen End Stand at Ewood Park but police will only grant permission if the kick-off is moved from 15:00 GMT to lunchtime – (Stoke Sentinel)
Aston Villa boss Paul Lambert insists his team can end a Premier League goal drought exceeding 10 hours this weekend, despite being “disappointed” to miss out on Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert in the transfer window – (Birmingham Mail)
Everton will monitor James McCarthy’s training, nutrition and even his footwear in a bid to end the 24-year-old midfielder’s injury problems – (Liverpool Echo)
Swansea midfielder Ki Sung-Yueng, 26, has declared himself fit to play against former club Sunderland this weekend after returning from the Asian Cup – (South Wales Evening Post)
Former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher believes his old club will edge this weekend’s Merseyside derby with Everton at Goodison – (Liverpool Echo)
Newcastle captain Fabricio Coloccini, 33, insists manager John Carver enjoys the backing and confidence of every one of his players – (Newcastle Chronicle)
Tottenham’s former Arsenal striker Emmanuel Adebayor, who has scored more goals in the north London derby than any other player, faces being booed by both sets of fans in Saturday’s match at White Hart Lane – (Daily Mirror)
A sociology professor at a Canadian university has dedicated the subject matter of his four-year course to Real Madrid and Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo – (University of British Colombia)