All of Wednesday’s news and transfer rumour gossip.
Chelsea are ready to spend £150m on Real Madrid winger Gareth Bale, 25, and defender Raphael Varane, 21, this summer – (Daily Express)
Manchester United will use goalkeeper David De Gea, 24, as bait to temp Real Madrid to sell Gareth Bale – (Daily Star)
Valencia are eyeing a £20m summer move home for Manchester United midfielder Juan Mata, 26, who played for them until his 2011 move to Chelsea – (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea have made an approach to sign teenage Brazilian striker Kenedy, his representative has confirmed. The 19-year-old has already been the subject of a £5.7m bid from Manchester United – (Metro)
Manchester United and Liverpool are on alert over 24-year-old Argentina winger Eduardo Salvio’s ongoing contract talks at Benfica – (Daily Mirror)
Stoke are offering £12m-rated keeper Asmir Begovic, 27, a new deal to fend off interest from Inter Milan and Tottenham – (Daily Mirror)
Manchester City officials are thought to be losing patience with striker Edin Dzeko, and could listen to offers for the 29-year-old in the close season – (Daily Star)
Tottenham are maintaining a keen interest in Cologne’s 22-year-old defender Kevin Wimmer, an Austria Under-21s international – (Daily Mail)
Former Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini says his successor Manuel Pellegrini was “really lucky” to inherit a strong side from him and he should be winning a trophy every year – (CNN)
Sunderland will face competition from Nigeria to land Sam Allardyce as their permanent manager from next season with Allardyce’s contract at Upton Park due to expire at the end of the current season – (Sun – subscription required)
Adam Johnson, currently on bail following his arrest on suspicion of having sexual activity with a 15-year-old girl, could feature for Sunderland manager Dick Advocaat after club confirmed it would “review its position” on the player’s suspension – (Daily Mail)
Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil prompted discussion during their Champions League clash with Monaco as the German international swapped shirts at half-time with opposition player Geoffrey Kondogbia – (Daily Mail)
Atletico Madrid forward Fernando Torres says he felt like he was “swimming in wet clothes” during his unsuccessful stint at Chelsea – (Sky Sports)
Liverpool fans arriving at the Manchester United game on Sunday will see the steel structure of the new Main Stand at Anfield – which will add an extra 8,500 seats to that side of the ground – (Liverpool Echo)
Former Netherlands international goalkeeper Ed de Goey says Sunderland have appointed the perfect man in countryman Dick Advocaat to steer them to Premier League safety – (talkSPORT)
Southampton manager Ronald Koeman admits he wants to manage Barcelona one day, where he spent six years as a player – (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli has gone on Instagram to attack his critics, saying: “Do you know me? Did you ever talk to me, personally? You just saw me play football on the pitch. Man, shut up.” – (Daily Telegraph)
U2 band members The Edge, Larry Mullen Jr and Bono marked St Patrick’s Day by watching Monaco against Arsenal in the Champions League – (Daily Star)
Bournemouth’s new Scotland international Matt Ritchie admits he has never been to Scotland – (Daily Telegraph)
Benfica’s Romario Balde endured the ultimate day to forget in the Uefa youth league quarter-finals. He missed a penalty, saw his side concede an equaliser, was substituted, and then watched his team-mates get knocked out – on penalties – (Metro)
Arsenal have been given the green light to sign Mateo Kovacic with Inter Milan ready to sell him in the summer – (Metro)
Spanish giants Valencia are eyeing a £20m summer move for Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata – (Daily Mirror)
Tim Sherwood believes Tom Cleverley is flourishing at Aston Villa because he doesn’t have the expectations of Manchester United fans on his shoulders anymore – (Daily Star)
Reading’s joy at reaching the FA Cup semi-finals for the first time in 88 years could be tempered by an FA fine for the behaviour of fans during Monday’s win over Bradford – (Daily Express)
Manuel Pellegrini would like more English players in his Manchester City squad but insists they are over-priced in comparison to foreign imports – (Sky Sports)