Latest football rumours from today's newspapers.

• Newcastle are close to buying highly-rated Croatia midfielder Luka Modric from Dinamo Zagreb for about £12m. (Various)



• Tottenham and Manchester City have been sounded out about signing Brazil superstar Ronaldinho after his move to AC Milan collapsed. (Daily Mirror)



• City are also considering Bolton striker El-Hadji Diouf. (Various)



• But they face competition from Valencia, who will bid £5m for the Senegal international. (Daily Mirror)



• Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez spoke to owner Tom Hicks on Wednesday and listed his transfer targets, which include Aston Villa's Gareth Barry. (Star)



• But Villa boss Martin O'Neill is ready to smash Villa's pay structure to keep hold of his player. (Various)



• Real Madrid have added Chelsea centre-back Ricardo Carvalho to their wanted list, along with his Blues team-mate Didier Drogba. The Spanish giants also want also want to lure Cristiano Ronaldo from Manchester United. (Star)



• Chelsea and Liverpool are set to battle it out for the signature of Blackburn winger David Bentley. (The Times)



• Arsenal midfielder Matthieu Flamini is on the verge of leaving to join Italian giants Juventus. (Independent)



• And the Gunners' midfield could be further depleted by the departure of Alexander Hleb to Inter Milan. (The Guardian)



• Arsenal are intersted in signing PSV Eindhoven goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes, Lyon winger Hatem Ben Arfa and Valencia striker David Villa. (Daily Star)



• Tottenham also in the race for Gomes. However, the £10m price tag could put both clubs off. (Express)



• Spurs' other goalkeeping targets include Espanyol's Carlos Kameni, Villarreal's Diego Lopez, Manchester United's Ben Foster and Udinese's Samir Handanovic. (Express)



• Sporting Lisbon want Middlesbrough midfielder Fabio Rochemback. (Various)



• Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez is tracking Argentine international Maxi Rodriguez. (Daily Mirror)



• Marcus Bent will seek a permanent switch to Wigan, where he is on loan from Charlton, if the club stays in the Premier League. (Daily Mirror)



• Newcastle want Chelsea midfielder Steve Sidwell, who is also being chased by Blackburn and Sunderland. (The Sun)



• Tottenham are interested in Real Madrid's Esteban Granero and Chelsea's Tal Ben Haim. (Daily Express)



• Chelsea could move for Inter Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, although his team-mate Mario Balotelli is being considered as an alternative.



• But Didier Drogba, Florent Malouda, Frank Lampard, Shaun Wright-Phillips and Tal Ben Haim could all leave Chelsea in the summer. (Independent)



• Goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini may also join the exodus from Stamford Bridge. (Independent)



• Derby manager Paul Jewell is interested in signing Everton midfielder Lee Carsley. (Independent)



• Crystal Palace insist youngsters Lee Hills, Victor Moses, Sean Scannell and John Bostock will not be sold if the club fails to win promotion. (Various)



• Plymouth defender Paul Connolly will move to Charlton in the summer after seven years at the club. (Various)



• Oldham are monitoring teenage Wigan striker Chris McCaughtrie, who will be allowed to leave the club on a free transfer. (Daily Star)



• Cardiff and Coventry are competing for the signature of Oxford defender Luke Foster. (Daily Star)

• Liverpool co-owner Tom Hicks hedl talks with manager Rafael Benitez on Wednesday and believes the Spaniard is happy at the club and will agree a new contract. (Various)



• Meanwhile, goalkeeper Pepe Reina says if Benitez leaves the club he is likely to follow him. (Independent)



• Former Newcastle and Bolton boss Sam Allardyce is being chased by Portuguese giants Benfica. (Daily Mail)



• Derby manager Paul Jewell will appoint Chris Hutchings as his number two after losing out on his first-choice Stan Ternent. (Daily Star)



• Portsmouth striker David Nugent has begged manager Harry Redknapp to put him in the starting line-up for the FA Cup final against Cardiff after he scored his first goal for three months while playing for the reserves. (Mirror)



• West Brom striker Kevin Phillips has called speculation he has rejected a new contract and leave the club in the summer "nonsense".



• Sheffield Wednesday will be saved from financial meltdown next week when a foreign consortium takes over the club in a £40m deal. (Various)

• Liverpool defender John Arne Riise has been so distraught after his own goal against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final that he has refused to speak to his family about it. The Norwegian ignored calls from his brother before finally sending a text saying he wants to be left alone. (Various)



• Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has hit back at fans who have turned on him after the club's third season without a trophy. "When people say you don't know what you are doing, that is disrespectful," he said. (Daily Star)



• The Beckhams have moved three places up the Rich List following their relocation to the USA, which has netted them £13m. The couple are now worth £125m and are the 616th-richest Britons. Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney and Coleen McLoughlin are the richest celebrity pair under the age of 30 with £35m. (Daily Star)