Football rumours from today's newspapers

• Liverpool boss Roy Hodgson is lining up a £5m bid for Stoke's Robert Huth to boost the Reds defence.
  (The Mirror)


• Birmingham manager Alex McLeish has made signing Spurs striker Robbie Keane his priority for the January transfer window.
  (The Guardian)


• McLeish is also busy preparing a bid to bring Rangers star striker Kenny Miller to St Andrew's.
  (Daily Record)


• Aston Villa boss Gerard Houllier has admitted winger Ashley Young may be offloaded if the right amount of money is offered. With 18 months left on the 25-year-old's deal, Houllier said: "In January the best clubs keep their best players but you never know if someone comes with crazy money."
  (The Mirror)


• Villa defender Curtis Davies, currently on loan at Leicester, has rejected Sven-Goran Eriksson's attempts to sign him permanently and will go back to Villa Park on 4 January when his loan deal expires.
  (The Mirror)


• Kevin Gameiro is set to shun his Premier League admirers Newcastle, Tottenham and Arsenal and move from French outfit Lorient to Valencia.
  (talkSPORT)


• Coventry boss Aidy Boothroyd wants Scunthorpe keeper Joe Murphy - if he can sell Keiren Westwood in the January transfer window.
  (The Mirror)


• Liverpool are considering a move for Manchester City's Michael Johnson. The midfielder has struggled to secure a first team spot at Eastlands because of injury problems and form.
  (caughtoffside )


• Celtic are tracking Michael Silberbauer ahead of cut-price January swoop for the 29-year-old Danish midfielder, who is out of contract with Utrecht in the summer, although the Dutch club say there are other parties interested.
  (Daily Express)


• Michael Silberbauer would be interested in a move to Celtic and will be available for just £500,000 from Utrecht in January.
  (The Sun)


• Utrecht technical director Foeke Booy says Celtic have emerged as favourites to sign midfielder Michael Silberbauer, despite interest from Everton, West Brom, Bolton and Fulham.
  (The Herald)


• Kilmarnock manager Mixu Paatelainen admits he would have to consider a January offer from Hearts for midfielder Craig Bryson should they make another approach following two failed bids in the summer.
  (The Sun)

• Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli has been dropped to the bench for the Boxing Day trip to Newcastle for not showing enough "heart" and "strength" in recent performances. Boss Roberto Mancini said about the former Inter Milan star: "He must improve his situation and smile. Manchester is not like Milan but he has to accept it. If Mario doesn't work, he doesn't play."
  (The Sun)


• Dutch star Rafael Van der Vaart admits he will find it hard to play over the Christmas period but is determined to help Tottenham force their way back into the Premier League top four. The 27-year-old star has previously enjoyed winter breaks when playing in Holland, Germany and Spain.
  (talkSPORT)


• John Terry has admitted that Chelsea's Premier League hopes have been dented because of a lack of depth in their squad. With the Blues picking up one win in seven and sitting in fourth place, Terry said: "In the past we had a big squad and could rotate and put other players in, we don't have that now."
  (The Mirror)


• Manchester United goalkeeper Edwin Van der Sar, 40, is likely to retire at the end of the season, according to boss Sir Alex Ferguson. Full story: Daily Telegraph Alexander Hleb's poor form has Belarus coach Bernd Stange so worried he visited Birmingham to quiz the midfielder personally.
  (The Mirror)


• Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti thinks Arsenal are scared of Didier Drogba and that the west London side have every chance of extending their excellent run against the Gunners if he is at his best. The London rivals play on Monday night.
  (The Mirror)


• Former Sunderland manager Ricky Sbragia, who is presently the club's chief scout, is the man Motherwell want as their new boss.
  (The Sun)


• Six Scottish Premier League clubs sceptical about plans to create a 10-team top flight will meet league officials today for talks.
  (Daily Mail)


• James McFadden's goal in a 1-0 win over France at the Parc des Princes in 2007 has been voted Greatest Scotland Moment of the last 30 years in a poll conducted by the Scotland Supporters' Club.
  (Various)

• World Cup final referee Howard Webb has told Blackpool players to go down when caught by opponents rather than trying to stay on their feet if they want free-kicks.
  (The Mirror)


• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has hit back at Nani after the Manchester United winger dismissed the Gunners' title hopes. Wenger said: "We live in a society where everybody knows everything. But I don't know who will win the league. I managed 1,600 games so if Nani knows he must be 1,600 times more intelligent than I am!"
  (Daily Star)