Football rumours from today's newspapers
Liverpool forward Dirk Kuyt is interested in making a move to Italian side Roma, according to his agent. The Dutch international, 31, has only a year left on his Anfield contract.
(talkSPORT)
Blackburn boss Steve Kean has warned Sir Alex Ferguson off making an approach for highly-rated central defender Grant Hanley. The 20-year-old is said to have impressed during United's 2-0 defeat of Rovers earlier in the week.
(The Sun)
Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli, 21, could be offered a route out of the Etihad with a return to former club Inter Milan.
(Daily Mail)
West Brom goalkeeper Ben Foster has told club officials that he wants to make his loan deal from parent club Birmingham a permanent one.
(Daily Mirror)
Real Madrid are on the hunt for an England international right-back, and are prepared to spend £16.5m to sign either Spurs' Kyle Walker, 21, or Liverpool's 27-year-old Glen Johnson.
(Daily Star)
Danish international Nicklas Bendtner will wait until after Euro 2012 to decide on his future. The 24-year-old forward is on a season-long loan deal at Sunderland from Arsenal and could leave the Gunners for as little as £4m in the summer after falling out of favour.
(The Sun)
Aston Villa are preparing to offer a deal to Hearts outcast Marian Kello. The Slovakia goalkeeper, 29, is a free agent after parting company with the Edinburgh side.
(Daily Mirror)
Arsenal are preparing a £10m summer swoop for Fulham's American striker Clint Dempsey. The 29-year-old has been in fine form this campaign at Craven Cottage, netting 19 goals.
(Daily Express)
Teenage Sao Paulo star Lucas Moura has spoken to both Chelsea and Manchester United over a transfer in the off-season, according to the player's agent. The 19-year-old midfielder has already picked up 11 caps for Brazil in his short professional career.
(Metro)
Mid-table La Liga side Rayo Vallecano have opened talks with Rangers' 23-year-old Nigeria winger Sone Aluko.
(Daily Record)
OTHER GOSSIP
The Football Association could make approaches for a number of big-name coaches within a week. Harry Redknapp is understood to be a strong contender, but the FA refuse to narrow down their shortlist to just one target.
(Daily Mail)
Former Blackburn Rovers and Notts County manager Paul Ince says he is keen to take over from interim boss Terry Connor as manager of Wolves.
(talkSPORT)
Salomon Kalou has pinpointed Barcelona's defence as a weakness that Chelsea can target and expects them to defeat the European champions in their Champions League semi-final.
(Daily Telegraph)
Chelsea chief executive Ron Gourlay has praised interim first-team coach Roberto Di Matteo for guiding the club into the Champions League semi-finals and helping save their season.
(London Evening Standard)
Ex-Sunderland boss Steve Bruce says his Newcastle roots made his time in charge at the Stadium of Light a nightmare. A boyhood Toon supporter, Bruce said: "I must admit that being a Geordie came back to haunt me. The hatred I suffered was unbelievable. It was brutal, it really was."
(The Sun)
Bolton midfielder Fabrice Muamba is just a week away from being able to check out of hospital and head home. The player celebrates his 24th birthday today and is making such good progress after his cardiac arrest last month that he is just a few checks away from being released from the London Chest Hospital.
(Daily Mirror)
Swansea boss Brendan Rodgers says on-loan Icelandic midfielder Gylfi Sigurdsson is the new Frank Lampard. "He's that type of goalscoring midfield player," explained the Swans boss of the 22-year-old.
(Daily Express)
Arsenal's England international midfielder Jack Wilshere could be back and playing within three weeks. The Gunners are said to be organising a series of friendly games in a bid to get the 20-year-old back to match fitness.
(Metro)
Highly-rated West Ham youngster Ravel Morrison, who joined under a cloud from Manchester United in January, has knuckled down and worked hard since his move to Upton Park. However, there is frustration among some of the Hammers hierarchy that the 19-year-old hasn't featured more for the first team.
(Daily Telegraph)
Stoke boss Tony Pulis says he hopes midfielder Jermaine Pennant has learned his lesson after the 29-year-old took to Twitter to complain about his team selection. Pennant was "talking to a bunch of Herberts", according to Pulis.
(The Guardian)
Fulham boss Martin Jol is keen for club captain Danny Murphy to sign a contract extension with the club. The veteran midfielder, 35, is yet to put pen to paper on a new deal that will keep him in west London before the end of the campaign.
(The Independent)
Midfielder Karl Henry admits Wolves need a "miracle" of five wins out of seven to stay up - but reckons the pressure is off because everyone thinks they're down.
(Wolverhampton Express & Star)
AND FINALLY
Sam Jones, a Manchester City youth team player, has been censored by the club for tweeting pro-Manchester United messages during the Red Devils' defeat of Blackburn on Monday, including: "Yeahhhhhhhhhhhh United United United" and "Yeahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh what a goal!!!!!"
(Daily Mirror)