Football rumours from today's newspapers

• Manchester United and Manchester City are likely to be in direct competition over Ajax's 19-year-old Danish international Christian Eriksen.
  (Metro)


• City are thought to be in competition with European champions Barcelona to sign Brazilian international defender Thiago Silva from AC Milan.
  (Inside Futbol )


• The Premier League leaders are also rumoured to be interested in 22-year-old Borussia Monchengladbach winger Marco Reus.
  (Daily Mail)


• Real Madrid are rumoured to be monitoring Dutchman Nigel de Jong, amid speculation that the City board were reluctant to meet the midfielder's increased wage demands when recent talks over a new contract took place.
  (Metro)


• Everton boss David Moyes is monitoring United States centre-back Brek Shea, currently with FC Dallas, who has been invited for trials at Arsenal.
  (The Mirror)


• Blackburn are hoping to persuade striker Andy Johnson, who is out of contract at Fulham at the end of the season, to move to Ewood Park.
  (Daily Mail)


• Swansea manager Brendan Rodgers wants four new faces in January with Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran a loan target.
  (The Sun)


• Arsenal keeper Lukasz Fabianski has staged showdown talks with manager Arsene Wenger as he wants to play more to help make Poland's Euro 2012 squad.
  (The Sun)


• Everton's Russian midfielder Diniyar Bilyaletdinov has threatened to leave the club in January if he does not play more first-team football.
  (Daily Mail)


• Sunderland have watched 20-year-old Swiss striker Ahmed Mehmedi, who plays for FC Zurich.
  (The Mirror)


• Newcastle boss Alan Pardew is preparing to ask the board to fund a £6m bid for 25-year-old Montpellier striker Olivier Giroud, according to reports.
  (Caught offside)


• Sochaux striker Modibo Maiga has confirmed he is hoping to finalise his £7m move to Newcastle.
  (Daily Mail)


• Crystal Palace manager Dougie Freedman is reportedly keen to sign Norwich striker Chris Martin in a loan deal.
  (The Mirror)

• England defender John Terry has been ordered by the FA to not answer any questions about his alleged racist comments to Anton Ferdinand when he faces the media.
  (The Sun)


• Former Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas has warned Robin van Persie that the Dutchman will never leave the club if he does not depart now.
  (The Sun)


• Manchester City could sue Carlos Tevez for compensation if they forfeit a potential transfer fee of up to £50m by having to terminate his contract on grounds of gross misconduct.
  (The Times)


• City's relationship with Tevez has deteriorated to the point that the club are not convinced the striker will attend his own disciplinary hearing to explain why he flew to Argentina.
  (The Guardian)


• Blackburn's Indian owners Venky's are undecided about selling the club, with wealthy Qataris rumoured to be interested in taking over at Ewood Park.
  (The Mirror)


• Manchester United stalwart Paul Scholes is likely to be promoted from assistant to reserve team manager at Old Trafford following the departure of Warren Joyce to Hull.
  (The Mirror)


• Lawyers are putting the finishing touches on the FA's appeal to Uefa against Wayne Rooney's three-match ban.
  (Express)


• Former England defender Ugo Ehiogu says Manchester United's Phil Jones must play in central defence, not midfield, for the national team.
  (talkSPORT)


• Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini believes England have the capabilities to win Euro 2012.
  (The Mirror)

• Colombia's recent 1-1 draw with Venezuela has become better known for the sight of an owl eating a rat on the crossbar.
  (Metro)


• Former Arsenal defender Lauren is to be reunited with his £6,000 Rolex watch, six years after it was stolen, following a series of police raids in Essex and East London.
  (The Mirror)