Football rumours from today's newspapers

• Real Madrid want Liverpool to drop their valuation of Steven Gerrard as they try to finalise a move for the England midfielder. Liverpool are reluctant to sell the 30-year-old but are currently holding out for £30m.
  (Daily Mail )


• Birmingham City are reviving their bid to sign Fulham striker Bobby Zamora. Blues are still keen on left-back Paul Konchesky, although both players are expected to be offered new contracts by Fulham.
  (Daily Mail )


• Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is lining up a shock bid for Manchester City defender Micah Richards, who has been starved of first-team opportunities and is rated at about £12m.
  ( Caughtoffside)


• Arsenal are interested in Fiorentina midfielder Riccardo Montolivo. A World Cup starter for Italy, the 25-year-old has been compared to Emirates skipper Cesc Fabregas after five seasons at La Viola.
  ( Caughtoffside)


• Wolves are set to sign Hull City winger Stephen Hunt for £3m this week and are closing in on a £2m deal for Senegalese midfielder Guirane N'Daw, who plays for Nantes.
  (The Mirror)


• Blackburn boss Sam Allardyce has his eyes on Croatia striker Nikica Jelavic and wants the Rapid Vienna star to play alongside the Ewood Park outfit's Croatian frontman Nikola Kalinic.
  (The Mirror)


• Spain defender Gerard Pique says he would love international team-mate Fernando Torres to join him at Barcelona but admits a deal for the Liverpool striker is unlikely.
  (The Mirror)


• Aston Villa will try to persuade Martin Petrov to join them ahead of Bolton after last-ditch talks. Blackburn have also offered terms to the Bulgaria winger, who is a free agent after being released by Manchester City.
  (Daily Mail )

• Former captain John Terry is in danger of being left isolated within the England camp after senior team-mates reacted with dismay to him going public with their desire for a clear-the-air meeting with the manager.
  (The Guardian)


• Fabio Capello is ready to give striker Jermain Defoe the chance to rescue England's World Cup campaign as part of three of four changes being considered by the manager, while midfielder Joe Cole is also expected to play a part against Slovenia on Wednesday.
  (Daily Telegraph) Slovenia midfielder Robert Koren claims his team will do "everything in our power" to beat England in their crucial Group C match on Wednesday, even though his side only need a point to reach the knockout stage.
  (Daily Express)


• Slovenia defender Bostjan ­Cesar says he is nursing a nine-month grudge against under-fire England striker Wayne Rooney and is hell-bent on revenge. Cesar, 27, has accused Manchester United star Rooney of cheating and deliberately ­injuring him in a friendly match at ­Wembley last September.
  (Daily Star)


• Midfielder Xabi Alonso has told his Spain team-mates they must forget their shock 1-0 World Cup defeat against Switzerland if they are to make the tournament's knockout stage.
  (The Mirror)


• Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo has ruled out ever returning to Manchester United, whom he left to joinReal Madrid for £80m a year ago, but admits that he misses Manchester.
  (The Mirror)

• The Bishop of Croydon, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, has written a prayer for the England team after their "remarkably aimless" performance against Algeria. It consists of only two words: "oh" and "God".
  (Daily Telegraph)