Saturday's gossip column - transfers and rumours
Last updated on .From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Manchester United and Manchester City look set to miss out on Athletic Bilbao's Javi Martinez, 23, who is close to joining Bayern Munich.
Luka Modric wants to leave Tottenham and his representatives will tell chairman Daniel Levy as much next week. Manchester United, Real Madrid and Paris St-Germain have been linked with the Croatia midfielder.
Manchester United are weighing up a move for PSV Eindhoven full-back Jetro Willems, 18, after scouting him during his Euro 2012 appearances for the Netherlands.
Chelsea, Tottenham and Liverpool are battling it out for Malaga and Venezuela striker Salomon Rondon, 22.
Everton are keen on Inter Milan striker Luc Castaignos. The Dutch 19-year-old has made just six appearances for the Italian side since leaving Feyenoord in 2011.
New Swansea boss Michael Laudrup wants his first buy to be Denmark's Euro 2012 star Michael Krohn-Dehli, 29, from Brondby.
Manchester City are ready to capitalise on the Netherlands' early exit from Euro 2012 by launching a formal move for Robin van Persie.
Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel, 27, will turn down interest from Manchester City if he gets assurances from new boss Brendan Rodgers that the Reds can match his own personal ambitions.
Roma's Italian midfielder Daniele De Rossi, 28, has put Manchester City on alert by admitting he is attracted by English football.
Full story: Manchester Evening News
Stoke boss Tony Pulis is considering a move for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.
OTHER GOSSIP
Owen Hargreaves will become the latest ex-England player to be fast-tracked through the Football Association's coaching system.
Andre Villas-Boas is confident he will be named the new Tottenham manager, although the club may not announce their successor to Harry Redknapp for another week.
Full story: the Times (subscription required)
Tottenham goalkeeper Carlo Cudicini has welcomed the prospect of Villas-Boas taking over at White Hart Lane.
Lionel Messi insists the day he stops having fun is "the day I retire".
Full story: the Times (subscription required)
EURO 2012 GOSSIP
The FA will bank a £20m jackpot if England win Euro 2012, but manager Roy Hodgson insists: "I'm not interested in money, just medals."
Roy Hodgson will tell his players they should not consider themselves inferior to Italy when they meet the nation with four World Cup triumphs to their name, and history on their side, in Sunday's Euro 2012 quarter-final.
Defender Alvaro Arbeloa has hit back at criticism that Spain are boring.Full story: the Guardian
AND FINALLY
Italy players have joked they will be watching raunchy movies rather than studying England players' penalty techniques.
Hair-replacement specialists hope Wayne Rooney's Euro 2012 success will lead to a surge in business.
