Gossip column: Balotelli, Ivanovic, Lampard, Hernandez

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TRANSFER GOSSIP

French champions Paris Saint-Germain have set their sights on Chelsea defender Branislav Ivanovic, 30, as the Premier League club continue to hesitate on offering the Serb a new contract. Daily Mailexternal-link

Arsenal have turned down the chance to buy former midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 27, from Barcelona even though the player is available for £30m.Daily Mailexternal-link

Mario Balotelli linked with Arsenal
Mario Balotelli may have several English suitors if AC Milan offload him

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is considering signing AC Milan striker Mario Balotelli after the 23-year-old Italy striker was told he was surplus to requirements at San Siro. Daily Mirrorexternal-link

Liverpool, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur could also be interested in Balotelli after Milan president Adriano Galliani agreed the forward could leave. Daily Expressexternal-link

Manchester City have emerged as the leading club to sign Fabregas, with Liverpool also interested, but Manchester United have gone cold on the midfielder, whom they pursued last summer. Daily Mirrorexternal-link

Liverpool's attempt to sign midfielder Adam Lallana, 26, has stalled with Southampton refusing to lower their £30m valuation. Times (subscription)external-link

Lallana will have to hand in transfer request if he is to leave the south coast club this summer. Daily Expressexternal-link

Chelsea's Frank Lampard, 35, has reached an impasse in negotiations over a new contract. Daily Expressexternal-link

Manchester City will offer the England midfielder a short-term contract before his move to their New York City franchise club in 2015. Daily Mirrorexternal-link

Italian side Fiorentina are set to hijack West Brom's £4m pursuit of 31-year-old Juventus striker Fabio Quagliarella. Talksportexternal-link

Inter Milan want to take Manchester United forward Javier Hernandez, 26, on loan as the Italian club also eye up 30-year-old Chelsea striker Fernando Torres. Daily Mailexternal-link

Swansea have agreed a fee of £6.5m with FC Twente for Netherlands Under-21 striker Luc Castaignos. Sky Sportsexternal-link

Liverpool are closing in on a £16m deal for 21-year-old Spanish left-back Alberto Moreno. Daily Mirrorexternal-link

Hamburg are lining up a move to bring West Ham defender Guy Demel, 32, back to the Bundesliga club this summer. Talksportexternal-link

Swansea captain Ashley Williams, 29, is ready to leave the Liberty Stadium for newly promoted QPR in a £4m deal. Daily Mailexternal-link

Liverpool, Tottenham and Manchester United are interested in signing 22-year-old Feyenoord defender Stefan de Vrij after he revealed he was ready to leave the Netherlands. Daily Starexternal-link

Spain striker David Villa, 32, has quit La Liga champions Atletico Madrid for new US side New York City. Sun (subscription)external-link

Manchester United defender Michael Keane, 21, wants to stay and fight for his place at the club, despite interest from Blackburn Rovers, where he was on loan last season. Sky Sportsexternal-link

OTHER GOSSIP

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti expects midfielder Xabi Alonso, 32, to retire from international duty with Spain after this summer's World Cup. Daily Starexternal-link

France midfielder Franck Ribery, 31, could miss the World Cup as he is struggling to recover from a back injury. Metroexternal-link

Franck Ribery of France
Franck Ribery could miss France's World Cup campaign through injury

Roy Hodgson is planning to give Raheem Sterling his chance to stake a claim for a starting place in the World Cup by playing him in an experimental line-up in England's penultimate warm-up match against Ecuador. Guardianexternal-link

Former Brazil defender Cafu thinks England have the potential to win the World Cup. Independentexternal-link

Ronald Koeman could be handed a £50m transfer fund if the former Netherlands captain takes over as Southampton manager. Daily Expressexternal-link

AND FINALLY

Comedian Simon Brodkin infiltrated England's World Cup squad by dressing in their official attire as they prepared to fly off from Luton Airport. Metroexternal-link

After more than three decades thought lost, a Wrexham fan has stepped forward to reunite former striker Dixie McNeil with number nine shirt he last saw in the 1970s. Daily Postexternal-link

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