Gossip column: Van Persie, Casillas, Sterling, Given, De Gea, Rooney

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Manchester United's Netherlands striker Robin van Persie, 31, is close to joining Fenerbahce in Turkey after further talks between the clubs.(Daily Mail)external-link

Real Madrid and Porto have agreed a deal which will see Spain goalkeeper Iker Casillas, 34, leave the Bernabeu on Friday after 25 years.(Marca)external-link

Liverpool forward Raheem Sterling, 20, says the breakdown in his relationship with manager Brendan Rodgers is the reason he wants to leave Anfield.(Daily Mirror)external-link

The Reds have told England international Sterling he has to join them on their pre-season tour to Australia and Asia.(Sun - subscription required)external-link

Thursday's Daily Mirror
The back page of Thursday's Daily Mirror is dominated by a story about Raheem Sterling's relationship with Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers

Liverpool fans are angry with Sterling after the Manchester City target missed training on Wednesday because of illness.(Liverpool Echo)external-link

West Brom striker Saido Berahino, 21, has got rid of agent Aidy Ward because of his role in Sterling's desired move to City.(Daily Mail)external-link

Stoke City have moved for 39-year-old Aston Villa goalkeeper Shay Given - just when it seemed Middlesbrough were about to sign the former Newcastle player.(Evening Gazette)external-link

Former Manchester City defender Micah Richards, 27, says he turned down Inter Milan to join Aston Villa.(Yahoo Eurosport) external-link

Richards says Villa should sign 26-year-old QPR striker Charlie Austin.(Daily Star)external-link

Hull City are upbeat going into their FA hearing about their proposed name change to Hull Tigers on Saturday, because the Football League will not block the move.(Times - subscription required)external-link

Southampton expect midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin, 25, to leave but will make Manchester United pay £27m for the France international. (Independent)external-link

Tottenham striker Roberto Soldado is keen to leave this summer to play more regular football - and there has been interest in the 30-year-old from clubs in Spain.(Guardian)external-link

New Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech, 33, is set to make first appearance for the Gunners in Singapore after Arsene Wenger named an almost full-strength squad for the Barclays Asia Trophy next week.(Guardian)external-link

Arsenal's signing of Cech could help the Gunners contend for the title, believes his former Chelsea team-mate Frank Lampard.(Sun - subscription needed)external-link

Tottenham Hotspur are desperate for the Football Association to allow them to use Wembley as a temporary home, but Chelsea have offered £3m more in annual rent. (Times - subscription only)external-link

Southampton believe they are entitled to at least £2m compensation after Atletico Madrid sold Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld, 26, to Tottenham despite the Saints having an option to buy him. (Daily Star)external-link

Uruguay midfielder Gaston Ramirez, 24, could still have a future at Southampton despite not playing for them for almost a year. (Southern Daily Echo)external-link

Meanwhile, 25-year-old forward Jay Rodriguez - who has been out with a knee injury since April 2014 - scored two goals on his comeback as the Saints lost 5-4 to German club RB Leipzig on Wednesday. (saintsfc.co.uk)external-link

Premier League newcomers Bournemouth are closing in on the £6m signing of St-Etienne's 27-year-old former Leeds and Leicester winger Max Gradel. (Daily Mirror)external-link

West Bromwich Albion should avoid spending £10m on 27-year-old Manchester United defender Jonny Evans, according to former Baggies player Daryl Burgess. (Birmingham Mail)external-link

Best of social media

Manchester United and England striker Wayne Rooney on Twitter:external-link "Delighted that me and @ColeenRoo have our 3rd child on the way."

Christian Eriksen
Tottenham's new stadium has been given the thumbs-up by the midfielder Christian Eriksen

Germany striker Lukas Podolski has penned a farewell message to Arsenal fans after signing for Galatasaray. "I will forever be a Gunner," writes the World Cup winner on Twitter.external-link

Preston North End have secured themselves a certain goalscorer by signing Manchester United striker Will Keane on a season-long loan deal, according to former Red Devils defender Rio Ferdinand. "Good luck to Will Keane at Preston. #WillScoreGoals," wrote the ex-England international on Twitter.external-link

Roger Federer (left) and David De Gea

Manchester United's Spain goalkeeper David De Gea spent Wednesday at Wimbledon - and managed to have a photographexternal-link with world number two Roger Federer.

De Gea's United team-mate Ashley Young was also in SW19 and tweeted:external-link "Amazing afternoon at Wimbledon. Well done @andy_murray, keep up the good form and good luck on Friday."

And finally

Manchester City's 18-year-old French striker Thierry Ambrose, who has just signed a new five-year contract, likes living in Manchester so much he has compared it to Paris. (Manchester Evening News)external-link

The Women's World Cup final between the United States and Japan averaged 25.4 million viewers on Fox, making it the most-viewed football game ever in the United States by a giant margin. (Sports Illustrated)external-link