TRANSFER GOSSIP
Chelsea have entered talks with Fiorentina's Colombia winger Juan Cuadrado, 26, as they prepare for the departure of Mohamed Salah, 22, or Andre Schurrle, 24, during January. (Guardian)
The Premier League leaders have increased their efforts to sign Cuadrado after having a £20.6m bid rejected on Wednesday. (Times - subscription required)
Germany winger Schurrle is set for a move back to his native country to join Wolfsburg. (Daily Express)
But Fiorentina coach Vincenzo Montella says there is no chance of Cuadrado moving to Stamford Bridge. (Goal.com)
Chelsea are planning a £40m move for Juventus' 21-year-old France midfielder Paul Pogba, who left Manchester United on a free transfer in 2012. (Daily Express)
Spanish side Valencia are ready to try to beat Liverpool to the signing of Manchester City and England midfielder James Milner, 29. (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United have not received a single official enquiry during January about Brazilian midfielder Anderson, 26, who has not played for the club since August and is officially for sale. (Daily Mail)
United have opened discussions to sign 16-year-old Paraguayan striker Sergio Diaz from Cerro Porteno. (Tuttomercatoweb)
Swansea are looking at Blackburn striker Jordan Rhodes, 24, as a potential replacement for Ivory Coast forward Wilfried Bony, 26, who has signed for Manchester City. (Daily Telegraph)
QPR want to sign Italy striker Dani Osvaldo, 29, to save them from relegation - even though Southampton loaned him out to Inter Milan after he headbutted a team-mate. (Daily Mirror)
Newcastle plan to compete with Arsenal for the signature of Ipswich's 21-year-old defender Tyrone Mings. (Daily Mail)
Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero claims the signing of striker Samuel Eto'o, 33, is being held up because "nobody can figure out who is in charge at Everton". (Sky Sport Italia)
West Brom's Greece striker Georgios Samaras, 29, is set to join Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal on a six-month loan with a view to a permanent deal. (Express and Star, Wolverhampton)
OTHER GOSSIP
Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson and Chelsea striker Diego Costa had to be separated after confronting each other in the tunnel at the end of Tuesday's Capital One Cup semi-final first leg. (Guardian)
Manchester United's Dutch midfielder Daley Blind, 24, says that former Old Trafford full-back-turned-television pundit Gary Neville was wrong to criticise his style of play. (Daily Mail)
Newcastle face a compensation bill of more than £2m if their next permanent boss decides to remove head coach John Carver, first-team coach Steve Stone and goalkeeping coach Andy Woodman. (Newcastle Chronicle)
Carver is not up to the job of managing Newcastle, according to the club's former striker Mick Quinn. (Daily Star)
Managing director Lee Charnley has revealed that Newcastle have had 80 applicants for the vacant manager's job. (Sun - subscription required)
Portuguese forward Bebe, 24 - on loan at La Liga side Cordoba from Benfica - has admitted that he thought Manchester United were joking when they signed him for £7.4m in 2010. (Marca)
Chelsea thought they had secured the signing of Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard in 2005, according to Reading manager Steve Clarke - who was Jose Mourinho's assistant at Stamford Bridge at the time. (Talksport)
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
Liverpool winger Raheem Sterling made light of Chelsea defender John Terry's bizarre tackle on him during Tuesday's Capital One Cup semi-final first leg - by posting on Instagram a mocked-up photo of the two of them in a wrestling ring.
Comedian Kevin Bridges - a Celtic fan - tweeted his delight after former Dundee United midfielder Ryan Gauld scored twice for Sporting Lisbon - even though they lost 3-2 at Belenenses in a Portuguese League Cup tie.
Former Swansea defender Chico Flores, now with Qatari club Lekhwiya, showed off his drastic new haircut on Twitter. "New style," he posted.
Huddersfield defender Anthony Gerrard has criticised the behaviour of some parents at youth football matches, tweeting: "Watching my lad's football, some of the parents are so bitter and twisted towards other kids it's unreal! Let them play and enjoy it. Wow."
AND FINALLY...
Former Chelsea and Celtic midfielder Craig Burley has had Fernando Torres' face tattooed on his arm after losing a bet that the striker would not score for Atletico Madrid against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey. (ESPN FC)
Sheffield United had Branislav Ivanovic, David Luiz and Olivier Giroud in their predicted line-up for Wednesday's Capital One Cup semi-final first leg at Tottenham after a mistake in the Irish Independent. (Daily Mail)
Only 10% of Manchester United shirt sales happened in Manchester last year, according to a sports retail company - but Manchester City sold only 5% of their shirts in the city. (Daily Mirror)
