Paper Talk
Former Newcastle star Yohan Cabaye is a £10m Arsenal target after failing to cement a place at PSG.
Manchester United will take both Nike and Adidas kit on their pre-season tour after failing to negotiate an early end to their Nike deal.
Manchester City are plotting a £20m bid for Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse.
Dick Advocaat is confident he will keep Sunderland up but will leave the club in May regardless.
Glenn Hoddle is the latest name in the frame to replace Sam Allardyce at West Ham.
Liverpool will only sell Raheem Sterling for an offer in excess of £50m - and will not allow him to join Arsenal or Manchester United.
Southampton want to sign Chelsea keeper Petr Cech on loan to fill the gap left by Fraser Forster's injury.
Theo Walcott will start contract talks with Arsenal this week. His £100,000-a-week deal expires next season.
Aleksandar Kolarov's whopping Manchester City contract has priced him out of a move back to Italy.
Harry Kane is staying out of club-and-country negotiations over his summer plans and is happy to leave the decisions to Mauricio Pochettino and Roy Hodgson.
Manchester United have a chance to sign Real Madrid's Sami Khedira this summer - if they pay him £200,000 a week.
Chelsea are set to trigger the £13.6m release clause in Valencia defender Jose Luis Gaya's contract.
Newcastle are targeting strikers this summer with West Brom's Saido Berahino, Burnley's Danny Ings and £15m-rated Anderlecht hotshot Aleksandar Mitrovic all on their radar.
Real Madrid are preparing a £32m bid to sign Monaco striker Radamel Falcao once his unhappy loan spell at Manchester United is over.
Manchester City boss Manuel Pellegrini says next season is the time to judge him.
Danny Ings has been offered £60,000 a week to join David Moyes' Real Sociedad.
Liverpool and Arsenal are among the Premier League clubs trailing Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, dubbed "the next Sergio Aguero" by his club president.
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has criticised 20-year-old wantaway forward Raheem Sterling's advisor.
John Terry says Chelsea star Eden Hazard is up there with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as the best players in the world.
West Brom owner Jeremy Peace is attempting to sell the club.
Chelsea and Real Madrid have joined Manchester City in the race for highly-rated Valencia left-back Jose Luis Gaya.
Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, 21, will not take part in this summer's European Under-21 Championships in Hungary.
BBC
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Former Newcastle midfielder Yohan Cabaye, 29, is a £10m target for Arsenal after failing to secure a regular first-team place at Paris St-Germain . (Sunday Mirror)
Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign Germany midfielder Sami Khedira, who is out of contract at Real Madrid this summer - but they will have to pay the 28-year-old £200,000 a week. (Daily Star on Sunday)
Newcastle hope to beat a hike in prices before the £5bn TV deal starts by signing strikers this summer. Among their targets are Anderlecht's £15m-rated Aleksandar Mitrovic, 20, Burnley's Danny Ings, 22, and West Brom's Saido Berahino, 21. (Sunday Express)
Meanwhile, Ings has been offered a £60,000-a-week deal to join David Moyes' Real Sociedad, which would mean he would earn more in a month than the £197,000 compensation the Clarets would recoup if he moves to the La Liga side when his contract expires in the summer. (Sunday Telegraph)
Chelsea are set to activate the £13.6m release clause in the contract of Valencia's 29-year-old defender Jose Luis Gaya. (Daily Star on Sunday)
Palermo striker Paulo Dybala, 21, described as "the new Sergio Aguero" by club president Mauricio Zamparini, is set to be on his way to the Premier League, with Liverpool and Arsenal interested in the Argentine youngster. (Mail on Sunday)
Paris St-Germain are willing to offer Manchester United midfielder Andreas Pereira, 19, three times the £6,000-a-week wages the Old Trafford side are willing to pay him to sign a new contract when his current deal expires in the summer. (Manchester Evening News)
Real Madrid are preparing a £32m bid to sign Monaco striker Radamel Falcao, currently on loan at Manchester United, when fellow striker Javier Hernandez, 26, heads back to Old Trafford after his loan spell with Real ends this summer. (Sunday Express)
Southampton are interested in signing Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech, 32, on loan this season as injury cover for Fraser Forster, 27, who is out for up to a year with a broken kneecap. (Sun on Sunday - subscription only)
OTHER GOSSIP
Manager Manuel Pellegrini insists the time to judge him is next season when Manchester City are not hampered by financial fair play restrictions, which have seen the club fined and forced to operate with a smaller squad this term. (Sunday Express)
West Bromwich Albion owner Jeremy Peace is attempting to sell the club, with two groups from the United States and the Far East showing interest. (Sunday People)
Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers has criticised 20-year-old forward Raheem Sterling's advisor and says the England international would be inclined to stay at the club if left to make the decision himself. (Mail on Sunday)
Manchester United will be forced to take both Adidas and Nike kits on their pre-season United States tour after their current supplier refused to let them end their existing deal early before the new one begins on 1 August. (Sunday Mirror)
Everton and England midfielder Ross Barkley, 21, will not take part in this summer's European Under-21 Championships in Hungary. (Sunday People)
Captain John Terry claims Chelsea midfielder Eden Hazard, 24, is on a par with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi as one of the best players in the world. (Mail on Sunday)
Arsenal forward Theo Walcott, 26, will start contract discussions this month, with his £100,000-a-week deal due to end next season. (Sun on Sunday - subscription only)
BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA
QPR defender Rio Ferdinand broke off from celebrating his side's 4-1 victory at West Brom to pay tribute to Stoke midfielder Charlie Adam's amazing 60-yard goal against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. He tweeted: "Great result today away at West Brom... hold up... Charlie Adam take a bow... what a strike!"
Former Liverpool and England striker Michael Owen was also impressed with Adam's strike, but not that impressed. He tweeted: "Great as it was and taking nothing away from my mate Charlie, but no way am I having that one long strike is a goal of the season candidate."
Meanwhile, Owen's former Liverpool and England team-mate Jamie Carragher was not happy with Reds keeper Simon Mignolet during the 4-1 defeat at Arsenal. The retired defender tweeted: "Keeper shouts at defence when he makes a good save. Shut up, get back in your goal. That's what you're paid for."
AND FINALLY...
Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal admitted he kissed midfielder Ander Herrera at half-time in the 3-1 win over Aston Villa at Old Trafford after the 25-year-old carried out his instructions to be more decisive in front of goal with the first of his two goals. (Manchester Evening News)
Mail
Leicester City 2-1 West Ham United: Andy King proves the hero as relegation threatened Foxes leave it late to earn vital three points
Relegation strugglers Leicester City took the lead in the first half thanks to footballing legend Esteban Cambiasso
Nigel Pearson's side had the chance to double their lead three minutes later when the hosts were awarded a penalty
However, Foxes striker David Nugent failed to convert the penalty as Spanish goalkeeper Adrian saved smartly
West Ham United equalised with 32 minutes gone when Senegalese international Cheikhou Kouyate found the net
Bot sides hit the post in the second half but it was Leicester City who earned a vital win thanks to Andy King
By Martha Kelner
It was not particularly pretty but Andy King’s 86th minute winner has kept Leicester City’s hopes of Premier League survival alive, at least for now.
There was a frantic sense of do or die in the closing stages at the King Power stadium. Pearson and his players surely knew anything less than three points against West Ham, a side who have not won away from home since December 2nd, would see them doomed to relegation.
At the final whistle, the players went to all four corners of the stadium to applaud their fans. Just four points behind Sunderland with six of their eight remaining games to be played at home, it is very much game on for Foxes.
It was eyeballs out, quickfire action from the 80th minute. The Hammers had a flurry of chances with Schmeichel forced into two good saves and at the other end Aaron Cresswell made a miraculous block on the line to deny a Andrej Kramaric effort.
But substitute Kramaric supplied Jamie Vardy whose scuffed shot was tapped in by King from two yards out.
Pearson and his opposite number Sam Allardyce embraced and shared a raucous laugh before kick-off. Both are somewhat relieved of pressure.
Leicester City take the lead via a spectacular effort from footballing legend Esteban Cambiasso at the King Power Stadium on Saturday
Nugent saw his penalty kick thwarted by West Ham United's Spanish goalkeeper Adrian during the Premier League clash at the King Power
West Ham United instantly punish the Foxes as Senegalese international Cheikhou Kouyate scores their past Kasper Schmeichel
West Ham United's Senegalese international Kouyate celebrates after scoring to make it 1-1 while Wes Morgan appeals to the linesman
West Ham have had their Premier League survival all but assured since before Christmas and it appears even securing a finish outside of the Premier League’s bottom six for a third successive season – a feat not achieved since the last century – cannot win Allardyce a new contract.
Meanwhile nobody realistically expected Leicester to escape their current predicament at the foot of the Barclay’s Premier League and seven points from safety before this game. If they do it will represent a remarkable turnaround in results. The message pre-match from Pearson and midfielder Jamie Vardy was that if they could recapture the spirit they showed in a 4-3 defeat against Leicester a fortnight ago they would overcome the Hammers.
In starting the consistently lively Riyad Mahrez, an attacking intent was demonstrated and the home side were lively from the start. James Collins, the 31-year-old Welshman, made several important clearances in the first ten minutes for West Ham and the travelling fans responded with a chorus of ‘he’s the ginger Pele.’
But it was as he retreated to goal that the ball ricocheted off his back and into the path of Esteban Cambiasso who cooly put Leicester ahead after 12 minutes. The ball bounced kindly for the Argentinian whose sublime right footed strike just outside the D sailed in. As his teammates rushed to celebrate, he showed a wise head by urging them to get back into position.
Leonardo Ulloa draws a foul from Carl Jenkinson during the Barclays Premier league match Leicester City and West Ham United
Moments later referee Mark Clattenburg made the right decision to award the home side a penalty after Carl Jenkinson brought down Leonardo Ulloa. But David Nugent's effort from the spot was woeful, low, right down the middle and easily saved by Adrian.
They were left to rue the missed opportunity when the Hammers pulled one back in the 32nd minute. Alex Song sent a floating ball into he box which soared over the head Jeffrey Schupp and was controlled by Cheikou Kouyate, the Senegalese firing low and powerfully into the bottom left corner past a helpless Kasper Schmeichel.
Kouyate was close to doubling his goal tally in the 73rd minute, his shot from Sakho’s lay off hitting the post. Meanwhile Vardy had two good chances in as many minutes.
In a thrilling display of end-to-end action both sides demonstrated the best of their attacking wares and some rather poor defending too but ultimately Leicester deserved to come out on top.
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble holds off Matthew James during the Barclays Premier league match at The King Power Stadium
West Ham United midfielder Mark Noble holds off Matthew James during the Barclays Premier league match at The King Power Stadium
West Ham United's Spanish goalkeeper Adrian comes out to try and deny Vardy a goal during the Premier League clash
Match Facts
Leicester: (4-2-3-1) Schmeichel 6.5; De Laet 6 (King 79 6), Morgan 6, Huth 5.5, Schlupp 6; James 6.5, Cambiasso 7.5; Mahrez 7 (Albrighton, 45 7), Nugent 6, Vardy 7; Ulloa 6 (Kramaric 72 8)
Subs: Konchesky, Drinkwater, King, Albrighton, Wasilewski, Schwarzer, Kramaric
Booked: None
Scorers: Cambiasso (12) King (86)
Nigel Pearson: 7
West Ham: (4-3-2-1) Adrian 7; Jenkinson 5, Collins 6, Reid 5.5, Cresswell 6.5; Noble 5, Song 6.5, Kouyate 7.5; Downing 6, Nolan 5.5 (Amalfitano 65 6); Sakho 7 (Cole 80, 6)
Subs: Jaaskelainen, Demel, O'Brien, Amalfitano, Jarvis, Cole, Nene
Booked: Jenkinson, Redi, Collins, Cresswell
Scorers: Koutaye (32)
Sam Allardyce: 5.5
Referee - Mark Clattenburg: 6.5
Guardian
Andy King hands Leicester City deserved victory over West Ham United
Richard Rae at King Power Stadium
At long, long last, a spirited Leicester City performance, one of so many this season, was rewarded with a win, reviving the Foxes’ fading hopes of avoiding relegation.
Barely five minutes remained of a flawed but frantically entertaining encounter when the substitute Andy King, a City stalwart if ever there was one, was in the right place at the right time to poke Jamie Vardy’s scuffed shot past the West Ham goalkeeper Adrián from inside the six yard box.
It was the latest in a remarkable series of chances created by both sides in the final quarter. Only a few minutes earlier the Hammers midfielder Cheikhou Kouyaté had rolled a shot against the inside of the City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel’s right-hand post when it looked easier to score.
On such fine margins do seasons, and indeed careers, rest, and though City are still bottom, with eight games remaining they are, for the time being at least, only four points off safety.
Their manager Nigel Pearson, whose side had taken an early lead through Esteban Cambiasso – the first time they had scored in the opening 15 minutes at home this season – and then seen Adrián save David Nugent’s penalty soon afterwards, was an understandably relieved man.
“I’m pleased for the players, they’ve deserved better results than we’ve had of late. Before today we were looking at a season of nine games, with six at home, and we knew we had to get a result.
“One or two moments didn’t go their way, and those are the fine lines I’ve been talking about this season. Missing the penalty, which came from an exceptional move, possibly affected our belief and confidence for 20 minutes, but the whole of the second half we were in the ascendancy. They had their moments but we really tried to force the game, and all three substitutes had a positive impact.”
His side bristled with positivity from the start, and they deserved to take the lead given them in the 12th minute by Cambiasso. The deflection off James Collins that lead to the ball sitting up nicely for the veteran midfielder may have been fortunate, but the volley steered past Adrián from around 20 yards oozed class.
It should have been two three minutes later, when Carl Jenkinson brought down Leo Ulloa with a crudely mistimed tackle inside the Hammers penalty area. Nugent stepped up but Adrián dived to his left to push the spot-kick away.
Gradually West Ham began to assert themselves and slightly after the half hour deservedly equalised. Jeff Schlupp, criminally, allowed Alex Song’s pass to drop over his head on the right of the City penalty area, and Kouyaté, coming in behind him, controlled and shot low and firmly beyond Schmeichel.
Pearson replaced the ineffectual Riyad Mahrez with Marc Albrighton at the break and once again City took the early initiative. Vardy flashed a header just the wrong side of the post and then, freed by Nugent in the West Ham penalty area, saw his technique let him down as he attempted to direct his shot inside Adrián’s right-hand post.
West Ham should have taken the lead when, with 20 minutes remaining, Song and Kouyaté combined for Kouyaté to roll a close-range shot against Schmeichel’s right-hand post. Instead it was Leicester who won the game, though not before Winston Reid and Aaron Cresswell had combined to clear Andrej Kramaric’s shot off the line. When King popped up, however, the Hammers defence was finally beaten.
“It was a really open game, and from a neutral point of view it must have been fantastic entertainment, but while it’s great to play open, attractive football, but we’re professionals and the bottom line is we didn’t get anything out of the game,” said the Hammers manager Sam Allardyce.
Express
Leicester 2 - West Ham 1: King's late winner keeps Foxes in hunt for safety
ESTEBAN Cambiasso has won enough to fill an entire trophy room throughout his glittering career
By Peter Oakes
The Champions League, the European Super Cup, the World Club Cup and championships in Spain and Italy have all come the way of the battle-scarred midfielder.
But even he admits helping Leicester avoid relegation would rank as high as any of his other glorious achievements.
And he set about trying to make it happen before another old-timer Andy King came off the bench to give the Foxes a glimmer of hope.
Cambiasso’s rocket left footer that fizzed past Hammers’ Brazilian keeper Adriano gave the Foxes the perfect platform to build on as they needed to end a run that has brought them only two points from 27.
And when Carl Jenkinson sliced down Leonardo Ulloa to give David Nugent the chance of putting away another spot-kick things were looking up for both City and their veteran Argentinean.
But Adriano, after whispering in Nugent’s ear, pulled off a diving save and it nearly turned into the old, old story for City.
Until King, who had been on for less than ten minutes, was in the right spot to deflect Jamie Vardy’s mishit shot past Adrian for a dramatic winner.
The club’s Thai owners have raided their coffers to hand over £100,000 to the King Richard III appeal to pay for his re-burial at the city’s Cathedral.
And they must be praying that, unlike the Middle Ages’ monarch, the Foxes won’t be dead and buried!
City let Sam Allardyce’s side back into it, gifting them a ludicrous leveller as Jeffrey Schlupp badly misjudged Alex Song’s lobbed pass.
Chiekhou Kouyate had enough time to bring the ball down on his chest and rifle a right foot shot beyond Kasper Schmeichel.
Kouyate is averaging a goal a month this year – after managing only three in four years and celebrated his new-found scoring touch with his bench.
The Foxes threw everything into an all-out second half assault on the Hammers’ goal and Jamie Vardy twice came close to a winner.
He shaved the bar with a header and thumped a shot a foot wide and when sub Andrej Kramaric saw his goalbound shot somehow kept out by the combined efforts of Winston Reid and Aaron Cresswell, City could have been forgiven if their heads had dropped.
But they kept pouring forward and after a lucky escape when Kouyate hit the post, their adventure, and King’s predatory instinct, had its reward.
They could even have boosted their goal average even further but, through on goal, Vardy could only hit Adrian’s legs.
That didn’t matter and for the first time since early January, Nigel Pearson had a broad smile at the final whistle.
Mirror
Glenn Hoddle the new name in the frame to replace Sam Allardyce at West Ham
By Steve Stammers
The Hammers are heading to the Olympic Stadium in 15 months time and Allardyce looks increasingly set to depart this summer with his contract set to expire
Glenn Hoddle is the latest name to be linked with the manager’s job at West Ham should Sam Allardyce leave at the end of the season.
Allardyce has yet to agree a new deal at Upton Park. His contract runs out next month and to date there have been no talks about a renewal.
That has led to speculation that Allardyce will decide to move on after guiding the club to promotion from the Championship and keeping them in the Premier League for two seasons.
But some West Ham supporters have never taken to Big Sam and make their disaffection known at every opportunity.
The board have yet to say whether it is time for a change ahead of their last season at Upton Park and before they move to the Olympic Stadium.
Hoddle, 57, would be a high-profile replacement and his teams play with the kind of style and flair that would be welcomed by fans.
Crystal Palace looking to fend off potential buyers for Joel Ward
By Darren Witcoop
Highly-rated Palace defender Joel Ward has just 15 months to run on his deal and the south London side haven't been able to get him tied down
Crystal Palace are hoping to tie down Joel Ward to a new deal at Selhurst Park by the end of the season.
Talks have been dragging on for months between the Eagles and the highly-rated defender.
Ward, who still has 15 months remaining on his current deal, has already rejected two contract extensions.
But with Alan Pardew’s side’s Premier League spot looking safe, the south Londoners have returned to the table with improved terms.
Palace are desperate to keep Ward, 25, and are sweating on him running down his contract and leaving for nothing.
Ward’s form has also not gone unnoticed with West Ham among the clubs watching his developments.
ESPN
Maiga hat-trick gives Metz hope
Metz gave themselves at least some hope of staying in Ligue 1 as Modibo Maiga's hat-trick earned them victory over relegation rivals Toulouse.
Wissam Ben Yedder gave Toulouse a 21st-minute lead but Maiga - on loan from West Ham - quickly equalised, put Metz ahead before half-time and completed his treble early in the second period.
Toulouse twice failed to clear a corner and the ball eventually fell to Maiga, who scored with a low drive from near the penalty spot.
Ali Ahamada made a good save from Ferjani Sassi but the second goal came three minutes before half-time when Bussmann sent the ball in from the left and Maiga, on the corner of the penalty area, produced a good angled finish.
And just nine minutes into the second period, it was 3-1 as Maiga completed his hat-trick. Bussmann was again the provider as the striker controlled his pass well and slotted the ball through Ahamada's legs.
