Wednesday's gossip column - transfers and rumours

BREAKING GOSSIP

1408: Bayern Munich have presented Schalke 04 an improved offer of 21m Euros (£18.3m) for Germany international goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. Schalke are keen to cash in on the 25-year-old, who is out of contract next summer.
Read more: Bild (in German)

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Manchester City want Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas to bolster their midfield after securing their place Champions League for next season. Boss Roberto Mancini says he also wants AC Milan striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Eastlands.
Read more: The Sun
City are tracking Ajax defender Jan Vertonghen, who was watched by Mancini last Sunday. The Belgium international has also been linked with a move to Arsenal.
Read more: Daily Mail
Liverpool are in pole position to sign Aston Villa's Ashley Young for a £15m fee. The England forward rejected a new deal at Villa Park earlier this season and has also been linked with a move to Manchester United.
Read more: Guardian
Real Madrid and Brazil midfielder Kaka's mother Simone Leite has fuelled speculation linking her son with a move to Chelsea by revealing the family's plans to move to London this summer on her Twitter feed.
Read more: Simone Leite's Twitter feed
Meanwhile, Chelsea are ready to make a fresh move to sign Valencia winger Juan Mata.
Full story: talkSPORT
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is reportedly ready to conduct a major clear-out at the Emirates Stadium this summer after seeing his side go without silverware for a sixth consecutive season.
Full story: Caughtoffside
Tottenham are ready to move for Birmingham's England international Ben Foster to replace under-fire goalkeeper Heurelho Gomes. Strikers Jermain Defoe and Roman Pavlyuchenko could also be sold in a summer shake-up at Spurs.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Manchester United are set to open contract talks with winger Antonio Valencia, who has two years remaining on his curent deal at Old Trafford. The Ecuador international has been attracting attention from big clubs abroad.
Read more: The Sun

OTHER GOSSIP

Former England caretaker boss Peter Taylor says current coach Fabio Capello's successor must be English - and believes the likes of recent internationals David Beckham, Alan Shearer and Gary Neville should be considered for the job.
Full story: talkSPORT
Dutchman Frank Rijkaard is reported to be first choice to take over as Aston Villa manager if Gerard Houllier cannot return next season after his latest health scare.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Former Sunderland and Ipswich boss Roy Keane says he will return to football management - but only when the time and club are right for him.
Read more: Daily Mail
Fulham have less than three weeks to secure a deal for manager Mark Hughes or risk losing him for nothing because of a "get-out" clause in his current contract.
Read more: The Sun
AC Milan's Gennaro Gattuso could face a heavy fine from Italian officials after he was filmed, dressed in his pants and a T-shirt, singing a derogatory song alongside the club's "ultras" directed at Leonardo, the manager of rivals Inter.
Read more: The Sun
Blackpool duo DJ Campbell and Charlie Adam were involved in a post-match row over the second penalty in the 1-1 draw with Tottenham at White Hart Lane.
Read more: Metro

AND FINALLY

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has revealed how he was offered the Arsenal job just months before taking over at Old Trafford in 1986.
Full story: Daily Mirror
Manchester City's temperamental striker Mario Balotelli confronted a school bully who had been taunting a young boy who had asked for the Italian star's autograph after a training session.
Full story: Metro