Friday 31 December 2021 06:48, UK
All the top stories and transfer rumours from Friday's national newspapers...
THE SUN
Barcelona are hoping to sign Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte next summer, after completing the transfer of fellow Spain international Ferran Torres from the Premier League champions earlier this week.
Mafia bosses are targeting top UEFA referees with cyber-crime attacks to try to fix football matches.
Former Chelsea and Real Madrid striker Alvaro Morata has been linked with a shock move to Barcelona in January as Xavi looks to bolster his attack.
Brighton youngster Zak Sturge has turned down a contract extension from the club amid transfer interest from Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg.
DAILY MAIL
Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel will be reprimanded by the Football Association for questioning the impartiality of referee Mike Dean following the draw versus Brighton but he has escaped a formal investigation.
Italy has joined France in making vaccination compulsory for anyone wanting to play outdoor team sports, meaning Premier League players will need to be jabbed in order to move to Serie A this January.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is set to miss at least Arsenal's next five matches after being called up to the Gabon side ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Footballers at EFL clubs will no longer take Covid tests on matchdays in a bid to stop last-minute postponements of games, but public health experts have questioned the move as all 72 clubs continue to battle surging cases.
DAILY MIRROR
Juventus have rejected a swap deal from Barcelona involving Memphis Depay as head coach Xavi targets Spaniard Alvaro Morata.
Premier League clubs stand to lose millions because of a huge drop in attendances.
Four-time Formula 1 world champion Alain Prost has spoken in opposition to the sport's reverse-grid format idea, arguing Lewis Hamilton's exploits last season should not be taken for granted in the long term.
THE TIMES
Kyle Walker has recovered from illness and is set to return to the Manchester City squad for Saturday's match against Arsenal.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
England wing Anthony Watson is to leave beleaguered Bath at the end of the season when his contract expires, although he has not yet committed to another club.
Arsenal could be left with a skeleton coaching staff for their match against Manchester City on New Year's Day, with Mikel Arteta not alone in testing positive for Covid-19.
DAILY STAR
The WBC has confirmed the purse split for Tyson Fury's heavyweight clash with Dillian Whyte with the Gypsy King set for a massive 80 per cent share.
Lyon are planning to offload Xherdan Shaqiri, who is on a reported £3.5m-a-year at the Ligue 1 club, just six months are signing the Swiss winger from Liverpool in the summer.
SCOTTISH SUN
Hearts are confident Craig Gordon will be one of the club's first out-of-contract players to agree new terms.
DAILY RECORD
Rangers could let defender Jack Simpson leave on loan in January, with a number of Championship clubs potentially interested.
Celtic are set to complete the signings of Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate and Yosuke Ideguchi in a triple New Year swoop.
