Plus: Real Sociedad's Takefusa Kubo on Manchester United's radar as a possible replacement for Antony; Casemiro weighs up offer to join Saudi exodus; Chelsea close to securing deal to sign teenage Senegal midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from June; Celtic and Rangers keep tabs on Will Dennis
Thursday 21 December 2023 07:23, UK
The top stories and transfer rumours from Thursday's newspapers...
THE SUN
Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag has already made his decision on Sofyan Amrabat and will not be looking to keep the struggling summer loan signing beyond the end of the season.
Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, who previously played at youth levels for Barcelona and Real Madrid, is on Manchester United's radar as a possible replacement for Antony.
Casemiro is weighing up an offer to join the Saudi exodus, with Manchester United prepared to take a big loss on the midfielder they signed for £70m in the summer of 2022.
Chelsea must beat off strong competition from former manager Jose Mourinho to land Bosnian wonderkid Amar Dedic, with Newcastle also in the transfer tussle for the 21-year-old Red Bull Salzburg star.
Raphael Varane is being lined up for a shock return transfer to Real Madrid, according to reports.
Everton have slapped a huge £100m price tag on star man Jarrad Branthwaite, according to reports.
DAILY MAIL
Sir Jim Ratcliffe will recommend significant cuts to Manchester United's backroom staff once his purchase of a 25 per cent stake in the club is completed as he believes it to be over-staffed in a number of areas.
Paul Pogba's anti-doping tribunal hearing has been delayed in order to give his legal team more time to prepare their defence, according to reports in Italy.
FIFA are setting up a £200m fund to help support the professionalisation of women's football with clubs being rewarded every time they sign a U23 player and an additional bonus when one of those players makes an international debut.
Former Southampton director of performance Mark Jarvis has been appointed as the FA's new head of performance and will play a lead role ahead of England's bid to win Euro 2024.
There was a heart-warming moment in Paris Saint-Germain's 3-1 win over Metz on Wednesday evening as 16-year-old Ethan Mbappe made his first-team debut alongside older brother, Kylian.
Chelsea's decision over Reece James's anticipated surgery on a hamstring injury has been delayed amid reservations over whether the procedure is necessary.
EVENING STANDARD
Steve Cooper will be a candidate for a quick return to the Premier League management ranks as Crystal Palace are interested in him as a potential replacement for Roy Hodgson should the veteran call time at the end of the season.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Kalvin Phillips will seek guarantees over playing time from Manchester City ahead of a decision on his future at the club, with Newcastle and Juventus both interested in the England midfielder.
Jurgen Klopp took aim at Liverpool fans after the Carabao Cup thrashing of West Ham, telling them to stay at home this weekend for the Premier League title clash against Arsenal unless they generate the right atmosphere at Anfield.
Ezequiel Lavezzi, the former Paris St-Germain and Argentina striker, was rushed to hospital after being wounded at a house party he hosted in Uruguay.
England and Australia will most likely meet in Barbados in a mouth-watering clash at the World T20 next year, while India and Pakistan will have the latest game in their fierce rivalry at the Eisenhower Stadium, 30 miles east of Manhattan.
England's most-capped men's rugby union international Ben Youngs is set to sign a new deal with the Leicester Tigers to extend his time with the team to a record-equalling 19 seasons, matching the mark held by club legend David Matthews.
Former Bath captain and director of rugby Stuart Hooper is to be named director of cricket operations at the England and Wales Cricket Board.
THE ATHLETIC
Chelsea are close to securing a deal to sign teenage Senegal midfielder Pape Daouda Diong from June, when he will turn 18. Diong was in attendance when Chelsea edged past Newcastle in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals on Tuesday.
USWNT midfielder Kristie Mewis, the fiancée of Chelsea striker Sam Kerr, is set to join West Ham United from Gotham FC.
Paris Saint-Germain defender Presnel Kimpembe has signed a new two-and-a-half-year contract.
Former Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has lost a legal challenge to rescind sanctions imposed on him by the European Union following Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
Santiago Solari has replaced Manuel Fernandez as Real Madrid's director of football.
DAILY MIRROR
Borussia Dortmund winger Donyell Malan would welcome a move to the Premier League according to reports, which has led to talk of a possible swap deal involving Manchester United's former Dortmund star Jadon Sancho.
Jarell Quansah is the most recent Liverpool star to sign a 'car clause' in his contract - something all young players at the club are required to do.
Chelsea have vowed to ban the fan who confronted Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka during their Carabao Cup win.
AlphaTauri chief Peter Bayer has vowed his team will not repeat their 2023 error of not using every part made available to them by sister team Formula One champions Red Bull in their cars, which will again be piloted by Daniel Ricciardo and Yuki Tsunoda.
THE TIMES
Tottenham Hotspur are stepping up their search for a central defender, with Nice's Jean-Clair Todibo high on the club's list of January targets.
Matthew Mott is confident Jofra Archer will be fit to play a part in England's T20 World Cup title defence in June and expects him to be a "massive" presence.
DAILY RECORD
Al Ittihad are reported to have contacted Celtic about the prospect of Jota returning to the club in January but the Scottish champions appear to have been priced out of any deal with Premier League clubs ready to make their move.
Celtic and Rangers are keeping close tabs on Kilmarnock's loanee goalkeeper Will Dennis, who will be out of contract with parent club Bournemouth in the summer and potentially available for free.
Tony Docherty has lifted the lid on the big sell Dundee have given Liverpool loanee Owen Beck over why he should remain at Dens for the rest of the season.
Cyriel Dessers and Abdallah Sima have been rewarded for their recent Rangers resurgence with call-ups to their respective provisional national team squads for next month's Africa Cup of Nations - but it could be a headache for Philippe Clement.
