Update

Mikel Arteta: Arsenal manager looking to trim squad in January transfer window- Paper Talk

Friday 8 January 2021 15:04, UK

Back-page headlines and transfer rumours from Friday's newspapers...

THE SUN

William Saliba was the first to be cleared out of the Arsenal changing room as Mikel Arteta frees up space in his squad.

Leeds United have become the first Premier League club to hand over their facilities for the unprecedented vaccine push.

Leeds face a battle with Liverpool if they want to land Udinese star Rodrigo De Paul this month.

West Ham have Josh King in their sights to replace Sebastien Haller - but may have to pay Bournemouth more than they thought to land him.

AFC Wimbledon are set to convert part of their brand-new Plough Lane stadium into a Covid-19 vaccination centre.

LONDON EVENING STANDARD

William Saliba says he was not given enough time to prove himself at Arsenal after being loaned to Nice.

Matt Macey says he left Arsenal for Hibernian after being sold on a move to Scottish football by Kieran Tierney.

Watford midfielder Tom Cleverley never thought about leaving the club last summer, despite their relegation from the Premier League.

MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

Brandon Williams is prepared to leave Manchester United on loan this month amid a lack of playing time in the Premier League.

Eric Bailly has revealed he has already spoken at length with new Manchester United signing Amad Diallo and has welcomed him to the club.

Dimitar Berbatov has warned Donny van de Beek may seek a move away from Manchester United if he does not get more first-team football.

LIVERPOOL ECHO

Former Liverpool striker Emile Heskey says Jurgen Klopp must move into the transfer market for a defender this month.

NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE

Sunderland and Sheffield United target Kevin Nisbet has said recent transfer speculation is "flattering" but is choosing to ignore it.

Sunderland and Barnsley are fighting it out to sign St Johnstone left-back Scott Tanser, reports say.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp says Trent Alexander-Arnold is still recovering from a lack of full pre-season training following criticism of the England right-back's recent performances.

Dawn Astle and Rachel Walden, two of football's leading dementia campaigners and fiercest past critics of the Professional Footballers' Association, have agreed to advise the players' union and act as a liaison for former players and their families.

The Women's Six Nations has been thrown into doubt because of the surging number of coronavirus infections, with the Rugby Football Union expressing concerns over whether the tournament will go ahead.

DAILY MAIL

Referees, assistants and VAR officials will follow players in being tested twice a week for Covid-19.

Aston Villa will try to play their FA Cup clash against Liverpool with U23 and U18 players.

A League One club with players and staff positive for Covid-19 played a fixture despite knowing they were infected in a bid to keep the outbreak quiet as fears grow that coronavirus is now 'rife' in the EFL after 52 postponements.

Former Tottenham player Marcus Edwards has signed a new deal with Vitoria de Guimaraes, despite reports linking him with a January switch to West Ham.

Sergio Romero has reportedly bid farewell to staff at Manchester United as he edges closer to securing a move to Boca Juniors.

Leeds United forward Tyler Roberts is wanted by a number of Championship clubs.

Swansea and Bournemouth are eyeing a loan move for Aston Villa's Keinan Davis.

Atletico Madrid have drawn up a three-man shortlist to replace Diego Costa as manager Diego Simeone plans an assault on the second half of the season with his sights firmly set on winning his second La Liga crown as a manager.

Chelsea have arranged an affiliation with a leading junior club in the heart of Newcastle and will do the same on the doorstep of other Premier League rivals as they react to Brexit restrictions on overseas recruitment.

Wilfried Zaha has opened up on his failed move to Arsenal in 2019, revealing he held positive talks with Unai Emery before the club opted to sign Nicolas Pepe ahead of him.

The Football Association will hand over Wembley Stadium to the London Ambulance Service next week to aid the capital's fight against growing Covid rates.

Championship players have been told they cannot have showers after training unless they live more than an hour away under strict new guidance from the EFL.

Newcastle winger Allan Saint-Maximin is back on Tyneside as he continues to recover from the effects of Covid-19.

DAILY MIRROR

Aston Villa are awaiting the test results of their U23 squad as their FA Cup third-round clash with Liverpool hangs in the balance.

Fenerbahce boss Erol Bulut is remaining coy over the potential arrival in Istanbul of Arsenal's Mesut Ozil.

DAILY STAR

Liverpool are eyeing a move for Sergio Ramos on a free transfer at the end of the season.

Bruno Fernandes has recognised Manchester United's need to improve following their semi-final defeat to Manchester City on Wednesday night.

THE TIMES

The Professional Footballers' Association has written to all players urging them to follow protocols after a record number of positive Covid-19 cases threatened turmoil in the game.

The FA's director of women's football has insisted that Phil Neville is the choice to lead Team GB at the Olympics next summer, despite the England manager being on the verge of leaving to take charge of Inter Miami.

DAILY EXPRESS

Arsenal's hopes of landing Emiliano Buendia have faded away after Norwich decided they will not sell this month, according to reports.

THE GUARDIAN

Scott Parker would not be surprised if the Football Association decides to ban players for breaching Covid-19 protocols after Fulham's Aleksandar Mitrovic attended a New Year's Eve party with Crystal Palace's Luka Milivojevic.

DAILY RECORD

Ross County boss John Hughes has targeted St Mirren's Sam Foley after making striker Tony Andreu his first signing.

Dejected Derek McInnes has confirmed Scott Wright has turned down a new contract and looks likely to leave as the Aberdeen boss continues to be thwarted during a window of frustration.

SCOTTISH SUN

Brendan Rodgers is prepared to let Leicester stopper Filip Benkovic return to Celtic.

Jack Ross has called on Nicola Sturgeon to stop using Scottish football as a scapegoat after criticism of Celtic's trip to Dubai.

THE INDEPENDENT

Roman Abramovich has confirmed he will make hotels at Stamford Bridge available to the NHS again.