Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is set to raid Aston Villa for England winger Ashley Young in a deal worth £15m.
The Reds are also pursuing a cut-price £3m deal for Rennes and France right-back Rod Fanni, which could lead to a Tottenham bid for Glen Johnson.
Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Juventus are all keen on Johnson, who looks set to quit Anfield in January.
And Liverpool midfielder Lucas has urged Hodgson to press ahead with an audacious January move for AC Milan forward Ronaldinho.
Lazio are lining up a new contract for defender Stefan Radu to fend off interest from Chelsea.
West Ham have joined the £5m race for Tottenham striker Robbie Keane. The Republic of Ireland international has been told he can leave in January.
Aston Villa also plan to firm up their interest in Keane with a £6m bid.
Stoke have been told they must pay Real Zaragoza £6m if they want to turn winger Jermaine Pennant's loan deal into a permanent move at the end of December.
Wolves are weighing up a January move for Newcastle's unsettled central defender Steven Taylor.
Sunderland's Paraguayan defender Paulo Da Silva is wanted by Real Zaragoza and Mexican side Cruz Azul, with a loan move likely.
Wigan look set to wrap up £5m deal for highly rated Espanyol midfielder Javi Marquez.
Leicester boss Sven-Goran Eriksson admits he tried to sign David Beckham on loan but the Los Angeles Galaxy and England midfielder turned him down. Eriksson has also been rejected by Tottenham striker Keane and Manchester City forward Roque Santa Cruz.
Newcastle fans are furious with the club's reported decision to appoint Alan Pardew as their new manager.
Fewer than 2% of those polled by the Newcastle Evening Chronicle on Wednesday wanted Pardew to succeed Chris Hughton as manager at St James' Park.
Sheffield United manager Gary Speed has emerged as a shock front-runner for the Wales job.
Aston Villa manager Gerard Houllier's job is under serious threat following their 3-0 defeat to Liverpool on Monday.
Houllier left Villa director Charles Krulak baffled by his conduct following the Anfield loss. Ex-Liverpool boss Houllier angered his club's fans by saying if he had to lose 3-0 to anyone, he would prefer it to be to his old team. The manager also ignored Villa's travelling supporters but applauded the Kop, and Krulak said: "What I don't know is what was going through his mind at the time - and neither does anyone else.
Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is to make a personal plea to the club's supporters to put an end to the sick chants that are aimed at Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger whenever the Gunners visit Old Trafford.
Ipswich boss Roy Keane believes £10m-rated 17-year-old forward Connor Wickham has the potential to be the new Wayne Rooney.
Scottish police chiefs are set to dash the SPL's hopes of a full fixture list this weekend as snow and ice continue to wreak havoc across the country.
Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand is increasingly hopeful of overcoming a hamstring injury to face Arsenal on Monday, using his Twitter page to say: "Hammy feels ok, treatment over the next couple of days to try + get ready for the game Monday. Get me out there! Grrrr!"
Florent Malouda has claimed Chelsea team-mate Didier Drogba is his only friend in football because he hates hangers-on in the game.
Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, who is on loan at Nottingham Forest, says he endured sleepless nights ahead of his competitive comeback from a horrific leg break that sidelined him for nine months.
Aberdeen have cancelled their annual Christmas party as they fight the threat of relegation.
Prince William has written to Blackpool in praise of striker Luke Varney after watching the on-loan Derby player score a superb goal against Wolves last month. The future king was a surprise visitor to Bloomfield Road for the Premier League fixture and said Varney's volleyed winner would 'live long in the memory'.