Football gossip: what the papers say today, Sunday, January 17, 2016.

SUNDAY EXPRESS

West Ham are reportedly preparing a £10m offer to bring Mario Balotelli back to the Premier League. Striker Andy Carroll joined Manuel Lanzini on the Hammers' injury list this week.

Striker Inaki Williams, who has been linked with both Arsenal and Liverpool, is set to sign a new deal which will keep him at Athletic Bilbao until 2020.

Cardiff City have failed in a bid to extend Tony Watt's stay at the club. The Bluebirds, who were placed under a transfer embargo on Friday, had sought to extend Watt's loan but parent club Charlton have rejected their bid.

Borussia Monchengladbach director of sport Max Eberl admits Granit Xhaka could leave the club if they received a tempting offer. The Switzerland international is reportedly on the radar of Arsenal and Liverpool but could cost around £37.6million.

Barcelona are confident of bringing Arsenal's Aaron Ramsey to the Nou Camp after another secret spying mission in midweek.

Chelsea's pursuit of John Stones could be scuppered by Barcelona's plans to swoop in for the Everton defender this summer.

DAILY STAR SUNDAY

Manchester United are plotting a £21.4million swoop for Paris St-Germain's Adrien Rabiot, who has been a long-term Arsenal target.

Liverpool are the club most likely to prise Jamie Vardy away from Leicester. Anfield boss Jurgen Klopp could Kop the striker in the summer for £25million.

Yaya Toure is the new target for the cash-rich Chinese Super League. Reports in China claim Jiangsu Suning are ready to pay the Manchester City midfielder an incredible £230,000-a-week after tax.

Chelsea are lining up a £20million swoop for Leicester City sensation Riyad Mahrez.

Galatasaray have put Chelsea striker Loic Remy top of their wanted list.

Newcastle have made an offer of £25million for Lyon star Alexandre Lacazette, according to reports.

Leicester are planning a loan move for Manchester United youngster Andreas Pereira as they battle for the Premier League title.

SUNDAY MIRROR

Former Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson is waiting in the wings ready to help Ryan Giggs if Louis van Gaal loses his job.

Watford have joined the £8million Premier League scramble to sign QPR winger Matt Phillips.

Manchester United want to lure Tottenham's academy boss to Old Trafford; John McDermott is the man targeted to replace their current youth chief of 16 years Derek Langley.

Louis van Gaal has blocked Newcastle's attempt to sign Victor Valdes on loan from Man United.

Manchester City have put contract talks with starlet Kelechi Iheanacho on hold following a row over who represents the Nigerian striker.

Crystal Palace's Scott Dann is being looked at as a potential long-term successor for Chelsea's John Terry.

Everton are set to make a £10million move for Derby County's Will Hughes this summer.

MAIL ON SUNDAY

Barcelona sent a scout to watch John Stones at Stamford Bridge on Saturday as they step up their bid to sign the Everton centre-back.

Newcastle United have added Bafetimbi Gomis to their list of potential striker targets.

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he gets more abuse at Stoke than at Tottenham.

Roman Abramovich has personally assured Branislav Ivanovic he has a future at Chelsea.

THE SUN

Jose Mourinho believes he will become the new Manchester United manager within six months.

Swansea supremo Huw Jenkins is ready to axe interim boss Alan Curtis - just ten days after appointing him for the rest of the season.

Manchester United's bid for Fulham starlet Moussa Dembele hit a speed bump as Slavisa Jokanovic has ruled out selling the striker.

Chelsea are considering making an approach for Claudio Ranieri and bringing the Italian back to Stamford Bridge 12 years after he was sacked.

Premier League clubs could be next to face transfer bans - according to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants' general manager Jose Angel Sanchez has told English football's big boys they should be looking over their shoulders.

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a £6million bid for Wissam Ben Yedder rejected by Toulouse. The 25-year-old has scored 52 goals in 125 Ligue 1 appearances.

Arsenal's Mathieu Debuchy is edging closer to a January loan move to Aston Villa.

INDEPENDENT

Manchester United are ready to move in on Sporting Lisbon ace Islam Slimani because they cannot sign Thomas Muller and Gareth Bale, claim the Independent. The Red Devils are thought to be preparing a £12m bid for Slimani.

Real Madrid still plan to sign Manchester United goalkeeper David De Gea this summer, despite having a FIFA transfer ban imposed on them on Thursday.

Southampton have no intention of selling Republic of Ireland striker Shane Long this month.

SUNDAY TIMES

Crystal Palace goalkeeper Alex McCarthy has rejected a loan move to former club QPR in a move which would have seen Rob Green move in the opposite direction, according to the Times.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

West Brom are demanding £7million for Callum McManaman after QPR and Middlesbrough became the latest clubs to register an interest.