Gossip: Bergkamp, Van Dijk, Mkhitaryan, Bonucci,, Slimani, Balotelli

Football gossip

Transfer news

Inter Milan want to take Manchester United midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan on loan in January, but cannot commit to buying the 28-year-old Armenia captain in the summer. (Gazzetta dello Sport, via Talksport)external-link

Swansea are considering an approach for former Arsenal striker Dennis Bergkamp as their new manager after the 48-year-old Dutchmanwas sacked as Ajax assistant. (Daily Express) external-link

Alternatively former Crystal Palace manager Frank De Boer and ex-Middlesbrough boss Aitor Karanka are in the frame for the job. (Times - subscription required)external-link

Chelsea have offered to make Thibaut Courtois the best-paid goalkeeper in the world, putting a contract extension worth more than £200,000 a week deal on the table for the 25-year-old Belgium international. (Telegraph)external-link

Manchester City are monitoring defender Leonardo Bonucci's situation at AC Milan, amid rumours the 30-year-old Italy defender is unhappy. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)external-link

Alternatively City have prioritised Southampton centre-back Virgil van Dijk, 26, ahead of West Brom's 29-year-old Northern Ireland international Jonny Evans and Real Sociedad's Inigo Martinez, 26. (Telegraph)external-link

Barcelona and Spain midfielderSergio Busquets, 29, has been earmarked as a £50m replacement for Yaya Toure by Manchester City. (Daily Star)external-link

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson says he cannot guarantee Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha, 25, will be at the club beyond the January transfer window. (Reuters)external-link

Everton boss Sam Allardyce wants to make Crystal Palace centre-back James Tomkins, 28, his first signing in a potential £20m deal. (Sun)external-link

Alternatively, Sunderland centre-back Lamine Kone could be set for a reunion with former manager Allardyce with Everton interested in a £10m January move. (Mirror)external-link

West Ham are preparing a £20m bid for Swansea's 23-year-old centre-back Alfie Mawson. (Guardian)external-link

Stoke City boss Mark Hughes is confident he retains the support of the club's board and can turn the Potters' fortunes around. (Talksport)external-link

Newcastle are interested in Leicester and Algeria striker Islam Slimani, 29, but current takeover talks at St James' Park could scupper any deal in January. (Leicester Mercury)external-link

Nice forward Mario Balotelli, 27, wants to move to a "big club" and would return to Manchester City for free. (Daily Mirror)external-link

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte expects to strengthen his squad by adding a forward in January. (Independent)external-link

Manchester United are keeping tabs on 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund and USA winger Christian Pulisic. (Daily Mail)external-link

Arsenal are considering a 20 million euro (£17.7m) move for 22-year-old Barcelona winger Jose Arnaiz. (Marca)external-link

Liverpool target Sime Vrsaljko, 25, will not be leaving Atletico Madrid in January, with the club's president insisting he will remain with the La Liga side. (Radio CRC, via Daily Star)external-link

Barcelona midfielder Andres Iniesta says Liverpool playmaker Philippe Coutinho, 25, would fit in perfectly at the Nou Camp. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)external-link

Liverpool are competing with Borussia Dortmund for 22-year-old Basel centre-back Manuel Akanji. (Independent)external-link

Atletico Madrid midfielder Nicolas Gaitan, 29, will leave the club in January as Premier League sides want to sign him, says the Argentina international's agent. (Foot Mercato, via Daily Mail)external-link

Stoke midfielder Stephen Ireland, 31, has agreed a new deal at the club. (ESPN)external-link

Today's back pages

Guardian
Friday's Guardian Sport

Meanwhile...

Manchester United legend and former assistant manager Ryan Giggs has criticised the club's transfer policy claiming he advised them to sign both now-Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, 20, and Paris St Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, 19 during his time on the staff. (The Times- subscription)external-link

Juventus midfielder Sami Khedira has thanked Fifa for fixing his haircut after the game maker's initially gave him his old, longer look.

"I think I look quite realistic now, right? Thanks for fixing it," he said on Instagram.external-link "I promise I'll never colour it blonde."

Sami Khedira

Barcelona midfielder Paulinho holds no grudge about his ill-fated spell at Tottenham saying he keeps in contact with former team-mate Kyle Walker, Danny Rose and Eric Dier. (Guardian)external-linka

Atletico Madrid have sold their share in Ligue 2 side Lens, just 12 months after making the investment. (ESPN)external-link

Liverpool midfielder Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain took a bit of a hammering from some pupils on a visit to a local school. (Twitter)external-link

Former Chelsea boss Luiz Felipe Scolari says striker Nicolas Anelka got him the sack at Stamford Bridge - by refusing to play on the wing. (ESPN Brazil, via Daily Mirror)external-link

Best of Thursday's gossip

Swansea are trying to persuade former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal to become their next manager after sacking Paul Clement. (Daily Mirror)external-link

Former Stoke, West Brom and Crystal Palace boss Tony Pulis is the favourite to succeed Clement. (Daily Star)external-link

Arsenal forward Alexis Sanchez, 29, is nearing a move to Paris St-Germain after his agent flew to the French capital for talks. (Canal Plus - via Metro)external-link

PSG will bid £25m to try to sign Sanchez, though Manchester City still want the Chile international after failing with a £60m bid in the summer. (Express)external-link

Sanchez will stay at Arsenal until the end of the season, then join Manchester City on a free transfer in a deal that will earn him £400,000 a week. (Daily Mirror)external-link

Barcelona are willing to pay £132m to sign Liverpool midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 25, in January. (Sport - via Daily Mail)external-link

Also in Sport