Football and Transfer news
Veteran striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 36, now back in action after seven months out with a cruciate injury, could extend his Manchester United stay into next season, with talks over a new deal pencilled in with Jose Mourinho for the new year. (Sun)
Real Madrid are expected to sign a new goalkeeper and may bring in Athletic Bilbao’s Kepa Arrizabalaga, 23, in the winter window, or move for Chelsea’s Thibaut Courtois, 25, or Manchester United’s David de Gea, 27, at the end of the season. (Daily Mail)
Real president Florentino Perez has warned De Gea that if he doesn’t move to the Bernabeu this summer they will switch attention to Courtois. (Daily Mirror)
Watford boss Marco Silva fears the Hornets will not be able to prevent Brazilian winger Richarlison leaving the club, with Chelsea and Tottenham thought to be interested in the 20-year-old. (Sun)
Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp is one of four candidates to become the permanent successor to Carlo Ancelotti at Bayern Munich at the end of the season. (SportBild)
Watford are weighing up a loan move for Leicester’s out-of-favour record signing Islam Slimani, 29, in the new year. (Daily Mirror)
New West Brom boss Alan Pardew could make a January bid for Liverpool striker Danny Ings, 25, a player he coveted during his time as Newcastle manager. (Birmingham Mail)
Aston Villa boss Steve Bruce may turn to his old club Manchester United to solve his striker problems with a loan move for James Wilson, 21. (Daily Express)
Former Spurs and QPR midfielder Adel Taarabt, 28, the Morocco international now on loan at Genoa from Portuguese side Benfica, is being monitored by Sevilla. (AfricanFootball)

In the Daily Telegraph a throwback to the 1992 comedy “Wayne’s World” to acknowledge Rooney’s superb hat-trick against West Ham
Meanwhile…
Sam Allardyce has agreed an 18-month contract on £6m-a-year at Everton which takes him above some of the biggest names in football. It works out at around £115k a week and will see him receive £9m in 18 months, overtaking the salaries of Real Madrid’s double Champions League winner Zinedine Zidane, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Simeone, Juventus manager Max Allegri and PSG chief Unai Emery. (Daily Express)
Ross Barkley hails Everton team-mate Wayne Rooney’s sensational strike from inside his own half to bring up his hat-trick against West Ham.
Leicester stalwart Wes Morgan celebrates his 250th match for the Foxes by tweeting a compilation pictorial graphic.
Real Madrid’s Luka Modric is the latest player to be caught up in a tax scandal, with the Office of the Public Prosecutor of Madrid filing a complaint against him for two crimes against the Treasury. (Marca)
Tottenham midfielder Erik Lamela, who made his first appearance for the Lilywhites since October 2016 in Tuesday’s 2-1 defeat at Leicester, feared his career may have been over during his long injury absence, which included double hip surgery in the spring. (London Evening Standard)
Former Spurs playmaker David Ginola says Dele Alli needs to be more consistent and “more in charge of the game”. (Talksport)
Antoine Griezmann has revealed he rejected all of Arsenal’s subsequent advances because they kept him waiting at the close of the 2013 summer transfer window. (Daily Telegraph)
Rio Ferdinand believes Manchester United striker Romelu Lukaku is struggling to deal with the added pressure of competing with Zlatan Ibrahimovic at Old Trafford. (ESPN)
Burnley boss Sean Dyche says it is becoming increasingly difficult for young British managers to be given a chance at the highest level as clubs opt for experience or foreign coaches. (Lancashire Telegraph)
Stoke will welcome 93-year-old Frank Jenkinson to their training ground to receive the Legion d’Honneur, France’s highest military honour, for his efforts in the D-Day landings in northern France in 1944. Tradition dictates the medal must be presented by a Frenchman so Potters defender Kurt Zouma will be amongst the presentation group. (Stoke Sentinel)
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