Wales forward Gareth Bale is about to sign a new contract at Real Madrid, keeping him at the Bernabeu until 2022.
( Cadena Ser )

Cristiano Ronaldo is also set to sign a new deal at Real. The 31-year-old Portugal forward will sign a five-year deal worth £20.8m a year.
( Sport )

Manchester United could look to offload captain Wayne Rooney, 30, in the summer, but may have to pay off the remaining 20 months of his £300,000-a-week contract.
( Daily Mirror )

Former Italy defender Gianluca Zambrotta, now the manager of Delhi Dynamos, has said he would love to take Manchester United's ex-Sweden striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 35, to India.
( Indian Express )

Italy striker Simone Zaza, 25, could be set to exit West Ham just two months after joining from Juventus on loan, as the London club will have to pay £10m for him if he plays a certain number of games.
( Daily Mirror )

AC Milan manager Vincenzo Montella has dismissed rumours linking Chelsea and Spain midfielder Cesc Fabregas, 29, with a move to the Serie A club.
( Corriere della Sera )

Inter Milan could make a move for Manchester City's Argentina right-back Pablo Zabaleta, 31.
( Calciomercato )

Arsenal and Germany defender Per Mertesacker, 32, has discussed the possibility of rejoining Werder Bremen, according to the German club's captain Clemens Fritz.
( Sky Sports )

Bournemouth could send 19-year-old midfielder Lewis Cook on loan to Leeds United in the New Year - six months after they paid £7m to sign him from the Elland Road club.
( Bournemouth Echo+ )

Goalkeeper Lee Grant, 33, is hopeful of extending his loan spell at Stoke City from Derby County beyond January.
( Stoke Sentinel )

Manchester United have made contact with Valencia as they attempt to sign the La Liga side's Spanish 18-year-old midfielder Fran Villalba, according to the player's agent.
( Sports Witness )

United have employed 50 extra scouts this year in a bid to improve player recruitment.
( Daily Mail )

MANAGER STUFF

Gordon Strachan, 59, may step down from his position as Scotland manager before next month's visit to Wembley.
( Daily Mirror )

ENGLAND MANAGER STUFF

Gareth Southgate is the Football Association's favoured candidate to be the next full-time England manager and he could seal the position with a win against Scotland next month.
( Daily Mail )

Despite England having performed disappointingly in the first two of Southgate's four matches as interim boss, the FA have been impressed by his approach to the job.
(Guardian)

OTHER STORIES

Aaron Ramsey has returned to full Arsenal training as he steps up his recovery from a hamstring injury that's kept him out since the opening weekend of the season.
( Daily Mirror )

Mesut Ozil insists Arsenal starlet Alex Iwobi is a 'mixture of Jay-Jay Okocha and Edgar Davids'.
( Daily Mail )

The Football Association fail to explain why sacked England boss Sam Allardyce was given a £1m pay-off.
( Daily Mail )

Bastian Schweinsteiger enjoyed a meal in the south Manchester suburb of Hale with wife Ana Ivanovic and Manchester City defender Aleksandar Kolarov. But the exiled Manchester United midfielder returned to his car to find a £60 parking fine.
(Manchester Evening News)

British viewers will not be able to watch the first El Clasico of the 2016-17 season as the game is being played at 15:15 GMT on Saturday and due to a British television football embargo it cannot be shown on UK television.
( BBC Sportsday )

Everton midfielder Gareth Barry, Arsenal goalkeeper Petr Cech and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo are among the sports stars who have been entered into the Guinness World Records 2017 book.
( Guinness World Records )

A football club in Argentina has been ordered to fix the crooked field they have been playing on for nearly 30 years.
( Guardian )

Former Manchester United skipper Bryan Robson believes that the Old Trafford fans will get behind Rooney and "show him the love and respect he deserves".
( Sun )

Manchester City's Sergio Aguero, 28, says that manager Pep Guardiola has told him he would "love" to lead the striker's national team Argentina.
( TyC Sports )

Aguero also revealed that Guardiola has shut down the wi-fi at City's training ground in a bid to encourage team bonding.
( Guardian )

Bristol City and England Under-21 striker Tammy Abraham, 19, will not be able to return to his parent club Chelsea before the end of the season, as there is no release clause in his contract.
( Evening Standard )

Liverpool have decided to impose a limit on how much they pay their academy players, imposing a maximum of £40,000 a year to their 17-year-old first season professionals.
( Daily Telegraph )

West Ham's co-chairman David Sullivan has asked fans to give former centre-back James Tomkins, 27, a "great reception" when he returns with Crystal Palace for the first time since his £10m summer transfer.
( West Ham United club website )