Ashley Cole is close to making a �16m move from Arsenal to Chelsea. (Various)

Fulham midfielder Steed Malbranque has rejected a move to Middlesbrough. (Daily Express)

Chelsea's �50m bid for Brazil and AC Milan midfielder Kaka is turned down. (The Times)

Newcastle are locked in a battle with Portsmouth for Sochaux stars Jaouad Zairi and Souleymane Diawara. (Daily Express)

AC Milan head the hunt for Juventus star Gianluca Zambrotta. (The Daily Telegraph)

Fulham boss Chris Coleman is set to sign Middlesbrough defender Franck Queudrue for �2m. (The Sun)

Real Madrid want to sign Juventus trio Fabio Cannavaro, Emerson and Gianluca Zambrotta. (The Guardian)

West Ham are making a move for Swiss international Tranquillo Barnetta. (The Guardian)

Portsmouth are set to complete a �7.5m deal for Fenerbahce striker Nicolas Anelka. (Daily Mail)

Bolton boss Sam Allardyce may try to sign Argentina captain Juan Pablo Sorin from Villarreal. (Daily Mail)

Portsmouth are leading the chase for 6ft 8in Serbia striker Nikola Zigic. (Daily Mirror)

Blackburn boss Mark Hughes is hoping to sign South Africa striker Benni McCarthy. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester United's hopes of signing Atletico Madrid striker Fernando Torres have been dealt a blow following Inter Milan's �26m bid. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal are looking to sign Juventus star Lilian Thuram with Ashley Cole heading to Chelsea. (Daily Star)

Celtic may move for Real Madrid's Thomas Gravesen as doubts surround the future of Stilian Petrov and Alan Thompson. (Daily Record)

Rangers have been offfered French defender Jeremie Brechet, who came through the ranks with Paul Le Guen at Lyon, by Real Sociedad (Daily Express)

Aston Villa chief Doug Ellis has begun his search for a replacement for David O'Leary by approaching Charlton for permission to talk to their ex-manager Alan Curbishley. (Daily Express)

Meanwhile, the Villa players will tell Ellis that they have lost confidence in manager O'Leary. (Daily Star)

Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho believes his players have not had enough time to rest between the World Cup and the start of the new season. (Various)

Newcastle boss Glenn Roeder has banned his squad from playing golf. (Various)

Dietmar Hamann's decision to move to Manchester City was influenced after an incident at a burger restaurant in Bolton. Apparently he couldn't understand a word the staff were saying. (The Sun)

Aston Villa cannot access David O'Leary's mobile phone because it is supplied by a company that guarantees complete confidentiality - a company co-owned by former Villa boss John Gregory. (The Guardian)

Celtic target Diego Tristan is refusing to consider a move from Deportivo La Coruna to Parkhead because he believes Scotland is too cold. (Daily Record)