Manchester City are adamant the �9m deal for Benjani cannot go ahead and are set to launch a legal battle to settle their row with Portsmouth over the on-off signing. (News of the World)

But City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson said of the transfer: "I want him here and he wants to come, I strongly believe that. Something will happen on Monday or Tuesday." (The Mail on Sunday)

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez will allow �15m-rated midfielder Xabi Alonso to return to Spain in the summer, while John Arne Riise, Peter Crouch, Harry Kewell and Andriy Voronin will also leave Anfield. (News of the World)

Crouch will link-up with Erkisson in a �12m swap deal involving 19-year-old City midfielder Michael Johnson. (The People)

Jermain Defoe has joined Portsmouth on loan - not in a �9.5m permanent transfer. Pompey claim the deal will be made permanent within days because they have an obligation to buy Defoe. (Sunday Mirror)

Afonso Alves's record transfer to Middlesbrough is being investigated by Fifa after world football's governing body received an official complaint from Paolo Almeida, the striker's former agent. (Sunday Mirror)

Porto's �20m-rated midfielder Ricardo Quaresma is top of Arsene Wenger's summer wish list. (The People)

Meanwhile, Manchester United have lined up a �15m summer swoop for the Portuguese club's right-back Jose Bosingwa. (News of the World)

United, Chelsea and Arsenal have been alerted after Barcelona told midfielder Deco he can leave the Nou Camp in the summer. (The People)

Aston Villa are trailing Leicester's 20-year-old full-back Richard Stearman. (News of the World)

Reading will go back to Crystal Palace in the summer in a bid to sign midfielder Ben Watson after initially being rejected by Neil Warnock. (News of the World)

Newcastle will sign Giles Barnes from Derby in the summer for around �3m. (People)

Cristiano Ronaldo will become the highest paid player in Premier League history with Manchester United ready to offer him a �44m contract to tie him to Old Trafford until 2014. (News of the World)

Dennis Wise is to offer former Chelsea team-mate Gianfranco Zola a job as part of Newcastle's scouting team. (The People)

Fabio Capello is considering a private plea for Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes to make an England return. (Various)

Manchester City will hand Daniel Sturridge a huge pay rise to keep the 18-year-old striker out of the hands of Chelsea and Arsenal. (News of the World)

Stuart Pearce believes that his current crop of England Under-21 players can win the World Cup on home soil in 2018 - if they are allowed to get the right experience. (Daily Express)

Terry Venables has been shortlisted to replace Steve Staunton as Republic of Ireland manager. (Various)

Hopes of fielding a British football team at the 2012 Olympics looked doomed after Scottish officials insisted they would resist any attempt to unite the four home nations. (The Sunday Telegraph)

Former Scotland boss Berti Vogts will be sacked if his Nigeria team are knocked out of the African Cup of Nations by hosts Ghana on Sunday. (Sunday Mirror)

Romario's mother, Lita Farias, says her son's 120-day ban for failing a doping test is 'nasty and cruel'. "Yes he took a drug - to stop his hair collapsing. It is anti-baldness." (The Observer)