Alan Shearer has ruled himself out of becoming the next Newcastle manager because he wouldn't be able to work with a system that didn't allow him the control of buying new players. (Sun) Shearer cool on Newcastle vacancy

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley is preparing to sell the club for �250m after accepting he's lost his popularity with the fans after Kevin Keegan's departure. (Daily Mirror)

606: DEBATE Who should be Newcastle's next manager? eddeaze (U1947035)

Kevin Keegan stunned owner Mike Ashley by asking for �200m to bring in David Beckham, Thierry Henry and Frank Lampard to Newcastle before he quit. (Sun)

Tottenham assistant coach Gus Poyet is the bookies' favourite to get the Magpies job. (The Daily Telegraph).

But Tottenham have warned Newcastle to keep their hands off Poyet, insisting he is on a long contract at White Hart Lane. (Sun)

Ex-Italy boss Roberto Donadoni has emerged as a favourite for the West Ham job after being interviewed for an hour by chairman Bjorgolfur Gudmundsson. (Various)
Italian trio on Hammers shortlist

Former Upton Park idol Paolo di Canio insists the West Ham shirt feels like a second skin to him and he'd love to manage the Hammers. (Sun)

And a third Italian in the mix, former Inter Milan boss Roberto Mancini, is due to fly in for an interview with West Ham on Saturday. (Daily Express)

But Croatia manager Slaven Bilic is still the number one choice for most of the board and an approach will be made after his country's clash with Kazakhstan on Saturday. (Various)

West Ham are even confident of appointing Bilic as their new manager after Wednesday's World Cup qualifier with England. (Daily Mail)

Aston Villa have been told they must increase their offer to �18m to buy Dean Ashton from West Ham in January. (Daily Mirror)

Juventus goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon says reports linking him with a move to Manchester City are wide of the mark. (Daily Telegraph)

Arsenal are hoping to revive their interest in Ghana midfielder Stephen Appiah who is a free agent after being released by Fenerbahce. (Daily Telegraph)

West Ham were also interested in signing Appiah but their hopes look to be fading. (Independent)

Sir Alex Ferguson has dismissed fears rivals Manchester City are reportedly interested in taking Cristiano Ronaldo for a record �135m. (Daily Telegraph)

Sheffield United boss Kevin Blackwell plans to snap up Coventry's wantaway Maltese striker Michael Mifsud. (Daily Mirror)

Arsenal midfielder Cesc Fabregas feels it would be "suicidal" for his career if he were to sign for Manchester City. (Daily Telegraph)

Robbie Keane insists he is not worried by his failure to score for Liverpool since his �20.3m move from Tottenham. (Daily Star)

Skipper John Terry admits England's players are often weighed down by the responsibility of playing for their country. (Various)

Fabio Capello has told England's top managers to mind their own business and let him get on with the job of guiding the country to the World Cup. (Various)

Celtic have dismissed claims that they asked defender Bobo Balde to sign a confidentiality clause to facilitate a move to Birmingham. (Various)

Rangers midfielder Brahim Hemdani is desperate to quit the club because he needs a new challenge. (Various)

Scottish top-flight clubs have told lower league teams they are still keen to consider an SPL2. (Various)

Andorra midfielder Manolo Jimenez, a painter and decorator who plays for his country for nothing, is relishing going head-to-head with England's �151,000-a-week Frank Lampard in Barcelona. (Sun)

Tottenham's Croatian midfielder Luka Modric says that his family were so poor when he was young his father made him shinpads out of wood. (Sun)

Big-hearted Millwall players will be sporting dodgy moustaches in aid of team-mate Neil Harris' Everyman cancer charity in their League One clash with Hartlepool. (Daily Star)