Paper Talk - 20 December 2011

• Liverpool skipper Steven Gerrard will return over the festive period after suffering with an infection.


• Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is ready to listen to January offers for Andrey Arshavin.


• Gareth Bale could return for Tottenham's clash with Chelsea on Thursday after spraining his ankle last week.


• Manchester United head the queue for Newcastle midfielder Cheick Tiote.


• Chelsea are ready to test Everton's resolve to hang on to £20m-rated Jack Rodwell with a January bid. 

• John Terry insists he will be fit to face Spurs on Thursday despite limping out of an open training session in front of 2,000 fans on Monday.


• Steve Kean will never walk away from Blackburn - no matter how bad things get.


• QPR boss Neil Warnock wants to sign "three or four players" in January.


• El-Hadji Diouf is wanted by Russian side Anzhi Makhachkala, with LA Galaxy also interested in the 30-year-old whose contract with Doncaster ends next month.


• Newcastle, Everton, Sunderland and Wolves are checking out out-of-favour Bayern Munich star Danijel Pranjic.


• Tottenham are keeping tabs on Shrewsbury's Connor Goldson.


• FC Dallas winger Brek Shea is keen on a move to the Premier League after training with Arsenal.

• Manchester United have joined Liverpool in the race to sign Basel midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri - the man dubbed the new Lionel Messi.


• Arsenal and Chelsea may have to postpone their Boxing Day matches if the proposed Tube strike goes ahead.

• Chelsea are ready to test Everton's resolve to hang on to £20m-rated Jack Rodwell with a January bid.


• Manchester United have targeted Ajax teenager Christian Eriksen as the man to solve their midfield problems.


• Michel Salgado, 36, may leave Blackburn next month after being told this will be his last season at Ewood Park.


• Wigan, Leicester and Southampton will revive their interest in Doncaster striker Billy Sharp who is valued at £3.25m.


• Liverpool have entered the race for Cliftonville striker Rory Donnelly.


• Doncaster Rovers have announced Billy Sharp is available for £3million.

• Swansea are hoping to seal a loan move for 18-year-old Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran.


• Darren Bent and Stiliyan Petrov both want to stay at Aston Villa.

• Arsenal must finish above Tottenham in the Premier League says their keeper Wojciech Szczesny.

• West Ham United have been warned they are not guaranteed winners of the retendering process for the Olympic Stadium to be launched today, alongside a drive to find a buyer for the naming rights.

• Scottish fans have been warned admission prices could rise if safe-standing areas are introduced.


• Celtic defender Emilio Izaguirre could return for the Old Firm clash with Rangers on December 28 after five months out with a broken ankle.


• Hibs boss Pat Fenlon wants to sign Sligo Rovers striker Eoin Doyle. 

• Bolton are ready to cash in on Gary Cahill in the January transfer window.

• Malaga will offer Chelsea £25m for Fernando Torres.

• Newcastle and Sunderland are battling for 23-year-old Celtic striker Gary Hooper.

• Tottenham want FC Twente 's £5m-rated goalkeeper Nikolay Mihaylov.