Paper Talk - 31 December 2011

• Arsene Wenger has moved to allay supporters fears that Arsenal will finish below Tottenham Hotspur for the first time in his tenure.


• Landon Donovan has marked the start of his second loan spell at Everton with an admission that he will face a battle to live up to the standards he set during his first stint with the Merseyside club two years ago.

• Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini has revealed that controversial striker Mario Balotelli is refusing to give up a smoking habit thought to involve up to two packets of cigarettes a week.


• Tottenham are set to offer defender Ledley King a new contract.


• David Beckham is set to make a dramatic U-turn by snubbing Paris Saint-Germain to sign a new contract with LA Galaxy.


• Rubin Kazan are ready to bid £6m for Everton flop Diniyar Bliyaletdinov.


• QPR will try to to sign Manchester City left-back Wayne Bridge in January.

• Andre Villas-Boas has delivered a defiant New Year message that Chelsea can still compete with football's latest rich kids for the world's best players.

• Liverpool are trying to gazump Chelsea's move for Bolton defender Gary Cahill.


• Gareth Bale is the player Barcelona fans want as their star signing next summer..

• Manchester City have offered Roma midfielder Daniele De Rossi a bank-busting £160,000-a-week deal in a bid to lure him to the Etihad Stadium.

• David Beckham has urged Frank Lampard to join LA Galaxy.


• Newcastle and Southampton both want FC Volendam goalkeeper Robbin Ruiter.


• Aston Villa are giving a trial to Nigerian defender Chibuzor Okonkwo.

• Sir Alex Ferguson had a dig at Man City by saying Tottenham are the best team at the moment.

• Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger believes former captain Thierry Henry can still be a threat and will boost morale in the dressing room.


• Sir Alex Ferguson believes Tottenham are the only team capable of prising the Premier League trophy away from Manchester.

• Arsene Wenger has confirmed Thierry Henry will sign a two-month deal to return to Arsenal.


• Sir Alex Ferguson believes Spurs are currently playing the best football in the Premier League. 

• Inter Milan will battle rivals AC Milan for Carlos Tevez.


• Bolton are leading the pack wanting Chelsea midfielder Josh McEachran on loan .

• Arsenal and Stoke are watching Toulouse full-back Aymen Abdennour.

• Norwich are lining up loan bids for Aston Villa striker Nathan Delfouneso and Arsenal midfielder Emmanuel Frimpong.

• Gary Hooper will reject QPR and Sunderland to stay at Celtic.