The top stories from papers and websites - 31 August 2012

• Arsene Wenger will today try to take Chelsea midfield ace Michael Essien on loan for the season.


• Chelsea are set to snap up £20million German hitman Andre Schurrle today.


• Manchester United last night insisted Wayne Rooney is not for sale at any price.


• Manchester City's Nigel de Jong is on the brink of joining AC Milan.


• Arsene Wenger will not break Arsenal's pay structure to keep Theo Walcott.


• Fulham have shattered their pay structure to land Dimitar Berbatov.


• Mark Hughes is close to signing Stephane Mbia after landing Real Madrid star Esteban Granero last night.


• Southampton are about to sign Japan defender Maya Yoshida from Dutch side VVV-Venlo.


• Jermain Defoe has signed a new three-year deal with Spurs.


• West Brom will launch a £3million beat-the-deadline bid for Blackburn defender Martin Olsson.


• Stoke are close to signing Rangers midfielder Maurice Edu after his work permit was cleared.


• Ipswich will today seal a £1.5million three-year deal for Peterborough striker Paul Taylor.

• Maicon is set to be reunited with Roberto Mancini at Manchester City in a £3million deal - with Nigel de Jong heading in the opposite direction to AC Milan.


• Dimitar Berbatov yesterday agreed a massive pay cut to force through a £4million move to Fulham.


• Bolton beat off QPR to net Liverpool's Jay Spearing last night.


• Sunderland boss Martin O'Neill is set to snap up Jermain Jenas from Spurs on loan.


• Roberto Di Matteo will loan out Daniel Sturridge - if Chelsea can land £20million Andre Schurrle today.


• Aston Villa aim to pull off a double swoop for Belgium striker Christian Benteke and Charlton midfielder Dale Stephens today.


• Blackburn boss Steve Kean is swooping for Senegalese winger Modou Sogou in a shock £1.5million deal with Romanian club Cluj.


• Charlie Adam can choose between a trio of clubs today - Stoke, Everton or Fulham.


• Southampton boss Nigel Adkins is keen to bolster his defence today after drawing up a three-man wish-list of Nicolai Boilesen, Rhys Williams and Curtis Davies.


• Birmingham have offered Nikola Zigic a free transfer and a big pay-off in a bid to ship him off to Real Mallorca.


• Everton want to beef up their midfield with a deadline move for Blackburn rebel Steven N'Zonzi.

• Arsenal have made an audacious attempt to sign Chelsea midfielder Michael Essien on loan.


• Tottenham were yesterday told they would have to smash their transfer record to land Andre Villas-Boas' dream target Joao Moutinho.


• Liverpool outcast Andy Carroll made a dramatic dash to Essex last night to agree a season-long loan move to West Ham


• Fulham manager Martin Jol last night hailed Dimitar Berbatov as the biggest signing in the club's history.


• Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is keen on Fulham forward Clint Dempsey and Theo Walcott while they will decide whether to press ahead with plans to sign Chelsea's Daniel Sturridge.


• Real Madrid are keen on 19-year-old Tottenham striker Cristian Ceballos.


• Malaga look to have beaten Stoke to the signing of Manchester City striker Roque Santa Cruz.


• Cardiff have agreed a £2million fee with West Ham for striker Nicky Maynard.


• Everton have opened talks over a move for Steven N'Zonzi after failing in an ambitious attempt to land Michael Essien.


• Norwich have made a bid for Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith.

• Chelsea today expect to take their summer spending to almost £100million with a deadline-day swoop for Bayer Leverkusen forward Andre Schurrle.


• Pablo Hernandez is set to travel to Swansea to discuss personal terms and a medical after a £5.5million deal was reached with Valencia.


• Aston Villa have had a third bid worth £5.5million up front plus add-ons rejected by Genk for Christian Benteke but the club are poised to sign Jordan Bowery from Chesterfield for a fee initially worth £500,000.


• Everton are set to beat West Brom in the battle to sign FC Copenhagen left-back Bryan Oviedo in a £5million deal.


• Yossi Benayoun could be set for a deadline-day return to former club West Ham.

• Liverpool want to snatch Daniel Sturridge from Chelsea after loaning out Andy Carroll to West Ham.


• Brazilian star Maicon will be one of four signings Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini will complete before the transfer window closes today.


• Jermain Defoe is staying at Tottenham - but there will be no reprieve for Michael Dawson despite Younes Kaboul's knee injury.


• Norwich have had a £3million bid for Brighton striker Craig Mackail-Smith rejected.