The top stories from papers and websites - 14 August 2012

• Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson has made a personal plea to Arsenal counterpart Arsene Wenger to sell him striker Robin van Persie.


• Birmingham boss Lee Clark claims keeper Jack Butland's price tag will rise to £18m if he makes his senior England debut against Italy.


• Liverpool are close to landing Barcelona winger Cristian Tello, 21, on loan with Arsenal, Malaga, Valencia and Benfica also interested.


• The Reds will look to replace centre-back Daniel Agger with Swansea's Ashley Williams, 27, if they sell the Dane to Manchester City.


• Everton are set to sign Caen striker M'Baye Niang, 17, for £5m.


• Manchester City are aiming to beat neighbours United to the signing of 18-year-old Chile striker Angelo Henriquez from Universidad de Chile.


• Meanwhile, United are looking at Swansea and Team GB left-back Neil Taylor after being quoted £20m for Everton's Leighton Baines.


• Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe, 29, does not want to go through another 'heartbreaking' year on the substitute's bench.

• Arsenal are set to cave in and agree a deal to sell striker Robin van Persie to Manchester United for £22m.


• Liverpool are closing in on Real Madrid midfielder Nuri Sahin, while defender Martin Skrtel, 27, is poised to sign a new four-year contract extension.


• Striker Fernando Llorente, 27, has put Spurs on red alert after refusing to sign a new deal at Athletic Bilbao.


• Cesena's Tunisian defender Yohan Benalouane is a £1m target for Southampton.


• Blackpool boss Ian Holloway has denied the Seasiders are about to make a move for QPR midfielder Joey Barton.


• Manchester City have snubbed Blackburn’s loan bid for striker John Guidetti, 20.


• Wolves boss Stale Solbakken plans to raid former club Cologne for £3million defender Pedro Geromel.

• Adam Johnson's Manchester City career looks over after a bust-up with boss Roberto Mancini ahead of Sunday's Community Shield after the winger was left out of the starting line-up.


• Inter Milan have joined Chelsea and Liverpool in expressing an interest in signing Arsenal winger Theo Walcott, 23, who is out of contract next summer.


• Manchester rivals United and City will battle it for £30m-rated striker Fernando Llorente, 27, who has refused to sign a new deal at Athletic Bilbao.


• Sunderland are tracking Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock, 30 who was left out of Villa's pre-season trip to Germany at the weekend.


• MK Dons are interested in Tottenham's out-of-favour midfielder David Bentley.


• Swansea have been told they have no chance of signing Bolton midfielder Mark Davies for £4m.


• Manchester United are set to launch a double raid on cash-strapped Malaga for left-sided pair Eliseu and Nacho Monreal.

• Striker Fernando Llorente has put the two Manchester clubs on red alert after announcing he wants to quit Athletic Bilbao.


• Spurs have emerged as the only side chasing Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila with Arsenal not following up their early interest.


• Swansea have been told they have no chance of getting Bolton’s Mark Davies for £4m – and Owen Coyle is sure his head has not been turned.

• Sir Alex Ferguson has held private discussions with Arsene Wenger over Manchester United's attempts to complete a dramatic swoop for Robin van Persie.


• England striker Danny Welbeck will sign a five-year contract worth £75,000 a week at Manchester United.


• Tottenham have scouted Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue and firmed up interest in Rennes midfielder Yann M'Vila with a £12million offer.


• Martin Skrtel is poised to end speculation about his future by signing a new contract with Liverpool.


• Xabi Alonso looks set to turn down a two-year contract extension at Real Madrid and leave the club next summer.


• Everton are considering rivaling Liverpool in the race to sign Clint Dempsey from Fulham. David Moyes is looking to bolster his squad after selling Jack Rodwell for £12m.


• Manchester City have promised Everton first refusal on a loan deal for Adam Johnson after the two clubs completed a deal for Jack Rodwell.


• Wigan are weighing up a £5million move for Levante striker Arouna Kone.


• Nicklas Bendtner has revealed he has turned down several offers from clubs around Europe as he waits for the right opportunity to leave Arsenal.

• Roberto Mancini is ready to sanction the sale of midfielder Nigel de Jong to Inter Milan after the purchase of Jack Rodwell from Everton.


• Roberto Martinez is to sell Wigan striker Conor Sammon to Championship side Derby County for £1.25m.

• Bologna attacker Gaston Ramirez has rejected an approach from Tottenham after the being offered unsatisfactory wages, the player's agent has confirmed.