The top stories from papers and websites - 19 August 2012

• Luka Modric is set to snub interest from Chelsea to drive through his move to Real Madrid this week.


• The full cost of Sir Alex Ferguson's sensational capture of Robin van Persie amounts to a massive £70million.


• Joey Barton has launched a new attack on the FA - by branding them a 'firm of muppets'.


• Manchester City once made a £30million bid for Lionel Messi - by accident!


• Roberto Di Matteo has told the Chelsea board that he wants Frank Lampard to stay.


• Roberto Mancini is set to tell Adam Johnson that he can leave Manchester City on loan - once Scott Sinclair's arrival at the Etihad has been confirmed.


• Newcastle are braced for a battle to hang on to midfield stars Cheick Tiote and Yohan Cabaye.


• Bolton's Mark Davies is snubbing Premier League Swansea after their boss Michael Laudrup bid £6million for the midfielder.


• Former Stoke striker Ricardo Fuller is wanted by Hull, Charlton and Middlesbrough.


• Sunderland boss Maryin O'Neill will switch his striker seach back to Manchester City's £7million-rated John Guidetti, having failed to prise Steven Fletcher from Wolves.


• QPR's DJ Campbell could link up with Bristol City after the Premier League club accepted an offer for the 30-year-old.

• Manchester City are planning to discuss a new £180,000-a-week contract with Mario Balotelli in the new year.


• Adam Johnson is on his way out of Manchester City after Sunderland offered £10million for the winger.


• Rio Ferdinand has plunged Manchester United into a central-defensive crisis after being injured in training.


• Sunderland are ready to offer an escape route for Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.


• West Ham chairman David Gold has admitted the club are still in the hunt for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.


• Tottenham and Manchester City are back in talks over Emmanuel Adebayor moving to London following his loan spell at White Hart Lane last season.

• Roberto Mancini has been ordered by Manchester City's Abu Dhabi owners to stop his public attacks on director of football Brian Marwood.


• Martin Jol has made a shock U-turn over Clint Dempsey and said he wants the forward to play for Fulham again.


• Sunderland have made a move to sign £5million Dimitar Berbatov as the race for the Manchester United misfit begins to hot up.


• Roy Hodgson is urging Danny Welbeck to fight Robin van Persie all the way for the sake of his Manchester United and England future.


• Roberto Mancini has promised a Manchester City transfer splurge in reponse to Manchester United's swoop for Robin van Persie.


• Everton are weighing up a move for Wolves winger Matt Jarvis.


• Liverpool manager Brendan Rodgers wants new England keeper Jack Butland to be Pepe Reina's long-term successor.


• Manchester giants City and United are in a race to sign Crewe wonder boy Max Clayton.


• Stoke boss Tony Pulis is keen on landing Millwall's highly-rated midfielder Liam Trotter.


• Southampton are making an ambitious bid to sign Barcelona star Cristian Tello - and snatch him from the grasp of Liverpool.


• QPR boss Mark Hughes is going back to his old club Barcelona with an ambitious bid to sign Andreu Fontas.


• Sunderland are ready to step up their interest in Crystal Palace star Wilfried Zaha.

• Sunderland are poised to land Adam Johnson in a shock £10million raid.


• Luka Modric fears his dream £35million move to Real Madrid could collapse.


• Chelsea are looking to loan out Josh McEachran - and a host of Championship clubs are already queueing up for the teenager.


• Simon Grayson admits Huddersfield could sell star striker Jordan Rhodes.


• Manchester City are lining up a move for Hamburg's sporting director Frank Arnesen.

• Manchester City boss Roberto Mancini will make a move for Swansea winger Scott Sinclair this week - opening up a potential loan exit for frustrated England star Adam Johnson.


• Fulham boss Martin Jol fears losing Moussa Dembele to Tottenham and Clint Dempsey to Liverpool.


• If Sunderland land Steven Fletcher, Connor Wickham looks set to leave the club on loan.


• Newcastle are anticipating bids for Cheick Tote and Yohan Cabaye before the transfer window closes.

• Rio Ferdinand is expected to miss Manchester United's game against Everton on Monday and there are fears he could be facing up to a month on the sidelines.


• Alex Song was last night finalising personal terms for a £15million switch to Barcelona.


• Southampton's ambitious move for Bologna striker Gaston Ramirez is in danger of collapse.


• West Ham chairman David Gold has confirmed the club are still interested in Matt Jarvis.

• Sir Alex Ferguson has planned his exit strategy from Manchester United and will quit in two years' time.


• Alex Song is set to join Barcelona while Arsenal are edging closer to the loan signing of Nuri Sahin from Real Madrid.


• Roberto Di Matteo hopes Chelsea can agree a new deal with Frank Lampard.

• Tottenham have approached Manchester City for Adam Johnson and are willing to bid up to £10 million for the 25-year-old, if they can offload Aaron Lennon first.

• Wolves have turned down two bids from West Ham United for midfielder Matt Jarvis, but the London club are still keen to seal a deal for the one-time England international.


• Manchester United have put in a "very low" bid for Fulham midfielder Moussa Dembele, who is also subject to interest from Real Madrid.

• Manchester City will make a move for Swansea winger Scott Sinclair this week, but will need to improve their £5 million opening offer first.