The top stories from papers and websites - 25 January 2013

• Aston Villa defender Matt Lowton has told how he was taught the dark arts of being a ballboy by Neil Warnock.


• The FA Cup final is returning to its traditional spot as the season-closing showpiece.


• Real Madrid were last night forced to deny reports that the club's stars asked for Jose Mourinho to be sacked in the summer.


• Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is lining up a move for Swansea defender Ashley Williams.


• Silvio Berlusconi has cast fresh doubt on AC Milan's hopes of signing Manchester City striker Mario Balotelli before Thursday's transfer deadline.


• Nigel Adkins looks set to make a rapid return to football as Huddersfield's new boss.


• Aston Villa defender Alan Hutton is wanted on loan by Real Mallorca.


• QPR are ready to pay a club-record £10million to sign Etienne Capoue from Toulouse.


• David James has been offered a player-coach job at Portsmouth.

• Chelsea and the FA are set to let Eden Hazard off the hook - despite his ballboy kick that enraged football.


• Fabricio Coloccini is ready to commit to Newcastle for the rest of the season - after they told him it would cost £7million to quit the club.


• Wilfried Zaha will undergo a medical at Manchester United today ahead of his £15million move.


• Nigel Adkins is set for a rapid return to football as Huddersfield's new boss.


• QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar is a shock target for Real Madrid.


• Andre Villas-Boas has blocked Tottenham midfielder Jake Livermore's loan move to QPR.


• Wigan boss Roberto Martinez has been told to come up with around £5million for Spartak Moscow winger Aiden McGeady.


• Paul Robinson could leave Blackburn before next week's transfer deadline after he being told he is no longer Rovers' number one.


• New Bristol City chief Sean O'Driscoll aims to make Brendan Moloney his first signing from old club Nottingham Forest.


• Darius Henderson will move to Nottingham Forest today after Millwall offered the striker to Alex McLeish for nothing.


• Leeds boss Neil Warnock wants to sign Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock on loan and bring back winger Max Gradel from St Etienne.

• Eden Hazard is set to escape without even a fine from Chelsea following his ballboy bust-up at Swansea.


• Tottenham have stepped up their attempts to land West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame.


• Real Madrid are plotting a sensational swoop for Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech.


• Martin Jol last night insisted Fulham had triggered the one-year option on his contract to keep him.

• Chelsea hope new TV angles will help Eden Hazard escape with a three-match ban after his fracas with Swansea ballboy Charlie Morgan.


• QPR goalkeeper Julio Cesar has emerged as a shock target for Real Madrid.


• QPR plan to enforce drastic reforms to their pay structure this summer.


• Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has identified 18-year-old St Etienne centre-back Kurt Zouma as another summer transfer target.


• Fulham have enquired about Wolfsburg defender Emmanuel Pogatetz.


• QPR are in talks to sign South Korea defender Yun Suk-young from Chunnam Dragons.


• West Ham striker Modibo Maiga is wanted by Bordeaux.


• Stoke are keen on PSV left-back Erik Pieters.


• Arsenal have been offered Montpellier midfielder Younes Belhanda.


• Hull are considering a loan move for Al-Ahly striker Gedo.


• Hearts want Liverpool's Michael Ngoo on loan.


• Crystal Palace's £500,000 bid for Bristol City winger Albert Adomah has been rejected.


• Arsenal will step up pursuit of David Villa after he was benched by Barcelona last night.

• Police have launched an investigation into Eden Hazard's controversial clash with a ballboy - and Chelsea desperately hope their star will escape more punishment.


• Paul Lambert has revealed he is getting hate mail as he struggles to get Aston Villa through a disastrous season.


• QPR boss Harry Redknapp has travelled to Paris to watch Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue.


• Arsenal could take 21 year-old Barcelona winger Isaac Cuenca on loan.


• Wolves and Leeds want Aston Villa left-back Stephen Warnock on loan.

• Manchester City's new director of football has given the first indication of the power he wields at the club by revealing that he wants to play a new formation next season and stipulating that future signings must be tailored to fit the system.


• Newcastle remain cautiously optimistic that Fabricio Coloccini can still be persuaded to remain at St James' Park for the rest of the season after taking a hardline stance with their unsettled captain.


• QPR boss Harry Redknapp has expressed an interest in Toulouse midfielder Etienne Capoue.


• Crystal Palace are lining up a move for Sheffield United striker Nick Blackman.


• West Ham have made an approach for Auxerre defender Willy Boly.

• Newcastle have warned they might begin legal proceedings against captain Fabricio Coloccini if he tries to quit the club or refuses to be considered for selection.


• Paul Lambert will not put Aston Villa's future at risk by overspending on players' fees or wages.

• Tottenham are the latest club considering triggering Mohamed Diame's release clause at West Ham.

• Liverpool and Everton are in the hunt for young Chesterfield winger Tendayi Darikwa.

• Norwich City want Sporting Lisbon striker Ricky van Wolfswinkel on loan.