Gossip: Transfer and rumour - 17 December, 2013

Gossip: Transfer and rumour - 17 December, 2013

Transfer gossip

Former Liverpool boss Rafael Benitez wants to sign Reds defender Daniel Agger, 29, on loan in January to boost Napoli's Serie A title chances.
Full story: Daily Mail 
 

Mitroglou has helped Olympiakos win the Greek title three times 

Arsenal and Liverpool are chasing £7.5m-rated Olympiakos and Greece striker Konstantinos Mitroglou, 25.
Full story: Daily Star 
 
Chelsea are leading the chase for Inter Milan's 25-year-old defender Andrea Ranocchia.
Full story: Daily Express 
 
Newcastle defender Steven Taylor is a January target for QPR manager Harry Redknapp, who wants the 27-year-old on loan for the second half of the season.
Full story: Daily Mirror 
 
Monaco are weighing up a move for 23-year-old Tottenham and England defender Kyle Walker, who only signed a new contract in October.
Full story: Daily Telegraph 
 
Bayer Leverkusen want Chelsea's 22-year-old Belgian winger Kevin De Bruyne in January, according to the Germans' director of sport Rudi Voller.
Full story: Metro 

Other gossip

Sacked Tottenham manager Andre Villas-Boas, 36, is in line for a £4.5m compensation package.
Full story: London Evening Standard 
 
Villas-Boas was sacked after refusing to pick 29-year-old striker Emmanuel Adebayor - despite Tottenham's lack of goals.
Full story: Independent 
 
Cardiff City manager Malky Mackay, 41, is on the brink of leaving the club after being told he will not get a "single penny" for new signings in January.
Full story: Daily Mail 
 

Schalke manager Rangnick played for non-League Southwick when he was at the University of Sussex 

Schalke boss Ralf Rangnick, 55, came top in a newspaper poll of men West Bromwich Albion fans would like as their new manager following Steve Clarke's exit.
Full story: Birmingham Mail 
 
Former Wolverhampton Wanderers, Sunderland and Norwich midfielder Carl Robinson, 37, is the new manager of MLS team Vancouver Whitecaps.
Full story: Washington Post 
 
Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho claims striker Fernando Torres, 29, lacks skill and the killer instinct to score 25 goals in a season.
Full story: London Evening Standard 
 
Scotland manager Gordon Strachan has welcomed Darren Fletcher's long-awaited return from injury but could wait before recalling the Manchester United midfielder, 29, to the national team.
Full story: Scotsman 

And finally

Former England striker Michael Owen, 34, is backing calls for a "peace match" between England and Afghanistan at Wembley to mark the end of the war against the Taliban.
Full story: Daily Mirror