TRANSFER RUMOURS
The Premier League will meet next week to decide whether Benjani's transfer from Portsmouth to Manchester City can go ahead. (Various)

Javier Mascherano is expected to make his loan move permanent by signing for Liverpool next week in a £17.1m deal. (Daily Mail)

Manchester City defender Micah Richards says he is ready to sign a contract extension with the club to end rumours of a move away from Eastlands. (Various)

Middlesbrough may have to pay a further £2m for striker Afonso Alves because of a legal challenge from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar. (Mail)

Bolton manager Gary Megson has opened talks with Liverpool in a bid to seal a permanent £2m deal for on-loan midfielder Danny Guthrie at the end of the season. (Daily Star)

Fulham hope Daniel Cousin may still join from Rangers before the end of the season as a Fifa meeting will review player status after the Africa Cup of Nations. (Daily Mirror)



OTHER GOSSIP
Fabio Capello is to name Liverpool midfielder Steven Gerrard as his captain for the friendly against Switzerland, but the role of permanent skipper is still up for grabs. (Various)

Chelsea defender John Terry has been banned from attending the national team's kit launch next week because Capello does not want injured players on show. (Various)

Former Italy coach Giovanni Trapattoni will next week be named Republic of Ireland manager. (The Sun)

New Scotland coach George Burley does not want to play the planned friendly against England at Wembley on 28 May as he believes many of his players will be unavailable because of club commitments. (The Daily Telegraph)

Stoke City's Tony Pulis and former Burnley boss Steve Cotterill have been short-listed to replace Burley as Southampton manager. (Telegraph)

Premier League clubs spent a record £150m in January, surpassing the total of all top divisions in France, Germany, Italy and Spain (Times)