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Wednesday 9th December 2015

Here are just a few of the headlines making the back pages this morning…

Crystal Palace manager Alan Pardew is planning a club record £15m bid for Marseille forward Michy Batshuayi. (The Sun)

Liverpool are keen on young Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic and are negotiating a possible £5m deal. (Daily Mirror)

Reading are set to announce the appointment of Brian McDermott as their new manager today(The Mail)

Forward Saido Berahino has rekindled rumours he is set to leave West Brom for Tottenham Hotspur after 'liking' a series of tweets criticising his current club and linking him to Spurs. (The Sun)

Brendan Rodgers could be on his way back to Swansea if the struggling Premier League side decide to replace Garry Monk. (Daily Mail)

TRANSFER HEADLINES

United to bid for Neymar (Telegraph)
Conte in Chelsea frame (Independent)
Debuchy considering Arsenal exit
Griezmann rules out PL move
Wijnaldum backs McClaren
Gray named Fulham senior coach
Lewandowski 'open to Real move'
Butland cools Liverpool talk
Pressure builds on Monk

VIEIRA KEEN ON COLE

New York City are reportedly weighing up a move for Ashley Cole, according to the Daily Mail.

New York City head coach Patrick Vieira is looking to boost his squad ahead of the new MLS campaign and is set to make a move for his former Arsenal team-mate.

Vieira is thought to be keen to reunite Cole, who has been linked with moves to both Manchester United and Aston Villa, with another of his former team-mates in Frank Lampard at Yankee Stadium.

The 34-year-old is set to be handed a free transfer by Roma in January.

PARDEW TARGETS BATSHUAYI

Crystal Palace boss Alan Pardew is reportedly lining up a club record £15m bid for Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi.

According to The Sun, Pardew has been monitering the 22-year-old’s performances this season and is thought to be ready to make a January move.

Pardew is keen to bolster his attacking options in the January transfer window and the Belgian striker is high up on his list of targets.

LIVERPOOL IN TALKS WITH GRUJIC

Red Star Belgrade midfielder Marko Grujic has admitted he is in talks with Liverpool over a reported move to Anfield.

Reports suggest Liverpool are keen to wrap up a £5m January move for the player and hope to complete a deal next month.

And the 19-year-old has revealed he has held initial talks with Liverpool over a potential move.

"It is certain that I remain here until the end of qualifying for the Champions League," he said. "I had a talk with Liverpool, but I did not receive yet any agreement. I'm still a Red Star player. I'll try to respect the club, the fans and the general public, but I think that for myself I have to choose the best environment, where I will get the chance to play and where I work with good coaches in good conditions."

Chelsea, Inter Milan and Roma are also thought to be interested in the Serbian U21 midfielder.

REDS WEIGH UP BEGOVIC MOVE

Liverpool are weighing up a surprise move for Chelsea goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, according to ItaSportPress.

It is claimed Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is on the hunt for a new goalkeeper to compete with Simon Mignolet.

And Klopp is ready to move to for Begovic, who is back on the bend following Thibaut Courtois’ return from injury.

AC Milan's Diego Lopez is also thought to be on Liverpool's radar.



GRAY COULD QUIT BLUES

Demarai Gray could quit Birmingham next month, according to the Daily Mirror.

It is claimed the 19-year-old winger has a £3.75m release clause in his contract with both Bournemouth and Leicester monitoring his situation.




PL DUO SHOW INTEREST IN SMITH

West Bromwich Albion have joined Crystal Palace in showing interest in Kane Smith, one of the hottest properties in non-league football.

The 19-year-old Hitchin Town wing-back has already had two trials with Palace's Under 21s.

And now Albion have approached the Evo-Stick Southern League Premier side to invite the highly rated youngster to a trial at The Hawthorns.

Speaking to the Hertfordshire Mercury, Hitchin boss Mark Burke said: "West Brom have now officially approached us".

COLLINS: BITON IS STAYING

Watch as Celtic assistant manager John Collins insists Nir Biton will not be leaving the club.

Collins also admitted Celtic boss Ronny Deila is interested in Libor Kozak and watched the Aston Villa striker in action on Monday...




NEW DEAL FOR WALKER

Midfielder Jamie Walker has signed a new deal at Hearts until the summer of 2018.




RONALDO ON BLANC EMBRACE

Cristiano Ronaldo has shed some light on his embrace with PSG boss Laurent Blanc after his Real Madrid side defeated the French club 1-0 at the Bernabeu last month.

Ronaldo, who has been linked heavily with a summer move to PSG, fuelled such speculation when he hugged Blanc and whispered in the Frenchman’s ear after a Champions League clash at the Bernabeu in November.

It had been reported that the Portuguese told Blanc that he would love to work with him, but the 30-year-old insists he only thanked the former Manchester United defender for praising him in the media before the game.

Speaking to Antena 3, Ronaldo said: “I have talked to many people. When people treat me well, I treat [them] well. A muddle that does not exist was put together. What happened with Blanc was that he had spoken very well about me before and I only thanked him for his declarations and I told him that I had liked them a lot. And with the Paris president, I have known him for many years. He seems very nice and he has always treated me well. That’s what happened.”





UNITED WANT AJAX YOUNGSTER

Manchester United are interested in signing Ajax teenager Juan Familia-Castillo, according to the Manchester Evening News.

The 15-year-old is highly-rated at the Dutch club and can play either in central midfield or on the left wing.




UNITED SPENDING SPREE?

Manchester United are prepared to go on a spending spree if they miss out on the top three in the Premier League this season, write the Daily Express.

After the club's exit from the Champions League on Tuesday night, Louis van Gaal has come under fire and there is now pressure on the Dutchman to secure an impressive league position.

The Express report that United are "preparing a £200m" kitty for the summer, with targets including the likes of Riyad Mahrez, Harry Kane and Romelu Lukaku.






NEYMAR TO EXTEND STAY

Brazil captain Neymar is expected to extend his Barcelona contract until 2021, according to Mundo Deportivo.

Talks have been ongoing with the 23-year-old forward for some time, but there had been rumours of an exit from the Nou Camp.

Neymar has had over £30million in assets frozen due to alleged tax evasion, and some reports had claimed Neymar was ready to leave Spain.

It is now understood talks are progressing well over a new deal, and that Neymar will sign in January.

Bolton midfielder Liam Trotter has extended his loan deal with Nottingham Forest by another month, the club have confirmed on their official site.

Leicester City have revitalised their pursuit of highly-rated Birmingham winger Demarai Gray, reports the Mirror.

The talented 19-year-old was subject to a bid by City manager Claudio Ranieri in the summer, where the Foxes triggered a release clause in his contract but Gray opted to stay at St Andrews.