Sunday's gossip column - transfers and rumours
Last updated on .From the section Football
TRANSFER GOSSIP
Robin van Persie is demanding the same wages as Wayne Rooney, thought to be around £220,000 per week, before he agrees to join Manchester United.
Rivals Manchester City are not prepared to match that, however, and are thought to have limited their offer to £150,000 per week.
Newcastle could be back as favourites to sign Liverpool striker Andy Carroll after the 23-year-old revealed he would only leave Anfield to play European football.
But Newcastle will only move for their former striker if the £7m escape clause is triggered in the contract of Demba Ba, 27.
Southampton are thought to have enquired about bringing Arsenal's Theo Walcott back to St Mary's.
Meanwhile, the Gunners expect to complete the £15m transfer of Malaga midfielder Santi Cazorla, 27, by Tuesday.
Manchester City manager Roberto Mancini believes the Premier League champions will be announcing new signings within the next fortnight.
Full story: Manchester Evening News
West Brom boss Steve Clarke has confirmed that striker Shane Long, 25, is not for sale after reported interest from Reading.
Fulham are ready to make a bid for Arsenal's Russian international Andrey Arshavin, 31, who is believed to want to remain in London.
The agent who orchestrated the move to take striker Emmanuel Adebayor from Arsenal to Manchester City believes the 28-year-old is "unlikely" to move to Tottenham.
Manchester United will assess Celtic midfielder Victor Wanyama during the Champions League qualifiers, while the Scottish champions are also aware of interest from Fulham, Liverpool, Queens Park Rangers and Stoke City.
OTHER GOSSIP
Manchester United midfielder Paul Scholes reveals he would have returned for England in the European Championships, but he never received a phone call from manager Roy Hodgson.
Meanwhile, Scholes admits he cannot watch Vincent Kompany lifting the Premier League trophy for Manchester City and does not understand how United did not win the title.
Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is furious with Liverpool midfielder Charlie Adam after he injured Gareth Bale again during the goalless friendly in America.
Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere is unlikely to return to first-team action until October at the earliest as he continues his lengthy recuperation from knee and ankle problems.
Former Spurs skipper Ledley King admits he cried when he learned his career was over because of injury and reveals he had injury problems since his first game for Spurs at Derby in 1999.
AND FINALLY
Arsenal's Thomas Vermaelen got up close and personal with assistant referee Sian Massey during his side's 2-0 friendly loss to Manchester City in Beijing.
