Football gossip column: Toure, Caceres, Messi, Varane, Mane, Lukaku

Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure, 33, will consider signing a pre-contract deal with another European club in January after being left out of manager Pep Guardiola's Champions League squad. (Independent)


Real Madrid's France defender Raphael Varane, 23, has revealed he turned down a transfer to Manchester United this summer. (Talksport)

Chelsea are targeting Uruguay and former Barcelona defender Martin Caceres, 29, who is a free agent. (Evening Standard)

And the Blues will battle Paris St-Germain and Inter Milan for Benfica's Sweden defender Victor Lindelof, 22, in January. (Daily Express)

Daily Star backpage

AC Milan will give goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 17, a new contract to repel interest from Manchester United, Chelsea and Real Madrid after the teenager made his Italy debut. (Sporting Mediaset - In Italian)

Everton's Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 23, turned down Italian champions Juventus to stay at Goodison Park during the summer transfer window. (Het Niewsblad - In Belgian)

Barcelona legend Xavi believes Leicester's Algeria forward Riyad Mahrez, 25, is good enough to play for the Spanish giants. (Daily Mirror)

Sunderland are hoping to beat West Brom to the signing of former Liverpool midfielder Momo Sissoko, 31, following the Malian's exit from Chinese club Shanghai Shenua earlier this year. (Daily Mirror)

Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, 24, will be fit for this weekend's Premier League match against Leicester after an injury picked up on international duty with Senegal was not as bad as first feared. (Sun)

Super agent Mino Raiola, who works with Manchester United's Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 34, and Paul Pogba, 23, among others, says a player will soon be transferred for £200m.(Talksport)

The Guardian's front page to its sports supplement

Barcelona forward Lionel Messi, 29, has been told to "lighten his training load" over the coming days because of a hamstring injury. (FCBarcelona.com)

England and Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling, 21, was subject to vile abuse on Instagram after posting a picture of his daughter's first day at school. (Daily Mirror)

Manchester City loanee Jason Denayer, 21, is in line for his first start for Sunderland in Tuesday's Checkatrade Trophy game against Rochdale, while midfielder Jan Kirchoff, 25, is set to return from injury in the game. (Sunderland Echo)

Leicester manager Claudio Ranieri has approached Eduardo Macia to replace former head of recruitment Steve Walsh, who joined Everton in July. (Daily Telegraph)

Best of social media

Real Madrid's Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo returned to training and posted a picture for his fans to "enjoy".

Stoke's England keeper Jack Butland has had an ankle operation and hopes he will soon be back playing.

Arsenal and Germany midfielder Mesut Ozil shared a video of him playing football with his dog on social media. (Twitter)
Aston Villa forward Jack Grealish said he was "gutted" to be missing Tuesday's England Under-21 match against Norway.

Younes Kaboul, 30, has thanked the Sunderland fans following his move from the Stadium of Light to Watford last month.

And finally

Ex-Liverpool striker Michael Owen, 36, says he was desperate for a return to Anfield after leaving the Reds for Real Madrid in 2004 and then going on to sign for Newcastle United in 2005 and Manchester United in 2009. (Liverpool Echo)