Football rumours from today's newspapers

• Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will try to sign Manchester City goalkeeper Shay Given after being warned off his team-mate Joe Hart.
  (The Mirror)


• Aston Villa boss Martin O'Neill is keeping tabs on Steven Pienaar's situation at Everton and is preparing an offer for the midfielder, who has yet to be offered a new contract by the Toffees.
  (Daily Mail)


• Manchester United are planning a last-gasp bid to snatch Aston Villa midfielder James Milner from underneath the noses of their neighbours Manchester City.
  (caughtoffside)


• The Old Trafford side are also mulling over a move for Werder Bremen midfielder Mesut Ozil, who could be available for a cut-price £13.5m because he is in the last year of his contract.
  (The Guardian)


• Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp is ready to offload striker Peter Crouch, with Lyon frontman Loic Remy issuing a come-and-get-me plea to Spurs.
  (Daily Mail)


• Barcelona midfielder Xavi insists Cesc Fabregas's stay at Arsenal could only be temporary. The Gunners captain, subject to speculation regarding a move to the Nou Camp, revealed last week he would remain at the Emirates. Xavi said: "We've given up on the idea of him arriving now but maybe he'll come in January when Arsenal are out of the Premier League race. They can't just hold him against his will."
  (IM Scouting)


• Queens Park Rangers are the latest club to be linked with striker Marlon King, currently looking for employment after serving nine months in prison for sexually assaulting a woman in a London bar.
  (Daily Mail)


• Liverpool manager Roy Hodgson is targeting former Arsenal midfield star Alexander Hleb, who has been told he has not got a future at Barcelona.
  (caughtoffside)


• Blackburn are trying to tie up a deal for Fenerbahce's £5m-rated Spain striker Dani Guiza.
  (Daily Mail)


• Newcastle boss Chris Hughton is considering a move for Portsmouth midfielder Kevin-Prince Boateng.
  (caughtoffside)

OTHER GOSSIP

• The build-up to England's midweek friendly against Hungary has an element of farce to it. Paul Robinson and Wes Brown retired from internationals after being named in the squad, 'injured' Michael Carrick played for Manchester United in the Community Shield match against Chelsea and Ashley Cole inadvertently snubbed the offer of a handshake from England boss Fabio Capello after that game at Wembley.
  (Daily Mail)


• Sir Alex Ferguson has apologised for Carrick's appearance in the Community Shield two days after declaring the Manchester United midfielder was injured. The United manager said: "The minute he said he wanted to play we had to play him, simply because he needs game time." England manager Capello, who left Carrick out of England's squad to face Hungary, appeared to ask the player after United's Shield win over Chelsea why he had not telephoned him.
  (The Mirror)