Football rumours from today's newspapers

• Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger will launch a £9m move for West Ham striker Carlton Cole if Nicklas Bendtner fails a fitness test on Friday. "If Bendtner is out for another two months we will need to buy someone, absolutely," admitted Wenger. (The Sun)



• Manchester United defender Nemanja Vidic has played down suggestions he will leave the club for Real Madrid, insisting he has "a marvellous understanding" with manager Sir Alex Ferguson. (The Sun)



• Bolton are prepared to cash in on £15m-rated defender Gary Cahill in order to provide prospective new manager Owen Coyle with substantial funds during the transfer window. (The Mirror)



• Tottenham have renewed their interest in Miguel Veloso after seeing the Sporting midfielder score in the Portuguese Cup win over Braga. (The Times)



• Former Manchester United and Chelsea midfielder Juan Sebastian Veron, who plays for Estudiantes, has been linked with a shock £7m move to Manchester City. (Daily Mail)



• Andrea Dossena's agent claims a deal to take the Liverpool defender to Napoli is all but done. "I believe the player will arrive in Napoli tomorrow," Roberto La Florio told Tuttomercatoweb. (Press Association)

OTHER GOSSIP

• Hibernian's John Hughes is an early candidate to replace Burnley manager Owen Coyle, who is poised to take over at Bolton. (The Guardian)



• Portsmouth will have to sell some of their stars to avoid becoming the first club in Premier League history to go into administration, with defender Younes Kaboul likely to be the first to leave in a £5m switch to French side Lyon. (The Mirror)



• West Ham and Millwall face the threat of ground closures when the two clubs answer Football Association charges on Wednesday brought after violence marred a Carling Cup clash between the sides last August. (Daily Mail)

AND FINALLY...

• Liverpool striker Fernando Torres is putting in up to five hours extra training a day in order to boost his fitness so he can last the season. "One of the reasons I'm working really hard is because I know in this situation Liverpool need every player fit," said Torres. (The Sun)