Chelsea could be planning to get rid of John Terry, Frank Lampard and Didier Drogba as Roman Abramovich continues his over-haul of the club.
Chelsea have been criticised for their ageing squad during a comparatively poor season and the Sunday Mirror Sport reports that the Russian billionaire is set to offload three of his biggest stars in a bid to get things back on track.
The signings of Fernando Torres (from Liverpool) and David Luiz (from Benfica) in the January transfer window are direct replacements for Drogba and Terry while Kaka and Wesley Sneijder are being lined up as a successor for Lampard.
Drogba, meanwhile, seems to be decidedly unhappy about the situation with The Mail on Sunday reporting that the Ivory Coast striker will quit Stamford Bridge if he is dropped for Tuesday night’s Premier League showdown with Manchester United.
The 32-year-old is eyeing a move back to Marseille in the summer, although the rumoured £20 million transfer fee that Chelsea would demand, as well as the French club’s inability to match Drogba’s wages of £130,000 a week, could be a stumbling block.
Arsenal are planning a £20m summer bid for unsettled Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.
The Spaniard wants Champions League football and is targeting a move away from Anfield in order to achieve that.
And the Daily Star Sunday reports that while the 28-year-old has been strongly linked with Manchester United, Arsenal is his preferred destination.
Mark Hughes is keen on a return to international management, with one eye on the England job, according to the News of the World.
“Why would I have a problem taking the England job if it was offered to me?” the Fulham boss said.
“I wouldn’t. I’ve managed Wales but that wouldn’t stop me taking another job with an international team.
“I’m a British manage and the England job is one of the top jobs in world football.”
Manchester City are lining up a bid for Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller (Daily Star Sunday).
West Ham’s Julien Faubert is targeting a summer move to Internazionale after becoming disillusioned with life at Upton Park (Daily Star Sunday).
“I have no future at West Ham, the 27-year-old said. “What I want to do is play.”
Liverpool’s £35m striker Andy Carroll has been ordered to lose weight before making his debut. The former Newcastle man has bulked up while being sidelined with a torn thigh muscle and is yet to feature at Anfield.
