Chelsea will hold fresh talks with AC Milan on Thursday about a £60m world-record deal for striker Andriy Shevchenko. (Various)
 
Chelsea boss Jose Mourinho claims it would be easier to work on a tight budget at a smaller club than have the responsibility of spending Blues' owner Roman Abramovich's millions. (Various)
 
Tottenham are poised to finalise the transfer of Dutch midfielder Edgar Davids (Various).
 
Everton boss David Moyes attacks Uefa's seeding system ahead of Friday's draw for the Champions League third qualifying round. (Various)
 
Everton are also leading the race to sign unsettled Leeds midfielder Eirik Bakke. (The Sun)
 
Wigan boss Paul Jewell is ready to smash the club's transfer record by bidding £3.5m for Sheffield United midfielder Phil Jagielka. (Various)
 
Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger admits he has taken a huge gamble by selling Patrick Vieira (Various) and is planning a move for Roma midfield enforcer Olivier Dacourt. (Daily Mirror)
 
Bolton's Stelios Giannokopoulos has abandoned hopes of joining Liverpool and is ready to sign a new deal with the Trotters. (Daily Mail)
 
Middlesbrough's contract talks with Rangers star Peter Lovenkrands have broken down. (Daily Mail)
 
Charlton are close to scrapping their bid to land Newcastle's Lee Bowyer (Daily Star) and have rejected a £1m bid from Birmingham for midfielder Jason Euell. (The Sun)
 
Aston Villa hope Patrik Berger can help persuade his Czech Republic team-mate Milan Baros to leave Liverpool and join him at the Midlands club. (Daily Star)
 
Harry Redknapp admits he is running out of time to strengthen his Southampton squad before the start of the new season (Daily Star) and is set to return to former club Portsmouth with a £250,000 offer for striker Ricardo Fuller. (The Times)
 
England defender Jonathan Woodgate hits back at reports that his career has been finished by injury. (Daily Star)
 
Real Madrid winger Luis Figo says transfer talks with Liverpool have broken down - "irrevocably". (The Times)
 
Newcastle chairman Freddy Shepherd continues to shrug off speculation about a takeover at St James' Park (The Sun) and is ready to call off the chase for Fenerbache striker Nicolas Anelka. (The Independent, Daily Telegraph)
 
Bolton's Stelios and Real Zaragoza defender Gabriel Milito deny claims they want to switch to Liverpool. (The Sun)
 
Rangers have rejected a £4m bid from Galatasaray for Thomas Buffel. (The Independent)
 
West Ham are hoping to lure Crystal Palace goalkeeper Shaka Hislop back to the Premiership. (Daily Mirror)
 
Brechin are hoping to bring former Motherwell and Partick Thistle midfielder Alex Burns to Glebe Park. (Daily Record)  

 Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho wants to know soon whether Lyon's 22-year-old midfielder Michael Essien is going to join him at Stamford Bridge.
 
He said: "I hope we are sure about that soon - he comes or he doesn't come. If he comes, great - if he doesn't come it's not a drama.
 
"But I need to know. One more option, a great option. But one more.
 
"If we get Essien we can say we have improved every area of the team. If we don't, we still have good options."
 
The Ghana international midfielder is also eager to learn if the transfer will go through.
 
Essien's agent Fabien Piveteau told BBC Sport: ""When the clubs agree, then Michael will get a visa to go to Chelsea for a medical."
 
Reports say Chelsea chief executive Peter Kenyon has travelled to Lyon to complete a deal, reported to be worth about £21m.
 
But Piveteau added: "Maybe he will come, but for now he is waiting for an answer from Lyon."
 
Essien has voiced his desire to move to Stamford Bridge but so far the clubs have been unable to agree a fee.
 
On Wednesday he said: "I think that the transfer will be done. I am convinced that I will go to Chelsea."
 
Chelsea were hopeful of bringing in the player in time for their tour of the US.
 
But Kenyon said they are prepared to wait until the last day of the transfer window to sign Essien, with Lyon holding out for more than £30m for the highly-rated midfielder.
 
Kenyon said: "Ideally we wanted to have him on this trip but as long as Essien is here by 31 August we will be happy."
 
Essien, who has already been the subject of £17m and £18m bids from Chelsea this summer, has begged Blues owner Roman Abramovich to meet Lyon's demands.
 
"I have the feeling Lyon will not sell for anything less than £35m," he told the News of the World on Sunday.
 
"My last hope is Abramovich. It is he who has to make the decision. I hope he will meet their demands."
 
 
 
Essien travelled with the Lyon squad to South Korea and played in their 3-1 defeat by Tottenham in the final of the Peace Cup at the World Cup Stadium in Seoul.
 
Lyon chairman Jean-Michel Aulas has previously insisted that Essien is not for sale but the player is adamant he wants to move to Chelsea.
 
Essien added: "I cannot see myself staying at Lyon - no way.
 
"I don't even want to think about it. It is now in the hands of Abramovich."
 
Ligue 1 champions Lyon play French Cup winners Auxerre in France's equivalent of the Community Shield at the Abbe Deschamps stadium.