The top stories and transfer rumours from Friday’s newspapers…
PREMIER LEAGUE
Powerful figures in Saudi Arabian football are increasingly confident Mohamed Salah will leave Liverpool in the summer transfer window – Daily Mirror.
Salah and Vinicius Jr will be the two prime transfer targets for the Saudi Pro League this summer – The Telegraph.
Virgil van Dijk said the way Arne Slot is talked about is “very disrespectful” to the Liverpool head coach – The Telegraph.
Tottenham have no appetite to sell Micky van de Ven amid speculation that Liverpool are avid admirers of the talented Netherlands international and could move for him at the end of the season – Daily Mirror.
Chelsea great Marcel Desailly believes Cole Palmer could hand in a transfer request if he doesn’t think the Blues can claim Premier League glory inside the next two years – Daily Mirror.
Chelsea are also considering a loan move for Douglas Luiz to boost their injury-hit midfield – The Times.
Crystal Palace are in the market for a striker in the January window, whatever happens regarding Jean-Philippe Mateta’s uncertain future – The i Paper.
Palace have held talks with Wolves regarding a potential move for 25-year-old Norway striker Jorgen Strand Larsen – TalkSPORT.
Arsenal and Borussia Dortmund had scouts present in Sweden On Thursday to cast an eye over Red Star Belgrade’s 17-year-old midfield prospect Vasilije Kostov in the Europa League against Malmo – Daily Mirror.
The Premier League will launch a new campaign to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in football in February, having previously ended its long-standing partnership with Stonewall’s Rainbow Laces campaign – The Athletic.
Former Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou lavished praise on Arsenal following his first scouting mission in his new role with UEFA – The Express.
WORLD CUP
The Football Supporters’ Association has told FIFA president Gianni Infantino to ‘concentrate on making cheap tickets’ after his remark about the lack of arrests at 2022 World Cup in Qatar – The Times.
SCOTLAND
Rangers are exploring a move for Sheffield Wednesday star Yan Valery – Scottish Sun.
RUGBY
South Africa and New Zealand will play the fourth Test of their ‘Greatest Rivalry’ series in Baltimore after seeking assurances that there will be no repeat of issues that marred last November’s game between New Zealand and Ireland – The Times.
TENNIS
A new model for global tennis has been put forward by the Professional Tennis Players’ Association – the maverick body co-founded five years ago by Novak Djokovic – The Telegraph.
CRICKET
Marylebone Cricket Club has stepped in to provide its troubled tenants Middlesex some leadership while their chief executive is investigated by the Cricket Regulator – The Telegraph.
The T20 World Cup has descended into crisis after Bangladesh doubled down on a threat to refuse to play their matches in India – The Telegraph.
GOLF
Jon Rahm will stick belligerently to his guns and refuse to pay his fines to the DP World Tour, even if it costs the Spaniard his Ryder Cup future – The Telegraph.
