Paper Talk: Thursday's football transfer rumours and gossip, including Gonzalo Higuain to Chelsea

DAILY MAIL

• Mesut Ozil is losing his battle to convince Unai Emery he has an Arsenal future as the club face up to taking a huge financial hit on the German.
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suffered his first setback as Manchester United's caretaker manager, with star striker Romelu Lukaku set to miss his first two games in charge.
• Jose Mourinho believes Manchester United's 'weak' leadership allowed former players to undermine his attempts to restore the club to former glories.
• Chelsea have revived their interest in Gonzalo Higuain ahead of the January window.
• The FA is investigating Fulham's signing of Jean Michael Seri from Nice amid claims the transfer was manipulated to save on bonus payments.
• Manuel Pellegrini says he was not responsible for the summer sale of midfielder Domingos Quina to Watford.

THE SUN

• Alexis Sanchez sent a WhatsApp message to team-mates suggesting he had won a bet on Jose Mourinho's sacking.
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer did not just turn up for the Manchester United staff Christmas party on Thursday - he then made a rousing speech and was given a standing ovation.
• Chelsea face having another flop striker dumped on them as Valencia aim to offload on-loan Michy Batshuayi.
• Roma are preparing to make a £25m January swoop to sign Crystal Palace star Patrick van Aanholt.
• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer wants his Manchester United squad to eat together in the canteen again.
• Everton's Kieran Dowell is set to join Sheffield United on loan.

Click on the image below for Sky Bet's latest Transfer Specials...

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH

• Fred is determined to fight for his Manchester United future in the wake of Jose Mourinho's sacking as manager.
• An allegation of sexual assault at the anti-discrimination group Kick It Out is among a dossier of complaints about staff treatment being reviewed by the Charity Commission.
• English football officials are seven times more likely to be verbally abused than their European counterparts, according to new research.
• A workload 'passport' is set to be introduced before the Rugby World Cup next year to improve player welfare.

DAILY STAR

• Manchester United bosses feared a mutiny if Jose Mourinho wasn't sacked.

DAILY EXPRESS

• Everton will refuse to pay a mega transfer fee for PSV Eindhoven ace Hirving Lozano, according to Marcel Brands.
• Chelsea want to bring rival fans groups together for peace talks to avoid problems at their Carabao Cup showdown with Tottenham.

DAILY MIRROR

• Manchester City are facing a huge fight to win the £60m battle for Frenkie de Jong - whose agent insists a decision over his future will be made soon.
• Jose Mourinho stopped Man Utd using hi-tech kit that every other Premier League side counts on.
• Mike Ashley has gone on his Christmas holiday after it became clear to him any Newcastle takeover is not close to being completed.
• Former Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic was the first Premier League manager to lose his job this season - and wants to be the first to get back on the merry-go-round.
• Mario Balotelli will be available in the January window after a fallout with Nice boss Patrick Vieira.

THE GUARDIAN

• Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has said he is focused on getting Manchester United's players to "enjoy" their football again following the sacking of Jose Mourinho.
• Suspended superstar Steve Smith expects a hostile reception from English crowds in next year's World Cup and Ashes.
• Lord Ouseley opted to quit Kick It Out over trustees' handling of staff issues.

THE TIMES

• Arsenal will consider sending Mesut Ozil out on loan next month.
• Everton have launched a joint investigation with Kick It Out into fans allegedly singing a racist song about their own defender Yerry Mina.

THE SCOTTISH SUN

• Celtic are set to confirm the signing of American full-back Manny Perez on January 1 after he impressed on trial.
• Celtic have opened talks with Australia chiefs to free up Tom Rogic for next week's Old Firm showdown.

DAILY RECORD

• Celtic were last night boosted by the news Odsonne Edouard could be given the all clear in time to face both Aberdeen and Rangers.
• Derek McInnes insists Aberdeen have the cash to land a striker during the transfer window.

Follow Sporting Life on social media - find us on Facebook here or tweet @SportingLifeFC

Related football links

• Jose Mourinho sacked
• Solskjaer named United interim
• Solskjaer's Old Trafford To Do List
• Mourinho sacked: Pundits' reaction
• Latest Paper Talk