FERGIE TO DITCH OWEN
It's already over for Michael Owen at Manchester United says the Mail on Sunday.
'Sir Alex Ferguson has decided Owen is surplus to requirements six months into a two-year deal after closely assessing his form in training over recent weeks,' it announces. 'Debt-ridden United want to use the England striker's £50,000-a-week salary towards a new contract offer for Wayne Rooney that will keep him away from Barcelona and Real Madrid.'
NEW DEAL FOR ROONEY
And talking of Rooney, the News of the World says that he is to be 'offered a series of jaw-dropping bonuses as part of Manchester United's strategy to keep him.'
Talks about a new contract are believed to have been opened during the week and United chief executive David Gill is reported to have offering a basic contract of around £120,000 plus a series of incentives including a '£250,000 bonus if he becomes FIFA World Player of the Year', '£100,000 if he is named PFA Player of the Year', '£100,000 if he wins European football's Golden Boot' and '£50,000 if he finishes as the Premier League's leading scorer.'
KEANE TO START MERRYGOROUND WITH MOVE TO SUNDERLAND
Pay attention now.
While just about every publication this Sunday is predicting a move north to Sunderland for Robbie Keane - remarkably, it seems as if Spurs might receive £10m for the Irishman - the Mail on Sunday is putting a wide-ranging twist on the story by declaring that his move to the Stadium of Light will then pave the way for Kenwyne Jones to join Liverpool. And if that happens then Ryan Babel will move to Birmingham.
Got that?
Good good.
MAN CITY TO GO AFTER RIBERY - BUT NOT YET
There's rather different transfer-related focus in the Sunday Telegraph.
The paper has opted to go big on Manchester City with the claim that Roberto Mancini will be given £80m to spend in the summer on Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery.
'There will, however, be no last-minute Man City pyrotechnics over the next 48 hours as they stick fast to the conviction that there are no beneficial deals to be done in the January transfer window,' their report adds.
'The one outstanding piece of business to be completed is the poaching of winger Adam Johnson from Middlesbrough for a fee of up £18 million.'