The top stories and transfer rumours from Friday’s newspapers…
DAILY MAIL
Former Manchester United chief Ed Woodward has been informally approached over the prospect of joining the board of Eagle Football Holdings, the group which owns stakes in clubs including Crystal Palace and Lyon.
Bayern Munich have reportedly withdrawn their contractual offer to Joshua Kimmich following extensive negotiations since the beginning of the season.
Manchester United majority owners the Glazers have been slammed by their Tampa Bay Buccaneers players in a new report.
Marc Guehi is set to hand England head coach Thomas Tuchel a major fitness boost with the defender expected to make a swift recovery from a knee injury suffered in the win over Aston Villa.
Newcastle are not planning a post-Wembley victory parade and will instead celebrate or drown their Carabao Cup sorrows amid the sunshine of Dubai.
Manchester City have cancelled hundreds of tickets purchased by Plymouth Argyle fans planning to infiltrate the home ends ahead of Saturday’s FA Cup clash.
The injuries suffered by Takehiro Tomiyasu and Gabriel Jesus have halted potential plans to sell the Arsenal pair this summer.
West Ham defender Aaron Wan-Bissaka is yet to commit his international future to the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Newcastle are working on ambitious plans to spend pre-season in Hong Kong, including games at the brand new Kai Tak Stadium, a magnificent 50,000-seat arena in Kowloon.
Ollie Scarles has impressed FA scouts since his senior breakthrough earlier this season.
Crystal Palace will fly out to Marbella for a winter training camp following the March 8 Premier League clash with Ipswich.
The completion of Sportsbank’s protracted Crystal Palace investment is now on course to be completed in the middle of March.
Newcastle’s corporate supporters will boycott Sunday’s visit of Brighton after heated exchanges with club staff over cup-final ticket allocation.
Tottenham Hotspur are finalising plans for a pre-season tour of Asia.
Premier League figures are covertly listening to X broadcasts of rival clubs in the hope of garnering inside information.
Aston Villa have joined the growing list of clubs interested in Southampton youngster Tyler Dibling.
Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell led a scouting summit at Gateshead’s Hilton Hotel last weekend as the club’s transfer strategy ahead of the summer was outlined.
THE SUN
Manchester United stars are frustrated with manager Ruben Amorim after he blamed their poor performance for hundreds of club employees being made redundant.
Fans of Bundesliga club Mainz have turned on Jurgen Klopp in the wake of his move to Red Bull – making the ex-player and manager the subject of a controversial float at the Rose Monday carnival parade.
Barcelona legend Gerard Pique has proposed a new rule change that he believes would make football more exciting.
THE TIMES
The Premier League is ready to escalate its legal battle with the Professional Footballers’ Association in a move that could lead to a seismic split between the clubs and their players.
George Martin will miss the rest of England’s Six Nations campaign with knee and shoulder injuries.
Conor Benn’s former doctor is the subject of a six-month-long investigation by the General Medical Council and is having to follow a number of conditions relating to his ability to practise.
THE GUARDIAN
The Premier League could be forced to operate two separate transfer windows this summer due to disruption caused by the Club World Cup.
The Women’s Super League is considering abolishing relegation as part of a radical proposal to grow the sport that will be discussed by the clubs at a meeting on Friday.
THE ATHLETIC
Arsenal plan to appoint a new sporting director next month and are in the process of whittling down candidates before their final decision is reached.
Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos is set to be sidelined for up to two months after sustaining a left hamstring injury.
Discussions are taking place between Barcelona and Neymar’s camp over a return to Catalonia.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United appear to have lost faith in Rasmus Hojlund as Ruben Amorim prepares to use the £72m striker as bait to seal a summer swoop for Victor Osimhen, according to reports.
DAILY STAR
Ruben Amorim has told sulking Manchester United star Alejandro Garnacho to improve his attitude.
DAILY MIRROR
Arsenal will have a new-look starting line-up next season if Mikel Arteta gets his way in the summer transfer window.
Mikel Arteta may have to sell either Leandro Trossard or Gabriel Martinelli – who have both been targets for Saudi Pro League clubs – to fund a summer rebuild.
Marcus Rashford is already looking to make his Aston Villa move a permanent one following his loan switch.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Paul Gustard is expected to beat Stuart Lancaster in the race to become the next Leicester Tigers head coach.
Felix Jones has returned to South Africa as an assistant coach, just six months after dramatically walking out on England head coach Steve Borthwick, and will not be part of the British and Irish Lions coaching team.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
The Old Firm are close to striking an agreement over the return of derby away ticket allocations, with positive talks between Celtic and Rangers being held ahead of the March 16 clash at Parkhead.
DAILY RECORD
Hibernian have confirmed that they have now received a bumper total of nearly 7,000 briefs for their Scottish Cup quarter final showdown with Celtic at Parkhead next month.
Stuart Findlay and Kyle Vassell are set to hand Kilmarnock a massive double boost for the run-in.
