Gossip column: Advocaat, Pogba, Filipe Luis, Pellegrini, Sterling

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SUNDERLAND MANAGER SEARCH

Sunderland are set to appoint Dick Advocaat, 67, as Gus Poyet's replacement for the rest of the season but the club's target for the long term is West Ham manager Sam Allardyce. (Daily Mirror)external-link

The Guardian
Tuesday's Guardian back page

However, Derby County boss and former England manager Steve McClaren is believed to be the Stadium of Light oufit's long-term target. (Guardian)external-link

Advocaat will be paid £1m if he manages to keep Sunderland in the Premier League. The ex-Netherlands and Rangers boss will be paid a £500,000 bonus on top of his salary if the Black Cats avoid relegation. (Daily Star)external-link

Gus Poyet was glad to be sacked by Sunderland and angled for moves to West Ham and Crystal Palace after falling out with sporting director Lee Congerton. (Daily Mail)external-link

Congerton canvassed the opinions of ex-Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson and Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti in his search for a temporary "fire-fighter" and former Chelsea sporting director Frank Arnesen recommended Advocaat. (Times - subscription required)external-link

TRANSFER GOSSIP

Juventus have claimed that Chelsea and Manchester United are ready to pay £55m for 22-year-old France international midfielder Paul Pogba, a former Old Trafford player, this summer. (Daily Express)external-link

The Sun
Tuesday's Sun back page

Chelsea's out-of-favour full-back Filipe Luis, 29, could be offered a quick return to Atletico Madrid with the Spanish club monitoring the Brazilian's situation at Stamford Bridge. (Daily Telegraph)external-link

Argentine striker Paulo Dybala, the 21-year-old Manchester United, Liverpool and Arsenal target, will not be allowed to leave Palermo for anything less than £28.5m, with president Maurizio Zamperini confident of holding out for a larger fee. (Daily Express)external-link

Alan Pardew wants former Newcastle loanee Loic Remy to join the ex-Magpies boss at Crystal Palace, and is seeking a permanent deal for the Chelsea striker, 28, in the summer. (Daily Star)external-link

Newcastle are thought to have offered a pre-contract to Marseille's Ghanaian winger Andre Ayew, 25, who is set to leave the club when his contract expires in the summer and is also thought to be wanted by Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund. (Newcastle Chronicle)external-link

Former Cardiff and Newcastle striker Michael Chopra is training with League One club Port Vale. Chopra, 31, is a free agent after leaving Indian Super League side Kerala Blasters. (Daily Mail)external-link

OTHER GOSSIP

West Ham plan to step up their pursuit of Real Sociedad boss David Moyes to succeed Sam Allardyce after putting his former Everton scout Tony Henry in charge of their summer recruitment policy. (Daily Telegraph)external-link

Manuel Pellegrini is convinced Manchester City will not sack him if they end the season without a trophy.(Guardian)external-link

Pellegrini has also revealed that Liverpool's England international Raheem Sterling would cost up to £100m to buy.(Liverpool Echo)external-link

Emmanuel Adebayor has backed team-mate Harry Kane to rescue Tottenham's Champions League hopes after Sunday's defeat at Manchester United left them six points adrift of the top four.(Evening Standard)external-link

Former Sunderland midfielder Julio Arca believes the club's players must take some responsibility for Gus Poyet's sacking.(Talksport)external-link

QPR midfielder Karl Henry has criticised the Premier League relegation threatened side's defending following their defeat at Crystal Palace.(Sun - subscription required) external-link

BEST OF SOCIAL MEDIA

Theo Walcott's birthday surprise
Theo Walcott's birthday surprise

Arsenal forward Theo Walcott celebrates his 26th birthday and posts on Instagram: "Thank you to everyone for all the birthday messages today and a nice birthday cake surprise with the team."

Manchester United stars Wayne Rooney, Michael Carrick and Ander Herrera took part in a 'Google+ Hangout'external-link in which no mention was made of the captain's infamous recent boxing antics, but he did claim he was the best singer at the club and his favourite player growing up was Paul Gascoigne.

Arsenal's Germany Under-19 international Serge Gnabry demonstrates his command of English phrases and tweets:external-link "After not having trained for a few days as a measure of precaution I'm finally back with the team & fit as a fiddle."

Luke Shaw Twitter
Luke Shaw's modern apartment

Inside the residence of Manchester United's Luke Shaw, who tweets:external-link "Finished training for the day. Back home chilling watching footballs greatest #Pele."

AND FINALLY....

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho's son has criticised the Stamford Bridge club's fans after they jeered Cesc Fabregas during the 1-1 draw with Southampton on Sunday. (Metro)external-link

Brentford fans have started a petition asking west London neighbours Chelsea to hand back a trophy that dates back to the Second World War. They feel the Bees should be the rightful holders of the London War Cup as they were the last team to win the trophy in that particular guise, in 1942. (GetWestLondon)external-link

Former Chelsea striker Salomon Kalou is facing a fine for appearing to damage the Berlin wall. The Hertha Berlin forward was filmed by a German news channel using a hammer and a chisel to suggest he would break through the Schalke defence before Saturday's meeting between the teams. The match finished 2-2 but Kalou, 29, did not score. (Daily Mirror)external-link