Wednesdays Paper ' Gossip '

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Latest Paper Talk .. Wednesday (Feb 4)


DAILY STAR
•Liverpool, Manchester United, Arsenal and Spurs are all weighing up summer moves for Porto striker Jackson Martinez, 28, after the Colombian hinted that he would like to move in the next transfer window.
•Tim Sherwood is set to take over as QPR manager after Harry Redknapp's shock exit yesterday.
•Manchester City striker Edin Dzeko, 28, faces the chop from the club's Champions League squad, with Stevan Jovetic, Bacary Sagna and keeper Willy Caballero the other main candidates.
•Darren Fletcher has revealed Louis van Gaal did not want him to leave Manchester United, following his deadline day move to West Brom.
•Sampdoria president Massimo Ferrero insists Samuel Eto'o, 33, will remain with the Serie A club, despite the Cameroon striker walking out of a training session following his move from Everton.

THE TELEGRAPH
•Cristiano Ronaldo will not be returning to Manchester United any time soon and would command a fee of £300m, according to agent Jorge Mendes.

DAILY MIRROR
•Striker Carlton Cole has accused West Ham of 'wrecking his career' after they pulled the plug on a deadline day switch to West Brom.
•Striker Danny Welbeck is fit to return for Arsenal in Saturday's north London derby with Spurs following a thigh injury.
•West Brom midfielder Graham Dorrans will be allowed to join Norwich despite his deadline day move falling through.
•England U20 striker Chuba Akpom, 19, has signed a new deal with Arsenal after a host of clubs were trying to sign him.
•Gillingham are set to appoint Newport County boss Justin Edinburgh as their new manager to replace Peter Taylor.

THE SUN
•Harry Redknapp, 67, is already plotting a return to management after he quit as QPR boss yesterday.

THE EXPRESS
•Liverpool and Arsenal have been alerted after Malaga's 24-year-old Spain international midfielder Ignacio Camacho claimed the Spanish top-flight club may be forced to sell him in the summer.
•Manchester City midfielder Samir Nasri is set to return against Hull City on Saturday following a month out with a groin injury.

DAILY MAIL
•Liverpool are ready to exploit a little-known Premier League rule to sign Burnley striker Danny Ings despite failing with a bid in the transfer window.

THE GUARDIAN
•Former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood tops QPR's shortlist to succeed Harry Redknapp as manager.
•Manchester United's teenage midfielder Adnan Januzaj admits he struggles with the defensive duties expected from Louis van Gaal's current system.

THE INDEPENDENT
•Harry Redknapp was angry that QPR's head of football operations Les Ferdinand was given control over signings during the January transfer window.

(And there is the truth of the matter)

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New QPR role for Ferdinand

Les Ferdinand has been appointed as director of football at QPR as the fallout continues from Harry Redknapp's resignation.

Ferdinand and coach Chris Ramsey were placed in temporary charge of the first team in the hours following Redknapp's shock decision to quit the club on Tuesday.

But Ramsey and Redknapp's long-time assistant Kevin Bond will now take on the day-to-day running of the first team as Ferdinand settles into a new role.

That leaves Rangers still looking for a permanent manager, and Tim Sherwood's position at the head of the Sky Bet market will surely only strengthen given Ferdinand was considered his likeliest rival. The pair worked together, along with Ramsey, during Sherwood's time as Tottenham boss last season.

In the meantime, owner Tony Fernandes has given his new director of football a specific brief - "to develop a philosophy of buying young, hungry players."

Former QPR striker Ferdinand returned to the club in October as head of football operations, and Fernandes told the club website: "I've been really impressed with the job Les has done in his short time here and as such I am keen for his role to evolve, with the clear mandate of assisting us in developing and evolving the footballing department, from the academy to the first team.

"This is a new strategy for us. Our recruitment policy at QPR is changing. I've had many messages from supporters, of all ages, who aren’t - for one reason or another - satisfied with what’s going on at QPR at the moment, but I can reassure all Rangers fans that we are putting the building blocks in place to move things in the right direction for the future.

“We’ve made a number of mistakes in the transfer market over the last few years and it’s something we want to change. We don’t want to be a buying club - we want to nurture young talent and build a young, ambitious team.

“Premier League survival is our priority in the short term, but in the medium and long term we want to make sure everything is in place, from the academy upwards, to create a culture and philosophy within the club that QPR fans can be proud of."

Ferdinand said: "Everyone knows what this club means to me and if anything the last few months have only enhanced the feelings I have for QPR.

"Working closely with Tony and the Board, I can assure QPR fans that they are desperate to create a lasting legacy at Loftus Road and the role of Director of Football will be hugely important."

The departures of coaches Glenn Hoddle and Joe Jordan, meanwhile, have been confirmed.