The top stories from papers and websites - 03 July 2012

• Roberto Mancini has agreed a new £20million contract to overtake Sir Alex Ferguson in the pay stakes.


• Gianfranco Zola is back in English football after "verbally agreeing" to be Watford's new boss.


• Robin van Persie wants showdown talks with Arsene Wenger this week to sort out his future.


• Spurs will name Andre Villas-Boas as Harry Redknapp's successor today.


• Papiss Cisse will join Newcastle for pre-season training next week after being told to forget about the Olympics.


• Liverpool are considering a £7million move for Demba Ba.


• Juventus are ready to test Liverpool's resolve over Luis Suarez.


• Steven Naismith wants to be reunited with Nikica Jelavic at Everton.


• Montpellier have vowed to axe buy-out clauses for their players after Olivier Giroud was snapped up by Arsena;.


• Steve Kean hopes to complete a hat-trick of Portuguese signings to join Leon Best at Blackburn. He wants Nuno Gomes, Fabio Nunes and Adrien Silva.


• New Norwich manager Chris Hughton is winning the race to sign Barnsley midfielder Jacob Butterfield.


• Burnley boss Eddie Howe is showing ambition with a £1.1million move for Derby captain Jason Shackell.


• Oldham boss Paul Dickov is signing Derby right-winger Lee Croft - giving him a second spell at Boundary Park.


• Walsall are set to sign Paul Black on a free transfer.

• Stuart Pearce rubbed salt in David Beckham's Olympic wounds by telling him: You're nothing special.


• Manchester United could be closing in on Portugal's Joao Moutinho. They are understood to have approached Porto with a view to signing him.


• Andre Villas-Boas wants to launch his Spurs reign by signing Brazilian boy wonder Oscar.


• Leon Best has signed up to spearhead Blackburn's promotion push - and could be followed by three more new faces this week.


• Gianfranco Zola will become Watford manager, according to new owner Giamapolo Pozzo.


• Steven Naismith is ready to snub Blackburn and West Ham by signing for Everton.


• Wigan are lining up a move for Marseille defender Rod Fanni.


• Chelsea stars Salomon Kalou and Jose Bosingwa have been released.

• Stuart Pearce says he would have quit Team GB if Britain's Olympic bosses had forced him to pick David Beckham.


• Roberto Mancini is poised to sign a new deal at Manchester City and overtake Sir Alex Ferguson as one of the highest-paid bosses in the Premier League.


• Chairman Peter Hill-Wood says Arsenal have yet to receive a bid for Robin van Persie.


• West Brom are closing in on Sweden striker Markus Rosenberg on a free transfer.


• Barnsley's out-of-contract midfielder Jacob Butterfield is set to agree a long-term deal with Norwich.


• Gianfranco Zola has struck a verbal agreement to take charge at Watford, according to the club's new owner Giampaolo Pozzo.


• Southampton target Alexander Buttner will snub Fulham and QPR to join the Premier League new-boys in a £2million deal.


• Sheffield United want Leicester midfielder Jeffrey Schlupp on loan but face competition from Watford and Crystal Palace.


• Torquay are signing Swindon striker Billy Bodin in a £70,000 deal.


• TArsenal are lining up a £12million bid for Lyon goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

• Stuart Pearce dealt David Beckham a final Olympic snub by denying him any role within Team GB.


• Tottenham are finally expected to announce Andre Villas-Boas as their new manager today.


• Juventus are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with a bid for Luis Suarez.


• Arsene Wenger will hold talks with Robin van Persie this week as Arsenal ramp up their efforts to keep the striker.


• Chelsea will bid £4million for Southampton left-back Luke Shaw this week as they begin a massive rebuilding job at Stamford Bridge.


• Gianfranco Zola is on the verge of completing a shock return to English football with Watford.


• Martin Jol is keen on a reunion with Tottenham's Tom Huddlestone as he steps up his search for a replacement for Danny Murphy at Fulham.


• Newcastle are closing on a £7million deal for FC Twente defender Douglas and remain hopeful of signing his team-mate Luuk de Jong.


• Arsenal are keen on France goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.


• Everton are continuing to work on a deal for free agent Steven Naismith and hope to sign him by the end of the week.


• Blackburn are talking to former Portugal striker Nuno Gomes after signing Leon Best for £3million.


• Wolves are set to join Bolton and Blackburn in the race for Lazio free agent Stephen Makinwa.


• Neil Warnock will look to complete deals for QPR goalkeeper Paddy Kenny and Portsmouth striker Luke Varney this week.


• Hull are showing interest in German striker Nick Proschwitz.


• New Tottenham boss Andre Villas-Boas is lining up a £10 million move for unsettled Chelsea striker Daniel Sturridge.

• Stuart Pearce would have walked out if he had been told to pick David Beckham in his Team GB Olympic squad.


• Andre Villas-Boas is on the verge of taking over as Tottenham's new manager.

• A breakaway group of SPL chiefs were last night in secret talks to keep Rangers in the top flight.

• West Ham are continuing their preparations for the Premier League and have made approaches for Romelu Lukaku of Chelsea and Inter Milan's Dejan Stankovic.

• Hamburg sporting director Frank Arnesen has confirmed that the club remain interested in re-signing Tottenham attacking midfielder Rafael van der Vaart.


• Arsenal forward Joel Campbell has claimed that he will spend next season on loan at Real Betis.

• Manchester United and Chelsea have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Axel Witsel after Benfica signalled their willingness to cash in on the Belgium international.