The top stories from papers and websites - 23 January 2013

• Arsenal will attempt to land Barcelona ace David Villa on the cheap - at the end of the transfer window.


• Rafa Benitez has branded World Cup winner Marco Materazzi a liar.


• Alan Pardew is poised to strengthen Newcastle's squad with a swoop for four French players.


• Manchester United and Arsenal are making checks on QPR's Brazilian goalkeeper Julio Cesar.


• Arsene Wenger has cleared the way for Manchester United to sign Wilfried Zaha by insisting: "We never wanted him."


• Alou Diarra has been told he can shove off by Sam Allardyce after the midfielder claimed he had wasted four months of his life at West Ham.


• Scott Sinclair is set to be stuck on the Manchester City bench for the rest of the season.


• Chelsea want goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois to stay at the club.


• Southampton boss Mauricio Pochettino is lining up former Barcelona midfielder Joan Verdu as his first signing.


• Reading winger Jordan Obita is set to join Gillingham on a one-month loan for a second time.

• West Ham midfielder Mohamed Diame has 90 minutes to earn himself a transfer to Arsenal this month


• Rafa Benitez has revealed Roman Abramovich is happy with the progress he is making at Chelsea.


• Manchester United's deal to sign Wilfried Zaha and send him back to Crystal Palace is facing a Football League investigation.


• Barcelona could target Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina if they sell Victor Valdes in the summer.


• Liverpool are preparing a second bid, of £8million, for Inter Milan's Philippe Coutinho.


• Newcastle will make four signings this week as Alan Pardew spends £17million in a determined bid to beat relegation.


• Manchester City are set to battle it out with rivals United for Stoke goalkeeper Asmir Begovic.


• Chelsea winger Marko Marin is a loan target for CSKA Moscow.


• West Ham, QPR and Fulham are chasing Newcastle defender Danny Simpson.


• Wigan boss Roberto Martinez wants Aiden McGeady on loan from Spartak Moscow.


• Norwich have made a second bid to sign striker Gary Hooper from Celtic.


• Neil Warnock is set to snap up striker Dexter Blackstock for £700,000.


• Crystal Palace manager Ian Holloway wants to snap up Swansea starlet Jazz Richards for £750,000.


• Bolton's Spanish defender Marcos Alonso is a shock target for Fiorentina.


• Charlton are set to sign Colchester midfielder Anthony Wordsworth for a cut-price £200,000.


• Dave Jones wants Wolves centre-back Danny Batth to boost Sheffield Wednesday's bid to beat the drop.

• Manchester United are weighing up a sensational swoop for Liverpool goalkeeper Pepe Reina.


• Rafa Benitez has been accused of being a weak manager living in Jose Mourinho's shadow.


• Celtic are convinced they will hang on to striker Gary Hooper after rejecting Norwich's second offer.


• Liverpool are ready to make an increased offer of £8million for Inter Milan midfielder Philippe Coutinho after having their initial bid turned down.


• Newcastle are set to become the Premier League's "oui" club by signing another four Frenchmen this week - taking their Gallic contingent to 10.


• Neil Warnock is set to snap up Dexter Blackstock for Leeds in a £700,000 switch from Nottingham Forest.


• Shaun Maloney says he could not turn his back on Wigan after Roberto Martinez revitalised his career.


• Norwich boss Chris Hughton is lining up a £3million bid for Brighton midfielder Liam Bridcutt.


• Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse is wanted by Nottingham Forest boss Alex McLeish on loan for the rest of the season.


• QPR midfielder Michael Doughty is set for a loan switch to St Johnstone.


• Former Chelsea and Tottenham star Gus Poyet has claimed he wants to become Arsenal's next manager.

• Rafa Benitez's feud with Marco Materazzi yesterday took an extraordinary twist when the Chelsea coach accused the former Inter Milan defender of being 'a liar' 10 times during an amazing outburst.


• Mohamed Diame is threatening to report West Ham to FIFA over fears that the club are trying to renage on his £3.5million release clause.


• Manchester United have signed former Reading goalkeeper Dean Santangelo and hope to finally conclude a £12million deal for Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.


• Danny Simpson is set to leave for free when his contract at Newcastle ends in the summer.


• Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is investigating a loan move for former Celtic winger Aidan McGeady.


• Bursaspor have agreed a loan deal with QPR for defender Anton Ferdinand.


• Celtic have rejected Norwich's improved offer of £5million for Gary Hooper.


• West Brom are keen on Brentford midfielder Harry Forrester.


• Bolton defender Marcos Alonso is a £500,000 target for Fiorentina.


• Birmingham winger Chris Burke hopes to join Nottingham Forest this week.


• Everton are giving a trial to 19-year-old Swedish goalkeeper Jacob Rinne.


• QPR are set to lose Ryan Nelsen earlier than they had hoped after Toronto FC announced he will join them as head coach from February 1.


• And Bursaspor have agreed a loan deal with QPR for defender Anton Ferdinand.


• Wigan manager Roberto Martinez is investigating a loan move for former Celtic winger Aiden McGeady. The Republic of Ireland international, 26, is at Russian side Spartak Moscow.

• Manchester City are considering a move for Stoke goalkeeeper Asmir Begovic.


• Federico Macheda is set for another loan from Manchester United, this time to second-tier Spanish side Elche.


• Liverpool's Luis Suarez is being readied for a shock move by Bayern Munich.


• Manchester United are still in the running to poach Danish wonderkid Viktor Fischer from Ajax.


• They are also keeping tabs on Lille’s highly rated full back Lucas Digne.

• Rafael Benitez renewed hostilities with Sir Alex Ferguson last night by claiming it is "obvious" that the Manchester United manager is continuing to exert undue pressure on match officials.

• Roman Abramovich is "really pleased" with progress at Chelsea, according to the man hired to ensure the club the Russian has lavished with £1billion do not drop out of the Champions League places as well as surrendering the European Cup.


• But Roman Abramovich is lining up Zenit St Petersburg coach Luciano Spalletti as Chelsea's next manager, according to Corriere dello Sport.

• Arsenal are considering a possible move for Manchester United target Victor Wanyama, though the Celtic midfielder is likely to cost more than £10m.

• Sunderland face a battle to sign Mauro Zarate after his agent revealed the player is happy to stay and fight for his place at Lazio.