Barca want Cahill

The Daily Star runs the story on the back page, suggesting that the European champions Barcelona could take advantage of Cahill's relative youth and the fact that his contract expires this summer to bring in a cut-price replacement for the veteran Carles Puyol.

Their story is supported by a Spanish 'source' who suggests that, “It might seem unbelievable, but Barcelona have been watching Cahill and like the look of him.

“They think he’s comfortable on the ball and very strong defensively, so why not?

“He’s still young and is an England international, so there’s a realistic chance it could happen.”

Scoop of the century, or set to go the same way as last year's mooted swap deal involving Puyol and Steven Taylor (yes, really)? We'll let you decide.

In another spicy piece of transfer tittle-tattle, El Hadji Diouf could be set to take his ego to the Championship in a move to Doncaster Rovers.

The Daily Mail write that the Blackburn Rovers striker, marginalised under new manager Steve Kean, has been talking to Doncaster, as well as the Premier League's Wigan Athletic, about a possible switch.

It would be a big-name signing for new manager Dean Saunders, but Diouf's wage demands and the controversy the striker would bring would both be potential stumbling blocks.

The same paper also suggest that Jonjo Shelvey could be on his way out of Liverpool - briefly, at least - as the young midfielder looks to get his career going with regular first-team football.

Cardiff, Coventry, Birmingham, Hull City and Middlesbrough are all keen on taking the 19-year-old on loan.

Manchester City are 'slammed' by two ex-players today in the back pages - one a bit more stinging than the other.

Jerome Boateng, who left in the summer for Champions League opponents Bayern Munich, puts the boot in to City's ambitions in Europe, saying in The Sun, "They're a huge squad and the team had no sense of togetherness."

In a slightly less vicious barb, Shaun Wright-Phillips, under the Daily Star headline, "Snubbed Shaun's City rap", says, "I was hurting. It's normal. I'm a footballer and footballers love playing."

It's been a tough day for Chelsea players on the back pages, too.

Frank Lampard has had to hit back at critics who've written off his club and country career after a single game on the bench, Fernando Torres has confessed his struggle at the Blues since his £50m move and Petr Cech has admitted that his clash with Orlando Sa in the Carling Cup clash against Fulham last week meant he relived the nightmare of his life-threatening broken skull in 2006.