Football rumours from today's newspapers

• New AC Milan signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic snubbed a move to Manchester City because of their lack of title credentials. The Swedish striker, 28, reckons City are at least two years away from mounting a serious Premier League title challenge.
  (The Sun)


• Italy international Marco Borriello came close to signing for Manchester City earlier this week, according to his agent. The AC Milan striker was loaned to Serie A side Roma after boss Roberto Mancini's move for the 28-year-old fell through.
  (Daily Mail)


• Hull defender Kamil Zayatte will join Leicester on a season-long loan next week, paving the way for Jimmy Bullard to return to Nigel Pearson's side.
  (Daily Mail)


• Arsenal's attempts to sign PSV Eindhoven winger Ibrahim Afellay could be scuppered by Fiorentina. The Netherlands international is top of the Italian club's most-wanted list.
  (talkSport)


• The Gunners are one of several Premier League clubs eyeing up Dynamo Kiev's highly rated goalkeeper Maxim Koval, who is 17.
  (The Mirror)


• Everton striker James Vaughan will join Sheffield United or Burnley on loan after the 22-year-old failed to secure a move to Premier League Blackpool during the transfer window.
  (The Mirror)


• Swansea are set to snap up Arsenal midfielder Henri Lansbury on loan. The 19-year-old was loaned to Watford, the Swans' Championship rivals, last season.
  (talkSport)

• Liverpool striker Fernando Torres' return to full fitness is ahead of schedule but the club's medical staff do not expect him to reach his physical peak for another month.
  (Daily Mail)


• Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher aims to carry on playing for three more years after being inspired by Manchester United veterans Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes.
  (The Sun)


• New Arsenal striker Marouane Chamakh admits he was left exhausted after the toughest pre-season of his life.
  (The Sun)


• Aston Villa captain Stiliyan Petrov is urging the club to give caretaker boss Kevin MacDonald the permanent manager's job. The Bulgarian says MacDonald is more than capable of stepping up to the role.
  (talkSport)


• Alternatively, Gerard Houllier will head a three-man management team at Villa Park. The Frenchman is to be director of football and will be joined by MacDonald as head coach and Steve Staunton as assistant coach.
  (The Mirror)


• Former Italy coach Roberto Donadoni has also expressed an interest in the vacant manager's job at Aston Villa.
  (The Sun)


• Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher has blamed former Reds manager Graeme Souness for the club's decline during his time in charge from 1991 to 1994. Carragher has his Liverpool testimonial on Saturday.
  (The Mirror)


• Manchester United supporters are being urged to mark the Premier League clash against Liverpool at Old Trafford later this month with an 'old shirt' protest against the club's owners, the Glazer family.
  (Daily Telegraph)


• West Ham's new summer signing Thomas Hitzlsperger faces another two weeks on the sidelines as he struggles to recover from the injury he picked up on international duty for Germany last month.
  (talkSport)


• The joint Spain-Portugal bid to host the 2018 World Cup has been described as "ideal" by the head of the Fifa inspection team.
  (The Independent)

• A "hill of hell" has been installed at Manchester City's training base to improve the team's fitness levels. Players will be forced to run up the 10ft-tall, 25ft-long mound at the Carrington ground. Manager Roberto Mancini has also already had the likes of Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor pulling HGV tyres in training.
  (Daily Mail)


• Former England striker Ian Wright sent Jermain Defoe a text before Friday night's 4-0 win over Bulgaria saying 'you are due a hat'trick'. Defoe then went out and scored one.
  (Daily Telegraph)


• Joe Hart's appearance for England against Bulgaria earned his former club Shrewsbury £500,000 as part of his transfer deal to Manchester City in 2006.
  (Daily Mail)