Todays football Gossip.

Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard has been acknowledged as Real Madrid's number one shift target this summer.

Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti has allegedly met with Barcelona striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Miami, to discuss a possible move to Stamford Bridge.

Real Madrid look set to beat Manchester United and Chelsea to the signing of Benfica winger Angel Di Maria.

Arsenal and Tottenham are sheltered in a head-to-head fight for the signature of £9m-rated Manchester City defender Micah Richards.

Portsmouth and England goalkeeper David James could be in line for a move to Fulham as Arsenal step up their interest in the Cottagers' Mark Schwarzer.

Wigan goalkeeper Chris Kirkland could also be on the move, to Sunderland, as a replacement for Craig Gordon who has failed to convince manager Steve Bruce he is up to the job.

Arsenal have become the latest team to be linked with Chelsea's out-of-contract midfielder Joe Cole, but the player will not decide on his future until after the World Cup.

James Milner has refused to commit his future to Aston Villa and could be in line for a £30m move to Manchester City.

Hamburg's German defender Jerome Boateng has confirmed that he will sign for Manchester City after the World Cup.

Manchester City will play a waiting game for Wolfsburg's Bosnia striker Edin Dzeko, but have no intention of breaking his £34m buy-out clause.

Another Manchester City target - Inter Milan full-back Maicon - says he has no intention of moving to Eastlands, but instead would like to link up with former Inter boss Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid.

Birmingham are preparing a £4.5m offer for Newcastle's 21-year-old striker Andy Carroll.

Fulham have agreed a £2m deal with Lyon for French striker Frederic Piquionne, who was at loan at Portsmouth last season.

Portsmouth have turned down a "derisory" £300,000 offer from Rangers for striker Tommy Smith.

"Sacked" (Daily Mirror), "Rafa Out" (The Sun), "Rafa's £3m Kop Off" (Daily Star), "Rafa is Out" (Daily Mail), "End of Road for Rafa" (Daily Express), "Benitez on the Brink" (Daily Telegraph), "Liverpool offer Benitex £3m to quit" (Guardian), "Benitez set to quit" (The Independent). With the World Cup just over a week away, there is only one story dominating the back pages of Thursday's newspapers.

It is claimed that player power is responsible for Benitez's potential departure from Anfield.

Liverpool's wish list to replace Benitez is thought to include ex-Manchester City manager Mark Hughes, Fulham's Roy Hodgson and former Chelsea boss Guus Hiddink.

Inter Milan are now thought to be monitoring Benitez's situation and are lining up the Spaniard to replace Jose Mourinho who this week joined Real Madrid.

Hiddink meanwhile has ruled himself out of the running to be Inter Milan's next coach, after his agent claimed he was the club's number one choice.

Hull are in talks with former Portsmouth and Crystal Palace manager Paul Hart about becoming their new boss.