Press Watch: Abramovich 'determined to bring Rooney to Chelsea'

Redknapp prepares to offload 12 players

The England striker Wayne Rooney was the first name on Roman Abramovich's shopping list after his Chelsea takeover this summer, according to the Sunday Express. And although Everton are adamant their 17-year-old prodigy is not for sale at any price, the Express story says Chelsea will not hesitate in making a tempting bid in the future, probably offering enough money for Goodison manager David Moyes to rebuild his entire team.

The Express also reckons that Chelsea are set to pay £3m to secure the future services of 14-year-old American under-17 international Freddy Adu, with the cash going to the boy's family over a four-year period. Manchester United reportedly pulled out of a deal last week but with Peter Kenyon's Old Trafford contacts book now in their possession, Chelsea want to tie up a deal for the teenager to head off interest from Real Madrid and Internazionale.

The Sunday Mirror says Chelsea tried to lure Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein across London before they moved for United chief Kenyon, with the intention of using Dein as a bait to land Arsène Wenger as manager.

The closure of the transfer window does not prevent Premiership clubs from setting up loan deals and the People says Bolton have Arsenal striker Kanu in their sights after failing to land Tottenham's Sergei Rebrov. The News of the World, however, believes Bolton will make another attempt to sign Rebrov in January.

Sheffield United want to take Newcastle striker Carl Cort on a three-month loan, according to the News of the World, with a £1.5m permanent deal possible later.

The same paper says talks between Alan Pardew and West Ham will open this week with the former Reading manager likely to be offered a £2m deal to take charge at Upton Park, although the People says Reading will demand £800,000 in compensation from the Hammers, who have Nottingham Forest manager Paul Hart as their second choice should the matter not be resolved quickly.

The Leicester midfielder Junior Lewis has turned down a loan move to Conference club Aldershot, reports the People. Lewis is not even a regular for Leicester's reserve side under manager Micky Adams and while Peter Taylor's faith in the player he signed for Leicester from Gillingham has not diminished, his attempts to attract Lewis to Hull have stalled over the player's £9,000-a-week contract.

Portsmouth may have made a flying start to life in the Premiership but manager Harry Redknapp has been told that he cannot strengthen his side further until he cuts the £16m wages bill at Fratton Park, says the News of the World. To that end, Redknapp is ready to offload 12 members of a 42-man squad.

Meanwhile, the same paper reports that Leeds chairman John McKenzie is trying to raise around £10m in order to turn loan deals for Lamine Sakho, Didier Domi, Zoumana Camara, Cyril Chapuis and Solomon Olembe into permanent signings.

The People says Arsenal veteran Martin Keown could get a last hurrah as a player by signing for Celtic while the News of the World believes Aston Villa are planning a £1m swoop for Reading midfielder Steven Sidwell and says Ipswich have not given up on signing Everton striker Duncan Ferguson on loan despite being turned down last week.