Press Watch: Kewell 'ready to reject new contract from Leeds'

Confusion surrounds Defoe's future

Sir Alex Ferguson's hopes of having Harry Kewell may be dashed, even though Leeds' likely asking price for the Australian could be as little as £8m, according to the Mail on Sunday. Its report says Kewell is almost certain to reject a £50,000-a-week offer to remain at Elland Road and will be sold on cut-price terms rather than be allowed to move for nothing when his contract expires in 2004 – but that he has told friends he would prefer to sign for Arsenal.

The Express, however, reckons Ferguson has beaten off all Premiership rivals to Sporting Lisbon's Ricardo Quaresma but there are differences of opinion over whether he is likely to land West Ham's Jermain Defoe. The News of the World says the young striker will stun the Hammers by handing in a transfer request this week, even though the Sunday Mirror reckons he and Joe Cole have pledged their future to Upton Park.

But the Mirror says team-mate Frédéric Kanouté could be on his way out of West Ham, with Liverpool apparently planning to ditch Emile Heskey and sign Kanouté in his place.

The Express believes the Hammers goalkeeper David James can go for £1.5-£2m and names Manchester City as a possible destination, although the Mail says City are leading the chase for Bayern Munich's Oliver Kahn and the News of the World reckons Bolton's Jussi Jaaskelainen is the man Kevin Keegan has picked as Peter Schmeichel's successor.

The People says Keegan wants Steve McManaman and that Birmingham City have ambitious plans to sign the Chilean striker Marcelo Salas on a year's loan from Juventus.