Press Watch: Liverpool hope to recruit Shearer at the end of the season

Everton join race for Ferguson and Manchester City close in on McManaman

Alan Shearer is out of contract at the end of the season and speculation has begun about the former England striker's future. The Sunday Mirror says Shearer is on the verge of signing a new one-year contract with Newcastle worth £2.5m, but the News of the World says Liverpool are hoping to recruit the striker.

For the moment, there is more likely to be transfer activity across Stanley Park. The People says that Everton may join Blackburn Rovers in the chase to sign Barry Ferguson, the Rangers captain, whom the Sunday Mirror says also interests Manchester City. Everton could also find themselves competing with Blackburn over Tomasz Radzinski, who according to the People is a Graeme Souness target. The News of the World also says Everton want to sign Gerardo Torardo, a Mexican midfielder, on a one-year loan from Seville with a view to a permanent move.

The People says Leicester City are interested in taking Liverpool's Emile Heskey back to his former club. It says Heskey, sold to Anfield for £11m, could be available for around £5m.

The Sunday Mirror and News of the World say Middlesbrough could follow up their signing of Gaizka Mendieta by recruiting his fellow Lazio midfielder, Christian Manfredini.

Ricardo, the Manchester United goalkeeper, could be going back to Spain, but opinion is divided as to where: the Sunday Mirror and Sunday Express say Atletico Madrid, while the News of the World and the People say Racing Santander on loan.

The Sunday Mirror says Manchester City hope to sign Steve McManaman from Real Madrid this week and that City are interested in Chelsea's Mario Melchiot. The News of the World says City want Leicester's Muzzy Izzet, and the People link them to Sunderland's Michael Gray and Nottingham Forest's Andy Reid.

Darren Huckerby, meanwhile, could be leaving Manchester City for either Leicester (Sunday Mirror) or Portsmouth (News of the World). The Sunday Express says Portsmouth could move for the Perugia left-back Fabio Gross, while the People says Pompey are interested in the Croatian striker Goran Lubojevic. The Sunday Mirror says Portsmouth want to sign the striker Lomana LuaLua from Newcastle, who are also ready to let Nolberto Solano leave for £3m.

Portsmouth have failed to recruit Mark Bosnich, the former Chelsea goalkeeper, according to the People. It says Bosnich, who is serving a ban for drugs, feels he would be unable to cope with a return to the spotlight.

The News of the World says Tottenham are on the brink of pulling out of a £7.6m move to sign Diego, Santos's 18-year-old Brazilian midfield prodigy, while the Sunday Mirror says the Brazilian-born midfielder Alex, who plays in Japan for Shimizu S-Pulse, has turned down a move to Leeds United.

The News of the World says Wolverhampton Wanderers have offered Emerson, Atletico Madrid's Brazilian midfielder, a £20,000-a-week contract. Southampton have agreed to pay the Moroccan club Raja Casablanca £1.5m for the striker Hachim Aboucherouane, says the News of the World.

The People says Bolton Wanderers want the Brazilian defender Julio Cesar, who is back at Real Madrid after a loan spell at Real Sociedad. The News of the World and People say Bolton are close to signing Sunderland's defender Emerson Thome on a year-long loan deal.

The News of the World says Sunderland have agreed to let Tore Andre Flo move to Siena on a year's loan with a view to a permanent £1m move and that Claudio Reyna will join Fulham.