TRANSFER BATTLES: Benteke, Reina, Jesus Navas, Higuain, Damaio, David Villa, Rooney, Fabregas, Wanyama, Podolski, Mourinho.

It may be just two weeks since the end of the season, but Liverpool already have a striker crisis for the next campaign, according to the Daily Telegraph.

Much depends on further tests on the ankle ligaments of Daniel Sturridge, but the injury he suffered on England duty is not good, and it could be four months until his return to fitness.



Meanwhile Luis Suarez’s future is in significant doubt with the striker appearing to agitate for a move while away with his national team – but even if the Uruguayan stays at Anfield, he will still be unavailable through suspension for the first six matches of the campaign.



That leaves Fabio Borini and (technically, at least) Andy Carroll on the books, although Brendan Rodgers is believed to have all but sealed the £7.7m transfer of Iago Aspas from Celta Vigo.



If Suarez is lured to Madrid, the Daily Mail suggests that Rodgers will join the race for Aston Villa striker Christian Benteke.



The 22-year-old has publicly declared his preference to end up at Arsenal, but Atletico Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham and Manchester City are all in the hunt for his signature.



Liverpool may also need to plan for life without Pepe Reina, with the goalkeeper hotly-tipped for a move to Barcelona.



Manchester City, meanwhile, are closing in on Jesus Navas, with the Sevilla manager Unai Emery admitting of the winger that: “Everything indicates he will leave.”

The diminutive winger Jesus Navas has confirmed he wants to join Manchester City.

Sevilla are demanding more money after talks over an £18m fee hit an impasse. Navas said: ‘I really like Manchester City. They have put everything into trying to sign me so that I can be there and that is welcome.'

Another man set to leave La Liga is Gonzalo Higuain. After scoring in Real’s 4-2 victory over Osasuna on Saturday night, Higuain signalled his intent to leave the Bernabeu.

‘I am leaving Real Madrid, the decision has been made, I feel the time is right and I want a change of scenery,' he said. I have not decided where I will go, but the club already know that I want to go. It was my decision.

’I feel that this is the end of my cycle here. I came here for £10million and I am leaving for more.’

While everything points to a move toJuventus, the soon-to-be-ex-Real striker is also attracting interest from Arsenal, suggests the Daily Mirror

Tottenham target Leandro Damiao has admitted he would prefer to play for a club in the Champions League but does want to join a side that share his high ambition.

'I know of Tottenham’s interest in me but I am happy to wait until the president of my club lets me know something official,' he told the Sunday Mirror.

'I would prefer to play in a team that is in the Champions League, but the most important thing is that they share the same ambition that I have.'

Tottenham will now shift focus to Benfica and Spain international Rodrigo. The 22-year-old’s potential excites manager Andre Villas-Boas, and could pave the way for Spurs to bring in a more experienced striker such as David Villa to partner him.



Arsene Wenger has admitted that he would not turn down the chance to sign unsettled Manchester United striker Wayne Rooney.

‘Rooney could be an interesting player for everybody in the world, who would turn him down?’ Wenger told Al Jazeera. 

‘David Moyes' first challenge is to go in to Manchester and bridge the gap between him and Rooney.

‘If that is feasible or not depends on his personality and if Rooney bears a grudge or not, we will see. It will be interesting to see how that will be handled.’



The French man is also interested in bringing former captain Cesc Fabregas back to the Emirates and believes the midfielder is suffering from a lack of first-team action at Barcelona.

Under the terms of his move to the Nou Camp back in 2011, the Gunners could be offered the chance of re-signing the Spaniard for as little as £20million should Manchester United, who are keen on signing the former Arsenal captain, formalise their interest.

'I think at the moment he's lacking the confidence of being a regular player,' added Wenger. 'Recently he has not been that.

'Cesc is such a passionate player, a player of such quality, that it must hurt him not to play in every single game. That's what he misses. When you come in and out you never play with full confidence.'



Victor Wanyama has set his heart on joining Arsenal this summer, but his agent is scared that the North London giants might be too big a club for the Celtic midfielder.

Jean-Marie Abeels reared the £10million midfielder at his JMJ Youth Academy on the outskirts of Nairobi and is in weekly contact with his parents.

And the Belgian coach claims Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger has already made overtures concerning Wanyama — and that the player wants to go.

‘Victor’s father Noah calls me almost every week and he tells me Arsenal’s interest is big.

‘Wenger spoke to Celtic around a month ago and Victor’s father and his mother Mildred says he would prefer to go there before any other club.

‘I will be speaking to his parents again in a week’s time and Victor also. But I already know that Arsenal have a big interest in the player.

‘Everything can change in a minute. It takes just one phonecall.

‘It’s all a bit of a show at the moment. It’s all a game. It’s all about money.

‘But Victor wants to go to a club where he will play.

‘He is still young and I have told him he needs to be careful about when he takes the really big step.

‘I think myself that it’s better that he has a step in between before going to the really big level.’

If Arsenal is to be Wanyama’s destination, one man who would be delighted is Emirates midfielder Aaron Ramsey



Asked about the prospect of Wanyama joining the Gunners, he said: ‘If Arsenal get to sign Victor Wanyama, I will be the first to welcome him.

‘I have watched him play for Celtic, I watched him score against Barcelona and I think he is a great player. Whether he will join us is for other people to decide.

‘He is one player I have read many clubs in England are chasing and I have no doubt he has great talent.’ 

Borussia Dortmund are considering a swoop for Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski. Podolski scored 16 goals in his opening campaign at the Emirates after his £11m switch from Cologne last summer.

But Arsene Wenger could face a fight to keep the 27-year-old with Dortmund, who have lost Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich, ready to swoop.

The German side need to bolster their attacking options with Gotze leaving and Robert Lewandowski also the subject of a summer move.

And we are going to end today's battle with Jose Mourinho as the Portuguese has confirmed he will take charge of Chelsea later this week.

The Special one appears to have said much on Spanish TV football show Punto Pelota:

“I’m going to London on Monday and at the end of the week I will be the manager of Chelsea. I feel the people there love me and in life you have to look for that. Life is beautiful and short and you must look for what you think is best for you.”