Liverpool are pressing on in their pursuit of Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan from Ukrainian side Shakhtar Donetsk. The 24-year-old netted 25 goals for Shakhtar last season and that has led to interest from elsewhere, with Liverpool being joined by Juventus and Borussia Dortmund in the chase. Brendan Rodgers wants to add him to his midfield and is ready to offer the release fee of £20m to land him but that would be a significant hit on his finances. The Reds would be looking to generate money from sales with the hope that Andy Carroll accepts the terms on offer from West Ham and they can reclaim around £17m from that deal.

Peter Odemwingie has spoken out to claim that he expects a move away from West Bromwich Albion this summer. The 31-year-old Nigerian striker thought he had sealed a switch away from the Hawthorns in January but his proposed move to QPR failed to materialise and it resulted in the breakdown of his relationship with the Baggies and the club's fans. As a result Odemwingie has always stressed that he wants to move this summer with Swansea and newly-promoted Crystal Palace targeting a swoop for the £3million-rated forward. West Brom boss Steve Clarke has refused to be drawn on the speculation but he did suggest the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later. And Odemwingie has broken his silence to claim he will not be at West Brom at the start of the new season. He told the BBC: "It looks like I will leave the Hawthorns. We are talking now - but where I'll end up I don't know. "I want playing time. Even if it is a team that is not so good, from the Championship - I will go there as I just want to play." "I thought things could be done easier, there was a new manager who came in and it didn't go in my favour. I was moved out of my position. I made a name for scoring goals," he added. "I got used to winning player-of-the-month awards. But I'd have a few games, I was in form, but didn't play - I wanted to move on."

Hull are stepping up their search for a new striker and are being linked with moves for Johan Elmander and Charlie Austin. Former Bolton striker Elmander is currently with Galatasaray and reports in Turkey claim the Tigers have been in touch with a view to taking him back to the Premier League. The Sweden international is available for transfer after slipping down the pecking order at Galatasaray and as long as his personal terms are not too high, a deal could be on the cards. Elmander was hardly prolific during his time at the Reebok Stadium, but he chipped in with some crucial goals and his work rate was badly missed when he left the Trotters on a free transfer. Meanwhile, Burnley striker Austin is also a target after bagging over 20 goals for the Clarets in the Championship last season. Burnley are holding out for £7million and a host of other clubs are also keen. Darren Bent remains on Steve Brice's shopping list and after signing Maynor Figueroa yesterday, the Tigers boss has set his sights on finding a striker capable of getting the goals to keep the club in the Premier League.

Crystal Palace have joined Swansea in the race to sign West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie, who is desperate to leave the Hawthorns. Odemwingie is heading for the exit door after seeing a move to Queens Park Rangers fail to go through during the January transfer window, and he could finally get his wish of a move to London. Eagles boss Ian Holloway also tried to land Odemwingie back in January but the Baggies were unwilling to do a loan deal and the striker stayed in the West Midlands. Holloway is now set to pursue a permanent deal after winning promotion to the Premier League, but he will face strong competition from his Swansea counterpart Michael Laudrup. Laudrup has also put a new striker at the top of his wanted list and after missing out on a number of targets already this summer, could now turn to the 31-year-old to bolster his attack.

Crystal Palace have joined Swansea in the race to sign West Brom striker Peter Odemwingie, who is desperate to leave the Hawthorns. Odemwingie is heading for the exit door after seeing a move to Queens Park Rangers fail to go through during the January transfer window, and he could finally get his wish of a move to London. Eagles boss Ian Holloway also tried to land Odemwingie back in January but the Baggies were unwilling to do a loan deal and the striker stayed in the West Midlands. Holloway is now set to pursue a permanent deal after winning promotion to the Premier League, but he will face strong competition from his Swansea counterpart Michael Laudrup. Laudrup has also put a new striker at the top of his wanted list and after missing out on a number of targets already this summer, could now turn to the 31-year-old to bolster his attack.

Galatasaray are being linked with a £13million swoop for John Obi Mikel, who could be surplus to requirements at Chelsea. The 26-year-old midfielder only signed a new five-year deal with the Blues last December but the return of Jose Mourinho to Stamford Bridge has cast serious doubt over his future. The Nigerian often had to play second fiddle to the likes of Michael Essien during Mourinho's previous spell in charge of the club and there have been suggestions that could be case again this time around. Essien will be back at Stamford Bridge and ready to battle for his place again after a season on loan with Mourinho at Real Madrid, while the Portuguese is also targeting a move for Benfica midfielder Nemanja Matic. It means Mikel will be pushed further down the pecking order and if Galatasaray come in with an offer of £13million, there is every chance it will be accepted.

Laurent Koscielny is set to snub interest from Barcelona and Bayern Munich to remain with Arsenal, reports have claimed. The defender is said to be a top target for both clubs following an outstanding season at the heart of the Gunners defence and his agent Stephane Courbois added fuel to the fire over the weekend by suggesting a move could happen. Barca and Bayern are willing to pay £15million, however the 27-year-old is happy at the Emirates Stadium and has told boss Arsene Wenger he will still be an Arsenal player next season. Koscielny wants to win silverware but he is ready to give the Gunners another season as Wenger prepares to go on a £70million spending spree this summer. Wenger is targeting another central defender with Ashley Williams his top target but the Swansea star will be brought in to play alongside Koscielny, not replace him. However it could spell the end of Thomas Vermaelen, with Wenger happy to cash in on the Belgium defender if the price is right.

Newly-promoted Crystal Palace have been linked with West Brom outcast Peter Odemwingie. Odemwingie expected to depart the Hawthorns this summer after the relationship between the club and player broke down following a failed move to QPR in January. It has now been suggested that Palace are keen to snap up the 31-year-old Nigerian, who is valued at around £3million by the Baggies. West Brom boss Steve Clarke, however, refused to be drawn on the speculation but he did suggest the situation will be resolved sooner rather than later. "It's a situation that will be resolved over the summer. That's why we have got a technical director and a chairman who like to do deals," he told the Express & Star. "That's their job. It would be nice if people stopped asking questions on it. It will be resolved in its own time and hopefully there will be a resolution."

Norwich new-boy Ricky van Wolfswinkel believes he can take the club to the "next level" following his move from Sporting Lisbon. Van Wolfswinkel feels there is already a good squad in place at Norwich but believes he can help the team improve following his £8.5million move from Sporting Lisbon. "I am sure I can help take Norwich to that next level now," said Van Wolfswinkel. "There is already a great team there and I hope I can add to that." The Dutchman grabbed 15 goals in the Portuguese top flight last season and is confident he will prove to be a success in the Premier League. Van Wolfswinkel also paid tribute to Chris Hughton and admits he is looking forward to the prospect of working alongside the Canaries boss next season. He added: "Like every coach wants when they bring in a striker, he (Hughton) wants goals. Simple. "He knows my qualities and said to me, 'just use them and you will score goals which will be really important for the team'."

Sunderland boss Paolo Di Canio has vowed to punish any player who returns from their summer break much heavier than when they left. The controversial Black Cats boss claimed the squad that he inherited at the club was not fit enough to compete properly in the Premier League and has vowed to get them fitter. He now claims that anyone who returns weighing 2kg more than when they left at the end of last season will be heavily fined. Speaking to reporters, Di Canio said: "Obviously the players have a programme to follow so that they are ready when pre-season begins. "When we start, we will not start that heavy, but there will still be a great deal to do and they have to be ready. "Everyone who comes back with more than 2kg over what their weight should be, we're going to fine them. We test them before they go so everyone knows how they finished the season."

Stoke have reported a surge in season ticket sales following the appointment of Mark Hughes as the club's new manager. The appointment of Hughes was greeted with a mixed reaction among the Potters faithful, but it has not hit season ticket sales, quite the opposite in fact as the club have reported an increase in sales. Chief executive Tony Scholes says sales have almost doubled from what they expected during the 'mid-price' period and says Hughes' side should be playing in front of a packed Britannia Stadium again next season. "We finished the launch period 15 per cent down on last year. While being disappointed that we were down at all, to put that into context we had still sold 16,500 season tickets at that point and we had sold an awful lot more than many people were expecting us to," he told The Sentinel. "Since we have closed the launch period and have gone back on sale with mid-priced tickets, and appointed Mark Hughes, we have had a good response and have sold a further 1,000 tickets. "We would normally sell 500 to 600 at the mid-price. So, we have sold a total of 17,500 now and we have been very encouraged by the recent increase in season-ticket sales. "It gives us great reason to be optimistic that once again we are going to be playing to sell-out crowds next season."

Brentford have snapped up young Everton defender Jake Bidwell for an undisclosed fee after his successful loan at the club. The left-sided defender did not appear to feature in Roberto Martinez's plans and has now moved on a permanent basis after agreeing a contract that will keep him at Griffin Park until the summer of 2016. Bidwell came through the Everton academy and made his first-team debut in a Europa League tie against BATE Borisov in December 2009 but has been on loan for two successive seasons at Brentford, making 75 appearances for the Bees. Brentford's sporting director, Mark Warburton, said: "We are absolutely delighted to see a young player of Jake's talent and ability commit his long term future to the club."

Cardiff boss Malky Mackay is one of a number of managers who has missed out on South Korean star Son Heung-Min. The 20-year-old had been linked with a switch to Cardiff, as well as other Premier League sides, but instead he has opted for the Champions League where he has joined Bayer Leverkusen for £8.5m. Cardiff were hoping to persuade the striker to join up with Kim Bo-kyung, who is already in south Wales, but instead he has left Hamburg for Leverkusen. Thies Bliemeister, the 6ft striker's agent, told German newspaper Bild: "Liverpool, Tottenham, Fulham, Southampton and Cardiff were interested in concrete terms. "I think, at clubs like Liverpool and Tottenham he would also be able to play."

Steven Reid has agreed a one-year extension with West Brom, after previously indicating he was ready to leave the Hawthorns. It had seemed as if the 32-year-old was set to leave the Baggies earlier this month after talks over a new deal broke down. However, the club have managed to convince the former Republic of Ireland defender to agree new terms and Reid is delighted to have put pen to paper on an extension. "I am absolutely delighted to be staying, I never wanted to leave and I am happy we have reached an agreement," Reid told Sky Sports. "I am looking forward to reporting for pre-season and hope we can build on last year's outstanding achievement in finishing eighth in the Premier League."

Fulham midfielder Steve Sidwell feels the club must bring in new faces in the summer if they are to progress. The Cottagers finished 12th after a disappointing end to the season last time out, and Sidwell admits his side were guilty of inconsistency over the course of the campaign. "People would probably describe our season as a rollercoaster. We had some ups and downs and we didn't finish as high as we would have liked but there were still positives to be taken," he told the club's official website. "On our day we are a very good side, perhaps we just struggled for a bit of consistency at times. We played well in patches and, at the same time, know that we could have played better in other parts of the season." Boss Martin Jol has already been busy in the transfer market and managed to capture long-term target Maarten Stekelenburg from Italian side Roma earlier this month. The Cottagers have also signed Derek Boateng and Fernando Amorebieta, and Sidwell hopes the club continues to strengthen before pre-season gets underway. He added: "It's important to get those new players in early and get the squad nice and settled ahead of the new campaign. "I'm looking forward to seeing who else comes in, as last summer we saw the arrival of some very good players."

Arsenal target Nani insists he may remain with Manchester United despite the speculation surrounding his future. The Portugal international endured a frustrating campaign last season, producing inconsistent performances as he struggled to secure regular action. Nani has entered the final year of his deal at Old Trafford and speculation is rife that he could well be on the move this summer, with Arsene Wenger known to be keen. Galatasaray saw a bid in the region of £6million rejected earlier this month but the Turkish giants insist they will not return with an improved offer as they are not willing to match United's £8.5million asking price. The likes of Monaco and Juventus have also been credited with an interest in the 26-year-old but Nani claims he may yet remain with United. "My future? Nothing is certain," Nani told reporters. "I am calm. I have everything in my hands. "I am not saying that I will not continue at Manchester United. I will think about what is best for me." Wenger would be happy to match United's asking price but agreeing personal terms with the player could be a problem and the Gunners boss will not be willing to break the current pay structure to land him.

Liverpool are being linked with a move for Bafetimbi Gomis but face stiff competition from Premier League rivals for the Lyon striker. As well as Reds boss Brendan Rodgers, Cardiff are also interested as are their arch rivals Swansea, and Chelsea have all been credited with an interest which is why the price quoted is as much as £12m to land him. Arsenal have previously been linked with Gomis, as have Chelsea, but the France international appears to be in no rush to move on, although he has said he would be ready if an attractive offer were to come in. He Telefoot: "After sometimes being substitute in Lyon, it has hardened me, and I am happy. "If one day it is time for me to go to a big club in Europe, then I will already have shown how strong I am."

Borussia Dortmund's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke insists Chelsea target Robert Lewandowski will not be leaving this summer. Lewandowski has made his feelings very clear and revealed that he expected to join Bayern Munich during the close season, although Watzke is certain he will not be sold to a Bundesliga side. The Pole will be out of contract next summer, meaning he could leave on a free transfer. Dortmund are reportedly prepared to sell and with Bayern Munich ruled out of the running rumours have been growing that Manchester City, Chelsea and Real Madrid are all considering offers. Despite the recent reports, Watzke feels confident the Bundesliga and Champions League runners-up will still have the 24-year-old within their squad when the new campaign gets underway. Watzke said: "Robert will definitely be playing for Borussia Dortmund next season. We need this security to be able to plan (for the season)."

Spurs have been linked with Wigan star James McCarthy but the Latics have slapped a massive price tag on his head. The Latics have put a value of £20m on the Republic of Ireland international and are determined to ensure that he does not walk away from the DW on the cheap. Everton have also been linked but that sort of price tag is likely to put off would be buyers, and even though Spurs could run to such a fee it is unlikely that Andre Villas-Boas will sanction a bid. Wigan have already rejected an £8m bid from Fulham for the 22-year-old, who has three years remaining on his contract, but a deal looks unlikely unless Wigan drop their asking price.

Southampton have again been linked with Celtic star Gary Hooper and are considering an £8million move for the striker. Celtic are keen to keep hold of the striker but the SPL side accept that the player may wish to move on this summer. Saints boss Mauricio Pochettino is desperate to add another goalscorer to his side to ease the pressure on Rickie Lambert and reports suggest Saints are keen on Hooper, having been linked with the striker in the past. Hooper has also been linked with relegated Reading and newly promoted Hull City but Southampton will move ahead of them both in the battle for the forward's signature if they get close to Celtic's asking price.