Transfer gossip: Manchester’s finest set for Ivan Rakitic bidding war

Barely at Camp Nou a wet Catalan week and the Croatian is already being tipped to be on his January way

Ivan Rakitic has settled in neatly at Barcelona but, understandably given the stellar nature of his new team-mates, is slowly adjusting to a supporting role. The former Sevilla midfielder has made 14 appearances for Barca this season but his agent is said to be testing Premier League waters. The future of Rakitic is being monitored by Manchester clubs United and City, who may pounce in January to bolster their midfield(s) for a 2015 charge on league-leading Chelsea. (Express) Zakaria Bakkali is on the radars of all the big hitters in the Premier League, so naturally the first club to make a move for the Belgian winger is Stoke. The PSV winger, still just 18, is out of contract this summer and has refused a new deal, so Mark Hughes has attempted to jump in ahead of Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester United to secure the signing of a player dubbed 'the next Eden Hazard'. (Express) With Simon Mignolet finally consigned to the bench at Anfield, the word 'GOALKEEPER' has been circled in bright red on Brendan Rodgers' January shopping list. Rodgers could be able to cross that item off, though, if a proposed £3million deal for Mexico stopper Guillermo Ochoa comes through. The World Cup hero is reportedly unsettled at La Liga club Malaga after signing there last summer. (Various) But Rodgers will have to switch direction to boost his striking options after Lyon president Jean Michel Aulas said the club would not be selling £15million-rated France striker Alexandre Lacazette. (Daily Star) Ashley Cole will be offered a return to the Premier League in the form of a shock move to Crystal Palace. Cole has struggled to hold down a place in the Roma's team since leaving Chelsea last summer, and Palace are hopeful of putting together a loan move for the former England full-back. (Daily Mail) Manchester City are in talks to sign Dutch midfielder Wesley Sneijder from Galatasaray for a fee of around £9million. (The Sun) Burnley face a tough decision over striker Danny Ings next month. The England Under-21 striker could leave for free at the end of the season but his goals could be the difference between Premier League survival and a return to the Championship. Should boss Sean Dyche sanction a sale, north-east rivals Newcastle and Sunderland would lead the chase (Daily Star)