The top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday’s newspapers…

THE SUN

Manchester United have already placed Antony on the transfer list following Erik ten Hag’s axe, according to reports.

Sporting Lisbon all but confirmed Manchester United will poach Ruben Amorim after announcing the Red Devils will pay his £8.3m release clause.

DAILY MAIL

Manchester United are currently locked in talks with Sporting Lisbon over Ruben Amorim’s notice period.

Erik ten Hag’s sacking has added chaos to Chelsea’s week, with Enzo Maresca’s analysts having already conducted extensive homework on how Manchester United played under the Dutchman.

Manchester City are adamant that they were not lining up Ruben Amorim to be their next manager – and they remain hopeful that Pep Guardiola will extend his stay at the club.

Former Premier League frontman Emmanuel Adebayor has been urged to become a politician in his native Togo.

Sporting Lisbon are reportedly prepared to let Viktor Gyokeres leave the club next summer, with four Premier League clubs in the race for the Swedish forward.

THE GUARDIAN

Ruben Amorim is set to be confirmed as Manchester United’s manager after Sporting said the Premier League club were ready to pay his release clause of €10m (£8.3m).

Arne Slot has said he is worried about his forward options for Liverpool’s demanding schedule with Diogo Jota ruled out until after the next international break and no timescale placed on Federico Chiesa’s return.

THE TIMES

Manchester United have approached Sporting Lisbon over the €10m release clause for Ruben Amorim as they move closer to appointing him as Erik ten Hag’s replacement.

DAILY TELEGRAPH

Sporting have announced that they are in negotiations for their head coach Ruben Amorim to join Manchester United.

Newcastle United are discussing the possibility of signing Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo in January but manager Eddie Howe is facing tough spending restrictions.

Spain is set to be awarded the 2031 Ryder Cup, meaning that England’s wait to host the biennial showdown will extend into a third decade.

Vinicius Junior’s Ballon d’Or snub was ‘influenced by racism’, commentators in Brazil have claimed, amid the fallout from one of the most controversial decisions in the award’s history.

Joe Marler has fanned the flames ahead of England’s game against New Zealand on Saturday by calling for the All Blacks to get rid of the haka, claiming the pre-match tradition is “ridiculous”.

DAILY MIRROR

Paul Scholes has suggested that Manchester United should shift their focus from top target Ruben Amorim and consider appointing Zinedine Zidane as their new manager instead.

Gianfranco Zola has claimed Cole Palmer shares his footballing vision as he backed the England star to be a future Ballon D’Or winner.

Newcastle United face another financial squeeze after the club’s majority owner, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, confirmed that it would be scaling back its foreign investment.

THE I

Ruud van Nistelrooy expects to leave Manchester United with Ruben Amorim almost certain to bring in his own staff from Sporting Lisbon.

DAILY RECORD

Director John Halsted has held talks about putting a major cash injection into Rangers.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has revealed that Kieran Tierney is ‘quite close’ to making a return from his latest injury setback.

SCOTTISH SUN

Celtic have slapped a massive asking price on loan star Alexandro Bernabei, it’s being claimed.