Football gossip

Liverpool's owners are prepared to keep forward Raheem Sterling, 20, in the reserves rather than allow him to leave for below their valuation. (Daily Mirror) 

Sterling has returned for pre-season training having called in sick for two sessions - but it remains to be seen whether he will take part in the club's pre-season tour, which begins on Sunday. (Guardian) 

The Professional Footballers' Association has said it is prepared to mediate between Sterling and Liverpool. The PFA performed a similar role when former Reds striker Luis Suarez was the subject of a bid from Arsenal in 2013. (Telegraph) 

The fee for Germany international Schweinsteiger is believed to be about £5.75m. (Manchester Evening News) World Cup-winning Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, 30, has agreed to join Manchester United on a three-year contract believed to be worth £7.2m a year. (Bild - in German) 

United may now end their interest in 25-year-old Southampton midfielder Morgan Schneiderlin. The Manchester club had seen a £20m bid for the Frenchman rejected. (Daily Express) 

The Football Association of Ireland will not stand in Martin O'Neill's way if he wants to exit his contract as national coach early to return to club management. At least one bookmaker has suspended betting on the 63-year-old being named as the next manager of Leicester. (Guardian) 

O'Neill's return would be popular among fans, according to former Leicester captain Matt Elliott. (Leicester Mercury) 

Suspended Fifa vice-president Jeffrey Webb, one of seven officials arrested in Zurich in May, has agreed to be extradited to the United States, where he faces corruption charges.(Bloomberg Business) 

Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho has been left frustrated by the club's lack of ambition in the transfer market so far this summer, and is urging the board to provide him with more resources. (Sun - subscription required) 

Watford are targeting 32-year-old Guangzhou Evergrande midfielder Alessandro Diamanti and 30-year-old Hamburg midfielder Valon Behrami. Both used to play for West Ham. (Sun - subscription required) 

Tottenham have turned down a £3.6m bid from Turkish club Galatasaray for 25-year-old Romania international defender Vlad Chiriches. (London Evening Standard)