There may be something of a hiatus in terms of serious action for the first team right now, what with midweek internationals and a spare weekend coming up, but that does not deter the transfer speculation machine.

So here's a new name to conjure with - Alexander Hleb. The Mirror goes out on a limb to say that the former Arsenal midfielder, on loan at Stuttgart after leaving the Emirates for Barcelona, is said to be "desperate" for a move back to England with City and Villa vying for his signature.

".... Barcelona claim there has been interest from English clubs as they look to offload him this summer for around £8m.

"Manchester City already have Emmanuel Adebayor, Kolo Toure and another ex-Arsenal player in Sylvinho and are desperate for top quality players this summer."

Meanwhile, over at the Mirror's red-top rival The Sun, the focus is on Carlos Tevez, who wants to overhaul Wayne Rooney at the top of the goalscoring charts. Two more goals at the weekend did his cause no harm, and as Martin Blackburn points out his goals in that see-saw encounter at Stamford Bridge, "...took his league tally to 15, meaning he sits fourth in the scoring charts behind runaway leader Rooney on 23.

"But Tevez has not given up. He said: 'Yes I would like that. It would be an achievement against the league's great players.

"'I just want to keep going at the maximum level for the rest of the season and to help the team to win.'"