Gerrard to sign for LA Galaxy as Liverpool line up Berahino

Fresh from proving that he still has what it takes to single-handedly beat a team from League Two, Liverpool talisman Steven Gerrard is said to be finalising a move to LA Galaxy, where he can expect to face a similar standard of opponent on a weekly basis.

The Reds skipper will sign an 18-month deal with David Beckham's old club reports the BBC, witgh more details expected this week. The broadcaster adds that Gerrard will be paid £6m, or around £76,000 a week, for a year-and-a-half's work in glamorous LA.

The MLS season begins in March, meaning that Gerrard will not join up with his new team until mid-way through the season as he will play for Liverpool until the end of the English campaign.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Meanwhile, Liverpool could land Saido Berahino for £20m this month, says The Independent, although it says they face competition from Spurs and opposition from some of those connected to the club.

The paper claims that Berahino's refusal to celebrate any of his four goals against Gateshead in the FA Cup at the weekend was significant, despite claims to the contrary and that West Brom are prepared to let the player leave. "Berahino is understood to be unhappy that he has been portrayed as a difficult individual to manage," says the paper.

Spurs' interest hinges on getting rid of either Roberto Soldado or Emmanuel Adebayor, while Liverpool are also keen "despite their surfeit of strikers" - probably because none of them can score.

But the paper notes that Phil Thompson is not impressed with the idea of Berahino and would like to see Brendan Rodgers sign Gonzalo Higuain or Ezequiel Lavezzi instead.

The Saints are marching on and off the pitch right now with the Daily Star claiming that Southampton are "in pole position" to sign Porto defender Bruno Martins Indi. Arsenal and Manchester United had been linked with the Dutch centre-half but such is Southampton's reputation and league position these days that it seems the 22-year-old would prefer to head to the south coast.

The Star says that the key to the Saints' success is Indi's history with Ronald Koeman. The Southampton gaffer managed him for three seasons at Feyenoord and that should be enough to convince the youngster to sign on at St Mary's this month.

Meanwhile the Daily Express reports that Arsenal and United might try and shake off their disappointment at missing out on Indi by making a play for Newcastle star Ayoze Perez. The 21-year-old arrived from Tenerife last summer and has sharpshooting skills have already made an impression on Tyneside. Tipped to break into the Spanish national squad this year, Perez is being monitored by the Gunners and United and their pursuit has been heightened by recent events at Newcastle. Following the departure of manager Alan Pardew to Crystal Palace the Express alleges that "a number of players are thought to be considering their future" with the young Spaniard among them.

Not so long ago United were said to be weighing up a move for Wesley Sneijder from Galatasaray but Sky Sports says that the Galatasaray midfielder is now being stalked by Juventus. Head coach Massimiliano Allegri has made no secret of the fact he's on the lookout for an attacking midfielder and asked if Sneijder was a possibility, he replied: "Sneijder has tremendous technical quality and would complete an already very strong part of the team, creating competition for places."

Elsewhere and website Caughtoffside reports that French teenage sensation Rayan Souici is the subject of a tug of war between Chelsea and Liverpool. Taking its cue from publication France Football, Caughtoffside goes so far as to say the Blues have agreed in principle to a five-year deal for the 16-year-old midfielder, who is currently with Saint Etienne.

Goal.com says that the self-styled most boring man in football could be on the brink of signing a new deal for the Sky Blues. James Milner, who scored twice in Manchester City's 2-1 win over Championship side Sheffield Wednesday in Saturday's FA Cup tie, is out of contract at the end of the season but Goal.com claims manager Manuel Pellegrini is "eager to ensure that the 29-year-old stays put".

Liverpool are said to be loitering with intent now that Gerrard is off Stateside but asked about Milner's future, Pellegrini replied: "There is no news on the contract for the moment but I hope we will find an arrangement."

Finally, the Daily Mail speculates that Lionel Messi could be contemplating a possible move to Chelsea, a day after being omitted from Barcelona's starting line-up against Real Sociedad. The record-breaking Argentine striker "fuelled rumours that he wants to leave the Nou Camp" when he skipped a public training session on Monday and instead "started following Chelsea on Instagram". Not only that but the 27-year has also begun following Chelsea players Thibaut Courtois and Filipe Luis on the picture sharing website, all of which has left the Mail in a state of high excitement.