Liverpool chiefs could turn to Porto coach Jose Mourinho as they search for a successor to Gerard Houllier. (All papers)

Charlton’s Alan Curbishley and Rafael Benitez of Valencia are also believed to be in the running for the vacancy at Anfield.

But there is mounting speculation that Liverpool will turn to Mourinho who has guided Porto to the Champions League final.

Their hopes of landing Mourinho would appear to be slim, however, as he is close to agreeing a deal with Chelsea.

A Chelsea insider is quoted in the Sun as saying: "Jose is not willing to talk to anyone else and all the details of his contract are virtually concluded."

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Chelsea have made a dramatic bid to re-sign Gianfranco Zola from Italian club Cagliari. (Sun,Mirror)

The little Italian striker, who turns 38 in July, has apparently been offered a £50,000-a-week contract to return to Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich made the offer to Zola when he watched his old team’s Champions League semi-final in Monaco.

Zola ended his seven-year spell at Chelsea last summer when he joined Cagliari - the club he supported as a child.

Cagliari, who are virtually assured of promotion to Serie A, have offered Zola a new three-year deal.

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Carlos Queiroz could return to Manchester United as Sir Alex Ferguson‘s assistant after being sacked by Real Madrid. (Mirror, Express)

Queiroz was praised by Ferguson for helping United retain the Premiership title last year.

Ferguson appointed Walter Smith as a stop-gap replacement for Queiroz, but the Portuguese coach could be offered a chance to go back to Old Trafford.

Queiroz said last month that he would welcome a return to English football.

He said: "In England I have friends and it is clear I miss Manchester United. There they valued my work."

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In a story we broke on TheFA.com, Sven-Goran Eriksson has vowed that England will practice penalties at their training camp in Sardinia. (Express, Star)

England suffered penalty heart-break in the 1990 World Cup, the 1996 European Championships and the World Cup two years later.

Eriksson insists nothing will be left to chance again and spot kicks will be on the agenda in Sardinia.

"We practised them in Japan and we will do it again," said the England coach.

We didn’t have to use them in the World Cup in 2002, but we did work on it.

"If you score a penalty it’s expected, but fail and you’ll be criticised. That’s why we must be ready."