Liverpool have beaten off the challenge of Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain to stand on the verge of a £23million swoop for Henrikh Mkhitaryan, the Daily Mirror reported.

Shakhtar Donetsk midfielder Mkhitaryan is due to fly to Merseyside to undergo a medical, and Liverpool boss Brendan Rodgers is expecting to complete the deal by the end of the week.

Mkhitaryan has been the subject of interest from a host of Champions League clubs, with Chelsea also tracking him at the start of the summer.

***

Andy Carroll, a £35 million buy from Newcastle United in January 2011, was due to fly back from a holiday in the United States to complete the formalities of his £15 million transfer to Upton Park, following a season-long loan with Sam Allardyce’s team last season.

The 24-year-old, who scored seven goals in 24 Premier League appearances for West Ham during his loan, is understood to have agreed a six-year contract worth £100,000 a week in order to complete a permanent move to the London club, the Telegraph reported.

***

Arsenal are in pole position to sign Gonzalo Higuain from Real Madrid after Juventus switched their attentions to landing Manchester City striker Carlos Tevez, the London Evening Standard reported.

The Italian champions have been in negotiations with Real over a deal for Higuain but are so far refusing to increase their bid of £18.7 million for the 25-year-old.

Real are understood to be demanding at least £25.5m and although president Florentino Perez was quoted last week claiming that Juve’s offer would be insufficient, sources remain adamant a deal could be done at around that price.

***

Laurent Koscielny will snub Bayern Munich AND Barcelona to remain at Arsenal, The Sun reported.

Koscielny’s agent, Stephane Courbois, had fuelled talk of a move by confirming that the defender is a summer target for Europe’s top clubs.

But the £15million-rated France international, 27, has now told Gunners boss Arsene Wenger he is happy at the Emirates and is not interested in leaving.

***

Mauricio Isla is hoping to end the summer as an Inter player. “They would be the perfect club for me.”

The Chilean international has just ended a problematic campaign at Juventusafter the Old Lady signed a 50 per cent share in him from Udinese a year ago.

“There is the possibility that I could leave Juventus and Inter have made an offer for me,” the 24-year-old told 24 Horas. “There are talks taking place.

“I just want to play football, that would be ideal for me because I want to be useful and be in the best shape possible for my national team.

“The decision, however, will be made by Udinese and Juventus.”

***

Hull have signed the defender Maynor Figueroa from Wigan on a free transfer. The 30-year-old is a familiar face to the Tigers manager, Steve Bruce, who also signed him when he was in charge of the Latics in 2008, The Guardian reported.

Figueroa has agreed a two-year deal with Hull, who won promotion to the Premier League by finishing second in the Championship.

Talks between Figueroa and the club have been ongoing since the Honduras international's contract with relegated Wigan expired. He becomes Hull's second signing of the summer following George Boyd, whose loan move from Peterborough was made permanent last month.