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As Gossip Shop prepares for retirement, Paul Scholes could be set for a sensational exit from Manchester United after Stoke allegedly expressed an interest in the former England playmaker.

Scholes, who turns 35 later this year, is frustrated by a lack of first-team opportunities and was only on the bench for the Champions League final.

"Not playing every week is an adjustment you don't like making," Scholes said in the Daily Mail. "You train all week, and you want to play games."

Were Scholes to leave, it would come as something of a bombshell for United fans, who have always thought that the one-club man would only countenance leaving for boyhood heroes Oldham.

But Scholes is nothing if not realistic and, knowing his legs are fading, he is considering a route into management and starts his coaching qualifications this summer.

"I would have thought that next season will be my last one," he continued. "After that, I would not rule out management. Let's see how the coaching goes first."

And this is where Stoke would come in, according to The Mail.

Eager to add some quality to his midfield of massive bruisers, boss Tony Pulis wants Scholes for a season, with a view to coaching while learning the management ropes at the Britannia.

It would suit Scholes logistically, as he would not have to move from his Moors home, and professionally, both in the short and long-term. But, vitally, it is not Oldham.

Other United stars tipped to leave are, of course, Carlos Tevez , and somewhat more languid striker Dimitar Berbatov.

Furthermore, United's inability to match Barcelona in midfield could signal changes, with Michael Carrick, Anderson, Ryan Giggs and Ji-Sung Park shown up for being no more than 'pretty good' as opposed to Andres Iniesta, Xavi and Lionel Messi's 'bl**dy marvellous'.

Some of the names bandied about - Michael Essien, Javier Mascherano, Xabi Alonso, Cesc Fabregas - are not options in the short-term, but an intriguing prospect is Yaya Toure.

Shunned by Arsene Wenger despite Kolo's recommendation, the younger of the Ivorian brothers is hard, fast and skilful. But he is also very, very good, as shown in his effortless conversion to centre-half in the build-up to the biggest game of his career.

Tevez, meanwhile, could oddly be the man that allows Sir Alex Ferguson to bring in some midfield steel.

Liverpool are top of the queue to sign him, but at £25m his purchase would rule out a bid for Gareth Barry unless Mascherano or Alonso were allowed to leave.

Whether the Reds would countenance the sale of a key midfielder to their bitter rivals is open to debate, but if Tevez joins it would be somewhat hypocritical of Rafael Benitez to stand in anyone's way.

A final edition of GS would not be complete without an obligatory Cristiano Ronaldo rumour. But, ever the maverick, GS has been decided that Ronaldo is one man who will be staying at Old Trafford, despite The Sun's insistence that he is due to hand in a transfer request.

The Portuguese heart-throb seemed to be playing for himself in the Champions League final, which may have put Real Madrid off making a £70 million bid.

Franck Ribery, however, would cost around half that and is eager to leave Bayern Munich, what with FC Hollywood being a bit alpha male for the shy winger.

That would annoy Chelsea, who - despite having no manager - were preparing to bring in the Frenchman for the constantly-crocked Joe Cole.

Anyway, the Blues would be better served by looking to bring in defensive cover and a good, young striker to fill the boots of the soon-to-depart Didier Drogba.

Converted left winger Yuri Zhirkov of CSKA Moscow would work as both back-up to full-back Ashley Cole and as a viable alternative to Florent Malouda.

Reports emerged that the Russia star had agreed to join Chelsea, who dismissed it as "paper talk", just how GS likes it.

On a striking tip, Lyon's Karim Benzema and Atletico Madrid's Sergio Aguero score goals for fun (both, eerily, have just over 40 in just over 110 appearances for their clubs) and are frighteningly young at 21 and 20 respectively.

Chelsea will have to splash some cash on those two, but Drogba and Malouda would both be amenable to part-exchange deals if the new manager at Stamford Bridge decides to dispense with their services.

With Liverpool edging closer to Tevez, a move for Barry (who, honestly, would add little to an already excellent midfield) is looking less likely.

Arsenal, however, would love to have a man who can tie his own shoelaces, and could use some of the cash Wenger has allegedly been promised to fund a bid for the England international.

Wenger really should have spent the £4.5m Yaya Toure cost when he joined Monaco from Olympiacos after a failed trial with the Gunners, or even the £6m shelled out by Barca a year later. Barry, meanwhile, would cost at least £12m.

So, this is the end of the Shop, ordered to the knackers' yard after one libel suit too many.

Stay tuned, though, as the unfounded gossip and baseless rumour will continue in an all-new format starting on Monday.

Eurosport