UK Back Pages: Chelsea Confident of Signing John Stones and Paul Pogba

Chelsea will make a late flurry of activity in the transfer market, according to the back pages, with no less a pair than Paul Pogba and John Stones joining the club before the transfer window shuts.

The Daily Mirror's lead story is that the Blues are confident of landing both players:

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Thursday's Daly Mirror back page: Pogba heads Jose's £159m spree + Roo drought of this world #tomorrowspaperstoday pic.twitter.com/LJr40tzlXp

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

That, says the paper, would cap a £159 million spending spree.

In the Daily Star, meanwhile, the story is that early pace-setters Manchester City are on the brink of completing a £54 million deal to sign Kevin De Bruyne:

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Thursday's Daily Star back page: BROOser! #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #mufc pic.twitter.com/iN1De3F1DX

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

That was largely in line with reports from German papers elsewhere Wednesday night, and would conclude City's own remarkable summer of signings:

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Bild: DeBruyne set for MCFC medical ahead of 6-year deal. Wolfsburg to get €80m plus €5-8m possible bonuses. SSNHD & DerWesten say €75m fee

— Clark Whitney (@Mr_Bundesliga) August 26, 2015"

But transfer rumours take second place to actual football in Thursday's stories, with Manchester United's return to the Champions League—on the back of Wayne Rooney's return to form—dominating the back pages: 

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Thursday's Daily Express back page: Thank Heaven for that #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #mufc pic.twitter.com/iGwDb5qMkF

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

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Thursday's Independent Sport: Cipriani left out in cold as World Cup dream dies #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers pic.twitter.com/aTS0hgeIXd

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

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Thursday's Guardian Sport: Rampant Rooney ends drought #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #mufc pic.twitter.com/U5gN2Eknp7

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

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Thursday's Times back page: Rooney treble does trick for United #tomorrowspaperstoday #bbcpapers #mufc pic.twitter.com/vDrSVqnVfp

— Nick Sutton (@suttonnick) August 26, 2015"

[Twitter]