The January transfer window might seem like a distant memory, but that doesn’t mean the rumour mill has shut down! Speculation over summer moves is heating up, so check out the latest gossip below, and see all official deals here.
TOP STORY: Fernandes’ United future tied to Pogba
The Sun reports that Bruno Fernandes will only commit his future to Manchester United if Paul pogba is also part of the club.
Pogba’s contract ends next June and United are either looking to get him to commit to new terms, or allow him to leave this summer in an effort to recoup a fee rather than lose him on a free transfer. Juventus and Real Madrid have been linked with the French midfielder for the past year and his agent Mino Raiola was quoted as saying in December that his client’s career at Manchester United “is over.”
Fernandes, 26, has been a revelation since joining United from Sporting CP for €80 million in January last year and is reported to be watching the situation closely. United are keen to extend the Portugal international’s stay at Old Trafford, despite it ending in 2025, and they have already approached him with a big-money extension to his current deal. However, it is reported that Fernandes is unwilling to enter talks until he sees how the club performs in the transfer window.
United are looking at a number of big signings this summer — including star Dortmund duo Erling Haaland and Jadon Sancho — but they have failed to land their top targets in previous transfer windows.
Pogba appears to be more settled than at any other time in the last two campaigns, which is good news when it comes to United’s quest to tie both the World Cup winner and Fernandes to lengthier stays.
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13.00 BST: ESPN’s Katie Nolan has some advice for U.S. soccer club owners.
Katie Nolan provides her key takeaways surrounding the European Super League on Highly Questionable.
12.13 BST: Manchester United’s Alex Such isn’t overly happy about his lot in life, says Calciomercato, having failed to nail down a starting place at left-back since arriving at the club from Porto in the summer.
Telles, who holds an Italian passport, is of interest to Juventus and they are willing to offer midfielder Adrien rabiot in an effort to sweeten the deal.
Juve are looking for an experienced replacement for Alex sandro as Gianluca Frabotta is still only 21.
11.45 BST: The Manchester Evening News claims that Man United could move for Real Madrid defender Sergio Ramos if plans to sign his teammate Raphael varane don’t come off.
Varane, 27, is reportedly available for around €50m as his contract expires in 2022, but Ramos could be signed for free this summer if he doesn’t agree new terms himself.
United are keen to land a new defensive partner for captain Harry Maguire, with Eric Bailly ready to reject a new contract and seek a summer move amid concerns over a lack of opportunities under manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, sources have told ESPN.
11.01 BST: Manchester United midfielder Jesse Lingard has said that he considered taking a break from football last year due to issues concerning the mental health of his family and himself.
The 28-year-old, who has nine goals in 10 appearances for West Ham this season since moving on loan, also discussed how coping with his mother’s depression impacted his life on and off the pitch. The interview was conducted in January but was released on Thursday.
Lingard spoke to entertainment show “Presenting” and when asked whether he considered hanging up his boots, he replied: “Not quit football, just have a time out really.
“I was going into games happy sitting on the bench and that’s not me. I was telling my brother the other day: ‘Remember when I was happy sitting on the bench and all this?’
“I didn’t want to play because my mind wasn’t there, I wasn’t focused at all. I was thinking about other things and obviously bottling it all up; trying to play football, you can’t do it.
“Through the years we had the help for her, but even just for me it’s hard to bottle things up. It feels like you’re not the same person. I felt like I wasn’t Jesse Lingard.”
10.28 BST: Santos striker Kaio Jorge is being tracked by Juventus, Roma, AC Milan and Napoli, says Calciomercato.
Jorge, 19, has starred in the Copa Libertadores recently and scored nine goals last year. While Arsenal have also been linked with the versatile forward, Italy’s top clubs seem to be in pole position.
09.57 BST: Tottenham are looking for a manager. ESPN might be able to help them out…
The ESPN FC panel have some fun with Jurgen Klinsmann making the oddsmaker’s list for Spurs next manager.
09.19 BST: Empoli midfielder Samuele Ricci is of interest to Leicester City and Arsenal, says Tuttomercatoweb.
Ricci, 19, has impressed for the Serie B club this season, scoring twice and registering four assists in 32 appearances.
The Italy Under-21 international has a contract until 2022 but is set to leave the club this summer, and both Premier League sides have reportedly reached out to his agent.
08.30 BST: Real Madrid president Florentino Perez has told Spanish radio show El Larguero that the Super League isn’t dead yet, despite eight of the 12 clubs involved announcing their withdrawal.
“The project is on standby,” Perez said. “Juventus haven’t left, Milan neither. We’re all together. Barcelona are reflecting. The first thing we agreed yesterday was to stop, to explain, as we should have done from the start… No-one has paid [a penalty to leave], the 12 are still there, they haven’t left. We signed a binding agreement after a lot of work.”
Perez insisted that the reduction in income caused by the coronavirus pandemic, coupled by waning interest from new generations of fans, had to be met by radical changes to European football beyond those proposed by UEFA in their new Champions League format unveiled on Monday.
“[Big signings] won’t exist without the Super League,” he said. “Not for Madrid or anyone. It’s impossible if the money doesn’t flow.”
He also spent some time talking about Madrid’s transfer plans.
On PSG star Kylian: Mbappe: “If Mbappe doesn’t come this year, no-one is going to shoot themselves. People know how I am. If things don’t happen it’s because they can’t be done. I think the members and fans are happy with my work.”
On Sergio Ramos’ contract negotiations: “I love him like a son, I’ve done what I could for him… But the situation is what it is. He knows it too. We’re finishing off the season… It will depend on the situation of the club.”
On Luka Modric‘s new contract: “We reached a renewal agreement already some time ago. It isn’t the same situation as Ramos.”
On manager Zinedine Zidane: “He has a contract. He’s a legend at Madrid and one day when he leaves he’ll leave as a legend.”
Fenway Sports Group and Liverpool owner John W. Henry apologises after Liverpool leave the European Super League.
PAPER GOSSIP
– Liverpool could be set to return to Marseille with a fresh bid for defender Duje Caleta-Car, according to Le10 Sport. Marseille reportedly turned down a €23m bid from the Reds in January, but Liverpool — if they decide Caleta-Car is a better option than current loanee Ozan Kabak — could be prepared to return with a bigger offer.
– Schalke’s relegation from the Bundesliga could see a number of stars leave the club in the summer, with former Arsenal duo Sead Kolasinac and Shkodran Mustafi both set to be released in June. Calciomercato believes Kolasinac is a target for Italian club Lazio, who are said to be a fan of his physical approach and need additional cover on the left-hand side. Mustafi, meanwhile, is a target for Internazionale, who are looking for reinforcements in defence.
– Burnley are looking to sign former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Nabil Bentaleb when he becomes a free agent in the summer, reports the The Sun. The 26-year-old’s contract expires at Schalke in June, and Burnley are looking to strengthen their squad as they plot a seventh season in the Premier League. Greek side Olympiakos are also said to be keen on Bentaleb, who made 66 appearances for Spurs before leaving for Schalke in 2016.
– The Daily Star believes Manchester United’s hopes of signing Jadon Sancho have improved following the departure of executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward. Woodward is set to leave at the end of the year following the recent Super League debacle, and though he was responsible for United;s interest in Sancho in the past, he never came close to matching Borussia Dortmund’s €120m valuation. United may return to Dortmund with a fresh face at the helm ready to negotiate.
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