GOOD MORNING FOOTBALL FANS
Barcelona are reportedly preparing a triple swoop that includes Manchester United star Paul Pogba, whose contract runs out in the summer.
Barca are also keeping tabs on Borussia Dortmund superstar Erling Haaland and RB Leipzig ace Dani Olmo next summer.
That is according to Mundo Deportivo, who report that Barca have set their sights on the trio after managing to reduce their wage bill from 100 per cent to 80 per cent of their total income.
Meanwhile, Arsenal are preparing a £20million bid for Brugge starlet Noa Lang ahead of the January transfer window.
Lang enjoyed a sensational campaign with the Belgian champions last season with 17 goals and 11 assists.
The winger has carried that superb form into the start of the new campaign where he has already hit the back of the net four times and registered another four assists.
And he also stood out in the Champions League last week when he was named man of the match in his team’s 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
According to Fichajes, the Gunners are impressed with the 22-year-old Dutchman and are thus keeping tabs on him.
And PSG manager Mauricio Pochettino played down a rift with Lionel Messi and defended his decision to substitute the six-time Ballon d’Or winner.
Pochettino said after the Parisians’ last-gasp victory over Lyon, which saw Messi refusing a handshake offer from the former Tottenham boss: “I think we all know we have great players in this 35-man squad.
“Only 11 can play, we can’t play more. The decisions in the game are made for the good of the team and each player.
“Every coach thinks about that. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. Sometimes players like it and sometimes they don’t.
“At the end of the day, that’s why we’re here. These are decisions that have to be made by the coach.
“As for his reaction, I asked him how he was, he said he was okay. That was it. That was our exchange.”
Finally, Chelsea star Andreas Christensen is ready to sign a new deal with the club – after initially being offered a pay cut, SunSport’s Duncan Wright reports.
Christensen has finalised talks with the Blues as the finer points over a new deal, thought to be worth £120,000-a-week, are now being completed before an official announcement.
And it is a fitting reward for the way the 25-year-old has responded to being touted around for sale 18 months ago to now being a first-team regular at Stamford Bridge.
But SunSport understands the Denmark international had initially been so under-valued by the club they tabled an initial contract offer which was lower than the current £78,000-a-week he earns.
