Press Gossip - 2024

Liverpool winning the league will bring about the end of the world. The only way to stop it is to void the season.
 


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Saturday's Newspapers:
14th March 2020


the sun

A growing number of clubs want the Premier League season abandoned in a move which would deny Liverpool a first title win since 1990.
West Ham chief Karren Brady says "there is no dodging the possibility" that the season will have to be scrapped.
Aston Villa and Brighton plan to donate to homeless charities food prepared for today's postponed home games against Chelsea and Arsenal.
Paul Pogba has told his social media followers to "dab to beat coronavirus" by coughing into their elbows.
Incoming Chelsea winger Hakim Ziyech wants his new club to sign his Ajax pal Andre Onana as well.


the times

FA chairman Greg Clarke has told the Premier League he does not think it is feasible to finish this season's Premier League.


daily express

Mikel Arteta has added Wolves forward Diogo Jota to his summer shopping list at Arsenal.
Juventus will bid £25m for Chelsea left-back Emerson Palmieri in the summer.
Chelsea are interested in signing Manchester United youngster Angel Gomes.


daily mail

Premier League clubs may refuse to play when the season is due to resume next month because of widespread concerns about their players' fitness and the integrity of the competition.
Premier League's out-of-contract stars including Willian, Adam Lallana and Jan Vertonghen could be left in limbo if season ends after their deals expire on June 30 following coronavirus delay.
Sports insurers have become inundated with enquiries from the world of football, with clubs desperately trying to discover if they are covered for losses due to coronavirus.


daily telegraph

Liverpool are still likely to be crowned Premier League champions, even if the coronavirus crisis causes the season to be abandoned amid mounting fears it would be *impossible to complete it this summer. Ha ha ha ha ha! Poor chaps, give it to them as they've been waiting 30 years !!

Premier League clubs are being tested for coronavirus via the NHS rather than through private medical clinics due to Government guidelines.
Chelsea will keep their Cobham training ground in lockdown for the foreseeable future after Callum Hudson-Odoi tested positive for the coronavirus.


daily mirror

The Champions League could be heading for a major revolution with quarter-final and semi-finals ties being played over one leg.
Sean Dyche admits it is inevitable Burnley will one day sell rising star Dwight McNeil.


daily star

Executive vice chairman Ed Woodward is "disappointed" Manchester United's season has been suspended due to the spread of the coronavirus.
Manchester United have been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Paulo Dybala after Juventus stepped up their contract renewal talks with the playmaker.


daily record

Neil Lennon has slapped down suggestions Kristoffer Ajer is heading for a summer exit from Celtic.



West Ham United's vice-chairman Karren Brady says that the Premier League season has to be declared void if no more fixtures are possible. (Sun)

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has decided not to give his squad any extra time off during the coronavirus-enforced break. (Mail)

Many clubs' scouting checks and due diligence for recruitment have been significantly hampered by travel bans, games being played behind closed doors and league suspensions. (Independent)

The Champions League could be completed with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being played over one leg. (Mirror)

Premier League clubs may refuse to play when the season is scheduled to resume in April because of concerns about their players' fitness and the integrity of the competition. (Mail)

West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur are under pressure to complete their home games with several summer events already booked in at their stadiums. (Mirror)


Arsenal are considering a summer move for Wolves' Portuguese forward Diogo Jota, 23. (Mail)

Juventus are targeting Lyon's 21-year-old Frenchman Houssem Aouar as an alternative midfield option to Manchester United's France international Paul Pogba, 26. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Chelsea are keen on signing Manchester United's English midfielder Angel Gomes, 19, on a free transfer at the end of the season. (Metro)

Manchester United are leading the race to sign Borussia Monchengladbach's 23-year-old Switzerland midfielder Denis Zakaria, who is also being tracked by Liverpool, Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund.(Sky Germany, via Mirror)

Barcelona have agreed to sign Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez from Inter Milan this summer and will give the 22-year-old a £16m-a-year contract. (Star)

Juventus will make a £25m offer for Chelsea's Italy full-back Emerson Palmieri in the summer after having a bid for the 25-year-old rejected in January. (Express)

Lazio want to sign Chelsea's French striker Olivier Giroud, 33, and AC Milan's Italian midfielder Giacomo Bonaventura, 30, when the pair become free agents at the end of the season. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

Barcelona and Real Madrid are both monitoring Lyon's 16-year-old French forward Rayan Cherki. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Burnley manager Sean Dyche says it is inevitable the Clarets will one day have to let English winger Dwight McNeil leave but claims they are under no pressure to sell the 20-year-old. (Mirror)


 


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Sunday's Newspapers:
15th March 2020


mail on sunday

Chelsea have joined the race for Barcelona's Marc Cucurella as the Premier League club look to recruit a left-back to bolster their defensive options.
Benjamin Mendy's relative has been given the all clear from coronavirus after paramedics rushed to the Manchester City defender's home.
A growing number of Premier League clubs fear that even the postponement of Euro 2020 will not be sufficient to save this season in the face of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Premier League are likely to face legal action from relegated clubs if they decide to end the season now with the table as it stands.
The financial implications of postponements and cancellations due to coronavirus will be huge with the FA alone facing a £20m loss.
Everton have lined up a £200m naming rights deal for the club's proposed new stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock with Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov.
The six National League games that went ahead enjoyed a combined 16 per cent rise in attendances after Premier League and EFL games were postponed due to coronavirus



sunday telegraph

Uefa will consider moving Euro 2020 to December in an attempt to enable the Premier League and other club competitions to catch up this summer following the unprecedented sporting chaos caused by coronavirus.


sunday mirror

Carlo Ancelotti will make Brazil defender Gabriel his first signing this summer for Everton.
Newcastle plan to throw Manchester United defender Phil Jones a summer Premier League lifeline.
Jude Bellingham is set to decide which club to transfer to after four met Birmingham's asking price.
Real Madrid have made Liverpool forward Sadio Mane their top target during this summer's transfer window.
Shanghai Shenhua will demand Manchester United pay £15m to keep forward Odion Ighalo.


daily star sunday

English football is set to lose a crushing £10bn if the 2019-20 season ends early because of coronavirus.
Arsenal are plotting a move for West Ham's Issa Diop as Mikel Arteta sets about ironing out their defensive frailties.


the sun on sunday

Tottenham and West Ham are under increasing pressure to complete their remaining home games so their stadiums can be used for extra events booked in.
Next month's Grand National will be cancelled, according to the MP for the Aintree area of Liverpool.
Manchester United are considering offering on-loan Sheffield United goalkeeper Dean Henderson a new deal to ward off interest from Chelsea.


Uefa is considering moving Euro 2020 to December to allow enough time for the Premier League and other club competitions to complete their fixtures over the summer, following disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic. (Sunday Telegraph)

Manchester City forward Riyad Mahrez, 29, is considering a move to Paris St-Germain, who have shown an interest in signing the Algeria international in the summer. (Calciomercato via Express)

PSG expect their Brazil forward Neymar, 28, to leave in the summer and return to his former club Barcelona for 150m euros (£136m). (Marca - in Spanish)

Barcelona are preparing to end their interest in Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30. (Sunday Express)

Real Madrid have made Liverpool and Senegal forward Sadio Mane, 27, their top summer transfer target. (Mirror)

Manchester United are preparing to offer on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 23, a new £100,000-per-week deal to fend off interest from Chelsea. (Sun on Sunday)

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti will make Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel, 22, his first signing this summer in a £30m deal. (Mirror)

Chelsea are preparing an £85m bid for Bayer Leverkusen and Jamaica winger Leon Bailey, 22, after watching him play for the Bundesliga side in the Europa League. (Sunday Express)

Chelsea have joined the race for Barcelona's Marc Cucurella, 21, who is on loan at Getafe, with Napoli, Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen also interested in the Spanish left-back. (Mail on Sunday)

Chelsea are also keen on signing Harvey Gilmour, 14, who is currently at Kilmarnock and is the younger brother of current Blues midfielder Billy. (Sun on Sunday)

Valencia defensive midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia, 27, is a summer target for Tottenham, with the Central African Republic international's form for the La Liga side catching the eye of Spurs manager Jose Mourinho. (Goal)


Mexico striker Raul Jimenez, 28, is open to a move away from Wolves - with Manchester United a possible destination - but his club would only accept a big offer. (Manchester Evening News)

Juventus are seeking a midfielder, and have turned their attention to Italian 19-year-old Sandro Tonali at Brescia and French 21-year-old Houssem Aouar at Lyon as hopes of bringing France international Paul Pogba, 27, back to the club from Manchester United begin to fade. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Newcastle United are interested in out-of-favour Manchester United and England defender Phil Jones, 28. (Sunday Mirror)

Ajax and Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana, 23, is being linked with a move to Chelsea after Spain's Kepa Arrizabalaga, 25, was dropped to the Blues' bench following a run of poor form. (Sunday Express)

Left-back Emerson Palmieri is wanted by Juventus, with the Serie A side preparing to offer £25m for the Chelsea and Italy 25-year-old. (Sun on Sunday)

Tottenham's All or Nothing behind-the-scenes Amazon documentary is to open with former manager Mauricio Pochettino's dramatic sacking last November. (Sunday Mirror)

With the Premier League currently suspended, Liverpool players, staff and fans have stepped in to offer support and donate cash to a foodbank, which relies on donations on match days. (Liverpool FC)
 
Monday's Newspapers:
16th March 2020


THE SUN


  • Liverpool could be denied their first league title in 30 years if 14 Premier League clubs agree to axe the season.
  • Manchester United and Chelsea are said to have hit Birmingham's £30m valuation for 16-year-old whizz-kid Jude Bellingham as have Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund.
  • The likelihood of Odion Ighalo joining United permanently appears to be increasing. The Nigeria striker is ready to take a £6million pay cut to leave Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Shenhua after being loaned to Old Trafford in January. The 30-year-old played a starring role with the first goal in United's 5-0 Europa League win over LASK on Thursday night, taking his tally to four in eight games since joining the club.
  • Real Madrid are set for a summer transfer battle as they have made Liverpool forward Sadio Mane one of their top targets.


DAILY MIRROR

  • Mason Mount is under fire after taking part in a public kick-about with Declan Rice despite the Chelsea star having meant to be in self-isolation amid the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Worried Premier League stars are concerned about returning to training this week as the escalating coronavirus crisis continues.
  • The FA Cup is in serious jeopardy with no decision on whether it can go ahead expected until next month.
  • Newcastle boss Steve Bruce admits the future of Matty Longstaff is a "concern" as he seeks to tie down the midfielder to a new deal.


DAILY MAIL
  • A growing number of Premier League clubs are ready to abandon this season as the government prepare to ban mass gatherings among a series of new measures to combat coronavirus.
  • Premier League clubs are banning their stars from taking commercial travel despite allowing them time off following the decision to suspend competition.
  • Bournemouth's training ground will remain closed down until next Monday at least following the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo could soon re-sign with Juventus until 2024. The Serie A team will extend the Portugal captain's contract beyond June 2022 as they hunt further silverware. A new contract in Turin would take the forward through to the age of 39.



  • Manchester United appear set to lose target Harry Kane to either Juventus or local rivals Manchester City. The England striker is reportedly open to leaving Tottenham for a club with better prospects of silverware at home and in Europe. United and Juventus are interested, but if the Italian side withdraws and picks up City forward Gabriel Jesus then Pep Guardiola will go after Kane. (DAILY EXPRESS)
  • If the Red Devils chase Kane they risk losing Jadon Sancho. United had been confident of signing one of Europe's hottest talents from Borussia Dortmund but would miss out if they went after the expensive Kane. (DAILY EXPRESS)
  • United face further competition in their hunt for West Ham defender Issa Diop. Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta wants to start his rebuild by snapping up the move for the £60m-rated Frenchman. The 23-year-old has impressed for the struggling Hammers since he was bought for £22.5m from Toulouse. (METRO)
  • Andrea Belotti has been linked with a move to Everton in the summer, with AC Milan, Roma, Inter and Napoli also said to be interested in the 26-year-old. (LIVERPOOL ECHO)
  • Yannick Bolasie could face a summer return to Everton, with the 30-year-old said to be 'at the end of the line' with loan side Sporting Lisbon. (LIVERPOOL ECHO)
  • Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, on loan with Sheffield United, is willing to go out on loan again next season if he is not first choice at Old Trafford. (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS)
  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is adamant that Paul Pogba will remain at Manchester United next season. (SKY SPORTS)
  • Tottenham remain interested in Valencia's Geoffrey Kondogbia as head coach Jose Mourinho looks to strengthen his struggling squad. (SKY SPORTS)
  • The EFL have joined forces with West Brom to help them battle Barcelona for the £235,000 they owe the Baggies for signing Louie Barry last summer. (EXPRESS AND STAR)


Manchester United and Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo, 30, who is on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, is prepared to take a £6m pay cut in order to stay at the Premier League club. (Mail)

United are also favourites to sign Ajax midfielder Donny van de Beek, with Real Madrid set to miss out on the 23-year-old Netherlands international. (Marca - in Spanish)

Juventus are preparing to offer Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, a contract extension to keep him at the Italian club until 2024. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Tottenham Hotspur's England striker Harry Kane, 26, is considering rejecting a move to Manchester United or Manchester City in favour of joining Juve. (Tuttosport, via Express)

Manchester City are using the time during the Premier League postponement to negotiate new contracts for Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 28, and England winger Raheem Sterling, 25. (Sun)

Meanwhile, Newcastle United will step up talks about a new deal with English midfielder Matty Longstaff, 19. (Star)

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is interested in West Ham United's 23-year-old defender Issa Diop. The £60m-rated Frenchman is also a Manchester United target. (Metro)

Birmingham City's 16-year-old English midfielder Jude Bellingham is struggling to decide between four clubs - Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund - who are all willing to pay £30m for him. (Sun)

Players whose contracts expire in June could be given new temporary deals to allow fixtures delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak to be completed over the summer. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Uefa will propose playing the Champions League and Europa League semi-finals and final over four days in an attempt to ease the fixture congestion caused by the coronavirus lockdown. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Liverpool are in advanced talks with Georginio Wijnaldum over a new contract that will keep the 29-year-old Netherlands midfielder at Anfield until 2023. (Star)

Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, 21, could face a club fine after he was photographed having a kickabout in a park with West Ham's Declan Rice when he was supposed to be self-isolating. (Mirror)

Barcelona, Manchester United and Real Madrid will battle it out for Fenerbahce's Turkey Under-17 midfielder Omer Beyaz, 16. (Express)

Sheffield United's on-loan goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 23, is expected to return to his parent club Manchester United in the summer, despite strong interest from Chelsea. (Star)

Tottenham have been scouting Queens Park Rangers midfielder Eberechi Eze, 21, with the Loftus Road outfit set to demand £20m for the England Under-21 international. (Sun)

Fans have called for West Ham owners David Sullivan and David Gold to sell the club amid rising dissatisfaction. (Telegraph - subscription required)

A number of top European clubs with senior players out injured could benefit from breaks in their respective seasons because of coronavirus. (Mail)
 
Tuesday's Newspapers:
17th March 2020



THE SUN
  • Odion Ighalo will happily take a £6m hit to make his switch to Manchester United a permanent one.
  • Gary Neville has blasted Prime Minister Boris Johnson for lacking leadership over coronavirus.
  • Loan players Alexis Sanchez (Inter Milan) and William Saliba (St Etienne) could play in the final Premier League games of this season if the campaign is extended.

DAILY MAIL
  • Premier League clubs have been forced to put pre-season tours on hold, with some set to miss out on millions.

DAILY MIRROR
  • Arsenal and Tottenham both want Liverpool and Croatia centre-back Dejan Lovren.
  • Jurgen Klopp is plotting major changes to his Liverpool squad, once the season is completed, which could see six players leave.

THE TIMES
  • The top six clubs in the Sky Bet Championship are ready to launch a legal challenge against their Premier League counterparts if they try to declare this season null and void and deny them three promotion places.
  • Paul Pogba will be among the Manchester United players who return to training at Carrington on Wednesday

Manchester City will not block a move for Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, 29, to join Paris St-Germain in the summer. (Goal)

Manchester United will make a serious attempt to sign Barcelona and France centre-back Samuel Umtiti, 26, this summer. (Sport - in Spanish)

Chelsea will prioritise a deal for Lyon's French striker Moussa Dembele, 23, when the summer transfer window opens. (The Athletic - subscription required)

The Blues have reportedly made contact with Porto over a move for Brazilian left-back Alex Telles, 27. (A Bola, via Sun)

Chelsea and Manchester City are keeping tabs on Inter Milan and Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez. The 22-year-old is also a target for Barcelona. (Sport - in Spanish)

Liverpool and Croatia centre-back Dejan Lovren, 30, is a target for both Arsenal and Tottenham. (Mirror)

England left-back Leighton Baines, 35, wants to sign a new one-year deal at Everton despite rumours linking him with a move to LA Galaxy. (The Athletic - subscription required)

Everton are preparing to join Inter Milan in the battle to sign Roma and Italy midfielder Lorenzo Pellegrini, 23. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Jurgen Klopp is plotting major changes to his Liverpool squad which could see six players leave. (Mirror)

Manchester United's Portuguese full-back Diogo Dalot, 20, says team-mate Bruno Fernandes will become a club "legend". (Sky Sports)
 
Wednesday's Newspapers:
18th March 2020


DAILY MAIL
  • Real Madrid are consider releasing Gareth Bale for free this summer, according to reports.
  • The International Olympic Committee are planning to have more athletes and teams competing at this summer's Tokyo Games despite the Covid-19 pandemic.
  • Mexican Saul 'Canelo' Alvarez and Kazakhstan's Gennady Golovkin have agreed terms for a third fight in September.


DAILY STAR
  • Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has seen his net worth drop by £2.4bn in 2020 due to the coronavirus outbreak. He is still worth more than £10bn - so not too bad then

DAILY MIRROR
  • The Premier League is facing potentially the biggest crisis of all the major leagues after the coronavirus outbreak.


THE GUARDIAN
  • The Football Association is working with the Premier League, EFL and the government to consider how help can be provided to clubs falling into financial crisis during the suspension of the sport.

THE SUN
  • Manchester City have set a price of £80m for Riyad Mahrez, who has been linked with a move to French side Paris St-Germain.


DAILY EXPRESS
  • Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta wants to sell midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, with Roma likely to turn his current loan deal into a permanent transfer.


THE TELEGRAPH
  • The Ryder Cup is expected to be postponed until next year amid the coronavirus crisis.

  • Jack Grealish will be on his way to Liverpool if Aston Villa are relegated from the Premier League, according to Kevin Phillips. (Birmingham Mail)
  • West Ham say they will be able play the remainder of their home games at the London Stadium if the season runs into the summer, despite other events due to he hosted at the venue, including baseball, athletics and a music concert. (London Evening Standard)
  • Dean Henderson can replace David de Gea at Manchester United next season following his loan spell at Sheffield United, according to former Premier League goalkeeper Shaka Hislop. (Manchester Evening News)
  • Bayer Leverkusen manager Peter Bosz has admitted the Bundesliga side are powerless to keep Kai Havertz in the summer amid speculation linking him with Manchester United and Manchester City. (Manchester Evening News)
  • Ilkay Gundogan has asked Manchester City team-mate Leroy Sane to stay at the club. (Manchester Evening News)
  • Former Everton and Leicester director of football Steve Walsh has been appointed as the new 'special advisor' of newly-formed MLS club Charlotte, who are expected to begin playing their trade next year. (Liverpool Echo)
  • Blackpool captain Jay Spearing is ready to pledge his future to the club. (Blackpool Gazette)

Real Madrid are already making plans for the summer and could let Wales forward Gareth Bale, 30, leave on a free transfer. (Marca)

Manchester City have set a price of £80m for Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, 29, who has been linked with a move to Paris St-Germain. (Sun)

Manchester United are planning to make a 'significant' effort to sign 26-year-old Barcelona and France defender Samuel Umtiti this summer. (Talksport)

Atletico Madrid and England right-back Kieran Trippier, 29, has revealed he wants to retire at former club Burnley and would only return to the Premier League to play at Turf Moor under Sean Dyche. (Sky Sports)

West Ham say they will be able play the remainder of their home games at the London Stadium if the season runs into the summer, despite other events, including baseball, athletics and a music concert, due to take place there. (Standard)

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta wants to sell Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan, 31, in the summer and Roma are keen to turn his current loan deal into a permanent transfer. (Express)

Mick McCarthy's future as Republic of Ireland manager has been thrown into doubt following the postponement of the European Championship to 2021. The 61-year-old's contract was due to expire in the summer - at the end of the original Euro 2020. (Talksport)

Chelsea's Russian owner Roman Abramovich, 53, has reportedly seen his net worth drop by £2.4bn this year because of the coronavirus outbreak, although he is still worth more than £10bn. (Star)

Dutch left-back Jetro Willems, 25, who is on loan at Newcastle from German side Eintracht Frankfurt, will not play again in 2020 as a knee injury is more serious than expected. (Bild, via Newcastle Chronicle)

Bosnian goalkeeper Asmir Begovic, 32, on loan at AC Milan from Bournemouth, says living in Milan is "like a movie scene" during Italy's "nightmare" lockdown. (Mirror)

Aston Villa are prepared to bid for Wolves' 20-year-old English defender Dion Sanderson, who is currently on loan at Cardiff City. (Football Insider)
 
Thursday's Newspapers:
19th March 2020


THE SUN

  • Paul Pogba's Manchester United career is over with offers of around £100m to see United move quickly to get a deal done for a player whose contract is up next summer.
  • Arsenal are ready to trigger the extension clause in David Luiz's contract to keep him at the Emirates to 2021.
  • Arsenal's priority when their self-isolation ends next week is to tie teen sensation Bukayo Saka to a new contract.
  • Arsenal are becoming resigned to the fact that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will enter the final year of his contract without agreeing a new deal.


DAILY MAIL


  • Chelsea are at the front of the queue to sign Phillipe Coutinho, who is currently on-loan at Bayern Munich from Barcelona.
  • Chris Smalling is still to discuss his next move and will make a decision in the summer.
  • Houssem Aouar could be subject of a bidding war in the summer with Manchester City, Juventus and Paris-Saint Germain all keen on landing the Lyon midfielder.
  • Arsenal have held talks over a move for Swedish youth international striker Emil Roback.
  • West Ham plan to check on Wolves' young defender Dion Sanderson once the season resumes.
  • Steven Gerrard is not a shoo-in for the Liverpool job when Jurgen Klopp departs, according to reports.
  • Barcelona are plotting a move for Lazio's Brazilian defender Luiz Felipe this summer.
  • Bayern Munich are said to have held a secret meeting with the agent of Manchester City winger Leroy Sane ahead of a potential summer transfer.


DAILY EXPRESS

  • Leeds United have been handed a positive transfer message by Manchester City about their recently acquired new right-back, Yan Couto.
  • Arsenal will sit down and talk to Santi Cazorla about how they can offer him a return to north London to properly say goodbye to the club's supporters.
  • Arsenal are preparing to outbid Sevilla in order to sign Feyenoord's attacking midfielder Orkun Kokcu in the summer transfer window.
  • Chelsea are tracking £23m rated Hellas Verona ace Marash Kumbullaace but face competition from Manchester United, Inter Milan and Lazio.


DAILY STAR
  • Manchester United are willing to break the bank with wages of £100,000 a week to land Jude Bellingham ahead of Borussia Dortmund.
  • CSKA Moscow hope to start a bidding war for Crystal Palace target Fedor Chalov.


  • David Luiz says Chelsea staff begged him to return just days after his transfer to Arsenal. (DAILY MIRROR)
  • Gordon Taylor's salary, bonus and benefits as chief executive of the Professional Footballers' Association have remained at more than £2m, despite a year of unprecedented turmoil at the organisation. (DAILY TELEGRAPH)
  • Arsenal goalkeeper Bernd Leno believes Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will remain at the club. (FOOTBALL.LONDON)
  • Axel Tuanzebe has urged Manchester United youngsters to consider what is best for themselves before making any decisions on their future at the club.
  • Ilkay Gundogan says Manchester City players are keeping in regular contact over WhatsApp as the squad are training from home while the Premier League is suspended. (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS)
  • Lille striker Victor Osimhen has raised eyebrows by posting a video wearing an Everton shirt. The 21-year-old's performances have seen him linked with a potential move away from France in the summer, with reports suggesting both Liverpool and West Ham are showing interest from the Premier League. (LIVERPOOL ECHO)
  • Real Madrid's James Rodriguez is the latest household name to be linked with Wolves. (BIRMINGHAM MAIL)
  • Manchester United hope they have won the race for Jude Bellingham by reminding the Birmingham City wonderkid of the stars who have made their name at the club. (BIRMINGHAM MAIL)
  • Danny Higginbotham feels Jack Grealish would succeed at Manchester United, should he complete a move to Old Trafford this summer. (BIRMINGHAM


Arsenal are resigned to losing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30, this summer and want a fee of 55m euros (£50.7m) for the Gabon international with Barcelona interested. (Sport, in Spanish)

Borussia Dortmund have moved ahead of Liverpool, Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to sign England Under-17 midfielder Jude Bellingham, 16, from Birmingham this summer. (Bild, in German)

Manchester City, Juventus and Paris St-Germain are interested in signing French midfielder Houssem Aouar, 21, from Lyon. (Corriere dello Sport, in Italian)

Arsenal have held talks with Hammarby over a deal to sign 16-year-old Sweden youth international forward Emil Roback, who is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich. (Daily Mail)

Arsenal will also hold talks with Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla in the summer to offer him the chance to say goodbye to the supporters. The 35-year-old Spaniard left the Gunners in the summer of 2018, having not played for nearly two years because of injury. (Daily Express)

West Ham are monitoring the progress of 20-year-old English defender Dion Sanderson, who is currently on loan at Cardiff from Wolves. (Daily Mail)

Chelsea have spoken to Barcelona about the possibility of signing Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 27, on loan next season. (Sport, in Spanish)

Manchester City and Manchester United are ready to make a move for Spain midfielder Saul Niguez, with the 25-year-old struggling to agree a new contract at Atletico Madrid. (Mundo Deportivo, in Spanish)

Inter Milan are set to offer English defender Ashley Young, 34, a one-year contract extension after impressing since his January move from Manchester United. (Gazzetta dello Sport, in Italian)

The Irish Football Association want Stoke boss Michael O'Neill to remain in charge of Northern Ireland for the Euro 2020 play-offs, which have been postponed until June because of the coronavirus pandemic. (Daily Mirror)

Aston Villa had a bid for Angers midfielder Baptiste Santamaria rejected in January and have yet to decide whether to make a further offer for the 25-year-old Frenchman in the summer. (ABC Sevilla, in Spanish)

Arsenal and Chelsea are both monitoring the progress of Bayer Leverkusen's 22-year-old Jamaica forward Leon Bailey, who is valued at £85m. (Daily Express)
 
Thanks as ever @christinaa.

The idea that we will get £100m for Pogba is kind of laughable in my view. First, I think that the bubble of footballer prices was probably reaching its peak even before the global economy went into a total nosedive. Second, who is going to pay for a player who has missed almost an entire season with ankle injuries? No one will pay anything like that unless they are certain that those issues have been resolved and he is able to return to his best.
 
Friday's Newspapers:
20th March 2020


Manchester United looking at Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.


THE SUN

  • Manchester United are circling around Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eyes a sensational £50m swoop.
  • Odion Ighalo's incredible bonuses at Man United include an £8,000 goal reward
  • Chelsea are reportedly on the verge of entering a bidding war with Inter Milan for Lazio defender Francesco Acerbi.
  • Manchester United will only trigger the one-year extension in Paul Pogba's deal to stop their £100m asking price going down.
  • United have been dealt a huge blow after Turkish wonderkid Omer Beyaz snubbed their advances - insisting he wants to develop his career with Fenerbahce.


DAILY STAR

  • Domestic cup competitions could be scrapped next season as part of radical plans to deal with the coronavirus.


DAILY MAIL

  • Footballers are seeking legal advice amid concerns their lucrative wage and bonus structures will be in jeopardy if the season is declared null and void - or doesn't start again for months.
  • Atletico Madrid are looking to ward off interest from Manchester United and Arsenal by giving Thomas Partey a new deal with a £93m release clause.
  • Swiss club Sion have sacked nine players including former Arsenal stars Alex Song and Johan Djourou after they refused to take a pay cut in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic that is decimating the finances of clubs throughout Europe.
  • Chelsea are plotting a stunning £200m outlay on Serie A players this summer with Miralem Pjanic and Lautaro Martinez among their targets.



Scottish Sun

  • Daniel Stendel will work for free to help lead Hearts through the Covid-19 crisis.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

  • The English Football League is setting up a "Player Availability Survey" to monitor the health of players, in a bid to assess when the season can realistically restart.


DAILY RECORD

  • Clevid Dikamona is set to knock back a 50 per cent wage cut and terminate his Hearts contract.
  • Southampton are relaxed about the Celtic contract situation of loan stars Mo Elyounoussi and Fraser Forster as COVID-19 forces football into an extended shutdown.

Manchester United have enquired about signing Brazil forward Philippe Coutinho, 27, from Barcelona. (Mundo Deportivo)

United will accept offers of about £100m for France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27. Real Madrid and Juventus are both interested. (Sun)

Chelsea want Arsenal's Gabon Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30. (90min)

Atletico Madrid are looking to extend the contract of Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 26, through to 2025 and raise his release clause to €100 million (£92m) amid interest from Arsenal and Manchester United. (Goal)

Bosnia midfielder Miralem Pjanic, 29, could leave Juventus this summer, with Manchester City and Chelsea interested. (Corriere dello Sport via Sport Witness)

Chelsea and Brazil forward Willian, 31, says he will continue to play for the club for the rest of the season, even if that goes beyond the end of his contract. (Star)

Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes, 22, is on Everton's summer transfer shortlist. (Liverpool Echo)

Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 21, is to leave AC Milan and move to Paris St-Germain or the Premier League. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

Inter Milan have told Barcelona they are only interested in a cash deal for Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, 22. (Sport - in Spanish)

Austria defender David Alaba, 27, is considering leaving Bayern Munich with Real Madrid and Barcelona both interested. (Sport Bild - in German)

Manchester United are considering bringing former striker Eric Cantona, 53, back to the club in an ambassadorial role. (Mirror)
 
Saturday's Newspapers:
21st March 2020



DAILY MAIL
  • Manchester United are drawing up plans to sign Atletico Madrid's France midfielder Thomas Lemar in the summer.


THE SUN
  • Chelsea are set to beat West Ham to the signing of Estoril's Portuguese wonderkid Chiquinho.
  • Juventus are prepared to offer Miralem Pjanic to Chelsea in a bid to lure Jorginho back to Serie A.
  • Nemanja Matic is set for a pay rise which will raise his weekly wage to £140,000.


DAILY STAR
  • Luka Jovic will be offered to Tottenham and Chelsea this summer after upsetting Real Madrid by leaving self-isolation to return to Serbia.
  • Liverpool are in negotiations with the representatives of Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare over a summer move.

DAILY MIRROR
  • Willian has pleaded with Chelsea to let him return to Brazil to be with his family during the coronavirus outbreak.


DAILY EXPRESS
  • Arsenal retain an interest in Chris Smalling but are yet to make a bid for Manchester United's centre-half, who is currently on loan at Roma.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • Championship players' wages could be capped at £6,000 a week.

The Premier League is again investigating playing games behind closed doors amid the coronavirus crisis in order to complete the season. (Independent)

Manchester United are in talks with midfielder Nemanja Matic, 31, over a new two-year deal worth £140,000-a-week after triggering a clause to extend the Serb's contract by a year. (Sun)

Crystal Palace's Ivory Coast winger Wilfried Zaha, 27, has offered free use of 50 properties to NHS staff who are battling the coronavirus outbreak in central London hospitals. (Times - subscription required)

West Brom striker Charlie Austin has urged people not to take coronavirus lightly after testing positive. The English 30-year-old suspects he contracted it at the Cheltenham Festival. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Chelsea forward Willian, 31, has asked the club's permission to return to his native Brazil in order to be with his family. (Mirror)

Leading Championship clubs are considering a plan to cap player wages at £6,000 a week because of the suspension of the football season. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Liverpool have been in negotiations for "some time" with Lille's 21-year-old France Under-21 midfielder Boubakary Soumare. (Sport - in Spanish)

Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga, 23, could return to Chelsea because the Blues have a £12.8m buy-back clause in the Ivory Coast international's contract. (Mail)

Juventus want to offer Chelsea Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Miralem Pjanic, 29, as part of a swap deal for 28-year-old Italy midfielder Jorginho. (Corriere dello Sport, via Sun)

On-loan Manchester United striker Odion Ighalo, 30, earns £8,000 per goal and £9,000 for every win on top of his £180,000-a-week wages at Old Trafford. (Sun)

Barcelona and Real Madrid could move for 27-year-old Austria defender David Alaba, who is unsure about extending his contract with Bayern Munich.(Bild - in German)
 
Thanks for keeping it ticking over christinaa!

Now we're in lockdown the papers are gonna be making up lots of nonsense. I see no reason why we'd be after Lemar.
 
Alabaster Codify7 said:
Thanks for keeping it ticking over christinaa!

Now we're in lockdown the papers are gonna be making up lots of nonsense. I see no reason why we'd be after Lemar.
Click to expand...

He may not be good enough (Personally I thought we should have risked a big loan fee with an option to buy last summer, for him or Malcolm but I think he's a 7.5/10 solution and we can find the next Ziyech or Di Maria instead) but if we can't sign Sancho he makes perfect sense for the same reason Ziyech did, a left-footed creative midfielder is badly needed to start at RW and backup Bruno:

--------------Martial-------
Rashford-Bruno-Lemar

or if Bruno is injured/suspended/rested:

--------------Martial-------
Rashford-Lemar-James

and similarly James can go to LW and Rashford up top if Martial is out, or if Rashford is out just throw James in at LW.

Basically, if we sign a creative RW who can also play as a 10 (whether it's Lemar, Sancho, Messi, Bernardo Silva, David Brooks, Calvin Stengs or Ikone) it would balance the squad.

Can Lemar rebound to his Monaco form after leaving Atletico? That's the question. Added bonus is that based on his play for Monaco as an LM in a 4-4-2 doing a lot of defensive work and hitting good crosses at Mbappe/Falcao/Germain, he would also probably start for us at LWB when we play 3-5-2:

---------Rashford--Martial----
-----------------Bruno-------------
Lemar-Fred-Mctominay-WanBissaka
------Shaw-Maguire-Lindelof-------------

since Shaw will be fairly aggressive positionally (wider and higher than Lindelof anyways) and Wan-Bissaka unlikely to get caught too high too often it would functionally be a back 4 much of the time anyways or Dalot comes back after the break as the double digit assists kind of working class Gareth Bale we must have thought we were buying.
 
Last edited:
NoPace said:
He may not be good enough (Personally I thought we should have risked a big loan fee with an option to buy last summer, for him or Malcolm but I think he's a 7.5/10 solution and we can find the next Ziyech or Di Maria instead) but if we can't sign Sancho he makes perfect sense for the same reason Ziyech did, a left-footed creative midfielder is badly needed to start at RW and backup Bruno:

--------------Martial-------
Rashford-Bruno-Lemar

or if Bruno is injured/suspended/rested:

--------------Martial-------
Rashford-Lemar-James

and similarly James can go to LW and Rashford up top if Martial is out, or if Rashford is out just throw James in at LW.

Basically, if we sign a creative RW who can also play as a 10 (whether it's Lemar, Sancho, Messi, Bernardo Silva, David Brooks, Calvin Stengs or Ikone) it would balance the squad.

Can Lemar rebound to his Monaco form after leaving Atletico? That's the question. Added bonus is that based on his play for Monaco as an LM in a 4-4-2 doing a lot of defensive work and hitting good crosses at Mbappe/Falcao/Germain, he would also probably start for us at LWB when we play 3-5-2:

---------Rashford--Martial----
-----------------Bruno-------------
Lemar-Fred-Mctominay-WanBissaka
------Shaw-Maguire-Lindelof-------------

since Shaw will be fairly aggressive positionally (wider and higher than Lindelof anyways) and Wan-Bissaka unlikely to get caught too high too often it would functionally be a back 4 much of the time anyways or Dalot comes back after the break as the double digit assists kind of working class Gareth Bale we must have thought we were buying.
Click to expand...

Could you give me a little bit more background on Stengs and Ikone because they are brand new names to me.
 
Classical Mechanic said:
He was always high up the list of richest footballers with most of his money coming from property. He made a killing in the 2000-2007 property market boom.
Click to expand...

he bought hundreds of houses for pennies in Liverpool.

If you know where to look you can still buy houses in the UK for £10k as an investor and for £1 as an individual.

Done at scale you mitigate against the poor tenants such houses attract.
 
croadyman said:
Could you give me a little bit more background on Stengs and Ikone because they are brand new names to me.
Click to expand...

I was just listing left-footed players who seem equally suited to playing on the right or as a 10 really, but Stengs played against us in the Europa League, looked kinda graceful and had good vision. Ikone is the better dribber, has gotten some French caps, plays as a 10. Neither are the electric types you would prefer, but if Brooks costs 50M and they cost 30M might make more sense.

We really should have pressed hard for Ziyech a season or two ago.
 
Sunday's Newspapers:
22nd March 2020



SUNDAY MIRROR

  • Paul Pogba's controversial agent Mino Raiola and Manchester United chief Ed Woodward are talking again.
  • Manchester United stars will return to training on April 10 in readiness for a return to action in May.
  • Jude Bellingham will sign for Manchester United for the love - not the money.
  • Arsenal are considering a summer move for Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard as they aim to build ahead of next season.
  • Manchester United, Liverpool and Chelsea are among a number of top Premier League clubs who could scale back their transfer window spending in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Philippe Coutinho's desperation to return to England has sparked interest from Chelsea, Manchester United, Arsenal and Tottenham.


MAIL ON SUNDAY

  • UEFA are set to go easy on Financial Fair Play rules for this season and next - but Manchester City will remain banned.
  • World football's top medical expert slammed Europe's major leagues for targeting a mid-May resumption of fixtures, urging them not to put financial considerations before lives.
  • A mini pre-season and social contact at training and fan welfare are among the 'incredibly complex' challenges of getting football going again.


SUNDAY SUN

  • Tottenham's Dele Alli spent two nights partying as Premier League games were postponed.
  • Portsmouth player Sean Raggett was 'mortified' when told of his positive test for coronavirus while eating in a pub.
  • The futures of Jesse Lingard and Andreas Pereira are in the balance at Manchester United.
  • Chelsea midfielder Willian's public plea to be allowed to fly back to Brazil to join his family has highlighted a huge issue being faced by our elite teams.
  • Derby are facing a fight to keep star prospects Jason Knight and Louie Sibley in the current financial crisis.
  • Gillingham owner Paul Scally is in talks with an American buyer and hopes to close a deal.
  • Crystal Palace and Celtic are keeping an eye on Aaron Hickey's future at Hearts - and the chance of a cheap steal.

Brazil goalkeeper Alisson, 27, and Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk, 28, are on the verge of signing new contracts with Premier League leaders Liverpool. (Goal)

Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho would be a "great addition" to Chelsea's squad, according to former captain John Terry, but Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is also interested in the 19-year-old England international. (Evening Standard)

The Premier League is scheduling a tentative plan for games to start after 1 June, allowing the season to be finished within six weeks and the 2020-21 campaign to begin on August 8. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti wants to sign 30-year-old Lazio and Italy striker Ciro Immobile. (Goal)

Representatives of Paris-St-Germain forward Neymar, 28, have told Barcelona the Brazilian wants to leave France and return to the Nou Camp. (Star)

Arsenal have been encouraged to sign Burnley's New Zealand striker Chris Wood, 28, as a replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30, if the Gabon international decides to leave this summer. (Star)


Manchester United are thought to be preparing a £50m offer for Aubameyang, and Inter Milan and Barcelona also want the Arsenal club captain. (Metro)

The suspension of football could give Paris St-Germain more time to convince France forward Kylian Mbappe, 21, to sign a new deal, with his contract set to end in 2022. (Marca)

Manchester United have held talks over Atletico Madrid's France midfielder Thomas Lemar, 24, who was previously a target for Liverpool. (Manchester Evening News)
 
christinaa said:
Premier League is scheduling a tentative plan for games to start after 1 June, allowing the season to be finished within six weeks and the 2020-21 campaign to begin on August 8. (Telegraph - subscription required)
Click to expand...

Tight timeframe. Rather screws over the 2 Manchester clubs (& Wolves) as they still have Europe to play for. The later the restart proposals, the less likely this season gets finished.
 
Monday's Newspapers:
23rd March 2020

Liverpool's players are getting mental health on being so near yet so far from the Premier League title.
Poor chaps!


DAILY MAIL

  • Liverpool have issued mental health advice to their players telling them that what happens with the Premier League title is out of their control.
  • PSG, Barcelona and Manchester United are interested in signing Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.
  • Manchester United chief Ed Woodward believes the season should be finished even if that means it runs until September or October.
  • Juventus have reportedly reached agreements with Gianluigi Buffon, Giorgio Chiellini and Blaise Matuidi to extend their contracts.
  • Liverpool and Scotland star Andy Robertson is believed to be the player behind a large donation made to help keep six food banks in Glasgow running.
  • Premier League doctors will warn club executives their players risk serious muscular injuries if they try to complete the season by June 30.
  • Luka Jovic's father believes his son must accept any punishment he receives for breaking his coronavirus quarantine to travel back to Serbia.

THE SUN

  • The Premier League will play Russian roulette with players' fitness if they do not get five weeks of training before the season restarts.
  • Tottenham legend Van der Vaart tells £23million Everton target Berghuis not to ruin career by joining Everton.


DAILY MIRROR

  • Liverpool and Arsenal have reportedly been scouting Evan Ndicka ahead of a potential summer transfer swoop for the Eintracht Frankfurt


DAILY STAR

  • David Moyes wants to buy British this summer and build an exciting young core at West Ham.
  • Arsenal were set to pip Manchester United to the bargain £1m signing of Dayot Upamecano five years ago, just months before the superstar defender ended up joining RB Salzburg.

THE TIMES

  • West Ham United will face stiff opposition from UK Athletics to using the London Stadium for matches if the Premier League season goes beyond the end of June.
  • Premier League matches could be played every day behind closed doors and televised for the public while social distancing restrictions are still in place, according to Southampton's chief executive.


SCOTTISH SUN

  • Livingston striker Lyndon Dykes has held talks with Scotland and Australia about his international future.

Barcelona are interested in making a summer move for Manchester City's French defender Aymeric Laporte, 25. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid and Manchester City are considering a summer move for Inter Milan's Slovakian defender Milan Skriniar, 25. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, is ready to leave Napoli in the summer, with Manchester United being linked with the Senegalese centre-back. (Mirror)

Barcelona are willing to sell French forward Antoine Griezmann, 29, for 100m euros this summer - just a year after signing him from Atletico Madrid for 120m euros. (Sport)

Liverpool and Arsenal were monitoring Eintracht Frankfurt's French defender Evan Ndicka, 20, before the season was suspended. (Sky Sports)

Arsenal have been in discussions with medical staff from other Premier League clubs on whether their players should return to training this week. (Mail)

Barcelona are in discussions with their top players over a wage reduction as the club does not foresee being able to cover their wage budget for the rest of the season, which exceeds 1bn euros. (Marca)

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, 32, broke quarantine rules in Italy to be with his cancer-stricken mother in his native Argentina. (Sun)

The father of Real Madrid's Luka Jovic has said the Serbian striker, 22, must accept any punishment - even jail - if he's guilty of breaking quarantine rules to visit his girlfriend in Belgrade. (Marca)

Former Arsenal and Barcelona midfielder Alexander Hleb says "no one cares" about the coronavirus in his native Belarus, the last country still playing top-flight football. (Sun)

West Ham will face stiff opposition from UK Athletics over using London Stadium for matches if the Premier League season goes beyond the end of June. (Times - subscription required)
 
Tuesday's Newspapers:
24th March 2020


DAILY MAIL

Manchester United are ready to sign Odion Ighalo for up to £15m this summer after it emerged the Nigerian striker's loan runs out on May 31.

The Premier League has sent a seven-point plan to club doctors in a bid to combat coronavirus - and warned players who disregard advice and leave the country that football will go on without them should they be unable to return.

Oleksandr Zinchenko has criticised Britain's response to the coronavirus crisis and given an insight into how Manchester City players are shielding themselves from the pandemic.

Premier League stars are warming to the idea of playing the remaining games of the season behind closed doors in order to complete the campaign.



DAILY MIRROR


Chelsea have been offered the chance to sign Philippe Coutinho this summer by Barcelona.

Players from all levels of the game are ready to revolt over plans to stage games behind-closed-doors.



THE SUN

Premier League stars are being kept apart until May 1 at the earliest with a lockdown lasting for at least six weeks.

Bournemouth defender Simon Francis says Eddie Howe is finding a positive solution amid the coronavirus, using it to learn lessons and reflect upon the Cherries' tough Premier League campaign to date.

Manchester United have been handed a massive boost in their bid to sign Birmingham City wonder-kid Jude Bellingham, with Borussia Dortmund putting their transfer business on hold.


DAILY TELEGRAPH


Derby County are in advanced talks with American billionaire Michael Dell over a major financial injection.

Premiership Rugby is considering a raft of measures to help complete the season, including playing games behind closed doors, staging multiple matches at single venues and scheduling midweek fixtures.


Chelsea are interested in signing West Ham and England defensive midfielder Declan Rice, 21, in the summer. (Sky Sports)

Newcastle hope they will be able to sign on-loan England full-back Danny Rose, 29, on a permanent basis from Tottenham when the transfer market re-opens this summer. (I Sport)

Arsenal are considering a summer move for Celtic's French forward Odsonne Edouard, 22, as they aim to build ahead of next season. (Mirror)

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has been helping out during the coronavirus outbreak by delivering food to elderly members of society near Spurs' training ground in Enfield. (Football.London)

Manchester United have been given a boost in their pursuit of Birmingham's Jude Bellingham as Borussia Dortmund have abandoned their plans to bid for the 16-year-old English midfielder. (Mirror)

No alternative to closed-doors football games, says PFA chief executive
"In an ideal world we'd be playing in front of crowds but there's no alternative"

Bayern Munich and Austria defender David Alaba, 27, will reject a move to Manchester City this summer in favour of joining either Real Madrid or Barcelona. (Bild, via Sports Mole)

Football matches could be played away from London when sport resumes because of the capital's relatively high number of coronavirus cases. (Telegraph)

Lille and Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen, 21, has become a "priority" signing for Manchester United in the next transfer window. (Le10 Sport, via Star)

Manchester City are interested in signing Brescia and Italy midfielder Sandro Tonali, 19. (Corriere dello Sport, via Sport Witness)

Tottenham are interested in signing QPR's English midfielder Eberechi Eze, 21, although Crystal Palace and Sheffield United, who were interested in the player, are unwilling to pay the £20m QPR want. (Express)

American billionaire Michael Dell, 55, who is said to have a net worth of $31.2bn (£26.9bn), is discussing investment in Championship club Derby County.(NBC Sports)

Former Leeds owner Massimo Cellino, the Brescia president, has called for the Serie A season in Italy to be cancelled because of "the plague" of coronavirus. (Guardian)
 
Wednesday's Newspapers:
25th March 2020


DAILY MAIL

  • English football's top clubs have launched a stunning bid to stop Manchester City attempting to play in the Champions League while their appeal against a two-year ban is ongoing.
  • Premier League clubs are facing the threat of a mass legal action from agents demanding up to £300m in fees due to be paid this season.
  • Barcelona have cooled interest in Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as they prioritise a move for Inter Milan's Lautaro Martinez this summer.



THE SUN

  • The FA Cup and Carabao Cup could be sacrificed next season if the calendar becomes too tight because of coronavirus.
  • Arsenal have announced they will donate £150,000 to help towards fighting coronavirus, as well as making all staff cars available to NHS workers.
  • Ex-Arsenal and England physio Gary Lewin says footballers will feel "institutionalised" and "scared" amid the coronavirus lockdown.
  • Willian has been given permission to travel back to Brazil by Chelsea after he requested to be able to join his wife and children there.



DAILY EXPRESS

  • Chelsea defender Emerson Palmieri could join Juventus this summer because he dislikes "sergeants" such as Frank Lampard being in charge.
  • Liverpool stewards are volunteering to help the supermarkets with crowd control and elderly customers during the suspension of the Premier League.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

  • Premier League clubs are discussing asking players to take significant pay deferrals, possibly by as much as 50 per cent.
  • Players earning over £6,000 a week at Birmingham City have been requested to take a 50 per cent deduction in salary for the next four months.
  • The Newcastle United Supporters Trust has urged the club to suspend direct debit payments for season ticket renewals.



SCOTTISH SUN

  • Celtic are considering a move for £7m-rated Rennes' full-back Brandon Soppy.

DAILY RECORD

  • The SPFL has asked UEFA for Celtic title guidance as European qualifiers are set to be overhauled due to coronavirus crisis.


Liverpool's Senegal forward Sadio Mane, 27, will leave to join Real Madrid while the departure of 27-year-old Egypt forward Mohamed Salah would be good for the Reds, says ex-Liverpool midfielder Mohamed Sissoko. (Sun)

Manchester City and England forward Raheem Sterling, 25, still has affection for Liverpool despite the acrimonious nature of his move to City. (Sky Sports)

Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal are interested in Schalke's 6ft 3in 18-year-old German-born defender Malick Thiaw who has a £6.9m release clause in his contract. (Mail)

Manchester United are growing confident France World Cup winning midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, will stay at Old Trafford and doubt whether any of Europe's elite clubs can afford him. (ESPN)

Real Madrid want to sign Borussia Dortmund's Norwegian striker Erling Braut Haaland, 19, next summer although Manchester United and Tottenham are also interested. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Chelsea are keen on signing Getafe's Spanish full-back Marc Cucurella, 21, this summer for £23m. (Diario Sport - in Spanish)

The Blues are also interested in Ajax's Argentine defender Nicolas Tagliafico, 27, after abandoning their pursuit of Leicester full-back Ben Chilwell. (Calciomercato via Daily Express)

Manchester United's 30-year-old defender Chris Smalling, who is on loan at Roma, could join the Italian club permanently if the Red Devils sign Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly from Napoli. (Gazzetta dello Sport via Football Italia)

Borussia Moenchengladbach declined Barcelona's approach for their French 27-year-old forward Alassane Plea during the last January window. (Sport Bild - in German)

The self-isolation of Juventus players and staff will end on Wednesday, and they will be allowed to leave their respective homes. However, players Daniele Rugani, Blaise Matuidi and Paolo Dybala will remain in quarantine, as they recover from coronavirus. (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha has called on more landlords to open the doors of their empty properties to NHS staff working in London during the coronavirus outbreak. (Evening Standard)
 
Thursday's Newspapers:
26th March 2020


Kalidou Koulibaly is on Manchester United's radar as they also pursue Jadon Sancho


DAILY MAIL
  • Manchester United are leading the race to sign Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund for £120m this summer.
  • Manchester United are reportedly ready to allow Chris Smalling to make his loan to Roma permanent, provided they can sign Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly.
  • The EFL is negotiating with its clubs and the PFA over a scheme that would see lower-league players put on sabbatical for the remainder of the lockdown.
  • Arsenal are growing 'confident' that they can keep hold of Real Madrid loanee Dani Ceballos should the Premier League season continue on into July.
  • West Brom are interested in completing a permanent deal for midfielder Filip Krovinovic if they win promotion to the Premier League.
  • Aston Villa attacker Trezeguet is a transfer target for Turkish Super Lig side Besiktas just a year after he moved to Villa Park.


DAILY MIRROR
  • A document created before the Premier League season got underway in August predicted Liverpool would win the title with Manchester United finishing fourth.

DAILY EXPRESS
  • Manchester City are understood to be surprised at Liverpool's involvement in the group action to query the details of their Champions League ban appeal.

THE SUN
  • Manchester United are ready to pay out £6m to season ticket holders if their final four Premier League games are cancelled or played behind closed doors.

THE GUARDIAN
  • Newcastle fans are angry with the club for not halting season-ticket payments.

DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • The PFA have called an emergency meeting where salary reductions across the board for all players will be discussed.

DAILY RECORD
  • The head of Serie A has hinted that UEFA is considering extending domestic seasons into July and August.

SCOTTISH SUN
  • Hearts players are ready to tell Tynecastle chief Ann Budge they don't want to take a 50 per cent wage cut.

Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has revealed he tried to sign both Paris St-Germain and Uruguay forward Edinson Cavani, 33, and Sweden forward Zlatan Ibrahimovic, 38, who is now at AC Milan, in the January transfer window. (Mail)

Manchester United are leading the race to sign England forward Jadon Sancho, 20, from Borussia Dortmund when the transfer window re-opens this summer. (Independent)

Real Madrid are hoping a cash-plus-player deal will be enough to persuade Arsenal to part with Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30. (Star)

Manchester United are ready to allow England defender Chris Smalling, 30, to make his loan to Roma permanent, provided they can sign Napoli and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28. (La Gazzetta dello Sport, via Mail)

Arsenal have made an offer to sign Smalling in the summer transfer window, with Manchester United wanting £25m. (Metro)

Tottenham and Belgium defender Jan Vertonghen, 32, admits he is not sure whether he wants to sign a new contract and stay at Spurs for next season. (Mirror)

Arsenal are confident they will be able to agree a deal with Real Madrid to extend 23-year-old Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos' loan spell should the season run beyond 30 June. (Standard)

Leicester City have been linked with a move for Atalanta and Belgium defender Timothy Castagne, 24. (Sport Foot, via Leicester Mercury)

Derby County have been linked with a move for Fenerbahce forward Ferdi Kadioglu, a 20-year-old who has represented Turkey at under-21 level. (Derby Telegraph)

Arsenal could be on course to land Dayot Upamecano from RB Leipzig with the 21-year-old French defender keen to move on this summer. (Bild, via Star)

West Brom want to sign Croatian midfielder Filip Krovinovic, 24, on a permanent deal once his loan from Benfica finishes. (Express and Star)

The summer transfer window could stay open until January as coronavirus continues to disrupt Premier League and EFL games. (Express)

Bergamo mayor Giorgio Gori has labelled Atalanta's Champions League match with Valencia on 19 February in Milan as a 'biological bomb' and believes it caused the coronavirus to spread in Italy and Spain. (Mail)

Former Arsenal and Tottenham striker Emmanuel Adebayor, 36, is stuck in Benin because of coronavirus. He left Paraguay, where he plays for Olimpia, with the intention to join his family in Togo, but a stopover in Benin means he now has to self-isolate for 15 days. (Talksport)

European football's leagues and competitions remain hopeful of finishing the season by 30 June, following an opening round of talks this week. (Sky Sports)

Chelsea have put player contract talks on hold because of the coronavirus crisis. The Blues have four players – Brazil midfielder Willian, 31, France forward Olivier Giroud, 33, Spain winger Pedro, 32, and Argentina goalkeeper Willy Caballero, 38 - approaching the end of their current deals. (Telegraph)

Barcelona are considering a pay cut of up to 70% for all their players for as long as the coronavirus lockdown lasts in Spain. (Guardian)

Eight Premier League clubs have joined together to try to stop Manchester City playing in the Champions League next season if they make a request for their two-year ban from the competition to be frozen during an appeal. (Times, subscription required)
 
Friday's Newspapers:
27th March 2020


DAILY MIRROR
  • Liverpool are eyeing Valencia forward Ferran Torres but face stern competition from Real Madrid and Barcelona.
  • Barcelona are following the progress of Tottenham's record signing Tanguy Ndombele following a difficult first season.

DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • Steve Bruce says he wants to get Newcastle back into the top eight and also challenging for Europe in the next two to three years.
  • The FA faced an angry backlash on Thursday night over the decision-making process behind bringing an end to all women's football below the Women's Super League and Championship level.

THE SUN
  • Jurgen Klopp faces a selection disaster next season with Mohamed Salah potentially away for up to four months at the Olympics and Africa Cup of Nations, should the former be rescheduled for the spring of 2021.
  • Everton's Oumar Niasse was stopped by police for disobeying the coronavirus lockdown.
  • Manchester City are set to be offered David Alaba as a makeweight for Leroy Sane by Bayern Munich this summer.
  • Ed Woodward says Manchester United are closely monitoring the coronavirus situation as sporting events continue to be impacted.

DAILY MAIL
  • Huddersfield must repay £35m to their ex-owner Dean Hoyle before August 2022, having used parachute payments for local businessman Phil Hodgkinson's takeover.
  • Brendan Rodgers says he is making regular checks on his players' mental health during the coronavirus crisis.

DAILY EXPRESS
  • The FA are determined to finish the 2019-20 FA Cup and could even hold the final at Wembley as late as September this year.

DAILY STAR
  • Liverpool may have to delay the expansion of Anfield because of the coronavirus outbreak.

THE GUARDIAN
  • Premier League footballers are likely to accept wage deferrals as clubs look to ward off financial problems caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

Real Madrid are interested in signing teenage sensation Erling Braut Haaland, 19, from Borussia Dortmund in the summer. The Norwegian striker only joined the Bundesliga side in the summer and has a £50m release clause. (Standard)

EFL clubs have been told football will not return on 30 April with new date to be announced next week amid the ongoing coronavirus crisis. (Mail)

Manchester United loanee Odion Ighalo, 30, has been offered a two-year contract extension worth more than £400,000 per week by parent club Shanghai Shenhua. (Sky Sports)

Manchester United are looking to extend the contract of midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, but this would "anger" the France World Cup winner. (AS - in Spanish)

Spanish midfielder Pedro, 32, says he will leave Chelsea at the end of the season when his contract with the Blues expires. (Independent via Cadena Ser)

Everton are one of four clubs to have made an offer for Lille's Brazilian defender Gabriel, 23, who would cost around £30m. (Sky Sports)

Barcelona want to sign Tottenham's most expensive player Tanguy Ndombele, 23, who joined the north London side for £55m from Lyon last summer. (Mundo Deportivo via Star)

Tottenham have opened preliminary talks with teenage English midfielder Oliver Skipp, 19, over a new long-term deal. (Football Insider)

Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich have all been watching Espanyol's Spain youth international midfielder Nico Melamed, 18, who has a £7.3m release clause. (Gianluca Di Marzio - in Italian)

West Ham, Sporting Lisbon and Anderlecht are among the clubs monitoring Liverpool's German goalkeeper Loris Karius, 26, who is on loan at Besiktas and available for £4.5m at the end of the season. (Voetbal24 - in Dutch)

Arsenal are keen on signing Valencia's Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler, 23, with the La Liga side needing to sell players to balance their books. (Sky Sports)

West Brom want to make 24-year-old Croatia midfielder Filip Kronvinovic's loan a permanent deal if they win promotion to the Premier League. (Mail)
 
Saturday's Newspapers:
28th March 2020

Premier League stars are facing a potential £100m-plus pay cut

DAILY STAR
  • John Stones' Manchester City future is in doubt as Pep Guardiola eyes a Leonardo Bonucci transfer.

DAILY EXPRESS
  • Rival Premier League clubs want to scrap the Premier League season and deny Liverpool the title.

THE SUN
  • Premier League stars are facing a potential £100m-plus pay cut - to keep lower-league clubs alive.
  • Mesut Ozil's agent insists the German midfielder is happy at Arsenal and has no plans to leave this summer.

DAILY MAIL
  • Premier League clubs have been warned not to use the phrase 'null and void' when discussing contingency plans for the rest of the season as fears grow the campaign will be scrapped.
  • Footballers across the Premier League and EFL are furious after being warned they face playing up to three matches in five days once the game returns.
  • The FA has held talks about senior executives and staff taking temporary pay cuts.

DAILY MIRROR
  • The FA is facing a non-League "revolt" as 20 clubs unite to change the decision to scrap the season.


THE SCOTTISH SUN
  • Wigan and Stoke have been tracking Hamilton defender Scott McMann as a potential signing for next season.

Chelsea are interested in signing Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, 34, who has been at Bayern Munich since 2011. (Bild)

Bayern will replace Neuer with his Germany team-mate Marc-Andre ter Stegen. The 27-year-old Barcelona number one could cost as much as £90m. (Daily Mail)

Borussia Dortmund and England forward Jadon Sancho, 20, should jump at the chance to move to Manchester United, says ex-Red Devils striker Dimitar Berbatov. (Sun)

Tottenham want to sign Inter Milan's Uruguay defender Diego Godin, 34, as Spurs boss Jose Mourinho looks to re-shape his defence. (Mirror)

Everton and West Ham are both keen on signing Barcelona and Denmark striker Martin Braithwaite, 28, although his club Barcelona will not sell him for less than £16m. Braithwaite joined Barca in February as an emergency signing. (Diario Sport - in Spanish)

Arsenal want to sign Valencia's Spanish midfielder Carlos Soler, 23, who only recently signed a new contract until 2023. (Sun)

The Coronavirus pandemic has impacted Ruben Loftus-Cheek's return from an Achilles tendon injury as the 24-year-old Chelsea midfielder is unable to rebuild his match fitness. Loftus-Cheek has not played since May 2019. (Evening Standard)

Barcelona and Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal, 32, will be allowed to join Inter Milan in the summer. (Calciomercato -in Italian)

Arsenal and Germany defender Shkodran Mustafi, 27, admits his future with the Gunners is uncertain. Mustafi's contract expires in the summer of 2021 and the player says there are "many question marks" about whether he stays or leaves. (Sky Sports)

Premier League and EFL clubs are exploring the possibility of furloughing their entire squads - placing them on temporary leave - during the coronavirus shutdown. (Evening Standard)

Former Newcastle and Aston Villa midfielder Nolberto Solano, 45, apologised after being detained by Peruvian police for being outside his house during tight quarantine hours set up to stop the spread of coronavirus. (Guardian)
 
Sunday's Newspapers:
29th March 2020


THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
  • Chelsea intensified their bid to recruit Jude Bellingham prior to the coronavirus lockdown, with the club stepping up their efforts to lure the Birmingham teen star away from a prospective move to Manchester United.
  • Spain boss Luis Enrique revealed Adama Traore is closing in on a call-up as the Wolves star deliberates on his international future.
  • Valencia want at least £36m if they are forced to sell Arsenal target Carlos Soler.
  • Serie A side Lazio are interested in signing Chelsea forward Pedro, whose contract runs out this summer.
  • Crystal Palace are monitoring developments with Hearts left-back Aaron Hickey but have yet to make a bid.
  • Philippe Coutinho has rejected claims he holds a grudge against Daniel Levy over the collapse of a proposed transfer from Barcelona to Tottenham.



SUNDAY MIRROR
  • Chelsea have asked Real Madrid about Morocco international Achraf Hakimi.
  • Arsenal and Manchester United could be about to receive a major blow in their pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Thomas Partey.
  • Manchester United face being denied a £16m-worth summer tour including a ground-breaking game in India as the coronavirus pandemic continues to sweep across the world.
  • Manchester City believe Arsenal are behind the plot to have their European ban upheld if the Covid-19 crisis prevents an appeal.
  • Manchester City are fully committed to finishing the football season - but will refuse to play again until they are given 100 per cent guarantees that the health crisis is over.
  • Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is destined to end his career as Germany manager, according to tennis great Boris Becker.



SUN ON SUNDAY
  • The Premier League may not restart until July... and then could all be finished behind closed doors within four weeks.
  • Xherdan Shaqiri could be on his way out of Liverpool with Sevilla considering a move for the winger.
  • Wimbledon will open up its gates to the NHS in Britain's desperate fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
  • West Ham star Angelo Ogbonna claims Britain "laughed" at Italy and underestimated the impact of the coronavirus.


STAR ON SUNDAY
  • Arsenal will consider a move for Luka Jovic if Real Madrid decide to cut him loose.
  • Liverpool could boost their transfer budget by offloading back-up forward Xherdan Shaqiri this summer.
  • Everton and West Ham are interested in signing Martin Braithwaite from Barcelona in the next transfer window, according to reports in Spain.

SUNDAY EXPRESS
  • Arsenal and Chelsea are preparing to battle it out to sign Bayern Munich youngster Chris Richards in the summer transfer window, despite the defender not having made a competitive first-team appearance yet.
  • Chelsea have asked super agent Mino Raiola to keep them updated on contract talks between AC Milan and highly-rated goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.
  • Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has made Valencia star Carlos Soler a summer transfer target for the Gunners and the Spanish side have now revealed their asking price for the midfielder.


SCOTTISH SUN ON SUNDAY
  • Scottish clubs fear they could be denied government handouts - if they are seen to be giving players fitness programmes.
  • Rangers insist they are 'ready and willing' to help the NHS battle coronavirus in any way possible.
  • Hibs players have held crisis talks with Easter Road chiefs in a bid to help the club through the coronavirus cash crisis.

Manchester United would have to pay £450m to Real Madrid if they are to sign their 21-year-old Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde. (Sunday Mirror)

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone - football's highest paid manager - will have to take at least a 30% pay cut in his £3.3m monthly wage. (Sunday Times - subscription required)

Everton have made a £30m bid for 22-year-old Brazilian Lille forward Gabriel Magalhae. (Football Insider)

Liverpool are prepared to sell Swiss winger Xherdan Shaqiri, with Sevilla interested in the 28-year-old. (Talksport)

Liverpool are the favourites to sign striker Timo Werner from RB Leipzig - and the German, 24, would have his preference of shirt number. (Sunday Express)

Chelsea have enquired about Real Madrid's 21-year-old Morocco international Achraf Hakimi, who has impressed on loan at Borussia Dortmund but does not have a clause in the deal about a permanent move to the German club. (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea are looking to rival Manchester United for Birmingham's 16-year-old English midfield prodigy Jude Bellingham. (Sunday Mirror)

Championship side Leeds United are interested in Metz striker Habib Diallo. The Senegalese forward, 24, has also attracted interest from Crystal Palace and Chelsea. (LeFoot - in French)

Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho's agent has denied the player holds a grudge against Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy after a proposed transfer fell through. Brazil's Coutinho, 27, is currently on loan at Bayern Munich. (Sunday Star)

Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti says he and Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp thought it was "criminal" that Liverpool's Champions League tie with Atletico Madrid was played during the coronavirus outbreak. (Corriere dello Sport via Evening Standard)

Roma are keen on signing Atletico Madrid's former Chelsea striker Diego Costa. The 31-year-old has nearly signed for the club twice before. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)
 
christinaa said:
Manchester United would have to pay £450m to Real Madrid if they are to sign their 21-year-old Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde. (Sunday Mirror)
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that ludicrous number is his buyout clause and Real are letting us know that if we want him as part of a deal for Pogba they are wanting a straight swap.
 
Devil may care said:
I'm guessing that ludicrous number is his buyout clause and Real are letting us know that if we want him as part of a deal for Pogba they are wanting a straight swap.
Click to expand...
I find it ridiculous that Real can ask a stupid price for a player but we cant ask the going rate for Pogba? Real can feck themselves and let him either stick the two years contract with us or sell him to Juve.
 
Devil may care said:
I'm guessing that ludicrous number is his buyout clause and Real are letting us know that if we want him as part of a deal for Pogba they are wanting a straight swap.
Click to expand...

I’m guessing it’s all nonsense and tomorrow we’ll be linked to another 5 players for the first and last time in the papers.
 
BlahRules said:
I find it ridiculous that Real can ask a stupid price for a player but we cant ask the going rate for Pogba? Real can feck themselves and let him either stick the two years contract with us or sell him to Juve.
Click to expand...

Real and these other clubs in Spain and Italy often get away with it as they have buyout clauses, the big 3 in Spain use this to their advantage in particular, with truly looney buyout clauses aimed to either protect their asset or to bleed a potential buyer dry, unfortunately buyout clauses are illegal in the the English game I believe, but we need to stand firm on Pogba and at least get our money back, getting a profit will be hard if he goes this summer as he's barely played.

Rozay said:
I’m guessing it’s all nonsense and tomorrow we’ll be linked to another 5 players for the first and last time in the papers.
Click to expand...

This is no time for logic good sir, we are short of topics as it is!
 
Devil may care said:
Real and these other clubs in Spain and Italy often get away with it as they have buyout clauses, the big 3 in Spain use this to their advantage in particular, with truly looney buyout clauses aimed to either protect their asset or to bleed a potential buyer dry, unfortunately buyout clauses are illegal in the the English game I believe, but we need to stand firm on Pogba and at least get our money back, getting a profit will be hard if he goes this summer as he's barely played.
Click to expand...

Real Madrid need him more than we do which should strenght our negotiating but who knows how this is going to work.

I don't think him not playing much this season should reduce his fee but his length of the contract may do but if Juve is also interested will benefit us.
 
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