Press Gossip - 2024

Sunday's Newspapers:
26th April 2020



SUNDAY MIRROR
  • Kevin Keegan is being lined up for a sensational return to Newcastle, and their £300m takeover could even be rubber-stamped later this week.
  • Liverpool told Philippe Coutinho they were not interested in re-signing him when he discussed a potential return.
  • Borussia Dortmund are eyeing Arsenal's Bukayo Saka.
  • Sven-Goran Eriksson has warned English footballers: Take the wage pain, or clubs will go under.
  • Manchester United's Scott McTominay has been taking lessons from Cristiano Ronaldo on how to keep himself fit and focused during lockdown.


THE SUN ON SUNDAY
  • West Ham and Leicester are considering making moves for Rangers forward Alfredo Morelos.
  • Mohamed Salah would be devastated if the Premier League season is canned by COVID-19 and Liverpool are denied lifting the title, according to his former captain at Egyptian club Al-Mokawloon.
  • Manchester City can land a bigger jackpot than rivals United and Chelsea, if they force a Jadon Sancho bidding war this summer.
  • Bury owner Steve Dale is seeking to alleviate a £3.7m stadium debt in order to help secure the expelled club's future.
  • Everton transfer chief Marcel Brands is teeing up Dutch AZ Alkmaar star Teun Koopmeiners for a £12m swoop.
  • Aston Villa and Crystal Palace are both in the hunt for Sean Dyche - if coronavirus ruins Burnley's transfer plans.
  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has been talking to Inter Milan stars ahead of a potential summer San Siro switch, according to reports.


THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
  • Jose Mourinho is interested in signing right-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer but will have to convince chairman Daniel Levy to relax his desire to bring down the average age of the Tottenham squad.
  • The Premier League and English Football League are facing calls for decisions to be taken over whether there would be promotion and relegation in the event the season is abandoned.


THE SUNDAY TIMES
  • English football faces a June 1 deadline to get back to full training or finishing the 2019-20 season may become impossible.
  • Alan Pardew should think twice about collecting his survival bonus at ADO Den Haag, after the abandonment of the Eredivisie season, according to Ruud Gullit.


THE OBSERVER
  • Premiership clubs face losing out on millions in central funding because of a clause in the longstanding agreement with the RFU which will become active at the end of the coronavirus pandemic-interrupted season.


THE SCOTTISH SUN
  • SPFL clubs are set to reject Rangers' calls for a second vote probe - because they fear a six-figure legal bill.
  • Scottish football will plead with Nicola Sturgeon to allow next season to start behind closed doors.


SUNDAY EXPRESS
  • Inter Milan have emerged as front-runners to sign Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, with Arsenal ready to sell this summer after pulling the plug on contract talks with the striker.

THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
  • Tottenham have joined the race to sign Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic after he admitted he is considering his future at the club.
  • Newcastle fans hoping for a major spree by their club's prospective Saudi Arabian owners are set to be disappointed as the Premier League and UEFA insist spending restrictions will stay in place.


Paris St-Germain have made a bid for Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, including 32-year-old Argentine midfielder Angel di Maria - who had a failed stint at Old Trafford in 2015 - as part of the deal. (Mail)

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s father Pierre-Francois has seemingly urged the 20-year-old Gabon striker to sign a new contract at Arsenal in an Instagram post of his son signing his first contract at the club. (Mirror)

Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 35, has pledged to stay at Juventus until 2022 amid rumours linking him with a return to former club Manchester United. (Sun)

Borussia Dortmund believe they can persuade England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, to stay at the club despite speculation that a move to Manchester United has been agreed. (Teamtalk)

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez still dreams of signing Paris St-Germain striker Neymar, according to the 28-year-old Brazilian’s agent. (Goal)

PSG would “rather let Kylian Mbappe rot on the bench” than sell the 21-year-old France striker to Real Madrid. (Sun)

Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho has personally called PSG’s Belgian defender Thomas Meunier, 28, in an attempt to secure the full-back’s transfer this summer. (Express)

Leicester City midfielder James Maddison, 23, told a fan he would be staying at the club, quelling rumours of a move to Manchester United. (Goal)

Leicester are still interested in Lille striker Victory Osimhen, 21, but could lose out to Italian sides Juventus and Inter Milan in their pursuit of the Nigerian. (Mail)

Arsenal will need to qualify for next season’s Champions League to be able to afford Atletico Madrid and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 26. (Express)

Norwich have agreed a deal to sign 23-year-old Luxembourg forward Danel Sinani from F91 Dudelange on a three-year deal. (Sky Sports)
 
  • Jose Mourinho is interested in signing right-back Thomas Meunier on a free transfer but will have to convince chairman Daniel Levy to relax his desire to bring down the average age of the Tottenham squad.
Same old Mourinho trying to buy older players while the club wants to bring down average age :lol:
 
Interesting to see how young Aubameyang is developing over the next few years.
 
Monday's Newspapers:
27th April 2020

Potential new rules and procedures for the return of football in the UK dominate Monday's back pages.



THE SUN
  • Clubs may be allowed to make five substitutions during games should the Premier League season be allowed to resume to avoid player burn out.
  • Roy Hodgson has told friends he does not expect to be allowed to attend Crystal Palace training or matches when the Premier League returns as stricter restrictions will remain in place for over 70s.
  • Manchester City are keen to boost their defensive depth by signing Juventus centre-half Leonardo Bonucci.
  • Chelsea came close to signing Neymar three years before he left Santos for Barcelona, according to one of the now PSG star's former agents.
  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer could be forced into a major clear out to boost his end of season transfer kitty.
  • Alan Pardew wants to stay on as boss of Dutch side Den Haag.


DAILY EXPRESS
  • Newcastle have opened talks with Napoli over defender Kalidou Koulibaly and also want to sign PSG striker Edinson Cavani and Real Betis forward Nabil Fekir.
  • Liverpool are closing on an unlikely financial boost as Juventus want to sign Luis Alberto, who the Anfield club included a 30 per cent sell-on fee on when they sold him to Lazio in 2016.

DAILY MIRROR
  • Premier League clubs have been briefed on the possibility of hotel lockdowns for players and staff as part of draconian regulations for a potential return to action.
  • Chelsea players want to discuss deferrals rather than cuts in their coronavirus pay negotiations.
  • Mohamed Salah has had to alter his training regime due to the start of Ramadan and has been putting himself through his paces in the early hours of the morning.
  • Arsenal have reportedly jumped ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Chelsea winger Willian on a free transfer this summer.
  • Bukayo Saka left Arsenal fans scratching their heads when he posted a cryptic social media video amid speculation Borussia Dortmund are plotting a move for the left-back.


DAILY MAIL
  • Premier League clubs have warned players they must be ready to resume training with 48 hours' notice amid Government plans to quarantine arrivals from overseas for 14 days - that would include stars like Willian and Fernandinho who are among those to have left the country during the pandemic.
  • Out-of-contract players are on a collision course with EFL clubs over plans to ask them to play through July without extra payment.
  • Arsenal have made contact with Real Madrid regarding centre-back Eder Militao, according to reports in Spain.
  • Wilfried Ndidi has distanced himself from a possible move away from Leicester City by admitting he has no reason to leave the club.
  • Watford have joined the fight to sign full-back Kwadwo Asamoah who has fallen out of favour at Inter Milan.
  • AC Milan want Real Madrid striker Luka Jovic as their long-term replacement for Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
  • Bitter UFC rivals Conor McGregor and Nate Diaz could have their trilogy fight on Dana White's "Fight Island" later this summer.


THE STAR
  • Newcastle are set to enter the Premier League-dominated race for Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • Premier League clubs have snubbed an SOS appeal from St John Ambulance, whose volunteers are recognisable at major sporting events around the United Kingdom and usually earn £29,000 per week from top division matches.
  • World football players' union FIFPro insist safety must be guaranteed before any football resumes and are concerned an early return could send out the wrong message while coronavirus remains a threat.
  • Derby County are facing a crucial 48 hours as they attempt to strike a wage deferral deal with their players, after it emerged the Championship club will lose up to £10 million due to the coronavirus pandemic.
THE TIMES
  • The Government is urging the Premier League and other sporting competitions to step up planning for their returns in a bid to lift the national mood after more than a month of lockdown.
  • Premiership Rugby is facing a significant drop in value for broadcasting rights after failing to secure a deal before the coronavirus crisis struck.
THE GUARDIAN
  • Everton could force Moise Kean to make a public apology, on top of a likely £100,000 fine, for breaching lockdown rules.
  • Six Nations organisers are considering creating a new window for the women's competition, moving it away from men's games to try and increase exposure.
DAILY RECORD
  • Hearts remain on collision course with their players with those failing to accept a pay cut facing having their contracts suspended.
SCOTTISH SUN
  • Bayern Munich are preparing to snatch another Celtic kid - with Barry Hepburn set to head for Germany.
  • Clubs may be allowed to use five subs in a game if the Premiership season resumes.

Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan at Bayern Munich, was told by Liverpool that they were not interested in re-signing him when the 27-year-old Brazil international discussed a potential return. (Mirror)

Napoli and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, has emerged as a surprise target for Newcastle United. (Foot Mercato - in French)

Arsenal have pulled out of contract talks with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The 30-year-old Gabon international is linked with a move away from Emirates Stadium, with Manchester United, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea all interested in signing him. (Mirror)

The Gunners have jumped ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian, 31, on a free transfer this summer. (ESPN - via Metro)

Manchester United’s Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea says he wants to stay at Old Trafford for "many years", but the 29-year-old faces competition for his position from 23-year-old Englishman Dean Henderson, who has impressed on loan at Sheffield United. (Mail)

Neymar's former agent Wagner Ribiero says the Brazil and Paris St-Germain forward, 28, considered joining Chelsea when he was 17. (Mail)

PSG and Belgium defender Thomas Meunier has been "won over" by Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho regarding a summer move, but the 28-year-old still hopes he could get a new deal at the Parc des Princes. (L’Equipe, via Teamtalk)

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has spoken to Napoli striker Dries Mertens and hopes to secure the 32-year-old Belgian on a free transfer. (Mail)

Netherlands full-back Jetro Willems, 26, has suggested he wants to move to Newcastle on a permanent basis after spending the start of the season on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt before getting injured. (Goal)

Chelsea have suffered a setback in their chase of Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana because the 24-year-old Cameroon international looks set to return to Barcelona. (Express)

Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 23, has reiterated his commitment to Leicester City after recent reports of interest from both Arsenal and Manchester United.(ESPN)

Barcelona's hopes of signing Inter Milan and Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, 22, have been diminished because of the impact coronavirus has had on the club's finances. (Mail)
 
Yes and it seems that the Saudis wanted to buy us before Newcastle deal happened.
Well I don't have any beef with it if means that Arsenal slip into mid-table mediocrity. Always a bit harsh on the current manager when a takeover happens as there is always an assumption that he's gonna get moved on. Poor ol' Brucey.
 
Tuesday's Newspapers:
28th April 2020



THE SUN
  • West Ham insiders have said "nobody is safe" in the club's massive squad overhaul this summer with Chelsea circling around £70m-rated England midfielder Declan Rice, who left the Blues as a 15-year-old.
  • City Football Group is set to make French club Nancy its ninth purchase once the coronavirus pandemic has passed.
  • Marcus Rashford has been at Manchester United's Carrington training ground to complete his rehab from a back injury.
  • Willian's hopes of staying in London by joining Arsenal in the summer could be quashed by the Chelsea winger's wage demands.
  • Newcastle are looking to sign former Sunderland striker Fabio Borini according to a report in Italy.


THE TIMES
  • Premier League chiefs have been given four weeks to provide UEFA with their plans to restart matches this summer.


DAILY MAIL
  • Premier League clubs face an astonishing £4m bill for coronavirus testing kits.
  • Barcelona have made Philippe Coutinho and Ousmane Dembele available for swap deals.
  • The Premier League transfer window is unlikely to open until the end of August.
  • Newcastle have taken chief scout Steve Nickson off the government furlough scheme after telling him to get to work on a series of summer transfer targets.


DAILY STAR
  • American businessman Henry Mauriss could re-ignite his bid to take over Newcastle United if their Saudi Arabian offer fails to reach completion.
  • Chelsea are turning their attentions to Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz after cooling interest in Philippe Coutinho.
  • Manchester United are now part of a "four-club race" to sign Fiorentina winger Federico Chiesa.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • FIFA council member Michel D'Hooghe says players should be given yellow cards if they spit during matches when football resumes because of fears of spreading coronavirus.


SCOTTISH SUN
  • Ann Budge has won her battle with Hearts players who were refusing to take a wage cut with the final rebels having stood down.
  • Kilmarnock will back changes to the SPFL structure which would cut it down to three 14-team divisions…but only if the changes made are permanent.
  • Former Celtic star Islam Feruz is ditching football to set up a company selling designer caps.


Everton striker Moise Kean, 20, has been linked with a move to Napoli. The Italian is likely to be disciplined by Everton after breaking government coronavirus guidelines earlier this week. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)

Barcelona have made record signings Brazilian midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 27, and French forward Ousmane Dembele, 22, available for swap deals this summer. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Chelsea were interested in Coutinho but are now targeting Bayer Leverkusen and Germany playmaker Kai Havertz, 20. (Athletic - subscription required)

Arsenal have made a £43m bid for Atletico Madrid and Ghana midfielder Thomas Partey, 26. (Express)

Liverpool are the favourites to sign Lille striker Victor Osimhen, 21, although Leicester and Chelsea are also interested in the Nigerian. (Le Foot Mercato - in French)

Borussia Dortmund's sporting director says he is "totally relaxed" over the future of Jadon Sancho. The England winger, 20, has been linked with a move to Manchester United. (Sport1 - in German)

However, Manchester United are willing to sell France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, and England midfielder Jesse Lingard, 27, to fund a move for Sancho. (Sun)

Arsenal have missed out on signing 15-year-old Manchester United midfielder Omari Forson on a professional contract. (Mail)

Manchester United have been linked with a move for Real Valladolid's Ghanaian defender Mohammed Salisu, 21. (AS - in Spanish)

Leicester midfielder Wilfred Ndidi says he is enjoying himself at the club, despite the Nigerian, 23, being linked with a move to Manchester United or Arsenal. (Teamtalk)

Spanish midfielder Dani Ceballos, 23, says he hopes to return to Real Madrid when his season-long loan deal at Arsenal ends. (Movistar - in Spanish)

Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa says his former Chelsea manager Antonio Conte could "never" last a full season at a club like Real Madrid. Conte has been been Inter Milan manager since May 2019. (ESPN)

Tottenham forward Son Heung-min could miss the return to Premier League training. The South Korean, 27, is currently completing national service and will have to quarantine himself when he returns to the country. (Evening Standard)

Former Tottenham and Chelsea manager Andre Villas-Boas says he will never return to the Premier League. (Mail)
 
Wednesday's Newspapers:
29th April 2020




THE SUN
  • Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang could be available for just £30m as Arsenal do not want to lose him for nothing when his contract expires in 2021.
  • Arsenal and Manchester United are part of a five-way fight to sign Monaco striker Wissam Ben Yedder.
  • Manchester United face a fight with Liverpool for the signing of Lille midfielder Boubakary Soumare.
  • EFL clubs are risking arguments as they will ask out-of-contract players to finish the coronavirus-hit season if it goes beyond June 30.
  • Arsenal have been told they will need to find £44m to sign on-loan Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos on a permanent basis.


THE TIMES
  • The Premier League faces a revolt from clubs over "Project Restart" plans with fears over player safety and opposition to the prospect of playing matches at neutral venues.

DAILY MAIL
  • Manchester United have shelved plans to go to India in preseason while Manchester City have called off talks over potential games in the United States and Europe.
  • The Premier League will control all coronavirus testing on players in a bid to complete the season.
  • Roma are hoping to keep Arsenal midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan after his loan expires but talks have been put on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Everton have held talks with Barcelona over 20-year-old centre back Jean-Clair Todibo. The Frenchman is currently on loan at Schalke.
  • Captain Tom Moore will be presented with a WWE title belt on his 100th birthday after helping raise more than £29m for NHS charities.


DAILY MIRROR
  • The Premier League is wary of announcing a return amid backlash fears over their plans for comprehensive testing of players, potentially twice a week.
  • Premier League clubs are not in favour of accepting an offer from Wembley Stadium to help finish the 2019/20 season there.


DAILY STAR
  • Manchester United and Arsenal appear to have been beaten to the signing of RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano, who is set to stay in Germany with Bayern Munich.
  • Paris Saint-Germain could move their remaining Champions League games to Qatar after the remainder of the Ligue 1 campaign was called off on Tuesday.
  • Police have been consulted over the prevention of Liverpool fans congregating wherever the behind-closed-doors game is played that could see them crowned Premier League champions.

SCOTTISH SUN
  • Coronavirus testing kits could cost Scottish Premiership clubs £150,000 if the remaining games on the schedule are cleared to be played.


Manchester United may be pushed into selling France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27, for a cut-price deal because of the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on football finances. (Goal)

Arsenal will sell Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30, for £30m as they do not want him to leave on a free transfer. (Sun)

The Gunners have yet to offer a contract extension to German midfielder Mesut Ozil, 31. (ESPN)

West Ham will refuse any offer made by Chelsea for England midfielder Declan Rice, 21. (Goal)

Newcastle and Everton have emerged as surprise contenders for the signature of Ajax and Netherlands midfielder Donny van de Beek. Manchester United and Real Madrid have also been linked with the 23-year-old. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Everton have offered a four-year deal to Real Madrid and Colombia midfielder James Rodriguez, 28. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Arsenal and Manchester United are both interested in signing Monaco and France striker Wissam Ben Yedder, 29. (L'Equipe - in French)

Everton have held talks with Barcelona over 20-year-old centre back Jean-Clair Todibo. The French youngster is currently on loan at Schalke. (Mail)

Liverpool have opened talks with the representatives of Lille and Nigeria forward Victor Osimhen, 21. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Newcastle are considering replacing manager Steve Bruce with Flamengo boss Jorge Jesus, who led the Brazilian club to the 2019 Copa Libertadores title. (Goal)

Arsenal will have to pay Real Madrid 50m euros (£44m) if they want to sign on-loan Spain midfielder Dani Ceballos, 23, on a permanent deal. (AS - in Spanish)

Arsenal are struggling to tie 18-year-old English winger Bukayo Saka down to a new contract with other Premier League clubs interested. (90min)

Chelsea want to sign Paris St-Germain's 17-year-old French midfielder Kays Ruiz-Atil, who is out of contract in 2021. (L'Equipe - in French)
 
Thursday's Newspapers:
30th April 2020




DAILY MAIL
  • Premier League clubs want to organise behind-closed-doors friendlies at stadiums as part of their pre-season plans ahead of the resumption of the 2019-20 season.
  • Former Liverpool midfielder Xabi Alonso is one of the leading candidates to become Pep Guardiola's new assistant at Manchester City.
  • Manchester United stars have been told to prepare for a return to training on May 18 - and to clean their own kit.
  • Premier League medics believe attempts to complete the season will not collapse if a player or staff member tests positive for the coronavirus.
  • French President Emmanuel Macron is imploring his counterparts in Europe to block any plans for the football season to restart in their respective countries, according to reports.
  • Napoli forward Dries Mertens remains an option for Chelsea.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • Tottenham players will receive their April salaries in full on Thursday - a month after chairman Daniel Levy called on footballers to accept pay cuts.
  • A number of Premier League managers are understood to be wary of being rushed back into playing football because of the risks involved to players and staff.
  • Premier League and Championship clubs have risked being prevented from spending any money on new signings in the next transfer window, after taking up the government's offer to defer PAYE payments.


THE SUN
  • Football's top stars fear a premature resumption could see them infect their families with Covid-19, according to the world players' union.
  • Unai Emery is open to a Premier League job following his Arsenal sacking, but says La Liga is likely to be his next destination.
  • Newcastle are set to be one of just five Premier League clubs to spend big this summer.
  • The fate of the Football League season could hinge on a key vote by players about whether they work beyond their contract dates.


DAILY STAR

England goalkeeper Joe Hart wants a free transfer to Leeds - and would be willing to take a pay cut if they got promoted.



DAILY MIRROR
  • The framework for a Premier League return has been cleared by Boris Johnson's office, including crucial plans for widespread testing of players.
  • Premier League players will have to wear face masks in training and all footballs will be disinfected by staff wearing PPE as part of draconian rules designed to allow a return to group training.
  • A string of black and ethnic minority players fear the Premier League's rush to restart leaves them at risk of catching coronavirus.
  • Jadon Sancho is being offered the chance to follow the likes of David Beckham in wearing the legendary No 7 shirt at Manchester United.
  • Jurgen Klopp has been told Ferran Torres would be a 'perfect fit' for his Liverpool team amid transfer links with the Valencia starlet.


THE TIMES
  • Manchester United's owners are facing another drop in the club's share price that would result in hundreds of millions being wiped off its value.
  • Most of the chief executives of English sport's governing bodies have agreed to take temporary pay cuts that in some cases will involve sacrificing thousands of pounds.


DAILY RECORD
  • SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster has revealed his anxious staff have been bombarded with vile abuse and threats of violence on the back of a controversial vote to end the season early during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • St Johnstone midfielder and PFA Scotland chairman Liam Craig has slammed Scottish football's decision makers for drowning players' voices out of the league reconstruction debate.

  • THE SCOTTISH SUN
  • Celtic are braced to lose yet another top prospect with Manchester City poised to poach exciting midfield talent Josh Adam.

Mauricio Pochettino is the first choice of Newcastle's prospective new owners to replace Steve Bruce as manager and they are willing to pay him £19m per year. (Sky Sports)

Bayern Munich manager Hansi Flick held a 30-minute phone call with Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 24, to discuss a potential transfer. (Bild, via Goal - in German)

Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho, 20, is being offered the number seven shirt by Manchester United in a bid to tempt him to the club. (Mirror)

France midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, 23, is considering his future at Tottenham, with Barcelona reportedly interested. (Sky Sports)

Roma boss Paulo Fonseca wants to sign Chelsea and Spain winger Pedro, 32. (Corriere dello Sport - in Italian)

Arsenal have been told they must pay more than £25m if they want to land Celtic's French forward Odsonne Edouard, 22. (Express)

Napoli forward Dries Mertens, 32, is interested in a move to London, with Chelsea still keen on the Belgium international. (Mail)

Arsenal have reportedly made contact with Real Madrid over a potential deal for Spain left-back Sergio Reguilon. The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Sevilla. (ABC, via Star)

Leicester are interested in signing Saint-Etienne's French centre-back Wesley Fofana, 19. (Le10 Sport - in French)

AC Milan will look to sell former Spain goalkeeper Pepe Reina when the transfer market re-opens. The 37-year-old is currently on loan at Aston Villa. (Calciomercato)

Nigel Pearson will remain as Watford manager until the end of the season, when it resumes, despite his contract expiring in May. (Sky Sports)

Arsenal will look to make free transfers and swap deals during the summer transfer window because of the financial impact of coronavirus. (Mail)

Chelsea and Italy midfielder Jorginho, 28, says he considered leaving the Blues after just one season because of the criticism he faced from fans. (FourFourTwo)
 
Friday's Newspapers:
1st May 2020


A divide appears to remain in the football world as to whether the sport can and should return or not to conclude the season.


Manchester City striker Sergio Aguero insists players are "scared" to return to action during the coronavirus pandemic


DAILY MAIL
  • Manchester United want Ajax starlet Donny van de Beek to replace Paul Pogba if he leaves Old Trafford.
  • EFL players below the Sky Bet Championship have been told it is likely that the season will not be finished, with too many coronavirus tests needed to resume action, and stadiums likely to be empty until January.
  • Coronavirus testing results are planned to be fast-tracked for Premier League players, with managers hoping to get the all-clear two days after each game when the season resumes.
  • Next season's League Cup could be scrapped should the number of teams in the Premier League be increased in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.


THE SUN
  • An anonymous Premier League club owner has warned that footballers will be able to refuse to play if the season resumes amid coronavirus fears.


DAILY MIRROR
  • Crisis-hit clubs at all levels are ganging up on agents who are owed hundreds of thousands of pounds from outstanding invoices from recent deals in January, amid the ongoing pandemic.
  • Brendan Rodgers says it would be "an absolute shame" if his former club Liverpool were not able to lift the 2019-20 title.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • The Premier League faces a pivotal 24 hours, with serious scepticism among some players and chief executives over the feasibility of new detailed proposals to resume the season on June 8 that have now been circulated to clubs.
  • The EFL needs 66,000 coronavirus tests to be carried out on players and staff to complete the 2019-20 season heightening fears that the situation is unworkable and the campaign will have to be abandoned.


DAILY RECORD
  • Bayern Munich are the latest top club who are considering a move for Hearts' 17-year-old starlet Aaron Hickey.


Manchester United favour a move for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 24, over his England team-mate and Leicester midfielder James Maddison, 23. (Manchester Evening News)

Real Madrid and Barcelona have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England winger Jadon Sancho. Manchester United are also keen on the 20-year-old. (Bild - in German)

Arsenal face competition from AC Milan to sign Real Betis and France midfielder Nabil Fekir, 26. (Marca - in Spanish)

Bayern Munich are only willing to pay £60m for Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 24. (Sky Sports)

Barcelona will not sell Brazil winger Philippe Coutinho for less than 100m euros (£87m). Chelsea have been linked with the 27-year-old. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Inter Milan are keen to make Victor Moses' loan deal permanent but want Chelsea to drop their 12m euros (£10m) asking price for the 29-year Nigeria winger. (Calciomercato)

Manchester City have started negotiations with Barcelona over a deal for Portugal right-back Nelson Semedo, 26. The deal would involve fellow Portugal right-back Joao Cancelo, 25, moving in the opposite direction. (Sport)

Brazil midfielder Fernandinho, 34, wants to sign a new deal at Manchester City. (Sky Sports)

Bournemouth and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser, 26, wants to join Tottenham when his contract expires this summer. (Football Insider)

Arsenal's head of football Raul Sanllehi has told club staff that transfers are not a priority this summer. (Standard)

Manchester United will reject any bids for English goalkeeper Dean Henderson during the next transfer window. The 23-year-old is currently on loan at Sheffield United. (ESPN)

Aston Villa's Spanish striker Borja Baston will return to former club Real Zaragoza when his contract expires in the summer. The 27-year-old joined Villa in January. (Sport Aragon - in Spanish)

Burnley and former England goalkeeper Joe Hart, 33, is keen on a move to Leeds United, and would be willing to take a pay cut. (Football Insider)
 
Newcastle have taken chief scout Steve Nickson off the government furlough scheme after telling him to get to work on a series of summer transfer targets.

brilliant. let the government pay the staff but still want to spend millions in the transfer window.
 


Saturday's Newspapers:
2nd May 2020



the sun

Harry Kane, Jordan Henderson and Mark Noble have been inundated by calls from worried players over whether it is safe for football to return.
Manchester United players are taking legal advice over missed pay rises that would cost them up to a combined £50m if coronavirus means the season concludes.
Dean Henderson is set to leave Manchester United on loan again whenever the 2020/21 season is able to get under way as he is not keen to sit on the bench behind David De Gea.


daily telegraph

Bundesliga squads will be tested twice a week for coronavirus and players will have food delivered to hotel rooms during isolation in order to stage matches behind closed doors.
The Premier League season is set to be completed at neutral venues, with the help of 40,000 coronavirus tests.
Bournemouth midfielder Jordon Ibe has undergone treatment to address his mental health after being caught driving without a licence.
League One and League Two clubs may be asked to vote on a series of radical changes to budgets and squad sizes as early as next week as the EFL looks to introduce tighter financial controls.


the times

Newcastle's players will return to training next week and key members of staff have been taken off furlough in a sign that the club is preparing for the season to be finished.


daily mail

Manchester United have emailed staff asking them to come up with ideas to create a better atmosphere at Old Trafford if games are played behind closed doors.
Premier League clubs are already preparing for playing the entirety of next season behind closed doors, with Manchester United and Arsenal set to lose up to £100m from lack of matchday revenue.
Chelsea players' U-turn on accepting pay cuts last weekend followed pressure from players at other Premier League clubs.
English football's powerbrokers are in talks over establishing a financial relief fund to protect players left unemployed because of the coronavirus.


daily star

Jude Bellingham met with legendary Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson when he visited the club's Carrington complex as he ponders a move from Birmingham City.
Feyenoord's Turkey U21 star Orkan Kokcu is being coveted by Arsenal but the Premier League side face competition for his signature from Sevilla.
Wolves striker Raul Jimenez has said it would be tough to ignore Real Madrid or Barcelona if they showed interest in him.


daily mirror

Civil war is in danger of breaking out between Premier League clubs with the top six facing criticism over their desire to complete the 2019/20 season.
Timo Werner looks set to miss out on a move to Anfield as champions-elect Liverpool now look virtually certain to do no transfer spending this summer.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta cancelled a potential move for Bayer Leverkusen striker Kevin Volland just after he took over at the Emirates.
Barcelona need to raise €70m before June 30 and will listen to offers for almost all of their players.


Wolves forward Raul Jimenez, 28, said it would be hard to turn down offers from Spanish clubs Real Madrid and Barcelona. (Express)

Manchester United goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 23, who has spent the 2019-20 season on loan at Sheffield United, is set to spend another year away from the club. (Daily Star)

Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, 23, has emerged as a summer transfer target for Manchester United but the two clubs are yet to make contact. (Manchester Evening News)

Chelsea forward Willian, 31, said he would not see it as a problem to move to a rival club in London - not ruling out a move to Tottenham or Arsenal. (Desimpedidos - Brazilian, via Mirror)

Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser, 26, has told friends he would be keen on joining Tottenham this summer if they make a move for him. (Football Insider)

Atletico Madrid midfielder Hector Herrera, 30, was one of West Ham's main targets in the January transfer window and they could still try to sign him in the summer. (Independent


Valencia winger Ferran Torres, 20, has been urged by team-mate Jose Luis Gaya, 24, to avoid a move to Liverpool. (Marca - Spanish, via Liverpool Echo)

Barcelona forward Philippe Coutinho, 27, is way out of Leicester City's budget, says manager Brendan Rodgers, despite speculation of a summer transfer. (Leicester Mercury)

New Watford signing Pape Gueye, 21, no longer wants to play for the Premier League side despite recently signing a five-year contract because of fears he could be sent out on loan. (Radio France)

Liverpool have made contact with Napoli defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, as a potential replacement for Joel Matip. (Tutto Mercato - Italian)

Meanwhile, Tottenham have opened talks to sign Hellas Verona defender Marash Kumbulla, 20, as a potential replacement for Jan Vertonghen. (Gazzetta dello Sport - Italian, via Sport Witness)

 
Sunday's Newspapers:
3rd May 2020


The Premier League could be faced with a player revolt




SUNDAY MIRROR
  • Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has made plans to make Paul Pogba a key part of Manchester United's future and build a partnership with Bruno Fernandes but Real Madrid are set to table a cut-price £70m bid for the wantaway Old Trafford star.
  • Premier League clubs are facing a player revolt over the plan to restart the season with a number of foreign stars approaching their governments and agents for advice on whether it will be safe for them to return to action on June 12.
  • Arsenal legend Dennis Bergkamp is leading a consortium of football superstars including Phillip Cocu, Dirk Kuyt, Ronald Koeman and Henrik Larsson aiming to buy a Premier League club.
  • Manchester United are preparing for a doomsday scenario of empty stadiums for up to six months after football re-starts.
  • Premier League clubs will be offered a star-studded host of Barcelona players to buy or loan this summer, including World Cup winner Antoine Griezmann, as the Spanish giants are desperate to raise funds amid the coronavirus outbreak.
  • Tottenham have slashed Jose Mourinho's transfer budget with loan signings are now high on the agenda as last year's Champions League finalists look to cut costs.



THE SUN ON SUNDAY
  • The Premier League is being offered an amazing Plan B escape route - to end the season in sunny Australian city Perth.
  • Manchester United hope to beat Tottenham to the signing of Sunderland's young striker Joe Hugill for a six-figure sum.
  • Burnley will claim a huge £10m in compensation for miracle-worker manager Sean Dyche with Crystal Palace and Aston Villa monitoring his situation.
  • Newcastle manager Steve Bruce remains very popular among his squad who are determined to prove to the new owners that he should be kept on beyond this season.
  • EFL clubs could receive a multi-million-pound handout from the Premier League if they get their season going.
  • Bosses at a Premier League club have told their players they can opt out of Project Restart for health and safety.
  • Sheffield United owner Prince Abdullah would risk being jailed in Saudi Arabia if the Blades beat Newcastle after the proposed takeover.


THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH
  • There is a major rift emerging between the top 14 Premier League clubs and those in the bottom six, with concerns that the relegation strugglers will try to block the completion of the season and plunge the league into financial disaster.
  • Broadcasters could be allowed to interview players and managers during games in innovative plans being discussed by the Premier League to head off demands for money to be repaid because the season is set to be completed behind closed doors.
  • Sky Bet Championship clubs have discussed restarting the season in July, after lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic is over.
  • The Football Association fear losses reaching £300m from sport grinding to a halt during the coronavirus pandemic.


THE MAIL ON SUNDAY
  • Mesut Ozil has chipped in to help those struggling with the coronavirus in Turkey after pledging £80,000 for Muslims during Ramadan.
  • Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has said it would not 'sit well' with him if Premier League stars were favoured to undergo regular coronavirus tests ahead of frontline NHS staff and key workers.
  • Marcelo has no plans to surrender his Real Madrid left-back slot to Ferland Mendy just yet, rubbishing rumours he is set for a switch to Juventus.
  • Montpellier midfielder Junior Sambia is ready to return home after a scary battle against coronavirus over the past couple of weeks.
  • Leeds want to go with 20-year-old Illan Meslier as their Premier League goalkeeper next season if they win promotion.



SUNDAY EXPRESS
  • West Ham are considering offloading their £45m club-record signing Sebastien Haller after just one season at the London Stadium.
  • Leicester City plan to move for Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney if they lose Ben Chilwell.


SCOTTISH SUN
  • Rangers are poised to pull the trigger on their 'smoking gun' in the next 72 hours and submit their dossier of evidence they claim proves SPFL skullduggery to all 42 member clubs.
  • Scottish FA president Rod Petrie has confirmed that this year's Scottish Cup will be played to a conclusion - even if it takes us into 2021 to get it done.


SUNDAY MAIL
  • Celtic are keeping tabs on Legia Warsaw's Michal Karbownik but the club will have to beat Dynamo Moscow and Real Betis to land the attacking left-back.
  • Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson admits the financial impact of COVID-19 could scupper Rangers' bid to sign Ianis Hagi.

Belgium midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, 28, has hinted he could quit Manchester City if their Champions League ban is upheld. (HLN, via Manchester Evening News)

Roma want to sign Chile forward Alexis Sanchez on loan. The 31-year-old is currently at Inter Milan, on loan from Manchester United. (Sky Sport Italia, via Goal - in Italian)

Roma also want to keep Manchester United loanee and England defender Chris Smalling, 30, for at least another season, says manager Paulo Fonseca. (ESPN)

Bayern Munich and Brazil winger Philippe Coutinho, 27, will be a target for Newcastle if they make Mauricio Pochettino the club's new manager. (Mirror)

Lille have received an 85m euros (£75m) bid from an unnamed club for Nigeria striker Victor Osimhen. The 21-year-old is wanted by Liverpool. (Telefoot - in French)

Real Madrid are planning to sell at least five players this summer, including Wales winger Gareth Bale, 30. (AS - in Spanish)

Leicester and Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 23, is a target for Paris St-Germain. (ESPN)

Newcastle and West Ham are among a number of Premier League clubs to have enquired about Real Madrid and Serbia striker Luka Jovic, 22. (90min)

Leicester will make a move for Arsenal and Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney, 22, if England left-back Ben Chilwell, 23, is sold. (Express)

Barcelona could sell Uruguay striker Luis Suarez this summer with several MLS teams said to be interested in the 33-year-old. (Marca)

Newcastle, Everton, West Ham and Leicester are all monitoring the situation of Manchester United and England midfielder Jesse Lingard, 27. (90min)

Southampton hope to sign Reims' French defender Axel Disasi, 22. (Mail)

Leeds will look to make 20-year-old French goalkeeper Illan Meslier's loan deal from Lorient permanent if they win promotion to the Premier League. (Telegraph)
 
Monday's Newspapers:
4th May 2020



THE SUN
  • Premier League chiefs are working on a new seven-week football festival if the season resumes, but it must start by June 19 - otherwise it will be impossible to complete the season before UEFA's cut-off point of August 2.
  • One major Premier League club has already started sending out kits to their players' homes to test themselves as about 40,000 testing kits - costing about £4m - are to be bought by the league in a bid to get games resumed.
  • Controversial plans to stop Premier League relegation this season are gathering support with a growing set of top-flight clubs backing the idea of playing out fixtures at up to 10 neutral stadiums - if the threat of relegation is removed.
  • Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon, who has been on loan with Sevilla this season, according to reports in Spain.


DAILY MAIL
  • The Premier League will make a desperate plea for unity this week amid claims that the bottom six clubs are sabotaging plans to resume the season, while some of the 'big six' are lobbying for guarantees that promotion and relegation will still be implemented, even if the season is curtailed.
  • Alexis Sanchez has desires on moving back to his native Chile following a failed spell at Manchester United.
  • Premier League clubs will hold urgent talks with their players this week amid major concerns from footballers over proposals to restart the season.
  • Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has followed the Players Together campaign by helping to launch an eBay shirts raffle to raise funds for NHS heroes.
  • Jack Wilshere has insisted that he has 'unfinished business at West Ham' and said he is determined to show manager David Moyes and the Hammers faithful what he can do.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

  • The League Managers Association has revealed it has received no contact from the EFL for three weeks and the union is stressing that the health of members is its main focus when football returns from the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Scrapping relegation might be the only way to convince struggling Premier League clubs to play the remainder of the season at neutral venues, according to one leading club executive.
  • Women's football and the grass-roots game will remain two central planks of the Football Association's strategic planning as it sets about cutting £75m from the annual budget.
  • Tanguy Ndombele is determined to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham Hotspur despite his strained relationship with Jose Mourinho and interest from Barcelona.


DAILY MIRROR

  • Premier League clubs have been told the "eight to ten" neutral ground plan is an experiment - and all 20 could be used next season.
  • Arsenal are ready to sell Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer to help raise funds for a low-budget transfer window with Roma keen to sign the Armenian on a permanent basis.
  • William Saliba will be allowed to train with Arsenal when he arrives in North London but cannot play any games until the 2020/21 season kicks off even though the Ligue 1 season has been brought to an end.
  • Kylian Mbappe is considering the offer of a new deal at PSG which would launch him into the same kind of wage bracket as Neymar.

DAILY STAR
  • Barcelona goalkeeper and Chelsea transfer target Marc-Andre ter Stegen says he is "very happy" at the Nou Camp despite contract talks being on hold.
  • Chief football officer for Juventus Fabio Paratici believes fewer clubs will be able to afford Paul Pogba's wage demands amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Club safety officers fear a lack of consultation over the Premier League's Project Restart could leave players and officials at risk. (THE GUARDIAN)
  • Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez admits the prospect of playing in the Premier League is "very attractive" to him. (THE GUARDIAN)
  • Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga hopes his impressive rise can continue when football finally resumes and has set his sights on an England call-up. (PRESS ASSOCIATION)
  • Manchester United will remind Marcos Rojo of his responsibilities after the defender was filmed appearing to flout Argentina's coronavirus lockdown rules. (PRESS ASSOCIATION)
  • Kevin De Bruyne has admitted he will consider his future if Manchester City's two-year ban from European competition stands, but suggested he could stay at the Etihad Stadium even if he faced a year out of the Champions League. (STORY HERE)
  • Manchester United are keeping tabs on a RB Leipzig centre-back - not the highly-coveted Dayot Upamecano, but his 20-year-old team-mate and compatriot Ibrahima Konate. (LE10 SPORT IN FRANCE)
  • Tottenham are leading the race to sign Barcelona and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic, 32. (MUNDO DEPORTIVO IN SPAIN)


Tottenham are leading the race to sign Barcelona and Croatia's 32-year-old midfielder Ivan Rakitic. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Inter Milan want to sign 27-year-old Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

France midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, 23, wants to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham amid interest from Barcelona. (Telegraph)

Chelsea and Spain forward Pedro, 32, is wanted by Roma and Real Betis. (Goal)

Arsenal are prepared to sell Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer to raise funds. The 31-year-old is currently on loan at Roma. (Mirror)

Sevilla are interested in French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko. The 25-year-old is on loan at Monaco from Chelsea. (France Football - in French)

Arsenal and Chelsea both want to sign Feyenoord's Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, 19. (Express)

Real Madrid and Spain winger Lucas Vazquez, 28, says the idea of playing club football in England is "very attractive" to him. (Guardian)

Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of RB Leipzig's French centre-back Ibrahima Konate, 20. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Manchester United and the Netherlands legend Jaap Stam, 47, says he has held talks with FC Cincinnati to become the MLS club's new head coach. (Goal)
 
Monday's Newspapers:
4th May 2020



THE SUN
  • Premier League chiefs are working on a new seven-week football festival if the season resumes, but it must start by June 19 - otherwise it will be impossible to complete the season before UEFA's cut-off point of August 2.
  • One major Premier League club has already started sending out kits to their players' homes to test themselves as about 40,000 testing kits - costing about £4m - are to be bought by the league in a bid to get games resumed.
  • Controversial plans to stop Premier League relegation this season are gathering support with a growing set of top-flight clubs backing the idea of playing out fixtures at up to 10 neutral stadiums - if the threat of relegation is removed.
  • Arsenal and Tottenham are interested in Real Madrid left-back Sergio Reguilon, who has been on loan with Sevilla this season, according to reports in Spain.


DAILY MAIL
  • The Premier League will make a desperate plea for unity this week amid claims that the bottom six clubs are sabotaging plans to resume the season, while some of the 'big six' are lobbying for guarantees that promotion and relegation will still be implemented, even if the season is curtailed.
  • Alexis Sanchez has desires on moving back to his native Chile following a failed spell at Manchester United.
  • Premier League clubs will hold urgent talks with their players this week amid major concerns from footballers over proposals to restart the season.
  • Liverpool captain Jordan Henderson has followed the Players Together campaign by helping to launch an eBay shirts raffle to raise funds for NHS heroes.
  • Jack Wilshere has insisted that he has 'unfinished business at West Ham' and said he is determined to show manager David Moyes and the Hammers faithful what he can do.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

  • The League Managers Association has revealed it has received no contact from the EFL for three weeks and the union is stressing that the health of members is its main focus when football returns from the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Scrapping relegation might be the only way to convince struggling Premier League clubs to play the remainder of the season at neutral venues, according to one leading club executive.
  • Women's football and the grass-roots game will remain two central planks of the Football Association's strategic planning as it sets about cutting £75m from the annual budget.
  • Tanguy Ndombele is determined to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham Hotspur despite his strained relationship with Jose Mourinho and interest from Barcelona.


DAILY MIRROR

  • Premier League clubs have been told the "eight to ten" neutral ground plan is an experiment - and all 20 could be used next season.
  • Arsenal are ready to sell Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer to help raise funds for a low-budget transfer window with Roma keen to sign the Armenian on a permanent basis.
  • William Saliba will be allowed to train with Arsenal when he arrives in North London but cannot play any games until the 2020/21 season kicks off even though the Ligue 1 season has been brought to an end.
  • Kylian Mbappe is considering the offer of a new deal at PSG which would launch him into the same kind of wage bracket as Neymar.

DAILY STAR
  • Barcelona goalkeeper and Chelsea transfer target Marc-Andre ter Stegen says he is "very happy" at the Nou Camp despite contract talks being on hold.
  • Chief football officer for Juventus Fabio Paratici believes fewer clubs will be able to afford Paul Pogba's wage demands amid the coronavirus pandemic.

  • Club safety officers fear a lack of consultation over the Premier League's Project Restart could leave players and officials at risk. (THE GUARDIAN)
  • Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez admits the prospect of playing in the Premier League is "very attractive" to him. (THE GUARDIAN)
  • Tottenham defender Japhet Tanganga hopes his impressive rise can continue when football finally resumes and has set his sights on an England call-up. (PRESS ASSOCIATION)
  • Manchester United will remind Marcos Rojo of his responsibilities after the defender was filmed appearing to flout Argentina's coronavirus lockdown rules. (PRESS ASSOCIATION)
  • Kevin De Bruyne has admitted he will consider his future if Manchester City's two-year ban from European competition stands, but suggested he could stay at the Etihad Stadium even if he faced a year out of the Champions League. (STORY HERE)
  • Manchester United are keeping tabs on a RB Leipzig centre-back - not the highly-coveted Dayot Upamecano, but his 20-year-old team-mate and compatriot Ibrahima Konate. (LE10 SPORT IN FRANCE)
  • Tottenham are leading the race to sign Barcelona and Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic, 32. (MUNDO DEPORTIVO IN SPAIN)


Tottenham are leading the race to sign Barcelona and Croatia's 32-year-old midfielder Ivan Rakitic. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Inter Milan want to sign 27-year-old Manchester United and France midfielder Paul Pogba. (Gazzetta dello Sport - in Italian)

France midfielder Tanguy Ndombele, 23, wants to stay and fight for his place at Tottenham amid interest from Barcelona. (Telegraph)

Chelsea and Spain forward Pedro, 32, is wanted by Roma and Real Betis. (Goal)

Arsenal are prepared to sell Armenian midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan this summer to raise funds. The 31-year-old is currently on loan at Roma. (Mirror)

Sevilla are interested in French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko. The 25-year-old is on loan at Monaco from Chelsea. (France Football - in French)

Arsenal and Chelsea both want to sign Feyenoord's Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, 19. (Express)

Real Madrid and Spain winger Lucas Vazquez, 28, says the idea of playing club football in England is "very attractive" to him. (Guardian)

Manchester United have made contact with the representatives of RB Leipzig's French centre-back Ibrahima Konate, 20. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Manchester United and the Netherlands legend Jaap Stam, 47, says he has held talks with FC Cincinnati to become the MLS club's new head coach. (Goal)
Great work! :) I enjoy reading gossip without having to go look for it.
 
In resume, the league is being blackmailed by teams afraid of being relegated.
This is a major sabotage to clubs that are bound to come up from the Championship.
If the league's decision is to play out the rest of the games, and as long as player and staff safety is well handled, any team that refuses to partake should be relegated.
 
Tuesday's Newspapers:
5th May 2020



DAILY MAIL
  • Newcastle will have to pay Tottenham £12.5million if they want to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as manager this month due to a clause in his contract, but the Argentine will be able to sign for free in June.
  • Key plans on the safe return to football are set to be finalised at a cross-sport meeting with the Government on Wednesday, with plans expected to be put to players for essential feedback.
  • The Premier League are set to delay Friday's crucial meeting aimed at rubber-stamping Project Restart until next week after it emerged Boris Johnson will reveal the next phase of the UK's lockdown on Sunday.
  • A Manchester City-themed aircraft that was unveiled by Premier League stars in October has been converted into a cargo plane to collect frozen beef from Sudan during the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Manchester United's plans to increase the capacity at Old Trafford have been placed on hold thanks to the coronavirus crisis.

DAILY MIRROR
  • Arsenal head of football Raul Sanllehi told staff on a conference call last week that budgets would be tight for the summer and it would be highly unlikely for any major deals at the Emirates.
  • Norwich boss Daniel Farke has insisted the Premier League cannot return if it risks a single life.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
  • Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey has made it clear he would like to move to Arsenal and is hoping a deal can be struck between the clubs.
  • Agents of Premier League players expect some clubs to launch campaigns to discourage them from returning under the terms of Project Restart.
  • Arsenal would be the Premier League club most financially affected by playing next season behind closed doors, according to research which reveals potential losses across the division of £878.2 million.
  • Agents fees are set to push towards a record-breaking £300million for Premier League transfers for last season, but the coronavirus pandemic is expected to halt clubs paying extravagant commission, while in the lower leagues there are fears middle-men will go out of business.


DAILY STAR
  • Ajax boss Erik ten Hag has confirmed the club "have an agreement" with Chelsea target Andre Onana that would allow the goalkeeper to leave for the right price this summer.


THE SUN
  • Wembley is back on the agenda as a potential venue to complete the Premier League season.
  • Tottenham face a further £10million cash blow as NFL chiefs have cancelled this year's four "London Games".
  • Manchester United have agreed to sign Joe Hugill from Sunderland but the £200k transfer is being held up as the teenager is banned from travelling for a medical due to lockdown restrictions.
  • Manchester United face a dilemma on whether to let Dean Henderson stay at top-four rivals Sheffield United - and potentially help deny them a £60million-plus Champions League slot.
  • Aston Villa are poised to get the green light to recall England keeper Tom Heaton for their fight against the drop.
  • Premier League players have been ordered not to spit and to wear snoods or masks when they go back to training.
  • David Moyes has revealed he'd ask for Billy Gilmour in exchange for Declan Rice if Chelsea come knocking for his star man this summer.

DAILY RECORD
  • Plans to hold a historic summit of all top-flight clubs to effectively end the season were dramatically put on hold - incase the Scottish government makes the decision for them on Tuesday.
  • Serie A side Lazio are set to pounce for Ianis Hagi if Rangers don't take up their option on the loan star.

THE SCOTTISH SUN
  • Leigh Griffiths revealed he wants to stay at Celtic for the rest of his career.

Liverpool have told Timo Werner’s representatives they need more time to decide on whether to make a formal offer for the 24-year-old RB Leipzig striker as they wait to see what impact the coronavirus will have on the next transfer window. (Guardian)

Inter Milan are preparing a part exchange with Leipzig for the German international, with Austrian Valentino Lazaro, also 24, who is currently on loan at Newcastle, part of the deal. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Real Madrid are preparing to make an offer to Manchester United to sign French midfielder Paul Pogba, 27. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Real are also looking at a deal to sign Rennes teenager Eduardo Camavinga, with the Old Trafford club keen to sign the 17-year-old too. (AS - in Spanish)

Sao Paulo midfielder Igor Gomez is also a target for the Madrid side but the 21-year-old’s club has not received an official approach for the player. Barcelona, Sevilla and Ajax are also keen on the Brazilian. (Goal via Globo Esporte)

Atletico Madrid midfielder Thomas Partey, 26, has made it clear he would like to move to Arsenal and is hoping a deal can be struck between the clubs with Alexandre Lacazette switching as part of the deal. (Telegraph)

Former Aston Villa forward Nii Odartey Lamptey has warned Partey against a move to England. The Ghana international is also wanted by Juventus and Inter Milan. (Standard)

Turkish side Fenerbahce are reportedly working on a deal to sign Arsenal midfielder Mesut Ozil, 31 before the end of his current deal next year. (Sun)

Brazilian striker Neymar remains keen to leave PSG and rejoin Barcelona with the 28-year-old believed to be happy to take a 50% wage cut to move back to Spain. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Newcastle will have to pay Tottenham £12.5m if they want to appoint Mauricio Pochettino as manager this month - but they can sign him for nothing after 31 May. (ESPN)

Former Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes believes Manchester City’s German midfielder Leroy Sane, 24, who is strongly linked with a move to Munich, is overrated and ‘not worth £100m’. (Independent via Sport Bild)

Arsenal and Chelsea are set to battle it out to sign Feyenoord’s £23m-rated Turkish midfielder Orkun Kokcu, 19. (Sun)

Leicester City have been linked with an move for 20-year-old German defender Ismail Jakobs but FC Koln want £9m from the Foxes to secure the deal. (Leicester Mercury via Todo Fichajes)

Former England and Manchester City keeper Joe Hart could reignite his career at Leeds United and the 33-year-old is far stronger mentally after a downturn in his career, says former team-mate Danny Mills. (Football Insider)

Manchester United are close to finalising a deal for teenage Sunderland striker Joe Hugill, holding off competition from Arsenal and Tottenham for a player who does not turn 17 until October. (Manchester Evening News)

Chelsea forward Pedro says he has “many offers” but the 32-year-old is waiting to speak to the Stamford Bridge club about his future beyond the end of the season. (Standard)

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag has confirmed that the club have an agreement with Cameroonian goalkeeper Andre Onana that the 24-year-old will be allowed leave the club this summer amid interest from Chelsea and Barcelona. (Mail)

Italian winger Stephan el Shaarawy says he was close to returning to Roma in January from Chinese side Shanghai Shenhua in a bid to earn a place in his country’s Euro 2020 squad. (Goal)
 
Wednesday's Newspapers:
6th May 2020


Football to be played without a ball.
Man Utd are looking to pounce on long-term Liverpool target Timo Werner.


DAILY EXPRESS


  • Manchester United have placed Timo Werner on their transfer shortlist, despite Liverpool leading the race for the RB Leipzig striker's signature.
  • Cristiano Ronaldo was planning to leave Real Madrid to re-sign for Manchester United - but then-manager Sir Alex Ferguson retired in 2013 and the deal broke down.


DAILY MAIL

  • Chelsea winger Willian has already sealed his reunion with Jose Mourinho by agreeing to join Tottenham this summer.

  • The Premier League are set to revamp the owners' and directors' test in light of the £300m Newcastle takeover backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund.
  • The top three UK sports - football, cricket, and rugby - are facing combined losses of almost £2bn if they are forced to write off the season.

THE SUN

  • Manchester United have made a last-ditch £30,000-a-week offer to Angel Gomes to sign a new deal before he quits for free this summer.
  • Arsenal could have to sell six players to fund the remaining fee left to pay for Nicolas Pepe.


THE MIRROR

  • Manchester City will go head to head with Liverpool in the race to sign highly-rated KV Mechelen midfielder Aster Vranckx.

DAILY STAR

  • Manchester City's John Stones believes football shouldn't be in a rush to return - and would prefer to see games resume when supporters are allowed into stadiums.
  • Arsenal have expressed their interest to Bayern Munich about youngster Angelo Stiller after impressing for their academy.


THE TIMES

  • Manchester United have told their players who are overseas to return to England in the next seven days.
  • Medical specialists will present their Covid-19 safety protocols directly to players and managers in another landmark teleconference call next week.


SCOTTISH SUN

  • Former SFA technical director Mark Wotte has said he wants to return to Scotland and land the St Johnstone job.


LIVERPOOL ECHO


MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS

  • Manchester United missed out on signing Bayern Munich star Alphonso Davies, despite Jose Mourinho making it clear to the club he wanted to sign the defender.


Manchester United are keen to sign Juventus and Wales midfielder Aaron Ramsey, 29, as part of a swap deal for France midfielder Paul Pogba, 27. (Express)

Sporting Lisbon have been reported to Fifa by Sampdoria, who claim they are owed a £4m sell-on fee following the sale of Bruno Fernandes, 25, to Manchester United in January. The Portuguese midfielder left Italy for Sporting in 2017. (Mirror)

Arsenal may be forced to sell six players to fund the remainder of 24-year-old Ivory Coast winger Nicolas Pepe’s £72m fee for his move from Lille last summer. (Sun)

Chelsea winger Willian, 31, is expected to stay in London when his contract at Stamford Bridge expires in June, with the Brazilian opting to reunite with his former Blues manager Jose Mourinho at Tottenham. (Mail)

Manchester City are interested in River Plate's Lucas Martinez Quarta, 23, and want to bring the Argentine to Etihad Stadium, with his compatriot and fellow central defender Nicolas Otamendi, 32, going the other way. (Sports Witness via TNT Sports - in Spanish)

Juventus will step up their pursuit of Fiorentina's Italy winger Federico Chiesa, with his club willing to sell “for the right price," while Chelsea, Manchester United and Inter Milan are also interested in the 22-year-old. (Goal)

Manchester United need to make a decision on the future of England Under-21 goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 23, who has starred during his time on loan at Sheffield United, with his Old Trafford contract expiring at the end of June. (Sun)

Everton’s hopes of signing Napoli’s Allan, 29, are fading with the Serie A club’s owner saying the Brazilian midfielder’s £65m price tag will not drop because of Covid-19 - which is also the case for Liverpool target, Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, who is valued at £95m. (Il Napolista - in Italian)

Arsenal are interested in Bayern Munich defensive midfielder Angelo Stiller, 19. (Bild - in German)

Paris St-Germain and France forward Kylian Mbappe, 21, has asked for a clause in his contract renewal to allow him to leave the Ligue 1 champions for Real Madrid or another European club in the future. (AS - in Spanish)

Juventus and Argentina forward Gonzalo Higuain has not decided whether to travel back to Italy from his homeland, with his boyhood club River Plate interested in signing the 32-year-old. (TuttoSport - in Italian)

Lyon want to keep on-loan Villarreal and Cameroon forward Karl Toko-Ekambi, 27. (Goal)

DC United are still interested in signing a defender when the MLS transfer market reopens, after their plans were interrupted when the league was suspended two games into the season. (MLSsoccer.com)

The video assistant referee will continue to be used in the Premier League if and when the season restarts. (Telegraph - subscription required)
 
Thursday's Newspapers:
7th May 2020



DAILY STAR


  • RB Leipzig manager Julian Nagelsmann is said to be one of four names on a list of targets from Newcastle's potential new owners.

THE MIRROR

  • Football fans could be back in stadiums by October under Boris Johnson's six-month plan to get the United Kingdom out of lockdown.
  • Arsenal owner Stan Kroenke has seen his wealth rise by £323m amid the coronavirus crisis.


DAILY MAIL

  • Manchester United are ready to reignite their interest in Napoli winger Hirving Lozano, according to reports in Italy.
  • Premier League clubs threaten a vote to relegate the bottom three if they block Project Restart proposals to stage games at neutral grounds next month.
  • Manchester United are waiting to see when the Premier League season will restart before opening talks with Shanghai Shenhua over extending Odion Ighalo's loan.
  • Premier League clubs face another hurdle to restarting the season after it emerged that players have to take their holidays by June 30.
  • Former Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino is reportedly edging closer to the Newcastle hotseat.


DAILY EXPRESS

  • Juventus have reportedly contacted Chelsea about the possibility of signing midfielder Jorginho.
  • Manchester United are considering delaying their transfer swoop for Jadon Sancho by a year because of the coronavirus pandemic.

THE GUARDIAN

  • An unidentified player at Serie A club Torino has tested positive for coronavirus in the first round of testing before the side's planned return to training on Friday.
  • Manchester United have an agreement in place to sign Sunderland teenager Joe Hugill.



THE TIMES

  • Luke Shaw has revealed that Manchester United players are now fined if they do not turn up to team bonding events.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

  • The Premier League will ban team celebrations, shirt-swapping and spitting when matches resume.


LIVERPOOL ECHO

  • Liverpool have once again been linked with a move for Werder Bremen forward Milot Rashica.

Manchester United want to extend the loan deal of Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo, 30, from Shanghai Shenhua. (Standard)

Arsenal’s hopes of signing France left-back Layvin Kurzawa from Paris St-Germain have been boosted by there being “zero” chance the 27-year-old will sign for Barcelona. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Liverpool, Southampton and RB Leipzig are in a three-way chase for Werder Bremen winger Milot Rashica, 23, with the Kosovan’s contract set to expire in June. (Bild - in German)

Manchester United have offered forward Angel Gomes, 19, a £300,000-a-week deal in a bid to stop him leaving for free in the summer - and to reassure the England Under-20 international he features in their future plans despite the club’s interest in Birmingham City midfielder Jude Bellingham, 16. (Sun)

The Old Trafford club are also keen on Sunderland’s 16-year-old forward Joe Hugill, with Arsenal, Tottenham, Wolves and Leeds interested in the teenager as well. (Northern Echo)

Chelsea’s French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, who is currently on loan at Monaco, wants to return to AC Milan. The 25-year-old spent the 2018-19 season on loan at the San Siro. (Calciomercato - in Italian)

Both Liverpool and Manchester City are interested in KV Mechelen's 17-year-old Belgian midfielder Aster Vranckx. (Mirror)

Manchester City are preparing a 32m euros (£28m) bid for Marseille’s French defender Boubacar Kamara, 20. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Roma want Arsenal to pay a portion of Armenia midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan’s £180,000 weekly salary if the Premier League side want to make the 31-year-old’s loan move permanent. (ESPN)

The Gunners are favourites to sign RB Leipzig's Dayot Upamecano, 21, ahead of Tottenham and Manchester United, who are also tracking the France Under-21 defender. (Football.London)

Crystal Palace manager Roy Hodgson, 71, will be able to take charge of his side if and when the Premier League restarts, despite fears he would have to self-isolate because of coronavirus rules. (Mail)

After his loan spell at Besiktas was cancelled, Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, 26, is set to return to the club to see out the remaining two years on his contract, according to his agent. (Fanatik via Sport Witness)

Jurgen Klopp turned down the chance to manage Mexico in 2015 in favour of taking charge at Liverpool. (Goal)
 
Manchester United have offered forward Angel Gomes, 19, a £300,000-a-week deal in a bid to stop him leaving for free in the summer - and to reassure the England Under-20 international he features in their future

Huh??
 
:lol:
I used to LOVE reading The Sun, especially the one on Sunday (the name slips my mind) as a kid
I used to think we were signing everyone.
Some of the reporting is just cringey