‘Cristiano Ronaldo-Pogba swap’, ‘Saul Niguez up for sale’, Milinkovic Savic transfer back on, Haaland decision imminent

PATS THE WAY

Manchester United target Patson Daka has opened the door to a summer Premier League move from RB Salzburg.

His agent Freddie Kanoute told Austrian TV: “I think it is time for a new challenge for Patson at the end of the season. That is no secret.

“We will sit down with the clubs interested in him, work out a good plan and them make the right decision.

“We don’t want him to change clubs just for the sake of it.

“He has really caught fire this season. He was good before, but now we are seeing a completely different Patson Daka.

“He gets better almost every day, and he’s now showing what he truly can do.

“We see a new, further improved Patson virtually every weekend.”

PAUL OVER NOW

David De Gea and Paul Pogba find themselves on the highest-paid XI – even if their performances have not justified their mammoth pay packets.

That is according to Spanish outlet Marca’s ‘world’s best XI’ team featuring the top footballers.

CRIS CROSS

Former Juventus boss Massimiliano Allegri reportedly told club chairman Andrea Agnelli to sell former Man Utd star Cristiano Ronaldo before he left in 2019.

The 53-year-old stood down as the Old Lady gaffer at the end of the 2018-19 season after guiding the Italian side to five consecutive Serie A titles.

He worked with Ronaldo, 36, for one year after he lured the Portuguese forward away from Real Madrid in 2018 in the hope he would guide them to Champions League glory.

Ronaldo – who has been linked with a return to United – arrived to Turin having won the European Cup four times in five years, and there was expectation he could fire Juve to their first triumph since 1996.

But Juve crashed out to Ajax in the quarter-finals in Allegri’s last year in charge, with the ex-AC Milan manager urging Agnelli to offload Ronaldo as he was stalling the growth of the club.

According to La Repubblica via Football Italia, in Allegri’s last meeting with Agnelli, he stated that Ronaldo should also be following him out of the door. Allegri is claimed to have said: “Get rid of Ronaldo, he’s blocking the growth of the team and the club.”

SHAW AND ORDER

Manchester United star Luke Shaw has revealed that he’d have liked to have been a policeman had he not succeeded in football.

The England star has been in sensational form for the Red Devils this season, keeping opposition wingers under lock and key.

But had he lacked the football skills, he may have been keeping real-life villains out of harm’s way.

Asked what he’d like to have done outside of football during a recent Man United Q&A, he replied: “If I wasn’t playing soccer I think I’d probably like to be a police officer.

“It’s a random one but I watch a lot of series and stuff to do with the police and CIA and MI6 and I’m quite into stuff like that.

“And I think if I wasn’t a footballer I think I’d want to do something based around what they do. So I’d say a police officer.”

FRENCH TWIST

Paris Saint-Germain are lining up a bid for Manchester United Harry Kane if they lose Kylian Mbappe this summer.

The French giants fear that Mbappe could be leaving Paris with a new contract still not signed.

Mbappe, 22, is wanted by the likes of Real Madrid and only currently has one more season on his PSG deal.

And the Independent report that PSG will look towards Spurs striker Kane in a potential reunion with Mauricio Pochettino.

SunSport revealed that Tottenham have no intention of selling their star striker.

Daniel Levy’s club will demand £175million if a foreign club want his services but a sale to a Prem rival like Man Utd or Man City is said to be off the table.

LO BLOW

Odion Ighalo believes he was ‘unfairly’ benched during his time at Manchester United. The Nigerian striker, 31, joined the Red Devils on loan in January 2020 in a ‘dream’ transfer after snubbing Tottenham.

But he felt he should have got more game time than his 757 minutes across 23 appearances under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer before joining Al Shabab in Saudi Arabia in February.

He told Sky Sports News: “After my initial loan was extended, I did not play much which was perhaps a bit unfair but I am always grateful for the opportunity.

“When I joined, I always knew I wouldn’t be playing every game because I was signing as a back-up striker so I knew playing time was going to be limited. There were certain games where I thought I would play but that’s the decision of the coach and I am not holding anything against anyone.

“I’m so happy that my path crossed with Manchester United – it’s the club I love with all my heart and for all my life so playing for them was a big privilege that I do not take for granted.

“Just waking up every morning and going into training at Carrington was a thing of joy. Meeting the lads, laughing, talking, going inside the dressing room for training and games… every moment is one I am going to cherish.”

CHO AGAIN

Manchester United are still hopeful of signing Jadon Sancho from Borussia Dortmund, according to reports.

The 21-year-old English star has been on the Old Trafford radar for a number of seasons.

Last year United failed to agree a deal to bring Sancho in from Dortmund.

But Manchester Evening News report that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men are considering a fresh transfer attempt.

And it comes as Dortmund chief Hans-Joachim Watzke admitted the club will listen to ‘exceptional offers’ – which put United and Chelsea on alert.

CALLING DYBS

Manchester United and Chelsea are both interested in signing Juventus superstar Paulo Dybala but Paris Saint-Germain are in pole position to bag the Argentine, according to reports.

Dybala, 27, will have a just year left on his £125,000-a-week deal come the end of the season. And while he is interested in staying in Turin, a renewal isn’t easy for Juve.

According to Corriere dello Sport, Juventus can only afford to keep one of Dybala and Cristiano Ronaldo.

The Old Lady have struggled financially since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic, with Ronaldo’s enormous salary in particular weighing down the club’s coffers.

Tuttosport report that Paris Saint-Germain are well placed to recruit Juve’s No10, with boss Mauricio Pochettino a long-time admirer of his compatriot’s talent. Pochettino, 49, tried to recruit Dybala while manager of Spurs in the summer of 2019, only for the deal to fall through at the last moment.

But, with PSG’s considerable financial clout behind him this time, he may finally get his man – although fans of Man Utd and Chelsea may hope that their team can pip PSG to the post.

SHAWBERTO CARLOS

Luke Shaw has repsonded to viral memes comparing him to Roberto Carlos.

The Man Utd left-back has been in sparkling form this season but laughs off comparisons to the legendary Brazilian.

He told United’s website: “I’ll be honest I’ve seen some things on it on social media and sometimes in my group chats my mates send me some stuff and I just laugh about it.

“I can’t be compared to him, he was unbelievable!

“I’m aware of it and it’s nice to be even mentioned alongside his name, but I just laugh about it!”

NOT GUNNER HAPPEN

Jesse Lingard has been warned off making a move to Arsenal by former Manchester United star Rio Ferdinand.

Arsenal are set for a summer rebuild after a miserable 2020/21 campaign – but Ferdinand doesn’t anticipate that will involving adding Lingard to the squad. And Ferdinand doesn’t believe the 28-year-old would ‘go anywhere near’ anyway.

Asked about the Gunners’ reported interest in Lingard, Ferdinand told FIVE YouTube channel: “Yeah but you know what they [Arsenal fans] wouldn’t have him there.

“The way he moonwalked off that pitch once, they wouldn’t have it. The fans would rip the place apart. He disrespected the Emirates in a way that hadn’t been seen.

“Listen West Ham will have a fight to get him by the way because I think other teams are going to be like: ‘Listen, we want him!’

“He’s not going to go to Arsenal over West Ham, obviously but there will be other teams. He ain’t going nowhere near Arsenal.”

BETTER CALL SAUL

Manchester United have been handed a boost in their pursuit of Saul Niguez with the Atletico Madrid ace reportedly up for sale.

The Red Devils are known to be admirers of the 26-year-old, and were rumoured to be eyeing up a £71million bid for him last summer. And it was claimed in December how Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side have reignited their interest in the midfielder ahead of a possible summer move.

It has been alleged that should Paul Pogba depart Old Trafford at the end of the season, then United would make a swoop to sign the Spain international.

And according to Cadena Ser, United’s chances of landing him have been boosted, with Atletico prepared to cash in on their academy graduate. They state that up to seven players could be heading for the exit door at the Wanda Metropolitano, including loanee Lucas Torreira, who will be heading back to Arsenal.

It has has also been suggested that Chelsea target Jose Gimenez could be sold. Winger Vitolo – who has been offered to West Ham for £8.5million – is another player that Atletico are said to be keen to offload.

Speaking last year, Saul put United on red alert when he admitted that he is ‘flattered’ to being linked with the club.

NEV-ER THOUGHT IT

Gary Neville has tipped ‘wobbling’ Leicester City to miss out on the top four again.

The Sun exclusively revealed that James Maddison, Harvey Barnes, Ayoze Perez and Hamza Choudhury were caught by Brendan Rodgers flouting Covid rules at a house party last week.

And Manchester United icon Neville, 46, thinks that the incident could drive a wedge between certain players in the dressing room, after the guilty parties were dropped for Sunday’s 3-2 defeat at top-four rivals West Ham.

Neville said on his podcast: “Where West Ham are is unthinkable. None of us thought they would be in with a shout of top four.

‘I worry about Leicester. I remember before Monday Night Football and thinking that Leicester would get into the top four. If you ask me now, five or six days later, I’m saying no (they won’t). I think they could really struggle in the next few weeks.”

The Foxes missed out on Champions League football last season after a dire run of two wins in their final nine games saw them pipped by Manchester United and Chelsea.

MARCED MAN

Marcus Rashford is on fire this season.

And the Man Utd admins wanted to remind the world.

Although he didn’t score in the 3-1 win at Spurs on Sunday, the England star has still scored 20 and bagged 12 assists from 48 appearances so far this season.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s son has hilariously revealed he ‘always gets food’ following the bizarre row between his dad and Jose Mourinho.

The Manchester United boss accused Son Heung-min of conning officials to get Edinson Cavani’s strike chalked off by going down too easily under a flailing arm from Scott McTominay.

Seething Solskjaer said: “If my son stayed down for three minutes and he needed ten mates to help him up, he wouldn’t get any food. The game has gone — absolutely gone.”

But speaking to Norwegian newspaper Tidens Krav, thankfully Ole’s son Noah, 20, has insisted he doesn’t go hungry.

The Kristiansund BK player said: “Yes, I laughed a lot on Sunday too. I always get food, I can assure everyone about that.

“[Teammate] Max [Williamsen] asked me if I had been given food when he met me before training today. I have never been lying down the way Son did. Mourinho probably just wanted to take the focus away from the fact they had lost.”

DOM-BELIEVABLE

Rio Ferdinand has urged Manchester United to sign Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Speaking on his FIVE YouTube channel, the former United centre-back said: “Listen, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, for me I love him.

“I’ve watched a lot of Everton this year and he’s one that unnerves defenders. He’s not one you want to play against week in, week out. He’s aggressive, he attacks the ball.

“I was speaking to Carlo Ancelotti earlier this year and he mentioned Inzaghi and said he didn’t need many chances to score goals and he scores goals in and around the six-yard box.

“I look at Calvert-Lewin this season and he’s listened to that, he’s taken that on board. Obviously he seems a real good student of the game and he’s started putting that into his own game.

“We’ve seen the rewards he’s had – he’s got into the England squad by scoring loads of goals in and around the six-yard box, scoring those ugly goals.”

RON THE WAY HOME

Manchester United want to sign Cristiano Ronaldo from Juventus this summer, according to reports in Italy.

And in order to get a deal done, they could let Paul Pogba return to his former club in part-exchange.

The Red Devils are set to be feeling flush at the end of the season, with another shot at Champions League football in sight. And this could lead them to making a massive move.

According to Calciomercato, United want to mark Champions League qualification with an ‘important’ signing. And Cristiano Ronaldo fits the bill.

They claim that the Portuguese hasn’t ruled out a return to Old Trafford one day.

With his wages reportedly crippling Juventus’ finances, the Old Lady may want to cash in with a year remaining on his contract.

UNITED FRONT

Premier League clubs are considering joining forces to boycott social media.

Top-flight teams want to send a message that racism will not be tolerated and a blanket boycott is one way to do so.

According to Daily Mail, teams could unite to stay away from platforms such as Instagram and Twitter for an entire round of fixtures. The report adds that the idea of a Friday 5pm to Monday 9am social media hiatus has been discussed.

And such a move would ramp up pressure on social platforms to act against online hate and abuse after a spate of recent incidents.

One potential hurdle for such a blanket boycott is the commercial deals and agreements that clubs have to promote on their social channels.

It comes after Swansea ditched social media for a week in a self-imposed seven-day exile. Rangers also followed suit in Scotland with a boycott of their own.

DORT OF CALL

Erling Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola has revealed that Dortmund do not want to sell the Manchester United target this summer.

And the super agent says he’s fine with the decision and respects their opinion. Man Utd and Chelsea lead the Premier League chasers for the £154m forward with Real Madrid and Barcelona also interested.

But, in a fresh twist, Raiola revealed that Dortmund might try and hang on to his services.

He told Sport1: “I can confirm that I was in Dortmund for talks. Michael Zorc made it clear to us that BVB does not want to sell Erling this summer.

“I respect that opinion, but what does not automatically mean that I also agree. BVB were very clear in their views. We are okay with that.

“There is no war between us and BVB – absolutely not! The relationship with Zorc, Hans-Joachim Watzke and Kehl is still good.”

POWER SERGE

Manchester United are ready to go back in for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, according to reports in Italy.

The Serb was a top target for the Red Devils 18 months ago and Gazzetta dello Sport claim he is attracting interest from United, Real Madrid and PSG ahead of this summer’s window.

Milinkovic-Savic’s future is likely to depend on whether Lazio can qualify for the Champions League this season.

And the midfielder himself commented: “I have a long contract (until 2024), I don’t think about the future, but to finish in the top four with Lazio.”

The story does not mention whether or not Paul Pogba’s decision on his future will influence United’s view on signing Milinkovic-Savic.

GOOD MORNING UTD FANS

Roy Keane believes Tottenham star Harry Kane ‘fancies’ joining United this summer.

He told Sky Sports: “For Kane, he’d be looking at this United team and must be thinking: ‘I could be the top man at Man Utd up front’.

“With the service he’d be getting, Kane must fancy United. [Trophies?] If Kane is in the United team, as night follows day, yeah.

“United have closed the gap on City and Kane would be another hug step. Maybe Kane doesn’t want to go abroad, United are still a huge, huge pull.

“United want to get back to winning titles so they’ll certainly need another striker. Kane, Haaland, I’d take either.

“Probably Haaland [over Kane] because of his age and the investment, but I wouldn’t say no to Kane either.”

Meanwhile, on the transfer front, Eduardo Camavinga will not sign a new contract at Rennes, according to reports.

And that is set to put United and Real Madrid on red alert over a summer transfer.

The European heavyweights are long-term admirers of the defensive midfielder.

So reports from The Athletic that he is not going to put pen to paper on an extension will be music to the ears of the top brass at Bernabeu and Old Trafford.

The 18-year-old’s current deal at Rennes expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.

And finally, United have reportedly revived their interest in Lazio star Sergej Milinkovic-Savic.

Gazzetta claims the midfielder, 26, could finally be set for a big-money move away from Italy’s capital.

But United face stiff interest from Real Madrid and PSG, who are also big fans of the Serb.

KANE AND ABLE

Manchester United may have to occupy all of the top four spots on this list to attract either Harry Kane or Erling Haaland this summer.

BETTER SWEET

Mark Noble has been hit in the pocket after Jesse Lingard’s heroics in the 3-2 win over Leicester.

A wager was made between the pair when Lingard arrived from Manchester United on loan in January.

Hammers veteran Noble, 33, explained: “When he first came to the club, I had a bet with him that if he got eight goals I would pay for a night out for him and a stay in the Corinthia Hotel.

“So it’s going to cost me a fortune, those two goals.

“As much as I was buzzing that he got them, it’s now going to be costing me a few quid!”

The Corinthia is a swanky hotel in the heart of London, where a stay costs at least £500 a night.

CAM AND GET ME

Eduardo Camavinga will not sign a new contract at Rennes, according to reports.

And that is set to put Manchester United and Real Madrid on red alert over a summer transfer.

The European heavyweights are long-term admirers of the defensive midfielder.

So reports from The Athletic that he is not going to put pen to paper on an extension will be music to the ears of the top brass at Bernabeu and Old Trafford.

The 18-year-old’s current deal at Rennes expires at the end of the 2021-22 season.

UNITED WE STAND

Manchester United remain are the most valuable football club in England – worth a whopping £3.06billion.

SUMMER SPACTACULAR

A remarkable calendar of British sport is taking shape in what promises to be a summer to remember.

After the coronavirus pandemic put sport on its knees 12 months ago, events such as the European Championships and Wimbledon were postponed and cancelled as fans were left with little entertainment.