ARSENAL host Leeds today while Manchester United travel to West Brom.
On the transfer front, in-demand Dayot Upamecano has signed for Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich.
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Read our live blog below to get the latest from around the clubs…
MUSS-HAVE KEEPER
Roma are weighing up a bid for Udinese goalkeeper Juan Musso, according to Calciomercato.
The 26-year-old would cost around £26m but Roma are hoping to Amadou Diawara and Carles Perez to bring down Udinese’s asking price.
Inter Milan have also been linked with a move for the Argentina international.
NICK OF TIME
Ralf Rangnick claims Chelsea wanted him to take over before Thomas Tuchel’s appointment.
The Ex-RB Leipzig boss has claimed the Blues wanted to bring him in as an interim coach after Frank Lampard’s sacking.
Rangnick told The Times: “I said: ‘I would like to come and work with you, but I can’t do it for four months.
“I’m not an interim coach.”
German Rangnick has been out of work since leaving his role as Leipzig’s sporting director last summer and was close to taking over at AC Milan before Stefano Pioli’s permanent appointment.
MIAMI NICE
Inter Miami may have hinted at a move for Barcelona star Lionel Messi, according to Sport.
Inter Miami co-owner Marcelo Claure has seemingly received a signed shirt from Lionel Messi.
Messi, 33, recently admitted that a move to MLS could be an option for him in the future.
Thanking Messi via Instagram, Claure wrote: “I am sure our paths will cross.”
TRANSFER MERRY-GO-ROUND
West Ham are expected to return for Sevilla striker Youssef En-Nesyri this summer, according to La Razon.
The Hammers had a £27m bid for the 23-year-old rejected last month, with Sevilla holding out for closer to £40m for their star man.
But reports in Spain suggest Sevilla have already identified a replacement for the Morocco international – in the shape of Real Madrid striker Mariano Diaz.
Diaz was reportedly offered to West Ham last month, but could now help them land En-Nesyri, who has 13 goals in 22 La Liga appearances this season.
COST OF BALE
Tottenham are not happy with Gareth Bale, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Bale has reportedly caused tension at the club with a social media post earlier this week which appeared to undermine manager Jose Mourinho’s verdict on his fitness.
Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Romano said: “If Bale continues like this, then he has no chance of staying at Spurs.
“People at the club are not happy with him right now.”
Romano went on to confirm on Twitter that Bale is likely to join Real Madrid midfielder Isco on the market again if he returns to the Bernabeu this summer.
LONG KON
Having missed out on Dayot Upamecano, Chelsea will turn their attention to his RB Leipzig teammate Ibrahima Konate.
The Blues have joined Manchester United and Liverpool in the race for the 22-year-old.
The Frenchman is believed to have a similar release clause to the £38m which will take Upamecano to Bayern Munich this summer.
Konate has made 13 appearances in all competitions this season.
LAP IT UP
Manchester City defender Aymeric Laporte is a target for Real Madrid, according to the Daily Star.
The Frenchman has fallen behind Ruben Dias and John Stones in the centre-back pecking order this season, having been a mainstay in the City defence before his injury layoff last season.
Real are said to be monitoring Laporte’s situation and could make an offer for the 26-year-old this summer.
However, Laporte still has four-and-a-half years left on his City contract and they would surely want to recoup at least the £57m they paid to sign Laporte from Athletic Bilbao in January 2018.
HAAL PASS
Real Madrid are plotting an £80m swoop for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, according to ABC.
The report claims Dortmund may be open to selling their prized asset due to debts totalling £61m – particularly if they miss out on Champions League football.
Real would also be willing to include Luka Jovic or Mariano Diaz in any deal.
Haaland reportedly has a £68m release clause in his Dortmund contract which comes into effect in 2022, and he has garnered plenty of suitors around Europe.
The Norwegian forward has 23 goals in 23 games in all competitions this season.
LAMP SUM
SunSport can exclusively reveal Frank Lampard would need to be offered a job too good to turn down to tempt him back into management and give up the £1.8million in wages he is due from Chelsea.
When Lampard was sacked by Chelsea last month, the club did not pay up the remainder of his contract..
Instead, they have kept his £75,000-a-week salary on the wage bill – with an agreement that Lampard will continue to be paid until July unless he takes a job elsewhere.
And that leaves Lampard in a position where any offer of employment that comes in would potentially cost him a fortune.
RICH REWARD
Reading left-back Omar Richards will join Bayern Munich on a four-year deal, according to Kicker.
The 22-year-old has agreed pre-contract terms with the European champions, as he prepares to leave the Royals on a free transfer this summer.
Richards joined Reading at the age of 15 after being released by Fulham, and has made 84 appearances for the first-team since making his debut in 2016.
MAN UTD LINEUP
Here’s how Manchester United line up to face West Brom at the Hawthorns this afternoon.
DUO EYE REAL STARLET
Manchester City and Arsenal are tracking Real Madrid youngster Bruno Iglesias, according to Defensa Central.
The 17-year-old could be a target for the Premier League duo in the summer transfer window.
Real want to keep hold of Iglesias, who plays for their under-19 team, but a chance to prove himself in the Premier League could tempt the midfielder.
GUNNERS PREDICTED LINEUP
Here’s how SunSport expects Arsenal to line up against Leeds this afternoon.
The Gunners will be hoping to get back to winning ways against Marcelo Bielsa’s side, after just one point in their last three games.
CITYZEN KANE
Former Manchester City defender Steve Howey believes his old club should target Harry Kane over Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland.
The Premier League leaders have been linked with a move for Spurs star Kane as a replacement for Sergio Aguero, who looks set to leave City when his contract expires this summer.
Howey told Football FanCast: “Imagine how many goals he’d score at Man City.
“He’d score about five a game, the amount of chances he would get.
“He scores goals on his own, he creates his own goals.
“It’s basically like having four Heung-Min Sons in the same team. He would be absolutely lethal.
“For me, I think that he would be a better signing than [Erling] Haaland.”
MAN UTD SEASON STATS
Man Utd take on West Brom this afternoon, check out our dedicated blog for it HERE.
Can United top scorer Bruno Fernandes add to his total today?
MESSI ‘EXCITED AND HAPPY’
Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman insists Lionel Messi is ‘excited and happy’ at Barcelona despite the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Messi warmed up for Barca’s Champions League last-16 clash with PSG by scoring two stunning goals in a 5-1 thrashing of Alaves.
Speaking after the win over Alaves, Koeman said: “Well, we know that Leo is a decisive player.
“He has been for many years, he is very concentrated. He’s excited, he’s happy and he’s been very effective in front of goal.
“He’s someone that when we make passes between the lines to find him it gives a load of depth for the rest of the players and makes them even easier for him.
“He has a great vision of play, so of course if we want to try and go through or aspire to win trophies having Messi at his best is vital, but we need also everyone else at the best. That’s very important.”
NO LOVE LLOS
Real Madrid have slapped a £22million price tag on Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos.
The midfielder has spent the past two seasons on loan in north London but Real are now hoping to sell Ceballos to raise funds for new signings.
Arsenal will face competition if they wish to make Ceballos’ transfer permanent, with his former club Real Betis interested.
Ceballos has started just 10 of the Gunners’ Premier League games this season following the arrival of Thomas Partey.
TAP-PING UP
Atletico Madrid could swoop for one-time Celtic and rangers target Renato Tapia this summer, according to AS.
Tapia has impressed since his Bosman move from Feyenoord to Celta Vigo last summer, having been tracked by the Old Firm giants during his time in the Eredivisie.
The report claims, Atletico, as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Juventus are considering moves for the Peru international, 25.
Tapia has made 24 appearances in all competitions since his move to Spain and has a contract with Celta which runs until 2024.
I WANT HU
Former Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino wants to reunite with goalkeeper Hugo Lloris at Paris Saint-Germain, according to Football Insider.
The Argentine had a close relationship with the Spurs captain during his time at north London.
The French World Cup winner, 34, would face competition from PSG’s current No1 Keylor Navas if he moved to Paris.
Lloris has been criticised this week for his performance in Spurs’ 5-4 defeat to Everton in the FA Cup, as well as the 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the league.
UPS AND DOWNS
Manchester United will turn their attention to Sevilla centre-back Jules Kounde after missing out on RB Leipzig’s Dayot Upamecano, according to the Express.
Upamecano looks set to join Bayern Munich after agreeing a five-year deal with the European champions, who will trigger the 22-year-old’s £38m release clause this summer.
Kounde, who was the subject of a £50m bid from Manchester City last summer, has an £81m release clause in his contract.
However, it is thought Sevilla would now accept around £55-60m for their prized asset.
Kounde, 22, is one of four names on United’s centre-back shortlis, according to ESPN, along with Aston Villa defender Tyrone Mings, Real Madrid star Raphael Varane and Braga’s David Carmo.
WHAT ARE THE ODSONNE THAT?
Leicester City are third-favourites to sign Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard this summer, according to bookmakers Betfair.
Edouard worked under Foxes manager Brendan Rodgers at Celtic Park and could be in line for a reunion with his former boss.
However, the bookies reckon Roma and AC Milan are leading the chase for the French frontman.
Edouard, 22, has a contract with the Bhoys until 2022 and the Scottish giants could sell for around £25m this summer to avoid losing him for free.
DIAMOND IN THE RAPH
Manchester United star Bruno Fernandes is a big fan of former teammate and Liverpool target Raphinha.
Manchester Evening News have reported United could challenge Liverpool in the race to sign the 24-year-old Leeds sensation this summer.
Fernandes and Raphinha played together at Sporting Lisbon in the 2018-19 season, before the Brazilian winger joined Rennes that summer.
Speaking in December 2019, Fernandes said: “I miss Raphinha.
“He’s a player with whom I had a different chemistry from the others. He understood me at a glance.
“He knew, according to the movement of my body, where I was going to put the ball to him.
“I also miss him because he brought joy to the locker room. He’s also a responsible and hardworking person.”
ITALIAN JOB
Liverpool have identified Torino centre-back Bremer as their next defensive signing, according to the Mirror.
The report claims the 23-year-old is seen as the perfect foil for Virgil van Dijk as the Dutchman returns from his knee injury.
The Brazilian has impressed in Serie A this season and could be available for less than £10m.
After deadline day moves for Ozan Kabak and Ben Davies last month, the Reds are keen to get their business done early this summer and avoid a bidding war for Bremer.
HOMECOMING
Former Chelsea striker Diego Costa is in talks to sign for boyhood club Palmeiras, according to Sky Sports.
The 32-year-old is a free agent after terminating his contract at Atletico Madrid last month.
Copa Libertadores champions Palmeiras have offered Costa a two-year deal worth around £2.6million per year after tax.
Costa was offered to Premier League clubs in the January transfer window, with one top-six club offering him a deal until the end of the season, which was turned down.
CAN’T HAK IT
Hakim Ziyech is considering his Chelsea future, according to Corriere dello Sport.
The 27-year-old has struggled with injuries during his first season at Stamford Bridge, featuring in less than half of the Blues’ Premier League games this season.
The Moroccan playmaker only joined Chelsea from Ajax last summer but the report claims both AC Milan and Juventus are monitoring his situation.
Ziyech reportedly ‘feels left out’ of new boss Tuchel’s plans and will request a meeting with Chelsea transfer chief Marina Granovskaia to discuss his future.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
