MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly very interested in Raphael Varane, though Chelsea are set to provide stiff competition.
Meanwhile the Red Devils could secure Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele for a cut price £44m with the Catalan club needing to balance the books.
And we have all the latest on the continued fan protests against the Glazer family
Get all the latest Man Utd news, updates and transfer gossip here…
FINAL PUSH
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has a chance to banish his semi-final hoodoo when Utd face Roma in the Europa League last-four on Thursday.
COAST IS CLEAR
Premier League Covid testers have recorded their first clear week this season.
And League bosses believe they are proving the game is close to winning the battle against the virus.
Over the past week, two rounds of testing, comprising 2,787 samples of players and staff across the 20 clubs, found no positives.
Just over half of those – 1,472 – took place between Monday and Thursday, with a further 1,315 samples taken between Friday and Sunday.
BAILLY CONTRACT CONFIRMED
Eric Bailly has signed a new deal at Manchester United until 2024 with the option of a further year.
The Ivorian told the club’s media: “I’m very happy. This decision is something I didn’t have to think about, I love this club and I love playing for Manchester United.
“I’m happy and so are my family, everything is good. Now the moment with my injury has passed and I’m fit and feel good, and that’s it. A new contract is like a new challenge and I’m ready for this.
“
That’s why I say the new contract shows the group has confidence in me – the coach, the staff and the players and, for me, that is very important.
“And that’s why I made this decision to stay at the club
.”
BEL TOLLS
Manchester United are reportedly in competition with Liverpool and Tottenham in the race to sign Torino striker Andrea Belotti.
The 27-year-old has no shortage of admirers, with the player to potentially be sold in the summer with his contract to expire in 2022.
Belotti has once again impressed for the Turin outfit this term – chipping in with 12 goals and six assists in 29 Serie A games.
Since joining the Maroons from Palermo in 2015, the Italy international has banged in a staggering 104 goals in 222 outings.
And with the player unlikely to sign a new deal with Torino, Tuttosport have claimed a number of teams are vying to secure his services.
They state that the Red Devils are keen on the centre-forward as a possible replacement for Edinson Cavani.
However the Italian news outlet also adds that both Liverpool and Spurs are weighing up an offer.
FANDEMONIUM
Five Premier League clubs are included in the top ten teams that boast the biggest social media following in world football.
Nine of the sides also feature in the top ten most valuable clubs, where Barcelona pipped their Spanish rivals Real Madrid to first spot.
And once again it is the two LaLiga giants that have the most followers in figures obtained by Goal.
The news outlet calculated the data by combining the club’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok followers.
And Real and Barca are in a league of their own with no other side coming close to the pair.
Los Blancos boast over a whopping 252million followers across the major platforms, with the Blaugrana having just under two million fewer.
Manchester United are third on the list with over 142million followers – over 100million less than Ronald Koeman’s men.
CAN’T AFFORD JU
Juventus face having to sell Cristiano Ronaldo to Manchester United or Paris Saint-Germain if they miss out on the Champions League.
That is according to reports in Italy which doubt the Bianconeri’s ability to support the superstar’s huge wages from the Europa League.
The weekend’s draw with Fiorentina left fourth-placed Juve hanging onto Serie A’s final Champions League spot and three points clear of Napoli.
Gennaro Gattuso’s side boast a game in hand, against Torino on Monday evening, and a more favourable run-in.
Juventus were already struggling financially amid the coronavirus pandemic, reportedly hastening their push for a European Super League.
But missing out on a top-four finish would hit the club’s coffers hard at the worst possible time.
According to Tuttosport, Ronaldo costs the Old Lady a gross £1million-a-week in wages.
Credit: Getty GOOD AFTERNOON UNITED FANS!
Eric Bailly is reportedly set to extend his time at Old Trafford by signing a new deal.
The Manchester Evening News reports the centre-back has been convinced to sign on the dotted line by the promise of more game time next season.
Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips revealed the key to keeping Bruno Fernandes in the 0-0 draw at Elland Road.
The England star lifted the lid on his stringent man-marking of the Portuguese talisman.
And Diogo Dalot’s agent insisted he will be playing for a European giant next season even if it’s not the Red Devils.
Dalot has spent this campaign on loan with Serie A side AC Milan.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
