Messi ‘considering 50 per cent Barcelona pay cut’, Ronaldo to PSG transfer latest – Chelsea and Man City news

SERIE-OUS MONEY

Romelu Lukaku is Inter Milan’s top-earning star with Alexis Sanchez earning more than DOUBLE Ashley Young’s pay.

CROWN JULES

Real Madrid are reportedly looking to fend off competition from Manchester United and Chelsea in the race to sign Sevilla star Jules Kounde.

The 22-year-old has been heavily linked with a move in the summer after two impressive years in Spain since joining from Bordeaux in 2019.

SunSport exclusively revealed last month that United were weighing up a move for Kounde to pair him alongside Harry Maguire.

But according to AS, Madrid are looking to keep Kounde in Spain as Zinedine Zidane eyes up a summer swoop.

THE RON FOR ME

Cristiano Ronaldo’s super-agent Jorge Mendes reportedly offered the five-time Ballon d’Or winner back to Manchester United.

Italian outlet Tuttomercatoweb claim that CR7 is considering his options this summer if Juventus fail to qualify for the Champions League.

And the report adds that Mendes offered Ronaldo to the three clubs capable of affording both the forward’s transfer fee and salary.

Real Madrid were said to have declined while Paris Saint-Germain were not interested but United were the only club to respond.

The Red Devils reportedly demanded that Ronaldo would have to take a 50% pay cut if there would be any chance of a deal.

MAD FOR IT

David Alaba will reportedly sign a £200,000-a-week contract with Real Madrid after snubbing Chelsea.

Fabrizio Romano claims the Bayern Munich star, 28, has struck a verbal agreement to join Real on a free transfer this summer.

NO SMALL FAVOURS

Luke Shaw warned old pals Chris Smalling and Henrikh Mkhitaryan that they won’t get any special treatment when Roma face Manchester United in the Europa League semi-final tonight.

Shaw said: “Mkhi and Chris, I was here with both of them, and I really missed them when they left, they were really good guys and brilliant players.

“It’ll be really nice to see them, they’ve both been doing really well. They’ve both been a bit unfortunate with injuries but they’re back fit now and they will obviously make their team much stronger than before.

“I’m looking forward to seeing them tonight but the game is the most important, so we won’t be friends during it but maybe after we’ll have a chat.”

But asked if he will be taking it easy against his old mates, Shaw was emphatic.

He added: “No, there’s none of that. We’re all professionals and it’s our job, we’re doing it for ourselves but also the fans so it’s very important to keep being professional.

“It’ll be very nice to see them but we’ll leaving the talking until after. We need to win the game and doing everything to win it.”

MESSI SAGA

Lionel Messi is reportedly set to STAY at Barcelona.

And the Argentine could even take a 50 per cent pay cut to help out the cash-strapped Catalan giants.

LUKE-ING GOOD

Luke Shaw said his outstanding Manchester United form is down to the return of his confidence ahead of tonight’s Europa League semi-final against Roma.

Shaw said: “My form has been much improved, I’m enjoying my football. I’ve got my confidence back and I’m just loving playing football again.

“Personally it’s nice for me to have a good season but that doesn’t really matter if we don’t have a successful season and that is to win a trophy.

“If we don’t win a trophy and I’ve still had a good season I’ll be disappointed because the most important thing – and it’s why we play for a big club like Manchester United – is to win trophies.

“Yeah I’ve been good but I want to help the team push for this trophy and cap off a great season and one I’ll be happy with if we do win the trophy.”

UP FOR G-RABS

Juventus are considering flogging midfielder Adrien Rabiot after an underwhelming campaign, according to reports.

Both Manchester United and Chelsea have been linked with the midfield enforcer.

And they could be handed a major transfer boost judging by reports coming out of Italy.

TuttoSport write how the Old Lady have finally lost patience with Rabiot and are looking to upgrade him in the summer.

Rabiot, 26, has featured heavily under Andrea Pirlo with 21 Serie A starts.

But the reports adds how, except for a handful of matches, Rabiot’s performances, on the whole, have been average.

Pirlo is eager to delve into the market this summer following a disappointing campaign with their nine-year Serie A reign coming to an end.

REAL DEAL

Villarreal winger Samuel Chukwueze is dreaming of winning the Europa League and revealed he isn’t scared of Arsenal ahead of tonight’s semi-final first leg.

LaLiga ambassador Chukwueze, speaking at an event for LiveScore, said: “When the time comes, it will be up to the coach and the tactics he chooses – all I need to do is just enter the field using the skills I have practiced and give everything I have.

“We are going to play our football as normal. We are not scared or anything, we are just going to play our football as a team.

“I’d like you to tell me that I am going to win the Europa League, just tell me that! I want to win the Europa League, thanks!”

MAN DOWN

Kylian Mbappe became the latest victim of L’Equipe’s notoriously tough player ratings for his ‘ghostly’ performance on Wednesday night.

In Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Manchester City, the Frenchman was unable to hit the back of the net.

In fact, he failed to fire off a single shot while tallying the fewest passes (19) and touches (26) of any outfield player who started the game.

Mbappe also earned just the one foul, compared to Neymar’s five, and won two of his five duels, which fared poorly up against Riyad Mahrez winning eight of his 13 and Bernardo Silva five of his seven.

The performance led to French daily L’Equipe dishing out a devastating 3/10 player rating to the 22-year-old.

Their evaluation described his outing as ‘ghostly’ and stated: “He did not take advantage of the space and did not punish City’s slowness. He made a bad choice in the 85th minute in a clear counter-attack.”

LOO-REKA

Julian Nagelsmann will be looking to flush the competition when he takes over at Bayern Munich this season after admitting he gets his best ideas on the TOILET.

The German chief, 33, will take over from Hansi Flick at the Bundesliga giants this summer.

Speaking to BILD, Nagelsmann hilariously admitted his best tactical plans seem to come to him while receiving a call from nature.

Nagelsmann – who favours a 3-5-2 or 4-2-3-1 formation – claimed he jots his toilet ideas down and even asks Pep Guardiola for advice.

Speaking of his loo-reka moments, the German boss said: “[Afterwards, I scribble them on a scrap of paper with a pencil and ruler.

“[Guardiola] is the only one I can ask about the content of what he sees.”

Nagelsmann also confirmed he sees a speech therapist to help with thickening of the vocal cords… and to help him shout louder.

MOR PLEASE

Atletico Madrid have offered Alvaro Morata to Juventus in a swap deal for Paulo Dybala, according to reports in Italy.

The Serie A giants are facing huge uncertainty ahead of the summer as Andrea Pirlo’s side struggles to qualify for the Champions League.

And the futures of both loanee Morata and Dybala, out of contract in 2022, must be sorted against this backdrop.

Juve have the option to permanently sign the Spanish striker for £39million or extend his loan deal for another year, at a cost of £8.7m.

Tuttosport detail an Atletico bid to replace that fee with a straight swap for Dybala.

The report suggests an exchange could be negotiated to allow Juventus an additional fee as part of the deal.

NEY WAY

Liam Gallagher has never been shy in speaking his mind as a Spanish TV channel found out the hard way.

The Oasis musician was watching his beloved Man City play PSG when he took to Twitter to launch an expletive-laden rant at Neymar.

In typical-Neymar fashion, the Brazilian showed his scintillating best in moments but it didn’t come without his theatrics.

One moment in particular, the forward was pleading with the referee to send off De Bruyne following a late tackle.

It obviously wound up Gallagher who bluntly wrote on Twitter: “Neymar is an embarrassing little c***.”

The tweet obviously got lost in translation after Guardian journalist Sid Lowe revealed the moment a Spanish TV channel broadcasted his message to their viewers.

COUNT TO TEN

Erik Ten Hag is reportedly open to swapping Ajax for Tottenham ahead of a meeting with the Premier League club.

Spurs are seeking a new manager after sacking Jose Mourinho and placing former midfielder Ryan Mason in charge until the summer.

A number of coaches have been linked with the role, including Leicester boss Brendan Rodgers.

According to The Guardian, Tottenham have formulated a list of candidates and are planning talks with Ten Hag in the coming weeks.

On the verge of sealing his second Eredivisie title, the 51-year-old also won the league and cup double in both of his full seasons in Amsterdam.

Despite reportedly holding a good working relationship with Ajax director of football Marc Overmars, he is described as ready to hear out other offers.

Dutchman Ten Hag’s contract expires in 2022 although he vowed earlier this month to continue ‘building a side ready to compete with the big teams in Europe’.

ROUD AWAKENING

Olivier Giroud is reportedly set to depart Chelsea on a free transfer in the summer as he is reluctant to sign a new deal at Stamford Bridge.

The 34-year-old is out of contract at the end of the season, and while the Blues would be open to extending his stay, the striker is claimed to be close to departing.

According to Goal, the French World Cup winner is unlikely to sign a new deal in West London after falling down the pecking order.

Giroud – who has started just eight Premier League matches this term – has played just once in the top-flight since the 0-0 draw against Manchester United in February.

And it has been said that the ex-Gunners ace is considering his options regarding his next club as he looks for regular game time.

MOST WANTED

Manchester United will make Erling Haaland their No1 transfer target, according to reports.

But the Red Devils may be forced to wait one more year before landing him for a bargain £65million fee.

The Norwegian striker is Europe’s hottest property with a host of European giants prepared to make their moves.

Manchester United are no different with boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer eager to land a prolific goalscorer to lead the line.

According to Eurosport, club chiefs including director John Murtough have determined they will go all out to land Haaland.

Dortmund are likely to put their star asset up for sale this summer for £130million if they miss out on Champions League football.

COURT OUT

Thibaut Courtois and Olivier Giroud appeared to share a joke at Timo Werner’s expense during their Champions League encounter.

The German striker squandered a chance to give Chelsea an early lead against Paris Saint-Germain after missing another sitter.

KNOWLEDGE PAUL

Paul Pogba is drawing inspiration from some unlikely sources ahead of Manchester United’s Europa League semi-final against Roma.

The French midfielder wants to take lessons from the mental strength shown by American sporting legends including Michael Jordan, Tom Brady and boxers Muhammad Ali and Mike Tyson.

Pogba told Uefa: “Tom Brady was just an example to really show people that, despite his age, he was still up to the challenge. He changed franchises but still won, which means that it’s possible to do so; wanted to show people that you could still succeed after changing clubs. He never gives up.

“I have another example of a personal inspiration for me: Michael Jordan. I think that most of us already know his story, and his leadership and work ethic really have been an inspiration to me.

“You want to take the last shots, like [Michael Jordan] did, and you always want to win. That requires extraordinary mental strength, and it’s a great source of inspiration for me.

“Muhammad Ali is also an inspiration for me. In his day, he was one of the youngest heavyweights – just like Mike Tyson after him – to be crowned world champion. All of those people are inspirations because of their daily work ethic.

“They push themselves. They might fall or lose, but they keep going, they come back stronger and they never give up. That’s important to me.“

HAUS HUNTING

Liverpool have been handed a major boost in their pursuit of Florian Neuhaus, according to reports.

The Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder ‘has hit heart set’ on a switch to the Reds this summer after learning of Liverpool’s interest.

Boss Jurgen Klopp is delving into the transfer market to land a replacement for Georginio Wijnaldum.

The Dutchman appears to be heading to Barcelona on a free transfer with his contract expiring.

According to Bild journalist Christian Falk, Neuhaus is eyed as the ideal man to fill his boots and the feeling the mutual.

He has a £34million release clause in his contract and the 24-year-old is a huge admirer of Klopp.

Neuhaus joined Borussia Monchengladbach in 2017 and has emerged as a key player in the midfield over the last three seasons.

CROWN JUL

Arsenal are ready to pursue a bargain £17.5million deal to land Borussia Dortmund ace Julian Brandt, according to reports.

The Gunners are in the market for a creative midfielder this summer with Martin Odegaard heading back to Real Madrid.

Boss Mikel Arteta has been told by Zinedine Zidane that they will not entertain any offers of extending Odegaard’s stay in North London.

The Norwegian is seen as fundamental to Zidane’s plans and wants him to compete in midfield alongside Toni Kroos and Luka Modric.

Arteta is being forced to look elsewhere and a deal for Brandt fits the bill.

Bild write how Dortmund are willing to accept just £17.5m for the 24-year-old following a difficult season in the Bundesliga.

Brandt has been on the edges of the first team with two goals in 16 league starts.

BY GEORG

Georgina Rodriguez took a private jet to Paris yesterday, prompting fans to conclude that other half Cristiano Ronaldo will make a stunning PSG transfer.

Reports claim Ronnie, 36, is ready to leave Juventus if they fail to qualify for next season’s Champions League.

The Serie A giants look set to lose their title to Inter Milan. But they are also in a five-horse race for the remaining three Champions League spots as the season draws to an end.

Should Juve miss out on the big time, they would struggle to meet Ronaldo’s reported £1million-a-week wages.

And the Portuguese superstar is now said to be considering a move to Mauricio Pochettino’s Paris Saint-Germain as he eyes a final hurrah at the top,

Partner Georgina has now poured fuel on the flames after posting a picture to Instagram showing her boarding a private jet to the French capital.

She simply captioned the snap: “Bonjour Paris.”

THE SAN IS SHINING

Manchester United have begun talks with Jadon Sancho’s representatives ahead of a potential move to Old Trafford this summer, according to reports.

The Red Devils made the England wideman their No1 target last summer but failed to stump up the £108million required to lure him from Borussia Dortmund.

But 90min reports United are still keen on signing the 21-year-old.

The club reportedly have maintained lines of communication and are optimistic about their chances of snaring the player for half of last year’s asking price.

MORNING, FOOTBALL FANS

Manchester City took a giant leap towards the Champions League final last night, by beating Paris Saint-Germain 2-1 in their own backyard in their semi-final first-leg.

Marquinhos had given the home side the perfect start in the 15th minute, powering home a header from Angel Di Maria’s fizzed corner.

But Pep Guardiola’s side came roaring back in the second 45, equalising through Kevin De Bruyne in the 64th minute, before Riyad Mahrez’s free-kick snuck through the wall and in just seven minutes later.

Elsewhere yesterday, Spotify founder Daniel Ek reaffirmed his desire to buy boyhood club Arsenal.

The Swede, 38, told CNBC: “I’m very serious, I have secured the funds for it and I want to bring a very compelling offer to the owners and I hope they hear me out.

“I certainly didn’t expect this will happen overnight and I prepared for this to be a long journey.”

Meanwhile, Spurs’ hunt for a new manager could take a fresh twist, if Jorge Mendes has anything to do with it.

SunSport exclusively revealed last night that the Portuguese super-agent has contacted Tottenham over making the switch from Wolves in the summer.

Ajax manager Erik ten Hag, however, remains favourite to land the gig in North London.

NOT DONN

Chelsea and Manchester United transfer target Gianluigi Donnarumma has put AC Milan contract talks on hold, according to reports.

The goalkeeper’s current deal at the San Siro expires this summer.

And with the Italian desperate to play in the Champions League, Football Italia state he slammed the brakes on negotiations.

Milan put a two-year extension on the table worth £130,000 per week.

But Donnarumma’s agent Mino Raiola is holding out for £200,000 per week for his 22-year-old client who is closing in on 250 first-team appearances for the Rossoneri, six years after his breakthrough.

None of those, however, have been in Europe’s elite club competition with the club last featuring in it way back in 2013-14.

The shot-stopper was also holding discussions with Juventus over a potential Serie A switch as the Old Lady offered around £167,000 a week.

But neither AC nor Juve have guaranteed Champions League football next season.

NUN THE WISER?

SunSport Exclusive by Jordan Davies

Jorge Mendes wants to get Nuno Espirito Santo to Tottenham.

SunSport understands that Mendes – Wolves boss Nuno’s agent – has made contact with Spurs over a potential switch in the summer after Jose Mourinho’s sacking.

And super-agent Mendes is also believed to be working on bringing another of his Portuguese clients Bruno Lage to the UK to replace Nuno at Wolves.

Nuno signed a contract extension at Molineux until 2023 back in September – and has been happy at the club since arriving in 2017.

But there is a sense that this may be the right time to move on to a bigger side with the chance of consistent European football after Wolves’ dip in form this season.