Paul Pogba will channel his inner Eden Hazard to force through a move to Real Madrid, while Los Blancos will swoop for a Barcelona star in a shock move, according to Thursday’s European papers.
POGBA TELLS MAN UTD HE WANTS REAL MADRID MOVE
Paul Pogba has told Manchester United he wants to join Real Madrid – and expects the move to happen next summer.
The France star has been the subject of intense speculation all summer, but with just days left in the summer window, it seems certain he will now stay at Old Trafford.
However, according to Marca, the midfielder has met with Old Trafford chiefs to inform them he has no intention of signing a new deal at the club and, with his current contract set to expire in June 2021, he believes United’s hand will be forced next summer.
As per the report, Pogba believes that copying Eden Hazard’s approach will be the best way to guarantee his transfer to Los Blancos. Hazard also let his contract run into its final 12 months, forcing Chelsea to cash in on Real’s advances.
And it’s expected Pogba will follow a similar route, with the player informing United he does not intend to rock the boat and demand a move now, but does hope they will allow him to move on next year in return.
United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has been bullish all summer on Pogba’s future at Old Trafford, saying: “I have no doubt that Pogba will remain at Manchester United this season.”
The club value Pogba at around €180m, but that price will lessen next summer when his deal has just 12 months to run.
MAN UTD TO SIGN MANDZUKIC AS JANUARY REPLACEMENT FOR LUKAKU
Manchester United are close to reaching an agreement in place to sign Mario Mandzukic in January, according to reports in Italy.
The 33-year-old striker has been told he is free to leave Juventus for a nominal fee and has, according to Gianluca Di Marzio, rejected an approach from PSG this summer.
And according to the trusted Italian source, the Croatian is ready to accept an offer from Manchester United to move to England in the winter window, with reports claiming a deal with the Red Devils is close to being finalised.
United are in need of more firepower after losing both Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez to Inter Milan, leaving the club with just Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial and teenager Mason Greenwood as striker options.
But Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, having ruled out a move for another veteran striker Fernando Llorente on a free transfer, believes the January addition of Mandzukic could hand his side a timely lift as they look for a successful end to the season on the domestic and European front.
The Croatian has scored 44 times in 162 appearances for the Italian champions since a 2015 switch from Atletico Madrid and it’s believed his game would be well suited to the Premier League and present United with another option in attack.
There is also interest in Mandzukic from Germany, but Di Marzio insists his sole priority is United and he’ll happily wait until January as a result.
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AND THE REST
Real Madrid are plotting the incredible signing of Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic ahead of Monday’s transfer deadline (Don Balon)
Arsenal midfielder Mohamed Elneny will arrive in Turkey on Friday to finalise a loan move to Besiktas for the 2019/20 season (A Spor)
Valencia have identified Napoli full-back Elseid Hysaj as a replacement for the injured Cristiano Piccini (Marca)
Fiorentina striker Giovanni Simeone has reportedly chosen to join Cagliari over Sampdoria in a €16m deal (Tuttomercatoweb)
Paris Saint-Germain will pay €15m to sign Real Madrid goalkeeper Keylor Navas along with the one-year loan of Alphonse Areola (Marca)
England Under-20 international Stephy Mavididi has left Juventus to join Dijon on loan with option to buy (various)
Italian outfit Sassuolo are in talks with Chelsea to sign left-back or winger Kenedy on loan for the season (Sky Italia)
Chelsea and Liverpool are interested in Ajax attacking midfield starlet Naci Unuvar, whose dream is to play for Real Madrid (Don Balon)
Paris Saint-Germain have rejected Barcelona’s offer for Neymar ‘following two days of intense negotiations’ (RMC Sport)
Barcelona’s offer consisted of Ivan Rakitic and Jean-Clair Todibo, a one-year loan deal for Ousmane Dembele alongside €130m (Mundo Deportivo)
Manchester United defender Chris Smalling is close to making a shock move to Roma, with the Italian side paying a €3m loan fee to the Premier League side (Il Tempo / Gazzetta dello Sport / Sky Italia)
Roma agreed a deal with United for Smalling after failing to strike an arrangement with Liverpool for Dejan Lovren (Gazzetta dello Sport)
Zinedine Zidane’s return to Real Madrid in March persuaded Isco to remain at the club this summer regardless of any transfer approaches (Marca)
Bologna have officially signed Chile midfielder Gary Medel from Besiktas for a reported €2.5m (various)
Angel Correa is expected to stay at Atletico Madrid beyond this summer after AC Milan failed to meet the LaLiga side’s €40m asking price (AS)
Kevin Mirallas is set to leave Everton on another loan, with Belgian duo Royal Antwerp and Club Brugge fighting to take him back to his homeland (Nord Eclair)
Chelsea’s French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko has agreed terms for rejoining Monaco on loan – with a £31.8m permanent switch lined up (RMC Sport)
Rio Ave are considering a move for Chelsea midfielder Lucas Piazon, but he would need to take a significant pay cut (Record)
Lazio are weighing up a last-minute move for Swansea striker Andre Ayew, despite previously ruling out any more signings this summer (Gazzetta Dello Sport)
Stoke City midfielder Giannelli Imbula is on the verge of a loan move to Serie A new boys Lecce (Sport Italia)
The post Euro Paper Talk: Pogba channels Hazard as he gives Man Utd one-year promise; Real Madrid to move for Barcelona star appeared first on teamtalk.com.