Despite denials, Liverpool are very much in the market to sign a £400m duo in an incredible swoop, while Man Utd once again watched their No 1 January target in action on Tuesday night, according to Wednesday’s newspapers.
LIVERPOOL IN THE RUNNING TO SIGN BOTH NEYMAR AND MBAPPE
Liverpool are among six teams reportedly keeping tabs on Neymar AND Kylian Mbappe and are regularly sounding out his agent over the prospect of a transfer move, according to a sensational report.
According to Le Parisien, and via the Daily Mirror, the Reds are in regular contact with both player’s agents over their futures at PSG and are very much in the running to sign both or either should they leave the Ligue 1 giants at the end of the season.
The report also names Premier League rivals Manchester City and Chelsea as suitors, while, predictably, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Juventus are also in the mix to sign a pair of players who are regularly linked with the exit door at the Parc des Princes.
As per the article, moves to LaLiga look most likely for the duo, but it’s said Liverpool cannot be discounted due to both the pulling power of Jurgen Klopp and the all-conquering side the German is seemingly building at Anfield.
Mbappe’s links to Liverpool are nothing new with Klopp quickly dampening the speculation as recently as last month.
“Buying this calibre of player is difficult,” said Klopp. “I don’t see any club at the moment who can buy Kylian Mbappe from PSG. I don’t see any club, that is how it is. And we are involved in the clubs that cannot do it. It is as easy as that.
“OK, from a sporting point of view, there are not a lot of reasons to not sign him. What a player he is. But it is about the money of course. No chance. Absolutely no chance. Sorry for killing that story.”
It would be a similar story were Liverpool to also try and prise Neymar to Anfield, though the Brazilian connection at Anfield (his teammates Alisson Becker and Roberto Firmino are already well established on Merseyside) could strengthen their, however, flimsy hopes.
Both players are expected to cost in the region of £200m apiece if and when they leave PSG.
AND THE REST
Manchester United stepped up their interest in RB Salzburg striker Erling Haaland by sending their head scout to watch the teenager trouble Liverpool in the Champions League on Tuesday night (The Sun)
Arsene Wenger has revealed his “beloved” Arsenal slipped away from him after the club increased to an “inhuman” size (The Sun)
Arsenal will talk with Carlo Ancelotti after Napoli sacked the manager on Tuesday night (The Sun)
Zlatan Ibrahimovic could make a shock return to the Premier League after Everton offered the 38-year-old Swede a £4m-a-season deal (Daily Express)
West Ham chiefs want to consult the club’s players before making a final decision on Manuel Pellegrini’s future (Daily Mail)
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has revealed Paul Pogba is ‘on the grass and training’ as he closes in on a return to first-team football (Daily Mail)
Leicester have opened talks with Caglar Soyuncu regarding a new contract following the Turkey defender’s impressive start to the campaign (Daily Mail)
Manchester United might struggle to snap up RB Salzburg striker Erling Haaland in the January transfer window, according to reports (Daily Mail)
Memphis Depay was involved in a scuffle with his own fans after firing Lyon into the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday night (Daily Mail)
Barcelona’s clash with Real Madrid on December 18 could be thrown into chaos by pro-Catalan independence protestors (Daily Mail)
Wolves have been dealt a blow after Raul Jimenez admitted he wants to move to a bigger club in the future (Daily Mail)
Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is reportedly interested in bringing his former player Marouane Fellaini to the club in January (Daily Mirror)
Arsenal are preparing to interview up to 10 candidates for Unai Emery’s replacement with former captain Patrick Vieira emerging as a serious contender despite a difficult season at Nice (Daily Mirror)
Juventus have made contact with Chelsea over a move for Willian in the January transfer window (Daily Mirror)
West Ham are lining up replacements for Manuel Pellegrini in case they lose to Southampton on Saturday (Daily Mirror)
Manchester United have suffered a James Maddison transfer blow with Leicester close to tying him to new deal (Daily Mirror)
Former Swansea and Leicester manager Paulo Sousa has emerged as a shock contender to become the next Arsenal boss (Daily Mirror)
Sean Dyche has admitted Burnley will have to sell Manchester United transfer target Dwight McNeil eventually (Daily Mirror)
Young Brazilian striker Evanilson has spoken about his future after being watched by Liverpool scouts ahead of the January transfer window (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool have supported calls by human rights groups for thorough investigations into the deaths of migrant workers in Qatar, before the club flies to the Gulf country next week to play in Fifa’s Club World Cup (The Guardian)
David Moyes could return to Everton, rejoining the club he managed for 11 years (The Times)
Fraser Forster will stay at Celtic for the rest of the season as Southampton did not insert a recall clause in his loan to the Scottish champions (Daily Telegraph)
Everton forward Moise Kean may return to Italy just six months after joining from Juventus following an ill-fated spell on Merseyside (Daily Star)
Chelsea are preparing themselves for January bids for several of their out of contract players, with Willian, Pedro and Olivier Giroud being eyed by other clubs (Daily Star)
Rangers striker Jermain Defoe is set to sign a permanent deal with the club, extending his stay beyond his current loan deal (Daily Record)
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