Transfer news LIVE
- Paul Pogba wants to return to Juventus in January
- Neymar would rather move to Chelsea or Arsenal over either Manchester teams
- Man City made a £30m bid for Lionel Messi around 10 years ago
Dembele on Celtic exit
Celtic wanted to find a replacement for Moussa Dembele before letting him join Lyon, the Frenchman claims.
“I’m glad to be here,” Dembele said, after being presented at Lyon on Saturday. “Thank you to the president and to OL [Lyon] for believing in me, for trusting in me.
“I definitely wanted to come to OL. Celtic needed to find a replacement before finalising the deal.
“I was determined to come to Lyon… It was hard. I gave everything and in the end, it paid off.”
Transfer news: Paul Pogba wants to return to Juventus in January (Image: GETTY)
Mourinho’s Ronaldo demand
Man Utd boss Jose Mourinho urged Old Trafford transfer chiefs not to make a move for Cristiano Ronaldo this summer.
The Portugal talisman quit Real Madrid before the start of this season, opting to join Juventus.
The Red Devils were linked with a move for their former talisman, with United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward keen to reunite with the 33-year-old.
However, according to the Daily Mirror, Mourinho told United transfer chiefs not to sign Ronaldo following his Real exit.
Transfer news: Lionel Messi (Image: GETTY)
Neymar to Chelsea or Arsenal?
Neymar would rather move to Chelsea or Arsenal than one of the Manchester giants, Express Sport can exclusively reveal.
The PSG star got Manchester City fans excited in the summer when he reiterated his desire to play under Pep Guardiola.
But Neymar is unlikely to ever swap Paris for Manchester – because he is in love with London.
Express Sport understands the Brazilian, 25, has privately told friends he would rather move to Chelsea or Arsenal than United or City – if he was ever to join the Premier League.
Transfer news LIVE: Steven Gerrard (Image: GETTY)
A source close to the player told Express Sport: “He loves England – but mainly London. He has been there three or four times in the last 12 months.
“He says there is always something about London.
“The last time he kept ringing me up and begging me to join him because he loved it so much.
“He kept saying ‘this place is amazing, this place is amazing’. He just loves London.”
Transfer news LIVE (Image: GETTY)
Transfer news: Jose Mourinho urged Old Trafford chiefs not to make a move for Cristiano Ronaldo (Image: GETTY)
Pogba to Juventus
Paul Pogba has told Manchester United that he wants to quit Old Trafford and return to Juventus in January.
The Sunday Express has learned that Pogba has given the club notice that he is determined to leave when the next transfer window opens, in order to allow them a few months to find a replacement.
Pogba, 25, returned to United two years ago from the Italian giants for a then-world-record £89.3million transfer fee – but has struggled to recapture his most outstanding form.
His relationship with United boss Jose Mourinho is said to have broken down – possibly to the point of no return – leaving him little option but to seek a move away.
Transfer news: Neymar would rather move to Chelsea or Arsenal over either Manchester teams (Image: GETTY)
Messi to Man City?
Lionel Messi was the subject of a mistaken £30m bid from Manchester City when he was first making his name at Barcelona.
An incredible story of how City made a move for Messi after being taken over 10 years ago has now been dug out by The Guardian’s Daniel Taylor.
And it recounts how former City chief Garry Cook launched the bid having failed to realise what had actually been said to him on the phone.
“Not everything has run as intended since Sheikh Mansour added the club to his portfolio,” Taylor wrote for The Guardian.
Transfer news: Paul Pogba wants to play with Cristiano Ronaldo (Image: GETTY)
“Cook’s 83-page blueprint pledged to turn them into ‘the Virgin of Asia and the world’ with their own line of energy drinks, City-branded Mini Coopers, scooters, telephone cards, designer clothing stores and a chain of City Eating fast-food restaurants.
“Those plans never took off and – no apologies for repeating this story – Cook’s greatest moment came early on, discussing transfer targets with the new owners on a crackling telephone line from Abu Dhabi to Manchester.
“A comment about ‘it’s getting messy’ was misheard and Cook immediately fired off a £30m bid to Barcelona.
“Apparently, he heard the instruction, amid all the excitement, as ‘let’s get Messi’.”