Transfer news LIVE: Mauro Icardi to Chelsea; Liverpool talks FAIL, Man Utd Serie A offer

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Monday 22, October

  • Chelsea are interested in Mauro Icardi and Krzysztof Piatek
  • Man Utd have been told they must pay £40million to sign Nikola Milenkovic
  • The Red Devils attempted to sign Italy international Leonardo Bonucci
  • Adrien Rabiot is set to snub a host of European mega clubs

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Chelsea’s £126m raid

Chelsea are planning an audacious approach for two of Serie A’s most dangerous strikers, reports claim.

Chelsea are unbeaten in the Premier League since Maurizio Sarri replaced Antonio Conte in the summer and have won widespread acclaim for their entertaining brand of football.

The Daily Mail claim the Chelsea hierarchy are prepared to back their manager in the January transfer window as Sarri looks to his native Italy for attacking reinforcements.

The report says Sarri wants Inter Milan striker Mauro Icardi, but will settle for Genoa star Krzysztof Piatek if the first option proves too expensive.

Icardi, 25, has three years left to run on his San Siro contract with a £96million release clause that can be triggered in the first two weeks of July by overseas clubs.

Should Inter successfully tie Icardi to a new contract with fresh terms – the Daily Mail say Sarri will turn his attentions to Piatek.

Piatek, who leads the Serie A scoring charts with nine goals, joined Genoa for £3.5million and has no shortage of admirers with Napoli prepared to pay £30m in January.

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Chelsea could lose N’Golo Kante

N’Golo Kante looks unhappy under Maurizio Sarri, Tony Cascarino claims.

Kante guided Chelsea to the Premier League title in 2017, with the defensive midfielder impressing in front of the Blues’ back line.

However, under Maurizio Sarri, Kante has a more advanced role, with Jorginho protecting the back four.

And Cascarino says Chelsea risk losing the France star if he is unhappy at Stamford Bridge.

“N’Golo Kante is looking like he is unhappy with the position he is playing in,” Cascarino told The Times. “That is a worry for Chelsea because they could lose him if he is unsettled.

“This is a player who will be wanted by every club in Europe. He still looks a quality player, but I’m not convinced he’s suited to this more advanced role on the right of a midfield three with Jorginho in the central sitting role.”

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Arsenal transfer plans

Arsenal chief Raul Sanllehi admits the club could delve into the transfer market in January – but only if something ‘special’ comes up.

Arsenal have clicked with Emery’s style of football now, and executed their slick attacking play in the 5-1 win over Fulham before the international break.

And although Emery is unlikely to be given the green light for any major transfer deals in January, Sanllehi – who took over from Ivan Gazidis as chief executive at the club last month – has revealed it just might happen.

“Unless something special comes up, in principle, the winter window is not one that we are really interested in,” he said. “We are always looking at the market and opportunities that could appear.

“Normally, I am not a strong fan of the winter window. I think the winter window is for unexpected problems.

“That’s not a rule, it is a principle. We have a full team of professionals looking into the market, analysing the possibilities and the players.

“The head coach embraces the philosophy we have and the way we want to play. If we see an opportunity, there is a healthy debate.”

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Nikola Milenkovic price set

Manchester United have been told they must pay £40million to sign Fiorentina star Nikola Milenkovic.

That’s according to The Sun, who say Mourinho wants to sign the Serbia ace in January.

There are, though, two problems with a transfer.

The first is that the United board are only willing to pay £30m, having blocked Mourinho’s efforts to land a centre-back in the summer.

And the second is that Serie A rivals Juventus also want the 21-year-old.

Leonardo Bonucci rejected Man Utd

Manchester United attempted to sign Italy international Leonardo Bonucci during the summer transfer window.

Bonucci, 31, left Juventus in 2017 to join AC Milan but just 12 months later returned to Turin.

Jose Mourinho was desperate to lure Bonucci to Old Trafford to resolve their long-standing issues – but the centre-back rejected their advances.

“Basically there have been some possibilities both with Manchester City and with Manchester United,” he told the Daily Telegraph.

“With Manchester City when I received that offer [in 2016] I actually talked to the club, I talked to Juventus and we decided that it was good for me to stay and to keep on winning with Juventus.

“And this year when I was told there was a possibility to go back home, to come back to Juventus I just stopped listening to any other offers and I decided to come back here.”

Quizzed further about interest from the Red Devils this summer, he replied: “Yes.”

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Liverpool and Barcelona snub

Adrien Rabiot is set to snub a host of European mega clubs in order to sign a new deal at PSG.

He looked set to leave the Parisian side in either January or next summer, due to his contract expiring in June.

Over the past two months, the 23-year-old had been in negotiations with PSG, as well as a host of European clubs, specifically Barcelona.

The defensive midfielder was reportedly unhappy with his playing time at PSG, as well as the finances in the proposed deal.

It was reported that Rabiot’s mother was negotiating the deal for her son, as she is one of his agents, and was demanding a huge sign-on fee.

Liverpool even engaged in talks with Rabiot’s representatives, according to French football journalist Julien Laurens.

Lauren’s explained: “I think it was quite positive. I don’t think it’s the first time Rabiot’s men have talked with people from the club. The interest from Klopp is even pre-Liverpool and Liverpool, since Klopp have always been there.”

However, according to Canal + journalist Olivier Tallaron, Rabiot is set to agree a new three-year deal.

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: REUTERS)

Jose rubbishes Real Madrid rumours

Jose Mourinho dismissed talk of a return to Real Madrid as the Manchester United manager spoke about staying at Old Trafford beyond his current deal.

Never far from scrutiny and speculation this season, talk that the 55-year-old could be pushed out by United has been followed by reports of a return to the Spanish capital.

There could soon be a vacancy at the Bernabeu after a poor start under new boss Julen Lopetegui, leading to talk that Mourinho could return to the club he managed between and 2010 and 2013.

But despite recent ups and downs at Old Trafford, the Portuguese insists such a move does not appeal. Instead, Mourinho is plotting a long-term future at United, where his contract runs until 2020 with the option of a further year.

“No, I am happy here,” he said. “I am happy here. I am happy to see out my contract to the very last day of that contract and I would like to stay after my contract runs out as well.

“All I am thinking about at the moment is Manchester United.”

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Wanted: Dylan Crowe

Manchester United look set to miss out on Ipswich talent Dylan Crowe, reports claim.

Crowe, 17, emerged as a target for the Red Devils after three impressive displays at this summer’s Under-17 European Championships.

However, Jose Mourinho’s side aren’t the only top-flight club in pursuit of the teenage right-back.

The Mirror claim Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Arsenal want to secure Crowe’s signature with Unai Emery’s Gunners considered the front-runners.

Real Madrid want Mourinho

Real Madrid reportedly want to appoint Jose Mourinho as their new manager, with Julen Lopetegui set to lose his job.

But Los Blancos will have to wait until Mourinho becomes available, and so Santiago Solari will be the first-team manager in the interim.

So says Josep Pedrerol on Spanish TV programme El Chiringuito.

“Lopetegui will coach Madrid this Tuesday and it all points towards him not doing so at the Camp Nou. Mourinho is the favourite for the board and the club is thinking about appointing Solari until Mourinho is free to return to the Spanish capital. Solari would be a temporary option,” Pedrerol said.

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip

Transfer news LIVE | Express Sport is on hand to bring you all the latest rumours and gossip (Image: GETTY)

Cristiano Ronaldo warning

Ian Rush has warned Manchester United that Cristiano Ronaldo could come back to haunt them as Juventus prepare to visit Old Trafford.

Ex-United star Ronaldo will go back to Old Trafford for only the second time since he left the club when the Italian giants face Jose Mourinho’s side in Tuesday’s Champions League Group H clash.

“The person who could be the difference is Ronaldo,” Rush told Express Sport. “I think he’ll be looking to make a big impression, without a doubt. He’s the best player in the world.”

“I think he thrives on pressure,” Rush added. “Who else at his age would want to go to the Italian league and prove themselves after what he’s done?

“He could have easily gone to China or somewhere like America, but he chose the hardest route.

“It’s amazing and he loves the pressure. He’s an unbelievable player.”