Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Sunday, February 9
- Manchester United are keen on Aston Villa’s Jack Grealish
- Liverpool, Chelsea and United are all keeping tabs on Philippe Coutinho
- Lionel Messi has ruled out a move to Manchester City
- City have been backed to try and sign Paul Pogba
Chris Smalling future
Manchester United have left Roma taken aback by demanding a £17m permanent transfer fee for Chris Smalling.
Smalling has been on loan in the Italian capital all season and has made a big impression with Roma wanting him to stay permanently.
They had been hoping to seal a deal for around £12m, but United have now said that they want £17m for the ex-Fulham man in a substantial price hike, Express Sport understands.
Smalling who has won 31 England caps wants to stay in Italy and Roma had hoped that they might be able to get United to reduce the fee.
Instead, they have been stunned to find out that Ed Woodward and co. have raised their asking price by £5m and they are struggling to find the extra money.
Roma insist that they will only be able to turn the loan into a permanent arrangement if they qualify for next season’s Champions League.
Smalling has made it clear that he wants to end his nine-year stay at Old Trafford after settling into Italian life.
The 30-year-old already agreed to keep his current deal, worth around £58,000 a week, to push the switch through rather than holding out for better terms.
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Tottenham Vertonghen replacement
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has identified a big-money transfer target ahead of the summer window, according to reports.
Football Insider claims that Tottenham will look to sign Bournemouth ace Nathan Ake at the end of the season.
Ake, who was heavily linked with a move to Chelsea during the January transfer window, is believed to be Spurs’ top target ahead of the summer.
The English centre-back was valued at £40million, and the Cherries were reluctant to sell during the winter window.
But with the club flirting with relegation, it is possible that they will have to sell at the end of the season.
Bournemouth are just two points above the relegation zone, and could have to sell up if they go down.
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
James Maddison plans change
Manchester United have turned their attentions to Jack Grealish with their confidence of signing James Maddison diminishing.
The latter had been their No 1 target for the summer transfer window having starred for the high-flying Foxes this term.
But the Red Devils, per Goal, have now made Grealish their top No 10 target with Maddison set to sign a new deal at Leicester.
Aston Villa playmaker Grealish is seen as more attainable and could come cheaper, at a fee of around £60million.
An £80m was previously bandied around for Maddison, who is a full England international whereas Grealish is still uncapped.
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Neymar to Barca?
Barcelona sporting driector Eric Abidal is keen on the idea of bringing Neymar back to the Nou Camp.
The Brazilian has been tipped to return to Catalonia ever since his world-record move to Paris Saint-Germain in the summer of 2017.
Barca could not find the funds to engineer a transfer last summer, however.
However new manager Quique Setien has gone public about a desire to potentiall coach Neymar.
And Abidal, speaking on the matter, said to Mundo Deportivo: “I totally agree.
“Quique would be proud to be able to coach a player like Neymar and the others here who are of such a high level.”
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Man City’s Messi blow
Manchester City are ready to admit defeat in their bid to lure Lionel Messi to the Premier League next season after being told he has got no plans to leave Barcelona.
Messi had a bust-up with Barca director of football Eric Abidal and reacted publicly to the Frenchman’s criticism of the squad during Ernesto Valverde’s final weeks at the Nou Camp, which has led to suggestions he will quit the club this summer.
But Express Sport understands City, who have long been seduced by the idea of bringing the Argentine to England, have been told by Messi’s advisors that the six-time Ballon d’Or winner has got no plans to leave Barcelona for this summer.
Messi could, however, opt to end his career elsewhere after seeing out the final 12 months of his current contract, which expires in 2021.
However Abidal, who Messi accused of sullying the image of the whole Barcelona squad, is hopeful of tying down the club talisman to a new deal.
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Pogba to Man City
Darren Bent would not be surprised to see Manchester City or Liverpool launch moves for Manchester United’s Paul Pogba.
The £150million-rated Frenchman is widely expected to depart Old Trafford this summer.
Real Madrid and Juventus are two clubs who are interested in signing Pogba but Bent believes the list of potential suitors would be longer than that if he were available.
And he says he would not be surprised if the likes of Liverpool or City attempted to sign him.
“When someone like a Paul Pogba comes available on the market, and he’s only 26, there’s going to be so many takers,” Bent said on talkSPORT.
“It wouldn’t surprise me if teams like Manchester City come in for him, Liverpool I can see him getting in their team.
“If he’s on top, top form he can get in most teams in the world. Is it a headache that Manchester United are tired of hearing about? He’s been injured for the longest period of time, but yet we’re still talking about him.
“Because he’s not even on the pitch and we’re still talking about him, I wonder maybe if it is best if they part their ways.
“Then everyone can solely focus on Manchester United Football Club – rather than looking for a scapegoat, which is Paul Pogba, for everything that has gone wrong in recent years.”
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Coutinho interest
Philippe Coutinho has been told he can leave Barcelona for a cut-price £77million this summer in the hope of attracting Premier League interest.
The Brazilian playmaker is currently on loan at Bayern Munich, and they have got a £102m option to make the deal permanent.
The Catalan giants are however eager to ensure that they can sell Coutinho, who has attracted interest from Manchester United, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Tottenham, to free up finances to sign their summer targets.
Express Sport understands they are willing to take a massive hit on the £142m they paid Premier League champions-elect Liverpool to lure him to Spain in January 2018.
Bayern would prefer to land Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz, who is also on the summer shopping list of Liverpool Jurgen Klopp.
Liverpool’s Coutinho plan
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has made Bayer Leverkusen star Kai Havertz his top midfield target ahead of the summer transfer window, Express Sport understands.
Klopp is plotting to make a move for Havertz in the summer, but could make a move for Philippe Coutinho if he is unable to secure the German’s signature.
The Brazilian is wanted out by Barcelona, whom he left Anfield for in January 2018.
The La Liga heavyweights have told Coutinho, currently on loan at Bayern Munich, he can leave permanently this summer for £77million.
Barca are focused on generating funds to sign the likes of Neymar and Lautaro Martinez.
Man Utd eye £60m deal, Liverpool have Coutinho plan as Chelsea keen, Pogba to Man City (Image: GETTY)
Man Utd £60m transfer boost
Jack Grealish is keen on swapping Aston Villa for Manchester United this summer.
Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona are all said to be interested in the 24-year-old Villa captain.
But The Sun say it is United who lead the race to sign the attacking midfielder.
And Old Trafford is thought to be the £60million-rated star’s preferred destination should he depart Villa Park.
The Red Devils are set to turn to Grealish with James Maddison set to sign a new deal at Leicester.