Paper Talk: Shock, secret Ronaldo admission as Man Utd exit on cards; Rangnick ready to break bank for PL defender
Cristiano Ronaldo is weighing up his future at Manchester United and could make a shock decision to cut short his two-year contract, while United are planning on offering a Premier League defender big bucks to get him to the club, all in the papers.
RONALDO MULLING OVER UNITED EXIT
Cristiano Ronaldo is mulling over whether to cut short his return to Manchester United, claims a report.
The Sun suggest Ronaldo, who turned 37 last week, is believed to have confided in his close friends and revealed “he is feeling his age”.
Of course the megastar would never publicly admit that the demands of the Premier League are taking their toll. But the forward, who returned to Old Trafford from Juventus in the summer is seriously thinking about cutting short his two-year contract.
Ronaldo, who has scored 14 goals in 25 games for United this season, has been left out of Ralf Rangnick’s side.
The Portugal star has not scored in five appearances this year and was left on the bench for most of Tuesday’s draw at Burnley.
Ronaldo is also said to be “far from impressed” by how the club has changed on and off the field in his 12 years away.
There is understood to be plenty of unrest behind the scenes at Old Trafford, as per a report from ESPN. United are 21 points behind rivals Man City in the title race.
The report claims that if United fail to grab a top-four place – and they sit a point behind West Ham with a game in hand at the current time – then “a parting of the ways is increasingly likely”.
UNITED WANT RUDIGER
Manchester United are ready to capitalise on Antonio Rudiger’scontract situation and are prepared to meet his salary demands (Football Insider)
Mauricio Pochettino wants Manchester United to sign England captain Harry Kane, 28, from Tottenham, should the Argentine leave Paris St-Germain to become the club’s next manager. (Telegraph)
Manchester United have had their scouting network cast an eye over Benfica star Darwin Nunez (A Bola)
Real Madrid have added Arsenal’s 24-year-old Scotland left-back Kieran Tierney to their list of summer transfer targets. (El Espanol)
Manchester United’s players are frustrated with interim manager Ralf Rangnick’s training methods, which they believe are “old fashioned”. (ESPN)
Paul Pogba would prefer a return to Juventus this summer if he is to leave Manchester United (il BiancoNero)
Aston Villa and Tottenham are among four clubs interested in signing 34-year-old Chile midfielder Arturo Vidal from Inter Milan.(Calciomercato)
West Ham have opened talks with 26-year-old Czech Republic midfielder Tomas Soucek over a new contract at the London Stadium. (Football Insider)
BARCA CHASE MESLIER
Barcelona are keen to sign a new goalkeeper this summer, with Leeds United’s 21-year-old France Under-21 international Illan Meslier on their shortlist. (Mundo Deportivo)
AC Milan have removed the €50m release clause from Ismael Bennacer’s contract amid interest from clubs in Europe (Nicolo Schira)
Frenkie de Jong will not look to leave Barcelona this summer (Sport)
If Paul Pogba is to remain at Manchester United beyond the end of the season, then the French midfielder is going to have to take a pay cut. (Mirror)
Gareth Bale has signed a pre-agreement to rejoin Tottenham from Real Madrid this summer. The 32-year-old Welsh winger is out of contract at the end of the season. (Express)
Tottenham could beat Barcelona to the signature of AC Milan’s 25-year-old Ivory Coast midfielder Franck Kessie. (Sport)
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TIELEMANS UP FOR GRABS
Youri Tielemans, 24, will not extend his contract with Leicester City, with Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United interested. (Fabrizio Romano)
Arsenal are set to sign New England Revolution goalkeeper Matt Turner. The 27-year-old American will join the Gunners in the summer after completing the first half of the MLS season. (Goal)
Former England midfielder Jack Wilshere, 30, is “more than a target” for Serie B side Como, according to the club’s councillor for sport. (Facebook, via Mail)
Barcelona are keen to sign Real Sociedad and Sweden forward Alexander Isak, 22, who is a target for Arsenal. (Sport)
Manchester United’s 31-year-old Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea says a “curse” must be behind the club’s recent lack of trophies. (El Pais)
Manchester United have threatened to ban season ticket holders who do not show up for at least 10 home league games next season. (Star)
Kalidou Koulibaly has made his future clear by valiantly telling Napoli fans that he ‘is not leaving’ the club – despite interest from Manchester United and Tottenham. (Express)
AZPILICUETA DEAL CLOSE
Cesar Azpilicueta’s free transfer to Barcelona is ‘almost done’, according to ex-Chelsea team-mate Cesc Fabregas. (The Sun)
Xherdan Shaqiri was not ‘in the best shape’ when he signed for Lyon and was a tactical misfit, the Ligue 1 side’s manager Peter Bosz admitted just days after the former Liverpool player completed his switch to the MLS. (Mail)
Sadio Mane’s success with Senegal at this year’s African Cup of Nations will be forever remembered with the forward to have a stadium named after him. (Mail)
Marcos Alonso has branded Chelsea ‘the most important club of my career’ and insisted he never considered leaving Stamford Bridge even when frozen out under Frank Lampard. (Mail)
Chelsea legend Petr Cech has given the current squad a rallying cry – and told them to have “no regrets” ahead of their Club World Cup final with Palmeiras. (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is believed to be involved in a potential takeover bid of Brazilian outfit Vasco da Gama. (Daily Star)
ISAK DANGER
Arsenal are reportedly in danger of missing out on top transfer target Alexander Isak. (The Sun)
A Nasdaq-listed investment fund has failed in an attempt to buy into Tottenham Hotspur at a valuation of £3bn. (Daily Record)
Bodo/Glimt captain Ulrik Saltnes admits the club are struggling to pull themselves together ahead of the clash with Celtic. (Daily Record)
Celtic have announced a profit of £26m on player sales in their interim report for the first half of the season. (Scottish Sun)
Kieran Tierney is being ‘closely followed’ by Real Madrid and Celtic could be in for a massive cash windfall from his sale, reports suggest. (Scottish Sun)
Atalanta are in talks over a move for free agent forward Diego Costa (Rudy Galetti)
READ MORE: Paper Talk: Liverpool join race to sign dynamic Serie A midfielder on Tottenham, Man Utd radars
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