Manchester United are closing in on a £250,000 a week deal for Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Roma want £35million for Radja Nainggolan, while Man City will battle Juventus for a Real Madrid star, according to Friday morning’s newspapers.
UNITED CLOSE IN ON ZLATAN DEAL
Manchester United have reportedly met with Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s representatives as they close in on a sensational summer move for the Swede.
According to the Daily Star, United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward hopes to tempt Ibrahimovic with a two-year deal worth a staggering £250,000-a-week – worth £24million to the player.
The 34-year-old will be a free agent in June after failing to agree a new deal with Paris Saint-Germain, where he has won four straight league titles.
Ibrahimovic is also a target of Arsenal and Chelsea, but United are willing to blow them out of the water and flex their financial muscle.
The deal on offer would make Ibrahimovic one of the highest-paid stars in English football.
A club source reportedly told the paper: “The team needs a major injection of talent and some superstar additions.
“Zlatan fits the bill. He might be getting on a bit but he can still do it at the highest level and would be worth the risk in terms of big wages because no fee is involved.”
The paper also suggests the news gives another ‘strong indication’ that Louis van Gaal is heading for the Old Trafford exit at the end of this season.
Van Gaal has clung to his job for months, despite overseeing another disappointing campaign at the helm.
But Van Gaal and Ibrahimovic have a mutual dislike for each other after falling out during their time together at Ajax in 2004.
ROMA DEMAND £35M FOR MAN UNITED AND CHELSEA TARGET
Roma have slapped a £35million price-tag on midfielder Radja Nainggolan.
That is according to Italian publication Tuttosport, who claim Roma are keen to send a clear message that they want to keep hold of the Belgian.
But the Giallorossi will reportedly consider any offer over £35m for a player they paid Cagliari £15m for in January 2014.
Isco is set to be chased out of the club by a “furious” manager Zinedine Zidane in the summer, but he won’t be short of suitors .
He is already at the centre of a tug-of-war between the Blues and Italian champions Juve after the Premier League club made further contact with the player.
The Daily Mirror understands Zidane had planned to make Isco a key part of his team, having being impressed by him when working as part of Carlo Ancelotti’s staff.
Ancelotti even compared the player’s style and potential to Zidane’s – but the new boss has been “shocked” by the playmaker’s lack of application and poor attitude since taking over.
City had a deal in place to sign former Malaga star Isco when Manuel Pellegrini arrived from that Spanish club in summer 2013, only for late interest from the Bernabeu to turn his head.
The arrival of Pep Guardiola, of whom Isco has heard only glowing reports, and the chance to earn many times in excess of his current £2million per year salary, are factors that senior City figures believe will convince the Isco to join the Etihad club.
AND THE REST
Arsenal and Liverpool have been given encouragement in their bid to sign Spain striker Alvaro Morata (Daily Mail)
Liverpool may offer striker Christian Benteke, 25, as part of a deal to land Roma’s Argentine midfielder Leandro Paredes, 21, who is currently on loan at Empoli (Daily Mirror)
Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is preparing a summer move for Stuttgart and Serbia left winger Filip Kostic, 23, although work permit issues could hamper the move (Bild)
U21 boss Gareth Southgate says England are right to be cautious about calling up Manchester United youngster Marcus Rashford (Daily Star)
Mario Gotze has been linked to Liverpool and his team mate Thomas Muller admits the 2014 World Cup final goal scorer ‘might not be satisfied at Bayern Munich’ (Daily Mail)
Leeds midfielder Lewis Cook is a £10m summer transfer target for Everton and Stoke (The Sun)
Former Swansea boss Garry Monk has emerged as a leading contender for the Aston Villa job, with Remi Garde considered likely to leave (The Sun)
World Cup winning Germany midfielder Toni Kroos thinks England have a good chance at Euro 2016 (The Sun)
Manchester United playmaker Juan Mata has been linked with a shock move to Turkish side Fenerbahce (Daily Express)
Roma have reportedly slapped a £35m price-tag on midfielder Radja Nainggolan, who is a possible target for Chelsea and Manchester United (Daily Express)
West Bromwich Albion and Crystal Palace are both eyeing a move for Werder Bremen midfielder Florian Grillitsch, 20 (Birmingham Mail)
Brighton & Hove Albion are giving a trial to Manchester City’s Nigeria youth international defender Nathaniel Oseni, 19 (Brighton Argus)
Newcastle United striker Adam Armstrong, 19, will stay on loan at League One Coventry City as Magpies boss Rafael Benitez does not want to scar him in a relegation fight. Armstrong has scored 19 goals in 33 league appearances for the Sky Blues (Newcastle Chronicle)
