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The winter transfer window is closed, but now it’s time to look ahead to the summer! Here are the new rumours floating around Europe’s big leagues and beyond.
TOP STORY: Real Madrid ready move for Mbappe
Real Madrid are set to make an enquiry to Paris Saint-Germain over the availability of Kylian Mbappe amid reports of a growing rift between the France striker and coach Thomas Tuchel, according to Marca.
This week L’Equipe reported that PSG has written to the French Football Federation to oppose Mbappe being called up for this summer’s Olympics Games, despite the forward publicly stating his desire to help his country win gold in Tokyo.
The 21-year-old has also has several run-ins with Tuchel this season, regularly expressing his frustration at being substituted.
Mbappe is a long-term target for Madrid, and Marca says the Spanish club is “aware of the situation” as they plot their next move.
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09.50 GMT: Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport claims that Serie A title chasers Lazio want to sign Lyon winger Memphis Depay.
Depay, 26, is entering the final 18 months of his contract and Lazio want him to provide service to Ciro Immobile up front.
The Dutchman failed to impress at Manchester United but has 53 goals in 133 games since leaving Old Trafford in 2017.
09.11 GMT: Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has suggested that striker Odion Ighalo could yet earn a permanent move to Old Trafford.
Ighalo arrived at United in January on a loan deal from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua until the end of the English season, and Solskjaer has opened the door for the 30-year-old to extend his stay.
“It doesn’t hurt [living the dream] but he’s here on merit, he’s here because he is a goal scorer and a different type of striker for us,” Solskjaer told Sky Sports ahead of Thursday’s FA Cup fifth-round tie at Derby County (stream live at 2:45 p.m. on ESPN+ in the U.S.). “We might get to the summer and think we want to extend this, who knows?
“He’s come in as a breath of fresh air as well. He had chances in his five minutes against Chelsea, he scored against Bruges, he had chances against Watford, he had a very good save [from a shot] against Everton — there have been good saves, he doesn’t miss the target very often.
“Even for Anthony [Martial], Mason [Greenwood] and Marcus [Rashford] to learn that it is where the sharks are swimming. It’s comfortable outside the box and you can have a few shots. It’s in there where it might be a bit tougher and you might get hurt — that’s where you get goals.”
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08.00 GMT: Barcelona will offer Marc-Andre ter Stegen an improved contract before the end of the year to reflect his growing importance at the club, multiple sources have told ESPN.
Barca are finalising their plans for the summer, when they will invest heavily in the squad, with Neymar and Lautaro Martinez among their top targets, before turning their attention to renewing some of the team’s key players.
Sources have told ESPN that president Josep Maria Bartomeu, whose mandate runs until 2021, wants to ensure that both Lionel Messi and Ter Stegen have signed new deals by the time he leaves his role.
Messi’s terms run until 2021 but he could leave the club for free in the summer if he chooses to. However, he recently said that he is happy at Barca, where he has spent his whole career, while the club are optimistic of agreeing a new contract with him soon.
Ter Stegen, meanwhile, has two years to run on his deal, which expires in 2022, but his role at the club has greatly changed since he signed his last renewal in 2017. After Messi, many people now feel the goalkeeper is the most important player in Quique Setien’s team.
The Germany international is happy at the club but Barca will have to show him how much they value him to ensure that remains the case.
PAPER TALK (by Shaun Reynolds)
Liverpool worried over big-name departures
Liverpool are expected to ramp up their efforts to sign RB Leipzig’s Timo Werner this summer amid fears that frontmen Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Roberto Firmino cannot be constantly relied upon.
The Athletic reports that Jurgen Klopp sees the gap between his proven forwards and his fringe players as far too great and the team could be left short of options if any of the trio is injured or lured away.
Reds fans can therefore expect the runaway Premier League leaders to mount a serious bid for Werner this summer, particularly given that Mane and Salah will miss a month of next season because of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Werner has scored 27 times for Leipzig this term as they battle Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.
Inter line up move for Chelsea’s Alonso
Inter Milan are continuing to monitor the progress of Chelsea full-back Marcos Alonso with the hope of signing him in the summer.
Italian media outlet Calciomercato reports that the 29-year-old Spanish defender, who is under contract at Stamford Bridge until the summer of 2023, could be on his way out of the Premier League.
The report states that Chelsea’s €30m price tag for Alonso has prevented Inter from signing him in the past.
However, Inter boss Antonio Conte is seemingly prepared to step up his game in order to prize Alonso, whom he managed at Chelsea, away from west London given that Cristiano Biraghi and Victor Moses are set for moves away from Milan this summer.
Griezmann offer could lure PSG into Neymar sale
Barcelona could sacrifice the services of Antoine Griezmann to win back Brazilian sensation Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain, according to a report by Spanish outlet Deportes Cuatro.
Neymar departed Camp Nou in favour of a move to Paris in the summer of 2017. He since has made 78 appearances for the French club, scoring a remarkable 67 times in addition to providing 39 assists.
But the report suggests Barcelona are missing the 28-year-old and adds that Griezmann could be offered in hope that the Parisians will give up Neymar.
Griezmann has struggled for form since arriving from Atletico Madrid in the summer, scoring 14 goals in 36 appearances in all competitions for the Catalan club.
Tap-ins:
– Willian reportedly has turned down a two-year contract offer from Chelsea and could now complete a sensational move to Tottenham, according to Brazilian outlet UOL, which claims the winger has interest only in a three-year deal and speculates he already has started considering a possible move to the London rivals.