MAN UTD’S FEAR OVER POGBA AND HAALAND
You’ll be stunned to learn as you tuck into your turkey breakfast that Paul Pogba wants to leave Manchester United. He’s hidden it so well…

Tuttosport are stating the bleeding obvious this morning by saying that Pogba feels like a ‘foreign body’ – a virus? – at Old Trafford and he dreams of returning to Juventus. This report suggests £55million and and Emre Can might tempt United which is, of course, utter b*llocks. Double it and then some.

United’s concern is how Pogba’s situation could affect their hopes of signing Erling Haaland. Both players are represented by Mino Raiola who could make life very difficult for Ed Woodward. Again.

Raiola could use Haaland as leverage in any discussion about Pogba’s future. Despite Ole Gunnar Solskjaer disappearing up Pogba’s backside, the player still wants to leave and the agent still enjoys a pay day. So, according to the Daily Star, Raiola’s plan may involve bringing Haaland to Old Trafford on the proviso Pogba is allowed to move on. Even if neither Real Madrid nor Juve are willing to pay the kind of fee United expect for their record signing.

United are in rather less thrifty mood and reports suggest they are willing to give Haaland, 19, anything between £150,000 and £200,000 a week. The teenager is currently on £20,000 a week at RB Salzburg.

 

CHELSEA TARGET TIMO
Now they’ve broken out of transfer jail, Chelsea intend to make the most of their freedom in January. And they’ve got eyes on the Bundesliga.

Reports earlier in the week suggested they were willing to give Borussia Dortmund what they want for Jadon Sancho which, apparently, isn’t the case. The Daily Express reckons the Blues aren’t willing to go as high as £100million for the England winger, but they remain very interested.

Indeed, a separate report in the Express suggests Chelsea will only spend a total of £150million next month and for that total, they want Timo Werner too.

The RB Leipzig striker signed an extended contract at the end of the summer but his new terms reportedly include a release clause of around £30million. Liverpool and Manchester United have both been linked with the Germany striker but Chelsea are jostling for position at the front of the queue. There is a sense of inevitability, though, that Bayern Munich will bundle everyone else out of the way and land Werner in the summer.

 

ARSENAL EYE LYON STAR
Chelsea aren’t the only London club looking for a new forward. Arsenal are apparently making plans for the exit of one of their star strikers…

Le10Sport says the Gunners expect to lose one of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang or Alexandre Lacazette so they are on the hunt for a replacement. That has led them to Lyon and Moussa Dembele.

The French forward has also been linked with United and Chelsea in recent months but Arsenal are reportedly keen to make a move. When? No idea. For how much? It doesn’t say.

 

AND THE REST
Man City are watching Villarreal defender Pau Torres and Benfica’s Ruben Dias… Barcelona will go for Neymar again in the summer… Monaco have joined AC Milan and Man Utd in the race for Barcelona centre-back Jean-Clair Todibo… Edinson Cavani is close to a January move to Atletico Madrid… Atletico are also battling Everton for River Plate forward Rafael Santos Borre… AC Milan remain confident of re-signing Zlatan Ibrahimovic… West Ham are keen on Athletic Bilbao centre-back Unai Nunez… The Hammers are keen to sign four players next month but Issa Diop could leave… Andres Iniesta could join Estudiantes.