THE RONALDO EFFECT
It seems as though Cristiano Ronaldo’s move to Juventus is actually happening. According to Sky Sports, and their Spanish football expert Guillem Balague, the player’s representatives told the European champions that “he wants to go” in a meeting on Thursday evening.
Liverpool are hoping to capitalise on the situation. An exclusive from Tuttomercatoweb – oh how we’ve missed them – claim the Reds are eyeing an ‘assault on one of the pillars of the Bianconeri attack’. Sounds serious.
According to their information, ‘there was a contact’ between the club and agent Gustavo Mascardi, and ‘there is a willingness to formulate a concrete offer’. Dybala, for his part, ‘could’ be interested.
TMW do add that it is possible Real will ask for Dybala as part of the Ronaldo deal, or that the player will simply wish to continue his stay in Turin. If he is to leave, Liverpool will surely have to stump up close to £100m to get him. Although it should be noted that no fees were mentioned in the initial Dybala story. So ignore all that particular guff.
BUT OF COURSE
But is Ronaldo even leaving. The Sun go down the predictable route of suggesting Manchester United could hijack the deal to bring their former player back. Ed Woodward is ‘crunching the numbers’.
United ‘are not frightened’ by the figures involved, which includes his salary of £500,000 a week and the £88m fee. They are also ‘not worried’ about the player’s relationship with Jose Mourinho, which might not be at its most optimal.
Ronaldo is ‘the subject of open discussion’ at Old Trafford, with the club believing they need ‘an iconic figure’ to try and catch up with Manchester City. ‘Woodward and his board do not see any reason why they should not press ahead with discussions with Ronaldo’s super-agent Jorge Mendes,’ The Sun add. Sure.
JACK OFF
The Sun have an exclusive on Jack Wilshere’s future. Where’s he off to, then?
West Ham, apparently. And it could be a neat little earner for the England international. He will be offered a weekly wage of £100,000 – £10,000 less than he was on at Arsenal, but with the caveat of guaranteed regular first-team football.
It is added that ‘a deal is nearing agreement’, and Wilshere could even join his purported new club on their pre-season training camp in Switzerland.
WOLVES AT THE DOOR
Let’s finish with some news of a potential club-record Premier League transfer. Sounds fun, no?
Wolves are primed to make a splash in the top flight, and part of their plan is to bring in a new player from Manchester City. #WelcomeKevinDeBruyne it is.
Unfortunately not. The man in question is Oleksandr Zinchenko, who made 14 appearances for the Premier League and League Cup champions in 2017/18. Most of those came at left-back, despite his favoured position being central midfield.
Zinchenko impressed during Wolves’ 0-0 League Cup draw with City earlier in the season, and the Championship champions have prepared a bid totalling £16m. With an initial £12m backed up by £4m in clauses, it just pips the £15.8m paid for Ruben Neves.
Zinchenko ‘fits the preferred Wolves mould in terms of age and potential ability’ at 21, and it is difficult to think City would not include a buy-back clause, such is Pep Guardiola fondness for him.
AND THE REST
Manchester City are a step closer to completing the signing of Italy midfielder Jorginho, 26, after Napoli confirmed the arrival of 22-year-old Spaniard Fabian Ruiz from Real Betis as his replacement… Arsenal have approached Dutch side PSV Eindhoven about signing their 22-year-old forward Hirving Lozano, who starred at the World Cup for Mexico… The Gunners are also considering a move for Senegal and Torino forward M’Baye Niang, 23… Paris St-Germain will reportedly announce the signing of legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon, 40, on Monday… Manchester United are ready to reward 25-year-old England midfielder Jesse Lingard with a new contract worth £150,000 a week, despite him only signing a new four-year deal in April… Paris St-Germain want to sign Chelsea and France midfielder N’Golo Kante, 27, this summer. The Blues want £100m for Kante but have lined up Lyon’s21-year-old France Under-21 international Tanguy Ndombele as a potential replacement… Tottenham are favourites to sign Aston Villa’s English midfielder Jack Grealish, 22, but Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is waiting to exploit the Championship club’s financial troubles… Chelsea and Tottenham have enquired about Real Madrid and Croatia midfielder Mateo Kovacic, 24.
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