Euro Paper Talk: Inter, Liverpool eye defender; €70m price for Arsenal target

Oli Fisher

A new suitor has joined the race for a Liverpool target, while a €70m price tag has been slapped on a defender wanted by Man City and Arsenal, according to Wednesday’s European papers.

 

NEW SUITORS FOR ARSENAL, LIVERPOOL TARGET

Inter Milan have joined Liverpool and Arsenal in the race for a Toulouse star, reports in Spain claim.

Defender Issa Diop is attracting glances from some of Europe’s top teams after impressing so far this season in Ligue 1.

The 21-year-old, who has played at every international level for France from U16 to U21, is a product of the club’s youth system and is tipped to have a bright future.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo claims that the centre-back is also attracting interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid, as well as Liverpool and Arsenal in the Premier League.

However, as revealed in the report below, Inter could possibly lose Milan Skriniar in the summer and the money collected from his potential sale could go towards a move for Diop, the report claims.

He is contracted at Toulouse until 2020 and has a current market-value of around €20m.

 

INTER WANT €70M FOR DEFENDER EYED BY QUARTET

Inter Milan have reportedly placed a €70m price tag on the head of Slovakian central defender Milan Skriniar.

The 23-year-old has had an outstanding season for the Nerazzurri since joining from Sampdoria last summer and has attracted interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs as a result.

Manchester City, Arsenal, Barcelona and PSG are all reportedly ready to make summer bids for the defender and according fcinternews.it the Italian giants are asking for €70m to try and put off potential suitors.

One stumbling block for Inter, however, is that they are being watched by FIFA and have to adhere to Financial Fair-Play, so if the right offer comes in then the Serie A side are likely to accept it.

Skriniar arrived at San Siro last summer in deal worth around just €25m and is currently under contract until 2022.

 

MORE DETAILS EMERGE AS LIVERPOOL ‘AGREE’ DEAL FOR WILFRIED NDIDI

Leicester have reluctantly agreed to sell Liverpool Wilfried Ndidi for £54million, according to reports in the player’s homeland.

It first emerged on Tuesday that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp was looking at the Leicester enforcer as a possible capture for Liverpool, with former Nigerian international Etim Esin strongly tipping the player to move to Anfield this summer.

Now Nigeria’s New Telegraph claims Ndidi will sign for the Reds in a £54million deal that will see the player take Emre Can’s place in the heart of Liverpool’s midfield and form a new-look partnership with Naby Keita next season.

The paper claims Can has already agreed to sign for Juventus and his free transfer move will be announced once Liverpool’s Champions League hopes are over; the Reds face Porto on Wednesday night in the first leg of their last-16 tie.

Liverpool’s interest in Ndidi certainly appears to make plenty of sense given the player has won more tackles than any other player in the Premier League this season, with Klopp reportedly seeing him as the perfect shield for the Reds’ defence.

Discussing the player’s possible move to Anfield, Esin said on Tuesday: “I can’t remember the last time we had a Nigerian in Liverpool apart from Victor Moses’ brief stint there.

“This is going to be a fantastic move for him and I think his transfer fee is likely going to go up because it could happen shortly after the World Cup.

“Ndidi has been doing well at Leicester; he is regarded as one of the best midfielders in the EPL now and should command that kind of transfer.

“I don’t think he will struggle at Liverpool, he is a player made for big club like that and with the role he plays, there is no way he will be sitting on the bench there.

 

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AND THE REST

Mauro Icardi: Not for sale according to De Boer

Super agent Mino Raiola has cleared the way for Manchester United to sign Mauro Icardi from Inter Milan this summer for €110m following talks between the player and his agent wife, Wanda Nara (Corriere dello Sport)

Liverpool, Manchester United, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid and AC Milan target Timo Werner has rejected the offer of a new contract with RB Leipzig and could move on this summer for the right price (Tuttosport)

Real Madrid will sell four stars this summer to fund a world-record €280m swoop for Neymar, with Gareth Bale, Cristiano Ronaldo, Keylor Navas and Karim Benzema all up for grabs (Don Balon)

Liverpool are being tipped to rival Barcelona in the £100m race to sign Tottenham’s Christian Eriksen this summer (Don Balon)

Marouane Fellaini has agreed to join Besiktas on a free transfer this summer (Fotomac)

Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Gremio midfielder Arthur Melo next January (Mundo Deportivo)

Inter Milan are seriously considering signing Erik Lamela from Tottenham this summer (Calciomercato)

AC Milan have been told it would take a bid of at least £30million to prise Ander Herrera from Manchester United this summer (Tuttosport)

Angel Di Maria has opened the door to a future move from PSG to Barcelona (Foot Mercato)

Barcelona are keeping tabs on France Under-21 centre-back Issa Diop. The Toulouse star has also been linked with Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Arsenal and Tottenham (Mundo Deportivo)

La Liga strugglers Las Palmas look set to lose influential captain Jonathan Viera to Chinese Super League outfit Beijing Guoan, who have reportedly offered €20m (£17.8m) for the 28-year-old (Sport)

Iago Aspas: Forward impressing at Celta Vigo

Celta Vigo striker Iago Aspas has no intention of leaving the club despite reports that Chinese Super League club Beijing Guo are ready to activate his €40m exit clause (Faro De Vigo)

Lyon striker Mariano Diaz says Real Madrid did not make a mistake in letting him leave the Bernabeu last summer (Cadena COPE)

Philippe Coutinho is very happy to be at Barcelona and claims Luis Suarez and Lionel Messi have made his move to the Nou Camp all the easier (Mundo Deportivo)

Former Real Madrid midfielder Guti admits he would not turn down the chance to manage the Bernabeu giants. The former favourite currently coaches the club’s U19s side (El Chiringuito de Jugones)

Lionel Messi is said to feel betrayed by claims Paulo Dybala would rather join Real Madrid this summer ahead of Barcelona (Sky Italia)

Former Holland striker Patrick Kluivert says his highly-rated son Justin should stay at Ajax for at least a year amid interest from Manchester United (Cadena Ser)

Roma are set to offer Liverpool target Alisson a new deal that would raise the goalkeeper’s exit clause to €80m (Calciomercato)