Paper Talk: Duo eye Man Utd man; £50m Alexis sale agreed
Arsenal will reluctantly accept a £50million offer from one of Europe’s heavyweights for Alexis Sanchez, while Manchester United’s Chris Smalling will see he’s been linked with two Premier League rivals when he reads Wednesday’s newspapers.
ALEXIS SANCHEZ AGENT SET FOR BAYERN MUNICH TALKS
Alexis Sanchez’s agent has been flown to Germany to hold transfer talks with Bayern Munich, according to reports on Wednesday.
The Arsenal forward is about to enter the final year of his contract and looks increasingly likely to leave the club after they missed out on Champions League football.
And according to South American newspaper El Mercurio, the player has set his sights on joining the German champions – with some reports claiming a £50million fee has been agreed.
The report adds that Bundesliga heavyweights are also willing to pay Sanchez £10m-a-season on a four-year contract.
Manchester City are also thought to be keen, but Arsenal wouldn’t want to sell him to a direct rival and will reluctantly accept a £50million offer from Bayern for the player.
Sanchez has scored 29 goals for Arsenal this season, but Saturday’s FA Cup final appearance is likely to be his last for the club, having arrived from Barcelona in 2014.
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DUO HAVE BIG INTEREST IN MANCHESTER UNITED DEFENDER SMALLING
Another player who could be set for a farewell appearance for his club this week is Manchester United defender Chris Smalling.
We brought you the news on Tuesday about how the player is likely to be made available for transfer this summer after slipping down Jose Mourinho’s pecking order.
It was claimed the United boss sees Eric Bailly, Marcos Rojo, Daley Blind and Phil Jones ahead of the England man in the pecking order – and amid reports a £60million offer for Marquinhos has been launched – it seems Smalling could be the man to make way.
And today’s Sun believes West Ham and West Brom both want to sign the 27-year-old and have already made enquiries for the player.
The player has two years left on his current deal at Old Trafford and it’s suggested a fee of £25million will tempt the club to sell.
The defender has come under public fire from Mourinho this season, the first time was when Smalling missed the Premier League win at Swansea in November and then last month when he suggested he was being “too cautious” in overcoming an injury.
The player is likely to be on the bench on Wednesday evening as Manchester United look to finish their season wit victory in the Europa League final.
AND THE REST
Manchester City players are convinced Alexis Sanchez and Kyle Walker are arriving at the Etihad in a £100m blockbuster double swoop (Daily Mirror)
Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is set to sign a new contract to stay at Stamford Bridge after Saturday’s FA Cup final (Daily Star)
West Ham are bracing themselves for a summer fight with Marseille for another of their top stars – £20m record-signing Andre Ayew (Daily Mirror)
Chinese club Tianjin Quanjian have distanced themselves from a £75m move for Diego Costa, saying there has been no contact with the Chelsea hitman since the turn of the year (Daily Mirror)
Eddie Howe risks a backlash and a raft of new wage demands from Bournemouth stars over Jermain Defoe’s £19.5m contract (Daily Mirror)
Bournemouth defender Steve Cook believes Defoe will be the first of many big-name signings for the club (Daily Express)
Premier League new boys Brighton are plotting a move for Hertha Berlin’s Japan international midfielder Genki Haraguchi (Daily Mirror)
France full-back Bacary Sagna claims he is in the dark about his future, with his Manchester City contract set to expire next month (Daily Mirror)
Liverpool are among the clubs in talks to sign Porto’s former Real Madrid and Spain keeper Iker Casillas on a summer Bosman, according to a Spanish media report
Kevin Phillips is desperate to kick off his managerial career at Sunderland (Daily Mirror)
Marcus Rashford is set to see a £10,000-a-week pay rise on his Manchester United contract this summer (The Sun)
Nigel Pearson could find himself at the centre of a North-East tug of war between Middlesbrough and Sunderland (The Sun)
Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta has described reports linking him with Barcelona as “flattering” but insists he is happy at Stamford Bridge (Daily Express)
Lyon have opened discussions with Chelsea’s Bertrand Traore’s representatives over a transfer this summer, according to reports (Daily Express)
Former Arsenal midfielder Abou Diaby is set to be released by Marseille next month after two injury-hit seasons with the French side (Daily Mail)
West Ham United have made a £120,000 bid for Lincoln City defender Sean Raggett (Daily Mail)
Daniel Sturridge is a doubt for England’s World Cup qualifier with Scotland as he continues to struggle with a hip problem (Daily Telegraph)
David Moyes is interested in the Scotland job if Gordon Strachan leaves after the World Cup qualifier against England (Daily Mail)
Craig Shakespeare has flown to France for talks with Leicester City’s owners as he closes in on the job as manager (Daily Telegraph)