Paper Talk: City track Weigl; Pogba, Gibson, Zabaleta news

Julian Weigl: City link

Man City boss Pep Guardiola is tracking a Borussia Dortmund starlet, while Arsene Wenger has an AC Milan striker on his January radar.

PEP SETS SIGHTS ON DORTMUND YOUNGSTER

Man City boss Pep Guardiola is believed to be keen on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Julian Weigl.

The Sun report that Pep had been “keeping tabs” on the player during his time with Bayern Munich and his form this season has meant that the City boss has got him on his radar once again.

Guardiola will apparently “test Dortmund’s resolve” with a £20million bid in the summer, but Dortmund will fight hard to keep hold of the 21-year-old.

The Germany international is in his second season as a regular starter for the club and scored his first goal for them in the recent Champions League win at Sporting Lisbon.

Weigl has started six of Dortmund’s seven Bundesliga games and he has become integral to the plans of Thomas Tuchel.

The defensive midfielder has progressed well since his arrival for around £2million from 1860 Munich last summer and Tuchel is keen to tie the player down beyond the two and a half years he has remaining on his contract

Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc has said he wants to commit Weigl, who has been interesting Real Madrid, to a long-term deal

“We want to follow Julian’s outstanding development,” Zorc told Bild earlier this month. “We have the wish to tie him to a long-term contract. But we are not pressed for time because he feels extremely comfortable here.”

AC MILAN YOUNGSTER LINKED WITH ARSENAL

AC Milan striker M’Baye Niang is on Arsenal’s radar, according to reports in Italy.

Italian news outlet CalcioMercatoWeb claim Arsene Wenger has set his sights on the 21-year-old and will bid for the player in January as he looks to bolster his forward line.

The report suggests that the Gunners would be better placed to sign the €35million-rated youngster next summer.

Niang has scored three goals and notched three assists in seven Serie A appearances this term.

 

AND THE REST

Paul Pogba

Real Madrid did indeed try to sign Paul Pogba in the recent summer transfer window. (Marca)

Striker Sergio Aguero, 28, and defender Vincent Kompany, 30, are facing uncertain futures at Manchester City. (Mirror)

Manchester United will look to sell 26-year-old right-back Matteo Darmian in January, with 18-year-old Timothy Fosu-Mensah earmarked as the club’s future first-choice. (Times)

West Ham will have police inside the London Stadium for Wednesday’s EFL Cup match against Chelsea after resolving radio communication issues at the £700m ground.(Sky Sports)

Newcastle owner Mike Ashley has rejected foreign bids to buy the club since relegation to the Championship, and remains determined not to sell. (Telegraph)

Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone wants a move to the Premier League, and could leave the Spanish club before his contract expires in 2018. (Mirror)

Tottenham hope to agree a new contract with defender Jan Vertonghen, 29, in the next few weeks. (Evening Standard)

Inter Milan are considering making a move for 31-year-old Manchester City defender Pablo Zabaleta in January. (ESPN)

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino wants greater control of the club’s transfer policy and has told chairman Daniel Levy he does not want a direct replacement for departing head of recruitment Paul Mitchell. (Times)

Nottingham Forest chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi made corruption allegations about English football in an interview on Kuwaiti TV in March. He said managers in the country “take under the table a lot” and described them as “brokers”. (Sun)

Ben Gibson, Middlesbrough

Chelsea will send scouts to watch Middlesbrough’s 23-year-old defender Ben Gibson face Arsenal on Saturday. (Mail)

Liverpool defender Joe Gomez, 19, is a January loan target for Huddersfield and Bournemouth. (Liverpool Echo)

Manchester City would ‘open the door wide’ if Lionel Messi leaves Barcelona before the end of his career, insists chief executive Ferran Soriano. (Mail)

Ross Barkley has been told to heed a “wake-up call” after being dropped to the bench by Ronald Koeman. (Times)

Former referee Howard Webb says Sunderland manager David Moyes “gave me the most stick” during his career. (Goal)

Former Chelsea and West Ham striker Carlton Cole, 33, has returned to England and is looking for a new club after a short spell with American third-tier side Sacramento Republic. (Sacramento Bee)

Juventus’ 38-year-old goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon described the sale of AC Milan and Inter Milan to Chinese investors as “the defeat of Italian football”. (Guardian)

Everton have sent scouts to watch Sporting Lisbon centre-back Ruben Semedo, 22. (A Bola)

Sam Allardyce was at Old Trafford to watch Manchester United beat Fenerbahce in the Europa League, in his first public appearance since addressing the media after leaving his post as England manager. (Guardian)

Hull City owners Assem and Ehab Allam remain open to offers from potential investment groups, despite a £130m takeover bid being tabled by one Chinese consortium. (Hull Daily Mail)

Burnley defender Michael Keane, 23, has not been distracted by talk of a move away from Turf Moor, according to boss Sean Dyche. (Burnley Express)