Paper Talk: Man Utd eye Swiss striker; Real on Payet trail

Breel Embolo: Linked with £28m move to Man Utd

Breel Embolo: Linked with £28m move to Man Utd

Manchester United are targeting a £28million move for Basel striker Breel Embolo, while West Ham are growing increasingly concerned Real Madrid will prise Dimitri Payet away from them, according to Friday morning’s papers.

 

MOURINHO DESPERATE TO BRING IN EMBOLO

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho is desperate to land Switzerland’s £28million-rated Basel striker Breel Embolo, according to Bild.

The German paper reports that 19-year-old Basel star Embolo is also a target for heavily-funded Bundesliga club RB Leipzig, who are thought to have already tabled an offer of around £16million for him.

The player, who was the subject of our Scout feature last season, has also been linked with a move to Spurs.

But Mourinho, embarking on a revamping of the Old Trafford squad, could make a bigger bid of his own to thwart them.

The Sun says reports in Switzerland have “claimed contact has been made between the Cameroon-born star’s representatives and Old Trafford chiefs.”

And it suggests that Embolo – who it says could eventually cost up to £28m – might earn £76,000 a week with Man United.

 

 

HAMMERS ‘FEARFUL’ OF PAYET EXIT

Dimitri Payet: Reportedly wanted by Valencia

West Ham fear Dimitri Payet may become impossible to hold onto if he continues to light up Euro 2016 – with the Daily Mirror claiming both Real Madrid and Chelsea will battle it out to sign him.

The Hammers have no desire to cash in on their brilliant attacking midfielder leave and have refused to give his admirers even a sniff of encouragement by putting a £60million valuation on his head.

But that hasn’t stopped their concerns increasing that Europe’s big guns will still try and test their resolve should Payet maintain his sparkling form.

Payet has been the player of the tournament so far, further enhancing his reputation after a stunning debut season in the Premier League.

The 29 year-old has shone and scored in both of France’s games at the Euros to help them book their place in the knockout stages.

Chelsea are monitoring Payet’s situation but it is the interest of Spanish giants Real Madrid that is likely to cause more alarm for Hammers chiefs.

Madrid boss and France legend Zinedine Zidane is a huge fan of his countryman Payet and after a creative midfielder. And sources close to Real Madrid have described a move for Payet as a “typical” type of deal Madrid president Florentino Perez would like to pull off.

Perez – the man behind Madrid’s Galacticos policy of making marquee, big-money signings every summer – pushed for the £71million signing of James Rodriguez after he emerged as one of the stars of the tournament from the 2014 World Cup in Brazil.

Payet joined West Ham last summer for £10.7million from Marseille and was such an instant hit that he was rewarded with a new five-and-a-half year, £125,000 deal in February.

 

 

AND THE REST

Alexandre Lacazette: Closing on Tottenham transfer, say papers

Zlatan Ibrahimovic has dropped another big hint he is on his way to Manchester United by apparently changing his boot sponsors (The Sun)

Liverpool are selling Martin Skrtel to Fenerbahce for £5.5m

Sunderland are considering a move for Paris Saint-Germain right-back Serge Aurier (The Sun)

Jose Mourinho does not want Ryan Giggs to stay at Manchester United as his assistant manager because he fears the Welshman could become a potential rival (The Times)

West Ham are preparing an improved £8m offer for Bournemouth winger Matt Ritchie (Daily Telegraph)

Liverpool’s owners say they have no plans to sell amid reports a Chinese investment group wants to buy the club for £700m, a valuation described as “on the low side” (Liverpool Echo)

West Ham are set to pull out of the race for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette, with the French club continuing to demand £40m (Daily Mail)

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte is planning on giving Juan Cuadrado a chance at Stamford Bridge next season. The 28-year-old winger was on loan at Juventus during the 2015-16 campaign (Daily Mail)

Manchester City have moved ahead of rivals Manchester United in the race to sign Schalke and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 20, who is valued at £40m (Suddeutsche Zeitung)

Leicester City are close to completing the £12m signing of Nice midfielder Nampalys Mendy, 23 (Daily Mirror)

Eddie Howe is no longer on Southampton’s shortlist of possible future managers, but former Roma coach Rudi Garcia is a strong candidate (Daily Telegraph)

Queens Park Rangers midfielder Sandro, 27, has failed a medical at Sporting Lisbon after agreeing a three-year deal with the Portuguese club (The Independent)

Mario Baltotelli could be sold to Besiktas if his agent can strike a deal with the Turkish club (The Times)

Sunderland defender Santiago Vergini, 27, could be a target for Argentine club Boca Juniors (Sunderland Echo)

Southampton have held discussions over a move for Stuttgart winger Filip Kostic and are also confident of landing Nathan Redmond from Norwich (Daily Mail)

Stoke believe they will win the battle for West Brom’s Saido Berahino (Daily Mail)

Swansea will hold talks with winger Nathan Dyer, 28, to see if he has a future at the club, after spending last season on loan at Leicester City (South Wales Evening Post)

Middlesbrough want to re-sign their former midfielder Lee Cattermole from Sunderland (Daily Mail)

French midfielder Clement Chantome, 28, is in advanced talks with two unnamed Premier League clubs over signing on a free transfer, after rejecting the offer of a new contract at Bordeaux (Sunderland Echo)

Blackburn are closing on a deal for former Celtic striker Anthony Stokes (Daily Mail)

Newcastle are confident Andros Townend will stay, while Papiss Cisse is a target for Chinese clubs (Daily Mail)

Millwall striker Lee Gregory is wanted by QPR, Sheffield Wednesday and Celtic (Daily Mail)

Norwich have slapped a £12m price tag on midfielder Robbie Brady (Daily Star)

Newcastle winger Giorginio Wijnaldum has told his agent to find him a new club (Daily Star)

Southampton have held talks with former Roma boss Rudi Garcia over the vacant manager’s job (Daily Star)

Bristol City are battling it out with Newcastle to sign Nice striker Alexandre Mendy (Daily Star)

Manchester United are monitoring Wolfsburg’s Germany international midfielder Julian Draxler (Daily Express)