Paper Talk: Arsenal v Chelsea for Hamburg starlet; Mourinho plots £100m makeover

Oli Fisher

Manchester United are eyeing a major defensive overhaul in the summer, while Arsenal are interested in a Hamburg starlet, according to Tuesday’s papers.

 

MOURINHO PLOTS DEFENSIVE OVERHAUL

Jose Mourinho is planning to offload two defenders and bring two to Old Trafford in the summer as part of a defensive overhaul, a report claims.

According to the Daily Mirror on Tuesday, England duo Chris Smalling and Phil Jones will be shipped out, with Raphael Varane and Harry Maguire selected as replacements.

The report states that Mourinho had doubts about Smalling and Jones even before Sunday’s 1-0 defeat at Newcastle.

Having seen Liverpool and Manchester City spend £75million and £57m respectively on centre-backs Virgil van Djik and Aymeric Laporte in January, he has now told the United hierarchy that they must splash out on reinforcements too.

The Red Devils were recently linked with a £50m move for Maguire, while Spanish publication Diario Gol claimed last month that Real president Florentino Perez was willing to accept a £53m bid from United for Varane.

 

AND THE REST

Arsenal are tracking Hamburg’s German defender Josha Vagnoman, although Chelsea, Manchester City and Bayern Munich have also shown an interest in the 17-year-old (Sun)

Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke says they wanted to insert the option of a permanent deal in Michy Batshuayi’s loan, but Roman Abramovich refused to agree to it (Express)

Arsenal released an eight-year-old Harry Kane because he was ‘chubby and not very athletic’, former academy chief Liam Brady has revealed (Telegraph)

Dortmund will make an attempt to sign Michy Batshuayi on a permanent basis in the summer (Mail)

Jose Mourinho is planning talks with Anthony Martial to reassure him he is still in his plans after the France international lost his starting place to Alexis Sanchez (Sun)

Harry Kane says he has visualised lifting the Champions League trophy ahead of Tottenham’s last-16 clash with Juventus (Star)

Jurgen Klopp has cast further doubt on Simon Mignolet’s Liverpool future by suggesting the Belgian will not be picked for the Champions League last-16 tie with Porto (Guardian)

Mauricio Pochettino has promised Tottenham will be brave and attack Juventus in their Champions League tie on Tuesday, despite the Italians only conceding once in 16 matches (Mirror)

Leeds will revive their interest in Carpi forward Jerry Mbakogu in the summer, after originally lining-up a £3.5m deal for the 25-year-old in January (Mail)

Luis Enrique wants to bring his former Barcelona backroom team with him if he takes over at Chelsea, including current Celta Vigo manager Juan Carlos Unzue (Sun)

Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany says the time has come for Pep Guardiola’s side to step up and compete for the Champions League (Mirror)

Philippe Coutinho is set for a return to Liverpool with Anfield in talks to host a Brazil vs Croatia World Cup warm-up clash (Mirror)

Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini has claimed Harry Kane is “irreplaceable” after putting him on the same level as Lionel Messi (Mirror)

James Tavernier is on the verge of penning a bumper new three-and-a-half year Rangers deal (Record)