Paper Talk: Arsenal’s Lingard ‘offer’; Godin in Man Utd’s sights

Jesse Lingard: Linked with Arsenal move

Manchester United believe Diego Godin is the man to bolster their defence, while Arsenal are plotting a shock raid on Old Trafford for one of their young stars, according to Sunday’s newspapers.

 

UNITED LINKED WITH GODIN SWOOP

Manchester United boss Jose Mourinho wants to sign either Southampton’s Jose Fonte or Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin, according to reports on Sunday.

The United manager is desperate to bring in an experienced man to nurture the likes of Eric Bailly and Phil Jones, according to the Sunday People.

The link to both players is nothing new, with United regularly linked with Southampton’s Fonte since Mourinho took charge at Old Trafford – though claims he could leave St Mary’s have intensified over the past week after it emerged the player has been unable to agree a new long-term deal with the club.

Atletico’s no-nonsense centre-half Godin is another who has long been linked with United – and it’s no surprise to see his name crop up again as Mourinho bids to bring in an experienced centre-half.

The Sunday People claims Mourinho will, however, allow Chris Smalling to leave Old Trafford and wants either Fonte or Godin to add experience to his backline. It also claims in Bailly and Jones, the United manager believes he has two players capable of becoming long-term mainstays in the Red Devils’ backline.

Mourinho has seen ­defensive frailties hurt United this season, ­particularly in the Old Trafford draws against Arsenal and West Ham and last week, away at Everton.

That’s why he’s ­adamant he must seek the same ­experience at the back that Sir Alex Ferguson had with Nemanja Vidic and Rio Ferdinand – and Mourinho ­himself enjoyed with Chelsea.

Diego Godin: Man Utd link resurfaces

 

In his first spell at Stamford Bridge, Mourinho had Ricardo Carvalho and John Terry as his main ­central defensive partnership, and his title success two ­seasons ago saw Terry partnering Gary Cahill.

Mourinho wants United mentally tough at the back – and he thinks the titles will follow if he can land an experienced man to lead his defence.

Meanwhile, the same paper says Manchester United scouts ran checks on Las Palmas central defender Mauricio Lemos.

 

READ MORE: Leicester v Man City player ratings

 

ARSENAL TO MAKE SHOCK LINGARD BID

Jesse Lingard Manchester United

Arsenal will ‘combat’ Manchester United’s interest in Germany playmaker Mesut Ozil, 28, by moving for their England winger Jesse Lingard, 23 – according to The Sun on Sunday.

The paper claims Arsenal are ready to swoop for the England winger, 23, who will be out of contract at Old Trafford in 18 months time. Lingard has held talks over a new deal at Old Trafford, but has so far been unable to agree terms on a new deal.

It’s claimed in The Sun that Arsenal are willing to double the money Lingard is currently being offered at United – and pay him an incredible £120,000 a week to move to north London.

It says ‘Arsene Wenger will have no problem offering one of England’s brightest young talents the hefty six-figure weekly wage’.

Ozil, meanwhile, they claim continues to be monitored by Manchester United and will plot a move to sign him should his contract saga with Arsenal drag out until the summer.

It claims they believe they’ll be able to sign him for a vastly-reduced fee by then and will offer him wages of £300,000 a week to switch to Old Trafford.

Quite how the paper thinks that Arsenal moving for Lingard will ‘combat’ United’s reported interest in Ozil is something of a mystery though as neither deals are intrinsically linked – and it doesn’t take a genius to work out which of these two clubs would be the happier should the players trade clubs.

 

AND THE REST

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang: A target for Man United

Chelsea face a possible points deduction for failing to control their players for fifth time in 19 months (Sunday Mirror)

Man City director of football Txiki Begiristain has scouted Borussia Dortmund’s Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 27 (The Sun on Sunday)

Arsenal are set to make a £30m move for Wolfsburg’s 23-year-old Germany international midfielder Julian Draxler in January (Sunday Express)

Newcastle boss Rafael Benitez is the man West Ham want if they decide to sack Slaven Bilic (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea captain John Terry, 36, could earn £12m from a one-year contract at Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua (The Sun on Sunday)

West Ham manager Slaven Bilic has suggested he would like to sign Liverpool forward Daniel Sturridge, 27 (Sunday Times)

Everton are leading the chase to land Virgil van Dijk from Southampton (Sunday Mirror)

West Ham will try to sign 29-year-old Manchester City and England goalkeeper Joe Hart – who is on loan at Torino – if they avoid relegation (Sunday Telegraph)

Tottenham boss Mauricio Pochettino is wanted by Atletico Madrid to replace Diego Simeone (Sunday Mirror)

Lamine Kone: Staying at Sunderland until 2021

West Ham are ready to trigger the £18m get-out clause for Sunderland’s Lamine Kone (Sunday Mirror)

Burnley are ready to offer former star Joey Barton a contract from January to June (Sunday Mirror)

Everton are on high alert after Inter Milan decided to put Argentina midfielder Ever Banega up for sale next month (Sunday Mirror)

West Ham striker Jonathan Calleri will be offered an escape route by Sevilla (Sunday Mirror)

Sunderland are lining up a move for Anderlecht playmaker Nicolae Stanciu (Sunday Mirror)

Everton are planning a move for CSKA Moscow midfielder Alan Dzagoev as competition for Ross Barkley (Mail on Sunday)

Phil Neville and Paul Clement are up for the England U21 job as the FA prepare to interview candidates for the vacant position (Mail on Sunday)

Chelsea boss Antonio Conte has praised Diego Costa for working on his anger issues ahead of the visit of West Brom (Mail on Sunday)

West Ham boss Slaven Bilic insists their difficult season has made him “stronger” as they prepare to face Liverpool  (Mail on Sunday)

Jose Mourinho is refusing to speak to Manchester United’s in-house television station MUTV (Sunday People)

Danny Rose: Set for new deal

Tottenham star Danny Rose is a £25m target for Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola (Sunday People)

West Brom are ready to hand Manchester City midfielder Fabian Delph the chance to restart his career (Sunday People)

James McCarthy wants out of Everton – and his unrest has attracted Crystal Palace, West Brom and Championship Aston Villa (Sunday People)

Tottenham are considering taking Inter Milan midfielder Marcelo Brozovic on loan (Sunday People)

Aston Villa want Arsenal full-back Carl Jenkinson on loan (Sunday People)

West Brom are eyeing a move for Bournemouth striker Benik Afobe (Sunday People)

Aston Villa manager Steve Bruce wants to sign Manchester United goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, 23 (Sunday Telegraph)

Nottingham Forest are scouting 25-year-old Portuguese striker Andre Claro, who plays for Vitoria Setubal (A Bola)

Paris Saint-Germain striker Edinson Cavani, 29, says he would like to play alongside Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann, as he believes the 25-year-old France forward is “an exciting attacking talent” (RMC Sport)