Transfer Gossip: Man Utd can sign big-money World Cup goalscorer after he demands agent finds new club; Liverpool target rejects huge £200k contract

Manchester United have a great shot at landing a World Cup star after he told his agent to secure him a transfer, a player recently linked with Liverpool has rejected a mammoth £200k-a-week contract, while Saturday’s Transfer Gossip reveals how much Alex Iwobi will earn as part of a new Everton deal.

MAN UTD GIVEN GREEN LIGHT TO CAPTURE FORWARD

Erik ten Hag and Man Utd could finally solve their striker headache after Atletico Madrid ace Joao Felix reportedly told his agent to find him a new club.

Man Utd have needed a new talisman up front for a while now. Ever since Cristiano Ronaldo refused to come off the bench against Tottenham, it was clear he was going to be leaving Old Trafford.

And that exit has now gone through, following Ronaldo’s bombshell interview on TalkTV. He criticised several aspects of Man Utd, including the manager and owners, and this saw his contract get terminated.

Man Utd are now looking ahead to the January transfer window to bring in a new goalscorer. And this is where Felix comes in.

According to Spanish newspaper Marca, Ronaldo’s fellow Portuguese attacker is gunning for a way out of Atleti this winter.

They claim he has got his Wanda Metropolitano exit underway by informing his agent, Jorge Mendes, to find him a new club.

Felix’s relationship with Atleti boss Diego Simeone has turned sour. This is because of the manager’s refusal to start him in most games, while he is also failing to get the best out of the player.

Mendes, who coincidentally also represents Ronaldo, is now looking at potential solutions for his ‘crown jewel’. And there are several huge clubs in the mix.

Man Utd joined by Bayern, PSG in wanting attacker

Bayern Munich are keeping tabs on the situation and could swoop in to land Felix. He would go to Bavaria as Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s successor up front.

Paris Saint-Germain are planning a similar move. They know they will not be able to rely on Lionel Messi forever and view Felix as a potential replacement.

However, it is Man Utd who are the most likely to sign Felix. This is because Marca highlight Mendes’ close working relationship with Red Devils chiefs.

Man Utd will probably get first contact with Mendes, Felix and Atleti to complete the huge transfer. And given their need for a new goalscorer, it wouldn’t be a surprise if discussions began soon.

Felix will not come cheap, though. Atleti signed him for an eye-watering £113million in 2019, and they will want most of that back when letting him go.

Man Utd do have huge spending power, as shown by their big-money signings of Antony and Casemiro in the summer. Perhaps Felix could become their new most expensive capture, ahead of Paul Pogba.

While all this transfer talk is going on, Felix is currently on international duty with Portugal. He started their World Cup opener against Ghana and got on the scoresheet in a 3-2 victory.

RUMOURED LIVERPOOL TARGET SNUBS CHELSEA OFFER

Chelsea attacking midfielder Mason Mount, who has emerged as a target for Liverpool in recent weeks, has reportedly rejected a major Chelsea contract offer.

Jurgen Klopp is in need of midfield reinforcements at Liverpool and this has seen the club spread their scouting network far and wide. But they could end up going after a Premier League star, such as Mount.

According to The Guardian, Liverpool and Juventus are monitoring Mount’s situation at Chelsea. His deal there expires in summer 2024 and despite several rounds of talks, Chelsea are yet to reach a breakthrough.

As per the Daily Mail, the Blues were hoping to resolve the dilemma before the World Cup. They sent Mount a huge contract proposal worth £200,000 a week.

However, the Englishman pushed it back. He wants to be paid near to Raheem Sterling, who takes home £300,000 every seven days.

The report claims it is part of a ‘calculated gamble’ by Mount and his representatives. Should he impress at the World Cup, then Chelsea would effectively be forced to pay him the £300k-a-week he desires. But if Mount struggles, he would have to settle for the £200k deal.

TEAMtalk has been told Chelsea officials expected to have the contract sorted by now, as Mount’s team-mate Reece James resolved his future back in early September.

But Mount and his agent are proving to be harder to negotiate with.

The two parties have agreed to restart discussions in January, once the World Cup and busy Christmas period are over.

Chelsea do not view Liverpool’s interest as being a ‘serious’ problem right now. However, if they fail to tie him down in the few months after January, then they ‘could have a real situation on their hands’, according to TEAMtalk’s transfer insider Graeme Bailey.

EVERTON MAN IN LINE FOR BIG PAY RISE

Everton, unlike Chelsea, are making progress in contract talks with Alex Iwobi and the midfielder could soon agree fresh terms, a report claims.

Everton began discussions with Iwobi in September, amid his exceptional start to the campaign. The 26-year-old has been turned from a winger to central midfielder by Frank Lampard and is excelling in his new role.

Indeed, many would argue Iwobi has been Everton’s best player so far this season. And the Toffees are keen to prevent him from pushing for an exit any time soon.

According to The Sun, Iwobi is now set to sign a new contract with Everton. And it will see his weekly wage rise from £70k to £100k, representing just how important he has become for the team.

Iwobi only penned a new deal with Everton 18 months ago, but his impressive performances in the centre of the park have forced them to take further action.

Keeping Iwobi fit will be one of Lampard’s main objectives once the World Cup ends. Some of his fellow midfielders have picked up injuries.

James Garner’s back problem is worse than initially thought. As such, he will not be available for Everton until late January or early February.

Tom Davies, meanwhile, has flown back to England from the club’s mid-season tour of Australia. This is because of a knee injury sustained in training.

Meanwhile, Man Utd and Newcastle’s pursuit of a Bundesliga attacker could see Wolves lose one of their own forwards, according to a report.