Euro Paper Talk: Man Utd to sign four from five targets in €260m spree

Kalidou Koulibaly

Manchester United have accepted only a huge transfer spree can rejuvenate their fortunes and and are prepared to spend huge amounts on four big-name signings, while a LaLiga giant are planning to spend whatever it takes to sign Andy Robertson amid a belief he’s now the world’s best left-back, according to Tuesday’s European papers.

 

MAN UTD GIVE GREEN LIGHT TO HUGE TRANSFER SPLURGE TO BOOST FORTUNES

Manchester United executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward has reportedly sanctioned an enormous transfer raid on a number of star players the club hopes will revive their fortunes.

United have struggled this season and are enduring their worst start to a season in 33 years; yet Ole Gunnar Solskjaer retains the support of the United board and will, according to reports, given significant funds to boost his squad and bring in a number of the club’s long-term transfer targets.

According to Goal, three of those captures will arrive in the January window, with Kalidou Koulibaly, who will cost a world record €120m, Declan Rice valued at €80m, and Mario Mandzukic, who will cost a more modest €10m, all due to sign as early as January.

Koulibaly and Rice will cost United vastly -inflated fees, but it’s suggested United know they will have to pay over the odds to land the pair in a mega double raid.

Croatian striker Mandzukic, now 33, will sign for just €10m, but although signing an 18-month deal, it’s claimed he’s seen merely as a short-term measure and a stop-gap ahead of a big summer striker splurge, with Solskjaer reportedly set to choose between one of Timo Werner of RB Leipzig or Lyon frontman Moussa Dembele as a long-term option up front.

Deals for either are expected to cost €50m, taking United’s total outlay for the four signings to a staggering €260m (£224m), with Woodward said to be widely expecting that’s the price United must pay if the Red Devils are to retain their place among the elite of English football.

 

 

AND THE REST

Real Madrid have identified Liverpool defender Andy Robertson as the long-term successor to Marcelo and are ready to spend whatever it takes to sign a player now considered the best in the world in his position (Defensa Central)

Leicester are ready to meet the €50m release clause in the contract of Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente, who has previously been linked with Tottenham (Mundo Deportivo)

Manchester United have rejected an opening €15m offer from Roma to make Chris Smalling’s transfer permanent (Gazzetta dello Sport)

Manchester United and Manchester City are both keen to land young Inter Milan defender Lorenzo Pirola after their scouts were impressed by the 17-year-old’s potential (FC Inter News)

Wolves are preparing a €15m bid for Atalanta’s Swedish midfielder Dejan Kulusevski, 23, who has also been linked with Manchester City and Arsenal (Tuttomercatoweb)

Barcelona have confirmed that Carlos Alena will be allowed to leave on loan in January – with Tottenham battling Real Betis, Getafe, Celta Vigo and Granada for his signature (Mundo Deportivo)

Liverpool are in the race to sign 17-year-old striker Mohammed Daramy from FC Copenhagen (90min)

Real Madrid have entered the race for reported Barcelona, Man Utd and Juventus target Erling Haaland – and are prepared to spend a staggering €100m on the Norwegian to ensure they win the transfer race (Tuttosport)

Mauro Icardi says “I’ll do everything I can to stay” at Paris Saint-Germain after starring on loan from Inter Milan (RMC Sport)

A transfer scramble is on for Luka Modric, with AC Milan said to be at the front of the queue, after the Croatian decided he would leave Real Madrid next summer (El Chiringuito)

Thomas Muller should strongly consider a move to Manchester United in January, according to his former Bayern Munich teammate Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bild am Sonntag)

Vinicius Junior has revealed he rejected offers from Barcelona to sign for Real Madrid and is determined to prove a long-term success at the Bernabeu (AS)

AC Milan have decided after all to keep Krzysztof Piatek and Rafael Leao in January, amid claims they could be put up for sale (Corriere della Sera)

Juventus are understood to be pondering whether to revive their interest in West Ham midfielder Manuel Lanzini (various)

 

Villarreal midfielder Santi Cazorla has admitted he would like to move to MLS before he ends his playing career (Sports Illustrated)

PSG’s director of football Leonardo is working on a deal to sign Gremio forward Everton Soares, with the Brazilian also linked with AC Milan and Arsenal (Le10 Sport)

AC Milan decided against the permanent signing of Tiemoue Bakayoko from Chelsea this summer due to two reasons: the cost of the player and some of the Frenchman’s behaviour issues (Calciomercato)