Exclusive Round-up: ‘No 1’ Man Utd manager target; Liverpool winger move; Aston Villa name Jhon Duran price

Thomas Tuchel has been identified as Manchester United’s top target to replace Erik ten Hag, Liverpool are tracking an in-form Premier League winger, while Aston Villa have slapped a mammoth price tag on a Chelsea target – all in this week’s round-up of our exclusive transfer news.

MAN UTD TARGET TUCHEL, ALLEGRI

Ten Hag is on borrowed time at Man Utd and our correspondent Rudy Galetti has provided a major update on their hunt for his successor.

This week is vital in determining Ten Hag’s future at Old Trafford and the Red Devils’ 3-3 draw to Porto on Thursday, after being 2-0 up in the game, hasn’t helped his cause.

Man Utd face Aston Villa away at Villa Park on Sunday and an international break follows that fixture. Sources suggest that Ten Hag could be sacked if they lose against Unai Emery’s side.

And we revealed on Thursday that Thomas Tuchel has been identified as Man Utd’s number one target to replace Ten Hag.

The Red Devils held talks with the German coach over the summer, but he turned down the job as he wanted to take a break from management following his stint with Bayern Munich.

Tuchel now feels he is ready to return to football and is open to returning to the Premier League, although he wants assurances from Man Utd that he will be able to sign his top targets in January and next summer.

READ MORE: Man Utd slammed for ‘ridiculous’ game management as Ten Hag’s side ‘fall apart’ in Porto draw

We understand that former Juventus and AC Milan boss Allegri is another concrete manager target for Man Utd. Unlike Tuchel, Allegri believes the Red Devils’ squad is already strong enough to compete at the top of the Premier League.

Allegri has a typically Italian approach to football: pragmatic and defensively solid. He believes that the Man Utd stars who already have experience in the Serie A – Diogo Dalot, Andre Onana, Matthijs de Ligt, Christian Eriksen, Bruno Fernandes, Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee – would adapt well to his counter-attacking style of play. 

Other names on Man Utd’s shortlist include Graham Potter, Simone Inzaghi, Gareth Southgate and Eddie Howe.

LIVERPOOL PLOT BRYAN MBEUMO SWOOP

Liverpool ‘expect’ Mo Salah to join a Saudi Pro League club on a free transfer next season and work is already underway to find his ideal replacement.

TEAMtalk understands that Liverpool are considering a move for Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo, who’s netted five goals in six Premier League games so far this term.

Mbeumo’s versatility in that he can play on the right wing like Salah or anywhere across the forward line and his Premier League experience appeals to Liverpool.

Liverpool also enjoy a good working relationship with their Brentford counterparts having sold Fabio Carvalho and Sepp van den Berg to the Bees in the summer transfer window.

Arsenal and Newcastle have also shown an interest in Mbeumo so the Reds face competition for his signature.

DON’T MISS: Mo Salah replacement: SEVEN top-class attackers Liverpool could sign as contract D-Day looms

Mbeumo is contracted to Brentford until the summer of 2026 with the club also holding an option to extend it by a further year.

Brentford boss Thomas Frank has admitted Mbeumo could play for a bigger club at a higher level and the club are bracing themselves for interest in the player.

Although, Brentford are unlikely to consider selling Mbeumo when the transfer window reopens in January as the club are already short of attacking options following the departure of Ivan Toney and injuries to Igor Thiago and Yoane Wissa.

A move to Liverpool next summer, however, is possible for Mbeumo. You can read the latest on Mbuemo’s future HERE.

ASTON VILLA SET NEW JHON DURAN PRICE TAG

Aston Villa star Duran has undoubtedly been one of the standout performers in the Premier League so far this season, netting four goals from six league games so far despite not yet starting a match.

The Colombia international has a better goal-to-minute ratio than Manchester City superstar Erling Haaland. He scored a memorable winning goal against Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday and he just seems to be getting better and better.

Sources have revealed to our transfer correspondent Fraser (Fletcher) Gillan that Chelsea remain interested in Duran, after they held talks with Villa over a potential transfer in the summer.

West Ham were also interested in the 20-year-old and believed at one stage they were set to sign him after holding positive talks with the striker’s entourage.

We can reveal that Aston Villa have slapped an £80m price tag on Duran ahead of the January transfer window. Sources say that it could rise to closer to £100m if his current form continues.

Luring Duran away from Villa in January is described as ‘not impossible’ by sources but his suitors will have to pay a huge fee to bring him in.

ADAM WHARTON TO MAN UTD, HAALAND FUTURE AND MORE…

➡️ Man Utd are ready to allow Christian Eriksen to leave the club next summer and want Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton to replace him.

➡️ Liverpool are confident that Trent Alexander-Arnold will sign a new contract soon amid interest from Real Madrid.

➡️ Alisson could consider leaving Liverpool at the end of the season after being frustrated by the Reds’ signing of Giorgi Mamardashvili.

➡️ Arsenal are interested in Athletic Bilbao winger Nico Williams but face competition from Barcelona.

➡️ Everton are open to handing out-of-contract midfielder Dele Alli a new contract if he can prove himself once he returns to full fitness.

➡️ Barcelona are interested in Man City goal machine Erling Haaland but will have to axe Robert Lewandowski to bring him in.

➡️ Miguel Almiron is likely to leave Newcastle in January amid interest from Everton and MLS, Saudi Pro League clubs.

➡️ Leeds, Stoke and Norwich are interested in Port Vale youngster Karl Agnero.

FULL BREAKDOWN: Next Man Utd manager: EVERY single option tipped to replace increasingly doomed Ten Hag