Paper Talk: City target Coutinho; Spurs eye striker

Mark Holmes
Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool midfielder linked with Manchester City

Philippe Coutinho: Liverpool midfielder linked with Manchester City

Manchester City want Philippe Coutinho, Tottenham are tracking a new striker, while Aston Villa want a new goalkeeper, say the newspapers.

COUTINHO EMERGES AS MAN CITY TARGET

Jurgen Klopp’s first big task at Liverpool will be to keep Philippe Coutinho, claims the Daily Mirror, with Manchester City apparently identifying him as the perfect long-term replacement for David Silva in the No.10 position.

City will start the bidding for Coutinho at around £50million, the newspaper claims, as he only signed a new long-term contract at Anfield in February.

Barcelona and Real Madrid have also been linked with the Brazilian, but the 23-year-old’s representative, Kia Joorabchian, insists he is happy on Merseyside.

“He signed a new long-term contract towards the end of last season that represents his ambition and his feeling for Liverpool,” Joorabchian said.

“Reports that I have been talking to Real Madrid about Philippe are not true.”

TOTTENHAM WATCHING BELGIAN STRIKER

Tottenham have been watching Genk’s Laurent Depoitre, reports the Daily Telegraph, as they continue to search for a new striker ahead of the January transfer window.

Spurs are likely to make another bid to sign West Brom’s Saido Berahino, the newspaper adds, but are lining up alternative targets in case Albion once again refuse to sell.

Depoitre, 26, won his first call-up to the Belgium squad for their games against Andorra and Israel.

VILLA ON LOOKOUT FOR NEW GOALKEEPER

Aston Villa are planning to make a January bid for Mainz goalkeeper Loris Karius, also according to the Daily Telegraph, as doubts remain over the form of Brad Guzan.

The American was almost sold over the summer and has not enjoyed the best of starts to the new season, with Villa in the relegation zone on just four points after eight games.

 

AND THE REST

  • Brendan Rodgers will be on a list of ‘home-grown’ managers the Football Association will consider should it decide against renewing Roy Hodgson’s contract (Daily Telegraph)
  • Sunderland will let Sam Allardyce name his terms in a final bid to make him their next boss (The Sun)