Paper Talk: Gotze rules out Arsenal and Liverpool transfer

Mario Gotze, Sadio Mane and Dirk Kuyt: In the news on Friday

Mario Gotze, Sadio Mane and Dirk Kuyt: In the news on Friday

Mario Gotze insists he wants to stay at Bayern Munich, Manchester United are to reignite interest in Sadio Mane, while Barcelona want Dirk Kuyt.

 

GOTZE RULES OUT ARSENAL AND LIVERPOOL MOVE

Bayern Munich playmaker Mario Gotze has ruled out a move to the Premier League.

The German World Cup winner is a long-term target of Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger, but any slim hopes they had of singing him now appear to be over.

The player has also been linked with a move Liverpool following the appointment of his former manager Jurgen Klopp, but the player has told reporters in Germany he has “no interest in leaving Bayern.”

 

UNITED TO REIGNITE MANE MOVE

Louis van Gaal is desperate to add Southampton attacker Sadio Mane to his Manchester United squad, according to Spanish news outlet Fichajes.

The Dutch boss was keen on signing the Senegalese forward in the summer but a move did not materialise, despite reports United had submitted a £17million bid.

However, Van Gaal has now insisted that United complete a deal for him in January.

Van Gaal wants to add some new attacking options to the United squad to take the pressure of young Anthony Martial.

And he will attempt to bring Mane to the club when the transfer window reopens.

Ronald Koeman admitted earlier this week that Southampton may have to prepare for life without the player if the forward continues his current form.

 

KUYT ON BARCELONA’S RADAR

Former Liverpool favourite Dirk Kuyt is a serious target for Luis Enrique’s Barcelona, according to Spanish publication Sport.

The publication reports that the club are looking for reasonable veteran options to provide some depth in the attack.

The report also mentions that Barca are looking at Red Bull Salzburg’s Jonathan Soriano, Valencia’s Alvaro Negredo and Al Rayyan SC’s Sergio García as possibilities as they hope to emulate their signing of Henrik Larsson back in 2004. Larsson became a valuable squad addition on the cheap and won two La Liga titles and a Champions League during his two-year spell at the club.

Kuyt, 35, recently rejoined one of his old clubs in Feyenoord and has four goals in seven games.

 

AND THE REST

– Manchester United target Aymeric Laporte expects to stay at Athletic Bilbao (AS)

– Victor Valdes has been locked out of Manchester United – after boss Louis van Gaal told him he cannot have a changing-room locker (The Sun)

– Arsene Wenger has admitted he took a gamble signing Santi Cazorla – but former Arsenal star Robert Pires convinced him to take a punt (The Sun)

– Jurgen Klopp is considering prolonging Liverpool’s Boot Room tradition – with former Anfield player Dietmar Hamann the shock contender for a Reds coaching role (Daily Mail)

– Manchester City are watching Vitesse Arnhem teenager Thomas Buitink (Daily Mail)

– Crystal Palace are trying to seal a deal for Northern Irish wonderkid Matthew Shevlin. The Eagles have opened talks with Ballymena United over a move for the 16-year-old striker (Daily Mail)

– Petr Cech has revealed he left Chelsea for Arsenal because he felt that the club had ‘turned the page’ on him (Daily Express)

– Colombia coach Jose Pekerman says Radamel Falcao has lost his confidence at Chelsea (The Independent)

– Arsenal have been put on red alert after long-term target Karim Benzema expressed his disappointment after being continually substituted at Real Madrid this season, saying that he is “fed up” with his situation (The Independent)

– Sam Allardyce will make the signing of Kevin Nolan his first job as Sunderland manager (The Sun)

 

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