Paper Talk: Press go big on mega double approach for Liverpool duo

Salah Klopp Van Dijk

Liverpool are preparing themselves to fend off enormous interest in two of their biggest assets, while there are reports of a Premier League record contract offer at Manchester United, according to Monday’s newspapers.

 

BARCELONA, REAL MADRID LOCK HORNS OVER LIVERPOOL PAIR

Real Madrid and Barcelona are set to go head-to-head with one another to tempt manager Jurgen Klopp and star defender Virgil van Dijk away from Liverpool.

That’s according to Spanish daily AS, and as reported by the Daily Star, who admit the LaLiga giants are ready to go all out to try and convince the pair that their futures lie in Spain.

As per the report, the two clubs have seen their own high standards slip in recent months and believe only the capture of two of Liverpool’s prized assets can see a return to dominance.

While the report acknowledges that Liverpool would not entertain any amount of money for the duo, they claim that current contract confusion over the pair mean there is a slight chance they could be lured to Spain and that both Real and Barca are ready to make mammoth approaches for the duo.

Van Dijk, the reigning PFA Player and UEFA Player of the Year is on course to win this year’s Ballon d’Or, becoming the first man outside Real or Barcelona to win the award since Cristiano Ronaldo did so while at Manchester United in 2008.

As for Klopp, the paper suggests long-term doubts over Zinedine Zidane and Ernesto Valverde will see both clubs make serious plays to lure Klopp to Spain if and when time is called on their reigns.

 

Get the latest personalised Reds products on our new TEAMtalk Liverpool shop!

 

AND THE REST

Manchester United have offered to make Spain goalkeeper David de Gea, 28, the Premier League’s best-paid footballer to convince him to sign a new long-term contract (The Times)

Manchester United are reportedly set to launch a bid for Leicester City playmaker James Maddison next summer (The Times)

Manchester United had scouts checking out Kosovo striker Vedat Muriqi when he scored against England at Wembley on Tuesday (Daily Express)

Eden Hazard and Thibaut Courtois want N’Golo Kante at Real Madrid after the Chelsea midfielder was linked with a sensational move to Spain (The Sun)

Kevin De Bruyne believes history can repeat itself and Manchester City will once again hunt down Liverpool in the Premier League title race (The Sun)

Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham has threatened to play for Nigeria if Gareth Southgate doesn’t hurry up and pick him again for England (The Sun)

Arsenal are set to beat Manchester United in the race for the signature of Sunderland teenager Logan Pye (The Sun)

An Italian TV pundit has been widely condemned and banned from the channel after a racist remark about Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku (Daily Mail)

Manchester United midfielder Nemanja Matic, 31, is a target for Juventus in January (Daily Mirror)

UEFA referee chief Roberto Rosetti has hit out at the Premier League’s use of VAR after Mike Riley admitting that four VAR decisions had been incorrect in matches before the international break (Daily Mirror)

Ashley Young says Manchester United are “very close” to turning a corner under Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (Daily Mirror)

Pep Guardiola TEAMtalk

Pep Guardiola believes Manchester City can learn and refocus after humbling defeat away to Norwich City (The Guardian)

Tammy Abraham says he is “living the dream” and setting his sights on becoming a club legend after finally being given his chance in a Chelsea shirt (Daily Telegraph)

Dean Smith is backing “football nut” Jack Grealish to spark his season into life and push Aston Villa up the Premier League table aa they prepare to play West Ham on Monday Night Football (Daily Telegraph)