Paper Talk: Real star had Liverpool move blocked; Newcastle want Gala ace

A Real Madrid midfielder wants a move to Liverpool in the summer, David Ospina is pondering his Arsenal future and Pep Guardiola has signed a new contract, all in the papers.

 

CEBALLOS WANTS LIVERPOOL TRANSFER

Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos has his heart set on a move to Liverpool this summer, according to a report.

The report from El Chiringuito via the Daily Mirror claims Ceballos was denied a move to Anfield last month and now wants to make the move to Anfield at the end of the season.

The 21-year-old moved to Real in the summer from Real Betis, but he has made only two starts in La Liga and his former club wanted to re-sign him last month.

However, because he had already been registered with the Seville-based club this season – despite sealing his switch to the Bernabeu in July. And with La Liga rules forbidding a player to be registered twice in the same season with the same club, Betis’ hands were tied.

“Our coach wants it to happen and Ceballos wants it happen, but it cannot happen,” vice president Lorenzo Serra Ferrer told El Transistor.

 

AND THE REST

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has agreed a new contract with the club worth nearly £20m a year until 2021, a £3m increase on his current deal. (Mail)

Guardiola is risking a touchline ban if he wears a yellow ribbon in support of imprisoned politicians in his native Catalonia during Manchester City’s game against against Arsenal in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday. (Times)

Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger does not believe Pep Guardiola has brought a higher level of football to the game in his spells at Barcelona and Manchester City. (Guardian)

Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 28, has been linked with a move away from the club but manager Zinedine Zidane says the Wales international “will always be important” to the Spanish outfit. (Sun)

Manchester United officials are becoming annoyed by the conduct of midfielder Paul Pogba’s agent Mino Raiola, who told the Old Trafford side’s manager, Jose Mourinho, where to play the 24-year-old France international. (Times)

Liverpool’s all-action Roberto Firmino has to be ordered to rest, reveals Jurgen Klopp. (Mirror)

AC Milan chief Massimiliano Mirabelli says he feels “sorry for Arsenal” after they were drawn against the Italian giants in the last 16 of the Europa League.  (Mirror)

Roy Hodgson has launched a staunch defence of Dele Alli – and hit out at claims he is a diver.  (Mirror)

David Ospina has admitted he will have to consider his future this summer after revealing his frustration at being Arsenal’s No 2 keeper.  (Mirror)

Jose Mourinho says his Manchester United players have to earn his trust rather than the other way round. (Mirror)

Manchester United have stepped up their interest in signing Nice midfielder Jean Michael Seri. The 26-year-old Ivory Coast international has a £35m release clause in his contract. (Mirror)

Manchester United players have no problem with the tactics used by manager Jose Mourinho in the goalless Champions League last-16 first-leg draw against Sevilla. (Manchester Evening News)

Anthony Martial’s future at Manchester United could be in doubt with the 22-year-old forward yet to receive an offer of a new contract at Old Trafford. The Frenchman’s current deal ends next summer. (RMC)

West Brom boss Alan Pardew knows his future at the club is in doubt with the Baggies bottom of the Premier League but he says he wants to stay at The Hawthorns outfit. (Telegraph)

Several Premier League clubs are tracking FK Ostersunds’ Iranian striker Saman Ghoddos, 24, following his impressive Europa League displays against Arsenal. (ESPN)

Watford, West Brom, West Ham and Newcastle are all interested in signing Marseille’s Cameroonian midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa, 22. (Sun)

Newcastle are interested in signing Galatasaray midfielder Garry Rodrigues, 27, a Cape Verde international who is valued at £10m by the Turkish club. (Birmingham Mail)

Newcastle keeper Martin Dubravka, 29, says his loan move to the club from Sparta Prague has “completely changed my life” and the Slovak hopes he can earn a permanent move to the Magpies. (Guardian)

Tottenham’s South Korean forward Son Heung-min, 25, says his first memories of England were “bad” after failed trials at Portsmouth and Blackburn. (Mail)

Paris St-Germain will rival Chelsea for 18-year-old AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma in the summer. The Italian teenager signed a new contract with the Serie A side until 2021 last summer. (AS)

Everton boss Sam Allardyce does not see his role at the club as a “short-term fix” and hopes “to to do bigger things in the future”. (Guardian)

Arsenal fear that Aaron Ramsey will try to run his contract into its final year in a repeat of the uncomfortable position that the club faced with Mesut Ozil and Alexis Sanchez this season. (Times)

Antonio Conte has insisted that when he leaves Willian on the bench, he is not being “stupid”. (Express)

Former Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand made an offer close to £10m to buy non-league side Dulwich Hamlet’s ground, but the bid was rejected by the owners. (Independent)

Manchester City midfielder Oleksandr Zinchenko, 21, says “everyone calls me ‘Kev'” because he looks like team-mate Kevin de Bruyne. (Telegraph)