Paper Talk: United track Porto pair; Wanyama swap deal talk

Bruno Martins Indi: Linked with Manchester United

Bruno Martins Indi: Linked with Manchester United

Manchester United are tracking Porto duo Bruno Martins Indi and young midfielder Ruben Neves, while Spurs hope to swap Andros Townsend for long-term target Victor Wanyama, according to Tuesday’s newspapers.

UNITED SEND SCOUTS TO WATCH PORTO PAIR

Ruben Neves: Linked with move to Liverpool

Manchester United scouts were watching Porto on Sunday, with apparent interest in Netherlands international Bruno Martins Indi and young midfielder Ruben Neves, writes the Daily Mail.

The interest in Martins Indi is an obvious one for United given Louis van Gaal managed the player for the Netherlands, and given the club’s current struggles in defence. Martins Indi – comfortable at both left-back and on the left-side of central defence – would help United fill the full-back positions, with Luke Shaw, Ashley Young, Antonio Valencia and Matteo Darmian all picking up varying degrees of injuries this term.

Central midfielder Neves, who won his first senior caps with Portugal earlier this season, has previously been scouted by Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal and the 18-year-old has a £29million release clause in his contract.

 

SPURS OFFER TOWNSEND AS PART OF WANYAMA DEAL

Victor Wanyama: Southampton midfielder available against West Brom

Tottenham are looking to sign Southampton midfielder Victor Wanyama, with Andros Townsend heading to St Mary’s as part of the deal.

The Sun claims Spurs, who have had a long-running interest in the all-action Kenyan midfielder, are now hopeful of completing the deal after offering to send Townsend the other way as part of the transfer.

Townsend, who has been frozen out by Spurs this season – where his public spat with one of the club’s staff hardly did him any favours – has also been linked with Newcastle.

The player is rated in the £14million bracket by Spurs and it’s still thought they’d need a cash adjustment of around £10million to land Wanyama.

The Guardian, however, claims Townsend is still set to join Newcastle after the clubs settled on a £12million fee.

 

AND THE REST

  • West Ham are preparing a £20m bid for Marseille striker Michy Batshuayi as they look for a premium signing ahead of their move to the Olympic Stadium (The Sun)
  • Gareth Bale has been put off making a £100m move to Manchester United (The Independent)
  • Louis van Gaal was twice talked out of resigning as Manchester United manager over the Christmas period, having to be convinced to stay by chief executive Ed Woodward (Daily Star)
  • Manchester United have not given up hope of luring Pep Guardiola to Old Trafford as Louis van Gaal returns from a brief trip to the Netherlands to a broken dressing room (Daily Mail)
  • Sunderland are keen on luring out-of-favour Arsenal defender Mathieu Debuchy to the Stadium of Light (Daily Mail)
  • Manchester United have scouted Marseille winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou, who has previously been linked with Liverpool and West Ham (The Guardian)
  • Sunderland have again been linked with a move for Roma and Ivory Coast striker Seydou Doumbia, 28, who has reportedly turned down a big-money move to China (Sunderland Echo)
  • West Ham United have agreed terms with Nigeria striker Emmanuel Emenike, 28, but are yet to conclude an agreement with Turkish parent club Fenerbahce or Al Ain in the UAE where he is currently on loan (London Evening Standard)
  • Chelsea are following Sparta Rotterdam teenager Rick van Drongelen, who can play as a left-back or in central defence (Daily Mail)
  • Newcastle have made another approach for Lyon striker Alexandre Lacazette (Daily Telegraph)
  • Manchester United want Ryan Bertrand to fill the void left by Luke Shaw (Daily Star)