Paper Talk: Liverpool to go all out for €75m man, who says future is open

Kalidou Koulibaly TEAMtalk

Liverpool will go after Kalidou Koulibaly in January and the Napoli man says he is open about his future, while Sergio Romero has seen a transfer collapse in the last 24 hours, all in Friday’s paper talk.

 

KOULIBALY OPEN OVER FUTURE

Liverpool will move for Kalidou Koulibaly in January, according to CalcioMercato.

Koulibaly, 29, has regularly been linked with a move away from the Serie A side, with Liverpool previously mentioned as potential suitors.

The Senegal centre-back is contracted at Napoli until 2023 and Napoli owner Aurelio de Laurentiis will demand a massive fee for the defender. It’s understood the player’s price tag was around €75m in the summer.

Now though with injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip and Fabinho, Jurgen Klopp will go after the experienced campaigner.

It’s a move that will go against Klopp’s previous signings at Anfield. At 29 Koulibaly is at the peak of his career with Klopp tending to buy players who are much younger.

However, Klopp did add Thiago Alcantara, 29, to his squad this summer and he could follow that up with Koulibaly.

Asked about his future the player said “we’ll see what happens”.

“I love Naples and Naples loves me, that’s the most important thing,” Koulibaly said via Sky Sports.

“I always make myself available game after game, I still have three years of contract, I’m calm, the teams are looking for me but I’m still here.

“I play at my level and I help this team and these people because I want to give something back to them then we’ll see what happens.”

 

WEST HAM INJURY BLOW

West Ham’s Michail Antonio will be out for a month with a hamstring tear. (Guardian)

Valencia will make Atletico Madrid wait to sign midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia (Marca)

Napoli director Cristiano Giuntoli has confirmed the club will soon renew coach Gennaro Gattuso’s contract.  (Sky Sport in Italy)

Bologna are considering a move for Mario Mandzukic after they lost Federico Santander to injury. (Sky Sport in Italy)

West Brom, Aston Villa and Fulham will feature in a fourth successive Pay Per View fixture after the Premier League confirmed the latest selection of box office games in November. (Daily Mail)

BENZEMA APOLOGY

Karim Benzeman TEAMtalk

Karim Benzema has reportedly apologised to Vinicius Junior after urging his Real Madrid team-mates to not pass to him during Tuesday night’s Champions League clash with Borussia Monchengladbach. (Daily Mail)

Real Madrid are ready to make Juventus a very tempting swap offer in order to sign Paulo Dybala. (Daily Mail)

Crystal Palace will check the blinds are closed at Wolves after Roy Hodgson fumed at BT Sport for showing post-match inquest in July. (Sun)

Paul Scholes has told Manchester United to sign Dayot Upamecano and claims he is the ‘type of defender’ his old club need. (Sun)

Barcelona presidential frontrunner Victor Font wants to bring Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola back to the club. Guardiola is into the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium. (Various)

Manchester United are willing to double the wages of 26-year-old Turkey midfielder Hakan Calhanoglu, who is out of contract at AC Milan in the summer. (Todofichajes)

Tottenham’s 31-year-old Belgium defender Toby Alderweireld could leave when his contract expires in 2023, says his father. (TEAMtalk)

ROMERO DEAL COLLAPSES

Sergio Romero TEAMtalk

Manchester United and Argentina goalkeeper Sergio Romero’s proposed move to Inter Miami has fallen through. The 33-year-old will stay at United until January at least. (Mail)

England manager Gareth Southgate is ready to recall Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden, 20, after he was dropped for breaking coronavirus regulations in Iceland, but Manchester United forward Mason Greenwood, 19, may be left out. (Mirror)

West Ham forward Michail Antonio’s hamstring injury is worse than feared and the 30-year-old will be sidelined for at least a month. (Talksport)

Lille and United States forward Timothy Weah, 20, could join Saint-Etienne on loan. (L’Equipe)

 

 

POCH LOOKING AT UNITED

Former Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen believes former manager Mauricio Pochettino is looking at a role back in the Premier League, potentially with Manchester United. (Star)

Arsenal’s French midfielder Matteo Guendouzi, 21, says team-mates Mesut Ozil and Bernd Leno encouraged him to go on loan to Hertha Berlin. (Kicker via Goal)

Liverpool midfielder Fabinho’s hamstring injury is not as serious as first thought. The Brazil international, 27, will miss at least three matches. (Mirror)

Juventus will stick with manager Andre Pirlo, despite criticism in the Italian media of the club’s start to the season. (Mail)

Everton forward Theo Walcott says he is keen to work more with Southampton boss Ralph Hasenhuttl on a more permanent basis. The 31-year-old former England international is on a season-long loan at Saints. (Liverpool Echo)

ORIGI TO LEAVE ANFIELD?

Marko Grujic, Divock Origi

Divock Origi could be on the move in January, a result of him having fallen further down the pecking order at Liverpool (Liverpool Echo)

Manchester United legend Ryan Giggs says they could go up to 20 years without winning the Premier League title again. (Metro)

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard says he never doubted that American winger Christian Pulisic, 22, would thrive in the Premier League. (ESPN)

 

 

 

Netherlands midfielder Donny van de Beek could become Manchester United’s version of Bayern Munich’s Thomas Muller, says former midfielder Owen Hargreaves. (BT Sport)

Manchester City’s hopes of signing Lionel Messi next summer could depend on who is elected as Barcelona’s next president (The Athletic)

Marseille are hoping to lure Nikola Maksimovic away from Napoli (Calciomercato)