Express. Home of the Daily and Sunday Express.
Transfer news LIVE: Ramsey to Liverpool, Man Utd Martial latest, Chelsea shock, Arsenal
TRANSFER NEWS live - updates as Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid consider January deals.
Aaron Ramsey to Liverpool would be 'incredible' says Mariner
Transfer news LIVE: Latest news and gossip from across the globe
Saturday 3 November
- Mourinho changes stance on Martial
- Guardiola responds to Messi claims
- Chelsea make quick decision on Kovacic
Messi to Man City claim
Lionel Messi wanted to join Manchester City two years ago to reunite with Pep Guardiola and link up with Sergio Aguero.
Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo have now delved into how a transfer nearly came about.
They Messi sounded out Manchester City about a possible transfer.
Messi was keen to make the move to reunite with Guardiola.
Man Utd transfer worry
Bad news for Manchester United as Jose Mourinho skirts around his intentions to sign players in January.
Asked if he has plans for the transfer window, the Portuguese said: “I think in this moment we have to focus on ourselves and to do better or get better results.”
United have been tipped to spend in the New Year to boost their league position.
But Mourinho’s words cast fresh doubt over those intentions.
RLC on Chelsea future
Ruben Loftus-Cheek has responded to suggestions he should leave Chelsea.
Loftus-Cheek has struggled for football this season after choosing to stay and fight for his place.
Matteo Kovacic, Ross Barkley, Cesc Fabregas and Loftus-Cheek are all fighting for that spot alongside Jorginho and N’Golo Kante.
But he stresses he wants to make an impact at the club.
"I hear it a lot, and I can see why people are saying that, because I'm 22 now and haven't got too many Premier League starts to my name,” he told Soccer AM.
"I haven't played too many minutes, whether it be in the Premier League and the Championship, and at 22 it's not seen as enough by some people.
“I do hear it. I love the club and I love Chelsea, I want to play for Chelsea.
“I made a lot of steps last year. Playing football was massive for me and you can see why people want to see me play, and I want to play as well."
Ramos to United?
Sergio Ramos has seen his odds cut to join Manchester United.
Ramos was linked to United in the past but ended up signing a new deal.
But bookmaker Coral has seen a flurry of bets in the last 24 hours for Ramos to join United where his odds have been slashed into 2-1 (from 6-1)
“Sergio Ramos will go down in history at Real Madrid as one of their greatest ever defenders but if this gamble is correct, the Spaniard could be heading out of the Bernabeu very soon to join Manchester United,” said Coral’s John Hill.
Liverpool make 'powerful' Rabiot offer
Jurgen Klopp has reportedly stunned Barcelona by making a huge offer to PSG ace Adrien Rabiot.
Liverpool and Barcelona have both been linked with Rabiot amid uncertainty surrounding the player’s future at PSG.
The Ligue 1 giants are eager to tie the France international down but, as things stand, a move away from the Parc des Princes beckons.
Liverpool have emerged as potential suitors despite forking out over £90million on the likes of Fabinho and Naby Keita.
Barcelona, though, are also interested despite having Arturo Vidal, Arthur Melo, Ivan Rakitic, Sergio Busquets and Rafinha at their disposal.
And Catalan newspaper Mundo Deportivo say Liverpool are currently leading the race to sign Rabiot.
Barcelona are aware of the Reds’ desire to sign the player.
They feel they are favourites but, in a stunning twist, it is claimed Liverpool have made ‘a very powerful’ offer to secure Rabiot’s signature.
Chelsea fans want Koulibaly
Chelsea supporters are desperate for the club to sign Kalidou Koulibaly after he produced a stunning assist for Napoli in their win over Empoli last night.
Napoli cruised to an emphatic 5-1 victory on home turf as the Serie A side reduced the gap to league leaders Juventus to three points.
Dries Mertens scored a stunning hat-trick but it was Lorenzo Insigne who opened the scoring after just nine minutes with the help of Koulibaly.
A rapid counter-attack saw Koulibaly provide the final pass that Insigne collected and clipped beyond goalkeeper Ivan Provedel much to the delight of home fans.
Kalidou Koulibaly produces stunning assist against Empoli
A video of Koulibaly’s impressive assist has been widely shared on social media and Chelsea fans are urging their club to push for a move for the Senegal international.
“Chelsea!!!!!!!!!! Sign this beast!!!” one fan wrote.
Another said: “Been wanting this guy to come Chelsea for time.”
A third fan commented: “Him and Rudiger in a CB pairing would be massive.”
'Ramsey should go in January'
Paul Merson has branded Arsenal as pathetic and believes they should sell Aaron Ramsey in January.
Ramsey will leave the Gunners when his deal runs out after having a contract offer withdrawn.
He has been linked with both Liverpool and Manchester United.
And Merson is horrified by the situation.
"Arsenal are pathetic for the way they’ve treated Aaron Ramsey – and he could be playing for Liverpool soon instead of against them," he wrote in his column with the Daily Star.
“I don’t understand what my old club are doing. How can you let a player that good run down his contract like this? It’s a nonsense.
“It makes no financial sense to lose him on a free so they might as well sell him for whatever they can get now in January.
“If Liverpool want him they might as well do a deal now. He would fit in there and he would help them challenge for the title.”
Aaron Ramsey to Liverpool would be 'incredible' says Mariner
Mourinho’s Martial claim
Jose Mourinho insists he wants Anthony Martial to agree a new deal at Manchester United.
The pair appear to have buried their differences with Martial beginning to shine in recent weeks.
The France star has scored four in his last four and Mourinho has now urged him to sign the new contract on offer.
“I hope they will agree,” he said. “He’s a talented player with consistency and understanding what a football match is in the globality.
“When you reach that level, or when you are almost reaching that level, is when you become a top player.
"One thing is top talent, another is a top player. He is now much closer to being a top player.
“Obviously I would like him to stay.
"I know the club wants him very much to stay. Hopefully he is going to stay.”
Man United: Jose Mourinho praises Martial after Everton win
Guardiola discusses Messi deal
Pep Guardiola insists he never tried to sign Lionel Messi.
Messi has again been linked with a move to Manchester with claims the Premier League champions are ready to pay his £220m release clause.
It has been reported that City would pay him an stunning £850,000 a week.
But Guardiola insists that’s not the case.
“When I left Barcelona and went to Bayern Munich and Manchester City I never asked Messi to come here,” he said.
“I never went to both clubs and said I want this player.
“I know how important he is for Barcelona. I never made the first step to say I want this player. Never.
“I said a thousand times I want him to stay at Barcelona. I want that.”
Lionel Messi returns to Barcelona training after arm injury
Chelsea make Kovacic decision
Chelsea currently have no plans on retaining Mateo Kovacic beyond his season-long loan from Real Madrid.
The Croatia star joined in the summer and has been in and out of the team since.
He has made 12 appearances in all competitions but Ross Barkley’s form is a threat to him, while Ruben Loftus-Cheek is also gunning for a place.
And it is understood Chelsea are not planning on offering him a longer deal.
And Martin Keown thinks Sarri wouldn’t have signed Kovacic had he known more about Barkley and Loftus-Cheek.
“I honestly believe that had Maurizio Sarri known just how good Ross Barkley and Ruben Loftus-Cheek were, Chelsea would not have taken Mateo Kovacic on loan,” Keown said.
“It’s nice problem for Sarri to have. You cannot drop N’Golo Kante so there are three players fighting for one midfield berth.
“If Chelsea had to make a choice between Kovacic and Loftus-Cheek, I would rather send Kovacic back to Real Madrid than send Loftus-Creek out on loan.