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Transfer news LIVE: Man Utd and Liverpool scrap, Real Madrid's Arsenal talks, Chelsea plan
Transfer news LIVE is here with all of the latest from Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and beyond.
Transfer news LIVE: Sunday October 20
- Manchester United and Liverpool are on course to battle it out for RB Leipzig forward Timo Werner
- Arsenal loanee Dani Ceballos has been talking to Real Madrid chiefs about staying at the Emirates
- Chelsea have identified Ruslan Malinovsky as a target for when their two-window transfer ban finishes
- Manchester City are preparing to make talisman Raheem Sterling the Premier League’s highest-paid player
11:30 UPDATE: Tottenham eye Nathan Ferguson
Tottenham could launch a £10m raid on West Brom in January to land teenage defender Nathan Ferguson for Mauricio Pochettino.
Pochettino wants a new right-back having sold Kieran Trippier, been unimpressed by Serge Aurier and seen Kyle Walker-Peters suffer with injury.
Spurs scouts are raving over Baggies ace Ferguson, who has played on the left this term but is more adept on the opposite flank.
The Sun reckon Tottenham could piece together a £10m package to ensure they beat London rivals Crystal Palace to the youngster.
11:05 UPDATE: Lionel Messi on retirement
Lionel Messi has provided a positive update for any Barcelona fans worried about his eventual retirement.
The pint-sized Argentine has suggested it will be some time before he hangs up his boots for the last time.
"You realise yourself how long you can continue [playing]," Messi said. "I’ll find out over time.
"I’ll be the first to say: 'I've come this far and I can't do it anymore,’ or that I feel good to carry on. Over the years I will find that out."
10:35 UPDATE: Hands off warning
Aston Villa boss Dean Smith has slapped a ‘not for sale’ sign on reported Manchester United target John McGinn.
"The big clubs can come calling but they’ll get a short, swift reply!" Smith said. "He’s a player we want here at Aston Villa.
"His value shot up from the moment he stepped out onto the Villa Park pitch and showed just what a player he is.
"He has an unbelievable energy level and a big, big heart, but people don’t see the technical side of it as well – he’s got that in abundance."
10:20 UPDATE: Neymar's Barcelona exit questioned
Former Santos manager Muricy Ramalho believes Neymar was wrong to leave Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2017.
"For me when Neymar was in Santos he was on top and in Barcelona, too," Ramalho said. :Barcelona and Santos were the best for him. The PSG, not so much.
"Even scoring goals would matter little, because the French championship is weak."
Neymar has been linked with a potential return to Barcelona, as well as with their El Clasico rivals Real Madrid.
10:00 UPDATE: Man Utd contract plan
Manchester United might activate Nemanja Matic’s one-year contract extension to stop the midfielder leaving on a free next summer.
Magic has endured a mixed time of it since leaving Chelsea for Old Trafford but has largely been seen as a player in decline.
Scott McTominay has been preferred in front of the defence this season, with his lack of game time putting him on numerous teams’ radars.
Corriere dello Sport reckon United might prevent Matic going for nothing, though, by extending his deal by 12 months.
09:55 UPDATE: Eddie Howe for England
Bournemouth star Simon Francis can see Eddie Howe leaving the Cherries and one day going on to manage England.
"Eddie would be suited to the England job – but further down the line," Francis told Express Sport.
"His sole aim right now is to be as successful as he can with Bournemouth. We were ninth a couple of seasons ago – and this squad is much better.
"He will know that. He still has targets in mind, where he wants us to finish, what he wants to do before he thinks about going.
"Eddie deserves a chance. I would love to see him one day - not anytime that I am still here - go and manage a top team, because he would be successful. He has everything."
09:40 UPDATE: Chelsea new boy boost
Chelsea boss Frank Lampard has offered new arrival Christian Pulisic hope that he can for his way into the Blues side.
"I’m really pleased for him. He’s a hot topic because of the price tag," Lampard said of the winger, who linked up with Chelsea over the summer having been loaned straight back to Borussia Dortmund in January.
"Because of his status in his national team, and his world status through that. And everyone has got a little bit carried away with the short term.
"The long term is that he’s come here and he’s just turned 21 and to see him play like he did today, and there’s a lot more to come.
"It’s not the end story. You can see his balance and awareness and you can see how he can play."
09:20 UPDATE: Man Utd striker option
Mario Mandzukic remains a short-term option for Manchester United as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer seems attacking reinforcements.
The Red Devils waved goodbye to Romelu Lukaku and Alexis Sanchez over the summer without a replacement being brought in.
His hopes of bringing in Mandzukic to plug the gap in January appeared to be over with AC Milan thought to be in for the Juventus man.
However, it is understood that United could still land the Croatian veteran for £10m during the January transfer window.
09:10 UPDATE: Liverpool struggle explained
Former Liverpool striker Peter Crouch has a theory on why Xherdan Shaqiri’s move to Anfield hasn’t quit worked out for the winger.
"Well, I wasn't surprised Liverpool took him because he's one of the most naturally gifted footballers I've played with," Crouch explained to the Irish Independent.
"He can make a difference. My issue when he played at Stoke was that while, obviously, he could look brilliant, there were times when there was a lot of tactical ill-discipline.
"If you've got a specific role to play that involves tracking back, just going and doing your own thing doesn't really work. And I certainly don't think that would work with Klopp."
09:00 UPDATE: Rangers career in sights
Dundee loanee Josh McPake has revealed he snubbed a potential permanent exit because he is desperate to make a name for himself at Rangers.
"Being at a big club like Rangers, there’s always going to be pressure. Even at youth level there’s pressure to do well and make the grade," McPake said.
"But I’m confident that if I keep going the way I am, I can be the next young player to come through there.
"When other clubs came in for me, I made that clear. I stuck to my guns because I want to do it at Rangers."
08:55 UPDATE: Man Utd legend plan
Manchester United chief Ed Woodward wants to make a truce with Gary Neville after the Old Trafford hero’s criticism of his work in the transfer market.
In September, Neville referred to Woodward, saying: "I don’t believe the guy at the top should be there doing it any more, I think he has had his chance."
But Woodward is reportedly hopeful of getting the former United right-back onside so he can help them going forward.
The Sunday People reckon Woodward is eyeing up a peace deal with Neville having already worked with United greats Nicky Butt, Patrice Evra and Darren Fletcher at Carrington.
08:50 UPDATE: Odsonne Edouard to the Premier League
Rangers hero Kris Boyd believes Celtic forward Odsonne Edouard must only swap the Premiership for the Premier League if it’s for an English big boy.
"For what it’s worth, if it’s the Premier League he heads for, it should be for one of the giants, Manchester United or Arsenal, and not, with respect, to a Brighton or Southampton," Boyd said.
"But I’ve got a funny feeling he’ll have to go and prove himself first at one of those clubs."
Edouard was on target for Celtic again on Saturday as Neil Lennon’s Hoops put six goals past Ross County without reply.
08:45 UPDATE: Tottenham star interest rubbished
German football legend Lothar Matthaus says Bayern Munich must not prise Christian Eriksen away from Tottenham because he’s not up to scratch.
"I’ve been following the player for a long time and so far in 2019 he has disappointed me," Matthaus told Sport1 in his homeland. "A transfer to FC Bayern wouldn’t make sense in my view, and would be very surprising.
"If he’s not enough for Tottenham, he’s not good enough for Bayern. Uli Hoeness has also said before that Bayern doesn’t need any substitutes.
"Eriksen is a fine technician, a typical No.10, but he’s too slow and Niko Kovac likes fast players."
08:30 UPDATE: Man City’s Raheem Sterling plot
Manchester City are gearing up to hand Raheem Sterling a mega new £450,000-a-week deal to ward off interest from Real Madrid.
The Premier League champions are all too aware of the La Liga giants’ interest in a £200m move for the hotshot England winger.
And they will have taken note of his own desire to one day don the iconic white of one of the planet’s most successful teams.
Express Sport can reveal, however, that City chiefs are planning to make him the Premier League’s top earner with a fresh contract worth £450,000 a week.
08:10 UPDATE: Chelsea want Ruslan Malinovsky
Chelsea might be serving a transfer ban but they’re certainly not resting on their laurels when it comes to identifying potential new recruits.
Express Sport understands Claude Makelele has been making checks on players the Blues could sign when their suspension ends.
And Ruslan Malinovsky is believed to be in their sights having thrived since swapping Genk for Atalanta over the summer.
Chelsea plan to keep tabs on the midfielder as Frank Lampard looks to add a few older heads to his young squad.
07:45 UPDATE: Arsenal loanee plans stay
Arsenal midfielder Dani Ceballos wants to turn his loan move to the Emirates into a permanent switch, according to reports in Spain.
The Real Madrid outcast swapped the Spanish capital for north London over the summer in a bid to get some game time and catch Zinedine Zidane’s eye.
However, El Desmarque reckon he’s enjoying his time at Arsenal so much he’s decided he’s eager to join them full-time.
The Spanish outlet claim Ceballos has held talks with Real president Florentino Perez and is hopeful a permanent deal can be agreed.
07:30 UPDATE: Man Utd vs Liverpool for Timo Werner
Manchester United and Liverpool could be set for an almighty fight to secure the services of RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner.
Express Sport understands Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has picked out Werner as the ideal forward to boost his threadbare forward line.
A United move for the German might just spring Liverpool into action, with Jurgen Klopp understood to be a long-time admirer of his countryman.
Leipzig are likely to resist any attempt to prise Werner away in January, though, meaning a summer transfer scrap may be more likely.