Transfer news today: Liverpool latest, Paul Pogba to Real Madrid and Manchester United eye Kalidou Koulibaly
The Gossip: For some reason Liverpool are apparently willing to sell all of their best players, while Bayern Munich are desperate to ‘refresh’ their attack with Leroy Sane
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Your support makes all the difference.Liverpool may be the best football team in the world but that hasn’t stopped some of their best players being linked with incredibly unlikely moves away in the summer.
First there was the rumour Virgil van Dijk could be off to Juventus. And now there is some chatter that Roberto Firmino is a top transfer target for the ailing Bayern Munich.
Is there any truth in the rumour? Of course not! And here is Melissa Reddy to explain why.
However, the stories linking Firmino with Bayern Munich this morning come twinned with the news that the reigning Bundesliga champions also want to sign Leroy Sané from Manchester City, which would seem much more likely.
The Sun claim this morning that Bayern are desperate to ‘refresh their squad’ and see 24-year-old Germany international Sané as the perfect man to freshen up their attack.
The newspaper claims that Pep Guardiola is eager to keep the winger at City, yet is aware Sané ‘wants regular football’ and is open to departing.
Another player reportedly eager to flee the Premier League is poor old Paul Pogba, who has once again been linked with an eye-watering move to Manchester United.
The Manchester Evening News have this morning published a story that suggests Pogba is willing to play hard ball with United, who are getting nervous that the Frenchman’s contract is set to expire in the summer of 2022.
That means he will be available to leave on a free transfer, meaning United are resigned to having to move him on at the end of the season.
And the newspaper claims that Real Madrid are at the front of the queue for Pogba, having come close to snapping him up a few months ago.
Juventus are also keen, just so long as they don’t blow all their budget on signing Van Dijk. Do try and keep up.
Elsewhere, Belgian outlet Voetbal Nieuws claims that Ajax goalkeeper André Onana wants to join Chelsea in the summer, instead of the likes of Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.
That seems a misguided decision in our eyes, but the story says that Onana would likely be installed as Chelsea’s new number one, given the recent struggles of £71.6m butterfingers Kepa.
And to round things off, Manchester United received some bad news over the weekend.
The Mirror say that Kalidou Koulibaly’s release clause will become active from June, but is set at a rather prohibitive £127m. Not especially great value for a 29-year-old.