What The Sports Pages Say

Monday's Newspapers:
11th May 2020


DAILY MAIL

Newcastle's prospective new owners have earmarked Gareth Bale as their priority summer signing.
Premier League players believe clubs are engaging in unethical practices to influence them ahead of next week's crucial Project Restart vote.
Manchester United have reportedly revived their interest in Inter Milan striker and Barcelona target Lautaro Martinez, whose release clause is set at £94million.
Manchester City defender Kyle Walker has been writing to the club's supporters to apologise for flouting lockdown rules.


THE TIMES
UEFA is considering plans to shorten the qualification competitions for next season's Champions League and Europa League or, in a worst-case scenario, scrap them altogether.
Germany will press on with plans to resume the season next weekend despite one club placing their entire squad into a 14-day quarantine after two players tested positive for coronavirus.


DAILY TELEGRAPH

The Premier League has been given a boost, with Government sources confirming that plans are on track for professional sports to return in June.
Liverpool will reassure any club that raises a concern about Jurgen Klopp selecting a youth team in the club's remaining Premier League fixtures that the claims are absurd and he will play his strongest line-up in every game in the event of a restart.
League One and Two clubs will hold a crucial meeting on Thursday, with the abandonment of the season appearing increasingly likely.


DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United are in contact with the agent of Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot, according to reports.
Lyon have reportedly transfer-listed Liverpool target Houssem Aouar ahead of the summer window.
Liverpool are eyeing up a summer move for Bukayo Saka, but Arsenal are poised to reject any offers they receive.
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has reignited transfer rumours after following Napoli's Dries Mertens on Instagram and reportedly contacting the forward directly.


THE SUN
Atletico Madrid want to swap midfielder Thomas Partey for Liverpool's Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain.
The threat of a new European Super League is growing because of football's financial meltdown across the continent.
Paul Pogba can be the best player in the world at Manchester United according to his former team-mate Ander Herrera.


DAILY MIRROR

The 'big six' will warn the dissenting voices that voting against a return to action will do long-term damage to the Premier League.
Chelsea will make a move for West Ham's Declan Rice if they lose N'Golo Kante this summer.
Premier League players will this week be told returning to training and games will be safer than going to the supermarket.



Dayot Upamecano’s agent believes a big-money move may no longer be possible this summer due to the coronavirus pandemic and its financial impact on football. (METRO)
Manchester United are keeping a close eye on PSG striker Edinson Cavani as his contract is set to expire this summer. (MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS)
Newcastle have been linked with a move for PSG forward Edinson Cavani among a host of big-name players. (NEWCASTLE CHRONICLE)
Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admits it will be difficult for the club to keep hold of their star players this summer - amid reported interest from Chelsea in Moussa Dembele. With the Ligue 1 season already over, he may have already made his last appearance for the club. (DAILY STAR)
Willian's contract talks with Chelsea are now 'dead in the water' and, with his family settled in London, Arsenal and Tottenham could plot a move. (FOOTBALL.LONDON)
Man City want to sign PSG midfielder Edouard Michut, 17, and if they cannot do it this summer then the reigning Premier League champions are prepared to wait for his contract to expire in 2021. (SKY SPORTS)

Arsenal's Gabonese striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30, promised his grandfather before he died that he would play for Real Madrid. (Sun)

The Gunners have also been dealt a blow in their pursuit of RB Leipzig's 21-year-old French defender Dayot Upamecano after his agent said a big money move would be unlikely because of coronavirus. (Sport 1, via Metro)

Shanghai Shenhua expect Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo, 30, to return from his loan spell at Manchester United in time for the start of the new Chinese Super League season, which is scheduled to begin in July. (Sky Sports)

Meanwhile, Manchester United have revived their interest in 22-year-old Inter Milan and Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez. (Sport, via Mail)

Tottenham and Arsenal have been boosted in their pursuit of Brazilian midfielder Willian because the 31-year-old's contract extension talks with Chelsea are dead in the water. (football.london)

Borussia Dortmund want to sign Chelsea's teenage midfielder Charlie Webster and give the 16-year-old the Jadon Sancho treatment. (Sun)

Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has followed Dries Mertens on Instagram and reportedly contacted the 33-year-old Belgium and Napoli forward directly. (Express)

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas admits it will be difficult for the club to keep hold of their star players this summer - amid reported interest from Chelsea in 23-year-old French striker Moussa Dembele. (Star)

Manchester City want to sign Paris St-Germain's 17-year-old French midfielder Edouard Michut. (Sky Sports)

The father of Brazilian midfielder Gerson has claimed that Arsenal and Tottenham are both keen on signing the 22-year-old midfielder from Flamengo. (ESPN, in Portuguese)

Tuesday's Newspapers:
12th May 2020


Manchester United are keen to splash the cash on not one, but two strikers when the transfer window reopens.


DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United are confident of signing £60m-rated Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, according to reports.
Kylian Mbappe was reportedly 'flattered' that Jurgen Klopp called his father to register his interest in signing him.
Liverpool feel "insulted" that many believe their fans would not respect public health guidelines in any Premier League return.

DAILY MAIL
Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius is a top target for Manchester United as the club prepare to offer £35million for the starlet.
UEFA will extend their May 25 deadline if the Premier League need more time to present their restart plans.
Joan Laporta wants to be reunited with Pep Guardiola at Barcelona next summer if he becomes president.

THE SUN
Saido Berahino says he "would jump at the chance" to return to West Brom.
Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius is a target for Manchester United, with the Brazilian having an £88m release clause.
Arsenal are eager to sell Henrikh Mkhitaryan but Roma are unwilling to pay their £15m asking price.

THE EXPRESS
Manchester United and Tottenham are reportedly pushing hard to sign Roma midfielder Nicolo Zaniolo.
Manchester United are keen on signing Velez Sarsfield's Argentine playmaker Thiago Almada, who has also been linked with Arsenal.

THE GUARDIAN
England's cricketers are set to return to training amid hopes international matches can be staged behind closed doors this summer.

DAILY RECORD
Celtic have ordered all their foreign players to return to Scotland no later than next week to begin preparations for Scottish football's restart.
SCOTTISH SUN
Ex-St Mirren boss Oran Kearney is hoping to manage in Scottish football again one day.
LIVERPOOL ECHO
Everton are being linked again with a move for Southampton captain Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg.
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS
Manchester City are reportedly in pole position to sign Barcelona right-back Nelson Semedo this summer.

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, 31, will not leave the club this summer and instead see out the remaining year left on his Gunners contract. (Fanatik, via Football London)

Arsenal hope to keep on-loan Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos, 23, until the current Premier League season can be finished, but are not planning to extend the Spain international’s deal with the club for another campaign. (El Confidencial, via Metro)

RB Leipzig have joined Everton in wanting to sign 20-year-old French defender Jean-Clair Todibo from Barcelona. (HITC)

Manchester United are interested in signing 19-year-old Argentine playmaker Thiago Almada, who has also been linked with Arsenal, from Velez Sarsfield. (Tutto Mercato Web, via Express)

Manchester United have yet to agree a new deal with 19-year-old midfielder Angel Gomes, whose contract with the club runs out at the end of June. (Goal)

Benfica striker Carlos Vinicius is a target for Manchester United, with the 25-year-old Brazilian having an £88m release clause. (Sun)

Algeria winger Riyad Mahrez, 29, says Liverpool were interested in signing him before he joined Manchester City from Leicester City but the Reds dropped their interest after bringing in Mohamed Salah from Roma. (Bein Sports, via Manchester Evening News)

Chelsea are confident of securing youngster Charlie Webster, who is believed to be a target for Borussia Dortmund, on a professional contract when he turns 17 next January. (Telegraph)

Wednesday's Newspapers:
13th May 2020



DAILY MIRROR
Crystal Palace see Sean Dyche as the ideal long-term successor to Roy Hodgson.
Chelsea believe they are close to landing Manchester United starlet Angel Gomes.
Barcelona are keen on Juan Foyth with the Spurs defender available for transfer this summer.
Tottenham will not allow record signing Tanguy Ndombele to leave this summer.
Arsenal target Thomas Partey has been encouraged to move from Atletico Madrid to the Premier League - so he can play in "the best league in the world".
Mesut Ozil will see out the final year of his £350,000-a-week Arsenal contract, according to his agent.


DAILY MAIL
England could be made to play eight matches in a mega winter window as FIFA plot a calendar overhaul.
Several Premier League players have been warned they need to also consider their financial futures as they weigh up whether to back Project Restart.
Juventus have become the first Italian club to introduce their own salary cap, effectively ruling themselves out of the race for Manchester United's Paul Pogba.
Newcastle are ready to spend £53m to bring Gareth Bale back to the Premier League. The Wales forward's future remains in doubt at Real Madrid
Liverpool are reportedly eyeing another Red Bull Salzburg star in the form of Dominik Szoboszlai, just four months after bringing Takumi Minamino to Anfield on a cut-price deal.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
It is "inconceivable" that supporters will not flock to matches being held at home grounds, a leading police commissioner has warned in comments that will add to the unease about the Premier League's hopes to scrap plans to play at neutral venues.
Some Premier League dressing rooms are facing growing friction amid divisions over whether to sign individual coronavirus agreement forms.
Bristol Rovers midfielder Alex Rodman believes 1,400 footballers from the EFL will be unemployed this summer amid fears that professional football may not return this year.


THE SUN
EFL clubs won't be able to vote on their futures - until the Premier League confirm there will be relegation.
Unrest is growing among Premier League clubs about the proposed Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle.
Barcelona and Real Madrid are considering extending their player wage cap caused by coronavirus, meaning players like Lionel Messi face a 30% pay cut next season.
Arsenal are poised to land £2m Basel centre-back Eray Comert but face a battle with Galatasaray.
Arsenal are ready to pull the plug on Dani Ceballos' loan at the end of the season as they have no plans to sign him permanently.
James Rodriguez is in advanced talks with Atletico Madrid over a summer transfer.


DAILY EXPRESS
Liverpool are set to be rivalled by Barcelona for striker Timo Werner after the La Liga side's efforts to sign Inter Milan star Lautaro Martinez hit an impasse.
Manchester United face a battle to sign transfer target Federico Chiesa with Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham also keen on the Fiorentina star.
Newcastle have earmarked Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard as a potential new signing.


DAILY STAR
Manchester United are 'very close' to securing a deal for Saul Niguez with Atletico Madrid forced to cut their asking price in half.
Manchester United want to secure summer deals for Jadon Sancho, Jack Grealish and Jude Bellingham.


DAILY RECORD
Rangers are considering their legal options as they vowed to keep piling the pressure on the SPFL.
Neil Doncaster has held out an olive branch to Rangers by urging them to help protect Scottish football from the catastrophic impact of the coronavirus crisis.

Newcastle are ready to spend £53m to offer Real Madrid forward Gareth Bale, 30, a route back to the Premier League this summer. (Daily Mail)

Tottenham will not allow £55m record signing Tanguy Ndombele, 23, to leave this summer. The French midfielder has been linked with Barcelona and Liverpool. (Independent)

Dejan Lovren appears to be edging closer to an exit from Liverpool, with Roma set to make their move for the 30-year-old Croatian defender. (Gazzetta dello Sport, via Liverpool Echo)

Liverpool have joined the race along with several European giants for Red Bull Salzburg's 19-year-old Hungarian midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai. (Tuttosport, via Daily Mail)

Manchester United want to secure summer deals for a trio of young English players this summer - Borussia Dortmund forward Jadon Sancho, 20, Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 24, and Birmingham's 16-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham. (Daily Star)

However, striker Odion Ighalo, 30, may have played his last game for Manchester United after talks to extend the Nigerian's loan deal from Shanghai Shenhua in China reached an impasse. (Standard)

Juventus have become the first Italian club to introduce their own salary cap, effectively ruling themselves out of the race for Manchester United's 27-year-old France midfielder Paul Pogba. (Daily Mail)

Lionel Messi, 32, and some of his fellow players in Spain face a 30% pay cut next season as Barcelona and Real Madrid consider extending the wage drop caused by coronavirus. (Sun)

Chelsea are confident of signing Manchester United's 19-year-old English midfielder Angel Gomes. (Mirror)

West Brom will rival Tottenham for the signing of £18m Fenerbahce and Kosovo forward Vedat Muriqi, 26, if they are promoted to the Premier League. (Aksam, via Birmingham Mail)

Crystal Palace want Burnley boss Sean Dyche as their next manager. (Mirror)

Thursday's Newspapers:
14th May 2020


THE SUN

Premier League players have been assured they will not be rushed back for Project Restart.
Manchester's top cop has poured cold water on the Premier League bid to play at home grounds.
Manchester City have begun to refund their season ticket holders for the final six Premier League home matches of the season.
Timo Werner (below) has irked Bayern Munich supremo Karl-Heinz Rummenigge after the Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool target insisted he would prefer to move elsewhere than Bavaria.
Adrian insists Liverpool are ready to defy coronavirus and start playing again.
Arsenal reportedly face competition from AC Milan in the race to snare Real Madrid flop Luka Jovic away from the Bernabeu.
Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt could be on the move after just one uninspiring year in Italy with Barcelona reportedly ready to bring him to the Nou Camp.
Thomas Partey is reportedly set to snub interest from Paris Saint-Germain because he wants to sign for Arsenal this summer.
Mark Noble and Declan Rice were the first stars through the doors as West Ham returned to training.
Celtic starlet Daniel Kelly is reportedly at the centre of a five-way transfer battle as Premier League teams look to lure him south of the border.



DAILY MAIL

The Premier League is facing a race against time to meet its restart target of June 12 after managers and players expressed doubts about the viability of the planned resumption date.
Erling Haaland has insisted he is only thinking about playing for Borussia Dortmund despite rumours linking him with a move to Real Madrid.


DAILY MIRROR

The Premier League are set to delay Project Restart after Jose Mourinho led concerns over player welfare at Wednesday's managers' meeting.
Chelsea believe they are close to landing Manchester United starlet Angel Gomes.
Barcelona are keen on Juan Foyth with the Spurs defender available for transfer this summer.
One of the biggest hurdles potentially blocking the return of Premier League football has been overcome, with cautious police backing to allow games at Anfield.
Paul Scholes has recalled how Manchester United's players went from looking forward to playing with Ronaldinho to trying to kick him within a matter of days.
Owen Hargreaves believes the coronavirus crisis won't stop Manchester United buying "special case" Jadon Sancho.
Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummeenigge has suggested the club will not be held to ransom for Leroy Sane.

The restart of the Premier League season is expected to be pushed back by at least seven days from June 12 to June 19 after players and managers expressed their concerns that major questions needed to be answered over the risks of a return to full-contact training and games being played again. (DAILY TELEGRAPH)
Celtic star Kristoffer Ajer has told his agent to arrange a transfer away from the clubs this summer amid strong interest in him. (DAILY EXPRESS)
All 12 top-flight clubs including Rangers have confirmed they will not object to the current season being officially ended with Celtic crowned nine in-a-row champions. (DAILY RECORD)
Jack Ross insists Hibs will have no sympathy for Hearts if the Jambos are relegated from the Premiership. (DAILY RECORD)
Celtic could bank a £4m coronavirus boost after Barcelona joined the chase for Moussa Dembele. (SCOTTISH SUN)

Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has expressed surprise after 24-year-old Germany and RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, who has been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United, said he would rather move abroad than to the German champions. (Bild, via Metro)

Bayern Munich are considering a bid of more than £50m to try to sign Manchester City winger Leroy Sane, with the 24-year-old Germany international's contract running out at the end of next season. (Telegraph)

Manchester United have secured 23-year-old France and Lyon striker Moussa Dembele, who is also a target for Chelsea, in a £61.8m deal. (Todofichajes, via Express)


Manchester United want 16-year-old midfielder Jude Bellingham to challenge for a first-team place if they manage to sign him from Birmingham City this summer. (Evening Standard)

Chelsea are willing to sell French midfielder Tiemoue Bakayoko, 25, for £31m but Paris St-Germain do not want to go above £26.5m to sign him. (Le10 Sport, via Star)

Barcelona have put a £53m price tag on 22-year-old France forward Ousmane Dembele, who they signed in a £135.5m deal. (Marca, via Star)

Tottenham defender Juan Foyth has been offered to clubs and Barcelona are interested in the 22-year-old Argentine. (Mirror)

Barcelona have held talks with Juventus about signing Italy defender Mattia de Sciglio, 27, from the Serie A side after contract talks with Portugal right-back Nelson Semedo, 26, broke down. (Marca)

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Kai Havertz, 20, has been linked with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United but former Germany international Michael Ballack has told his compatriot to stay at his current club. (Football London)

Everton are set to let Dutch keeper Maarten Stekelenburg, 37, leave when his contract runs out at the end of the season and look to bring in a new stopper to provide competition for England international Jordan Pickford, 26. (Football Insider)

Friday's Newspapers:
15th May 2020


DAILY MAIL
LaLiga clubs are preparing to cut their wage bills by 30 per cent for next season as Gareth Bale and James Rodriguez could be allowed to leave Real Madrid for free.
Premier League officials are in a race against time with their plans to get Project Restart underway left in limbo.
Manchester United scout Piotr Sadowski believes players from Eastern European clubs are more likely to be targeted by wealthier teams in the upcoming window due to their cheaper market value.
Plans to restart Scottish football in regional hubs dotted around the country have been discussed by the SFA and SPFL Joint Response Group.
Bundesliga stars have been warned that catching coronavirus could cause 'irreversible' and 'career-ending' lung damage by a top sports doctor ahead of the league's return this weekend.
Paul Pogba and some of his Manchester United team-mates stepped up their training regime - by training at a local cricket club in Cheshire on Thursday afternoon.
Chelsea could be set to miss out on one of their top targets this summer with Dries Mertens eyeing a stay in Serie A should his Napoli contract expire.
Premier League clubs are offering short-term contracts to released youngsters for the start of next season to help boost their chances of finding new clubs.
Brighton chief executive Paul Barber feels vindicated by his opposition to completing the Premier League season at neutral venues after revealing a majority of clubs backed his stance.
The £300m takeover of Newcastle United by a Saudi-led consortium should be scrutinised by the government amid concerns over broadcast piracy, a Conservative MP has said.


DAILY MIRROR
Wolves have lined up a bid for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha after ordering Morgan Gibbs-White to remain at home after breaching lockdown rules.
Dele Alli has been visited by a police officer at his home as the investigation into his robbery continues.
Chelsea striker Tammy Abraham admits he is desperate to finish his breakthrough season.

DAILY EXPRESS
Newcastle are preparing a bid of £26m for Juventus ace Adrien Rabiot.

DAILY STAR
Serie A giants Roma have contacted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to discuss a possible takeover of the club.
Manchester United have picked former Manchester City player Rabbi Matondo as a back-up if their pursuit of Jadon Sancho falls through.
Manchester United and Manchester City stars will be tested for COVID-19 next week after club bosses installed a testing facility at their training grounds.
Leeds United are confident that they are able to re-sign Ben White following fresh transfer talks.
Willian's future is in an awkward 'position' amid a potential switch from Chelsea to Arsenal.


THE TELEGRAPH
Premier League players are worried they will not be able to get the treatment they require if and when football restarts, leaving managers having to decide whether or not to gamble over their fitness.
A parliamentary committee is going to reject a call from one of its own members for it to scrutinise the planned Saudi Arabia-led takeover of Newcastle United.
Championship club owners will be forced to fund the cost of coronavirus testing unless a white knight emerges who is prepared to foot the bill.

THE SUN
Footballers are buying ferocious guard dogs as it emerged knife raiders took £350,000 of watches from England's Dele Alli.
A whopping 700,000 pints of beer could be wasted at London's football stadiums - because there's no one to drink it.
Premier League pals of Dele Alli have hatched a plan to make his stolen watches too hot to handle so they can't be sold on.
Lionel Messi's dream return to Newell's Old Boys could be at risk due to safety issues in Argentina.
Matt Doherty claims many Premier League footballers are willing to take risks to get back to work.

DAILY RECORD
Scotland's top-flight clubs will hold an emergency summit with SPFL chief executive Neil Doncaster as they prepare to rubber-stamp a historic decision to hand the league title to Celtic.
Gary Mackay has told Craig Levein "good riddance" as he finally prepares to leave Hearts.
Legendary Romania star Gheorghe Hagi has publicly reiterated his desire to see his son sign for Rangers after admitting discussions with Steven Gerrard about the 21-year-old's future.

Midfielder David Silva's contract with Manchester City is due to end on 30 June but the Spaniard, 34, is willing to extend it until the end of the campaign, his last with the club. (Times - subscription required)

Manchester United have been scouting Schalke's Wales winger Rabbi Matondo and could make a move for the 19-year-old if they fail to sign Borussia Dortmund and England forward Jadon Sancho, 20. (Manchester Evening News)

Chelsea target Dries Mertens is looking to stay in Serie A if his Napoli contract runs out, with Inter Milan also interested in the 33-year-old Belgium forward. (Mail)

Bayern Munich and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, 31, has advised 19-year-old Norway forward Erling Braut Haaland - who has been linked with Manchester United and Real Madrid - to continue his development at Borussia Dortmund. (Metro)

Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho's agent says he has not held talks with any clubs about the 27-year-old Barcelona player, who is on loan at Bayern Munich. (Talksport)

Southampton's English striker Che Adams is set to be made available in the summer for £10m or less - despite Championship side Leeds United agreeing a £19m fee for the 23-year-old in January before changing their mind. (Football Insider)

Manchester United's 19-year-old England Under-20 midfielder Angel Gomes, whose deal with the club runs out this summer, has not signed a new contract because of doubts over breaking into the first team and the club targeting similar aged players. (Manchester Evening News)

Leeds United could make a move for TottenhamHotspur and Argentina defender Juan Foyth, 22, if they are promoted to the Premier League. (Football Insider)

Saturday's Newspapers:
16th May 2020



the sun

Manchester City are poised to hand Gabriel Jesus a new deal worth £120,000-per-week to block mounting interest from Juventus.
Moise Kean did not realise he was breaking lockdown guidelines when he hosted a party at his home.
EFL chiefs are heading for a war with League Two clubs over relegation after the season was scrapped.
The call on whether the Premier League season can be completed may not now be made until June.
England U18 wonderkid Jeremy Sarmiento is a target for several clubs in Europe's top five leagues after starring overseas with Benfica.
Newcastle are in talks over a £21.25m deal for Inter Milan star Valentino Lazaro - to kick-start their Saudi revolution.


daily mail

Lothar Matthaus was left stunned by Manchester City's decision to sell Jadon Sancho to Borussia Dortmund because Pep Guardiola has such 'a good eye for young talent.'
Premier League clubs will be asked to vote on how the season should be curtailed even if they give the green light to Project Restart next week.
Stewart Donald can charge interest up to nine per cent above base rate on money he loans to the holding company that owns Sunderland.
Daniel Levy has expressed fears that staging the rest of the Premier League season - and potentially the whole of the following campaign - at neutral venues would further hinder his attempt to sell naming rights for Tottenham's new stadium.


daily telegraph

The Premier League was warned by managers it risks a player revolt without better leadership during Project Restart.
League Two clubs voted 20 to four against the relegation of the bottom club, currently Stevenage, as part of discussions towards the season being curtailed early by the Football League.
Celtic are set to be crowned Scottish champions for the ninth successive season on Monday, following Friday's meeting of the Premiership clubs.
Pakistan are ready to tour England this summer after positive talks were held on Friday over biosecurity arrangements for their Test and Twenty20 series.
Premiership clubs are expected to adopt the recommendations of Lord Myners' salary-cap review which ​includes extreme punishments for clubs, coaches and players.​


daily mirror

Former Liverpool manager Gerard Houllier thinks the decision to end the French top-flight season early is part of a plot against Lyon that will be "covered up" by the French state.
Liverpool have targeted Talles Magno for their next generation of stars, as they adjust to a new Premier League financial reality.
Aaron Cresswell has accused football of not listening to the concerns of players worried about Project Restart.
David Silva is willing to sign a short-term deal to complete the season with Manchester City.
Gabriel Agbonlahor has claimed he is aware of Premier League players ready to snub a return to action next month.
Aston Villa's survival hopes have taken a hit after the West Midlands mayor and police chief admitted resuming the season at Villa Park may not be possible.


daily express

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is not interested in signing Napoli defender and Manchester United transfer target Kalidou Koulibaly in the summer window, according to reports.
Unai Emery says he was overruled by Arsenal in his quest to sign Wilfried Zaha as they favoured the long-term benefits of Nicolas Pepe.
Chelsea are prepared to offload Emerson Palmieri this summer in order to generate transfer funds, with Blues director Marina Granovskaia key to any potential departure.
Chelsea are not expected to exercise a buy-back clause on Jeremie Boga this summer, despite the Sassuolo ace impressing in Serie A.


daily star

Arsenal midfielder Lucas Torreira wants to leave the Emirates this summer, his agent has revealed.
Gareth Bale has no interest in a potential move to Newcastle amid reports suggesting the Tyneside club will look to sign him once their £300m takeover is complete.


daily record

Celtic will have to wait to be awarded the Scottish Premiership title as Friday's meeting to decide the league's fate delayed the final call.
Celtic captain Scott Brown admits he could never have imagined lifting nine league titles in a row, as he hails his "best season ever".
UEFA president Alexander Ceferin has admitted that Euro 2020 may not be played across 12 cities as originally planned.


scottish sun

Hearts star Liam Boyce is praying that Daniel Stendel will still be at Tynecastle next season - no matter what division the club finds itself in.

Sunday's Newspapers:
17th May 2020


sunday mirror

Wayne Rooney believes Manchester United made a huge mistake when they sacked Louis van Gaal.
Aston Villa will not be bullied over their £80m valuation of Jack Grealish - even if the club loses its survival fight.
Arsenal and Everton are reportedly targeting young centre-back Marash Kumbulla, who has been compared to Italy and Juventus legend Giorgio Chiellini.
Barcelona are looking to fend off competition from Liverpool to seal a deal for Bayer Leverkusen's Kai Havertz.
Championship clubs could be restricted by a salary cap - but not for another 12 months, with a £15m-£20m limit on first-team squad salaries likely.


the observer

England's plan to stage international cricket this summer involves hiving off players from contact with other personnel at the ground and forming exclusive "contact clusters" to reduce the risk of Covid-19 sweeping through the camp.


sunday times

Leroy Sane risks taking a backward step if he leaves Manchester City, according to former City and Bayern Munich midfielder Owen Hargreaves.


sunday telegraph

Howard Wilkinson's suggestion that the Championship should be decided on a points-per-game basis in the event of curtailment was met with strong opposition from Lee Bowyer, the Charlton Athletic manager, during a League Managers Association conference call.
Steve Bruce has revealed there is widespread opposition to the Premier League's plans to restart on June 12, as he warned that players would not be fit enough to play until the end of the month.
The Premier League should not be using personal protective equipment (PPE) during the coronavirus crisis until shortages blamed for the deaths of healthcare workers are fully resolved, the UK's doctors' union has said.
Premiership Rugby clubs will lose out to France in the race for top talent in the wake of the bombshell report by Lord Myners on the salary cap, according to an influential former Sale owner Brian Kennedy.



SUNDAY STAR

Manchester United are reportedly working on a fresh move for Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso to potentially replace Paul Pogba.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta is reportedly looking into signing Juventus midfielder Adrien Rabiot in the upcoming transfer window.


sunday express

Jurgen Klopp has eased the pressure on his Liverpool players by claiming he does not expect them to play to the peak of their powers when they eventually return to action.
Manchester United have started conducting background checks on Aston Villa star Jack Grealish, who is one of the main summer transfer targets for boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.
Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is ready to fight Real Madrid for the signing of Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar, reports say.


mail on sunday

Some chairmen at lower league clubs have had preliminary discussions about a radical restructuring of the divisions that would merge League Two and the National League on a regional basis and turn them into League Two North and League Two South.
Strikers will be most at risk of exposure to the coronavirus once Premier League football returns as they spend the most amount of time near other players, while goalkeepers are the least exposed.


the sun on sunday

Wilfried Zaha has emerged as a potential target for Newcastle if their Saudi takeover goes through.
Premier League players have been urged not to copy ex-Man City star Dedryck Boyata who kissed on-loan Liverpool midfielder Marko Grujic during Hertha Berlin's 3-0 behind-closed-doors Bundesliga win at Hoffenheim.


scottish sun

Rangers are eyeing up double transfer raid for Aberdeen's Lewis Ferguson and Livingston's Lyndon Dykes.

Monday's Newspapers:
18th May 2020



DAILY MAIL
The Premier League are prepared to extend the season to the end of August to ensure the disrupted campaign is completed.
Manchester United star Marcus Rashford was snapped training with a member of the club's fitness staff on Sunday - with the striker also heading to Carrington for a coronavirus test.
Arsenal target Emmanuel Dennis is set to leave Club Brugge this summer after three years at the club, his manager has revealed.

DAILY EXPRESS

Arsenal are likely to miss out on Ryan Fraser as the Bournemouth star has set his sights on a free transfer to Tottenham.
Newcastle have received a boost in their reported attempt to sign Edinson Cavani. Paris Saint-Germain are not expected to offer the Uruguayan a new contract.
Liverpool have reportedly tabled a lower offer than Newcastle for Napoli centre-back Kalidou Koulibaly.
Manchester United face a battle with Juventus to sign Wolves star Raul Jimenez in the summer transfer window.

THE SUN

The Premier League will discover how many players have contracted coronavirus when they meet to vote on Project Restart on Monday.
Harry Kane cannot wait to start chasing his first goal of the decade if the Premier League resumes next month, following the longest spell on the sidelines during his career.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
Premier League players are expected to return to training on Tuesday, with a decision on neutral venues possible later this week.
League One clubs are this week expected to follow League Two in curtailing their season, Coventry and Rotherham would be promoted and up to eight teams could be involved in a play-off.
DAILY MIRROR


Paul Pogba: Frenchman would be better in a deeper role, says Wayne Rooney

Barcelona and Juventus have come to an agreement over a summer move for Nelson Semedo to head to Italy, with Miralem Pjanic, Mattia De Sciglio and £22m heading to Catalunya.
Wayne Rooney reckons Paul Pogba would benefit from playing in a deeper role at Manchester United.
Manchester United are reportedly set to be snubbed in the race to sign Thiago Almada, the Argentine midfielder dubbed 'the new Lionel Messi'.


DAILY STAR

Manchester United have been told they must pay £80m for Jack Grealish by Aston Villa in the summer.
Liverpool star Adam Lallana has been tipped to leave the club at the end of his contract and move to Leicester.
Chelsea have demanded at least £58m for Jorginho should Juventus firm up their interest.
Premier League clubs have been told they could face heavy sanctions for serious breaches of new COVID-19 rules amid concerns that the system for testing players could be manipulated. (THE TIMES)
Celtic are set to be crowned champions after an emergency SPFL board meeting on Monday morning. (DAILY RECORD



Manchester United will have to pay £80m for Aston Villa midfielder Jack Grealish, 24, even if his side are relegated from the Premier League. (Mirror)

Bayern Munich midfielder Corentin Tolisso is also a target for Manchester United and German club are willing to let the 25-year-old France international leave to fund moves for other players, including Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, 24. (Express)

Juventus will rival Manchester United in the race to sign Wolves forward Raul Jimenez, 29. (Times - subscription required)

Bournemouth and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser, 26, is believed to be interested in joining Tottenham on a free transfer when his contract with the Cherries runs out on 30 June. (Mirror)

Liverpool midfielder Pedro Chirivella, 22, has been offered a five-year deal but is yet to decide on his future, having received interest from Nantes and Rangers. (Goal)

Liverpool are considering a summer move for Roma forward Nicolo Zaniolo, 20, who is also a target for Manchester United and Tottenham. (Corriere dello Sport - via Sports Mole)

Meanwhile, it is claimed Liverpool had already made steps on a potential move for Zaniolo before the coronavirus pandemic halted football. (Il Tempo - in Italian)

Real Sociedad defender Diego Llorente, 26, is looking for a move this summer and Monaco and Liverpool are among those interested. (La Razon - Spanish)

Crystal Palace are planning a triple raid on Burnley for manager Sean Dyche, winger Dwight McNeil, 20, and defender James Tarkowski, 27. (Mirror)

Manchester United will have to fend off interest from Real Madrid for defender Milan Skriniar, 25, with Inter Milan prepared to let him leave in the summer. (Mirror)

Fiorentina midfielder Christian Koffi, 19, decided against joining Liverpool in 2018 but says he did not make a mistake. (sofoot - in French)

Brescia midfielder Sandro Tonali, who has been linked with Liverpool, is on the verge of joining Inter Milan after the 20-year-old rejected a move to Serie A rivals Juventus. (Le10 Sport

Tuesday's Newspapers:
19th May 2020


Jurgen Klopp has demanded the Premier League season is finished and slammed claims the campaign could be declared null and void.



DAILY TELEGRAPH
Mauricio Pochettino is now free to embark on the next step of his managerial career after his Tottenham Hotspur gardening leave finally came to an end - one day after the Premier League should have finished.
Premier League clubs will have to consider isolating players for up to 14 days in hotels before matches resume, with an "inspector" to be appointed for every training ground to make sure the strict rules are being followed.
The Premier League is looking at proposals to add artificial fan noise to enhance the match experience when the season resumes.
The EFL plan to make the remainder of the Sky Bet Championship season a festival of football with midweek matches broadcast at tea-times and evenings.


DAILY MAIL
Roma are set to miss out on signing Manchester United defender Chris Smalling on a permanent basis.
A study has shown that playing games behind closed doors can 'effectively mean a removal of home advantage'.
Plans to film dugouts and technical areas are likely to be rejected, amid fears that managers wearing microphones could bring the game into disrepute.
Raheem Sterling has cast further doubt over Project Restart by insisting that Premier League footballers need at least a month of training before they can play again.

THE SUN
Manchester United have raided the former youth club of Marcus Rashford and Jesse Lingard by signing six youngsters.
Erling Haaland rejected a move to Juventus in January because they wanted to put him in the Under-23 squad.
La Liga's plans to restart the season involve having a maximum of 197 people inside the stadium on matchday.

DAILY MIRROR
Neil Warnock has praised Chris Wilder as a tactical genius, with the Sheffield United boss competing for a Champions League place.
Daniel Sturridge is reportedly in talks with two MLS clubs over a proposed move when his FA ban is over.


DAILY STAR
Jurgen Klopp has slammed claims that the Premier League season should be declared 'null and void' as it has been in certain other leagues around Europe.
Kyle Walker's future at Manchester City is not under threat, despite his recent misdemeanours while on coronavirus lockdown.


DAILY RECORD
Craig Halkett has told Ann Budge she has the backing of the dressing room as the Hearts owner doubled down on her legal threat after the Jambos were sent down.
Partick Thistle's players are now counting the cost of their relegation to League One through massive wage cuts.

SCOTTISH SUN
Celtic will offer fans refunds to cover the remaining 2019/20 matches that they will miss out on.

Bayer Leverkusen's German attacking midfielder Kai Havertz, 20, should turn down the chance to go to Liverpool and choose Borussia Dortmund instead says former Germany international Jens Nowotny. (Goal)

Juventus could sell a host of players, including Bosnia midfielder Miralem Pjanic, 30, and Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain, 32, this summer as part of a new policy of cutbacks designed to help the club cope with the financial impact of the coronavirus pandemic. (Daily Mail)

Barcelona are to step up their attempts to sign Inter Milan's Argentine striker Lautaro Martinez, 22, and Pjanic. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Manchester United are ready to revive their interest in Napoli's Senegalese defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, after learning of Liverpool's interest in the Napoli star. (Gazzetta dello Sport via Daily Express)

Liverpool goalkeeper Loris Karius, 26, will not return to train with the club. The German had cancelled his contract with loan club Besiktas earlier this month. (Daily Star)

Newcastle United's on-loan winger Valentino Lazaro is waiting to hear from managing director Lee Charnley on where his future lies next season. The 24-year-old Austrian joined the Magpies from Inter Milan in January. (Newcastle Chronicle)

Manchester City are confident David Silva, 34, will agree to a short-term contract extension to allow the midfielder to see out the remainder of the season. The Spanish midfielder is scheduled to leave on 30 June when his deal expires. (ESPN)

Manchester United are set to recall 23-year-old Portuguese keeper Joel Pereira from his loan spell at Hearts following the conclusion of the Scottish Premiership season. (Manchester Evening News)

Wolves extend 33-year-old English goalkeeper John Ruddy's contract by a further year. (Birmingham Mail)

Watford's English striker Troy Deeney fears Premier League players will face a public backlash over mass testing for coronavirus. (Good Morning Britain via Evening Standard)

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard is hoping his out-of-contract players will sign short-term extensions to their contracts, which are set to run out before the proposed end of the current season. The contracts of Brazilian midfielder Willian, 31, and French striker Olivier Giroud, 33, are set to expire on 30 June. (Chelsea)

Lampard rejected the chance to be Ipswich boss because they had no money, according to his uncle Harry Redknapp. (Sun)

Argentine manager Mauricio Pochettino is free to sign for prospective clubs after his Tottenham garden leave ended. (Telegraph)

Roma's legendary Italian forward Francesco Totti, 43, says he was very close to joining Real Madrid but they would not offer him more than what their striker Raul was making. (Libero via Marca)

Wednesday's Newspapers:
20th May 2020


THE SUN
Kai Havertz is the target for Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool - with Bayer Leverkusen preparing to cash in on Germany's best young player this summer.
Barcelona are putting all of their squad except Lionel Messi, Frenkie De Jong and Marc-Andre ter Stegen up for sale to prevent financial meltdown.
PSV Eindhoven youngster Wouter Verstraaten has snubbed a move to Sunderland for non-league South Shields.
Arsenal are favourites to land Feyenoord starlet Orkun Kokcu as replacement for Mesut Ozil this summer, beating Chelsea to the punch.
Manchester United are reportedly lining up a swoop for Borussia Monchengladbach star Alassane Plea.
Willy Caballero has been given another year at Chelsea after the club triggered an extension clause in his contract.
Barcelona target Neymar will not be leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer.
Barcelona reportedly turned their attention to signing Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez after being knocked back by Tottenham in their approach for Harry Kane.


DAILY MAIL
Formula One have upped the battle to save the British Grand Prix by telling Boris Johnson that if it is cancelled the race will go to Germany.
The company overseeing testing of Premier League players for coronavirus have sought to assuage concerns after it was revealed their results are not 100 per cent reliable.
UEFA is considering cutting the number of teams at next year's Under 21 European Championship so it can shoehorn the tournament into a congested summer.
Danny Rose believes Premier League players are being treated as lab rats as they gear up for a return during the coronavirus pandemic.
Paul Lambert says it is a 'disgrace' that the EFL has not yet made a decision on the fate of the current season.
Gloucester and Wasps are among a host of Premiership clubs who have informed players that their pay cuts will continue for the 'foreseeable future', prompting fears of an exodus from the league.


DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United and Chelsea have been offered some hope in the transfer race for Jadon Sancho, after a Borussia Dortmund chief admitted the expectation of high transfer fees is likely to diminish over the course of the summer.
Manchester City are tracking Fulham teenager Cody Drameh with the Premier League champions eyeing the 18-year-old right-back as one for the future.
Manchester United have reportedly joined Liverpool and Manchester City in the race to sign Wolves winger Adama Traore - and Bayern Munich are also interested.
Arsenal could sign Justin Kluivert from Roma in a swap deal that would see Henrikh Mkhitaryan go the other way, according to a report from Italy.
Arsenal have reportedly made contact with the agent of Moussa Diaby over a potential transfer.


DAILY EXPRESS
Crystal Palace are ready to rival Tottenham in the chase for Ryan Fraser with boss Roy Hodgson desperate to bring the Bournemouth winger to Selhurst Park on a free transfer.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has made AC Milan star Ismael Bennacer a summer transfer target as the Spaniard looks to find an immediate replacement for the outgoing David Silva.
Manchester United are prepared to allow Alexis Sanchez, Dean Henderson and Chris Smalling extend their loan spells for the remainder of the 2019/20 season if leagues can resume.
Antonio Conte wants to make a double swoop on former club Chelsea in the summer for Victor Moses and Emerson Palmieri.

DAILY TELEGRAPH
Squad salary caps of £2.5m for League One and £1.25m for League Two are being proposed by the English Football League - with automatic points deductions for clubs who fail to pay their players on time.
Supporters could be forced to wear face masks to watch England play at Twickenham this autumn if crowds are permitted to attend by the Government.
The Women's Super League season is moving closer towards cancellation but there is still no decision on how the final placings will be resolved.
England Cricket's return to training has been put on hold due to complications over obtaining PPE and clearance to take county staff off furlough.
Umpires around the world will stop taking players' jumpers and caps when cricket resumes.
British No 1 Johanna Konta has called for full equality in any united body that attempted to combine the Association of Tennis Professionals and Women's Tennis Association tours.


DAILY RECORD
Cash strapped Premiership clubs have been scrambling to unlock more than £7m worth of emergency prize money from the SPFL over the past 48 hours - after Hearts made no attempt to put a legal freeze on the payments.


SCOTTISH SUN
Neil Lennon says Celtic will not be encouraging any bids for their top stars including Odsonne Edouard.


Manchester City forward Leroy Sane is not interested in a move to Premier League rivals Liverpool. The 24-year-old Germany international remains set on a move to Bayern Munich.(Bild, via Sports Illustrated)

Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland, 19, turned down a move to Juventus in January because the Italian champions planned to put the Norway international into their under-23 squad. (La Repubblica, via Star)

Manchester United are among the favourites to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers winger Adama Traore, joining Liverpool and Manchester City in considering a move for the 22-year-old Spaniard. (Birmingham Mail)

Arsenal are hoping to sign Bayer Leverkusen's France Under-21 winger Moussa Diaby. The 20-year-old former Paris St-Germain player provided two assists in Leverkusen's win over Bundesliga rivals Werder Bremen on Monday. (Le10Sport - in French)

Chelsea are leading the race to sign Dutch centre-back Xavier Mbuyamba from Spanish giants Barcelona, according to the 18-year-old's agent. (Voetbal International, via Mail)

Newcastle United's on-loan England defender Danny Rose, 29, believes Mauricio Pochettino - his former manager at Tottenham Hotspur - will "eventually" end up managing Manchester United. (The Lockdown Tactics, via TeamTalk)

Several European clubs are interested in Spurs defender Jan Vertonghen, who is out of contract this summer. The 33-year-old Belgian has been offered a deal by Spanish side Real Betis, with fellow La Liga outfit Valencia, plus Italian clubs Inter Milan and Roma also considering a move. (Star)

Manchester United midfielder James Garner, 19, will be allowed to leave on loan next season, with Championship sides Cardiff City, Swansea City and Sheffield Wednesday interested in the Englishman. (Mail)

Thursday's Newspapers:
21st May 2020


DAILY MAIL
Liverpool have reached a financial settlement with new sponsors Nike that will allow them to finish the season and win the Premier League* wearing their New Balance kit.
Premier League clubs with small dressing rooms may have to arrange new changing facilities on opposite sides of their stadiums to enable players to maintain distancing when football restarts.
A number of Premier League players were made to wait for the green light to take part in training this week after returning inconclusive coronavirus tests.
Hundreds of the 1,400 EFL players who are out of contract this summer may never get a professional deal again.
Bournemouth's Jordon Ibe is facing a possible club fine after being pictured appearing to breach lockdown regulations.

THE SUN

Victor Moses is facing an uncertain future at Chelsea with the winger set to be dumped by Inter Milan after his flop loan spell.
Arsenal are lining up Borussia Dortmund centre-back Manuel Akanji for £25m after opening talks in January.
The Premier League's big return to training has been hampered by sticky balls with some players slamming Phase One Covid-19 training programmes as "pointless" and "ludicrous".
Sadio Mane is overtaking Kylian Mbappe as Real Madrid's main striking target this summer, reports suggest.
Chelsea have reportedly been joined by Real Madrid in the race for Lille star Gabriel.
Philippe Coutinho is back training on his own for Bayern Munich as the German giants consider extending his deal, according to reports.
Gareth Barry "broke strict FA rules" to pump £800,000 into Swindon, it was alleged in court.
Wayne Rooney plans to turn the grounds of his new country pile into a golfer's paradise.

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH
FIFPro, the world players' union, says "multiple" footballers from the leading leagues in Europe have contacted them to say they feel pressurised to return during the coronavirus pandemic.
The Premier League is planning to speak to managers and players this week about how football can take the crucial step of returning to contact training and matches.
League One's season is set to be decided by a crucial vote next week, following talks at the English Football League's board meeting on Wednesday.
Norwich City are returning to training on Friday after tests revealed players and staff did not record positive for coronavirus.


DAILY STAR
Footballers are ramping up security and installing panic rooms in their homes in the wake of Dele Alli's terrifying robbery ordeal
Manchester City attacker Leroy Sane has been told he must be prepared to take a huge pay-cut if he is to join Bayern Munich.

DAILY EXPRESS
EFL Championship action is set to resume on June 20 after a timetable was agreed to complete the 2019/20 campaign by the end of July.
Arsenal are considering a swap deal with Atletico Madrid that would see Alexandre Lacazette moving to Spain and Thomas Lemar coming the other way.
The Premier League are thought to have given Newcastle's £300m Saudi-led takeover the green light and an official announcement could be made in the coming days.

DAILY MIRROR
Derby owner Mel Morris is prepared to vote for a premature end to the Championship season even if it means the Rams missing out on a play-off place.
Arsenal legend Ian Wright says he could not blame Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang if he wanted to leave the club this summer
Jadon Sancho is reportedly still likely to leave Borussia Dortmund this summer - with Manchester United at the front of the queue.
Neymar's return to Barcelona will not be feasible this summer, according to his agent Wagner Ribeiro.
Arsenal's Granit Xhaka claims he and the club's fans both overreacted during his outburst back in October.

DAILY RECORD
Callum McGregor insists he's staying at Celtic for 10-in-a-row - and he would love to see old boss Brendan Rodgers back at Parkhead for the party.
Scottish football is ready to plead with Holyrood to be allowed to pull its boots back on - as Nicola Sturgeon prepares to give the green light for the country to start playing sport again.
Hearts' hopes of saving their own top-flight skin suffered another hammer blow after St Mirren chief executive Tony Fitzpatrick insisted Daniel Stendel's side was so bad it deserved to go down.

Manchester City and Germany forward Leroy Sane, 24, has the number 10 shirt reserved for him at Bayern Munich next season. (Mirror)

Chelsea are struggling to offload Victor Moses as Inter Milan refuse to pay the £10.75m asking price for the 29-year-old Nigerian winger. (Sun)

Jorginho's agent insists the Italian midfielder is happy at Chelsea and claims Juventus have not made an approach for the 28-year-old. (Metro)

Trabzonspor's Turkish goalkeeper and Leicester City target Ugurcan Cakir, 24, has been the subject of a 20m euros bid from Spanish side Sevilla. (Leicestershire Live)

Liverpool* are ready to sell three players this summer in order to fund a £52m move for 24-year-old RB Leipzig and Germany forward Timo Werner. (Athletic - subscription required)

Manchester United would like to keep 30-year-old striker Odion Ighalo, on loan from Shanghai Shenhua, but they are "relaxed" over the Nigerian's future after Marcus Rashford's return to fitness. (Sky Sports)

Arsenal are considering a swap deal with Atletico Madrid that would see 28-year-old French striker Alexandre Lacazette moving to Spain, and compatriot Thomas Lemar, 24, coming the other way. (AS - in Spanish)

Neymar, 28, will not leave Paris St-Germain to rejoin Barcelona this summer because of the impact of coronavirus on football finances, says the Brazil forward's agent. (Star)

The EFL's leaders are confident that support for the Championship to restart, even from relegation-threatened clubs such as Middlesbrough, will mean the season resumes next month. (Times - subscription required)

Early rounds of the Carabao Cup are under threat if next season does not get under way before the beginning of September. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Friday's Newspapers:
22nd May 2020


DAILY MIRROR
PSG are considering a £35m bid for Arsenal's Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang as his contract winds down.
Gareth Bale can prove he is still one of the world's best players by moving to Newcastle United - says Brazilian legend Ronaldo.
Arsenal have reportedly entered negotiations over a move to sign Adrien Rabiot, as Juventus bid to raise funds for a possible swoop for Manchester United's Paul Pogba.
Manchester United are keeping tabs on Sporting Lisbon star Nuno Mendes, who has been dubbed the "best under-19s left-back in Europe."
The FA are determined to conclude this season's FA Cup alongside the Premier League should it resume safely, with behind-closed-doors semis and a final at Wembley.
Championship clubs are facing growing opposition from concerned players to their plans to restart the season.

THE SUN
Newcastle's takeover has been given the green light as Premier League bosses have finally approved the £300m Saudi deal.
Romelu Lukaku says he will "never forgive" Andre Villas-Boas for leaving him out of Chelsea's Champions League-winning squad in 2012.
Gareth Bale was reportedly rejected by an MLS club due to eye-watering wage demands.
Barcelona are reportedly prepared to allow seven players to leave on swap deals to ensure Lautaro Martinez signs from Inter Milan this summer.
Serge Aurier's latest lockdown lapse could cost him £140,000.
N'Golo Kante was back at Chelsea on Thursday for a second day of testing - a day after being given compassionate leave due to his fears over coronavirus.
QPR captain Grant Hall has joined a growing camp of players who think it is too dangerous for football to return.


DAILY MAIL
Premier League footballers have been warned against signing documents that could affect their rights if they contract coronavirus.
EFL clubs fear curtailing the seasons in League One and League Two could lead to a Championship breakaway.
Danny Drinkwater is continuing to train with Aston Villa following his bust-up with team-mate Jota days before the Premier League was suspended.
Premier League clubs are facing another major financial blow amid fears the shirt sponsorship bubble has burst.


THE TELEGRAPH
The FA Cup faces being abandoned for the first time in peacetime since it began 149 years ago, although the Premier League is pulling out all the stops to rescue it.


THE STAR
Manchester City star Sergio Aguero is being eyed by Inter Milan as a replacement for Lautaro Martinez as the forward is edging closer to Barcelona.
Andre Villas-Boas has reportedly snubbed an offer from Newcastle to take over the club once the £300m Saudi-backed takeover goes through.
Arsenal target Odsonne Edouard has the backing of the Gunners' record goalscorer, Thierry Henry, to go "right to the top".
PSG have withdrawn from the race to sign Napoli central defender Kalidou Koulibaly.


DAILY EXPRESS
Chelsea are preparing for Valencia to make a bid to sign Kepa Arrizabalaga this summer, according to reports in Spain.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp has added Sevilla star Diego Carlos to his summer transfer shortlist and the 27-year-old centre-back has a £67m release clause in his contract.
Arsenal are reportedly weighing up a summer move for Besiktas centre-back Domagoj Vida, who could be available for as little as £6million in the upcoming transfer window.

SCOTTISH SUN
Barry Ferguson has urged Rangers to splash the cash to sign his nephew Lewis Ferguson.
Ianis Hagi's move to Rangers on a permanent deal is in the final stages, according to reports.
Dundee United have been tracking Finnish Under-21 star Ilmari Niskanen.

Barcelona have lowered their valuation of 26-year-old French defender Samuel Umtiti to just £27m, amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal. (Sport - in Spanish)

United have made recruiting a new centre-back their top priority this summer, and manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer now has a clear path to signing Napoli's 28-year-old Senegal international Kalidou Koulibaly, with Paris St-Germain no longer interested. (Express)

Juventus and Bosnia-Herzegovina midfielder Miralem Pjanic, 30, will turn down a move to the Premier League this summer, with Chelsea among the clubs interested. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Real Madrid and Manchester United could be forced to wait two years to sign 19-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Haaland, with the Norwegian's 75m euro release clause not active until 2022. (Evening Standard)

Arsenal are planning a £25m transfer move for Dortmund's 24-year-old Switzerland defender Manuel Akanji, after talks began in January. (Sun)

Meanwhile, the Gunners have joined Everton in targeting Juventus' French midfielder Adrien Rabiot, 25, and hope he can form a partnership with compatriot Matteo Guendouzi, 21. (Le10 Sport - in French)


Tottenham Hotspur's 29-year-old defender Danny Rose, who is on loan at Newcastle United, has revealed he wants to play for Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers - but joked that Foxes left-back and England team-mate Ben Chilwell, 22, would "have to be bought first". (Mail)

Paris St-Germain remain open to signing Arsenal's 30-year-old Gabon forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who has one year left on his contract at Emirates Stadium. (Le10 Sport - in French)

Leicester lead Manchester City, Wolverhampton Wanderers and Everton in the pursuit of Celtic and Norway defender Kristoffer Ajer, 22. (90min.com)

Dortmund and Germany midfielder Emre Can, 26, says he would never sign for Manchester United because his "heart would not allow it" after playing for Liverpool. (Bild, via Mirror)

Crystal Palace are ready to make a move for Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser. The player favours a move to Tottenham, but manager Jose Mourinho is unconvinced of the 26-year-old Scotland international's suitability for a top-six club. (Express)

Manchester United are putting together a £10m package for Sporting Lisbon's 17-year-old Portuguese left-back Nuno Mendes, after former Old Trafford winger Nani recommended his compatriot. (Star)

Saturday's Newspapers:
23rd May 2020



the sun

Arsenal are chasing Ajax star Nicolas Tagliafico in a £20m deal - as Mikel Arteta searches for a new left-back.
Three Premier League clubs are interested in having cardboard cut-outs of supporters in empty stands when top-flight football returns.
Arsenal and Chelsea are both tracking 18-year-old Kaan Kurt who is playing for Borussia Monchengladbach II in the fourth tier of German football.
England's struggling football clubs hope to bring crowds back as early as October - but in small numbers.


daily telegraph

The proposed £300m takeover of Newcastle United is finally expected to be resolved next week.
English clubs will get an added chance of European glory next year as UEFA firms up its plans for Europa League 2 despite the coronavirus pandemic.
Mark Palios has promised that he and Tranmere Rovers will fight against the recommendation of the EFL board that would relegate the club if the League One season has to be curtailed.


daily mail

The Professional Footballers' Association has asked the Government to undertake more research into possible greater coronavirus risks for black, Asian and minority ethnic players, amid strong concerns among some about a return to football.
Burnley boss Sean Dyche says he isn't bothered about player fitness when football returns.
Pep Guardiola wants Barcelona defender Nelson Semedo to challenge Kyle Walker at Manchester City next season.
Fans could be asked to vote to select personalised goal celebration music for individual players when the Premier League resumes.


daily mirror

Manchester City's and Manchester United's dreams of European success this season have been dealt a blow following the Government's announcement regarding quarantine measures for people coming into the UK.
Willian has made his clearest indication yet that his time at Chelsea is coming to an end after conceding the club will not change their mind on their contract offer.
Tottenham's attempts to keep hold of Jan Vertonghen appear to be failing as the Belgian looks increasingly likely to leave the club this summer.
Jamaal Lascelles insists Newcastle's players have no fear about getting the Premier League back on.


daily star

Leicester head a pack of Premier League clubs ready to pounce for Liverpool's Adam Lallana.
West Ham are chasing Amiens striker Serhou Guirassy, according to the French club's president.
Manchester City star Sergio Aguero is being eyed by Inter Milan as a replacement for Lautaro Martinez, as the forward is edging closer to Barcelona.
Manchester United star Luke Shaw has backed youngster Mason Greenwood to turn into another Robin van Persie at the club.
David Luiz has opened the door on a return to Benfica when his Arsenal contract ends next summer.


the guardian

Plans to shift the Six Nations' traditional slot by a month to March and April and play the Rugby Championship in the same window as part of a synchronised global calendar have moved a step closer, following an unprecedented joint announcement by the respective tournament organisers.


the times

Michael Cheika says that he should not have led the Wallabies to the World Cup in Japan and that he should have resigned as Australia coach six months before it.
UK Athletics is investigating video evidence that shows senior members of the governing body's elite performance team overseeing training sessions while social-distancing protocols are allegedly being broken.
Naomi Osaka has replaced Serena Williams as the world's highest-paid sportswoman.
World Rugby is to consider law changes that will reduce contact time between players to lessen the risk of coronavirus transmission.


scottish sun

John Beaton admits the fallout from the controversial 2018 Old Firm derby at Ibrox changed his life forever.


daily record

Hearts could be pushed to the brink of another financial collapse next week.
SPFL clubs face a whopping bill of £10k-per-week to test their players and staff for COVID-19.

Sunday's Newspapers:
24th May 2020



the sun on sunday

Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp wants Wolves speed machine Adama Traore to join his champions-elect.
Former FA and Arsenal chief David Dein says next season should run from February until November.
Burnley's Jack Cork claims most Premier League players back the return to football, despite their initial concerns over Project Restart.
Chelsea have been handed a boost by the news that Inter Milan have reportedly rejected Paris Saint-Germain's bid for striker Mauro Icardi.


sunday telegraph

Premier League clubs could lose around £70m in commercial revenues if the police and Government enforce their plans to play the remaining matches at neutral grounds.
Hull City's vice-chairman Ehab Allam has launched a scathing attack on the English Football League over its plans to restart the Championship season, less than 48 hours before second-tier clubs return to training.
The Irish Rugby Football Union has "hit a revenue cliff" according to chief executive Philip Browne, who says cash reserves have "dried up" and that without Government support it could now "take a generation" to get sport back on its feet in Ireland.


mail on sunday

A group of Brighton players asked the club to tone down their outspoken opposition to Project Restart last week as they felt it belittled their chances of staying in the Premier League on merit.
Small print in Manchester United's latest quarterly financial results reveal the Premier League giants chose to defer their £10m VAT bill to the UK Government for a year.
Regular water breaks may be needed in Premier League games if football returns during summer, according to Brighton chief executive Paul Barber.
Hundreds of small clubs could be excluded from the 2020-2021 FA Cup if the start to next season is delayed.
England's players have been told not to put sweat or saliva on the ball and to relay it straight from the wicketkeeper to the bowler as part of their return-to-action plan.


daily star sunday

Danny Ings, Nathan Redmond and James Ward-Prowse are all set to be up for grabs in the transfer market if Southampton's owner Gao Jisheng does not sell his 80 per cent stake in the club.
Ainsley Maitland-Miles is set to leave Arsenal this summer as part of Mikel Arteta's squad rebuild.
Chelsea are set to issue a social distancing warning to their first-team stars after Marcos Alonso and Kepa Arrizabalaga breached protocol to take pictures with fans.


sunday express

Newcastle and Wolves are ready to offer Chelsea flop Gonzalo Higuain a second chance in the Premier League.
Manchester United's hopes of landing Borussia Dortmund star Jadon Sancho this summer could depend on Manchester City's Champions League ban being upheld.
Kepa Arrizabalaga could move to Valencia this summer while Chelsea are looking to sign Ajax's Andre Onana as a replacement for the Spaniard.
Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana could upset supporters if he refuses to extend his contract until the end of the season.


sunday mirror

Manchester United are hoping Argentine giants Boca Juniors and Estudiantes will become embroiled in a £12m bidding war for Marcos Rojo.
Arsene Wenger has claimed he will never return to Arsenal Football Club - not even as a spectator.
Manchester United are said to have held talks with Adrien Rabiot's agent over a prospective transfer this summer.
Barcelona are ready to cut their losses and offload Ousmane Dembele for just £37m.


sunday mail

Neil Lennon reckons he'd have been sacked if he'd endured two trophyless seasons like Old Firm rival Steven Gerrard.


scottish sun

Next season's Old Firm games could all be played in 2021 as part of a shock plan to shuffle the Scottish football calendar.
Daniel Stendel insists he has unfinished business at Hearts as he refused to rule out a return to Gorgie.

Monday's Newspapers:
25th May 2020



DAILY TELEGRAPH
Rafael Benitez is keen to make an emotional return to Newcastle United under a new Saudi Arabian-backed ownership with John Stones and Ross Barkley among the players the Spaniard would like to take with him.

DAILY MIRROR
Bruno Fernandes is undertaking extra training sessions away from Manchester United in a bid to regain his match sharpness, along with team-mate Diogo Dalot.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is preparing to fast-track 17-year-old youngster Hannibal Mejbri straight into the Manchester United first-team next season.


DAILY MAIL
The Premier League season could be completed using a combination of home grounds and neutral venues in a dramatic new twist to Project Restart.

DAILY STAR
Philippe Coutinho and his agent have reportedly made a decision about the Brazilian's future ahead of a potential move this summer.
Leicester will start working at their new state-of-the-art £100m training facilities from next month and manager Brendan Rodgers believes it will make them a permanent top-six team.
Arsenal could be forced to extend Henrikh Mkhitaryan's contract if they ever want to receive a transfer fee for him.

THE GUARDIAN
Joe Hart, who is out of contract this summer, feels he will have to move abroad to get back into the big time.


THE TIMES
Liverpool and other teams who use pressing as a tactic face greater challenges in minimising contact between players when the return to competitive training resumes this week.

DAILY EXPRESS
West Ham fans are in talks with the club about showing their faces on Zoom on the London Stadium's big screens to help give players a boost in behind-closed-doors games.

THE SCOTTISH SUN
Celtic have been handed a boost in their bid to keep Fraser Forster and Mohamed Elyounoussi at the club next season, with Southampton preparing for a mass exodus of players.

Arsenal are to begin talks with Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho's agent. The Brazilian 27-year-old has spent the season on loan at Bayern Munich but the Bundesliga champions will not pay the £105m required to make the deal permanent. (Le10sport - in French)

Paris St-Germain are negotiating an agreement with Arsenal in an attempt to sign forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, 30, for £34m. (Todofichajes)

Juventus striker Gonzalo Higuain, 32, could return to the Premier League after a disappointing loan spell with Chelsea - Newcastle and Wolves are both interested. (Express)

RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, 24, has been heavily linked with Liverpool but former Manchester United midfielder Owen Hargreaves has suggested Old Trafford could be a better move. (Star)

Wolves striker Raul Jimenez, 29 and valued at £57m, is being monitored by Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Bournemouth striker Joshua King, 28, is a target for four of the current top six clubs in the Premier League after Manchester United's £20m deadline-day bid was turned down in January. (Mirror)

Juventus want to beat Real Madrid to Borussia Dortmund striker Erling Braut Haaland, 19, in a £67m move. (Tuttosport - in Italian)

Barcelona are willing to offload France forward Ousmane Dembele, 23, for just £37m. The Spanish club paid £137m for the Frenchman three years ago but he has only started five times after a string of injuries. (Mirror)

Winger Adama Traore, 24, has been advised to ignore Liverpool's interest and stay at Wolves for another season by former Sheffield United midfielder Michael Brown. (Star)

Wales and FC Schalke winger Rabbi Matondo, 19, says he is fully focused on the German club amid interest from Manchester United. (Manchester Evening News)

Tuesday's Newspapers:
26th May 2020



THE TIMES
Odion Ighalo is likely to leave Manchester United on Sunday and return to Shanghai Shenhua, who have offered him a new contract worth more than £75m over four years.
The British Grand Prix is set to be reprieved after Boris Johnson intervened personally to ensure that two Formula One races can go ahead at Silverstone this summer despite the 14-day coronavirus quarantine restrictions.

DAILY MAIL
Barcelona will listen to loan offers for Ousmane Dembele in the summer such is the desire to get him off the wage bill and to stop his value nose-diving.
Everton have made a £25m offer to Barcelona defender Jean-Claire Todibo, who is currently on loan at Bundesliga outfit Schalke.
Players are at an increased risk of muscle and joint injuries with Project Restart failing to provide a proper pre-season to build fitness, warns former England and Arsenal physio Gary Lewin.
Chelsea have opted against using the buy-back clause for winger Jeremie Boga despite becoming one of Serie A's most exciting players since joining Sassuolo in 2018.


DAILY MIRROR
Premier League players are ready to give their seal of approval for Project Restart.


THE SUN
Skint Premier League clubs are considering payday-style loans with huge interest rates to stay in business.
Jurgen Klopp held a "virtual meeting" with Timo Werner over Easter to discuss a transfer to Liverpool.
Chelsea keeper Willy Caballero has backed team-mate N'Golo Kante over his COVID-19 fears.


DAILY TELEGRAPH
Premier League clubs are not expected to have to place their squads into a 14-day quarantine period if one of their players tests positive for COVID-19, according to the government's latest guidance.
Manchester United are ready to sanction an extension to Dean Henderson's loan at Sheffield United and allow him to finish the season at Bramall Lane.
World Rugby's influential medical group has proposed banning reset scrums and upright tackling in a huge shake-up of the sport's laws.
Sky Bet Championship players have been told they can opt out of training should they fear for their safety during the coronavirus pandemic.
A group of world-leading heart doctors have warned about the potential cardiac risks of the coronavirus to sportspeople and recommended that elite athletes should not return to exercise for at least two weeks after a positive test.


SCOTTISH SUN
Southampton could step up their interest in Celtic midfielder Olivier Ntcham - with goalkeeper Fraser Forster included in any deal.
Gareth McAuley claims Celtic's nine in a row title is a hollow triumph.


DAILY RECORD
SPFL bosses are set to call an emergency board meeting in the next 48 hours to discuss the next step in the crisis facing Hearts.
KuPS sporting director Jonne Lindblom has admitted Dundee United are among a string of teams who are tracking new Finnish star Ilmari Niskanen.
Gary Maley's Livingston future is at the mercy of social media, after the club posted a poll on whether he should be given a new contract.

Everton have made a £40m move to sign midfielder Allan, 29, but Napoli want closer to £60m for the Brazilian. (Il Mattino - in Italian)

The Toffees have also made a £25m offer to Barcelona for French defender Jean-Claire Todibo, 20, who is currently on loan at Bundesliga side Schalke. (Mail)

Bournemouth owner Maxim Demin came close to selling the Cherries to a Saudi Arabian business consortium in January, only to see the deal break down over a disagreement in the club valuation. (90min)

Manchester United will grant an extension to let English goalkeeper Dean Henderson, 23, finish the season on loan at Sheffield United with the current deal ending in June. (Telegraph)

Chelsea have decided against using their buy-back clause on Sassuolo's Ivory Coast international winger Jeremie Boga, 20, who has been linked with a move to Napoli. (Guardian)

On-loan Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 27, may not play for Bayern Munich again after the Bundesliga leaders decided not to sign him permanently from Barcelona and has been offered to Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham. (Sky Sports)

Inter Milan and Argentina striker Mauro Icardi, 27, is moving closer to a permanent transfer to Paris St-Germain for around £54m. (ESPN)

Wednesday's Newspapers:
27th May 2020


DAILY TELEGRAPH
Tottenham and Arsenal are both planning for a summer in which they will not be able to spend any money, as they compete over the free transfer signing of Chelsea winger Willian.
The Premier League's club managers backed the restart of the competition in a conference call on Tuesday and told the league's executive that they want a resumption date as soon as possible so they can fine-tune their planning.
The Rugby Football Union has been urged to back radical plans to raise up to £250m by staging a special World Cup-style tournament in the UK and Ireland next summer to ease the financial crisis facing the global game caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Premier League clubs will operate a colour-coded warning system to alert them if they are taking too high a risk in training during the next stage of 'Project Restart'.
Dozens of out of contract women players are in "limbo" as coronavirus impacts the transfer market, with clubs unsure of when the Women's Super League will return, budgets "totally ripped up" and parties struggling to finalise contracts in the meantime.
The Premier League's referees will go from training at home and in local parks into match action when the season resumes, with no group sessions or game practice other than the clips they are asked to analyse online from home.


THE SUN
Manchester United's players have returned to training fit and healthy, delighting medical staff.
Tyrone Mings has revealed he pays for weekly therapy sessions because football "does not care" about mental health.


DAILY MAIL
Newcastle have identified Xherdan Shaqiri as a potential major signing this summer by capitalising on his lack of game time at Liverpool.
Manchester United tried to tempt Jack Grealish away from Aston Villa when he was 16, according to former manager Alex McLeish.
Tyson Fury claims he has been offered the chance to fight Mike Tyson, the 53-year-old who is plotting a sensational comeback to the boxing ring.
The British Grand Prix will be moved back from July to August to accommodate the government's chaotic handling of the quarantine issue.


THE GUARDIAN
The controversial £300m Saudi Arabia-funded takeover of Newcastle United appears to be in serious doubt after the World Trade Organisation ruled that the country is behind a pirate satellite TV and streaming service that offers illegal access to sporting events.



DAILY MIRROR
Kylian Mbappe has lavished praise on Jurgen Klopp as speculation over the Paris Saint-Germain striker's future continues.
Burnley are the latest club to join the race for Liverpool's Adam Lallana as Sean Dyche bids to convince the midfielder to make the move to Turf Moor.
Premier League managers want a Project Restart return date delayed as they are afraid they won't have enough time to get their players match fit in three weeks.
Odion Ighalo is expecting to return to China with Manchester United set to miss out on extending his loan.
Wolves could be ready to move for Sporting Lisbon midfielder Joao Palhinha in a cut-price deal.

THE TIMES
The Premier League has dropped its opposition to matches that kick-off at 3pm on Saturdays being shown on TV if they are played behind closed doors.
British tennis players are edging closer to a return to competitive action, with a number of domestic closed-doors tournaments set to be announced in the coming days.

DAILY STAR
Arsenal believe they are frontrunners in the race to sign Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser on a free contract when his deal with the south coast club expires this summer, despite him preferring to join Tottenham.

SCOTTISH SUN
Italian side Empoli have launched a bid to sign former Celtic and Hibs midfielder Liam Henderson on a permanent deal.


DAILY RECORD
Rangers hope to soon get clarification over the remainder of their Europa League campaign - with the loan deal of Florian Kamberi set to expire next month.

Newcastle have begun talks to sign Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho, 28, after Bayern Munich decided they will not be taking up their option to sign the Brazil international on a permanent deal. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

The Magpies have also identified Liverpool midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, 28, as a major transfer target this summer. The Switzerland international has played just 10 times for the Reds this season. (Mail)

The £300m Saudi Arabia-funded takeover of Newcastle is in doubt after the World Trade Organisation ruled that the country is behind a pirate TV and streaming service that offers illegal access to sporting events. (Guardian)

Arsenal and Tottenham are both competing over the free signing of Chelsea and Brazil midfielder Willian, 31, who is out of contract at Stamford Bridge this summer. (Telegraph)

Wolves could move for Sporting Lisbon's Portuguese midfielder Joao Palhinha, 24, who has an £18m release clause. (Mirror)


Manchester City are leading the race to sign Ajax teenager Sontje Hansen, 18, who won the Golden Boot award at the Under-17 World Cup last summer. (Goal)

Portuguese side Vitoria Guimaraes are looking to sign Crystal Palace teenager Jadan Raymond, 16, for £250,000 with the midfielder's contract expiring next month. (Sky Sports)

The Premier League is looking at ways of taking fans to grounds digitally when the season resumes behind closed doors, including the potential use of the LED advertising boards and screens. (Express)

Premier League games that kick off at 3pm on a Saturday may be shown live on TV after the organisation dropped its objections to showing matches at that time. (Times - subscription required)

Thursday's Newspapers:
28th May 2020


DAILY MIRROR
Liverpool have refused point bank to pay Timo Werner's release clause - even if that means losing out on the world-class striker.

DAILY EXPRESS
Newcastle have opened talks with Barcelona star Philippe Coutinho.
Inter Milan are hatching a plan to sign RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner from under Liverpool's noses, but will have to sell Lautaro Martinez first.
Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has reportedly offered a contract to Bayern Munich youngster Taylor Booth.

THE TELEGRAPH
The Premier League has compiled its own study which shows the average time players are in close contact during a match suggests the risk of catching coronavirus is extremely low.
Chelsea have been told they could sign Ajax left-back Nicolas Tagliafico for just £22.4m in the next transfer window.
Frank Lampard will hold more talks with N'Golo Kante after Premier League clubs voted to move to phase two of restricted contact training.
Manchester United are prepared to offer Angel Gomes a deal worth around £1.5m a year to stay at Old Trafford.
Borussia Dortmund have been frustrated by a calf injury Jadon Sancho carried into the Bundesliga restart.
Championship clubs are set to begin contact training next week to boost hopes of a season restart in mid to late June.
Nathan Jones is on the brink of making his return to Luton Town as manager.

THE SUN
Chelsea have made a shock move for Brentford's tricky Algerian winger Said Benrahma.
Real Madrid have reportedly offered four players, including James Rodriguez and Martin Odegaard, to Manchester United in an attempt to sign Paul Pogba.
Manchester United have taken out a £140m loan to get through the coronavirus crisis.
West Ham want to sign £40m Chelsea flop Tiemoue Bakayoko on a season-long loan, according to reports.
Barcelona have reportedly put Arsenal target Ousmane Dembele on the transfer list.
Arsenal are ready to launch an offer for Lille striker Victor Osimhen, according to reports.
William Saliba is set to finally start training with his Arsenal team-mates next month - although his move to England could be delayed.
Ex-Southampton manager George Burley has revealed that the club once knocked back a £3m Manchester United bid for Gareth Bale as they had just received £12m from Arsenal for Theo Walcott.
Mario Balotelli is set to be released from his Brescia contract after a bust-up with club president Massimo Cellino, according to reports.

DAILY MAIL
Real Madrid have reportedly offered four players, including James Rodriguez and Martin Odegaard, to Manchester United in an attempt to sign Paul Pogba.
Chelsea are lining up a shock £15m move for Borussia Dortmund keeper Roman Burki.

DAILY STAR
Arsenal are reportedly monitoring Barcelona star Rafinha with the Spanish champions planning a clear out in the summer transfer window.
Everton have been touted to rival Newcastle for the signing of John Stones from Manchester City.


SCOTTISH SUN
Rangers are keen on attacking duo Saido Berahino and Manuel Benson, according to reports in Belgium.
Hearts winger Donis Avdijaj is in talks with Portuguese side Braga after a disastrous stint at Tynecastle.
Drumchapel United are preparing a swoop for Partick midfielder Darian MacKinnon.

Liverpool are interested in signing Wolves’ Spanish winger Adama Traore, 24, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp reportedly personally contacting the player. (TodoFichajes - in Spanish)

Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo, 30, has made a personal request to extend his loan at Manchester United from Chinese club Shanghai Shenhua. (Manchester Evening News)

Centre-half David Luiz's brief spell at Arsenal could be coming to an end with the 33-year-old Brazilian out of contract next month and no negotiations over a new deal planned. (Sky Sports)

Liverpool will not pay the £50m release clause for RB Leipzig and Germany striker Timo Werner, 24, and value him at £30m in today’s transfer market. (Mirror)

Ajax and Argentina left-back Nicolas Tagliafico, 27, could join Chelsea for £22.4m fee. (Telegraph - subscription required)

Tottenham are looking to beat a number of Premier League rivals to the signing of Bournemouth and Scotland winger Ryan Fraser, 26. (Football Insider)

Newcastle’s Spanish full-back Javier Manquillo, 26, wants to join a La Liga club in his home country when his contract expires next month. (Newcastle Chronicle)

Manchester United and Real Madrid both want to sign Rennes' French Under-21 midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, 17. (Metro)

Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho has said Premier league sides will not be "spending crazy money" in the next transfer window. (Sky Sports)

The Premier League managers have been told that the season will be completed in as little as six weeks if the plans for the resumption of the season remain on track. (Times

Friday's Newspapers:
29th May 2020



DAILY MIRROR
Chelsea could offload Jorginho this summer if the right offer comes in, claims his agent Joao Santos.
Manchester United have no plans to sign Philippe Coutinho, despite the Brazilian reportedly being offered to them.

DAILY EXPRESS
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is desperate to sign Kalidou Koulibaly this summer, and has apparently called him to convince him to move to Anfield.
Arsenal are eyeing Lille ace Victor Osimhen as a potential replacement for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Chelsea have made an approach for FC Porto star Jesus Corona, according to the winger's agent.
Everton are keeping tabs on Sporting Lisbon star Wendel ahead of the summer transfer window.

THE SUN
Kevin De Bruyne is reportedly ready to open contract talks with Manchester City.
N'Golo Kante has returned to Chelsea training - but entirely on his own amid his continued fears about the coronavirus.

DAILY TELEGRAPH
Tottenham are willing to extend Danny Rose's loan at Newcastle for him to complete the campaign at St James' Park.
Arsenal will not look to appoint a new chairman following the decision of Sir Chips Keswick to retire after seven years in the role.
Phil Neville says he always planned to give up coaching England Women after three years "and then get into the day-to-day running of a club".

DAILY MAIL
Former Manchester United boss Louis van Gaal has slammed the club's transfer strategy after revealing they signed his 'seventh or eighth-choice' transfer target over his other preferred players.
Arsenal and Spurs transfer target Ryan Fraser has been linked with a surprise move to Galatasary.
Manchester City and Newcastle United are trailing highly-rated young winger Facundo Pellistri.

DAILY STAR
Odion Ighalo is willing to risk a new £75m contract with Shanghai Shenhua to remain with Manchester United for the rest of the season.
Manchester United have entered the race to sign rising Roma star Riccardo Calafiori and have sounded out his agent Mino Raiola about a deal.
Manchester United have renewed their interest in former transfer target Pietro Pellegri of Monaco, according to reports.

SCOTTISH SUN
Leicester are not interested in Celtic's Kristoffer Ajer, according to reports.
Former Hibernian and Dundee United striker Simon Murray has revealed he has held signing talks with three Premiership clubs.

DAILY RECORD
Harry Redknapp is weighing up a stunning returning to football - with Airdrie.
In-demand Ryan Fraser has been lined up for a shock move to Galatasaray with the lure of Champions League football on offer to tempt him to move to Turkey.


Leicester have made a long-term contract offer to Liverpool midfielder Adam Lallana. The 32-year-old England international is out of contract at Anfield at the end of June. (Football Insider)

Five Premier League Clubs - Chelsea, Newcastle, Manchester United, Arsenal and Leicester - are interested in Barcelona and Brazil midfielder Philippe Coutinho. The 27-year-old, currently on loan at Bayern Munich, will cost around £90m. (Mundo Deportivo - in Spanish)

Real Madrid have received no offers for Wales forward Gareth Bale and the 30-year-old is expected to remain at the club for another year. (Marca)

Manchester United and Newcastle are interested in Uruguayan winger Facundo Pellistri. The 18-year-old currently plays for Penarol. (Mail)


Galatasaray want to sign Bournemouth winger Ryan Fraser. The Scot, 26, is out of contract and has also been linked with Arsenal and Tottenham. (Daily Record)

Everton will hold talks with defender Djibril Sidibe over extending his loan when the Premier League resumes in June. Frenchman Sidibe, 27, is on loan from AS Monaco until 30 June. (Liverpool Echo)

Shanghai Shenhua have softened their stance on allowing 30-year-old Nigerian striker Odion Ighalo to extend his loan spell at Manchester United. (ESPN)

Paris St-Germain are close to securing a permanent deal for striker Mario Icardi. The Argentine, 27, is on loan at PSG from Inter Milan but his deal ends on 31 May. (Sky Sports)

PSG are also considering a move for Chelsea's Brazilian playmaker Willian. The 31-year-old is likely to be available on a free transfer at the end of the season. (Le10Sport - in French)

Liverpool are likely to play their remaining home games at a neutral venue, should the Premier League resume from 17 June. (Times - subscription required)

Inter Milan will extend former Manchester United defender Ashley Young's contract. The Englishman, 34, joined the Italian club in January on an initial six-month deal. (Telegraph - subscription required)

England forward Jadon Sancho feels the pressure of being linked with a move away from Borussia Dortmund, says team-mate Thomas Delaney. Sancho, 19, has been linked with Manchester United. (ESPN)

Saturday's Newspapers:
30th May 2020



DAILY MAIL

Antonio Rudiger is trying to convince Timo Werner to join Chelsea ahead of his other suitors, according to reports.

Arsenal are set to release a clutch of their youth scouting network because of financial cutbacks as a result of the coronavirus crisis.

Brighton have made enquiries about Middlesbrough winger Marcus Tavernier.



THE SUN

Lille striker Victor Osimhen will not consider a move to Tottenham - unless they sell Harry Kane.

PSG are to battle with Arsenal and Tottenham over Chelsea winger Willian, according to reports in France.

Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a shock move for Monaco crock Pietro Pellegri.



DAILY TELEGRAPH

Premier League clubs have discussed players getting changed for matches in corporate boxes to maintain social distancing when football resumes next month.

Premier League clubs are yet to approve a plan for relegation should the season have to be curtailed, with mid-table sides having to consider that any agreement could set a precedent for future campaigns.

The Football Association will try to ensure current funding for England youth teams is maintained despite the coronavirus pandemic because of fears eligible talent might opt to play for another country.

UEFA is considering an August and September tournament to finish this year's Women's Champions League.


DAILY MIRROR

Jurgen Klinsmann has called on Harry Kane to stay with Tottenham and not leave in search of trophies - as he did in 1995.

Juventus are interested in signing Philippe Coutinho having been rejected by Barcelona's Arthur.


DAILY EXPRESS

N'Golo Kante has been given an individual programme by Chelsea, who are sympathetic over his stance.



SCOTTISH SUN

Harry Redknapp wants a return to football but it will not be at Airdrie.

Ryan Porteous has emerged as a shock transfer target for Galatasaray, according to reports.


Bayern Munich have offered Manchester City their 24-year-old French defender Lucas Hernandez as they ramp up their pursuit of City's 24-year-old Germany winger Leroy Sane. (TZ - via Manchester Evening News)

Argentine striker Mauro Icardi, 27, is set to make his move to Paris St-Germain permanent after a deal worth £51.2m was agreed with Inter Milan. (Sky Sports)

AC Milan have shown an interest in signing Burnley and Republic of Ireland midfielder Jeff Hendrick, 28, on a free transfer. (Sky Sports)

The agent of Borussia Dortmund's 21-year-old right-back Achraf Hakimi, on loan from Real Madrid, says playing at the Spanish club is the player's priority - but has claimed there is no hurry for the Moroccan to return. (Evening Standard)

Leicester City have firmed up their interest in Celtic's 22-year-old Norwegian defender Kristoffer Ajer. (Nicolo Schira, via Leicestershire Live)


Birmingham City manager Pep Clotet expects attention on teenage midfielder Jude Bellingham to increase if the Championship gets back under way, with Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund heavily linked to the 16-year-old. (Sky Sports)

Arsenal have completed the signing of the unattached Rwanda-born winger George Smith, 19, who is also eligible to represent Norway (VG - in Norwegian)

Arsenal have also renewed their transfer interest in Lyon and French striker Moussa Dembele, 23, and have made contact with his representatives. (L'Equipe - in French)

Meanwhile, Arsenal are set to made redundant up to 10 scouts, who helped discover the likes of 20-year-old striker Reiss Nelson and 18-year-old winger Bukayo Saka, from the club's academy as cost-cutting measures caused by coronavirus crisis. (Mail)