Gossip: Bonucci to Man United, new Wenger deal

Matt Stead

BON AMI
The sky is blue. Grass is green. The Pope does sh*t in the woods. And a player who has impressed thus far in the European Championship has been linked with a move to the Premier League.

Is it likely that Leonardo Bonucci wishes to leave Serie A after enjoying the whole of his professional club career in Italy? Will the 29-year-old push for a move from a club who has won five successive league titles? And will a club pay the necessary money to prise him away, despite the fact he has four years remaining on his contract at Juventus?

Probably not. That does not stop the Daily Star reporting a juicy Sunday exclusive: Manchester United are targeting Bonucci. And they will ‘beat’ Chelsea to his signature. Poor Juve have no say.

Jose Mourinho ‘still wants to strengthen his defence’ despite the addition of £30m Eric Bailly, and now ‘experience’ is his remit – one Bonucci fits perfectly.

Paul Hetherington claims that Manchester City are also interested, but that their main target is still John Stones. Chelsea boss Antonio Conte wishes to bring Bonucci with him to England, but Mourinho, somehow, is leading the chase.

It is added that £25m would be enough ‘to prise him away from the Italian champions’, but that Juventus value him at £50m. That is quite a big jump.

 

IT’S ALL ABOUT THE MANE
More exclusives now, and Mike McGrath of The Sun tells us that Southampton have ‘slapped a transfer fee’ on Sadio Mane. How kind of them.

Liverpool are thought to be the main contenders to sign the Senegalese international, and McGrath reports that £40m will be required to complete the deal. He writes:

‘Now Klopp is ready to swoop if a fee can be agreed and personal terms thrashed out.

‘Mane will demand £125,000-a-week wages in a deal to take him from the south coast to one of the Premier League’s big boys.’

 

WENGER BOYS
Big news from the Sunday Mirror now: Arsenal will offer Arsene Wenger a new deal.

‘Arsenal planning Arsene Wenger contract extension keeping him in charge for THREE more seasons,’ reads the headline. Considering they are including the upcoming season in that large, emboldened ‘THREE’, that’s more than a little cheeky.

Stammers tell us that Wenger will be offered a two-year contract extension. He adds some transfer news as a delightful footnote at the bottom: If a move for Jamie Vardy fails to materialise – which it seems it will – then Robert Lewandowski is the club’s next target.