Gossip: Pogba to United; Higuain wants Liverpool

Matt Stead

POGBA’S COMING HOME
Ask pretty much any club manager in the world who they would sign if money was no option, and Paul Pogba would sit snugly towards the top of most, if not all, lists. The central midfielder is coveted by clubs in the Premier League, La Liga, Serie A and elsewhere, with his talents attracting a price tag upwards of £80million. Still just 23, the Frenchman is already among the elite.

According to The Times, Manchester United fancy their chances. This despite the club’s fractured relationship with the player after his failed Old Trafford spell as a youngster. This despite United being able to offer only Europa League football. This despite Barcelona providing the competition for his signature. Incoming manager Jose Mourinho is unperturbed, and will press ahead with a deal.

Mourinho will look to make ‘three elite-level signings’, says the report, of which Pogba would undoubtedly be one. The Portuguese has been offered ‘complete backing’ in the transfer market by executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward.

The Times also claims that Mourinho will not overhaul his United squad this summer. He is always reluctant to make a slew of changes in one single transfer window, and so will work with the players he has inherited from Louis van Gaal. Lucky Marouane Fellaini.

 

ITALIAN JOB
A strange old rumour from the Daily Mirror now, who claim that Gonzalo Higuain ‘is interested in joining Liverpool’.

Higuain has been in incredible form for Napoli this season, scoring 38 goals in 42 games as his side finished runners-up to Juventus in the Serie A, reached the Coppa Italia quarter-finals and exited the Europa League at the round-of-32 stage.

According to the Mirror however, Higuain ‘wants to quit’, and ‘is keen to come to the Premier League’. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United have all been credited with an interest in his services recently, so why not them? The Jurgen Klopp factor, apparently. The Argentinean wants to work with Liverpool’s manager.

What of Liverpool’s failure to qualify for any European football next season? Higuain is undeterred, and remains interested in a move to Anfield. What would Jurgen do with all those strikers?

 

AND THE REST
Jose Mourinho has told Manchester United to spend £54m on Atletico Madrid midfielder Saul Niguez, 21…Red Devils scouts have been present at the Under-21 Toulon tournament as they continue to scout Sunderland goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, 22…Chelsea are looking to sign River Plate defender Emanuel Mammana, 20, for £8m but face competition from Italian sides Inter Milan and Fiorentina…West Ham have made a £11.4m bid for Juventus playmaker Roberto Pereyra, 25, but the Serie A champions want £13m…Sunderland are tracking QPR defender Steven Caulker, 24, who is available for £4.5m and Borussia Dortmund centre-half Neven Subotic, 27, who could be available on a season-long loan deal…Turkish champions Besiktas are looking to sign Arsenal’s second-choice goalkeeper David Ospina, 27, in a £3m deal…Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich refusing to sell striker Robert Lewandowski, 27, despite his agent holding talks with newly-crowned Champions League winners Real Madrid…West Brom and Middlesbrough are in the running for the signing of Lyon defender Henri Bedimo, 31, who is out of contract next month…Aitor Karanka’s newly promoted side have been linked with a move for Sporting Gijon defender Bernardo Espinosa, 26, who will be a free agent next month…Fulham striker Ross McCormack could leave Craven Cottage this summer, with Newcastle, Norwich and Aston Villa favourites to land the 29-year-old.