Gossip: Umtiti claims Man United not only suitors

Sarah Winterburn

UMTITI: NOT JUST MAN UNITED INTERESTED
Barcelona defender Samuel Umtiti has confirmed that Manchester United are interested in his services, but claims they are not the only ones. The Frenchman has become a target for several clubs because his release clause is set at just north of £50m and he is said to expect much higher wages from Barcelona if and when contract negotiations begin.

“It’s not only Manchester United,” Umtiti told Canal FC. “Other clubs want me as well, but my sole focus is on Barcelona. It was my dream to play at Barça. And I achieved it when I was just 22. I’m very happy here, whenever I play and whenever I train.

“Negotiations for a contract renewal have not started yet. My release clause is low, but that’s not what I worry about, I focus on the pitch.”

It sounds an awful lot like Umtiti is about to join a long list of players including Cristiano Ronaldo, Gareth Bale, Sergio Ramos and Neymar who have earned themselves a nice little raise on the back of United interest.

 

EVERTON AMONG MAREGA SUITORS
Now we know all about Moussa Marega as he is one of three players to hit 20 goals in the Portuguese league this season. According to the Daily Mirror, Porto are willing to sell said Mali international striker this summer. And that means a battle among the Premier League’s middling clubs. In this case, we are talking Everton, West Ham and Swansea City.

He has a £35m release clause but they are unlikely to get that money with the Mirror saying: ‘Everton and West Ham have the financial clout to move for a striker who has been in good form this term. Tottenham have scouted him in the past.’

 

LEICESTER WANT PORTO RIGHT-BACK
That Porto right-back is Ricardo Pereira, who has previously been strongly linked with Tottenham. They bought Serge Aurier instead but last week they were said to remain ‘attentive’ to the form of Pereira, who has been Porto’s first-choice right-back this season after a successful loan spell at Nice.

Now, thanks to Sport Witness, we see that A Bola claim that Leicester ‘are working to ‘get ahead’ of any competition for Pereira – who worked with Claude Puel at Nice – who would now cost around £22m. Which is an awful lot for a right-back at a middling Premier League club.

 

AND THE REST
Manchester City face competition from Borussia Dortmund, Feyenoord and PSV Eindhoven for Fenerbahce’s 18-year-old Macedonia midfielder Eljif Elmas…West Ham will have to pay Sporting Lisbon 30m euros (£27m) if they want to sign Rodrigo Battaglia…Sunderland are interested in 24-year-old Reading goalkeeper Jonathan Bond…West Ham boss David Moyes has suggested he is yet to decide whether to turn 25-year-old midfielder Joao Mario’s loan move from Inter Milan into a permanent transfer

Gossip Samuel Umtiti