Gossip: Man Utd eye cut-price star; Werner’s new suitor

Joe Williams
Kalidou Koulibaly Napoli

MAN UTD EYE CUT-PRICE KOULIBALY
A year after he was expected to smash Virgil Van Dijk’s transfer record for a defender, it seems Kalidou Koulibaly could be available for roughly what Manchester City chuck willy-nilly at full-backs.

The Napoli defender is being hawked around Europe this summer when it is expected that he could go for £62million. That figure is around two-thirds of the price he might have fetched a year ago.

Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Newcastle have all been linked with a move for Koulibaly but Gazetta dello Sport reckons Manchester United might be most tempted by the defender’s price reduction. While recycling that report, the Daily Express suggests that ‘Koulibaly could be a replacement for Phil Jones and Chris Smalling’. Indeed he could…

 

WERNER OPEN TO INTER OFFER
Liverpool and United were both keen on Timo Werner too but the trail seems to have gone very cold around the Germany striker.

Despite flirting with Jurgen Klopp, Werner has seen Liverpool shy away from a move, which it was assumed would leave the path clear for Bayern Munich. But the Bavarians may have competition from Italy.

It seems Inter Milan have registered an interest in the RB Leipzig forward and Calciomercato says Werner is more open to moving to Serie A than he might have been just a few months ago. Inter would have to sell Lautaro Martinez first which would mean Barcelona dealing in a currency other than their deadwood.


Read: Liverpool might have already won this summer transfer window


 

JUVE REJECT RAKITIC SWAP
Barca’s attempts to wheel and deal this summer are off to a tricky start. At the weekend it was reported in Spain that they had pulled off a deal that would have seen them land Miralem Pjanic and Matteo De Sciglio plus £25million to put towards Martinez, all in return for sending Nelson Semedo to Juventus.

That has since been denied by Juve, who Goal believes have also rejected the opportunity to take Ivan Rakitic in part-exchange for Pjanic. Juve, apparently, will only consider a deal if it involves Arthur, who would rather remain in Spain.

It may be that Semedo sweetens the deal with Inter if they soften their cash-only stance over Martinez. Gazetta dello Sport says Antonio Conte has two Barca players in mind – Junior Firpo being the other – for Inter’s recruitment this summer. But Chelsea defender Emerson is his primary target.

 

AND THE REST
Arsenal want Feyenoord midfielder Orkun Kokcu to replace Mesut Ozil… Man City look set to beat Newcastle to sign Penarol’s Facundo Pellestri… Juve could sell Gonzalo Higuain to raise funds… Manchester City are confident David Silva will agree to a short-term contract extension… Chelsea are also hopeful that Willian and Olivier Giroud will pen extensions… Mauricio Pochettino is free to take over another club after his Tottenham gardening leave ended.

 

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