What the papers say

Former Manchester United goalkeeper David de Gea, 33, is keen on joining Newcastle United after first choice Nick Pope suffered a shoulder injury which will keep him out for four months, reports the Daily Telegraph. The Daily Mirror says Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsdale, 25, could be another option in January.

Manchester United are eyeing a move for AC Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan, 28, according to The Sun via Foot Mercato. Andre Onana, who replaced de Gea in the summer, has yet to convince as United’s first-choice stopper.

One player who could be staying at Manchester United is Raphael Varane. The Manchester Evening News says the 30-year-old France defender is keen to stay at Old Trafford beyond the January transfer window.

Juventus could make a bid to sign England midfielder Kalvin Phillips on loan from Manchester City in January, reports the Metro. The 28-year-old has also been linked with Newcastle

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Jake O’Brien: Everton are looking at Lyon’s Irish defender, 22, according to French outlet Footmercato.

Mathys Tel: Several Premier League teams are keen on Bayern Munich’s 18-year-old striker, reports Bild in Germany.

Jamie Vardy scored for the 11th match in a row on this day in 2015 to break Ruud van Nistelrooy’s Premier League record and earn Leicester a 1-1 draw with Manchester United.

The England forward opened the scoring against Manchester United in the 24th minute to surpass Van Nistelrooy’s 10-game mark, which had stood since 2003.

Vardy found his 14th goal of the season when he got on the end of Christian Fuchs’ pass and rifled past David De Gea from close range and become the first player to score in 11 consecutive games in the Premier League era.

Manchester United managed to find an equaliser when Bastian Schweinsteiger cancelled out Vardy’s opener with a powerful header from close range to make it 1-1.

The 28-year-old started the run of consecutive games with a late penalty in a 1-1 draw at Bournemouth three months earlier in August which included doubles against Arsenal and Southampton, a winner against Watford and the record-equalling strike in a 3-0 win at Newcastle the week before.

Vardy’s incredible run came after he was made an England international in June, just three years after becoming non-league football’s first £1million player following a move to the King Power Stadium from Fleetwood in 2012.

After breaking the record, Vardy said: “It’s unbelievable. I think I got a bit carried away with myself.

“Obviously we’ve got a lot of pace in the team and I think counter-attacking is a big advantage for us.

“If we can break as quick we have, then obviously it is going to benefit the team.”

Vardy’s goals helped power the Foxes to the Premier League crown under Claudio Ranieri and he finished the season as the league’s second top scorer behind Golden Boot winner Sergio Aguero.

No player has yet to break Vardy’s record which still stands and he went on to win more silverware with Leicester, lifting the FA Cup trophy in 2021 before being relegated with the club in 2023.

What the papers say

Manchester United are reportedly considering re-signing recently-released goalkeeper David de Gea. According to The Sun, United bosses are planning to offer the 32-year-old a short-term deal to return to Old Trafford as cover for when current keeper Andre Onana represents Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations in January. De Gea’s contract expired in the summer but he has yet to find a new club.

Birmingham Live reports Tammy Abraham could leave Roma to return to the Premier League at the end of the season. Citing TEAMTalk, they say the 26-year-old striker is the subject of interest from a number of Premier League clubs and would be open to a return to England. Abraham joined the Italian side from Chelsea in 2021.

And the Daily Mirror says Manchester United midfielder Christian Eriksen could be set for a return to the starting XI after impressing manager Erik ten Hag off the bench in the Red Devils’ 1-0 Champions League win over FC Copenhagen.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Joao Palhinha: German outlet Bild reports Bayern Munich are reconsidering their pursuit of the Fulham midfielder.

Jamal Musiala: Manchester City are exploring the possibility of signing the Bayern Munich winger, according to Spanish outlet Sport.

What the papers say

Barcelona are considering making a move for Arsenal midfielder Jorginho, 31, according to the Mirror. Jorginho, who joined the Gunners from Chelsea in January, has featured in six Premier League games so far this season.

The Mirror also reports Spain goalkeeper David De Gea, 32, has caused an online stir after posting a picture in England with on-loan Manchester United defender Sergio Reguilon, with calls for the club to bring the out-of-contract player back to Old Trafford. Current United stopper Andre Onana has made a number of errors since joining the Manchester giants in the summer.

The Daily Mail says Bayer Leverkusen manager Xabi Alonso has a clause in his contract which allows him to become the boss of any of the clubs he played for as early as next summer. These clubs include Liverpool, Bayern Munich and Real Madrid.

Social media round-upPlayers to watch

Victor Osimhen: Chelsea have added the 24-year-old striker to their transfer list for January, ESPN reports. Osimhen has scored six goals in eight games for Napoli so far in Serie A this season.

Serhou Guirassy: The leading scorer in the Bundesliga this season for Stuttgart has attracted interest from Bournemouth, Crystal Palace, West Ham and Brighton. The 27-year-old has scored 13 goals in just seven games for the German club this campaign.

Erik ten Hag praised Manchester United’s collective efforts defensively after David de Gea collected the Golden Glove award for the goalkeeper with the most Premier League clean sheets.

United’s 1-0 win at Bournemouth brought De Gea his 17th shut-out of the campaign, taking him clear of Liverpool’s Alisson Becker, as well as helping the team to within a point of Champions League qualification.

De Gea has been at fault several times this season, most recently in gifting West Ham a goal in a 1-0 defeat at the London Stadium and as the team crashed out of the Europa League against Sevilla.

Yet against Bournemouth he gave a reminder that his shot-stopping ability and reflexes remain undiminished, making three excellent saves from Dominic Solanke, David Brooks and Kieffer Moore to preserve United’s lead.

Ten Hag agreed that De Gea has been a key factor in the team’s defensive record, which is the third best in the league, but emphasised it has been a group effort.

He also singled out central defenders Victor Lindelof and Raphael Varane in helping United to back-to back clean sheets that have now virtually secured their place in the top four.

“A clean sheet is always very important to be successful in a season,” said Ten Hag.

“I think it’s telling something about our structure, our plan, and it’s telling also something about dedication from the team. The belief they had in this plan and how they execute it.

“Of course we have some individual great players in pressing, in the defending. In the end also a very good goalkeeper who will save you in one-on-ones and shots.

“If you’re talking about clean sheets, it’s across the whole team, but centre-halves are very important.

“I think they played a really focussed game, really well defended, but I think over many games in April and May it’s Victor together with Rafa is doing great; positioning, duelling. Very good.”

United’s win was secured courtesy of Casemiro’s brilliantly improvised goal in the ninth minute, hooking the ball into the roof of the net after Christian Eriksen’s fine cross had deflected off defender Marcos Senesi.

The victory at the Vitality Stadium did not find the visitors at their best but nevertheless Ten Hag said he was impressed with his side’s work with the ball in Bournemouth’s half, particularly in the opening 25 minutes.

“We emphasise a lot and we train a lot (that) it’s about the movements when we are in the final third,” he said.

“The movements of course have to come first from the front line, second line just behind, but also from the third one with full-backs, with Casemiro coming from there.

“The movement is great (for the goal), the touch from Christian Eriksen I think is great, and the finish is brilliant.”

Lionel Messi has paid for Paris Saint-Germain's "obsession" with winning the Champions League, suggests Ander Herrera.

Messi moved to Parc des Princes in 2021 from Barcelona, and helped PSG to a Ligue 1 success in his first season.

PSG are on the brink of retaining their crown, though Messi's future at the club is far from certain.

Messi has been unable to drag PSG closer to their ultimate goal – winning the Champions League. Earlier in May, Messi was targeted by sections of the club's fanbase after he was suspended for taking an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia.

Herrera, who played with Messi last season, sees the PSG's dogmatic pursuit of European glory as the main issue. 

"I was admiring Leo before [I knew] him, and after knowing him, I admire him even more as footballer and as a person," he told Stats Perform.

"I understand that Paris is a place that [does] not have much patience. There is an obsession to win the Champions League that doesn't help.

"I think that [they are] the only team in the world that, if [they] do not win the Champions League, it is a failure. All the rest can [have] good seasons without winning [it].

"In Paris, this patience and calm does not exist. You perceive that there is an obsession to win the Champions League, and at the end, who pays for it?

"[It is] the best ones [in] the team. They are the ones that receive the [criticism]."

Herrera also weighed in on speculation over the future of his former Manchester United team-mate David De Gea, amid questions over the goalkeeper's place at Old Trafford.

De Gea has come in for criticism after several key errors this term, but yet also claimed the Golden Glove once again for his Premier League performances.

The Spaniard's contract runs out at the end of the season, but includes an option for a further year, and Herrera feels United would be foolish to not keep his compatriot on.

"Of course David should continue," he added. "He has the record [for most clean sheets] in the club's history.

"He has been, four or five years, the best [in] the Premier League. A couple of mistakes won't affect his performance and his wining mentality."

Erik ten Hag threw his backing behind David De Gea despite the slip which loosened Manchester United’s grip on the final Champions League place.

Goalkeeper De Gea is in talks over a new contract at Old Trafford, but he did not exactly enhance his negotiating position after letting let Said Benrahma’s hopeful shot from 20 yards bounce over his glove to condemn United to a 1-0 defeat at West Ham.

They now lie just one point ahead of a rapidly advancing Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand, after an eighth defeat on the road this season and a second in four days following the last-gasp loss at Brighton.

“Frustrating? Yes, I’ve seen it in the same way. I think we started well, dictated the game, created chances, didn’t take them and then one mistake,” said United boss Ten Hag.

“Twice individual mistakes and you lose games. But it is what it is. Now we have a full week, we have to reset, reload and keep going.

“(De Gea) has the most clean sheets in the Premier League, we would not be in this position without him. No concerns. It happens but as a team you have to deal with it, show character and resilience.

“We want him to stay and to extend his contract.”

Lukasz Fabianski made late saves from Marcus Rashford and Anthony Martial but Ten Hag’s side offered little in their 57th match of a gruelling season which, as well as Liverpool, might just be catching up with them.

But Ten Hag insisted: “Nothing changed. We could have made it easier with a win. We need three wins from four games, everything is in our hands.

“Tiredness is in your head. If you have the willingness you can take it. It’s up to the players and staff to be together, to get the willingness in that we can take it.

United’s defeat could prove as costly for the visitors as it was priceless for West Ham, who climbed seven points above the relegation zone and are surely now safe.

It was a first victory over his former club for Hammers manager David Moyes since he was in charge at Everton, in August 2012, and a huge boost ahead of this weeks Europa Conference League semi-final against AZ Alkmaar.

“It’s a huge step, getting three points is huge against whoever but against Manchester United was massive for us,” said Moyes.

“It’s a great result going into a European semi-final and we’ll take a lot of confidence from it. We have another big challenge and we are looking forward to it.”

Hammers skipper Declan Rice put in another terrific display, showing just why the likes of United, Arsenal and Chelsea are constantly being linked with him this summer.

“He was outstanding tonight. He’s great across the ground, very quick. I’m pleased, but not surprised,” added Moyes.

“That’s why he’s probably the best England midfield player around – and he’s going to be extremely expensive if anyone comes in for him.”

David De Gea’s slip loosened Manchester United’s grip on the final Champions League place as they were beaten 1-0 at West Ham.

De Gea let Said Benrahma’s hopeful shot from 20 yards slip over his glove to condemn Erik Ten Hag’s side to back-to-back defeats.

They now lie just one point ahead of a rapidly advancing Liverpool, albeit with a game in hand.

But an eighth defeat on the road this season could prove as costly for the visitors as it was priceless for West Ham, who climbed seven points above the relegation zone and are surely now safe.

De Gea’s evening began inauspiciously when his poor clearance flew to the feet of Declan Rice, whose run into the area was only curtailed by a last-ditch tackle from Wout Weghorst.

Marcus Rashford curled over for the visitors while Bruno Fernandes and Antony fizzed low shots narrowly wide.

Christian Eriksen’s effort also floated too high before Rashford cut inside Thilo Kehrer and crashed his shot against the outside of the near post.

The goal arrived in the 29th minute and it is not one De Gea will want to see again.

Benrahma had few options as he drove forward with Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Victor Lindelof and Luke Shaw for company.

The Algerian tried his luck from 20 yards but his shot lacked any real menace and De Gea should have made a routine save.

But the ball seemed to spin away from the Spaniard as he attempted to push it away, and instead it rolled almost apologetically into the net.

Ten Hag’s men tried to hit straight back and Antony’s shot flicked the heel of Nayef Aguerd before clipping the far post.

But the visitors had a lucky escape in first-half stoppage time when Benrahma broke through again.

De Gea saved the winger’s initial shot and his attempt to turn the rebound back into the box clearly hit the hand of Lindelof.

If anything the Swedish defender got a better hand to it than his goalkeeper did for the goal, but the penalty appeals were waved away with the VAR apparently seeing nothing untoward.

United got away with another after the break when De Gea went down as he was challenged by Michail Antonio, the West Ham striker hooking the ball in only to be pulled up for a foul.

Weghorst had United’s first shot on target as the hour mark approached, a tame effort from the edge of the box which was straight at Lukasz Fabianski.

But West Ham, eager to put their relegation worries to bed with a Europa League Conference semi-final to look forward to, sensed something special and Tomas Soucek’s volley hit a post before the Czech midfielder’s header was ruled out for offside.

Fabianski made late saves from Rashford and Anthony Martial but Ten Hag’s side offered little in their 57th match of a gruelling season which, along with Liverpool, might just be catching up with them.

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag paid tribute to David de Gea for bouncing back from a difficult game against Sevilla in Sunday's FA Cup semi-final penalties win over Brighton and Hove Albion.

De Gea was generally seen as culpable for all three of Sevilla's goals in Thursday's 3-0 defeat, which sealed United's elimination from the Europa League at the quarter-final stage.

But three days later he made several excellent saves to deny Brighton, with those stops ultimately contributing to the game going to penalties.

While De Gea never got particularly close to any of Brighton's spot-kicks, United did progress to the final thanks to emerging 7-6 victors, with Solly March blazing over before Victor Lindelof sealed the Seagulls' fate.

United's collective performance may not have been spectacular, but the improvement from Thursday was significant – including De Gea.

"I think he had two brilliant saves and know that he's a world-class keeper," Ten Hag said. "Thursday, he had a really bad day at the office, and it hurt.

"Really bad [day in the] office I have seen, but it's always when you are the keeper and you make mistakes, often you get penalised.

"But it doesn't mean that we have to go under. And also, we as a team, we let him down [against Sevilla] and we didn't fight back on Thursday.

"[Criticism] was justified on Thursday but, today, the lads deserve compliments and credit because they bounced back once again, they showed character.

"What we have to learn and improve, which must be our next step, is that if we have a setback in a game, we fight back in that same game, that we keep calm and fight back in that same game.

"We have to deal with setbacks and we can do it better but in between games, and it's not the first time, we do it very well."

Manchester City await United in the final, making it the first ever Manchester derby in the FA Cup showpiece.

United will go into the contest as considerable outsiders, though Ten Hag pointed to their 2-1 win in January's derby as evidence they can defeat Pep Guardiola's treble-chasers.

"We have proof that we can beat them but then we have to play the perfect game," Ten Hag continued.

"That was the most perfect game we played this season [winning the derby in January] but we have to go again.

"We know that but, first of all, we have to focus on different games because we have to be in the top four, to get into the Champions League for next season."

Lionel Messi's club future remains uncertain, with his Paris Saint-Germain contract at the end of this season.

The two parties have not reached any agreement on a new deal, while there has been speculation linking the 35-year-old with a return to Barcelona.

Messi has also been linked with big-money moves to clubs in Saudi Arabia and the United States.

TOP STORY – PSG WILLING TO MOVE ON FROM MESSI

Paris Saint-Germain are willing to let Lionel Messi exit on a free transfer in the upcoming off-season, reports the Sunday Mirror.

Contract talks between Messi and PSG have stalled in the months following Argentina's World Cup triumph, having reportedly been close to penning an extension.

The report claims PSG are "in no rush" to extend Messi's deal as interest, with president Nasser Al-Khelaifi looking to run the club in a more sustainable way, relying less on star power.

ROUND-UP

– Bayern Munich's number one striker target in the off-season remains Napoli's Victor Osimhen following talks with officials and new boss Thomas Tuchel, claims BILD. The German champions are also keen on Tottenham's Harry Kane, Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani.

– Barcelona are considering off-season moves for Chelsea duo N'Golo Kante and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang , reports The Mirror.

– Fabrizio Romano claims Liverpool and Manchester United will both hold talks with Brighton and Hove Albion midfielder Alexis Mac Allister will take place "very soon".

– Brentford’s David Raya, Porto’s Diogo Costa and Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili are all on Manchester United's goalkeeper shortlist to replace David De Gea, according to GiveMeSport.

– Football Insider claims Aston Villa are readying a £55m combined bid for Manchester City pair Kyle Walker and Kalvin Phillips.

– Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou is on Chelsea's shortlist to be their new permanent manager, reports The Guardian.

Manchester City are reportedly keeping a close eye on Chelsea midfielder Mateo Kovacic as a potential replacement for Ilkay Gundogan.

Kovacic, 28, has been a regular starter since arriving from Real Madrid in a £40million transfer back in 2019, but significant upheaval has seen him fighting for his spot in Chelsea's best XI.

With nine substitute appearances among his 23 Premier League outings this season, Kovacic's future at Stamford Bridge is up in the air as he prepares to enter the final year of his current contract.

While City are said to be serious about their pursuit of Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham, it may not stop them making a move for Kovacic, who they purportedly believe could slide in seamlessly in Gundogan's place.

TOP STORY – CITY CONSIDER KOVACIC AS BELLINGHAM REMAINS THE PRIORITY

According to GiveMeSport, City are closely monitoring Kovacic's contract situation, and if no extension arrives he could be a prime candidate for Chelsea to ship off.

Further reporting from the Evening Standard adds that Chelsea are planning a "major overhaul" of their squad before June 30 in a race to comply with financial fair play rules.

That newspaper does not mention Kovacic as one of the likely departures, instead naming Christian Pulisic, Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Conor Gallagher, Romelu Lukaku, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mason Mount.

City are reportedly not dissuaded by Dortmund's asking price of around £125m for English super-prospect Bellingham, but there has been no indication the teenager would sign off on the move among interest from the world's biggest clubs.

ROUND-UP

– Calciomercato is reporting Napoli have marked 21-year-old Atlanta United winger and World Cup winner with Argentina Thiago Almada as their top transfer priority.

– According to Sport, Barcelona and Inter are in favour of a potential swap deal that would send 26-year-old midfielder Franck Kessie to Italy in return for 30-year-old Marcelo Brozovic.

– David de Gea is on the verge of signing a contract extension with Manchester United, per Forbes.

– Gazzetta dello Sport is reporting Chelsea, United and Paris Saint-Germain target Victor Osimhen will require a €150m (£132m) bid to pry away from Napoli.

– According to TalkSPORT, Aston Villa have renewed their interest in 22-year-old Arsenal talent Emile Smith Rowe after having a £30m bid turned down in 2021.

Erik ten Hag has few concerns about Manchester United defensively and is instead focused on improving their attack as his side head to Sevilla on Thursday.

United have been without a number of key men at the back, including Lisandro Martinez, who will miss the remainder of the season.

Martinez sustained a broken metatarsal in last week's 2-2 draw at home to Sevilla in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final.

Own goals from Tyrell Malacia and Harry Maguire saw United improbably throw away a two-goal lead at Old Trafford, yet Ten Hag is not worried about a repeat.

He is looking to see United make progress in front of goal after a succession of wasteful performances. They have underperformed their xG in seven consecutive Premier League games, falling short by 1.5 in each of their past two outings.

"Our organisation all over the pitch is quite good. We need to do better attacking," Ten Hag explained, adding: "I am confident that we can score goals tomorrow."

The return of Marcus Rashford would aid Ten Hag's cause, with the forward "available" after travelling with the team but set to be the subject of a matchday decision on his fitness.

Impressing at the other end of the pitch, meanwhile, is David de Gea, despite a difficult start to life under Ten Hag.

The goalkeeper's limited ability playing out with his feet caused problems in the early weeks of the season and appeared to indicate he was ill-suited to the manager's tactics.

But De Gea has remained United's number one and leads the Golden Glove race with 14 Premier League clean sheets.

"Stopping goals, that is the main job for a goalkeeper," Ten Hag said.

"Everyone has their own particular style. Nowadays, in possession, it has become more and more important at top levels.

"But at the end of the day it is about stopping goals, shots, crosses, one-on-ones. I think David is a complete goalkeeper."

There is no margin for error when it comes to selecting your fantasy team with just six weeks of the Premier League season to go.

Whether you are battling to win the league, striving to climb off the bottom or desperate to catch or family member above you, it is vital to pick up precious points before it’s too late.

While you may have been picking up points galore in recent weeks and reluctant to make changes, be wary of missing out by keeping the faith.

Using Opta data, Stats Perform have picked out four players to get in your team for the latest set of matches.

David de Gea (Nottingham Forest v Manchester United)

Manchester United goalkeeper De Gea has the joint-highest number of top-flight clean sheets this season, racking up 13 along with Newcastle United's Nick Pope.

Seven of the Spaniard's shutouts have come in 2023 and that can rise to eight when the Red Devils face struggling Nottingham Forest on Sunday.

Forest have failed to score in all three games against United so far this season, with De Gea playing in two of those matches.

Trent Alexander-Arnold (Leeds United v Liverpool)

Liverpool full-back Alexander-Arnold produced a third assist this year for Roberto Firmino to equalise late in a pulsating 2-2 draw with leaders Arsenal last Sunday.

Only Kieran Trippier (420) and Kevin De Bruyne (298) have played more passes into the opposition box than the England international's 287 this season.

Alexander-Arnold has provided assists in each of his previous two trips to Leeds United in the top flight and, with the Whites suffering a 5-1 hammering at home to Crystal Palace last time out, he can capitalise on their defensive frailties on Monday.

Michael Olise (Southampton v Crystal Palace)

Olise caused Leeds all sorts of problems in that rout at Elland Road on Sunday, becoming only the second Palace player to provide three assists in a Premier League match.

Leeds were unable to contain winger Olise, who has produced 13 assists since the start of last season. Only De Bruyne has more assists than Olise per 90 minutes of the players who have featured in at least 3,000 minutes during that time.

Olise can torment bottom-of-the-table Southampton at St Mary's on Saturday.

Ivan Toney (Wolves v Brentford)

Brentford striker Toney has scored 18 Premier League goals and provided four assists this season.

Only Erling Haaland (35) and Harry Kane (25) have more goal involvements in the division in the 2022-23 campaign.

Toney has scored twice and laid one goal on in his Premier League encounters with Wolves, a tally he can add to at Molineux on Saturday.

Arsenal, Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain are among the heavy hitters with reported interest in out-of-favour Real Madrid midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni.

Tchouameni arrived in Madrid last July from Monaco for a €100million fee, but has started just 15 of 26 LaLiga fixtures this term, and played only a combined six minutes in their two-legged Champions League clash with Liverpool, whom he reportedly turned down to move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The defensive midfielder has found himself behind 20-year-old Eduardo Camavinga for Madrid's most crucial contests, also only making brief substitute appearances in both meetings with Barcelona in March.

Tchouameni, who has made 23 senior appearances and scored two international goals for France, still has plenty of time to turn himself into the impact player Madrid envisioned, but the club are reportedly weighing up if they could cash in and use the resources elsewhere.

TOP STORY – EUROPE'S ELITE KEEP A CLOSE EYE ON TCHOUAMENI

According to El Nacional, Madrid are not happy with such an expensive signing only being used sparingly in a rotation role, and will consider any bid in the next transfer window starting at €70m (£61.5m).

The report names Arsenal, United, Paris Saint-Germain, Liverpool and Chelsea as Tchouameni's "admirers", with the Premier League clubs in particular having all been in the market recently for help in central midfield.

Tchouameni could even cost less than breakout Brighton and Hove Albion star Moises Caicedo, and significantly less than Borussia Dortmund talent Jude Bellingham, adding another key name into the mix for midfielder-hungry clubs this offseason.

ROUND-UP

– According to Calciomercato, Liverpool are considering a move for Brighton's Caicedo if their pursuit of Bellingham is unsuccessful.

– Football Insider is reporting that Chelsea are hoping to receive £100m in return for midfield duo Mason Mount and Mateo Kovacic in an effort to balance the books after lavish spending.

– Chelsea's Kai Havertz has interest in reuniting with former boss Thomas Tuchel at Bayern Munich, and that interest is mutual according to 90min.

– Fichajes is reporting that Roma may swoop for 32-year-old United goalkeeper David de Gea if he does not sign a new contract to stay in the Premier League.

– According to Mundo Deportivo, PSG have told Lionel Messi they will pay whatever is necessary to retain his services amid heavy interest from Barcelona and Inter Miami.

Real Madrid need a transition plan as captain Karim Benzema heads towards his late thirties, and that could lead them to making a summer swoop for a new forward.

There has been plenty of speculation about Mohamed Salah's future with Liverpool over the past few months, even with the 30-year-old Egyptian being contracted to the Reds until 2025.

Rumours have continued to emerge about a possible move, but Madrid also reportedly have their eye on Victor Osimhen, Harry Kane and Rasmus Hojlund as they consider various options.

TOP STORY – REAL MADRID WANT A NEW STRIKER

Real Madrid might see Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah as an option for an off-season transfer, claims Defensa Central.

The report claims Los Blancos could consider Salah while they also look at other possible acquisitions, including Napoli's Serie A top scorer Victor Osimhen and Tottenham's ever-prolific Harry Kane.

Karim Benzema turns 36 later this year, and Madrid will need other proven frontline options for when the Frenchman steps away from the spotlight.

Rasmus Hojlund, who has settled in well at Atalanta this season, is also said to be admired at Madrid, no doubt helped by him scoring five goals in his first two starts for Denmark during the recent international break.

ROUND-UP

– The Guardian claims Mason Mount is open to a move to German champions Bayern Munich amid swirling rumours about their new boss Thomas Tuchel's interest in a reunion. Mount and Chelsea have reportedly reached a stalemate in their discussions on a new contract. Tuchel left Chelsea in September.

– Manchester City have identified Borussia Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko as a target, reports Football Transfers. The report claims City are fearing Erling Haaland's exit but could use any incoming funds to facilitate a move for the Dortmund forward.

– David de Gea has rejected Manchester United's initial new contract offer which he believes is not adequate, according to The Athletic. The 32-year-old Spanish goalkeeper is out of contract at the end of this season, with United proposing a pay cut in his new deal. The report states an agreement on new terms is expected to be reached.

– Bayern are not interested in either of West Ham's Declan Rice or Chelsea's Mateo Kovacic, reports Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg.