AS ARSENAL prepare to take on Newcastle tonight in a match that, if the Gunners win, would all but seal their place in next season's Champions League, the Daily Mirror reports that Arsene Wenger is eyeing Everton right-back Seamus Coleman.
The Irishman scored one of the Toffees' two own goals in their disastrous defeat to Southampton on Saturday, a result that leaves them in fifth place behind Arsenal, but Coleman's clanger hasn't deterred Wenger. The Mirror claims that Arsenal "would more than double" Coleman's current £30,000-a-week salary, and are cautiously optimistic they will get their man, particularly if they can offer the added incentive of Champions League football next season. Everton for their part are desperate to keep Coleman and will dangle "a bumper new deal" under his nose but it looks like it won't be enough to prevent the defender from moving south to the Emirates.
And why is Wenger so determined to sign Coleman? That's explained in the Daily Mail, which reveals that Bacary Sagna is "set to reject Arsenal's final contract offer" and walk out on the club this summer after eight years of service. Apparently the 31-year-old Frenchman has already knocked back two contract extensions from Arsenal, and the Mail claims it is because Arsenal have refused to increase his pay to £100,000-a-week. Instead, claims the paper, Sagna will join Fenerbahce with the Turkish club willing to meet his exorbitant wage demands.
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Meanwhile, on a miserable Monday morning for Everton fans, the Daily Star claims that Chelsea are "ready to sign" their teenage defender John Stones for £20m. Jose Mourinho, more smug than ever following his side's surprise 2-0 win away at Liverpool on Sundauy, is apparently ready to offer the 19-year-old Stones a long-term deal worth £55,000 a week although negotiations are allegedly at an impasse because Stones is in the throes of signing with a new agent and until that is finalised Chelsea have put the transfer talks on hold.
The Star also claims an exclusive with the news that Liverpool are "targeting" the Bayer Leverkusen pair of Emre Can and Heung-Min Son. The former is being compared to a young Michael Ballack while Can's South Korea teammate, Heung-Min, is a highly-rated frontman. The Star says that both players come with £12m price tags although the 20-year-old Can, a brilliant playmaker who has already made a name for himself with Germany Under-21, could fetch more if Bayer play hard ball with the Reds.
Finally, Goal.com reports that Schalke defender Sead Kolasinac says he is being courted by Manchester United. With the Red Devils now enjoying life after Moyes, there should be some frenzied activity in the transfer market this summer and the 20-year-old Kolasinac claims he will be in the thick of it. "Yes, I have offer from Manchester United," he told Bosnian newspaper Dnevni Avaz. "But I will not hurry with the decision. I have to see what Schalke think about it." The German-born defender made his international debut against Argentina last year and is seen by United scouts as the man to replace Nemanja Vidic next season.
