Wages windfall
Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Christian Eriksen is a “high priority summer target” for Manchester United.
That’s according to the Daily Mirror, which claims that the Old Trafford board is “willing to treble” Eriksen’s wages in order to secure his signature.
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The Danish playmaker currently earns £80,000-a-week at Spurs but United are reportedly ready to offer him terms of £240,000-a-week.
Apparently United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has discussed a move for Eriksen with the club’s executive vice chairman Ed Woodward, and he’s got the go-ahead to try and “lure” the Spurs star to Manchester.
A replacement for Pogba?
Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has said in the past that he would never sell the Dane, but Eriksen is in the final 15 months of his contract and if Spurs don’t sell in the summer they could see him leave on a free transfer.
To date he has kept his options open by refusing to commit to a new Tottenham deal, and the 27-year-old has in the past been linked to Real Madrid.
But it’s believed Bernabeu boss Zinedine Zidane has other transfer plans this summer - namely Chelsea star Eden Hazard and United’s own Paul Pogba - and if the latter heads to Spain Eriksen would be a strong replacement.
Rivals battle for Wan-Bissaka
Crystal Palace right-back Aaron Wan-Bissaka is being pursued with gusto by both United and rivals Manchester City.
The 21-year-old is just the sort of rising young star that Solskjaer wants to bring to Old Trafford, but the defender, who comes with a £40m price tag, also fits Pep Guardiola’s bill for City.
The Daily Mail claims that as the Sky Blues “prepare for the possibility of a transfer ban” because of ongoing Uefa investigations into their past recruitment of young overseas players, Guardiola wants to increase the number of homegrown players in his squad.
Real not after Felix
Were United to lose out to City in the battle to sign Wan-Bissaka they could seek solace in another star of the future.
Described by Spanish paper AS as a “Benfica starlet”, Joao Felix has been scouted by United and Real Madrid this season after a string of eye-catching displays for the Portuguese outfit.
But AS reports that the 19-year-old striker has been passed over by Real and Zinedine Zidane is “not planning to try to take him to the Bernabeu”. That leaves the way clear for United and a bid is expected for the youngster in the summer.
Lyon ace a target
Finally, the Daily Express says that Solskjaer is “eyeing a surprise move” for Lyon ace Moussa Dembele.
The French frontman left Celtic for Lyon last summer, despite interest from Arsenal, and apparently the United boss admires Dembele’s work ethic and strike rate.
The 22-year-old has scored 18 times for Lyon this season and the Express says United have been keeping tabs on him in recent weeks.
Premier League results
- Leicester City 0 Newcastle United 1
- Tottenham Hotspur 4 Huddersfield Town 0
- Brighton & Hove Albion 0 AFC Bournemouth 5
- Burnley 2 Cardiff City 0
- Fulham 2 Everton 0
- Southampton 3 Wolverhampton Wanderers 1
- Manchester United 2 West Ham United 1
- Crystal Palace 1 Manchester City 3
- Liverpool 2 Chelsea 0
Premier League fixtures
Monday 15 April
Tuesday 16 April
- Brighton & Hove Albion vs. Cardiff City (7.45pm)
Saturday 20 April (3pm unless stated)
- Manchester City vs. Tottenham Hotspur (12.30, live on Sky Sports)
- AFC Bournemouth vs. Fulham
- Huddersfield Town vs. Watford
- West Ham United vs. Leicester City
- Wolverhampton Wanderers vs. Brighton & Hove Albion
- Newcastle United vs. Southampton (5.30pm, live on BT Sport)
Sunday 21 April
- Everton vs. Manchester United (1.30pm, live on Sky Sports)
- Arsenal vs. Crystal Palace (4pm)
- Cardiff City vs. Liverpool (4pm, live on Sky Sports)
Monday 22 April
- Chelsea vs. Burnley (8pm, live on Sky Sports)
