The Premier League's finest will be dismayed to hear that Barcelona have got their beady eye on Paul Pogba, but is that because Chelsea are poised to deprive the Spanish giants of Lionel Messi in the summer? Transfer Talk dishes the dirt on the latest tittle-tattle.
• If Metro has its facts correct then Chelsea "have been cleared to sign Lionel Messi" at the end of the season. The paper claims that the Barcelona goal machine is weighing up his options after allegedly becoming unsettled at the Camp Nou, and then mentions the sum of ￡200m as the likely transfer fee for the Argentine ace. It's believed that Messi wants to take up the challenge of playing in the Premier League and Chelsea are prepared to pay the astronomical sum "all up front" in order to secure his signature.
• Barcelona will have their sporting director Ariedo Braida in Germany tonight to watch Paul Pogba in action for Juventus against Borussia Dortmund. That comes as a blow to Arsenal, Man Utd and Chelsea, who were apparently all keen to sign the French star. The same three clubs have also been frustrated in their efforts to lure Mauro Icardi away from Inter Milan, the Daily Express reports. He will now remain in Italy.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
• Former Dutch international Ruud Gullit says compatriot Louis van Gaal is "crazy" about Mats Hummels and wants to sign the Borussia Dortmund defender in the summer. Reporting the revelation, the Manchester Evening News claims that the United manager missed out on landing the 26-year-old Hummels last summer but will "launch a new bid" in June. According to Gullit, van Gaal has made it his "priority" to sign a rock solid central defender for next season and he wants no one more than he wants Hummels.
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
Texas and Yelp are suing each other over crisis pregnancy centersTalking Point A battle over free speech and abortion rights heads to court
-
Dianne Feinstein, history-making Democratic US senator, dies at 90
The Explainer Her colleagues celebrate her legacy as a trailblazer who cleared the path for other women to follow
-
Why is the government on the brink of a shutdown?
Today's Big Question GOP infighting is bringing the country to a standstill, but even Republicans aren't entirely sure why
-
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Talking Point The 21-year-old footballer’s possible return has provoked an outpouring of dismay from supporters
-
2023-2024 Premier League predictions: champions, relegation and golden boot
feature A look at the top flight talking points and pundit picks for the new season
-
Man City: can ‘one of the best sides in history’ win the treble?
feature Guardiola’s Premier League champions have two more trophies in their sights
-
Premier League: Man City vs. Arsenal predictions
feature What the pundits say about tonight’s title race showdown at the Etihad
-
Antonio Conte leaves Tottenham after ‘extraordinary’ rant at players
feature After another year without a trophy, Spurs are now searching for a new manager
-
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
feature Anfield’s ‘new front three’ were on fire in the humbling of their bitter rivals
-
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devils
feature United lifted their first silverware since 2017 after beating Newcastle at Wembley
-
Man City’s financial charges: what next for the Premier League champions?
feature The club is alleged to have breached financial rules around 100 times over a nine-year period
