Rumours have been growing in recent days that the Frenchman wants out of Old Trafford sooner rather than later, and the paper says that he and the Red Devils are “desperate” to go their separate ways this month.
The Sun namechecks Real Madrid as Pogba’s likely destination, although the move “could depend on the future of Toni Kroos with the German potentially moving the other way”.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
United had slapped a £180m price tag on Pogba last summer but he could leave for closer to £100m with Kroos thrown in as a sweetener.
2. Reds march towards title
Liverpool have extended their lead at the top of the Premier League to a massive 13 points after a 2-0 victory over Sheffield United at Anfield last night.
Jurgen Klopp’s men, who have a game in hand on their title rivals, have not lost in the league for one year.
The Daily Mirror reports that Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been urged to make the North the centre of Britain’s bid to host the 2030 Fifa World Cup.
Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “The North of England is arguably the strongest football heartland in the world. To the world footballing community, the pull would be immense. The Government needs to turn their words about the North into proper commitments.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine.Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
4. Webb available for Wales’s Six Nations defence
BBC Sport reports that scrum-half Rhys Webb will be available for Wales’s defence of the Six Nations rugby championship after announcing he will return to the Ospreys from French club Toulon.
A statement said: “The Welsh Rugby Union can confirm Rhys Webb will be eligible for selection for the 2020 Guinness Six Nations. It was announced earlier this week that Top 14 side Toulon had agreed to Webb’s early release from his contract for family reasons.”
5. Double injury blow for Villa
Premier League side Aston Villa have been dealt a double injury blow with news that goalkeeper Tom Heaton and striker Wesley will miss the rest of the season. Both players are set for six to nine months out after suffering knee ligament damage.
(Image credit: Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)
6. Mayweather’s in the money
American boxing icon Floyd “Money” Mayweather has taken top spot on Forbes’s list of the highest-paid sports stars from 2010 to 2019.
In the past decade Mayweather raked in $915m (£698.3m) to finish ahead of football stars Cristiano Ronaldo ($800m/£610.5m) and Lionel Messi ($750m/£572.4m).
Team GB short track speed skating star Elise Christie is to take a break from social media in a bid to improve her mental health.
The 29-year-old wrote on Instagram: “I messed up [last] year so much. I let the depression and anxiety turn me into something I wasn’t more times than I’d have liked. I’m going to take a break from social media for a while.”
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine.Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
8. Zlatan: I am not a Rossoneri mascot
Zlatan Ibrahimovic insists that he has not returned to AC Milan to be a “mascot” for the struggling Italian giants.
The 38-year-old Swede, who has signed a six-month deal at the San Siro, said: “I’ve been looking for one final rush of adrenaline to give it my all. I received even more calls after the game against Atalanta [which Milan lost 5-0].
“I didn’t come here to be a Rossoneri mascot. I’ve never lost my passion.”
9. F1 pays tribute to Schumi on his 51st birthday
Formula 1 teams Mercedes and Ferrari have used social media to send their best wishes to Michael Schumacher on his 51st birthday.
In December 2013 the seven-time world champion fell and hit his head in a skiing accident and spent six months in a coma. Since then he has been cared for at his home near Lake Geneva in Switzerland.
The news that England batsman Rory Burns is out of the rest of the Test series against South Africa after damaging his left ankle playing football draws a sharp rebuke from Michael Vaughan in The Daily Telegraph.
The former England cricket captain turned pundit says the loss of Burns - who has brought some much needed stability to the top of the batting order - is a “terrible blow” to England’s chances of winning the series.
The second Test started this morning in Cape Town.
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––For analysis of the biggest sport stories - and a concise, balanced take on the week’s news - try The Week magazine.Start your trial today –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Explore More
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Today's political cartoons - December 21, 2024
Three fun, festive activities to make the magic happen this Christmas Day
The best books of 2024 to give this Christmas
Why Man United finally lost patience with ten Hag
Manchester United and Mason Greenwood: duty of care or double standards?
Liverpool 7 Man Utd 0: ‘welcome to Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool 2.0’
Man Utd win the Carabao Cup: how Erik ten Hag has ‘transformed’ the Red Devils
Jim Ratcliffe: petrochemical billionaire turned Man Utd bidder
Reactions to Cristiano Ronaldo’s ‘explosive’ interview with Piers Morgan
Manchester United: does Erik ten Hag have the ‘golden touch’?
