MX23RW : Saturday, December 14 03:04:31| >> :120:10936:10936:

Thursday's paper talk: Dayot Upamecano, Raphael Varane, Georginio Wijnaldum

Thursday's paper talk: Dayot Upamecano, Raphael Varane, Georginio Wijnaldum
© Reuters
The chasing pack for Dayot Upamecano has thinned out, while a move to England may be in Raphael Varane's future.

What the papers say

Liverpool and Manchester United have been given a boost in their pursuit of RB Leipzig defender Dayot Upamecano. The Daily Mirror, citing a report from German publication Bild, says the 22-year-old will be too expensive for Bayern Munich to afford, leaving room for the two Premier League giants to battle it out for his signature.

The Manchester Evening News reports United have an opportunity to sign Raphael Varane from Real Madrid. The 27-year-old centre-back's valuation is believed to have dropped below the £100m-threshold the club previously claimed they would be willing to spend on a suitable fit for the position.

Burnley v Tottenham Hotspur – Premier League – Turf Moor
A number of clubs are believed to be interested in Burnley's Jack Cork (Martin Rickett/PA)

A host of English clubs have reportedly expressed an interest in making a move for Burnley's English midfielder Jack Cork. According to the Daily Mirror, Brighton, Newcastle and Sheffield United are circling the 31-year-old, who is out of contract at Turf Moor at the end of the season.

Real Madrid striker Mariano has reportedly been given the green light for a loan move to West Ham. The Daily Mail says Bernabeu boss Zinedine Zidane is prepared to let the 27-year-old go in January, with the Hammers believed to be a good fit for all the involved parties.

Social media round-up

Players to watch

Manchester City v Liverpool – Premier League – Etihad Stadium
Real Madrid and Barcelona are both seeking the signature of Liverpool's Georginio Wijnaldum (Clive Brunskill/PA)

Georginio Wijnaldum: Real Madrid will challenge Barcelona for the 30-year-old midfielder, according to Italian publication Corriere Dello Sport.

David Alaba: AS reports the 28-year-old defender is Real Madrid's number one target if Sergio Ramos decides to leave the club.

Eric Garcia: Spanish publication Marca says Barcelona's chances of signing the Spanish defender have taken a blow, with Manchester City unlikely to lower their valuation of 20m euros (£17.8m).

ID:422818: cacheID:422818:1false2false3false:QQ:: from db desktop :LenBod:restore:7369:
Written by
P A
Restore Data
Share this article now:
Erling Braut Haaland in action for Borussia Dortmund on October 24, 2020
Read Next:
Monday's papers: Erling Braut Haaland, Lautaro Martinez, Antonio Rudiger
>
rhs 2.0
Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Liverpool14112129111835
2Chelsea1594235181731
3Arsenal1585229151429
4Manchester CityMan City158342721627
5Nottingham ForestNott'm Forest157441918125
6Aston Villa157442323025
7Brighton & Hove AlbionBrighton156632522324
8Bournemouth157352320324
9Brentford157263128323
10Fulham156542220223
11Tottenham HotspurSpurs1562731191220
12Newcastle UnitedNewcastle155551921-220
13Manchester UnitedMan Utd155461918119
14West Ham UnitedWest Ham155372028-818
15Everton143561421-714
16Leicester CityLeicester153572130-914
17Crystal Palace152761420-613
18Ipswich TownIpswich151681427-139
19Wolverhampton WanderersWolves1523102338-159
20Southampton1512121131-205


Sports Mole provides in-depth previews and predictions for every match from the biggest leagues and competitions in world football.
Argentina's Lionel Messi kisses the World Cup trophy after collecting the Golden Ball award on December 18, 2022Sign up for our FREE daily preview newsletter direct to your inbox!