Football rumours from the media

What the papers say

Manchester City are said to be plotting a world-record £200million raid for Kylian Mbappe in January. The Sun reports that the move would beat the fee that Paris St Germain paid Barcelona for Neymar in 2017 and Pep Guardiola believes the 19-year-old can take the club to Champions League glory. The Frenchman has also been linked with Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Jose Mourinho‘s future at Manchester United continues to be the topic of speculation following the team’s poor start to the season. According to The Sun, the under-fire manager is resigned to his fate and is convinced club officials have sounded out former Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane to replace him. The Daily Mirror reports that Mourinho’s precarious position has left 12 players unsure of their futures, with the likes of David De Gea, Anthony Martial and Luke Shaw all in the final year of their deals.

Meanwhile, Alexis Sanchez’s future at Manchester United is also said to be in serious doubt. The Mirror reports that the 29-year-old forward was stunned after he failed to even make the bench for the disastrous defeat at West Ham, and that there is a feeling he regrets his move to Old Trafford in January.

Liverpool will lead the chase for Arsenal midfielder Aaron Ramsey, the Mirror says. The paper claims Jurgen Klopp attempted to sign the 27-year-old during the last transfer window and will return to try again. The Welshman has also been linked with Juventus and AC Milan.

Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden will be kept waiting before being offered a new five-year contract, the Daily Star reports. Etihad bosses are willing to draw up new terms believed to be worth £25,000 per week, the paper says, but want to keep the 18-year-old’s feet firmly on the ground and are in no rush to sign off on the deal.

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Players to watch

Sergej Milinkovic-Savic: The 23-year-old Lazio midfielder is reportedly being eyed up by three Premier League clubs. Scouts from Tottenham, Manchester City and Liverpool were present last Sunday to see him score in his side’s 4-1 victory over Genoa, the Mirror says. The Spaniard has previously been linked with Manchester United.

Declan Rice: The West Ham midfielder has impressed England with his recent displays and Gareth Southgate will be given a glowing appraisal of the 19-year-old this week, the Daily Mail reports. The paper says it understands the the Football Association has been given significant encouragement that Rice wants to switch allegiance from the Republic of Ireland to England.