Rumour Has It: Juve in pole position to sign Pogba as PSG circle Man Utd star, Theo snubs Man City

By Sports Desk October 31, 2021

What does the future hold for Paul Pogba?

Pogba, who re-joined Manchester United from Juventus in 2016, is set to become a free agent at season's end.

Juve are believed to be trying to lure Pogba back to Italy.

 

TOP STORY – JUVE LEAD RACE FOR POGBA

Juventus are in pole position to re-sign Paul Pogba from Manchester United, according to Sportitalia journalist Rudy Galetti.

Pogba is out of contract at the end of the season and is reportedly not prepared to sign a new contract with United.

The World Cup-winning France international left United for Juventus in 2012 before returning to Old Trafford in 2016.

Le10 Sport, meanwhile, claims Paris Saint-Germain are circling amid interest from Real Madrid also.

 

ROUND-UP

- Diario AS reports Xavi wants to sign Bayern Munich star Kingsley Coman if he is appointed head coach of LaLiga giants Barcelona . Barca great and Al-Sadd boss Xavi is favourite to replace Ronald Koeman.

Theo Hernandez is set to snub a move to Premier League champions Manchester City or Ligue 1 powerhouse PSG in favour of re-signing with Milan, per Calciomercato.

- The Mirror says Newcastle United are struggling to prise Ajax head coach Erik ten Hag from Amsterdam. Also linked to Manchester United amid pressure on manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer , Ten Hag is reluctant to move to Newcastle due to their position in the table.

Inter have planned talks with Marcelo Brozovic regarding a new contract amid interest from PSG , Manchester United , Barca and Atletico Madrid , according to Corriere dello Sport.

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    The Glazer family's tenure in charge at Old Trafford could be nearing a conclusion, having announced in November that they were exploring options for a sale.

    Last week saw visits to the club from Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani's delegation and Jim Ratcliffe, both of whom are the running for a potential takeover – though there could be as many as eight bidders.

    Former United captain Neville is keen for whoever takes charge to invest significantly in the club's infrastructure, including the construction of a new stadium.

    "I think we've got to make sure that whoever the new owners are in the next few months, that they harness what the club's history is about, and also take Manchester United forward into a modern era," he told ITV News.

    "You look back at the past in terms of what we are and what we should be, but also I think we need to be a modern football club, with a new stadium, a new infrastructure.

    "The training ground needs to be brought up to speed and the sporting project needs to be world class.

    "And there needs to be that feeling among the fans again, that everyone's aligned on the same page - they haven't had that for the last eight-to-10-years."

    While United are perceived to have fallen behind to their rivals off the field, significant gains have been made under the stewardship of Erik ten Hag.

    The Dutch boss guided United to League Cup glory in February, the club's first trophy since 2017, with further honours up for grabs with the campaign in the FA Cup and Europa League continuing.

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    "You always have to go to a game feeling that you're going to see something exciting.

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    "You think about how bad it was at the end of last season to what it is now - a huge turnaround."

  • Mbappe 'ticks all the boxes' as Deschamps explains why PSG star is new France captain Mbappe 'ticks all the boxes' as Deschamps explains why PSG star is new France captain

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    The Paris Saint-Germain forward was the outstanding candidate to replace Hugo Lloris, who retired from international duty after the World Cup.

    Mbappe was reportedly told of his appointment by coach Deschamps after a dinner on Monday, and Antoine Griezmann has been confirmed as vice-captain.

    Reports said Griezmann, who turned 32 on Tuesday, was disappointed not to be handed the captaincy, having been a mainstay of the team for many years.

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    Lazio have condemned anti-Semitic behaviour by a number of their supporters during Sunday's Rome derby after Italy's sports minister expressed concerns.

    As well as chanting from fans that sparked a complaint from the Jewish Community of Rome, one fan was seen to be wearing a shirt with the name 'Hitlerson' on its back, along with the number 88, which is used by neo-Nazis as numerical code for 'Heil Hitler'.

    Efforts are under way to identify that Lazio fan, with the club recognising there is a problem. They indicated progress had already been made and said news of investigations would come within hours.

    In January, Lazio were moved to condemned "despicable, shameful and anachronistic" racist abuse aimed at Lecce players Samuel Umtiti and Lameck Banda in a Serie A match.

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    In response to that message, Italy's sports minister Andrea Abodi said: "Impossible to pretend nothing happened. I will do my part, as I feel I have to do. Respect is due and not negotiable!"

    Lazio's Curva Nord was ordered to be closed for a game against Empoli after the abuse dished out to the Lecce players.

    The club issued a statement on Tuesday in which they said Lazio were "at the forefront, especially under the current presidency, in publicly condemning, preventing and unreservedly repressing any discriminatory, racist or anti-Semitic demonstration or action".

    It said the club "dissociates itself from any illegal and anachronistic behaviour of this type, as it is above all an injured party by such behaviour".

    Lazio won the derby 1-0, with three players sent off, including one from each team at the end of the game.

    Lazio said the anti-Semitic conduct amounted to "a dangerous germ" in which many who take part "do not even know the meaning and scope" of their actions.

    The club said they had attempted to "avoid, isolate and contrast these phenomena", saying their commitment is to "inclusion, sportsmanship and respect for all".

    Lazio's actions will be judged along with their words, and the club said they had observers at the Roma match, led by former deputy chief of police Nicolo D'Angelo, looking to identify those responsible.

    The club said: "In the next few hours we will communicate the already positive results of our activity, trusting in the effective collaboration of the institutions responsible for safeguarding democratic rules."

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