Rumour Has It: Real focused on Mbappe not Haaland opening door for Man City swoop

By Sports Desk February 02, 2022

When the next transfer window opens, Erling Haaland's future will be a hot topic.

The 21-year-old striker has two years remaining on his Borussia Dortmund contract.

But there is a £65million (€75m) release clause that enables him to talk to clubs who can meet that valuation from this off-season.

 

TOP STORY - CITY READY TO RAMP UP HAALAND ADVANCES

El Chiringuito claim that Real Madrid's interest in signing Haaland has waned as they focus on landing Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain.

Madrid have been heavily linked with Haaland once his release clause becomes active, along with Barcelona, PSG, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City.

City "will do what they can" to persuade Borussia Dortmund's Erling Haaland to join them in the off-season despite believing they are not front-runners, reports The Athletic.

ROUND-UP

- ESPN claims that Manchester United have asked Paul Pogba to delay a decision on his future until they have appointed a permanent manager. Pogba's contract is up in June and he has been linked with PSG and Juventus.

- Chelsea have shortlisted West Ham United's Declan Rice, Sevilla's Jules Kounde and Monaco's Aurelien Tchouameni as off-season targets, claims The Athletic.

- Newcastle United plan to re-ignite their interest in Lille's 22-year-old defender Sven Botman, who is worth £35m (€42m) according to The Mirror.

- Arsenal turned down approaches from Newcastle and Crystal Palace for Eddie Nketiah in the closing days of the January transfer window reports Fabrizio Romano. Nketiah has six months remaining on his Gunners deal and could sign a pre-contract elsewhere.

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    Jean-Philippe Mateta scored the only goal at Portman Road, where Oliver Glasner's side recorded their first away win of the league campaign.

    The French striker made the decisive impact in the 59th minute, with a neat lofted finish over Arijanet Muric after a swift counter by the visitors.

    Ipswich could not respond and their wait for that elusive first home win since returning to the top flight goes on.

    Palace climb a place to 16th and take their tally to 12 points, which is three more than Kieran McKenna’s side, who stay 19th.

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    Palace could be forgiven for lacking confidence upon arriving at Portman Road. Without a win in four matches – drawing three – Glasner's side had failed to record a success on the road this term.

    Mateta made the difference as he became only the second Palace player to score in four successive Premier League games against newly promoted sides, after Andy Johnson in the 2004-05 season.

    The Eagles held out for their first away clean sheet since their 1-0 win over Liverpool at Anfield in April.

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    “Being part of such an exciting match, such as the Caribbean Cup final, it's really an honor,” said the Trinidad and Tobago native, who has been a pivotal figure for Cavalier throughout the competition.

    “I think this title would mean everything, honestly. I know that last year we came close to winning it, so this year, [we] just want to go one step further and bring it home,” he added.

    The two clubs were evenly matched in the opening leg in Kingston, Jamaica, where Cavalier claimed a narrow 1-0 victory. Shaquille Stein’s decisive strike extended his tournament-leading tally to eight goals, setting the stage for a tantalizing conclusion at Cibao FC Stadium.

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    Hansi Flick's league leaders – who were without a victory in three matches in the competition – netted four times in a dominant second-half performance as they extended their advantage over Real Madrid to four points.

    A comical mix-up between Martin Valjent and Johan Majica allowed Ferran Torres to give Barca a 12th-minute lead, though the hosts levelled when Vedat Muriqi tapped home to cap a lightning counterattack on the stroke of half-time.

    However, that equaliser only served to anger Barca and they pulled clear after the interval.

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