Hasan Salihamidzic believes Bayern Munich will be ready to face Manchester City after being paired with the "strongest possible opponent" in Friday's Champions League quarter-final draw.

City recovered from a shaky first leg against RB Leipzig to thump them 7-0 at home and secure their place in the last eight with an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Bayern, meanwhile, impressively eased past French champions Paris Saint-Germain 3-0 on aggregate to set them up for a tie against City which will see Pep Guardiola return to the club he coached between 2013 and 2016.

Bayern sporting director Salihamidzic is relishing the opportunity to face off against one of the favourites, telling reporters: "I like playing against the good teams.

"Our boys are very focused and this is a top tie. It's a tough opponent, the strongest possible in my opinion.

"So this is another little final. After Paris, this is again a group we have to play that has a lot of quality.

"They won very convincingly against Leipzig. We will see Pep Guardiola again and I'm looking forward to the games."

Prolific striker Erling Haaland has scored 39 goals in all competitions since signing for City, including five against Leipzig in City's second-leg rout on Tuesday.

But while Salihamidzic acknowledged the quality Haaland and City possess, he has confidence in his team's defence to hold up against such a formidable attacking force.

"Haaland is one of the best strikers in the world," Salihamidzic added. "He does it very, very well.

"But we defended very well against Paris. I believe that we perform best against the best teams.

"These are also the highlights of the season for the fans. This is a top pairing. I'm looking forward to it."

Bayern CEO Oliver Kahn feels games against the likes of City are a great litmus test for whether the Bavarian side have what it takes to go on and lift their seventh Champions League.

Like Salihamidzic, he appeared to be relishing the challenge.

"Manchester City are an absolute top team, but we are Bayern Munich," Kahn said.

"We must and will be ready for this big opponent. If you want to win the Champions League, you have to beat the best.

"That's the challenge - and we're happy to take it on."

Erling Haaland's hunger proved too much for RB Leipzig in their crushing Champions League last-16 exit to Manchester City, per Marco Rose.

The Bundesliga outfit were condemned to a 7-0 defeat and an 8-1 aggregate exit as the Norway international ran rampant at the Etihad Stadium.

A five-goal haul for Haaland saw him tear through the Leipzig defence with a succession of close-range finishes, to send the hosts to the quarter-finals.

As the coach who oversaw the striker's arrival at Salzburg four years ago, Rose is well-acquainted with the attacker, and concurred his side simply didn't have the answers to stop him in the end.

"I know Erling very well," he said. "I know his qualities. When he is close to the goal, he wants to grab one. He scored five [and] we never managed to get into the game.

"He has had a great [game]. He scored goals with his foot and head, won second balls, [made] deep runs. It looked really simple. He took the ball from the referee. That tells you it was special for him." 

Leipzig had managed to hold City to a draw in the first leg, eking out a 1-1 result that gave them a potential foothold for an upset in this return fixture.

Rose acknowledged his side never got off the ground against their far superior hosts in the end, and took full responsibility for their dismal performance.

"We conceded the goals in a manner that makes this [a] very bitter [result]," he added. "City more than deserved their win.

"We were especially bad when it came to defending inside the penalty area. [That] we did so in a last-16 game in the Champions League [is appalling].

"They changed a few things in their pressing compared to the second half in Leipzig and this is something we had not expected."

Pep Guardiola explained why Erling Haaland will not be the difference between Manchester City's previous Champions League failures and a first title.

City have been repeatedly frustrated in the Champions League but are through to the quarter-finals for a sixth straight year after dominating RB Leipzig, led by Haaland.

The City number nine hit five on Tuesday in a 7-0 second-leg win in the last 16, securing an 8-1 aggregate victory.

Haaland broke a series of records in the process, including moving to 39 goals for the season – a new club record.

But these unprecedented goalscoring feats will not be enough to make City champions of Europe if they do not defend better than in previous seasons, Guardiola insisted.

Asked if Haaland's involvement could be pivotal, the City manager told BT Sport: "I don't think so. The reason why is we conceded a lot of goals that we gave to the opponent.

"We scored four goals against Real Madrid, we scored six goals against Monaco, we scored four goals against Tottenham, and all the time we were out, because we conceded the goals. We could absolutely avoid it.

"Right now, we defended really well. The goals we have scored all the time in all the seasons.

"But of course having someone like Erling, like Julian [Alvarez], like we had with Sergio [Aguero] before or Gabriel [Jesus], who has the instinct to score the goals... in this competition, in one moment, he can score. It's important."

Haaland scored five goals from eight shots, all of which hit the target, before being substituted with 27 minutes to play, denied the chance to become the first man to net a double hat-trick in the Champions League.

"It was five in 60 minutes, no more than that. If he played 90 minutes... I don't know," Guardiola said.

"He's an incredible guy. He has the power, the mentality, he's a serial winner."

Erling Haaland claimed his five-goal haul all blurred together after his record-breaking performance steered Manchester City into the Champions League quarter-finals.

The Norway international fired Pep Guardiola's hosts to a 7-0 victory over RB Leipzig at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday in the second leg of their last-16 tie.

With a 7-1 aggregate victory overall, City's dominant efforts saw them help their striker to 39 goals across all competitions for the campaign, breaking the club's single-season record for an individual after almost a century.

But pressed afterwards to pick out his favourite finish of the match, Haaland said he could not recall any of them individually after his heroics in a freewheeling display.

"It's all a bit blurry in my head," he told BT Sport. "I don't remember the goals. I just remember shooting and [not] thinking. I'm so tired after the celebrations.

"A lot of the goals, I didn't think. I was just wanting to get the ball in the back of the net. The same with the second goal, with the third goal, with every goal.

"I think a lot of it is being quick in the mind and trying to do the right thing [in the moment]. A lot of it is in the head, I think."

Haaland exited the game in the 63rd minute as Guardiola opted to rotate key men ahead of an FA Cup quarter-final with Burnley on Saturday.

The 22-year-old acknowledged he would have loved to stay on and hunt a sixth of the game, revealing he told his manager as much as he was replaced.

"I told him when I went off I would love to score a double hat-trick," he added. "But what can you do?"

City's victory matched their previous best in the Champions League, a 7-0 win over Schalke in 2019, and Haaland suggested his arrival could finally help them clinch the sought-after trophy that has thus far eluded them. 

"To give a statement that we can score seven goals in this competition, it is an amazing feeling," he added to CBS. "The club wants to win the Champions League.

"They have won the Premier League four times in the last five years. They didn't bring me to win the Premier League, they know how to do that."

Erling Haaland's five-goal masterclass fired Manchester City into the Champions League quarter-finals as they dismantled RB Leipzig in a 7-0 rout on Tuesday.

The striker nabbed a first-half hat-trick, including two goals in two minutes, before adding another two after the restart in a tour-de-force performance at the Etihad Stadium for a 8-1 aggregate victory.

Now with 39 goals for the season, Haaland's haul saw him take Tommy Johnson's single-season City record set in 1928-29 among a series of new high marks as Pep Guardiola's hosts tied their record margin of victory in European competition.

Also the youngest and fastest player to pass 30 Champions League goals, Haaland's historic numbers befitted a majestic display up front, with his latest turn destined to go down in European folklore no matter what happens next.

Haaland was handed a stroke of luck for his first, with City awarded a dubious penalty by referee Slavko Vincic for a handball strongly protested by Benjamin Henrichs.

He ruthlessly converted from the spot, however, and then doubled his tally just moments later when he nodded home a rebound after Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar.

A first-half hat-trick followed with an air of inevitability when Haaland pounced on a parried Ruben Dias header before the break to bundle in the third from close range.

Ilkay Gundogan ensured another name at least got on the scoresheet when he added City's fourth with a sweeping low finish four minutes after the restart.

Yet the game belonged to Haaland, who added another two with close-range strikes before the hour, both times pouncing after Manuel Akanji was denied.

Haaland's exit in the 63rd minute was greeted with a standing ovation, denying him an unprecedented double hat-trick but saving the City striker ahead of a quarter-final in which further records could fall.

The scoring was not quite over, though, as De Bruyne would not be denied and added a sublime seventh in stoppage time for a final touch of gloss.

Erling Haaland became the youngest player to pass 30 goals in the Champions League after the Manchester City forward's first-half hat-trick against RB Leipzig.

The Norway international scored twice in the space of two minutes at the Etihad Stadium on Tuesday to reach 30 in the competition, before adding a third on the stroke of half-time.

At just 22 years and 236 days old, Haaland was the youngest man to that mark – 116 days younger than previous record holder Kylian Mbappe.

Other players he trumped included Lionel Messi (23 years and 131 days) and Raul (24 years and 91 days).

It was not the only record Haaland shattered either, with the forward's 30th Champions League goal coming in just his 25th game, setting a new benchmark for the fewest matches required to reach that milestone.

He blew away the previous record of 34 matches, held by Ruud van Nistelrooy, while also bettering the 46 games it took Robert Lewandowski to achieve the feat.

Haaland had not scored in the first leg against Leipzig in Germany, heading into Tuesday's match with 28 goals in Europe's top competition.

A harsh penalty awarded against Benjamin Henrichs allowed him to move one closer to the milestone in the 22nd minute, before he nodded home a rebound when Kevin De Bruyne hit the crossbar moments later.

Haaland then added a third – his 31st in the Champions League – when he poked in after a Ruben Dias header was stopped just shy of the goal line following a corner in first-half stoppage time.

RB Leipzig boss Marco Rose does not understand criticism of Erling Haaland's performances for Manchester City, quipping: "If you don't want him, send him to me."

Leipzig travel to the Etihad Stadium for the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie against City on Tuesday, having recovered from a goal down to clinch a 1-1 draw in last month's first leg.

Rose's men contained Haaland – who he coached during a one-season spell in charge of Borussia Dortmund – on that occasion, but the Norwegian has hit an astonishing 28 goals in 26 Premier League appearances this term.

Despite those returns, some have suggested Haaland is unsuited to Pep Guardiola's possession-based style of play, with former Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher questioning whether the striker had joined the wrong club last month.

However, Haaland's former boss Rose does not see any downside to his presence in City's team and believes it is impossible to keep him totally quiet.

"If you don't want him, send him to me! I'll take him," Rose said at Monday's pre-match press conference. "Even just for the last 10 games. After that, you can have him back! 

"I'm really surprised about that [criticism]. He's scored 28 goals in 26 league games. If you take those goals away, I don't know where City would be in the league. 

"I don't know what we're talking about. Everyone knows about Haaland's qualities. We were able to defend well against him in the first leg, but you'll never be able to keep him completely quiet. 

"They don't just have Erling – there will be many world-class players we'll need to be alert for."

Haaland has scored 17 times in 11 home Champions League games in his career, netting two or more goals on seven occasions and averaging a goal every 49 minutes in those matches.

With City enjoying a 23-match unbeaten streak in Champions League games at the Etihad, Rose says Leipzig must produce their best display of the season to progress.

"We played against Man City three weeks ago. We know what we'll come up against," he said. "In the end, you have to find the right balance against a top team like that.

"Trust, confidence and us playing our best game of the season are what we need tomorrow."

Tuesday will bring two finely poised contests in the Champions League last 16 as the second legs continue.

A late goal from Romelu Lukaku gave Inter a narrow 1-0 advantage against Porto at San Siro heading into the return fixture in Portugal.

The Serie A giants did not exactly prepare well, though, losing 2-1 at lowly Spezia on Friday, while Sergio Conceicao's side earned a hard-fought 3-2 win against Estoril Praia the same day.

Manchester City host RB Leipzig fresh off a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace thanks to an Erling Haaland penalty, while the Bundesliga club moved up to third in the table following a comfortable 3-0 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.

After their 1-1 draw in the first leg in Germany, Pep Guardiola will be hoping that home advantage can keep the club's dream alive of a first Champions League title.

Stats Perform has picked out the standout Opta data to preview Tuesday's games.

Porto v Inter

Porto have lost three of their five matches against Inter in the Champions League, though all three of those defeats came away from home. The return leg at the Estadio do Dragao could mean a different story, as they have earned one win and one draw against Inter on home soil.

Having said that, Porto have lost four of their last six home matches in the knockout stages of the Champions League, conceding 13 goals across those four defeats.

They have, though, won each of their last four home matches in Europe against Italian clubs, beating Roma, Juventus, Milan and Lazio in succession. The last Italian side to defeat them away from home was Juventus in February 2017.

Inter have progressed from four of their five two-legged Champions League knockout ties when winning the first leg, only being eliminated from such a position in 2005-06 by Villarreal.

Porto have been eliminated from six of their seven two-legged Champions League knockout ties when losing the first leg, only progressing in 2018-19 against Roma.

Lukaku's winning goal in the first leg meant he has scored eight goals in 12 appearances for Inter in the Champions League. His record of 111 minutes per goal is the best of any player to have scored five or more goals for the club in the European Cup/Champions League.

Manchester City v RB Leipzig

City are unbeaten across their last 23 home matches in the Champions League, winning 21. If they avoid defeat in this match, they will equal Arsenal's record for the longest home unbeaten run by an English club in the competition (24 games between September 2004 and April 2009).

Leipzig are unbeaten in five matches in the Champions League (W4 D1), their longest unbeaten run in the competition since a seven-game stretch in 2019-20 when they reached the semi-final.

The last team to defeat City at the Etihad Stadium in a Champions League knockout stage match was Liverpool in the 2017-18 quarter-final second leg – visiting sides have avoided defeat just once in eight matches since.

Marco Rose has taken charge of three matches in the Champions League knockout stages, with all three coming against City, after his Monchengladbach side were eliminated by the club in the last 16 in 2020-21. The only previous instance of a head coach facing the same opponent in his first four Champions League knockout stage matches is Frank Rijkaard against Chelsea between 2004-05 and 2005-06.

Haaland has scored 17 goals in 11 home matches in the Champions League for Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and City, scoring at least two goals in seven of those games. The Norwegian has scored a goal every 49 minutes on average in these matches.

Leipzig forward Christopher Nkunku has scored 10 goals across his last 12 starts in the Champions League, including a hat-trick against City at the Etihad Stadium in September 2021. Nkunku is one of two players to score a hat-trick against City in the competition, the other being Lionel Messi in October 2016.

Kevin de Bruyne downplayed any suggestion of issues within the team and a decline in form for Manchester City's star striker Erling Haaland.

Haaland has been in sensational form in his debut campaign with the club, scoring 34 goals in all appearances across all competitions.

However, the Norway international has scored just three goals in his last nine appearances, leading to suggestions that his performance levels have dropped.

De Bruyne does not see it that way though, explaining that teams are more prepared to face him now than they were at the beginning of the season.

"I think it's a bit of everything but I don't feel like it's different than in the beginning," he told a press conference ahead of the Champions League clash against RB Leipzig.

"People are maybe more anticipating to his runs, there's always the first part of the season and then the second part. In the second part, I feel teams are a lot more organised, they play for more from both sides of the table, so people are more prepared in every sense of the way.

"Maybe he was a little bit more prolific [before] when he got the chances but I don't think we need to complain about Erling's output. I think he's fine.

"If we see the Crystal Palace game, he could have scored two, I don't think there's any issue but obviously people are always anticipating for him to score two or three goals but his average is a goal a game. It seems fine for me.

"It's good to have different options. In the past few years, people would maybe say there wasn't enough presence in the box and there wasn't enough deep runs, now people are saying the opposite.

"It works in different ways. In the beginning of the season when everything was going in, we were winning a lot of games and nothing was going wrong, but then obviously when you lose a few points it's different.

"I don't think there's an issue with anything going out from the team or with Erling. I know people will judge on how we play and maybe we sometimes play a better brand of football in different games or in other years but that happens.

"Crystal Palace at home for instance, he won us the game. I think the team is really happy with him, he's really happy playing with us, so I think we're fine."

Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League last-16 exit has prompted speculation about a squad overhaul.

Neymar's future in the French capital is in doubt, while pressure has ramped up on head coach Christophe Galtier.

PSG will be an interesting watch during the next transfer window as they show their hand on their future direction.

TOP STORY – PSG PLOT MOVES FOR SILVA AND DEMBELE

Paris Saint-Germain are plotting off-season moves to sign Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva and Barcelona winger Ousmane Dembele , according to Diario Sport.

The Parisiens are monitoring Dembele's status at the Blaugrana with only one year left on his contract, with a €50million release clause.

Barcelona have been linked with Silva but may struggle to facilitate that deal given €65m asking price, with PSG better placed to table that figure.

The report claims PSG's move for Dembele hinges on Neymar and whether he stays in Paris.

  
ROUND-UP

– AS reports Real Madrid are still angling to sign PSG's Kylian Mbappe after a long courtship. The report claims Los Blancos want to sign him as a free agent when his contract expires in 2024 and have prioritised him over Man City's Erling Haaland .

– Tottenham are ready to launch a move to sign Everton goalkeeper Jordan Pickford on a cut-price deal, according to The Sun. The report claims Pickford has a clause in his new Everton deal, signed last month, if they are relegated although the Toffees are understood to want around £35m.

– PSG are planning a bid for Villarreal defender Pau Torres in the next transfer window, reports The Mirror. Manchester United opted against signing him last year.

– Barcelona 's top priority in the off-season is to sign Athletic Bilbao defender Inigo Martinez , according to Sport.

– Calciomercato claims Milan have cooled their interest in Liverpool midfielder Naby Keita as his wage demands are beyond what they can offer.

– Bayern Munich continue to monitor the status of Juventus forward Dusan Vlahovic , reports Calciomercato.

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland's secret weapon is that he "never gets sad" about missing chances.

The Norwegian striker scored his 28th Premier League goal of the season as his penalty gave Manchester City a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Haaland had missed a presentable chance in the first half but slotted his spot-kick with calm precision in the 78th minute at Selhurst Park. 

"One of his biggest attributes I discovered and knowing him, working together... he can miss one chance and he never gets depressed, he isn't sad," Guardiola said after the win.

"He's always thinking positive, the next one, he knows he'll have the chance and he'll be there. This is an incredible attribute for a football player.

"An athlete normally in football and basketball and tennis, when you're thinking in the action, in the past, that's finished, you cannot be a good athlete. This guy misses and he thinks, 'OK, I'll have another one and another one'."

Some have suggested City's occasional struggles this season, despite Haaland's incredible goal return, are a result of the former Borussia Dortmund man not offering much in the team's build-up play, and Guardiola acknowledged it as an area he wants his striker to improve.

"What I would like when I finish our period together is that he could improve his game with the association with the team, with the right tempo, to realise how he can be involved in our game and not just put the ball in the net," Guardiola said.

"Putting the ball in the net will happen all the time in his life. He doesn't score one or two goals and people say he's not the same. He's always there, the numbers speak for themselves. What he has scored in this league especially, we are still in March."

The City boss also described Haaland's first-half miss as a "penalty", despite the expected goal (xG) rate being just 0.2 according to Opta, compared to 0.8 for a penalty.

"He has to score five goals every game. If he doesn't score it's a lot of pressure," Guardiola joked. "He doesn't have the pressure, he's had an incredible season so far.

"He missed a penalty in the first half because the chance he missed, the penalty is more difficult, but he's always there. The way he celebrates his goals and his mates' goals shows how happy he is here and how happy we are with him.

"He's a young lad, to take the ball there in this pressure, it's not soft, the determination to put it there and score was great.

"Of course he feels the pressure, but it's nice. If you don't feel the pressure you'll be in the bar drinking something. You have to cope, you have to handle it."

Manchester City striker Erling Haaland appreciates there are no easy games in the Premier League after his 28th top-flight goal of the season sealed a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Haaland's penalty in the 78th minute earned City a vital win in the race for the title at Selhurst Park after Palace had frustrated the defending champions.

While Haaland was relieved to get the win, he referenced Liverpool's 1-0 defeat earlier in the day at Bournemouth as an example of the difficulty of the division.

"In the end all that matters is three points," he told Sky Sports. "It's not easy. Every single game is not easy. You saw Bournemouth beat Liverpool. Every single game is a fight and you saw that [for City], and we won and I am really happy."

No player has scored more Premier League penalties this season than Haaland (five, level with Brentford's Ivan Toney), while only Yaya Toure has scored more from the spot in a single campaign for City (six in 2013-14).

Pep Guardiola's men had to come from 2-0 down to beat Palace 4-2 in the reverse fixture in August, which, according to Haaland, is why he and his team-mates did not panic while their game on Saturday was goalless.

"I was not concerned, I just tried to do as I do every single game and that was to focus on my game," he said. "The last game against [Palace] we were 2-0 down, and this time we were 0-0, so it's not that bad, we had to keep going. As I said, it's not easy, but I'm really proud."

Haaland missed an opportunity in the 28th minute when he scooped Nathan Ake's cross over the bar, and though the chance only had an expected goals (xG) rate of 0.2, the Norwegian said it annoyed him.

"Of course I don't like to miss chances," he said. "I had one in the first half that I should have scored, it was a small thing in the grass that made the ball bounce a bit higher, but what can I do?

"I have to keep going and try to get the next chance, and I got my chance and I scored and we win, so I'm happy."

City are just two points behind Arsenal at the top of the table, with the Gunners travelling to Fulham on Sunday.

Pep Guardiola believes Erling Haaland could adapt his game to play in any country after a hugely impressive first season in the Premier League.

City signed Haaland from Germany's Borussia Dortmund, while he previously played in Austria for Salzburg and his native Norway for Molde.

Although his link-up play has occasionally been criticised, Haaland's goalscoring talent has endured across every league.

He has 27 goals already in the Premier League, closing on the single-season record of 34, but Guardiola expects it would be a similar story in any division.

Asked if Haaland was particularly well suited to playing in England, Guardiola replied: "And I would say in Germany, in Spain, in Italy, in Norway, in Congo, everywhere.

"These types of players adapt everywhere; in Africa, South America, no problem."

Haaland's goals tally might have been even more impressive had Kevin De Bruyne performed on a slightly more consistent basis this season.

Guardiola is sticking by the midfielder, however, acknowledging his team since arriving at City has been "Kevin and 10 more".

"If Kevin is fit, he is ready," the manager said, also confirming Kyle Walker would be available to face Crystal Palace following an incident at a club that was captured on CCTV. The England defender appeared to pull his trousers down, with Cheshire Police looking into the matter.

City will hope to beat Palace on Saturday and again apply pressure to league leaders Arsenal, who responded last week by dramatically beating Bournemouth.

That result was huge for Arsenal, but Guardiola insisted it had no adverse impact on City.

"Of course we take a look. We have to do our job and take a look," Guardiola said. "You see it's 0-2 and after 2-2 and after it's six minutes extra time, they score after.

"So, it's a pity. It would be better with a draw.

"We have to admit we are used to this for Liverpool. How many times in the last few seasons they scored in the last minutes at Anfield? How many?

"It was one of the biggest talents for Liverpool to scored in the last minute. I've lived it in the last three, four years, when we fought against them and battled many, many times."

Andy Cole does not understand criticism of 27-goal Manchester City striker Erling Haaland as he prepares for his Premier League record to be broken.

Haaland needs just seven more goals to match the 34 netted by Cole for Newcastle United in 1993-94 and Alan Shearer for Blackburn Rovers in 1994-95.

The City superstar has played only 25 league games so far this season, averaging a goal every 75 minutes.

Cole averaged a goal every 106 minutes across 40 matches, while Shearer scored every 111 minutes over 42 games.

Barring injury, it appears inevitable Haaland will beat two of the Premier League's greatest goalscorers, yet Cole is not bitter.

"Records are there to be broken, it's that simple," he told Stats Perform. "When people have mentioned it to me, it's not as if I'm going home and crying and saying: 'Oh no!'

"I've said to people it doesn't bother me in the slightest, I don't care. If someone deserved to break that record, go ahead and do it.

"I'm not going to sit here rocking myself to sleep in the hallway hoping he doesn't do it; it doesn't bother me because I'm not so conceited. I'm really not.

"I don't care if he does it. I'll be the first one to congratulate him. Records are there to be broken."

Haaland has been "absolutely phenomenal" for City, according to Cole, although he "will want to improve in getting involved in the play a little bit more".

Cole does not doubt he will be able to do that, adding: "He's still a baby and is still learning the game."

But with City trailing Arsenal in the Premier League title race, it has been suggested they have suffered for having Haaland up front.

Cole said: "People say he shouldn't have signed for Man City because he doesn't fit in.

"But if I've got 27 goals by February, and everyone's telling me that I've made the wrong move... what's the right move, then?

"You've got 27 goals by the end of February, and you've got the chance to get to 40 goals. I'm not sure what everyone expects for him."

The former Newcastle, Manchester United and City striker added: "I don’t think there's anything to actually think about.

"Because when people say he's made the wrong move or he's gone to the wrong club, what is he supposed to do? He's gone to clubs, scored goals, is far beyond anyone else in the Premier League for scoring goals.

"He's made the wrong move? He doesn't fit? How does he not fit? If he's got 27 goals so far, by the end of February, but he doesn't fit and doesn't get involved in the play, we don't need to have that conversation.

"We don’t need to have that conversation and to talk about getting involved and doing other things. It's as simple as that. Now, it's a crazy [conversation]."

Harry Maguire's future at Manchester United is unclear, having fallen down the pecking order under Erik ten Hag.

The United club captain is contracted until 2025 and his deal includes £200,000 per week wages.

Maguire has only started one of United's last eight Premier League games and did not play in Thursday's Europa League win over Real Betis.

TOP STORY – PSG SET FOR SHOCK MAGUIRE MOVE

Paris Saint-Germain are set for a shock £50million (€56m) move for Manchester United defender Harry Maguire, according to The Sun.

It has been claimed that Maguire is among a list of players that United are willing to sell in the off-season with Newcastle United and West Ham reportedly interested.

According to The Sun's report, PSG tabled a deal for Maguire in January, but time ran out to finalise it and the French champions will move again for him.

ROUND-UP

– The Independent reports Real Madrid are plotting an overhaul to bring in a new generation of young stars, with Manchester City's Erling Haaland top of the list along with Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham.

– The Guardian reports Manchester United will enter the race to sign Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount, with interest also from Liverpool and Newcastle United. Mount and Chelsea are currently in the middle of a contract dispute, potentially making him available, with United viewing him as a cheaper alternative to Bellingham.

–  Barcelona are in the market to sign Manchester City's Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo if Bayern Munich do not make permanent his loan spell, claims Sport.

– Newcastle are circling to sign Southampton free-kick specialist James Ward-Prowse, according to Football Insider. Newcastle are one of numerous Premier League clubs interested in him.

– Gazzetta dello Sport reports Inter have tabled a two-year contract offer to Edin Dzeko amid interest from West Ham.

– L'Equipe claims PSG are ramping up their bid to sign Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva in the off-season.