Erling Haaland: Agent Mino Raiola plans Manchester City transfer talks in January – Paper Round

Erling Haaland’s agent Mino Raiola is set to hold talks with Manchester City in January regarding a possible summer move for the 21-year-old Borussia Dortmund striker, the Times reports. Haaland’s contract expires in 2024 but features a £64m release clause which comes into effect in 2022, and it is believed City view the Norwegian as their top transfer target after failing to sign Harry Kane last summer. Haaland’s father Alf-Inge played for City between 2000 and 2003.

Paper Round’s view: Once the Kane deal failed to go through many thought that was it for City and their pursuit of the England captain. It felt like now or never, and with 21-year-old Haaland available for £64m, that is basically why. City will certainly be among the top contenders to sign the forward, but it could all come down to wage demands and what clubs are willing to pay Raiola to land his client.

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Juventus are considering a January move for Manchester City star Bernardo Silva, the Sun reports. Silva has four years left on his current contract, and so it would take a big offer to prise him away from City, particularly as he has impressed at the start of this season, starting six of their seven Premier League matches in a campaign where many felt he may have been on the periphery of Pep Guardiola’s plans.

Paper Round’s view: In the summer, perhaps, but in January, next to no chance. There was talk of Silva leaving City before the season started but now he has forced his way back into Guardiola’s thinking, there is no way the City boss is willingly selling a player who could well prove the difference in the title race despite the array of stars he is surrounded by. The winner against Leicester showed his worth, City won’t let that go easily.

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Manchester United have joined Chelsea and Juventus in the race to sign Monaco midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, the Express reports. The 21-year-old broke into the France senior squad last month and impressed next to Paul Pogba in the Nations League final win over Spain on the weekend. A number of clubs had already been monitoring the defensive midfielder, and now United have joined the list of admirers.

Paper Round’s view: The sky is the limit for Tchouameni, it would seem, who is unsurprisingly turning heads after regularly playing for Monaco and then becoming part of Didier Deschamps’ setup at France. Pogba and Cesc Fabregas are among the players to have praised Tchouameni, and from Monaco’s perspective you would imagine the hype will only hike up the asking price.

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Liverpool have started their plans to sign Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele on a free transfer next summer, the Mail reports. Dembele is out of contract at Barca next summer, and his representatives are reportedly looking at possible future clubs for the Frenchman, who would bolster Liverpool’s attack and give Jurgen Klopp another option.

Paper Round’s view: Liverpool fans may well fear someone is on their way out if Dembele comes through the door. They will not want to lose Mohamed Salah, and so they’ll hope those contract talks are tied up and the prospect of Dembele arriving is simply to boost their already impressive forward line.