Transfer gossip: Liverpool eye Arsenal target as Man Utd prepare £52m defender swoop
A Portugal winger has joined a Juventus star on Liverpool’s list of potential replacements for Mo Salah – but Arsenal and Aston Villa will rival the Reds. Also: Manchester United are keeping a very close eye on another Portugal international…
LIVERPOOL JOIN ARSENAL, VILLA IN NETO RACE
While Liverpool lose their sh*t and take us all down a dangerous road over their VAR injustice at Tottenham, the Reds are also keeping an eye out for replacements for Mo Salah should the Egyptian swan off to Saudi.
Pedro Neto’s form has been hard to ignore this season and Football Transfers says the Wolves winger has put himself firmly on Liverpool’s radar.
The Portugal international joins Juventus star Federico Chiesa on Liverpool’s list of potential targets along with one other unnamed attacker. Chiesa has also caught Manchester United’s eye while they consider how best to fill the void left by Jadon Sancho and Antony, though the Brazilian is now back at Old Trafford and under consideration for tonight’s Champions League clash with Galatasaray.
The problem for Liverpool with Neto is Wolves’ valuation. Understandably, Wolves would expect top dollar for the 23-year-old who is under contract until 2026. And, since Arsenal are also keen, a bidding war could ensue, with 90min crediting Villa and Atletico Madrid with an interest too.
Liverpool also remain wary that clubs will add a Salah tax to their asking prices if, as expected, they receive a fee in excess of £150million for the 31-year-old.
Read more: Sympathy for Liverpool is huge but not limitless – their ‘sporting integrity’ statement is absurd
UNITED POST SCOUT TO PORTUGAL TO TRACK DEFENDER
Manchester United have got off to a wretched start but there is ‘no panic’ inside Old Trafford.
That’s the claim from Football Insider, which claims to have been told by a ‘well-placed source’ that Erik ten Hag retains the club’s full backing. So much so, they are planning to furnish the manager with a number of potential January signings.
Among them might be Goncalo Ignacio. The Sun says United have dispatched a scout to Lisbon to monitor the Sporting centre-back at least three times a month before making an offer for the 22-year-old in the new year.
Ignacio has a release clause of £52million written into his Sporting contract, which United are prepared to pay to land the centre-back, who has scored two goals and created another in three Portugal appearances since making his international debut earlier this year.
