The top stories and transfer rumours from Saturday’s newspapers…
THE SUN
Tottenham are lining up a stunning move for Brazilian wonderkid Morato after scouting him in the Champions League this week.
Chelsea are in the midst of a goalkeeping crisis with Robert Sanchez set to be out for several weeks.
Premier League sides may not know until April if they will have a fifth Champions League place next season.
Chelsea are tracking the highly rated Torino and Italy defender Alessandro Buongiorno.
Lewis Hall may be heading back to Chelsea after Eddie Howe could not confirm if the left-back will be a Newcastle player next season.
Chelsea are reportedly set to axe Trevoh Chalobah, Ian Maatsen and Noni Madueke in order to fund transfers in January.
DAILY EXPRESS
Arsenal and Tottenham reportedly sent scouts to watch Royal Antwerp starlet Arthur Vermeeren play against Barcelona in midweek.
Casemiro is ready to call quits on his Manchester United career in the January transfer window if a suitable offer for his signature arrives, according to reports.
DAILY MAIL
Thomas Tuchel snapped at a journalist after being asked about whether Stuttgart manager Sebastian Hoeness could one day be his successor at Bayern Munich.
The PGA Tour is close to agreeing a multi-billion-dollar deal with a consortium of owners of major US sports teams including John Henry and Arthur Blank, according to reports.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund is in advanced talks about funding a second IPL to take place every autumn which would represent a major threat to international cricket.
Simona Halep has said that if her four-year doping ban is upheld by the Court of Arbitration for Sport at her appeal in February, her career will most likely be over.
DAILY MIRROR
Liverpool keeper Alisson Becker has backed Andre Onana to succeed in the Premier League, despite his indifferent start at Manchester United.
Joel Glazer will be the sole power-broker on whether Manchester United sack Erik ten Hag if they suffer their third consecutive defeat against Liverpool on Sunday.
Daniel Farke has warned his Leeds players he will be tough with them, insisting: “I’m not here to win the Nobel Peace Prize.”
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Premier League referees will be given the green light to continue freelancing in far-flung countries after it was found doing so played no part in the Liverpool offside goal fiasco.
THE ATHLETIC
Xavi insists he is not considering leaving Barcelona after a difficult week that brought back-to-back defeats against Girona and Royal Antwerp.
Aston Villa’s holding company V Sports, jointly controlled by owners Nassef Sawiris and Wes Edens, has entered into an agreement with investment company Atairos for it to become a partner.
Real Madrid’s new-look Santiago Bernabeu stadium looks spectacular already – but the club do not expect work to be completed until spring – that means the official inauguration is now planned to take place between the end of May and early June.
THE GUARDIAN
Kevin De Bruyne is determined to become the “best player in the world” on returning from a hamstring injury sustained in Manchester City’s opening-day win at Burnley.
Wayne Rooney has stressed the importance of him and his Birmingham City players ignoring the “Wagatha Christie” backdrop to their match against Leicester City.
EVENING STANDARD
Marco Silva insists he is “not worried” that Tosin Adarabioyo might leave in January, despite Fulham’s failure to convince the defender to sign a new contract on three separate occasions.
THE TIMES
Ross Barkley says he feels that he is good enough to play for England again.
Concerns around the increasing demands on top players will be underlined on Sunday when FIFA is set to announce the dates for the new 32-team Club World Cup in the United States in 2025 – likely to be another summer tournament.
The majority of the 120-strong members of FIFA’s legal, compliance and ethics division have rejected an improved relocation offer to move from Zurich to Miami.
There seems little chance of serious opposition threatening UEFA’s proposals to allow its president, Aleksander Ceferin, to stand for a fourth term in office and to scrap the age limit of 70 for senior officials.
The FA’s legal defeat in its attempt to impose caps on payments to agents could lead to future challenges of some Financial Fair Play (FFP) charges, according to the barrister Nick De Marco KC, who has been involved in a number of cases.
A male British Olympic athlete is the subject of an anti-doping investigation linked to a criminal case in the United States.
Paris 2024 Olympics organisers have been studying Britain’s recent royal events such as the Coronation and the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee as part of planning for what is likely to be a spectacular but security-testing opening ceremony based on the River Seine.
DAILY RECORD
Juan Miranda says Real Betis are launching a deep inquest into how they tumbled out of the Europa League against Rangers.
Danilo has vowed to return better than before as the Rangers striker updated fans on his knee surgery.
Source : Sky Sports
