Euro Paper Talk: Liverpool to steal classy Portugal star from Man Utd grasp as Klopp ‘steps up’ pursuit; Aston Villa want PSG midfielder

Liverpool could hand Manchester United a severe blow by winning the race for a top defender, Aston Villa have set their sights on an ambitious Paris Saint-Germain raid, while Monday’s Euro Paper Talk includes Tottenham rivalling West Ham for a Turkish midfielder.

LIVERPOOL TO SPOIL MAN UTD TRANSFER PLANS

Man Utd are at risk of missing out on the signing of Sporting star Goncalo Inacio, as Liverpool are ‘stepping up’ their pursuit of him, according to a report.

Both Liverpool and Man Utd are likely to make centre-back signings in 2024. Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp already has Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip and Joe Gomez available in the position, but Van Dijk and Matip are now 32 years old and entering the final stages of their careers.

This means Liverpool could do with landing a top centre-half who can form a brilliant partnership with Konate for years to come.

Man Utd manager Erik ten Hag, meanwhile, has decided on Lisandro Martinez and Raphael Varane as his preferred pairing at the back. But Martinez is out until the new year after undergoing surgery on a foot injury, and this has forced Ten Hag to select the likes of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans while Victor Lindelof covers for Luke Shaw at left-back.

Ten Hag could do with an elite defender arriving at Old Trafford next year, to provide better cover and competition for Martinez and Varane.

Liverpool and Man Utd’s respective situations have seen them converge on Inacio, who has emerged into one of Sporting’s most important players and has forced his way into the Portugal starting lineup.

Inacio started alongside Ruben Dias in central defence as Portugal thrashed Bosnia 5-0 in Euro 2024 qualifying last week. Inacio and Dias enjoyed a relatively easy night, despite Bosnia having the likes of Edin Dzeko and Miralem Pjanic in their team.

As per the Daily Mirror, Liverpool sent scouts to watch Inacio in that international clash. While the 22-year-old did not have much attacking threat to deal with, the Liverpool contingent were still left impressed.

Ten Hag to miss out on Goncalo Inacio capture

This has prompted Klopp to ‘step up’ the club’s hunt for Inacio. It seems he is now Klopp’s number one target to succeed from Van Dijk in the position between Andy Robertson and Konate.

As Inacio is left-footed, he will be able to provide even more balance to the Liverpool side than Van Dijk. And he is already putting in very mature performances at the top level, despite his tender age.

Liverpool recently found out exactly how much they will need to pay to reach an agreement with Sporting, too. According to Portuguese newspaper A Bola, Inacio has a release clause in his Sporting contract, and it stands at €60million (£52.3m).

Man Utd will be very disappointed if Inacio ends up joining Klopp at Anfield. Although, they do have other options to improve their backline.

Fabrizio Romano has stated that the Red Devils remain interested in Inacio’s compatriot Antonio Silva, as well as Jean-Clair Todibo. It seems a move for either of those players is more likely than a push to sign Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi.

READ MORE – Premier League’s best finishers 23/24: Arsenal man makes top 10 with Haaland 37th

ASTON VILLA LINKED WITH PSG MAN

Aston Villa and Brighton are both interested in snapping up PSG midfielder Carlos Soler, who could be sold in order to make room for a new midfielder to join the Ligue 1 giants. (Le Parisien)

Tottenham are battling West Ham for Fenerbahce and Turkey midfielder Ismail Yuksek. The 24-year-old has played a key role in Fenerbahce winning all of their matches so far this term. (Aksam)

Tottenham look set to be snubbed by exciting La Liga winger Savio, as he has outlined his desire to join Manchester City in the future. (Marca)

It is now ‘impossible’ for Barcelona to snare Chelsea wing-back Ian Maatsen after the Blues extended his contract until June 2025. (Mundo Deportivo)

Newcastle have identified Real Madrid midfielder Dani Ceballos as a potential replacement for Sandro Tonali, should the Italian be banned amid betting allegations. (various)

LEEDS PLAYER HINTS AT PERMANENT EXIT

Leeds defender Robin Koch, who is currently on loan at Eintracht Frankfurt, says he ‘can imagine’ staying in Germany longer by achieving a permanent move away from Elland Road. (Kicker)

Tottenham outcast Eric Dier could secure a mind-blowing transfer next as Bayern are keeping tabs on his situation ahead of January. (Bayern Insider)

Former Chelsea and Everton target Isco has a cut-price release clause worth just €10m (£8.7m) in his contract. The playmaker has reignited his career since joining Real Betis. (Fabrizio Romano)

Al Ahli are plotting a stunning move for Madrid attacker Vinicius Junior, who could be offered a colossal contract worth €200m (£174m) per year. (Sport)

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella has turned his situation around at Stamford Bridge, having previously been made available for transfer and pursued by Man Utd. (Fabrizio Romano)