wicked.football

Man City have muscled in on Liverpool and Chelsea’s bubbling pursuit of a Borussia Dortmund sensation, while Arsenal legend Patrick Vieira dropped a surprise Tottenham bombshell – all in Sunday’s transfer gossip.

MAN CITY JOIN CROWDED BELLINGHAM HUNT

The reigning English champions have joined the race to sign Borussia Dortmund and England midfielder Jude Bellingham who has been linked with an £80m move to Liverpool or Chelsea.

The 18-year-old is one of European football’s most highly-rated prospects. But unlike many others with the footballing world seemingly at their feet, Bellingham is playing week in, week out and already backing up the hype on the pitch.

He has become a regular in Gareth Southgate’s England squads and has excelled in Germany since leaving Birmingham City in 2020.

Predictably, his rapid rise has not gone unnoticed and rumours of a quick return to England have begun to swirl.

A report from the Daily Star earlier this week claimed that Jurgen Klopp has identified the teenage sensation as Liverpool’s top target next summer. Indeed, the Reds have been tipped to make an £80million offer.

Chelsea are also known to be high on Bellingham, but one obstacle in their path stems from the lack of a release clause within his contract.

That could leave them at the mercy of clubs with deeper pockets, and per the Star on Sunday, Man City are plotting a raid.

They claim Bellingham is ‘fast emerging as City’s first choice’ to replace the aging Fernandinho. Rodri is now the regular starter in central midfield, though a club like Man City can afford to have at least two superstars in every position.

Manager Pep Guardiola is clearly a fan of the Englishman, with it noted he has ‘identified’ the teen as the ‘best potential candidate around Europe’ to complete their midfield.

Should Man City act on their interest, a potentially huge bidding war could emerge.

Liverpool kept their powder dry this summer. However, they have shown in the past they are willing to sanction mammoth deals for the right targets.

Chelsea, also could be spurred into action. Should Saul Niguez’s loan stint not result in a permanent move, the Blues will be on the hunt for a new midfielder.

ARSENAL LEGEND VIEIRA MAKES TOTTENHAM ADMISSION

Arsenal hero Patrick Vieira admitted he previously held talks with Harry Redknapp over a surprise transfer to Tottenham (Sunday Mirror)

Cristiano Ronaldo has his sights set on three big bonuses at Man Utd. The trio are on top of his basic £475,000-a-week salary. (Star on Sunday)

Man Utd owner Avram Glazer was spotted at Old Trafford on Saturday for the first time in over two years. He watched the return of Ronaldo who bagged a brace to help sink Newcastle 4-1. (Mail on Sunday)

Arsenal playmaker Martin Odegaard is of the surprise belief Arsenal can win the Premier League and Champions League within “a couple of years”. (Mail on Sunday)

Preston North Ends rising midfielder Lewis Haigh, 17, is attracting Premier League interest. West Ham and Everton have both scouted the youngster. (Football Insider)

German wonderkid Karim Adeyemi could have joined Chelsea three years ago. The RB Salzburg sensation held talks with the Blues in 2018 but failed to reach an agreement. (Sunday Express)

BARCELONA SNUBBED TOTTENHAM PAIR

Barcelona snubbed the chance to sign Tottenham pair Tanguy Ndombele and Serge Aurier this summer. They were both touted as sweeteners in the deal that saw Emerson Royal move to North London. (Fabrizio Romano, via Sunday Express)

Ronaldo’s second Man Utd debut created a buzz comparable to when iconic figure Eric Cantona arrived at Old Trafford in 1992, according to Bryan Robson. (Mail on Sunday)

Ronaldo’s shirt sales are the fastest-selling in Premier League history. A whopping £187m has been generated in barely more than a week since his return to Man Utd. (Mail on Sunday)

Kamil Glik’s wife has received online abuse after becoming a target following England’s ill-tempered match with Poland during the week. (Sunday Mirror)

Zlatan Ibrahimovic still does not lack for confidence despite his advancing age. He claimed he is “the best player in the world” after insisting Ronaldo and Lionel Messi are ahead of him only by way of trophies won, not ability. (Sunday Mirror)

AND MORE TRANSFER GOSSIP

Man Utd have welcomed Phil Jones back into the fold after the centre-half made his first competitive start since January, 2020. He played for the club’s Under-23s after returning from a sustained injury absence. (Sunday Mirror)

Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel seemingly never had any intention of allowing Callum Hudson-Odoi to leave this summer. The German insisted it was a “very easy decision” to block his potential exit late in the window. (Football London)

Borussia Dortmund goal machine Erling Haaland will not make a hasty decision over his future. The Norwegian holds a £70m release clause within his contract that will activate in 2022. (90 Min)

Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti says there is “no disappointment” at his employer after their efforts to land Kylian Mbappe from PSG ended in defeat this summer. (Goal)

Former Arsenal winger and current Ajax Director Marc Overmars would prefer to take a similar role at Barcelona, rather than at the Emirates. (Ajax Life, via Marca)

READ MORE: Three stars who Nuno Espirito Santo must axe after woeful Tottenham are destroyed at Palace

The post Paper Talk: Man City to force Liverpool, Chelsea hands after Pep eyes huge raid; Vieira makes shock Tottenham admission appeared first on TEAMtalk.