Reports from Spain suggest Real Madrid have placed a team of scouts in a VAR-type nerve centre, peering at screens all the better to “monitor” the movements of Borussia Dortmund winger Jadon Sancho and RB Salzburg striker Erling Braut Haaland. They won’t have seen much of the 19-year-old Englishman over the weekend after he was dropped from Dortmund’s squad as punishment for returning 24 hours late from international duty with England, the latest in a series of time-keeping offences. Manchester United are also understood to be keeping tabs on the two youngsters.
Manchester City are preparing to offer Raheem Sterling a new and improved deal worth £450,000 per week to keep any potential suitors – yes, you again Real Madrid – from trying to turn his head. Elsewhere in the city, Manchester United are considering making a move for former Liverpool player Emre Can. The German midfielder’s move to Juventus just hasn’t worked out and after a summer of speculation regarding his next move he’s only made three substitute appearances this season. £35m is the figure being mentioned.
Frank Lampard has said Olivier Giroud is well within his rights to have the hump because he’s not getting much game time with Chelsea but insists the Frenchman will get opportunities and “be a big influence for us”. After scoring in consecutive games for France during the international break, Giroud returned to “unused substitute” duty on the Chelsea bench at the weekend, having told the French press pack he is considering his future. “As I said to Ollie, he will get his games and be a big influence for us,” said Lampard, after watching his side beat Newcastle. “At the moment, because of how Tammy [Abraham] is playing, there hasn’t been the minutes for him.”
French newspaper L’Equipe claim Paris Saint-Germain are keen on signing AC Milan goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma and reckon they may may be able to railroad the debt-stricken Serie A club into selling their prize asset out of financial necessity. Meanwhile in Belgium, Anderlecht midfielder Albert Sambi Lokonga finds himself in the enviable position of having ardent admirers in Barcelona, Manchester City and Sevilla, which is good news for him but presumably not Sevilla.
Newcastle are giving Lille striker Victor Osimhen the glad eye, according to the Chronicle. The 20-year-old Nigeria international has scored eight goals in 11 appearances for his side this season and was recently crowned September’s Ligue 1 Player of the Month. At Stamford Bridge, Atalanta’s Ukrainian midfielder Rusian Malinovskiy is the subject of interest from Chelsea, who have put him on their summer shopping list after Claude Makélélé ran the rule (as opposed to role) over him for Frank Lampard.
And finally, still hunting for a manager, Championship side Millwall will appoint Gary Rowett this week, while a vacancy has arisen at League One outfit AFC Wimbledon after the club parted company with Wally Downes. The split came just a day after the 58-year-old was fined and given a four-week suspension from all football-related activity after he admitted breaching FA betting rules.
“While Wally’s FA disciplinary process concluded last week, the boards believe that a change of first-team manager is the best option to help the club maintain its recent upturn in performances,” said a club statement. “Naturally, Wally leaves with our sincerest best wishes for the future and his place in our club’s history – as both a player and manager – assured.” Glyn Hodges, formerly Downes’ assistant, is currently in caretaker charge of the Wimbledon first team.
