A former Liverpool captain’s managerial prowess is being sought in Newcastle.
What the papers say
Newcastle have reportedly looked north in their search for Rafael Benitez’s successor, with the Daily Mirror reporting Rangers boss Steven Gerrard has been approached by Magpies owner Mike Ashley. United have been looking for leadership since Benitez’s contract expired and the Spaniard signed with Chinese club Dalian Yifang. But former Liverpool captain Gerrard has apparently rebuffed Ashley’s offer, after only managing the Glaswegian side for 12 months.
The Times reports Manchester United star Paul Pogba is being targeted by Juventus. Calls have grown consistently louder that the Frenchman is unhappy at Old Trafford, with the Italian side seemingly a natural fit as the 26-year-old played for them previously. The Serie A giants are said to be preparing a £120m bid to secure the World Cup-winning midfielder’s services.
Tottenham are reportedly on the cusp of signing Welsh international Ben Davies on a new long-term contract. The 26-year-old came to Spurs from Swansea in 2014 and had two years remaining on his current deal, but the Telegraph says the club are moving to lock in the left-back for the long term.
Tyrone Mings has agreed to a £26.5m deal to leave Bournemouth for Aston Villa, the Daily Mail reports. The 26-year-old centre-back spent last season on loan to Villa, helping them achieve promotion to the Premier League. The defender’s fee will see the Birmingham side break their transfer record for the second time this summer, after they previously paid £22m for Brazil’s Wesley. View this post on Instagram
I came here to play football with a smile on my face and win promotion. We call that job done ??
A post shared by ™ (@tyronemings) on May 27, 2019 at 9:55am PDT
Dutch left-back Erik Pieters could be leaving Stoke for Burnley, according to the Daily Mail. Pieters spent five Premier League seasons with the Potters before being loaned to Ligue 1’s Amiens for his most recent campaign. It is hoped the 30-year-old will add some steel to Burnley’s defence, which leaked 68 goals last season.
Social media round-up
Daniel Sturridge targeted for stunning Aston Villa transfer | @reluctantnickohttps://t.co/hvppPeU8dx
— The Sun Football ⚽ (@TheSunFootball) July 7, 2019
Players to watch
Dean Henderson: The England Under-21s goalkeeper is edging closer towards joining Sheffield United after he was left out of Manchester United’s pre-season squad, the Sun reports.
Kieran Tierney: The Celtic and Scotland player is being sought by Arsenal, according to the Telegraph. But the Gunners will have to fight off Napoli for the full-back, with the Italians reportedly willing to sell Mario Rui to create the funds to secure the 22-year-old.
