Man Utd want ‘top fit’ discarded defender to challenge Harry Maguire

We doubt he could dislodge Harry Maguire but Man Utd are once again being linked with Matthijs de Ligt, while Liverpool’s key trio have a condition.

MAN UTD BOOSTED BY ‘TOP FIT’ DE LIGT

This whole story appears to be based on Matthijs de Ligt being on the bench for Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen at the weekend but beggars cannot be choosers when it comes to transfer gossip in February so we are going to try and take the Mirror’s ‘Matthijs de Ligt’s future at Bayern Munich is back in doubt – putting Manchester United back on red alert’ story at face value. Ish.

We do know that De Ligt has been a target for Manchester United in the past – he played for Ajax under Erik ten Hag so natch – and we do know he is out of favour in Munich, so it’s easy to add everything together and come up with De Ligt to Manchester United. When asked if he was fit on Saturday, he answered with two words: “Top fit.”

But would he be able to get past Harry Maguire into that defence?

Elsewhere, there is talk of Manchester United still being interested in two Bayer Leverkusen players, with the Manchester Evening News claiming that they continue to monitor both Jeremie Frimpong and Edmond Tapsoba.

READ: Man Utd’s next permanent managerial appointment confirmed as ‘character’ shines through again

LIVERPOOL TRIO HAVE ONE CONDITION

Mohamed Salah, Virgil van Dijk and Trent Alexander-Arnold are all open to extending their contracts at Liverpool, according to Football Insider, who dismiss the idea that there could be an exodus after the departure of Jurgen Klopp. But they do claim that the trio have one condition: That Liverpool ‘show enough ambition in their post-Jurgen Klopp plans’.

The same source claims that Alexander-Arnold will be offered the biggest deal of the three, with the full-back-cum-midfielder seen as the future of the club.

READ: Van Dijk and Salah exit? Ranking Liverpool squad by how likely they are to follow Klopp out

What does that ‘ambition’ look like? Football Insider claims elsewhere that Liverpool will battle with Arsenal for Wolves winger Pedro Neto.

NEWCASTLE EYE PAIR OF CHERRIES

‘Newcastle United are weighing up a summer deal for Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly,’ according to the Mail, who also mention that Eddie Howe has a long-term interest in Danish midfielder Philip Billing.

Kelly has also been strongly linked with Liverpool and Tottenham as he approaches the end of his contract in Bournemouth, with AC Milan and Monaco also said to be interested in the defender who can play at left-back or centre-half.