Gaitan to Man Utd? Busquets to Arsenal FC? Stones to Chelsea FC? Thursday’s back pages

Crunch Sports Staff
in Soccer 30 Jul 2021Share

Nicolas Gaitan (credit: PATRICIA DE MELO MOREIRA/AFP/Getty Images)
The top stories making Thursday’s back pages in the UK…
The Sun: Manchester United’s plot to re-sign Cristiano Ronaldo has collapsed — after being told he will cost over £80million.

Also: Kevin De Bruyne has dropped a huge hint he could yet join Manchester City this summer.

And: Jose Mourinho labelled Rafa Benitez a fatty after being taunted by the Spaniard’s missus.


Daily Mirror: Chelsea will return with a fresh bid for John Stones after Everton rejected their second offer of £26million.

Also: Swansea put a staggering £25million price tag on Ashley Williams in a bid to scare off Crystal Palace.


Daily Star: Mohamed Salah has touched down in Rome ahead of his move to Roma.

Also: Jose Mourinho has reopened his bitter war of words with Rafa Benitez with a sensational attack on his wife.

And: Ashley Young is set to hold showdown talks with Manchester United bosses about his Old Trafford future.


Daily Mail: Nantes midfielder Jordan Veretout is expected to fly into England in the next 48 hours to decide a move to the Premier League with Aston Villa working towards an agreement.


Daily Express: Arsene Wenger has set his sights on Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets, according to reports.

Also: Newcastle have resurrected their interest in Marseille winger Florian Thauvin.


Metro: Nicolas Gaitan is reportedly convinced that he is making a transfer to Manchester United.

Also: Aston Villa are in transfer talks with former Manchester United striker Dimitar Berbatov.


Daily Telegraph: Mathieu Flamini has suggested that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho acted out of character this summer by accepting the “good favour” that Roman Abramovich did Arsenal over the sale of Petr Cech.

Also: Louis van Gaal could be forced to undertake a gruelling pre-season trip to China next summer with Manchester United’s major sponsors increasingly keen to exploit the club’s commercial power in the Far East.


The Times: Chelsea’s fractious relationship with Everton deteriorated yesterday after Gary Cahill urged John Stones to “grab with both hands” the chance to sign for Chelsea.

Also: Mauricio Pochettino could be reunited with Rickie Lambert after the Tottenham Hotspur head coach showed interest in signing his former striker.


The Independent: With Manchester United’s hopes of signing Sergio Ramos appearing to be dead in the water, Real Madrid have turned their attentions back to the pursuit of goalkeeper David De Gea.