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Gossip: Manchester United 'favourites to sign Rose', City 'target Walker', Spurs 'lead Sessegnon race'

Walker, Sessegnon and Rose: All highly sought-after
Walker, Sessegnon and Rose: All highly sought-after

In theory, Manchester United seem pretty well stocked with left-backs. They’ve got Luke Shaw, who’s supposed to be the future of England, plus Daley Blind, who is one of Holland’s best players, and Matteo Darmian, who normally keeps them both out of the side, plus Marcos Rojo and Timothy Fosu-Mensah can play there too. But it’s not enough. They want another one. They want Danny Rose.

The Mirror says the Red Devils are “favourites” to sign the 26-year-old Tottenham man, with the north Londoners “bracing themselves” for his departure this summer.

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Key to the deal could be fact that “Doncaster-born Rose is believed to be interested in moving back up north”. The price of living in the capital is evidently proving tough on his measly Premier League wage.

Manchester City have also been linked with Rose, but Pep Guardiola has apparently made Monaco’s Benjamin Mendy his No1 target in that position. Although maybe United will try to sign him too and open some kind of left-back theme park.

Possibly the wisest left-back signing of the summer, though, will be Ryan Sessegnon. Despite being selected in the Championship team of the year, the Fulham teenager has yet to put pen to paper on a professional contract at Craven Cottage and could be a bargainous capture for someone.

That someone, according to the Times, is most likely to be Spurs, who have “emerged as favourites” to sign the 16-year-old and could offer him Rose’s place in the team as a sweetener. (Or just tell him he will be in a head-to-head battle with Ben Davies).

Man City, as is their wont, are setting their sights on more expensive defenders. In addition to targeting Mendy, the Independent says Guardiola plans to add Spurs right-back Kyle Walker and Paris Saint-Germain centre-back Marquinhos to his new-look backline.

Pep is willing to offload Kelechi Iheanacho in attack, with West Ham, Everton and Leicester all keen on the Nigerian, but the Mail says City will insist on inserting a “buy-back clause” into any deal. The Hammers would apparently want this buy-back fee to be “at least double what they pay”. Otherwise it’s just a glorified loan.

Relegation

Newcastle will attempt to avoid relegation back to the Championship by signing two players who just got relegated to the Championship with Hull. Magpies boss Rafael Benitez is said to be targeting Polish midfielder Kamil Grosicki (The Mag) and Inter Milan defender (and former Tigers loanee) Andrea Ranocchia (Chronicle).

Elsewhere, Sevilla want to take Arsenal attacking flop Lucas Perez back to La Liga (AS), AC Milan forward M’Baye Niang has decided not to make his loan deal to Watford permanent (L’Equipe) and former England manager Roy Hodgson wants to replace former England manager Sam Allardyce at Crystal Palace (Sun). What price current England manager (and former Palace player) Gareth Southgate replacing Hodgson at Selhurst Park after they’ve both got the boot?

@darlingkevin