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Hot Transfer Football Gossip: Man Utd and Man City 'battle for £100m Neymar', Conte and Kante 'to quit Chelsea', Tottenham 'agree to sell Walker'

Forget the race for fourth – we all know Arsenal are going to lose that. There’s a far more interesting battle taking place on the back page of the Sunday Express. It’s Manchester United v Manchester City for Neymar! (Or “Neymap”, as it actually says because the last letter of his name is partially obscured by a photo of his elbow as a result of some poor layout skills.)

But we know who they mean. It’s the Barcelona superstar whose dad, Neymar Sr, has alerted Manchester’s finest by reportedly telling his son he should move to the Premier League to “escape life in the shadow of Lionel Messi”. Because it must be terrible playing with Messi.

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Jose Mourinho is said to be a “long-time admirer” of the Brazilian forward and could “put all his efforts” into signing him this summer.

However, City are also believed to have a chance after Neymar said of their manager, “Pep Guardiola is a guy that I really admire and who I would love to work with.” Admittedly, he did say that about two years ago.

The reported fee for Neymar would apparently be £100m, which actually sounds rather cheap. Are we sure this story really isn’t about a different player called Neymap?


You should also show the Sunday Express to any smug Chelsea fans you know (i.e. all of them), because it contains one story about Real Madrid plotting a bid for influential Blues midfielder N’Golo Kante and another story saying the club are “struggling to keep hold of” influential manager Antonio Conte amid interest from Inter Milan. Ha.

In happier Blues news, the champions are tipped to rival Man City for the signing of Kyle Walker after Tottenham “agreed” to flog him, according to the Sunday Mirror.

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The right-back has reportedly been put up for sale for £40m following talks between Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino and chairman Daniel Levy, although Eric Dier and Danny Rose will not be allowed to leave north London.

City are also targeting Leicester City’s Kasper Schmeichel as their new “sweeper-keeper”, says the Mail on Sunday. The Dane left the Etihad for about £800,000 eight years ago – before it was even called the Etihad – but it would cost a lot more than that to buy him back.

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City could also face competition for the 30-year-old goalie from Everton, who have been left “reeling” by the £30m price tag Sunderland have put on Jordan Pickford, says the Sun on Sunday.

Elsewhere, Liverpool are closing in on a £12m deal for Leicester winger Demarai Gray (Sunday Mirror), West Ham, Crystal Palace and Newcastle are interested in Everton’s £20m-rated midfielder James McCarthy (Mail on Sunday) and the Hammers’ striker/winger/midfielder (no one seems to be sure) Andre Ayew could return to his former club Marseille just a year after his £20m move to the London Stadium (Le Parisien). A bit like the Dimitri Payet transfer earlier this season, except this time no one in east London will really care.

@darlingkevin