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LIVE Transfer Talk: Juventus Pogba's first choice? PSG, Real Madrid monitor

The summer transfer window was unlike any other; see all the major deals and check out how we graded the biggest signings. And just because the window is shut until January, that doesn't mean the rumours won't keep coming. Here is the latest gossip and speculation. 

TOP STORY: Are Juventus first choice for Paul Pogba?

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba's preferred destination when he leaves the club is a return to Juventus, says Sport Italia.

Pogba, 28, is out of contract in the summer and, while United are reported to have put a new deal on the table, there is little indication that a decision will be made on his future soon. Sources told ESPN's Mark Ogden on Wednesday that Ole Gunnar Solskjaer's team are preparing to lose the France international on a free in the summer, however they are not alarmed over the potential of receiving no fee for him.

The playmaker first joined Juve in 2012 from the United academy for around £800,000 compensation, going on to make 178 appearances. He spent four years in Turin before his £89.3 million switch back to Manchester in 2016 but has been continually linked with a return.

Juve, who are ninth in Serie A this season after a poor start to the season, would need to raise funds by letting Aaron Ramsey, Weston McKennie and Adrien Rabiot depart in order to pay Pogba the €12m-a-year he wants.

Meanwhile, Paris Saint-Germain are monitoring the situation, according to Le10 Sport. A potential transfer to Paris would see Pogba return to his place of birth, as well as a potential link up with Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe.

Real Madrid are another interested party, however there is unlikely to be any move made in the upcoming January transfer window with United unwilling to let Pogba leave before the end of the season.

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LIVE BLOG

19.31 BST: Juventus have eyes on bolstering their options in attack and midfield, but likely only the budget to spend significant money on just one player, and the front line has been prioritised, according to Calciomercato. So with 21-year-old Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic the Old Lady's first choice, they'll look for more-affordable options in midfield like Axel Witsel of Borussia Dortmund and Corentin Tolisso of Bayern Munich, both of whom are out of contract in the summer.

16.55 BST: Tuttosport claims that Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic wants to join Juventus.

Vlahovic, 21, scored a hat trick in the 3-0 win over Spezia this weekend and has already maintained that he won't sign a new contract at the club, with his current terms expiring in 2023.

The Serbia international is one of the top young strikers in Europe and has been linked with Manchester City, but his first-choice destination is reportedly Juve.

16.00 BST: How bad are Totttenham under Nuno?

14.50 GMT: Sporting CP winger Pedro Goncalves is on Liverpool's radar, says Record.

Goncalves, 23, recently signed a new contract after scoring 23 goals to help Sporting to the Portuguese title. And his release clause has been increased from €60m to €80m.

13.48 BST: The Daily Telegraph reports that Nuno Espirito Santo could be sacked by Tottenham soon.

Nuno only arrived in the summer after a lengthy search for Jose Mourinho's replacement. But Spurs' recent form has seen back-to-back Premier League defeats to Man United and West Ham United and could see him leave.

The report claims "discussions are being held on Sunday over whether or not to make an immediate change."

13.37 GMT: Inter winger Ivan Perisic is set to leave the club when his contract expires in the summer of 2022, according to Corriere dello Sport.

Perisic, 32, has scored twice in nine Serie A games this season after spending the 2019-20 season on loan at Bayern Munich.

The Croatia international has previously been linked with Manchester United and should have no shortage of suitors.

12.56 GMT: Calciomercato claims that Inter Milan are looking to get midfielder Nicolo Barella to sign a new contract.

Barella, 24, has had a fine year and helped Inter clinch the Serie A title, then Italy to win Euro 2020.

The midfielder's terms expire in 2024 and Inter want to ensure he is part of their squad for years to come with an improved salary of €5m-a-year.

11.34 GMT: Manchester City don't lose very often but is there something wrong now?

10.45 GMT: Barcelona sporting vice-president Rafa Yuste says there is no deadline for the club to appoint a new manager.

Barca's B coach Sergi Barjuan was appointed as interim coach last week following Ronald Koeman's dismissal and oversaw a 1-1 draw with Alaves.

Barca legend and current Al Sadd coach Xavi Hernandez is reportedly Barca's No. 1 choice but Yuste said on Saturday: "The technical secretary is working for a few days to find the best solution. There are several options and Xavi is one of them. We are not giving ourselves deadlines because that would only add more pressure and complicate the negotiations that we are having."

10.09 GMT: Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr. says he is not getting carried away by the praise for his impressive season. The Brazil international has scored nine goals and set up three more in 14 appearances in all competitions so far for Los Blancos.

Vinicius, 21, who joined Madrid from Flamengo at the age of 18 for €45m in 2018, admitted his first few years at Madrid were difficult.

"The pressure was too much," he told TNT. "I had never seen so much on a player so young. I don't know why it was, perhaps because I cost a lot of money. The club and the coaches knew of my quality and that with time I would gain more experience and confidence. I was always calm, I never cared about what was said. Neither now do I believe I'm the best in the world. I just listen to the people at the club and those that surround me."

Regarding his rapport with Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti he said: "He always asked me to remain focused. At times I lose it [focus] and immediately reminds me. He tries to motivate all of us. Against Shakhtar when I did something that he didn't like, he told me: 'If you give the ball away again, I will substitute you.'"

Vinicius was also asked if he would like to play alongside PSG forward Kylian Mbappe, a long-term target of Real Madrid: "Mbappe is a great player, just like Cristiano Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi are. He is the new generation that is already here to stay for many years. All the players want to play with Mbappe. But at Real Madrid we don't talk about other players. I play with [Karim] Benzema, Rodrygo, [Eden] Hazard, [Marco] Asensio and other great ones I enjoy."

09.48 GMT: Not the biggest shock around but The Daily Mirror claims that Liverpool will let goalkeeper Loris Karius leave on a free transfer in January.

Karius, 28, he has not played for the club since 2018's ill-fated Champions League final against Real Madrid where he gifted the Spanish side the trophy with some costly errors.

The German has played for Besiktas and Union Berlin on loan but neither has really worked out and his contract expires in 2022 anyway.

09.00 GMT: ICYMI - Several Premier League clubs have been sounded out over their interest in signing Real Madrid's Eden Hazard in January, sources have told ESPN.

Chelsea and Newcastle United are among a number of clubs to have been alerted to the possibility, although it is unclear at this stage what level of interest there is in Hazard, 30, or if the player himself is ready to call time on his career at the Bernabeu.

Hazard was left on the bench for last weekend's El Clasico victory over Barcelona, after which manager Carlo Ancelotti said "the problem [Hazard] has right now is he has a coach who prefers another player."

Although he went on to praise Hazard's work ethic, it was a damning assessment of a player signed from Chelsea in 2019 for a deal worth an initial €100 million with a series of performance-based add-ons.

PAPER GOSSIP (by Luke Thrower)

- Real Madrid are ready to discuss the contract of Vinicius Junior in the coming months, says journalist Fabrizio Romano. The 21-year-old's current deal runs until 2025, but his contributions this season for Los Blancos have made him "untouchable". He also scored twice in his side's 2-1 win over Elche on Saturday.

- Crystal Palace are ready to cut the loan of Mainz's Jean-Philippe Mateta short in January with the striker not in the plans of manager Patrick Vieira. Reports from The Sun claim that the London club are looking to free up space to sign another forward in the future and moving on the 24-year-old, who has only featured twice in the league this season, would allow them to enter the market.

- Whilst Internazionale have planned talks with Marcelo Brozovic over a new contract, PSG are said to be interested in the midfielder on a free transfer in the summer. According to Corriere dello Sport, the Ligue 1 club are ready to make an offer to land the 28-year-old Croatia international for free.

- AC Milan full-back Theo Hernandez is set to snub a potential move to Manchester City or PSG to sign a new contract with the Serie A club. Calciomercato reports that the 24-year-old will sign a deal until 2026, with an offer of €4m-a-year said to be enough to agree an extension.

- Internazionale have "strong interest" in Sassuolo youngster Giacomo Raspadori, says Calciomercato. The 21-year-old has impressed as a potential striker for the future, even earning a call-up to the Italy national team for the summer's European Championships.

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