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Transfer Talk: United won't let Pogba go without formal transfer request

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TOP STORY: United demand transfer request for Pogba exit

The Paul Pogba to Real Madrid saga has taken another turn, with Manchester United telling the France international he must hand in a formal transfer request to get the move, according to the Sun. 

As Zinedine Zidane begins to rebuild his side, he has warned countryman Pogba that it's a case of now or never if he is to join him in Spain.

While United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has reportedly conceded that Pogba does not want to play for his side any more, executive vice chairman Ed Woodward has said losing their record signing would only harm them further after failing to qualify for the Champions League.

And that means Pogba will have to try to force his way out by submitting a transfer request.

LIVE BLOG

22.54 BST: We'll bring Monday's live edition of Transfer Talk to a close with some news on the managerial front. Gianluca Di Marzio is reporting that Marseille are all but certain to part ways with Rudi Garcia, and one of the leading candidates to take over at the Velodrome is former Manchester United and Real Madrid defender and current Velez Sarsfield boss Gabriel Heinze.

21.51 BST: With captain Vincent Kompany leaving to become player-manager of Anderlecht, Manchester City are now hoping to beat neighbours Manchester United to the signing of Leicester's £75m-rated centre-back Harry Maguire, according to the Mirror.

20.14 BST: Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is not for sale and will not be sold this summer, the club confirmed with a statement on Monday, but a source has told ESPN FC it was never his intention to push for an exit. The France international dropped a major bombshell on Sunday by calling his future with PSG into question after receiving the trophies for best player and young player of the season at the Ligue 1 awards gala.

And earlier on Monday, the Telegraph reported that the Parisian club has already opened talks with the representatives of the 20-year-old over a new contract.

18.37 BST: According to the Express, Manchester United will not meet David De Gea's £400,000-a-week wage demands, and thus the Red Devils run the risk of losing the Spain No. 1 for nothing in 12 months' time, and the report states that just such a scenario is about to unfold. Paris Saint-Germain reportedly have been weighing up a £60m bid for De Gea, but with the pressure of financial fair play looming over their heads, they instead hope to capture De Gea on a free transfer next summer, offering him a pre-contract with a hefty signing-on fee in January.

17.00 BST: The Chronicle reports that Newcastle, West Ham and Lazio are all interested in signing striker Wesley Moraes from Belgian side Club Brugge.

16.14 BST: More from Chelsea -- the club will offer 19-year-old midfielder Reece James a new long-term contract following his fine loan spell at Championship side Wigan, the Independent reports.

15.41 BST: Renato Sanches has indicated that he could leave Bayern Munich after struggling for regular playing time. Sanches, who scored as Bayern retained their Bundesliga title at the weekend, told reporters: "Everything is possible. I am young, want to and must play more. If you don't do it, you don't feel good."

15.01 BST: More on some news from earlier today -- Chelsea have now triggered their option to extend Olivier Giroud's contract by another year, sources have told ESPN FC.

Giroud had been set to become a free agent, but Chelsea have decided to keep him as they weigh up whether to take their appeal against a two-transfer window ban imposed by FIFA to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

14.19 BST: When Bayern Munich celebrated their seventh consecutive title on Saturday, the focus was on outgoing wingers Ribery and Robben.

Both scored in their last match for the Bavarians, but defender Jerome Boateng spent what could have been his last 90 minutes at the Allianz Arena on the bench.

German outlet Bild reports that Bayern could let Boateng go for fee "not significantly below €20 million," with Inter Milan are among those interested.

13.47 BST: West Ham could make a move for striker Aleksandar Mitrovic following Fulham's relegation from the Premier League, according to Football London, which adds that Salomon Rondon, a hit on loan at Newcastle from West Brom, is another potential target.

13.17 BST: Bayern Munich could soon be signing Manchester City and Germany winger Leroy Sane, according to kicker, which says a deal could be eased by their relationship with City boss Pep Guardiola, formerly in charge at the Allianz Arena. Bayern want to bring in another winger with veterans Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben on their way in the summer.

12.55 BST: And still more -- United have not given up hope of extending Juan Mata's stay at Old Trafford, sources have told ESPN FC.

Spain midfielder Mata is out of contract on June 30 and has a number of offers from clubs in England, Italy and Spain.

12.21 BST: More on United now, with the Mail reporting that they "are poised to sign Stoke youngster Nathan Collins" after former midfielder Darren Fletcher recommended the 18-year-old.

11.55 BST: The Manchester Evening News says Manchester United are making the signing of a new winger a priority but view Swansea's Daniel James, strongly linked with them recently, "as a fall-back option." It reports that they are instead "considering more proven options than James."

11.33 BST: AS reports that Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund want to sign Malcom from Barcelona, with sporting director Michael Zorc having been interested in him since his time at Bordeaux.

10.58 BST: Chelsea goalkeeper Willy Caballero is on Wet Ham's radar as they target an understudy to Lukasz Fabianski with Adrian on his way in the summer, the Standard says.

10.35 BST: RB Leipzig forward Timo Wener is not short of potential destinations if he leaves in the summer, but club chief Ralf Rangnick has denied that any approach has yet been made. "He would first have to agree with a club, and this club would have to contact RB -- which has not happened, to my knowledge," he said.

10.04 BST: Chelsea have won their battle to persuade striker Olivier Giroud to stay for another year, according to the London Evening Standard, which reports that news of a new deal is set to be announced soon. Nice, Marseille, Bordeaux and Lyon had all been linked with a move for France international Giroud.

09.43 BST: And staying with Germany midfielders, Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan is ready to reopen contracts talks as he enters the final year of his deal.

Gundogan played a major role as City won the domestic treble, starting 16 of their final 17 matches, and told German newspaper Bild: "Now is enough time to reflect on the situation and to take up the talks again more intensely with the club."

09.25 BST: News from the Bernabeu, where Germany midfielder Toni Kroos has extended his contract until June 2023. Kroos and Madrid bosses will hold a news conference later today.

09.05 BST: Boca Juniors are interested in signing veteran Italian midfielder Daniele De Rossi, according to Diario Ole.

De Rossi is leaving Roma after 18 years and more than 600 appearances, but the 35-year-old is keen to continue playing before starting a coaching career.

Nicolas Burdisso, a Boca director and former Roma defender has claimed the doors at Boca Juniors "are wide open" if his former teammate is interested.

"He is a dear friend of mine and we have an excellent relationship," Burdisso said. "In the future we will sit down and talk. It's a player that interests us."

08.35 BST: Manchester United and Atletico Madrid scouts were at the Estadio da Luz to follow Joao Felix in Benfica's last league game of the season on Saturday, according to Record.

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder was on the scoresheet as Benfica beat Santa Clara 4-1 to secure their 37th Portuguese league title, and has attracted the attention of top clubs including Juventus since being promoted to the first team last summer.

Atletico are looking to strengthen their attack with Antoine Griezmann set to depart this summer and Felix, who is tied to Portuguese champions until June 2023 and has a €120m release clause, is not the only Benfica player they have monitored this season.

According to Record, they are also in a race with United and Juventus to sign Portugal international Ruben Dias. The 21-year-old centre-back has a €60m release clause.

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08.00 BST: Paris Saint-Germain's Kylian Mbappe called his future with the French champions into question after he won the National Union of Professional Footballers' (UNFP) Ligue 1 Player and Young Player of the Year awards on Sunday.

"I think that it is a very important moment for me as I feel that I am approaching a first, or second, turning point in my career, the France striker said. "I have discovered a lot of things here and I feel that it is perhaps time for greater responsibility. I hope that it will be with PSG, which would be with great pleasure, or maybe elsewhere with a new project. However, I would like to say thank you."

Mbappe followed that up by explaining in a mixed zone for the award winners that he intended to send "a message."

He added: "I said what I had to say. When you are at such an important event, you can send messages -- I think that I sent mine. If I say more, it will become too much. It will not be the same and that is not the message that I want to send."

PAPER TALK (by Steve Wright): Gunners target Carrasco issues plea

Former Atletico Madrid winger Yannick Carrasco has said a move to Arsenal this summer is possible, the Sun reports. 

Carrasco spent last season at Chinese Super League side Dalian Yifang and was told he couldn't leave in January.

Commenting on his future, Carrasco said: "There was interest from Arsenal and I had a lot of teams in January giving me the chance to go back to Europe, but here the president said it was difficult to go then.

"Maybe this summer it is possible. If it is a good thing and I want to go, maybe I can speak with the president."

Arsenal salivating over Saliba

Saint-Etienne centre-back William Saliba is top of Arsenal's transfer shortlist, according to Goal. 

The teenager has made 17 appearances in Ligue 1 this season and has drawn comparisons to Raphael Varane.

Arsenal conceded 51 goals in the Premier League -- the second worst record in the division's top nine teams after Manchester United -- so defensive shortcomings need addressing.

United have also been linked with the player in the past, but the reports indicate no fresh interest from them.

Tap-ins

- Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Moussa Sissoko has thrown his future into question, saying "anything can happen in football very quickly."

"At the end of the season, it could be that they [Spurs] have a new project, that a new coach comes and he doesn't count on me, he wants to sell me," he added.

- Amid interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, Nicolas Pepe will leave Lille in the summer. Manager Christophe Galtier said: "Life's like that, football's like that today. He is a player of the highest level who will have a big decision to make on the choice of his next club. There will be a battle between the great European teams."

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