“Pathetic” Paul Pogba slammed by Premier League legend for “offering nothing”

Alan Shearer has slammed Paul Pogba’s performances for Manchester United this season.

The Frenchman has been at the centre of great controversy and debate since returning to the club from the French national team, who won the FIFA World Cup in Russia in the summer. Pogba was a key part of that squad and also seen as a leader in the dressing room for Les Bleus.

Yet for Man United, the 25-year-old has offered little in terms of consistency. His comments in the media, meanwhile, have only brought negativity to United. He flirted intermittently with FC Barcelona in the summer and has been linked to Juventus and Paris Saint-Germain as well.

Pogba has also made comments about not being allowed to say anything in fear of a fine, and has criticised his own team’s style of play under Mourinho.

Shearer believes his performances do not allow Pogba to have such a presence in the media and that he should be ashamed of his displays this season.

“Paul Pogba is United’s record signing. Just take that in for a moment and consider all the great players who have played for this club,” Shearer told The Sun.

“Despite being a World Cup winner, he cannot lace the boots of those whose names will go down in history at Old Trafford.

“He was pathetic again at West Ham and was that bad that Mourinho had to drag him off as he was offering nothing. If he’s looking to get the manager out then he is doing a much better job of that than playing football, as his team-mates were not much better.”

While Pogba has had a poor start to the season like everyone else in the United side, he remains one of the team’s most important players. He’s already hit four goals and made two assists this season, better than most other players.

Against West Ham, he wasn’t the worst midfielder in the side. Nemanja Matic was worse than Pogba, but it was the latter who Mourinho substituted. Using the fact he was subbed as an argument is wrong because that was seemingly a political move by Mourinho.

He has got to improve, but the idea that Pogba is performing worse than other players is wrong. No one is performing under Mourinho.

Luke Shaw launches defence of United boss Mourinho, claims players must take responsibility

Manchester United left-back Luke Shaw has defended the club’s manager Jose Mourinho in the face of recent criticism.

The Man United boss has come under fire for over a season now, but it has now reached a tipping point where many are backing the Reds to sack Mourinho soon.

It’s been the worst sever start to a Premier League campaign for United. With three losses and a draw in their opening seven games, as well as being knocked out of the League Cup by Championship side Derby County, this nightmare start is only matched by the side of David Moyes in the 2013/14 season. Moyes was sacked by April.

Shaw, however, has defended his manager, insisting that it should be the players who are facing the brunt of the criticism, given it is they who are on the pitch.

The Englishman has had a good start to the season compared to his teammates but said there are “no excuses” for the team’s poor showings.

“We’re the ones who go on the pitch. The manager isn’t on the pitch is he?” Shaw said.

“He’s there to put a team out and put a team out that he thinks can win the game.

“You look at our team today and we had a very strong team. No excuses. As players we weren’t good enough.

“It was not good enough from a Man United team with all the talent we have.

“Games like this we should be dominating, creating chances, showing people why we deserve to play for Man United and that didn’t happen today. It was very poor from us.”

The United players must perform better. Almost every player in the squad is underperforming, and the attitude of the players is woeful at times. Against Brighton, United conceded once and were so shaken by the goal that they conceded a second immediately after. Against West Ham, Marcus Rashford got one goal back for United in the second half to make it 2-1, but United allowed the home side to notch a third straight away, again.

Shaw and his teammates do not have the ability, mentally, to control a game at the moment. However, Mourinho must be blamed in the main part. He has been at United for more than two seasons now and it’s his job to fix any mental problems. It’s also his job not to make tactical blunders like playing a three-man defence with a young midfielder on the right of it against West Ham.

Chelsea target offered lucrative new deal at Serie A giants

Napoli are determined to tie down Piotr Zielinski to a new contract at the club as they look to fend off interest from Chelsea and Arsenal.

The Blues have been heavily linked with a move for the Poland international, who enjoyed a strong working relationship with Maurizio Sarri during the manager’s time in Naples.

Zielinski has enjoyed an impressive start to the season in Serie A, catching the eye with some all-action performances in the middle of the park.

It, therefore, comes as no surprise to see the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal establish an interest in recruiting the enigmatic midfielder. However, fresh reports indicate that an extremely lucrative proposal has been placed on the table by Napoli.

According to Rai Sport, as cited in a report from Calciomercato, the Serie A outfit are willing to double Zielinski’s current wages as they bid to retain the services of the impressive midfielder.

Napoli are keen to keep hold of their key men for the foreseeable future, as Carlo Ancelotti bids to help the club continue their rivalry with Juventus for the Scudetto.

The post Chelsea target Zielinski could see wages doubled at Napoli appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Man United have lost their identity and Mourinho is losing the plot, claims Alan Shearer

Alan Shearer has heavily criticised Manchester United’s inability to keep their internal fights out of the media in recent weeks.

Manager Jose Mourinho and midfielder Paul Pogba have been at ‘war’ and the Frenchman was removed as vice-captain by Mourinho last week. The pair were then seen arguing in training the next day. Pogba, meanwhile, has previously hinted at an exit and reports leaking from his agent suggest that he wants to join FC Barcelona as soon as possible.

In the summer, Mourinho was subtlety fighting the Man United board and executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward, demanding that they sign more players in the transfer window when he spoke to reporters during pre-season.

Shearer believes a club as big as United has to keep such internal issues out of the public eye.

“United are an embarrassment right now,” the former-England striker told The Sun.

“I never thought I’d say it and I don’t do so with any glee. This is a club that had the highest morals, values & standards. It is embarrassing for a club of this stature to have the constant negative headlines & leaks.

“It was always going to be tough after Sir Alex Ferguson. The club has lost its identity, lost its way and, right now, it’s embarrassing.”

Shearer also suggested that Mourinho may have been trying to prove a point to the board with his team selection in United’s humiliating 3-1 defeat to West Ham United at the London Stadium on Saturday.

“What on earth was he [Mourinho] doing tactically in the 3-1 defeat at West Ham, playing a young midfielder in Scott McTominay in a back three with Eric Bailly on the bench?” Shearer asked.

“If you are trying to make a point about a failure to buy a centre-half in the summer then you do it in better ways than by sacrificing three points.”

It was an odd team selection, and even odder that Mourinho heavily praised McTominay in the aftermath of the game, given that the young Scot had been partly at fault for West Ham’s early opening goal.

Mourinho has started the season horrifically at United and is losing control of the club.

Zinedine Zidane has personally called Jose Mourinho about Man United job - report

Jose Mourinho has reportedly been personally assured by Zinedine Zidane that he is not being lined up to replace Mourinho as Manchester United manager.

Neil Custis reports in The Sun that Zidane has called Mourinho in recent days to assure him that Man United haven’t been in contact and that he is not plotting to secure the job at Old Trafford behind Mourinho’s back.

The Reds have suffered their worst ever start to a Premier League season with three losses in their opening seven fixtures. No United side apart from David Moyes’ team in the 2013/14 season have begun a campaign with as bad a record. Moyes was sacked in April, after eight months in the job.

Mourinho is now convinced, according to Custis, that the United hierarchy have been in touch with Zidane’s representatives in order to ensure that he is available if they do sack Mourinho.

United fans are split over Mourinho’s future at the club. Many want to see him leave as soon as possible and for him to be replaced by Zidane. However, others argue that Mourinho should be given the season so that United can replace him properly at the end of the season with a long-term candidate, like Tottenham Hotspur’s Mauricio Pochettino. Some still defend Mourinho and insist that he should be supported by the board further in the transfer market and given time.

There is a toxic atmosphere at Old Trafford at the moment. Mourinho was fighting in the press with the United board in the summer over a lack of transfer activity. Now the season has begun, he is at war with star midfielder Paul Pogba.

That atmosphere must be sorted out. Zidane is seen as a possible replacement because of his handling of star players and huge egos at Real Madrid, where he became the first manager of the modern era to win three consecutive UEFA Champions League titles.

Chelsea talisman says Blues can challenge for the title

Eden Hazard believes that Chelsea can mount a serious title challenge this season.

Speaking to the Mirror after Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with Liverpool on Saturday night, Hazard explained how he thinks the Blues are good enough after their efforts against the Reds last week.

I think we can challenge with Liverpool and City, who are probably the best teams at the moment.

We’ve played Liverpool twice [having also beaten them 2-1 at Anfield in the Carabao Cup last Wednesday] and were so close to winning both games. So we are almost there and I think we can challenge with these teams.

Going into the new season, many people had written off Chelsea, believing Sarri’s main objective was to merely get back into the top four.

However, opinions appear to be changing after an impressive start to the season.

The Blues have won five from seven in the Premier League and impressed in both games against Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool this week.

While Manchester City are far and away favourites to win the Premier League again this season, Liverpool are being tipped to push them close for the trophy after their efforts in the previous campaign.

Chelsea currently sit third in the table, two points behind both City and Liverpool at this early stage.

The post Hazard believes Chelsea can challenge for the Premier League title appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Jose Mourinho provides injury update ahead of Valencia

Jose Mourinho has confirmed that Marcos Rojo, Ander Herrera, Jesse Lingard and Ashley Young are all injured for Manchester United’s meeting with Valencia in the Champions League.

The boss confirmed in Monday’s press conference that Young, who started at right back, had picked up an injury in the 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.

Lingard and Herrera are both thought to have sustained knocks against Derby County last week, while Marcos Rojo remains sidelined having not played since the World Cup.

Speaking to MUTV at Carrington earlier today, Mourinho refused to disclose the extent of the injuries.

“Apart from Marcos Rojo, now we have Ander Herrera, Ashley Young and Jesse Lingard out,” he said. “I prefer the doctor to speak, but they are not in [the right] conditions.”

Sarri given triple fitness boost ahead of Europa League tie

Andreas Christensen, Pedro and Ruben Loftus-Cheek are in all contention to start in Chelsea’s midweek Europa League game.

The London Evening Standard reports that Maurizio Sarri is in line to receive a triple fitness boost ahead of the tie against Vidi.

The trio missed Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool with their respective injuries and illnesses.

Pedro suffered a shoulder injury during Chelsea’s previous Europa League clash, however, it was not deemed as serious as it first appeared.

Christensen was forced out of Chelsea’s midweek win over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup with an illness.

The Danish defender played through the first half but was taken off after throwing up in the changing rooms during the break.

Loftus-Cheek has also struggled with injuries so far this season and will be hoping to get some much-needed game time under his belt.

Chelsea face the Hungarian champions on Thursday night looking to make it two wins from two in Europe.

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Reports: Unai Emery Has Told Arsenal Who He Wants To Replace Aaron Ramsey - But There Is A Problem

Reports in Italy suggest that Unai Emery has identified the player he wants to replace star midfielder Aaron Ramsey at the club (via Sportsmediaset).

If these last few days are anything to go by, it now seems assured that this will be Aaron Ramsey’s final season at Arsenal.

The Welsh international joined the club from Cardiff City back in 2008 but last week, it was announced that he will not be signing an extension on his current contract at the club.

With that in mind, a replacement needs to be found for Arsenal and reports in Italy claim that they know exactly who that is.

Italian publication Sportmediaset has claimed that the Gunners head coach Unai Emery has told the club that he wants to sign Piotr Zielinski.

The 24-year-old midfielder is a Polish international who plays his football for Napoli in Serie A.

He has had no shortage of potential suitors in recent seasons and Arsenal are seemingly the latest in a long line.

The paper does, however, suggest that Napoli would be unwilling to negotiate a deal for the midfielder following the loss of star man Jorginho to Chelsea during the summer.

Piotr Zielinski is a hugely talented player, as evidenced by his showing in the 2018 World Cup. He was one of the only standout players in an otherwise disappointing Poland team. It will be difficult to make any deal happen, especially in January.

Arsenal Legend Insists Bernd Leno Will Come Good At The Club But Issues Him A Warning

Arsenal legend Jens Lehmann has insisted that his countryman Bernd Leno will come good at the Gunners (via The Standard).

Opportunities often come around for players in football and it seems as if Bernd Leno has been handed a major one at Arsenal.

The German stopper has barely featured for the Gunners since his £22 million move from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.

The 26-year-old made his Premier League debut on the weekend coming in for the injured Petr Cech, the man who has been keeping him out of the team so far this term.

Now, another German goalkeeper who played for Arsenal has had his say on the man who will be Arsenal’s number 1 for the next few weeks.

“He’s a very good shot-stopper, he’s calm, good with his feet,” said Arsenal legend Jens Lehmann of Leno before insisting that it won’t all be smooth sailing for him.

“To be a success at Arsenal he will have to win something.”

That last part is certainly true in the long term but for the time being, a few clean sheets will be enough. Arsenal have conceded too many goals in recent weeks and Bernd Leno will be hoping to change that now that he is the club’s number 1.

Chelsea and Liverpool coud miss out as Juventus eye blockbuster move to sign winger

Long-term Chelsea and Liverpool target Christian Pulisic is reportedly on Juventus’ radar.

According to reports from Tuttosport, as cited on Calciomercato, the Old Lady are considering a move to bring him into the club.

Pulisic is highly thought of in European football and is regarded as one of the best young talents on the continent at this moment.

Chelsea and Liverpool have both been long-term admirers of the player and have watched his developments at Borussia Dortmund closely.

The Blues reportedly have Pulisic in their sights as a potential Eden Hazard replacement, should the Belgian leave for Real Madrid in the near future.

However, reports also claimed that Chelsea considered the player as a possible Willian replacement earlier this summer.

Jurgen Klopp is also believed to be a huge admirer from his time with the Bundesliga outfit.

The winger is out of contract at Dortmund in 2020 and Juventus will be hoping to take advantage of his situation in order to secure a deal.

The post Juventus keen to sign Chelsea target Pulisic appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Iwobi Reveals The Secret Behind His Vast Improvement Under Unai Emery After Stagnant Year Under Wenger

Alex Iwobi has revealed the secret behind his recent transformation under new head coach Unai Emery (via Football.London).

It was always an expectation that many players would improve at Arsenal under new head coach Unai Emery.

The Spaniard is still just a few months into his time at the club but a number of players have shown a marked increase in their ability on the pitch.

Perhaps none more so than Alex Iwobi who had an immediate impact after coming on as a substitute in the 2-0 victory over Watford at the weekend.

Now, the Nigerian international has revealed that the advice which Unai Emery has given him in the lead up to this improvement in form.

“I’m more positive and more confident with the ball. The boss has basically told me that if something doesn’t work, just keep going and don’t dwell on it,” Emery said after Saturday’s 2-0 win.

“He’s told me to stop being so critical and to just keep trying no matter what happens, no matter if things don’t go as I want them to.

“That’s given me a lot more confidence to try a few more things, like beat a player, to shoot more. I’m always ready to get on the ball a bit more, so I guess it’s helped in that sense.

“The main thing that the boss stresses with me is to get in the positions to score. I scored against Brentford but I was offside. I had another chance too, and I just need to convert them.

“He’s happy with me getting into those positions and the next step is to convert the chances.”

Alex Iwobi has certainly looked sharper this season than he has in some time. The Nigerian international has come under a great deal of pressure from some section of the Arsenal fanbase but he has always had the ability to truly thrive in this team. Thankfully, he is now starting to show it consistently too.

Mourinho sends scathing message to players after West Ham defeat

Jose Mourinho has claimed that some of his Manchester United players “care more than others” after his side’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham United.

The club has endured a nightmare week during which they drew with Wolverhampton Wanderers and suffered humiliating defeats to Derby County in the League Cup.

Another defeat at the hands of Valencia on Tuesday would force Ed Woodward into genuinely considering Mourinho’s position at the club.

Speaking at a press conference ahead of the game, Mourinho said that he thought some Man United players cared more about playing for the club than others.

Mourinho: “Reaction? Every player is different. I think some care more than others. I see different reactions. Sometimes what you see is not really what is inside. Everyone has the desire to work and play.” [MUTV] pic.twitter.com/EqFReYrBNq

— The Peoples Person (@PeoplesPerson_) October 1, 2018

When Mourinho is sacked he will, you suspect, come back to this question of attitude, of total commitment to the cause, and insist it was not good enough among his players.

But of course, that accusation just does not wash: Mourinho has had over two years with these players and one of his jobs has been to instil a fighting spirit which endures during a nine month period. To do that you have to man-manage properly and advocate a way of playing that players can engage with.

The way this season has started strongly suggests Mourinho has failed to do that.

Premier League great tells Jose Mourinho why his side have suffered a nightmare start to season

Jose Mourinho is suffocating Manchester United’s players with his current tactics at the club, claims Arsenal legend Martin Keown.

The former-defender played frequently in the great battles between Man United and Arsenal in the early 2000s while Sir Alex Ferguson led the Reds. Now, he believes current boss Mourinho is changing things far too often at United to allow his players to get any rhythm and have any success.

United have had their worst ever start to a Premier League season with three losses in their opening seven fixtures and one draw. Only David Moyes’ torrid side in the 2013/14 season equalled this nightmare start.

Keown places the blame for such a start down to Mourinho’s constant tinkering with his starting line-up and formation.

“I see no freedom at United, no structure, no clear plan,” Keown told the Mail.

“Mourinho keeps ripping things up and starting again. He has made 19 changes to his starting XI this season, with only Rafa Benitez at struggling Newcastle making more.

“Mourinho is becoming the Tinkerman and seems to have lost the respect of the group. These constant tweaks are suffocating.”

Certainly in defence, Keown has a point. Against Tottenham Hotspur in a 3-0 loss, it was a three-man defence which included midfielder Ander Herrera. In other games, it has been a four-man defence with no consistent pairing. Eric Bailly, Phil Jones, Chris Smalling and Victor Lindelof have all been partnered in various forms this season and have all been dropped at some point.

In Saturday’s 3-1 defeat to West Ham United, young midfielder Scott McTominay took the Herrera role in a three-man defence again and United were exposed on multiple occasions at the back. Consistency is vital in defence, and United aren’t having that because Mourinho is constantly shaking things up.

Keown also believes Mourinho needs to focus on the football rather than proving he is more powerful than other figures at the club, such as star midfielder Paul Pogba.

“Mourinho is wasting so much energy on proving he is top dog off the pitch that performances are suffering on it,” the former-England man continued.

“He said recently that no individual is bigger than Manchester United but that applies to the manager, too.

“If Mourinho is to turn things around, he must stop blaming individuals and start taking responsibility.

Keown is mainly right in what he says. Mourinho has created a toxic environment at Old Trafford off the pitch and his tactics on the pitch have been confusing and unsuccessful.

Chelsea ace wants captaincy role as Sarri prepares to announce decision

Chelsea defender Cesar Azpilicueta reportedly wants to be named as the new club captain, with Maurizio Sarri preparing to announce his decision.

The Telegraph report that an announcement is imminent from the Chelsea head coach, who has confirmed he has decided on his pick for the new club captain.

The new Chelsea head coach is expected to change captains with Gary Cahill not featuring on a regular basis this season.

Azpilicueta, who captained the team against Liverpool on Saturday night, is likely to go head-to-head against Eden Hazard for the captain’s armband.

Both have captained the club before on numerous occasions, but there is a feeling that naming Hazard as the club captain could give the club an advantage in their hopes of getting him to sign a new deal.

The latter is the captain of the Belgian national side, but the role is unlikely to play a key role in deciding his long-term future at Stamford Bridge.

The post Azpilicueta eyes captaincy at Chelsea as Sarri decision looms appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Four Manchester United players miss training ahead of Valencia clash

Ashley Young, Ander Herrera, Marcos Rojo and Jesse Lingard were all absent from Manchester United’s open training session on Monday ahead of their Champions League meeting with Valencia at Old Trafford.

Rojo has been injured since the World Cup but Herrera and Lingard both featured in the League Cup defeat to Derby County last week.

Young, on the other hand, started in the horrific 3-1 defeat to West Ham United over the weekend but will be rested on Tuesday.

The BBC‘s Simon Stone confirmed at the club’s open training session on Monday that the quartet were not present for training ahead of a very important game against Valencia.

Young. Rojo, Herrera, Lingard all missing pic.twitter.com/Z1cM26JwiW

— Simon Stone (@sistoney67) October 1, 2018

Antonio Valencia, who has missed the club’s last two games, returned to training alongside Phil Jones and Diogo Dalot, both of whom did not feature over the weekend.

Mourinho’s team is in turmoil and finding any genuine positives is extremely difficult, but at least the Champions League – unlike the Premier League, unlike the League Cup – is a competition in which United not embarrassed themselves as of yet, winning their only game so far 3-0 against Young Boys.

A positive result at Old Trafford against the Spanish side would perhaps give players something to work towards.

Chelsea ace was left 'confused' by Conte axe

David Luiz was left feeling confused at Chelsea after being axed by former head coach Antonio Conte, according to Maurizio Sarri.

The new Chelsea head coach gave Luiz a glowing review after the Blues’ 1-1 draw against Liverpool on Saturday night.

Speaking to reporters after the game, as reported by TEAMtalk, Sarri said the Brazilian has been a key senior figure in his side after such a difficult campaign in the previous season.

Two seasons ago he was a protagonist. Then six months ago he was not playing, so he was a little confused.

Sarri went on to add:

When I arrived here immediately I had the feeling he’s a very good player for my way of football because he’s a centre-back who is very technical. Then I appreciate his qualities as a man. He’s really better than I thought before.

After being banished to the sidelines under Conte last season, Luiz has returned to the first-team picture under Sarri and has been a regular feature in the Italian’s side.

Luiz has formed a solid partnership with Antonio Rudiger at the back, with the two establishing themselves as Sarri’s first choice.

The defender had reportedly fallen out with Conte behind the scenes, while also struggling with injuries that kept him out of the starting XI.

The post Conte left David Luiz feeling confused says Sarri appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Striker wants to be playing for Chelsea next season

Belgian striker Michy Batshuayi says he wants to be playing his football at Chelsea next season.

Speaking to The Times, Batshuayi explains that he wants to use his loan spell in La Liga to prove his worth to Chelsea and has no intention of joining Valencia on a permanent basis.

No [I’m not looking for a permanent move]. I’ve so much respect for Chelsea and I love them. This loan is important for my development, to show how good I am so that I can go back to Chelsea a better player.

The striker joined Valencia on a season-long loan earlier in the summer after not being deemed good enough to start ahead of either Alvaro Morata or Olivier Giroud.

Going into the season there had been suggestions he could lead the line for the club after impressing at Borussia Dortmund, while Morata continues to struggle closer to home, but the club opted to send him out on loan to ensure he’s playing regularly.

Batshuayi has never hidden his intention to break into the Chelsea side and finding goals in La Liga may be enough to win over officials at Stamford Bridge.

The post Batshuayi eyeing Chelsea return appeared first on Read Chelsea.

Pundit blasts Pogba- 'Carrick used to dominate games more than him'

Paul Merson has blasted Paul Pogba, claiming Michael Carrick used to dominate games for Manchester United more so than he did, calling on him to take responsibility for his own performances.

Some fans believe the Frenchman isn’t playing to the best of his ability consistently enough due to Jose Mourinho.

The pair are also not exactly on the best of terms with their relationship said to be practically non-existent.

Merson though has defended Mourinho stating that a player has to, at a certain point, start to take responsibility for their own form.

Pogba was recently hauled off in the second half of the clash against West Ham which ended in a 3-1 loss.

According to the Sport Review, Paul said to the Daily Star: “I don’t think he’s improved at all since he joined United. Even Michael Carrick used to dominate games from midfield more often than he does.

“I would like to think it’s not immaturity. He’s not young any more (25) and has played a lot of big matches.

“But what is his position? Does he have the discipline to be a central midfielder? Can he do that consistently? Can you trust him with a free role?

“It’s not easy at United because they’re not playing free-flowing, attacking football. But he would have known that before he signed.

“You can’t keep saying it’s all the manager’s fault they’re not getting the best out of him.

“Sometimes you have to look at the player. When a manager digs him out, how does he respond?

“Too many players these days are paid so much money they sulk – or try to undermine the manager and get him sacked.”

Jose’s main issue with Pogba has been his inability to maintain a standard of performance since arriving at United.

The Frenchman cut a frustrated figure last weekend and has not been consistent so far this season either.

In his third campaign at the club Paul should be hitting his stride, particularly after winning the World Cup.

Perhaps the ongoing power struggle within the club hasn’t helped matters but there’s no doubting fans want to see more from the former Juventus man than he’s currently offering.

Premier League rivals send scouts to watch £100m-rated Chelsea target

Manchester City, Liverpool and Tottenham were all believed to have scouts watching Lazio’s Sergej Milinkovic-Savic during Lazio’s win over Genoa.

According to the Mirror, the Premier League trio were all keeping a watchful eye on the Serbian midfielder, who was heavily linked with the player throughout the summer transfer window.

Chelsea had previously been named among the favourites to sign the player when it looked like he could move on this summer.

The 23-year-old has been regarded as one of Europe’s hottest prospects over recent campaigns, with the Serbian becoming a regular in Lazio’s midfield since 2015.

However, the Italian giants are confident they can keep hold of their star player, who is currently contracted to Lazio up until 2022.

Milinkovic-Savic was strongly linked with a move to Manchester United and Juventus throughout the summer, but no deal ever materialised and he remained a Lazio player.

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