OPEN RACE
Reports suggest Manchester United and Arsenal are both looking to reinforce their attacking options in January, and are both keen on the same man – Lois Openda.
Arsenal’s interest in the 23-year-old dates back to April when it was claimed they wanted him to be ‘one of the first signings of the summer’.
Obviously a move for the then Lens striker didn’t come to pass and Openda instead moved to RB Leipzig, for whom he’s got five goals and two assists in ten games.
Dubbed the ‘new Mbappe’ by Nacional ‘due to the power and speed that he has’, the Belgium international is now also on United’s radar.
Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri (via Fichajes) claims the Red Devils are showing ‘serious interest’ in Openda and have already enquired about signing him in January.
The £65m release clause in Openda’s current contract can only be triggered from 2025, and Leipzig have reportedly said they want at least £78m for the striker next year – quite the markup from the £37m Leipzig payed Lens a few months ago.It’s claimed ‘Arsenal are also plotting a swoop for Openda to reinforce their frontline’, as Mikel Arteta looks for alternatives to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah, with goalscoring something of an issue for the Gunners this term.
SANCHOICE
You’re all surely well aware of the Jadon Sancho situation, but to recap: Erik ten Hag said his training was sh*t; Sancho said that was boll*cks on social media; Ten Hag said he needed to apologise; Sancho refused and is still refusing; Sancho’s training with the academy and banned from all first team facilities.
It looks as though there’s no way back and reports suggest United are perfectly happy to cut their losses on the winger they signed for £78m two years ago, but has shown pretty much nothing to suggest they should have spent £78m on him.
He came from Borussia Dortmund and that’s where he wants to go back, according to 90min.
It’s claimed a number of Bundesliga clubs are ‘monitoring’ Sancho’s situation, but the England international only has eyes for the club he spent four seasons at before his move to Old Trafford.
A report last month claimed Dortmund weren’t keen on re-signing Sancho, due to indiscipline – being late for training and the like – but mainly because of his perceived addiction to gaming, which would see him playing his console ‘until the early hours of the morning’.
But 90min refute that, claiming ‘Dortmund’s interest in Sancho has remained during his first two years at United, with the relationship between club and player still strong following four seasons together’.
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