Daniel Sturridge 'ready to leave Liverpool'; Stoke, West Ham interested

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TOP STORY: Sturridge 'ready to leave Liverpool'

Increasing uncertainty has surrounded the future of Daniel Sturridge in recent weeks and the striker's Liverpool days might soon be at an end, according to the Mirror.

It reports that Sturridge is ready to "spark a £28 million battle for his signature" after becoming frustrated at his recent lack of first-team opportunities on Merseyside.

West Ham and Stoke City are among the interested parties, although the Mirror adds that "a number of clubs" have been made aware that the England international is ready to move on.

Sturridge had previously indicated he would be prepared to stay and fight for a first-team place, but he is behind both Roberto Firmino and Divock Origi in manager Jurgen Klopp's thinking, the report says.

Meanwhile, could Liverpool's hopes of signing Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud hang in the balance?

The Liverpool Echo reports that they could, adding that a one-time Anfield player has something to do with it.

That's because Klopp's former club Borussia Dortmund are lining up a deal for 20-year-old Dahoud that would involve Nuri Sahin heading for Gladbach, scuppering a Liverpool switch.

Schweini 'can talk to interested parties'

It's definitely the end of the road for Bastian Schweinsteiger at Manchester United despite his hopes of a route back, with the Daily Mail reporting that he has been given "free rein to find new employers in January."

The former Germany captain recently returned to training with the first-team squad after being frozen out by manager Jose Mourinho.

But the Mail says that makes no difference to the overall picture and adds that "the 32-year-old's representative has the green light to discuss moves with a number of interested parties."

Sources have told ESPN FC that Schweinsteiger is already talking to MLS club Chicago Fire.

Meanwhile, Inter Milan are keen to sign four United players, according to reports.

New Inter coach Stefano Pioli wants to bring in Chris Smalling, Memphis Depay, Matteo Darmian and Daley Blind as he rebuilds his team.

And the Sun says Inter hope their warm relationship with Mourinho will help smooth the path to those moves.

But the Serie A club face competition for at least two of the quartet, with Everton manager Ronald Koeman having expressed an interest in Depay and Smalling being linked with a switch to Arsenal.

Tigers eye Morrison magic

Hull City will turn to former Manchester United midfielder Ravel Morrisonas they seek to add creative spark to what has been a tough Premier League campaign so far.

The Sun reports that Tigers boss Mike Phelan intends to move for a player with whom he worked at Old Trafford.

Morrison, 23, joined Lazio on a free transfer last year but has been told he is free to look for a new club after making only eight appearances for them.

According to the Sun, he would cost Hull around £600,000, with Phelan having previously voiced belief that the player's talent "needs harnessing the right way."

Tap-ins

- Both Swansea and Sunderland have been linked with Leicester striker Leonardo Ulloa -- but they won't get him for anything less than £10 million, the Telegraph reports.

It says Sunderland manager David Moyes, who secured his first Premier League win with the Black Cats at Bournemouth, is ready to table a bid for the former Brighton striker.

But Premier League champions Leicester "are determined to recoup a significant fee if they agree to sell Ulloa."

- A clutch of English clubs are keeping an eye on Rennes winger Paul-Georges Ntep, according to the Mirror, which says Arsenal and Liverpool are among them.

Ntep is out of contract in the summer, enabling him to begin talks with overseas clubs about a potential move in January -- and reports in France suggest Rennes could opt to sell him in the winter window to ensure they get a transfer fee.

More games: friv

José Mourinho: ‘I help so many people so why not also feed the Einsteins?’

José Mourinho says he has no problem “feeding the Einsteins” who criticise him but admits frustration at not being able to protect his Manchester United players from them.

The manager and the team have drawn negativity for United’s run of three consecutive defeats prior to Wednesday’s 3-1 victory at Northampton Town in the EFL Cup. Following the victory, Mourinho spoke of the “football Einsteins who tried to delete 16 years of my career”.

Asked precisely what had upset him the Portuguese said during his pre-match press conference on Friday: “I am [not] upset with anything. I am such a lucky guy that I cannot be upset with anything. I am upset with nothing. The only thing that upsets me a little bit is the kind of criticism to my players because my players are my players.

“I should protect them, I would love to protect them, and from you media I can’t. It is something that is completely out of my control. That doesn’t upset me, just gives me a feeling that it’s hard. It’s like when you want to protect people and you can’t. I think it’s a feeling of frustration, but with me it’s fine and with the Einsteins it’s fine.

“The Einsteins need money to live, they can’t coach, they can’t sit on the bench, they can’t win matches. They can speak, they can write, they can criticise the work of other people, but I am a good man. I am good man of goodwill. I do lots of charity, I help so many people, so why not also feed the Einsteins? That’s fine.”

Mourinho has recently criticised in public the performances of Jesse Lingard, Luke Shaw, Eric Bailly, Henrikh Mkhitaryan and Daley Blind. Of this he said: “It’s a learning process, you make a mistake, especially the kind of individual mistake, you have to learn with what that means for the team, a team that works during the week on a game plan.

“Sometimes not during the whole week for the same match because now we are having a game every three days - but to try to have a game plan, try to identify some defensive and attacking agreements between all of us, then in the game the individual mistake you can be punished by that.

“It happened to us. We can obviously try to control our own mistakes, that’s what we try all the time. The critique is part of the evolution, the critique is part of the process, the critique helps people to learn how to cope with critics. It’s their life. From you, they cannot expect other thing than be ready to smash them when they have periods of not so much success.”

Mourinho aimed another dig at his critics when speaking of Saturday’s midday meeting with Leicester City at Old Trafford by mockingly describing himself as the poorest manager ever. Claudio Ranieri’s side are the champions and the 53-year-old pointed to his own record in making Chelsea only the second club – along with United – to retain the Premier League title.

“It is obviously very difficult to retain the title – not for Leicester, for everyone – history says that. Not many teams during the Premier League history they could do that. One of the teams was, of course, Man United, another one was some team managed from the worst manager in the history of football, but it’s really difficult

“But the reality is I look at them and they are very good, they are very good. They won the Premier League because some of the big teams were not good enough last season, but they won because they were very good and they are still very good.

“I think they are a very easy team to analyse, a very easy team to understand. Their defensive process is clear, their attacking organisation is very easy to understand, too, but it is very difficult to cope with it. It is very difficult to keep a clean sheet against a team like Leicester and it is difficult to score goals against a team like Leicester. I keep repeating, easy to understand but difficult to play against.”

Man Utd defender Daley Blind: Nothing changed with Dad as Holland coach

Manchester United defender Daley Blind insists there's no problems with his father being Holland coach.

Blind says their relationship hasn't changed since Danny Blind's appointment as Oranje boss.

Daley told Life After Football. "We have a very strong bond and little has changed in the time since he was coach.

"Perhaps the outside world has other ideas and thoughts, but nothing has changed between us."

He added: "Everyone who is close to us, will confirm that. There is nothing, absolutely nothing that has changed."

Bookies make Arsenal favourites to sign Daley Blind from Manchester United

Daley Blind would be the perfect summer signing for Arsenal.

Daley Blind's future is the subject of mounting speculation

It was reported by the Daily Mail last month that Daley Blind is one of the players that new Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho is prepared to sacrifice in order to make way for an array of incoming stars. 

Bookmakers SkyBet have now made Arsenal 3/1 favourites to sign the Dutch international, and he would be the perfect addition to the Gunners' squad.

With Arsenal's first-choice centre-back pairing of Per Mertesacker and Laurent Koscielny now both in their thirties, and Gabriel Paulista and Calum Chambers seemingly not fit to cut it at Premier League level, Blind would be a terrific signing who would improve the quality of Arenal's first-team. The fact that Blind is left-footed would also provide the perfect balance for whoever he played alongside. His versatility will increase the Gunners' strength-in-depth across the pitch, which in itself is reason enough for Arsene Wenger to make a move for his signature.

 Daley Blind helped his Man United team win the FA Cup last term

ESPN reported in April that Kieran Gibbs could leave Arsenal in search of regular first-team football, and with the Englishman's attitude and quality highly questionable, Blind would represent a marked upgrade in an area where he would also provide proper competition for Nacho Monreal.

Although Blind has featured in a central defensive position for the majority of his time at Old Trafford, he is also equally apt at playing in the holding midfield role. At 26-years-old, he would bring the perfect mixture of energy and experience to an Arsenal side that have lacked the latter in recent history.

Would Blind be a good addition to the Arsenal squad?

The Dutch international was impressive throughout the whole of what was a disappointing season for club and country last term, and one of his major assets is his impeccable delivery from set-pieces. Blind would turn Arsenal into an entirely different proposition, with his expert technique that enables him to produce the perfect whip and trajectory on his delivery into the box.

Should a move come to fruition, Blind is the type of signing who could instantly elevate Arsenal to a new level in providing quality, experience and most importantly a winning mental attitude. At 26, he has already won four league titles in his homeland with Ajax, and would go a long way to helping the Gunners secure their first domestic title since 2004.

Would Arsene Wenger consider a move for Daley Blind?

Do you think Daley Blind would be a good signing for Arsenal?

Louis van Gaal: Daley Blind sympathises with sacked Man Utd boss

Former Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal's achievements "deserved more respect", says the club's Netherlands defender Daley Blind.

Van Gaal, 64, won the FA Cup for United before Blind's compatriot was told two days later that he would not be kept on for the final year of his contract.

The 26-year-old said: "I always worked well with him and would have been keen that the co-operation lasted longer.

"A manager who has achieved so much already deserved more respect."

Blind added: "Even though there was so much being written about him losing his job over the last months, he always looked to protect and shelter us.

"It is not easy for a coach if you are repeatedly being fired in the newspapers.

"Still, we as a squad kept believing in the manager and showed that with our FA Cup win.

"That we did together for the supporters, the manager and for ourselves. It was in the end a good finish to the season."

Van Gaal, who was sacked after a season in which United finished fifth in the Premier League and were often criticised for their style of play, is set to be replaced by former Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho.

"If it is true that Jose Mourinho is coming, then it is also a manager who has achieved much. I will have to show what I can do," said Blind, who was one of Van Gaal's most trusted players during his time at United.

Blind's Netherlands team-mate Memphis Depay did not figure so prominently under Van Gaal after signing from PSV Eindhoven for £31m last summer.

The winger, 22, was left out of United's cup final-winning squad but insists he is happy to remain at Old Trafford.

Depay, training with the Netherlands ahead of friendly games against Euro 2016 finalists Republic of Ireland, Poland and Austria, said: "I don't know why it wouldn't be. I am happy to be there and the management know I'm happy to be there.

"A love-hate relationship? I'm not sure about that. But him leaving is part of life in football and you learn from that and it makes you stronger."

Marcos Rojo Impressed With Chris Smalling-Daley Blind Pairing

Manchester United defender Marcos Rojo has heaped praise on fellow defenders Chris Smalling and Daley Blind and has saluted the partnership the two form at the back. 

The Red Devils have managed to keep 16 clean sheets in the Premier League this season, and while the defence at Old Trafford has been riddled with injuries, with Phil Jones, Antonio Valencia, Ashley Young and Rojo being in and out of the side throughout the term, Smalling and Blind have kept the team afloat.

Rojo, who himself just came back from a shoulder injury in February, and has been a regular in the team since his return, was all praise for the strong central partnership the Dutchman and the Englishman have formed under Louis van Gaal this season.

"What’s really worked is that their respective styles have complemented one another”, the Argentine international told Manchester United’s official website. 
 

“You might say that Daley is not the most physical of central defenders, but he makes up for that with his ability to play the ball out of defence.

"Chris is a skilful player too, but he’s known for his strength and power.

"Those two things really strike a great balance. It is a good feeling [to have the clean sheets record] because we know that we are doing our main job well.

"Yes, in some cases we need to get forward and make chances, but we need to ensure that the opposition don’t score against us.

"So we’re happy that aspect is going well”, the 26-year-old added.

Daley Blind 'feels good' as Man Utd centre-half

Daley Blind says he feels comfortable at centre-half for Manchester United.

The midfielder has grown into the role over the course of the season.

"This position suits me because Louis van Gaal wants to play building from the back. In addition, I have become physically stronger.

"This combination feels good," says Blind.

Asked if his father, Danny Blind, should play him at the back for Holland, Daley adds: "You should ask him.

"I usually play there with my club, so probably I'll be eligible for the position of left central defender. The coach will determine it."

Daley Blind discusses his favourite position at Manchester United

The Man Utd utility player has settled into a centre-back role this season, but would be open to other positions.

Daley Blind is keen to carry on at centre-back for Manchester United.

The Dutchman arrived at Old Trafford in 2014 as a utility player that could feature at left-back and a defensive midfielder.

After failed summer pursuits of Sergio Ramos and Raphael Varane and regular problems for Phil Jones, Louis van Gaal opted to put Blind in the centre of his defence alongside Chris Smalling for this season.

As one of the few players to have steered largely clear of injuries, Blind has made 45 appearances for the Reds.

It is a position he feels he has done well in and would like to stay in, though is open to moving around the team.

“I’m developing well, and in the big games I’ve played, I’ve been consistent, which I think is important,” Blind told NOS .

“I think I can still play at left-back and in midfield, but right now I feel good at centre-back. It’s wonderful to have the game in front of me, and be a part of building from the back with my forward passes to start attacks.”

Where Blind ends up in the United team may depend on who is in charge at United. Van Gaal has shown absolute faith in the 26-year-old, but if the coach is replaced the situation could change.

Jose Mourinho, the favourite to take over at Old Trafford, has been linked with a move for Real Madrid defender Varane, a player he enjoyed success with during their time at the Bernabeu.