All the top stories and transfer rumours from Wednesday’s newspapers…
DAILY MIRROR
Manchester United have reportedly been told they will have to pay £44m for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber if they want to sign him this summer.
Manchester United have been linked with Jurrien Timber
THE SUN
Lionel Messi’s exit from Paris Saint-Germain is getting closer after skipping training to fly to Saudi Arabia without the club’s permission.
Jack Grealish has donated £5,000 to a tribute set up after the sudden death of friend and Aston Villa fan Shawn Francis, who passed away recently at the age of 29.
THE TIMES
Sam Allardyce will earn in excess of £3m if he is able to guide Leeds United away from the Premier League relegation zone, with confirmation of his short-term deal likely to come on Wednesday.
Sam Allardyce is set to replace Javi Gracia as Leeds boss
John Mitchell is set to take on his first job in women’s rugby, replacing Simon Middleton as the head coach of the England’s victorious Six Nations team.
Julian Starkey, who was a prominent member of the England Athletics board, has been banned from holding such a position for three years after making a comment that suggested black athletes make good sprinters because they have to flee burglaries they commit.
British Cycling is considering a new transgender policy that would prevent cyclists who were born male from taking part in elite female events, which would go against the regulations posted by world governing body UCI.
DAILY MAIL
Tosin Adarabioyo is a target for Serie A club Inter Milan
Fulham defender Tosin Adarabioyo is being targeted by Inter Milan as a possible replacement for Milan Skriniar.
Sam Allardyce will inherit a split Leeds squad, if he takes over as manager at Elland Road for the remainder of the season, with the club’s youngsters blaming senior players for their slide towards the relegation zone.
Barcelona will consider other options, including the Asian Champions League, if they are banned from UEFA competitions following an investigation into allegations of payments to the former head of Spain’s referee’s committee.
James McAtee will have plenty of suitors if he leaves Manchester City, either permanently or on loan, this summer with Vincent Kompany’s Burnley among the clubs likely to make them an offer.
James McAtee is on loan at Sheffield United
Cristiano Ronaldo has been named the highest-paid athlete by Forbes, after bringing in £109m this year, while Roger Federer retains his place in the top 10 despite earning only £80,000 from his play on the court.
Sven-Goran Eriksson has revealed how Manchester City’s players wanted to go on strike before their historic 8-1 defeat against Middlesbrough in 2008 in protest against the club’s then-owner Thaksin Shinawatra.
Officials at Epsom racecourse are bracing themselves for more than 1,000 protestors trying to access the track during the Derby meeting early next month.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
Tottenham’s talks with Julian Nagelsmann have hit a stumbling block over uncertainty surrounding the position of sporting director at the Premier League club.
Leading British cyclists are scared to speak out against the sport’s transgender policies for fear of being cancelled and potentially losing out on lucrative sponsorship deals.
LIV Golf players including Ian Poulter, Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood are set to give up their DP World Tour cards to avoid having to pay further fines for playing in the Saudi-backed series.
THE GUARDIAN
London Irish are facing questions from the RFU over their failure to pay players and staff on time amid fears they could be the next Premiership club to collapse.
THE ATHLETIC
Charlton Athletic owner Thomas Sandgaard has already rejected an improved offer for the League One club from the Anglo-American group led by former Sunderland director Charlie Methven.
DAILY RECORD
Celtic are unlikely to have Cameron Carter-Vickers for the start of the 2023-24 season with surgery on his troublesome knee set to rule him out for at least three months.
THE SCOTTISH SUN
Former Rangers and Scotland midfielder Graham Dorrans has agreed a deal to play for seventh-tier West of Scotland First Division side Johnstone Burgh next season.
