Cristiano Ronaldo holds Manchester United crisis talks - Paper Talk

All the top stories and transfer rumours from Sunday's national newspapers...

MAIL ON SUNDAY

Cristiano Ronaldo has held crisis talks with his agent Jorge Mendes about his future at Manchester United.

Paul Pogba has moved to dismiss reports he has been offered a new Manchester United deal worth £500,000-per-week.

Ralf Rangnick is stunned by the state he has found Manchester United in and is concerned by how badly his side are misfiring right now.

Juventus are on the brink of a dressing-room meltdown after tensions boiled over on the pitch during their draw with Napoli, with rows between Matthijs de Ligt and Adrien Rabiot, and Federico Chiesa and Juan Cuadrado illustrating all is not well.

Lionel Messi could have an advantage over Mo Salah and Robert Lewandowski in the race for FIFA's The Best award, with the stars' achievements beyond August not being considered.

Non-league football club Chester face going out of business after they were told they may have breached Welsh coronavirus rules by playing in front of crowds.

Mike Ashley has launched High Court legal action against Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley, the financier who brokered the £305m Saudi-led takeover of the club in October.

Newcastle United are holding talks with Monaco over a move for centre-back Benoit Badiashile.

Brendan Rodgers hinted Leicester may ask for Tuesday's Premier League clash at Everton to be rearranged for a second time after he was left with only eight senior outfield players for the FA Cup victory over Watford.

Unvaccinated Premier League players could be forced to isolate for 10 days on their return from Champions League and international fixtures abroad under new rules being considered by Culture Minister Nadine Dorries.

SUNDAY EXPRESS

Liverpool will block any approaches they receive this month for Divock Origi, reports claim - despite already identifying his replacement.

Barcelona are set to meet with Sergino Dest and his representatives to discuss their transfer plans with Chelsea waiting in the wings.

THE SUN ON SUNDAY

Fulham have been dealt a transfer blow as Marseille have joined the race to sign their long-term £18m target Angelo Fulgini from Angers.

Wayne Rooney's Derby County are in crisis talks with the EFL as a fight with Middlesbrough and Wycombe threatens their survival bid.

Boubacar Kamara wants a £150,000-a-week deal from his next club after West Ham joined Newcastle in the fight to sign him.

Manchester United are ready to send Swedish starlet Anthony Elanga out on loan to the Championship.

Crystal Palace will block Jean-Philippe Mateta's move to French club Saint-Etienne until they sign another new striker.

Middlesbrough manager Chris Wilder is leading the £2m race for Aussie star Riley McGree.

Bournemouth are keen on Cardiff hitman Kieffer Moore.

Leicester have joined the host of clubs considering a January swoop for Norwich's Todd Cantwell.

Arsenal are reportedly in the hunt to sign Aaron Ramsey and bring the Welshman back to the Emirates.

SUNDAY MIRROR

Liverpool do not know how many senior players they will have available to face Shrewsbury - or whether Jurgen Klopp will be on the touchline.

Harry Maguire has admitted that Manchester United's players must take the blame for the crisis that has engulfed Old Trafford - not beleaguered boss Ralf Rangnick.

Marcus Rashford has praised a community who pulled him through one of his "lowest points" - by building a wall of love against a tide of hate.

Ralf Rangnick looks like he will be unable to lure Erling Haaland to Manchester United despite initial plans to do so.

Virgil Van Dijk has revealed how he put club before country last summer - and insisted that Liverpool will continue to come first.

Mikel Arteta has challenged Josh Kroenke to give him the required funds to "maximise" Arsenal's January transfer window.

Birmingham City are closing in on a loan deal for Manchester United's Amad Diallo.

THE OBSERVER

Josh Cavallo, who last year became the only openly gay professional top-flight men's footballer in the world, says he has "no words" to describe his disappointment at being targeted by homophobic abuse during an A-League Men game over the weekend.

Novak Djokovic faced fresh controversy over his attempt to enter Australia to take part in the Open tennis tournament after pictures emerged on social media of his appearances at public events after a positive Covid test was recorded in mid-December, which allowed him an exemption from the country's strict Covid rules.

European rugby chiefs insist the remaining two rounds of pool fixtures will go ahead as planned later this month after confirming clubs and match officials would be granted the necessary exemptions from French travel restrictions.

SUNDAY TELEGRAPH

The London Stadium, home of West Ham United, cost taxpayers an extra £30m last year as the ground's owners struggled to agree naming rights for the former Olympics venue.

SUNDAY TIMES

Paul Pogba has suffered a setback in his recovery from a thigh injury and is unlikely to play for Manchester United for another six weeks.

The Premier League and EFL are expected to urge the government not to bring in draconian restrictions on sponsorship deals with betting firms when sports bodies meet the gambling minister Chris Philp next week.

Mikel Arteta has ruled out signing the former Arsenal midfielder Jack Wilshere, despite being short in that area of the team. But he has hinted that new signings could be on their way to the Emirates this month.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks to sign Adama Traoré, with a view to converting the Wolverhampton Wanderers winger into a right wing-back.

Unvaccinated sports stars were given the green light to play in France despite the imminent introduction of strict new Covid rules, in a move that could allow Novak Djokovic to play in the French Open.

Sam Billings is set to make his Test debut in the fifth Ashes Test at Hobart next week with neither Jonny Bairstow nor Jos Buttler expected to be fit enough to keep wicket in the final match of the series.

SUNDAY MAIL

Rangers are set to ramp up negotiations with top target John Souttar this week - and could land the Hearts star now.

Vitesse Arnhem are ready to stand firm over Rangers target Danilho Doekhi this month and won't allow their 23-year-old captain to leave for anything less than £2m in January.

Liverpool do not know how many senior players they will have available to face Shrewsbury - or whether Jurgen Klopp will be on the touchline.

David Moyes predicts there will be a Premier League cross-border invasion fuelled by Brexit as another Scottish 'golden generation' looms.

SCOTTISH SUN ON SUNDAY

Hibs ace Martin Boyle has been offered a move to Saudi Arabia - and a £1m-a-year wage packet.

Shaun Maloney is ready to offer Norwich defender Rocky Bushiri a Hibs lifeline.

Borna Barisic is 'happy' at Rangers, despite speculation linking him with a move away in the January transfer window, reports say.

Celtic's new Japanese Bhoys could spark an unprecedented Far East cash bonanza in Scottish football, a top finance expert has claimed.

Norway international Patrick Berg has revealed he rejected moves to Celtic and Ajax to sign for ambitious French side Lens.