Club fear ‘strong Liverpool interest’, Man Utd ‘obsessed’ with 21-goal striker, Mourinho wants Spurs man

The 2023/24 Premier League season is still in its early days but already, competition is shaping up to be fierce. The fight for the title and a shot at European football is close and could well go down to the wire at this rate.

Domestic action will resume following the international break but while one eye is on the upcoming league fixtures, the other is looking ahead to the January transfer window and what it can offer. There was plenty to unpack from the summer, so let’s take a look at some of the latest whispers around 2024.

Club concerned over Liverpool interest in winger

Now that Liverpool have brought in a fleet of new midfielders, they can ease their focus into other areas of the team once 2024 comes around. The elephant in the room remains the uncertainty of Mohamed Salah’s future following the intense summer interest from Saudi Arabia. The Egyptian’s contract expires in 2025, so there is a chance he could be setting off next year, meaning the Reds need a plan in place to sign a suitable replacement.

According to Football Insider, Bayern Munich are fearful there is ‘strong interest’ in Leroy Sané from Liverpool, so they are working on tying him down with a new contract, as his current terms also expire in 2025. Jurgen Klopp is said to be a ‘huge admirer’ of the German winger, who tallied 14 goals and 10 assists last season, with seven goals under his belt already this term.

The 3AM Verdict: There aren’t many players who can jump straight into the role of providing both goals and assists like Salah does for Liverpool. During Sané’s time with <em>Manchester City</em>, he was one of the Premier League’s most feared attacking opponents due to his speed, agility and overall threat in front of goal. Losing Salah will be one of the biggest blows in recent years for the Reds, but signing someone of similar calibre like Sané would definitely help plug the gap. If Liverpool consider moving for him next summer, he will be entering the final 12 months of his contract, so a good deal could be agreed between Liverpool and Bayern.

Man United ‘obsessed’ with signing new striker

Reports from Spain are claiming that Manchester United have their eyes firmly on bringing RB Leipzig’s Loïs Openda to Old Trafford (via TEAMtalk). Erik ten Hag is said to be ‘obsessed’ with signing the centre-forward as he looks to replace Anthony Martial, whose contract is expiring next summer.

Openda only joined the Bundesliga last summer and is under terms until 2028 but United have enough firepower, and seemingly cash, to place a strong bid for his services. The 23-year-old signed for Leipzig in a £40 million move from Lens and the Reds are willing to offer as much as £78 million to prise him away.

The 3AM Verdict:United haven’t long splashed the cash on Rasmus Højlund but if Martial departs, the Danish international will be ten Hag’s only natural No.9. Openda has six goalscoring contributions in seven league games so far in his debut season. He blew Ligue 1 away last term as well with a stunning 21 goals and four assists.

Leipzig will certainly not want to part ways with their star forward, especially after only just signing him, but banking almost double what they paid him after one year is very tempting for any club, so this could be an interesting link to keep an eye on.

Mourinho wants Tottenham man

Jose Mourinho is eyeing up a reunion with Eric Dier as he looks to bolster his defensive line in January. According to Tuttosport, the former Spurs boss has made the Englishman his ‘favourite name’ on a list of potential winter targets (via Corriere Giallo Rosso).

Roma reportedly have ‘limited search’ due to FFP requirements and Dier’s current contract with Tottenham Hotspur is due to end next summer. The centre-back has been with the club for ten years but it looks like his time is coming to an end as he is yet to play a single minute of football under new manager Ange Postecoglou this season.

The 3AM Verdict:It’s quite evident that Dier is not part of the plans over at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium moving forward and Mourinho is clearly eager to get a deal over the line sooner rather than later. As it stands, the North Londoners are competing for the title and will want to continue the season with as strong a squad as possible. Offloading out of favour players is just as important as bringing in new signings, so this interest from Roma and Mourinho could be a very good opportunity for all involved, especially Dier who will surely be eager to get back into a starting XI.