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Erik Ten Hag's winger-in-exile turned in a magnificent showing to give his side a slight advantage in their hunt for European glory

Where has Jadon Sancho been for three years? No, not the one who underperformed before being exiled by Manchester United then sent back to Germany. Where was version, the mercurial and electric winger, who can change a game with his nifty turns and clever bag of tricks?

On Wednesday, Sancho in all of his creative glory showed up, stealing the spotlight from Paris Saint-Germain superstar Kylian Mbappe, who was smothered in a wall of Borussia Dortmund shirts. It all amounted to an enthralling 1-0 Dortmund win that really could have finished 4-4.

In the first half, while the Parisians poked and prodded, the visitors took their chance, as Nico Schlotterbeck's lofted pass found Niclas Fullkrug, whose left-footed shot fizzed past Gianluigi Donnarumma and into the net.

The Parisians had their chances, though, and should have equalised on a number of occasions after the break. Mbappe and Achraf Hakimi both saw efforts ping off either post, before Fabian Ruiz nodded wide with the goal gaping.

The rest of the clash was marked by the dizzying legs of Sancho, and the chronic inability of players at both ends of the pitch to put the ball in the net, as Ousmane Dembele, Mbappe, Fullkrug and Marcel Sabitzer all missed presentable chances.

In the end, though, all the talk was of the contrast between Sancho and Mbappe on a night where the former reminded the world of his ability, while the latter's promise to bring European glory to his home town before he leaves was dented somewhat.

GOAL breaks down the winners & losers from Signal Iduna Park…

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  WINNER: Jadon Sancho

  Are you watching, Erik ten Hag?! Sancho didn't actually start the game all that well, but the English winger was clearly identified as the focal point of this Dortmund attack, and Edin Terzic called on his team to funnel their attacks down the right-hand side.

  The result was a magnificent performance on the big stage, as Sancho toyed with Nuno Mendes all evening, created three chances, and would have ended the night with two assists had Dortmund's forwards been more clinical.

  But it wasn't just the passing. Sancho completed seven dribbles in the first half alone – more than he managed in a single game for United – and dazzled every time he touched the ball. It's fair to wonder where this player has been for the best part of three years, but on Wednesday, he showed up in full.

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  LOSER: Kylian Mbappe

  As for the other high-profile forward on the pitch… Mbappe was deployed in a central role here, and although he was, in theory, allowed some freedom to roam, found himself strangled by Dortmund defenders every time he touched the ball within 20 yards of the goal.

  He has long promised that he will try to bring Champions League glory to Paris, and time-after-time, he has done his part to drag this often overmatched team to wins. But here, the Parisians are the clear favourites, and Mbappe needed to step up.

  In his defence, he never forced anything – always making the right pass, or identifying the best time to dribble. And on another night, a fine curled effort that kissed the inside of the post might have crept in. Still, Mbappe was bottled up for long stretches, and rendered more or less irrelevant. For PSG to make it through, that narrative must shift at Parc des Princes next week.

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  WINNER: Niclas Fullkrug

  Two years ago, Fullkrug was an underappreciated talent, a big, powerful striker plying his trade for a team in Werder Bremen who were never truly likely to compete for the biggest honours. A move to Dortmund certainly raised his profile, but he hasn't quite become the prolific goal-scorer some thought he might be. Still, he has a tendency to crop up in big moments, and so he did here.

  Dortmund knew that Fullkrug's power would be a problem through the middle, with neither Marquinhos nor Lucas Hernandez known for their physical nature of play. His goal was a classic sort for a physical striker, as he barrelled in behind, took one touch to bring the ball out of the air before smashing home with his second.

  He had a couple of similar efforts in the second half and, one big miss notwithstanding, created chaos all evening. Terzic's side aren't blessed with immense firepower, but Fullkrug provided a much-needed spark.

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  LOSER: PSG's finishing

  Speaking of firepower… Where was it from the Parisians? Yes, Mbappe is supposed to be the main man up front for Luis Enrique's side, but this is a team laden with big-name, big-money talent. Throughout the 90 minutes, however, it often looked a competition as to who could fail to find the back of the net most egregiously.

  Dembele was the first to audition, seeing one effort from close range saved, before skying another with the whole goal to hit in the second half. Hakimi also tried his hand at beating Gregor Kobel, pinging one off the post. And Ruiz, who admittedly made some clever runs from deep areas, skewed two headers wide when he really should have scored.

  The Parisians finished the game with 1.58 xG – and will certainly be frustrated that they didn't at least realise it.

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action this afternoon and will be desperate to avoid a four-match skid, though Manchester City stand in the way of a return to form.

Pep Guardiola's outfit welcome Spurs to the Etihad Stadium as they look to return to winning ways themselves after drawing successive matches to Chelsea and Liverpool, but injury-hit Tottenham will have their work cut out if they are to return to London with a positive result.

While Postecoglou started emphatically after arriving in the summer, injuries and suspensions have ravaged the early-stage purple patch, with the threadbare squad impacted further by Rodrigo Bentancur's ankle injury against Aston Villa on Sunday after a reckless lunging challenge from Matty Cash.

With the Uruguayan now facing a spell on the sidelines having only just returned from a lengthy ACL layoff, it's likely that Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will return to the starting XI.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's season in numbers

Hojbjerg has only started twice in the Premier League this season but has played at least 45 minutes across Tottenham's past three outings, replacing Bentancur in the first half during the home loss against Villa.

Perhaps a little conservative on the ball, the experienced Dane is still a "monster" in the middle – as has been said by compatriot Morten Bisgaard – and given the task of stifling Manchester City's threat, his presence could be vital.

As per FBref, the £100k-per-week machine ranks among the top 15% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues for pass completion, the top 11% for passes attempted and the top 19% for progressive passes per 90, evidencing the composure in possession and tenacity in his defensive duties that could prove pivotal against the Citizens.

At his core, Hojbjerg is an industrious player with intelligence and positional security; he will keep things tidy, providing exciting Spurs' attacking options with the stability to tear open pockets of space – City are frightening, but they are not unstoppable and chinks in their armour have been found over the past few months.

Eric Dier must start vs Manchester City

While Hojbjerg could instil resilience and balance in the centre of the park, it's equally important that Postecoglou consider dropping Emerson Royal from the central defence and replacing him with Eric Dier, whose Spurs career is dwindling to a close.

Dier, aged 29, has been something of a stalwart for Spurs and has amassed 362 appearances in total, but he has only made two appearances this season – called upon to start against Wolverhampton Wanderers with both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero unavailable.

Out of contract at the end of the campaign, Dier's chances of extending look more tenuous by the week, but with Romero still suspended this weekend Postecoglou must consider dropping Emerson.

Quite simply, if Spurs field a back-four without a single senior centre-back, as was the choice last weekend, City could capitalise on a lack of height and positional awareness; Ben Davies has performed well across recent matches, to his credit, but Emerson won just one duel, made no tackles and was dribbled past against Unai Emery's team, as per Sofascore.

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Standing at 6 foot 2, Dier ranks among the top 11% of centre-backs for aerial wins and the top 15% for blocks per 90, which could be vital in combining with Davies' skill set at the back.

It's really not ideal, with the whole quandary only punctuating the need for reinforcements in January, but Dier is experienced and was noted for his "superb" defensive efforts at Molineux by football.london's Alasdair Gold earlier this month. He has to start.

Manchester City have made contact to enquire about a deal to bring an exciting teenager to the Premier League, according to a reliable reporter.

Man City form this season

The Sky Blues have made a generally solid start to the new campaign having won 10, drawn four and lost three of their opening 17 games, meaning that they currently find themselves fourth in the top-flight table.

While Pep Guardiola will be assessing his options as to who he could sign to strengthen his squad in the here and now, he’ll also no doubt be keeping an eye on any available up-and-coming prospects as he looks to start building a squad for the long-term future of the club.

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Chloe Chadwick

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River Plate’s attacking midfielder Claudio Echeverri has been highlighted as a potential target, with the 17-year-old having worked his way up through his club’s various youth ranks to eventually get promoted to their senior first-team (Transfermarkt – Echeverri statistics).

Argentina’s youth international has a deal that is set to expire in December 2024 (River Plate contracts), and having seemingly impressed during his performances since the start of his career, he’s caught the eye of those at the Etihad Stadium.

Man City interested in Echeverri

Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Man City are keen on Echeverri and have already made contact to River Plate ahead of a possible move.

He wrote: “Understand both Chelsea and Man City have made contact to be informed on Claudio Echeverri situation. Barcelona remain keen but structure of the deal makes it complicated with Financial Fair Play. Release clause: €25m (£21m), up to €30m (£25m) in the final days of the market.”

Echeverri is a "top talent" for the future

While Man City may not throw Echeverri straight into the fold considering that he’s still at such a young age, Guardiola could be aware of the bags of potential that he has to offer, therefore, the teenager could be an excellent recruit for the club in years to come.

The Resistencia native has posted 18 contributions (13 goals and five assists), from 22 appearances across all competitions for Argentina’s U17s following his arrival on the professional scene, showing how prolific he can be in the final third, and he’s already been recognised for his individual efforts on the international stage.

Sponsored by Adidas, Pep’s target was named the U17s South American Championship top goalscorer, and he further knows what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level having been crowned the Argentinian Champion with River Plate, possessing an excellent winning mentality that would be required of him by his admirers.

As described by football scout Jacek Kulig, Echeverri is a “top talent”, and considering that he’s already showcasing what he’s capable of at his childhood club, he’s surely destined to move onto bigger and better things in the near future.

Lionel Messi is the top earner in Major League Soccer and he is making more than 25 entire team rosters from the division.

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• Messi and Busquets dominate Miami's wage bill
• Suarez and Alba on low sums in comparison
• Worth of Messi's deal overall is astronomical

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Inter Miami and Argentina superstar rakes in $20.45 million (£25.8m) in total guaranteed compensation per year, according to data released by the MLS Players Association.Messi's team-mate Sergio Busquets is third on the list with a salary of $8.77m (£6.9m), behind Toronto forward Lorenzo Insigne in second with guaranteed compensation of $15.44m (£12m). Busquets and Messi account for a whopping 70% of Inter Miami's total wage bill, a bill which is an MLS record. Fellow foreign stars Luis Suarez and Jordi Alba are said to be on $1.5m (£1.1m) apiece, a very low total compared to their previous deals in Europe.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Inter Miami's current wage bill reportedly stands at $41.7m (£32m), which is more than double that of every team in MLS bar Toronto FC ($31.4m/£24.7m), Chicago Fire ($25.1m/£19.8m) and Nashville SC ($21.4m/£16.8m). Amazingly, MLS Cup holders Columbus Crew rank 21st with a payroll of just $15.19m (£11.9m).

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Messi's above number does not include all his other endorsements, such as the mega-money deals with Adidas, Fanatics, Apple and other MLS partners. If you include his equity stake in Inter Miami, the 36-year-old's two-and-a-half year deal in Florida is worth around $125-150m (£98m-11m).

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Messi has been on fire in Miami this season, scoring nine goals and tallying 10 assists in MLS action. However, he will soon leave a gaping hole in the Herons' attack when he joins up with Argentina for the Copa America, beginning with a warm-up friendly against Ecuador on June 9.

Liverpool decided to overhaul their midfield options over the course of the summer transfer window as a host of players moved in and out of Anfield.

Jurgen Klopp allowed the likes of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner, Naby Keita, Fabinho, and Jordan Henderson to all depart, either on free transfers or permanent deals.

This opened up space for the Reds to revamp their squad in that area of the pitch and they moved to sign Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister, and Wataru Endo.

Their work in the transfer market has paid off so far as Klopp's side are second in the Premier League after 17 games and are set to play Fulham in the semi-finals of the League Cup next month.

However, this does not appear to be the end of their midfield changes as the Reds are reportedly eyeing up a number of players in that position to bolster their squad in 2024.

Latest Liverpool transfer news

A report from CaughtOffside has revealed that Liverpool have held internal discussions over their plans for next year and that the defence and midfield are their priorities at this moment in time.

The outlet has claimed that they are interested in a deal for Portugal international Joao Palhinha, from Premier League rivals Fulham, and that it would cost the club a fee within the region of £40m to secure his services, whilst Bayern Munich are also in the race for his signature.

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It has also been stated that OGC Nice star Khephren Thuram and Borussia Monchengladbach prospect Manu Kone are also on the club's shortlist of midfield targets.

However, it does not specify whether Liverpool are looking to bring in another midfielder during the upcoming January transfer window or if they are prepared to wait until the end of the season to swoop in on their targets.

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed in October that Kone will be allowed to move on from Gladbach next month if the right offer comes in.

His current valuation is said to be up to €45m (£39m) and this means that he would be ever so slightly cheaper than Palhinha in January.

Plettenberg stated that the central midfielder would like to take the next step in his career by next summer at the latest and Bayern Munich were named as one of the clubs eyeing him up.

The German journalist reported at the time that there were no talks or discussions over a possible move to Liverpool but this latest article from CaughtOffside suggests that they could be in the race to land the young gem's services.

If Klopp can secure a deal to sign Kone from Gladbach in January then it could go a long way to finally unlocking the best of Szoboszlai in a Liverpool shirt.

The Reds would have a fantastic combative number six who can constantly cut out opposition attacks whilst also being able to progress the ball forward to his teammates.

Manu Kone's style of play

The 21-year-old battler is a ball-winning midfielder who likes to get stuck in to win possession back for his side on a regular basis in the middle of the park.

However, that does not mean that he is not talented on the ball as the French whiz also has the ability to drive his team up the pitch through carries and passes.

Defensively, Kone is an outstanding number six who currently ranks within the top 13% of midfielders in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for tackles (2.80) and the top 24% for blocks (1.44) per 90.

The £39m-rated ace also ranks within the top 35% of his positional peers for interceptions (1.17) per 90 and these statistics show that he is an above-average performer in several key defensive metrics.

Kone is also able to make an impact on the ball as he is within the top 12% of midfielders for both progressive carries (2.53) and successful take-ons (2.43) per 90. He also ranks within the top 22% with his pass success rate of 87.1% over the last 365 days.

The former Toulouse whiz, who has made 5.3 ball recoveries per match in the Bundesliga this season, has the quality to make an impression at both ends of the pitch.

The statistics that show there is more to come from Szoboszlai

Kone's attributes in midfield could help Klopp to finally get the best out of Szoboszlai from an attacking perspective as it would provide Liverpool with a strong defensive midfielder who can also progress the ball to the talented attacking players.

Whereas, Wataru Endo currently ranks below average for progressive carries (0.99), tackles (1.92), and interceptions (0.85) per 90 in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days for the Reds and Stuttgart combined.

This suggests that the Gladbach star would offer more in and out of possession to allow the Hungary international to focus more on what he can do in the final third.

Szoboszlai has racked up two goals and two assists in 17 Premier League games – one goal contribution every 4.2 matches – for the Reds this season but his form for Leipzig suggests that there is more to come from him.

In two seasons with the German outfit, the 23-year-old wizard produced 12 goals and 16 assists in 62 Bundesliga outings – one every 2.2 clashes on average.

These statistics show that the impressive midfielder has the quality to produce goals and assists almost twice as frequently as he currently is at Premier League level.

As you can see from the table above, his form in several key attacking metrics has dropped since his move to Anfield from Leipzig over the summer.

Klopp could be looking for ways to unlock the talented gem's goalscoring and creative talents and the signing of Kone could do just that, by taking on the bulk of the defensive work to free up the Hungarian dynamo to do damage in the final third.

Bayern Munich have confirmed they won't appoint Roberto De Zerbi as Thomas Tuchel's successor.

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• Bayern unlikely to appoint De Zerbi as next coach
• Italian manager will leave Brighton after Sunday's clash
• Bundesliga giants yet to finalise Tuchel's successor

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Brighton announced on Saturday that they will part ways with De Zerbi after the club's final game of the season against Manchester United on May 19. After the English club's announcement, some reports suggested that the Italian manager would now head to Germany and join Bayern Munich ahead of the 2024-25 season.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  However, journalist has now claimed that the Bavarian club are considering appointing De Zerbi as their next head coach. The German giants, who finished third in the Bundesliga this season, are yet to finalise Thomas Tuchel's successor, although the current manager's departure was announced three months back.

• WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  Bayern sporting Max Eberl has also denied the club's link with the Seagulls' manager. When ZDF asked the official if he would deny the arrival of an Italian manager at the club, he said, "Yes."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

  According to , the former German champions are currently linked with moves for managers like Roger Schmidt, Hansi Flick, Zinedine Zidane and Jose Mourinho. The club will hope to finalise their next head coach before the end of this month.

Tottenham are believed to be interested in signing an "exceptional" £20 million player, with a deal for Genoa star Radu Dragusin now finally sealed.

Spurs beat Bayern in race for Dragusin

On Wednesday morning, renowned transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano gave Spurs supporters the news they all wanted to hear.

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Indeed, according to the reporter, Tottenham have beaten Bayern Munich to the signing of Dragusin in a huge boost for manager Ange Postecoglou – who will look to register the Romanian in time for Sunday's clash with Man United.

Bayern and Napoli were threatening to hijack Tottenham's bid for Dragusin on Tuesday (Gianluca Di Marzio), and especially the former, with Thomas Tuchel's men submitting an offer which was accepted by Genoa.

It then came down to the 21-year-old to decide between north London and Bavaria, with Dragusin ultimately choosing Postecoglou's side. After contending with a serious lack of depth at centre-back over the past few months, Dragusin's arrival will come as welcome news for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy.

With both the defender's signing and RB Leipzig ace Timo Werner arriving on loan, attention now turns to outgoings or if Spurs attempt another new arrival before January 31.

Postecoglou would ideally like another midfielder if Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg leaves, according to widespread reports in the last few weeks, but he's also got his sights set on some of Europe's finest talents.

Tottenham hold an interest in signing Adam Wharton from Blackburn as one example, while there have been Spurs links to Ajax wonderkid Gabriel Misehouy.

Tottenham want to sign Roony Bardghji

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and HITC, another target for the north Londoners after Dragusin could be FC Copenhagen sensation Roony Bardghji.

The Swede, who scored in Copenhagen's historic 4-3 group stage win over Man United in the Champions League earlier this season, is attracting real interest from N17.

Tottenham are apparently keen on signing Bardghji and there's every chance he could make the move in January, as his club are prepared to do business for the right price.

Copenhagen, though, are demanding around £20 million to sell their starlet as other clubs like Aston Villa, Brentford and Newcastle take a liking to him as well.

“He has an understanding of the game, as well as good balance and coordination," said Roger Franzen on Bardghji's sky-high potential.

"He has exceptional technique with the ball at his feet. It's incredibly difficult to take the ball off him. He is good one-on-one and has a good shot. He can shoot with both feet, even if he is basically left-footed, he can finish with the right as well.

“That makes him very difficult to read for the defenders. Will he go right or left? It makes him difficult to handle.”

Ashley Sanchez has opened up on her disappointment at being left out of the United States women's team at last year's World Cup.

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• Sanchez expected to play at World Cup
• Was told she would be dropped to the bench
• Playmaker was devastated by the decision

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The North Carolina Courage playmaker believed she would have an important role when she was called up for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand. However, she was disappointed to be told that she would instead spend the tournament on the bench as then-coach Vlatko Andonovski preferred to start Savannah DeMelo and then Rose Lavelle following her return from injury.

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  WHAT SANCHEZ SAID

  She told the podcast: "I was told that I wasn’t going to play. I was trying to make the best of a situation, but it was definitely hard. When I was in it, I was [thinking], you don’t want to look back and have such a negative idea of something that you dreamed of your whole life, you know? But when you’re in the moment, you’re trying so hard to think of the positives, but you’re also like: 'Yeah, but I’m here, I worked my a*s off to be here, and I know I’m not going to play'.”

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The USWNT crashed out of the competition at the Round-of-16 with a penalty shootout defeat against Sweden. Sanchez soon returned to the NWSL and played a starring role for the North Carolina team, though it took some time to get over her World Cup disappointment.

  She said: "I felt like I’m going to come back, I’m just gonna play really great and prove everyone wrong, and then I was just kind of like: ‘Oh, I think I actually need to deal with this'. It’s not just going to go away because you’re playing well, you know? And that was probably…I hadn’t gone through anything that hard, I would say."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR SANCHEZ?

  The 25-year-old has made 27 appearances for the USWNT and registered three goals and four assists. She will hope to play a key role this summer when Emma Hayes takes charge of the team ahead of the Olympic Games in Paris.

Jose Mourinho has revealed what he told Dortmund coach Edin Terzic after the German side's 2-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

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• Dortmund lose 2-0 to Real Madrid
• Mourinho seen hugging defeated coach
• Portuguese set to join Fenerbahce

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The former Chelsea, Manchester United and Real Madrid boss was seen in deep embrace and speaking into the ear of Terzic after the final whistle. Terzic, visibly upset at the defeat, listened intently to the words of wisdom from the man who has gone one-better twice with Porto and Inter. Mourinho explained he told the stricken coach that he could be proud of his side's resilient performance in their gut-wrenching loss.

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  WHAT MOURINHO SAID TO TERZIC

  Mourinho said: "[Terzic] was saying that 'It was very, very hard' and I was telling him, 'Time is not going to help you, it is going to be hard for the rest of your career, the rest of your life. But, you have to be very proud of the work you did because you did amazing. As a coach you could not do more, the coach cannot score or put the ball in the net. The coach can organise, the coach can give mentality, the coach can give confidence and you did all that.'

  "Then, he is not the guy to go into the pitch and to kick the ball into the net which is what he team needed. His approach was amazing, they were brave and made a good difference between pressing high and their low-block. They covered Vinicius Jr and Rodrygo well, never one-against-one. They did everything well, apart from scoring. So, as a coach, he has to be proud, but he is not going to forget."

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Real Madrid won their 15th European Cup after goals from Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Jr in the second-half took the game away from Terzic's team. Dortmund started the game the stronger and should have led at half-time. Karim Adeyemi fluffed his lines when sent through one-on-one and Niclas Fullkrug was denied by the inside of the post to frustrate The Yellow Wall at Wembley.

Manchester United are in the market for deals this window and have now been told how much they will need to pay in order to acquire a key target, according to a report.

Who are Man United's transfer targets?

Despite the excitement surrounding the arrival of Sir Jim Ratcliffe and company at Old Trafford, there is a yearning among supporters for new players to be announced at Manchester United to help combat their mixed fortunes in the Premier League.

Erik ten Hag will be eager to ensure capable reinforcements pitch up in the North West and a striking addition is reportedly on his transfer wishlist. Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Red Devils have held tentative conversations regarding Bayern Munich's Eric Choupo-Moting, Stuttgart forward Serhou Guirassy and Borussia Dortmund attacker Donyell Malen.

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Romano told the outlet: "To be honest, Manchester United never had the concrete negotiation with RB Leipzig. United had a discussion with Timo Werner's agent just to understand the conditions of the deal. How was the situation around Timo Werner for the January window, but Manchester United.

"United never decided to proceed for the proper negotiation for the transfer of Timo Werner. So they had the same kind of discussion for example with the agents of Choupo-Moting, with the agents of Donyell Malen, with the agents of Serhou Guirassy. All players that could be available on the January transfer market with different conditions."

Queens Park goalkeeper Callan McKenna is believed to be in advanced talks over a move to Old Trafford; nevertheless, he is likely to be one for the future and will take a few years to develop into a senior player. Now, fresh reports suggest that United have been told the price tag of a key target who they have already seen their advances rejected for this month.

Manchester United bid for Morten Hjulmand

According to The Sun, Manchester United offered Facundo Pellistri in exchange for Sporting CP midfielder Morten Hjulmand; however, their bid has been knocked back by the Portuguese giants, who have since laid down the law regarding the Denmark international.

Ruben Amorim's men would require the Red Devils to trigger the 24-year-old's release clause before sanctioning a deal, which is believed to sit at the £69 million mark. United have scouted him in both domestic and European action this term; meanwhile, Christian Eriksen is close friends with the Kastrup-born man and acts as his mentor on international duty.

Hjulmand, who has been praised for his tenacious qualities by Italian journalists, had made 23 appearances in all competitions this campaign, registering one goal and two assists (Hjulmand statistics – Transfermarkt).

The Red Devils have managed to unearth starlet Kobbie Mainoo as a first-team regular and slotting Hjulmand in beside him and Bruno Fernandes could provide Ten Hag with a nicely balanced engine room for years to come.