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BBC
Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho, who is on loan at Bayern Munich, was told by Liverpool that they were not interested in re-signing him when the 27-year-old Brazil international discussed a potential return. (Mirror)
Napoli and Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly, 28, has emerged as a surprise target for Newcastle United. (Foot Mercato - in French)
Arsenal have pulled out of contract talks with striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. The 30-year-old Gabon international is linked with a move away from Emirates Stadium, with Manchester United, Inter Milan, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Chelsea all interested in signing him. (Mirror)
The Gunners have jumped ahead of Liverpool in the race to sign Chelsea and Brazil winger Willian, 31, on a free transfer this summer. (ESPN - via Metro)
Manchester United’s Spanish goalkeeper David de Gea says he wants to stay at Old Trafford for "many years", but the 29-year-old faces competition for his position from 23-year-old Englishman Dean Henderson, who has impressed on loan at Sheffield United. (Mail)
Neymar's former agent Wagner Ribiero says the Brazil and Paris St-Germain forward, 28, considered joining Chelsea when he was 17. (Mail)
PSG and Belgium defender Thomas Meunier has been "won over" by Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho regarding a summer move, but the 28-year-old still hopes he could get a new deal at the Parc des Princes. (L’Equipe, via Teamtalk)
Chelsea manager Frank Lampard has spoken to Napoli striker Dries Mertens and hopes to secure the 32-year-old Belgian on a free transfer. (Mail)
Netherlands full-back Jetro Willems, 26, has suggested he wants to move to Newcastle on a permanent basis after spending the start of the season on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt before getting injured. (Goal)
Chelsea have suffered a setback in their chase of Ajax goalkeeper Andre Onana because the 24-year-old Cameroon international looks set to return to Barcelona. (Express)
Nigeria midfielder Wilfred Ndidi, 23, has reiterated his commitment to Leicester City after recent reports of interest from both Arsenal and Manchester United.(ESPN)
Barcelona's hopes of signing Inter Milan and Argentina striker Lautaro Martinez, 22, have been diminished because of the impact coronavirus has had on the club's finances. (Mail)
C&H
London Stadium stands ready for installation
Speaking on Twitter over the weekend the Baroness said “Two stands bringing supporters closer to the pitch, squaring off the curves behind the goals have already been made & are ready to install, was planning to be done this summer, just have to wait until games recommence to ensure there is enough time between seasons to do it”
Arena Events Group won the £11.5m contract with E20 Stadium LLP, owners of London Stadium, to develop new seating systems in the north and south of the stadium last year.
The contract will deliver two new lower tier stands bringing 6,000 fans up to four meters closer to the pitch than the current system allows. The system will also allow for faster seat moves between events to help reduce costs in the UK’s largest multi-use stadium. Initial designs were presented to the Club’s Official Supporters’ Board in February 2019.
Government restrictions prevent the installation during the football hiatus but should there not be enough time between seasons, the stands will be installed when the next natural break in football allows.
Yorkshire Live
Ian Wright lifts the lid on former Sheffield Wednesday star Paolo Di Canio
The forwards played together at West Ham United in the late nineties
By Dom Howson
Well-respected pundit Ian Wright has opened up about his former team-mate Paolo Di Canio.
The forwards played together in the late nineties at West Ham United.
Speaking on Match of the Day last night, Wright said: "I was at West Ham with him (Di Canio) and he would get away with murder.
"If any decisions went against him in training, he would just walk off. He would be speaking in Italian and his arms would be waving all over the place.
"There were times where you would be playing with him and he would be doing stuff and you would be saying 'Jesus Christ Harry (Redknapp, West Ham manager) get hold of him.'
"Harry said 'oh shut up, leave him alone he is only walking off.'
"He was so intent on winning even the five-a-side games."
Fiery Italian striker Di Canio was involved in one of the most memorable moments in Premier League history when he pushed referee Paul Alcock to the ground after being sent off in the first half of Sheffield Wednesday's 1-0 home win over Arsenal in September 1998. Di Canio was banned for 11 matches and fined £10,000 by the Football Association.
Two days after the flashpoint, Wright and Neil Ruddock recreated the iconic moment when Wright headed home the only goal in West Ham’s victory over Southampton in September 1998. The England international pretended to show Ruddock a red card and the defender shoved him over, with Wright even mimicking Alcock’s fall.
"I was at West Ham at the time and me and Neil Ruddock did it as our celebration after I scored," said Wright, who picked Di Canio's shove on Alcock as his fourth most bonkers moment in Premier League history. "He went down in instalments, it is embarrassing.
"A grown man should not go on the floor for that push but he wanted the maximum amount of punishment to be given to Di Canio. Come on man."
Funnily enough, Di Canio joined the Hammers three months later in a £1.5 million deal.
Wright added: "I am not saying that Di Canio has got any leg to stand on in respect of pushing a referee but there is no way Paul Alcock should have gone down like that."
Describing Di Canio as an "amazing" player, Wright went on to praise his preparation and intensity in training.
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