Talks held: €20m-rated starlet eyed by Man Utd as solution to Mourinho’s defensive woes

Man Utd have reportedly already entered discussions with Galatasaray over the potential signing of defender Ozan Kabak.

The Red Devils have been porous at the back so far this season, conceding 26 goals in just 16 Premier League games to leave them with the joint-worst defensive record of the top 13 sides.

SEE MORE: Great news for Man Utd: Influential ace tipped to sign new £400k-a-week deal

That in turn has also been a huge factor in why they remain in sixth place in the standings, and so evidently it’s an area of the squad that Jose Mourinho will be desperate to strengthen.

As noted by the Independent, the Portuguese tactician was said to be left bitterly frustrated that he didn’t get a new signing in the summer to bolster his backline, but a new arrival could be on the way.

According to Aksam, as reported by the Manchester Evening News, Man Utd have reportedly opened talks with Galatasaray over Kabak, although the 18-year-old is said to be valued at €20m.

Considering their current issues and the need for an immediate fix, splashing out €20m on a prospect doesn’t particularly sound like the most sensible transfer strategy from the Red Devils, as opposed to spending a little more on a more experienced and proven individual.

With that in mind, it remains to be seen if reported talks advance and an agreement is reached between the two clubs, but Mourinho will surely be hugely eager to get this signing right in order to shore things up defensively and not have to revisit that department again.

Time will tell if Kabak gets the opportunity of a lifetime to play for the Manchester giants, but with just a handful of appearances at senior level for the Turkish outfit and having been capped up to U18 level by Turkey, it doesn’t seem as though he’ll be the solution on paper.

Manchester United eye £160million trio as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s January transfer budget revealed

Manchester United have three main defensive targets for the January transfer window, according to latest reports.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer has just replaced Jose Mourinho as manager at Old Trafford, taking charge of the club until the end of the season.

MORE: Serial winner wants Manchester United job after twice rejecting major European giants

According to the Daily Mirror, the Norwegian tactician will not have a huge amount to spend this winter – just £50million – with a new central defender seemingly an understandable priority.

The report lists £30m-rated Toby Alderweireld and Porto youngster Eder Militao, worth roughly £40m, as two realistic targets who could be affordable.

There is also interest in Napoli’s Kalidou Koulibaly, according to the Mirror, though his asking price of £90m makes a January deal unlikely unless something big changes.

Toby Alderweireld seems an ideal signing for Manchester United

Jerry Kelly looking to make wire-to-wire history at Boeing Classic

Jerry Kelly not only has to contend with history on Sunday as he tries to win the Boeing Classic in wire-to-wire fashion, he also has to deal with a couple of World Golf Hall of Famers among the group of contenders waiting to pounce if he has any letdown.

Kelly, the Wisconsin native and big Green Bay Packers fan, shot a 6-under 66 on Saturday at the Club at Snoqualmie Ridge, and leads by three shots over Billy Mayfair and Jerry Smith.

If Kelly wins, it will be his first victory on the 50-and-older tour in his rookie season, and he would become the first player to win the Boeing Classic after leading after the first round.

"I'll be thrilled if there is another first tomorrow," said Kelly, who lives in Madison, the city where he was born.

MORE: 13 toughest holes on Tour this season

But don't worry about Kelly, who is at 13 under, being overconfident. Not with the two Hall of Famers, defending champion Bernhard Langer and Colin Montgomerie, just four shots back.

Langer, who will be celebrating his 60th birthday on Sunday, was four shots behind heading into last year's final round before rallying to win the event for the second time.

"I would rather be five ahead than (four) behind, but you take whatever happens and go from there," said Langer, who finished more than an hour before Kelly.

Perhaps Kelly's most important shot Saturday was his final one. He made a tricky, downhill 15-foot par putt, avoiding dropping a shot after hitting his drive into the fairway bunker.

"It was big," Kelly said of the par save. "The more you show signs of going backwards, the more they're going to smell blood in the water."

Langer, who could become the first three-time winner of the event, has been the dominant player on the PGA Tour Champions for a decade. He was his typical self on his final day in the 50s, shooting a 65. But he lamented that his round wasn't a bit better, as he was unable to birdie the relatively easy par-5 18th.

Langer was paired with Montgomerie, who also shot a 65.

"I enjoy playing with Bernhard," he said. "You know if you're equal with him, you have half a chance and I did that with a good putt on the last (hole)."

Mayfair tied for 21st in this event last year after just turning 50. He said the experience of playing last year has been a big help.

"I have my own yardage book, and I have my own notes from last year," he said. "I told some of the guys I'm not a rookie. They said, 'We'll tell you when you're not a rookie anymore.' "

Four players are five shots back at 8 under, including 2014 champion Scott Dunlap.

There are nine players at 7 under.

Seattle native Fred Couplesshot a 66 and is tied for 19th place at 6 under.

For him and the rest of the chase pack, their chances hinge on what Kelly does Sunday. The last time he led entering the final round of a tournament was in 2002 in the Sony Open on the PGA Tour. He went on to win that event for one of his three victories on that Tour.

Kelly's plan for Sunday is to "keep hitting fairways, keep hitting greens, make every putt you can possibly get and go to the next hole." And he'll probably be wearing a smile.

"Just go play and try and have some fun," Kelly said.

This article is written by Scott Hanson from Seattle Times and was legally licensed via the Tribune Content Agency through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.

Barcelona tipped to win race to land classy January signing ahead of Euro rivals

Barcelona remain on course to compete for major honours this season, and reports claim they could be bringing in January reinforcements to help too.

The Catalan giants sit top of La Liga with a three-point lead over their nearest rivals, while they advanced as group winners into the knockout stage of the Champions League.

SEE MORE: €140m duo prefer Barcelona move as Catalan giants hold crucial advantage in transfer battle

Coach Ernesto Valverde seemingly has struck the right balance in his squad for the most part, but as noted by Calciomercato, via reports in England, it’s claimed that Barcelona are edging closer to securing a deal to sign Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Adrien Rabiot in January.

The 23-year-old will see his current contract expire at the end of the season, and so with time running out to agree on a renewal, the French giants are running the risk of losing him for nothing in the summer.

In turn, agreeing to a cut-price January deal seems to make sense from their perspective, but time will tell if a move materialises in the New Year, or if an agreement is put in place for the Frenchman to join on a free at the end of the season.

It’s added in the report that both Manchester City and Juventus are also keen on Rabiot, and so it remains to be seen if they launch a last-minute bid to convince him otherwise, but it’s suggested that he’s edging ever closer to moving to the Nou Camp.

Given the technical quality and creative class that he has on the ball, it can be argued that Rabiot is an ideal fit for the Barcelona midfield, providing a long-term option for the reigning Spanish champions alongside the likes of club stalwarts Sergio Busquets and Ivan Rakitic.

Nevertheless, Mundo Deportivo claim that €75m-rated Ajax starlet Frenkie de Jong is also a transfer target, and so it remains to be seen how a possible Rabiot arrival would affect that touted move.

Chelsea consider surprise January transfer move for experienced Premier League star

Chelsea are reportedly considering a surprise transfer swoop for Leicester City striker Jamie Vardy to solve their problems up front this January.

The Foxes forward has been one of the Premier League’s best attacking players in recent years, but the chance of a move to a bigger club perhaps seemed to fall away when he rejected Arsenal in 2016, as noted by the Guardian.

MORE: £192million trio to Manchester United, stunning Chelsea swap deal – ten big transfers that could take place next week as we edge closer to January

Still, another opportunity could now be on for Vardy, with Chelsea in need of a striker after poor form from Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud this season and last.

Centre-forward seems the one major weakness in Maurizio Sarri’s squad, which would surely be closer to challenging for the Premier League title with a more prolific finisher.

According to the Telegraph, the Blues are looking at big names like Gonzalo Higuain and Nabil Fekir, but Vardy is also an option for them.

Jamie Vardy scores for Leicester against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge

WATCH: Justin Thomas honored at Alabama game with Wanamaker Trophy

Justin Thomas played golf at Alabama in his amateur years and is a proud member of the Crimson Tide family.

So it was really cool to see him hoisting the Wanamaker Trophy he won in August at the Alabama-LSU game on Saturday night.

JT also spent time with Alabama head coach Nick Saban. Oh, to be a fly on the wall for a conversation between two men who are at the top of their respective professions.

Thomas notched multiple wins this season. Given his allegiance to Alabama, he’s used to winning.

Chelsea plan January transfer window approach for Manchester United star after major development

Chelsea remain keen on a potential January transfer window swoop for Manchester United forward Anthony Martial, it has emerged.

The Blues have long been linked with the France international, who has had an up and down time of things at Old Trafford since joining back in 2015.

The latest transfer news regarding the player is not looking too positive from a United point of view, with Martial looking no closer to signing a new contract.

BBC Sport have reported of United triggering the option to extend Martial’s deal for a further year, but quote his agent as saying he is pessimistic about a more long-term agreement.

CaughtOffside understands this has alerted Chelsea to the 23-year-old’s potential availability, with the club on the lookout for a new signing up front this winter.

While Martial has mainly played out wide under Jose Mourinho, some of his best form in a United shirt came in his first campaign as a centre-forward under Louis van Gaal.

Anthony Martial is a transfer target for Chelsea as his Manchester United future is plunged into doubt

CaughtOffside understands Chelsea manager Maurizio Sarri is a big fan of the former Monaco man and would look to play him as a striker again after becoming unconvinced by the likes of Alvaro Morata and Olivier Giroud in that part of the pitch.

Chelsea were linked with Martial by Sky Sports less than a month ago, and it seems things could now get more serious after the revelations from his agent.

United fans will not be happy with this news, with Martial long being a fan favourite at Old Trafford despite his inconsistency and some perceived attitude problems and issues off the pitch.

US rally in foursomes sets up Sunday chase for the PGA Cup

OTTERSHAW, Surrey, England – The United States flipped what could have been a dismal Saturday by capturing three of four afternoon foursomes matches and pulled within a point of Great Britain & Ireland, 8½ – 7½, in the 28th PGA Cup.

The premier international competition for PGA Club Professionals now comes down to 10 Sunday singles matches at Foxhills Club & Resort’s Longcross Course. The United States needs six points to reclaim the Llandudno International Trophy, while defending champion Great Britain & Ireland needs 4½.

To arrive at this point, the Americans had to shake off the effects of earning just a half-point on Friday afternoon and one point in Saturday morning’s four-balls. PGA of America President and U.S. Captain Paul Levy huddled with his fellow Officers – who served like Vice Captains in a Ryder Cup. It was golf’s answer to “halftime adjustments.”

MORE: Full coverage from the PGA Cup | Scores and schedule | Day 2 photos

“It’s like a rollercoaster,” said Levy of Indian Wells, California. “You know what a rollercoaster is like? On the way up you have anticipation, trepidation, you lose your stomach for a while. You go down, it’s wheeeee! That’s what it was like.

“We thought we had great pairings. We created some new chemistry and thought we needed to mix it up. With that format (foursomes or alternate shot), you take Omar (Uresti) and Paul (Claxton), for example. They have had a lot of championship golf experience and were straight hitters. We split them up and both of their teams won. We kicked it into gear and we’re happy for it.”

Great Britain & Ireland Captain Albert MacKenzie met Levy at the 18th green following the final afternoon match, a hard-fought 2-up victory for England’s Robert Coles and Andrew Raitt over Rich Berberian Jr. of Hooksett, New Hampshire, and Adam Rainaud of Chester, Connecticut.

“We were delighted to get that one point,” said MacKenzie. “Congratulations Paul, your team was great this afternoon. They came quick out of the blocks. It looked all day that it would be tough to get any points in that afternoon fixture. We look forward to a great contest tomorrow, Captain.”

GB&I made Saturday morning’s four-balls look like they have been together for years, methodically winning three of the four matches. Berberian, the 2016 PGA Professional Champion, and Rainaud, a two-time PGA Match Play Champion, were the lone USA bright spots, as they downed England’s Matthew Cort and Wales’ Garry Houston, 5 and 3.

Berberian highlighted the round by driving the 324-yard No. 10 green and rolling home a 10-foot eagle putt.

The afternoon was a reversal of fortune for the U.S., as Jamie Broce of Indianapolis and Paul Claxton of Claxton, Georgia, captured a 1-up decision over Cort and Houston. Broce rolled home back-to-back 15-foot birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes to secure the victory. His putt at 17 came after Cort pitched in for birdie a moment earlier from the left side of the green.

One hole later, Broce, the men’s and women’s golf coach at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), watched as Claxton, a PGA Life Member and former tour professional, chipped downhill from back of the 18th green. With GB&I’s Cort on the green in two and looking at an eagle putt, Broce was facing an imposing uphill birdie putt.

“It was a long day. Somehow we hung in there, “said Broce. “This man here, (pointing to Claxton) played awesome. In the end, I was able to make some putts.” Broce said he copied something from Claxton – his putting grip. “Midway through the round, I used the claw grip. It was the first time – practice or competition – that I tried it,” he said. “Yeah, I did claw my way home.”

Claxton, 49, is making his PGA Cup debut and had sat on the sidelines since Friday morning, missing two previous sessions. “I was like a caged animal, ready to get out,” he said, while also praising his opponents. “The Europeans are, as we say back home, as strong as new rope.”

The Americans other afternoon winning combinations included Rod Perry of Port Orange, Florida, and Josh Speight of Locust Hill, Virginia. They beat England’s Phillip Archer and Scotland’s Christopher Currie, 3 and 2.

Uresti, the reigning PGA Professional Champion from Austin, Texas, was paired with two-time PGA Professional Champion Matt Dobyns of Glen Head, New York. The University of Texas alumni duo beat Ireland’s David Higgins and Damien McGrane, 4 and 2.

In a match that ebbed and flowed for both teams, Uresti executed a pitch shot on the 222-yard, par-3 11th to win the hole with a par. According to Levy, “that was one of the great short shots you’ll ever see.”

It was memorable for Uresti, too. He faced an almost impossible task after partner Matt Dobyns pulled a 6-iron approach that kicked straight left down the hill into a bare dirt area.

“I saw a twig touching the ball, and I was lucky that I could move it and not move the ball,” said Uresti. “I put my 25-yard grip on it and it came out perfectly and it trickled to a foot from the cup. That was the best shot I’ve hit in these Cup matches.”

The United States is 17-6-4 overall since the PGA Cup began in 1973. It is 6-5-1 on the road, and last won outright overseas in 2009 in Loch Lomond, Scotland. The U.S. forged a 13-13 draw in 2013 in Hexham, England, at Slaley Hall, and surrendered the Cup for the first time on U.S. soil, 13 ½ to 12 ½, as GB&I triumphed at CordeValle in San Martin, California.

“You are talking about the 10 best players for the past two years of the nearly 29,000 PGA Professionals and nothing surprises me,” said Levy.

Sunday’s Singles Pairings
(all times GMT)
9:30 a.m. Mark Brown (USA) vs. Damien McGrane (GB&I)
9:40 a.m. Josh Speight (USA) vs. Robert Coles (GB&I)
9:50 a.m. Rod Perry (USA) vs. Christopher Currie (GB&I)
10:00 a.m. Jamie Broce (USA) vs. Matthew Cort (GB&I)
10:10 a.m. Dave McNabb (USA) vs. Andrew Raitt (GB&I)
10:20 a.m. Rich Berberian Jr. (USA) vs. Chris McDonnell (GB&I)
10:30 a.m. Paul Claxton (USA) vs. Greig Hutcheon (GB&I)
10:40 a.m. Omar Uresti (USA) vs. Garry Houston (GB&I)
10:50 a.m. Matt Dobyns (USA) vs. Phillip Archer (GB&I)
11:00 a.m. Adam Rainaud (USA) vs. David Higgins (GB&I)

Saturday Morning Four-Balls

Full recap | Highlights
Christopher Currie & David Higgins (GB&I) def. Rod Perry & Jamie Broce (USA), 4 and 3
Rich Berberian Jr. & Adam Rainaud (USA) def. Matthew Cort & Garry Houston (GBI), 5 and 3
Chris McDonnell & Damien McGrane (GB&I) def. Matt Dobyns & Mark Brown (USA), 2 and 1
Robert Coles & Greig Hutcheon (GB&I) def. Josh Speight & Dave McNabb (USA), 2 and 1

Great Britain & Ireland 3,  United States 1

Afternoon Foursomes & Summaries
Paul Claxton, Claxton, Ga. & Jamie Broce, Indianapolis (USA) def. Matthew Cort, Leicester, Leicestershire, England & Garry Houston, Wrexham, Wales (GB&I), 1 up

England’s Matthew Cort and Wales’ Garry Houston sped two a 2-hole lead, thanks to a first-hole birdie and a conceded second hole when Jamie Broce touched a branch with his backswing. The Americans rallied to square the match with birdies on the fifth and seventh holes, before GBI birdied the eighth and the U.S. birdied the ninth. Broce would later make back-to-back 15-foot birdie putts on the 17th and 18th holes to secure a vital victory.

Robert Coles, Romford, Essex, England & Andrew Raitt, London, England (GB&I) def. Adam Rainaud, Chester, Conn. & Rich Berberian Jr., Hooksett, N.H. (USA), 2 up

Rich Berberian Jr. and Adam Rainaud, who had faced each other in the finals of the PGA Match Play Championship in 2015 and ’16, kept their chemistry percolating this week by powering to a 2-hole advantage through five holes thanks to an eagle on the par-5 fifth. Two holes later, Robert Coles and Andrew Raitt caught fire with three winning holes, including two pars on the eighth and ninth holes to move to a 1-up advantage. Berberian and Rainaud brought the match all square to the 17th hole, then lost it with a bogey after a wayward Berberian tee shot. Coles and Raitt won the 18th hole and match with a two-putt birdie.

Rod Perry, Port Orange, Fla. & Josh Speight, Locust Hill, Va. (USA) def. Phillip Archer, Warrington, Cheshire, England & Christopher Currie, Clydebank, Dunbartonshire, Scotland (GB&I), 3 and 2

Rod Perry and Josh Speight, paired together for the first time, took off to a 3-up lead through five holes before Phillip Archer and Christopher Currie answered with a birdie at No. 6. Perry and Speight then teamed to birdie No. 7. Archer and Currie trimmed the deficit to one hole with a birdies at 10 and 11. Perry and Speight soared to the finish by making birdies at Nos. 13 and 14 and closed the match with a winning par at No. 16.

Matt Dobyns, Glen Head, N.Y. & Omar Uresti, Austin, Texas (USA) def. David Higgins, Killarney, County Kerry, Ireland & Damien McGrane, Kells, County Meath, Ireland (GB&I), 4 and 2

University of Texas alumni Matt Dobyns and Omar Uresti, paired for the second straight anchor afternoon foursomes match, ran off three straight birdies to open the match, then watched as the Irish duo of David Higgins and Damien McGrane birdied the fifth hole. Dobyns and Uresti answer with a birdie at No. 6. Each team traded birdies, with the U.S. going 3-up with an amazing 25-yard par recovery pitch at No. 11 by Uresti from downhill on a bare dirt lie from below his feet. The ball landed to within a foot of the cup. GB&I lost with a bogey there and despite trimming the margin to two holes, was closed out on No. 16 by a winning Dobyns-Uresti par.

Afternoon Foursomes Total – United States 3, Great Britain & Ireland 1

Day 2 Total: Great Britain & Ireland 8 ½ United States 7 ½

       

Chelsea set to complete £72.3million signing in ‘a matter of days’ to kick-start January transfer spending

There’s exciting Chelsea transfer gossip coming out of Spain right now as it’s claimed Isco’s departure from Real Madrid could be sealed in a matter of days.

This could be a superb signing for the Blues if they pull it off, with Don Balon claiming they’ve made an offer and that Real president Florentino Perez is likely to accept it imminently.

MORE: Chelsea in talks with World Cup winner’s agent over January transfer

The report states Chelsea could sign Isco for £72.3million, and that it would be ‘parallel’ to two other potential deals between the two clubs.

Don Balon link Eden Hazard with Real Madrid in their piece, while Mateo Kovacic’s future also remains up in the air as the Croatian is on loan at Chelsea from Madrid and it is unclear at the moment if he will remain in west London permanently.

Isco could arguably replace both players if they ended up leaving, with the Spain international capable of playing a creative midfield role or as a wide forward.

Isco in action for Real Madrid

Real Madrid superstar set to be handed ‘leading role’ by Jose Mourinho should he be appointed Los Blancos manager

Real Madrid midfielder is set to be handed a ‘leading role’ at the club by Jose Mourinho should the 55-year-old replace Santiago Solari at the helm in the Spanish capital.

Rumours of Mourinho sealing a return to the Santiago Bernabeu have been rife following the sacking of the Portuguese coach as Man United boss earlier this week.

And it seems like Mourinho is already planning for life back at Los Blancos, as Don Balon are noting that if he is reappointed by Real, he will bring the Colombian back from his loan spell with Bayern Munich.

The report states further that Rodriguez’s potential return to the club is linked to him taking a ‘leading role’ in Mourinho’s side, and that this news has put a halt to any talks of the midfielder joining Bayern permanently in January.

Rodriguez is one of the best attacking midfielders in Europe, and still has a lot to offer to Real Madrid, something that made it surprising to hear the news that the player was to join Bayern on a two-year loan deal back in 2017 as per the Guardian.

Rodriguez looks set to play a starring role in Real’s side if Mourinho if appointed manager

The 27-year-old scored 36 goals and assisted 40 times in 116 appearances before he was loaned to Bayern last year, something that suggests the midfielder can definitely perform for the Spanish giants in La Liga.

And it looks like Rodriguez is going to get a second chance to prove his worth to Real Madrid supporters should Mourinho replace Solari as manager in the near future…