The top stories and transfer rumours from Thursday’s newspapers…
TIMES
The Premier League’s chief football officer has insisted there are no plans to play matches in the United States, despite the growing popularity of the competition across the Atlantic.
Sir Dave Brailsford has unveiled a plan to staff at Manchester United called “Mission 21”, aimed ambitiously at delivering a 21st English league title for the club.
GUARDIAN
Discussions to scrap extra time from Champions League knockout rounds are gathering speed within UEFA in what would be a new step to reduce the number of minutes played by top clubs.
Arne Slot has called on the English football authorities to expand match-day squads to 23 players to help with the hectic schedule teams such as Liverpool are undertaking.
DAILY TELEGRAPH
The England men’s futsal team, which has been denied any funding by the Football Association, had to pay for their own travel costs to get to their European Championship qualifier against Spain in Loughborough this week, while the Spanish squad stayed three nights in a local four-star hotel.
DAILY MAIL
Napoli chief Giovanni Manna has revealed why Alejandro Garnacho’s exit from Manchester United collapsed in the last days of the winter transfer window.
Manchester United defender Luke Shaw has suffered another setback in his return from injury.
The panellists who review major refereeing decisions unanimously found that Bournemouth’s David Brooks was right not to be red-carded for clotheslining Chelsea’s Marc Cucurella at Stamford Bridge last month.
DAILY EXPRESS
Manchester United have joined other heavyweight suitors in the race to sign Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta.
SUN
Manchester United are targeting a summer swoop for Flamengo star Wesley Franca.
Emile Heskey has landed a shock new job as a security firm director.
DAILY MIRROR
Leny Yoro has revealed how Ruben Amorim warned his Manchester United squad that he won’t tolerate lazy players – after banishing Marcus Rashford to Aston Villa.
DAILY STAR
Mikel Arteta reportedly passed up the chance to sign Alvaro Morata due to concerns over his lack of intensity and ineffective pressing.
THE ATHLETIC
Kyle Walker revealed he would have stayed at Manchester City if there wasn’t a move to a big club available and that he couldn’t say no to AC Milan once transfer talks began
Pep Guardiola was left frustrated after Kyle Walker went to Manchester City’s hierarchy to push for a January exit from the club.
SCOTTISH SUN
Cyriel Dessers stayed put at Rangers despite receiving 10 offers during the January window, claims the star’s agent.
Celtic fans are sweating over a Champions League away day ban for the play-off round clash against Bayern Munich.
DAILY RECORD
Boss Mikel Arteta opted to keep Kieran Tierney at Arsenal rather than allow him to go to Celtic – but the player is facing up to a nightmare final six months on the fringes of the squad.
